Saturday, December 21, 2013

A Call for Prayers and Healing

Claire Davis, the girl who was shot last week at the Arapahoe High School shooting, has passed away.

This holiday season is going to be hard for so many.  Her family, the shooter's family, and really our whole community.  My friend who's dad is a teacher there is struggling and I'm worried about her.

I can't even articulate how I feel right now.

If you could just say a prayer for everyone, my readers, that would be wonderful.

~Meaghan

Friday, December 20, 2013

The (Anti)Year in Review

Hello there, my dear sweet readers.

Today is December 20th.  Our year is almost over.  Normally, this is when I write my year in review, going month by month, trying to remember what I did all year.

But I've realized something this year: we as humans spend an awful lot of time looking back.  Sometimes it's mournfully, sometimes it's joyfully, and sometimes it's regretfully; but all of it is watching in the rear view mirror.

Life is too short.

So let's try something new.  Let's call it:  A Look to the Future.

*cue science fiction music at leisure*

Instead of going month by month, recapping everything, I'm going to make a list of 12 things answering this question: Where will I be in 2014 and what do I hope for while I'm there?

(For those of you playing along at home, I highly encourage you to make your own Look to the Future.  It gives a serious feeling of optimism and hope, something I think we can all benefit from.)

Let's begin!

1. I've been writing a lot of creative non-fiction essays this past year.  I'm hoping that in 2014 I'll have them typed and finalized and ready to go in some sort of package, in an attempt to get them published.

2. I'm also hoping to get my fiction story that I've just recently started written.  I have this serious problem of getting great ideas and doing all sorts of research, and then not finishing the project.  I really hope to break that cycle (even if the story stays in my home forever) in 2014.

3. I will be in the throes of wedding planning.  My bridesmaids are lined up, the location and date are reserved, and the guest list is almost done.  So we've already really got a good start.  Next year means actually starting to buy things, like stationary for invitations, unity candles, and...

4. A wedding dress!! I am so excited.  I know a marriage is not about the dress or the ceremony, but I can't help it.  I am really looking forward to dress shopping.  I want to look like a princess.  I want to feel beautiful.  Which leads to...

5. Not letting my weight define me.  So much of this year was spent in self loathing over my weight and where I am.  No more.  I am going to be a beautiful plus bride when the time comes.  And I'm going to spend 2014 learning how to love myself better, not only for the fact that it's healthy for me, but so that I am able to love those around me better as well.

6. I'm going to rock my science classes.  My semesters are getting to a point where the classes are heavy and hard, yet everything I love.  Fall of 2014 is probably going to see me taking between 15 and 18 credits.  This is more than I've ever taken before in a semester, but I love what I'm doing, so I'm not overly worried.

7. I plan on working a crazy amount this summer.  For our honeymoon, Trev and I have decided that we want to go to Disneyland.  (I've never been, and he's been wanting to take me for almost the entirety of our relationship.  I'm very excited.)  So I want to spend most of my summer working to help save up for it.  (He'll be working and saving as well, so it should work out.)

8. Trev and I will be celebrating our 3rd anniversary together.  It will be our last one as a dating couple, as we'll be married around the time of our following one.  I can not imagine a better man who completes me.  He never holds me back.  He makes me laugh.  When my dreams are a little out of control, he helps me trim them so that they can actually happen.  I love him.

9. I plan on continuing to take violin lessons.  This is something I recently started again (just a few months ago, actually) and I love it.  I only really play for myself and my family, but it feels really good.  I may participate in a recital this upcoming spring or fall as well.  We'll see.

10. I'm doing the Color Me Rad 5K with my sister again.  I don't know if we'll be running it, or if we'll walk it again.  Either way, we've already decided to do it again.  It was just too fun when we did it this year.  Neither of us want us to miss out on it ever again.

11. I plan on making time for my priorities.  This year I had a really hard time relating to a lot of my peers due to everything going on.  In the upcoming year, I'm going to work on being more social.  It may be selectively social ( I don't typically do well with large groups), but I will make more of an effort.  I plan on taking time for my family, too.  And I'm also going to make sure that I have some alone time.  Because as crazy as it sounds, I get worn out from being around people constantly and I need that time to recharge.

And finally....

12. I'm moving!  Don't worry, it's still in Colorado.  And yes, my fiance and I will still be living with my parents and sister.  But we're looking to move to a less expensive apartment out of Highlands Ranch and into somewhere like Littleton in the summer.  Moving is always a pain, but it brings about the opportunity to meet new neighbors and maybe have some more space to spread out.  I'm actually rather excited.

There are so many other things I want 2014 to bring.  But these 12 things are a good start.

As this blog post finishes up, I want to ask a simple question of you, my dear readers:

Where will you be in 2014 and what do you hope for while you're there?

Happy Holidays, and may 2014 be kind to you as you strive to achieve your list of hopes.

~Meaghan

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Updates and a New Idea!

Hi there dear readers!

Today is a beautiful day in Colorado.  The sun is up, it's like 60 degrees, and I'm pretty happy to be on winter break.

So what do I have for you, on this fine day?

Pictures!

Knitting has been going swimmingly.  Allow me to show you two things I just recently finished.

The first is a lovely cardigan I was commissioned to make by a friend of mine.  She bought the yarn, I did the knitting.  I love how it turned out.

Pattern: Cherry Cordial



And then there are birthday socks for my fiance. His birthday isn't until the end of January, but at the rate I'm going, it's never to early to start.


Aren't they awesome? Just a standard sock, no pattern.

Ah, life is pretty good right now.

And now, for a new idea I have.

As you guys know, I love Laci Green.  I think she is awesome.  She just recently put out this video about selfies and how we can turn them into something great.

Which got me thinking about my own insecurities.  Especially where a camera is concerned.

So I have this new project.  Starting in January, I'm going to post one selfie a day.  Good days, bad days, days when I'm sad or sick or happy or pretty - all of them will go up.  

I want to explore myself more, and I want others (that means you, my dear dear readers) to feel empowered as well.  Let's get over this notion of what body perfection is.

I will still be updating this blog, so do not worry.  Actually, since I'll be posting daily pictures on there, I will probably update more on here.  Always a good thing. :)

And that is all I have for today, sweet readers.  Enjoy your Tuesday afternoon!

~Meaghan


Sunday, December 15, 2013

A Feeling of Insignificance

Hi there, my dear readers.

You may or may not have heard in the news what I am about to blog about.  There has been yet another shooting in Colorado.

This one took place in a high school about ten minutes from where I live.  A young man entered the school, searching for a teacher, shooting a young girl who is in critical condition at the hospital, and ultimately taking his own life in the library.

(I do not know more.  I will not go into more.  Go look at the news if you want that.  This is where I'm going to decompress.)

We heard the sirens Friday afternoon as the firetrucks and ambulances raced down our road.  Honestly, I think all of us in the living room thought it was just another automobile accident.  They are pretty common at the intersections by our apartment.

It wasn't until I checked Facebook that I knew something was wrong.  We turned on the news. 

Another shooting.

Several things about this make it hit close for me.

For one, one of my best friends has a dad who is a teacher.  He teaches at Arapahoe High School where the shooting was.  This is my friend whose mom was a teacher at Columbine when the shooting happened there and who lost her babysitter and neighbor as one of the victims.

So I called her immediately.  I am happy to report that her dad made it out okay and that they are all doing alright.  Shaken up.  But safe.

Another thing.  My family and I frequent this area where Arapahoe is.  I work sometimes at the King Soopers where they were sending students after evacuating the school.  The odds of us being there are so high. 

And the youth group of the church I attend.  The church youth group where my friend (mentioned above) works part time has a good chunk of students who attend Arapahoe.

(I am happy to report that they are all safe as well.  I don't know about their mental states, but physically they are ok.)

I am so sad. 

I was working today at another King Soopers, passing out M&M's,  and there were so many teens and adults coming through in their Arapahoe gear.  One of the baggers (a young man about 16 or so) had "Pray for Clare" on his name tag.  I asked him about it and about how he was doing; I gave him extra M&M's. 

It didn't feel like enough.

I do not consider myself a Christian.  But I am spiritual and I do know that God or Goddess is there.

And all I feel I can do right now is pray.  Even if it is just calling God over and over again.

Because everything else feels incredibly insignificant.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Exciting News!

Hello my dear readers.  Thank you so much for your patience while I get some things figured out.

I can now happily report that I have very exciting news.

I am engaged!!!

Trevor and I got unofficially engaged back in October, but we were waiting to announce until he told his family over Thanksgiving.  As of November 30th, we are engaged.

This is a very exciting and wonderful thing.  Especially how the year was for our family.  It's nice to be ending on a happy thought.

We do have a date set and the church booked, but we're keeping it rather close.  I can say it's in May of 2015.  This gives us plenty of time to plan and still focus on school.

The wedding will be a small one.  There's a budget to deal with and the location doesn't feasibly allow for over 150 people.  (My portion of the guest list is only 53 people, including the bridal party, reverend, and possible sound tech personnel.)

I have bridesmaids lined up.  My sister, Katie, is going to be my maid of honor and we are so excited!  She and mom are also going to do the flowers (silk, so they last forever) and whatever else there is. 

Trevor and I are so excited for this to finally be happening!  We've been together 2 and a half years at the moment, and it is so right.  This is only the logical next step.

If I seem not altogether between now and then, it's a combination of wedding planning and school things. :)

Stay tuned.  More will be on the way.

~Meaghan