It's time.

...to FINALLY document the last few weeks!

I will do them in parts, because I don't want to spend hours blogging, and it make it more fun if it isn't just one huge post, right?

I'm also going to try really hard to not put a million words in the posts; just short, brief, and to the point....with pictures (because that's all you care about anyways, right?) of course.


Part 1: GRADUATION!

After 5 grueling years for me (and only 3 for Wolfgang...I don't want to talk about it) we have finally graduated with our Bachelors Degrees! I can't even tell you how often I wanted to give up, honestly.

In those 5 years, I went to BYU-Idaho for my first 2 years, studying Psychology for about a semester, and the rest of that time my major was Biology. I LOVED biology, and marine biology was my motivation to go to BYU-Hawaii, but it just didn't work out.

I had an awesome time in Idaho, but I'm so glad I transferred to BYU-Hawaii. There I started out as a Biology major with an emphasis in Marine Biology, and ended up changing my major to something completely different, which I ended up getting my degree in: International Cultural Studies with an emphasis in Communications. This major has opened my mind and my heart more than I could have ever imagined.

Wolfgang graduated in Hospitality and Tourism Management. He is awesome at what he does, and he will no doubt be successful in anything that the future holds.

We shared our special day with both of our families, and some friends too. We were adorned with beautiful and thoughtful leis. It was a bitter sweet day, and I was just so happy to finally come to this point in my life, even though it was very surreal. I take great pride in being a BYU-Hawaii alumni! Both Wolfgang and I have been deeply blessed to have attended such a wonderful university, and to have found each other there :)

Class of 2010!

Wolfgang and I officially graduated yesterday from BYUH! It was a fantastic day. Couldn't have been better, celebrating it with our families and friends.

Last night was the first night in a while that we actually got some good sleep in, so we are happy campers.

Pictures and more details to come!

24 hours.

Wolfgang's family is currently on their flight heading over here to Hawaii and will be here a little less than 24 hours,

Jess will be here in a lot less than 24 hours,

and my parents will be here in about 2x 24 hours.

BRING IT!

Party time!

Pathetic

I may or may not have teared up after our friend bought and took our entertainment center.

I didn't care about the entertainment center itself, is was just the fact that our little apt became that much more impersonal (our entertainment center was about the only thing we decorated semi-cute) and that much more real that we are leaving.

(Sorry I have so many posts like this....get over it.) ;)

Disclaimer: OH and one more thing... the above mentioned DOESN'T mean we are sad to leave TVA (housing complex) I've been counting down for months on that one...I just mean leaving in general.

1:5

Completely done with one class,

5 more to go.

This week will be one of the worst/best weeks of my life.

here we go.

like a train

I'm just going to say it how it is...

I don't do well with change.

Anytime my life is about to make a dramatic turn, I think I go into denial, and the reality of it hits me at random times (and I become annoyingly and ridiculously emotional).

Last night was one of those random times.

It sort of started out yesterday afternoon, when it officially became known that our chance of staying in Hawaii went from about a 70%, down to about a 5%. When Wolfgang told me and the synapses in my head did their thing, I just kind of stood there in shock. "That means we aren't staying in Hawaii?" I almost cried. In the beginning, I knew that our chances of staying here were not that great, but the ups and down of it really confused me emotionally, knowing whether to be happy or sad, in either outcome (Hawaii or Mainland).

Then last night came along. I was lying in bed when all of a sudden it hit me again, that we are leaving Hawaii, very soon. A flood of people went rushing through my mind- friends, co-workers, and professors, and I couldn't help but break down and cry.

I seriously can't believe the last 3 years has gone by so incredibly fast. A part of me is ready to move on, but the other part is feeling overwhelmed that I haven't done everything that I need to/want to here. I guess that's just how life is though.

It's amazing how time flies.

One month

Exactly ONE MONTH until Wolfgang and I graduate!!!




...at least I hope so. I'm so glad that the end if finally near!

One month til party time

In exactly one month, my family with be here in Hawaii to celebrate our graduation and Christmas! Can't wait!!!

Guess I REALLY need to pass my classes then, huh?

Change? Yes please.

I have a really hard time dealing with change and transitions. With graduation coming up just around the corner, I'm ecstatic, but beyond nervous too. I've been thinking that I've been a student for approx 20 years straight, and after December 17th, my life will completely change.

Yeah, maybe I'll end up going to school again, but probably not; and I know that you continue to learn...blah blah blah but my days of being a legit student are limited.

I have mixed feelings about this, but for now those feelings are dominated by GREAT JOY. I'm just ready to be done!!

What has helped this process along in wanting to move on, is the fact that I'm getting really annoyed and short with things around here. This may not seem like a blessing, but to me it IS a blessing in disguise.

Let's be real, if I didn't have nights like last night (obnoxious awkward single couple on playground last night keeping us up, security not getting off their lazy butts and helping us, Wolfgang getting up to tell them to leave, baby cry, listen to the baby's parents make love, baby cry again...)
Then I wouldn't desperately want to leave this place, and therefore I would be more sad.
I'm also at that stage where I don't care much about either of my jobs anymore, so now it's REALLY time to move on....

So yes, here was Jaimie again complaining about her living arrangements, but I really do feel like it's a blessing in disguise. call me morbid if you want.

2 months

I take great joy in knowing that in exactly 2 months, we will either be a. DONE and OUT of this apartment we are are currently in, or b. cleaning it and getting really really close to leaving it.

I can't wait for this day, minus the packing up and cleaning part.

I feel like living here has increase problems with anxiety, stress levels, and has lowered my tolerance level. I would actually really be interested if someone to do a study on the people who live here, in the rabbit hutches.

Things that have contributed to these problems include the fact that something is always going on. What can I say? I like being at peace in my home, a "place of refuge." What usually happens in a day at our apartment is either:

The baby next door is crying,
or
The rooster is crowing,
or
The neighbors/complex residents are making loud disturbing pleasure noises that no person should ever witness,
or
the baby next door is crying,
or
The whole place smells like sewage because of the sewage plant thing up on the hill behind us,
or
the baby next door is crying,
or
the children are obnoxiously (a word?) playing on the playground right outside our bedroom window
or
the yard workers are using REALLY LOUD MACHINERY that I have to YELL at Wolfgang to talk to him, and can't even consider making a phone call
or
a child from another complex is crying or throwing a tantrum
or
the baby next door is crying
or...
...repeat, repeat, repeat.

Ok, so maybe I'm being a scrooge, but I've had enough. I believe my blood pressure has risen to unhealthy heights, and my chances of explosion on innocent people has increased. This is not good.

I'll do my best to be a good righteous citizen until my days are up here.

(I'll try to say some nice things here now)
The few things that I will miss about living here, is the fact that we are so close to our friends, and that we don't have to pay for maintenance. Mmm....that is all.

I know I should be grateful for this place, but I won't, not ever, until I live somewhere worse with drug dealers or killers or prostitutes or all of the above as neighbors and then I'll think back, "oh yeah, I guess living in TVA wasn't so bad after all..."
But until then...
nope.