PINK!

Yay Pink!!!

On the last day of 2008, I posted this about my newly painted green bedroom. At that time I had no idea that I'd be taking the same type of picture just a few houses down the street, in my new pink office. Kinda funny.
Yay Pink!

The move got pushed back a week, which is perfectly okay with me. It will give me a bit more time to get organized. Plus, I won't have to pack anymore... I'll just get a big cart and make trips up and down the street as I so please.

One more thing... YAY PINK! :)

Moving.

I'm moving 2 weeks from today. Granted, I'm only moving about 8 houses away. But, I'm moving. Moving away from my adorable little rent house which I've occupied for the past 27 months.

That little white house represents a period of my life when I became, well, me. When I spent times sobbing harder than I've ever cried in my life, and also times when I experienced things I never imagined possible. It represents loss and heartbreak. It represents rebuilding and growth. It represents my independence, yet also my need for companionship and acceptance. It represents learning that I will always land on my feet, that I deserve to be happy and that I will never truly be lonely.

It's hard to even comprehend how different I am today versus the day I moved in. And yet I'm still just as much the same. (And that's just fine with me.)

By the way, my friend Barbara posted this yesterday and I love it.

"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another." Anatole France

When life gets in the way...

I've been getting emails lately asking if I'm okay. Apparently if I'm not smiling 24/7, a small alarm goes off and the instant reaction is "Something is wrong with Erin!"

For the record... I'm fine. But I am ridiculously tired and ridiculously FULL. Full of really great, fantastic, wonderful things.... But still, I'm full.

I think opting to forgo Ironman this year was one of the best things I could have done, because my workouts seem to get cut first. I'm making it to less and less spin classes these days, which is sad since they were always the one workout I wouldn't sacrifice regardless of how busy I was. Nowadays, sleep trumps spin the majority of the time. I haven't ridden my bike outside for over 5 miles but once since CdA. I haven't run outside since Christmas, and I've run inside maybe 2-3 times. I have swam 4 times, I think? That might be rounding up, actually! I still try to hit the gym most days, but if Chris isn't there I don't go. Needless to say, Erin's 2010 Fitness: Fail.

I feel really disconnected to my training friends because I honestly can't relate to what they are up to. I support them of course, but I also think they are crazy. In a good way, for the most part :). Then there is the jealousy, that feeling that I wish I could be doing what they are doing. Then comes the negative self-talk, "if you just would wake up earlier and be more consistent and eat better and carve out more time..." Ugh, make it stop please!!!!

Another interesting thing I'm finding about not training for anything is that I don't see my friends as much. I miss them. I can't remember the last time I saw some of my friends, and that distresses me. I try to carve time for them, but without that shared interest/goal - it's really difficult. I definitely don't see my friends as much as I'd like, and at times I feel a lot of guilt for not making more of an effort.

So, back to the part where I seem a bit "off." Lots of good things are rocking my world right now. They just so happen to be really big things, that need lots of time and energy and attention and focus. Unfortunately, being an athlete didn't make the cut this year, and training (plus my friendships) is something that kept me pretty grounded.

On a positive note, when I stop for a moment to look back at all the things I've learned recently, via my job, my business, my house, and my relationships, I am amazed. I am indecisive and decisive all wrapped up in one. I am having fun yet I am completely stressed out. I am proud and I am scared. I am determined. I am busy as can be. I am laughing at myself a lot. I am living and I am full. So even if I seem a bit "off" I'm still the same happy E on the inside.

(By the way, I really do appreciate being asked.)

Super Dad!

Why do I look so happy in this picture? Because I'm hanging with my dad, of course! As I mentioned before, I was in San Antonio on Thursday teaching continuing education classes. My dad mentioned he would be in SA for a charity wine tasting that evening. So, I quickly invited myself along to be his assistant. He's the rep for the wine glass company shown in the pictures - and he does these events all the time. However, the CEO of the company would be leading this tasting which made it extra special.

Here is what the room looked like. Lots and lots of wine glasses! The premise of a wine glass tasting is to show the benefits of these wine glass, which truly are the best in the world, against "joker" glasses -i.e. the ones most of us drink from every day. It's always a blast to hear everyone's reactions when they taste the same wine in a joker glass versus the high end glass. Lots of oohs & aahs.
Here is my dad setting up. Check out the beautiful decanters on the left and different types of glasses to the right.... let's just say it pays to be my dad's daughter. ;) Wine anyone?
The event was wonderful - and the president/CEO was highly entertaining. I was lucky enough to have dinner with him after the event and was sure to grill him about anything and everything regarding his business plan. (I think I wore him out with all my questions... but, it's what I do! I like business!)

The best part of the event was being a "nobody" except for just being my dad's daughter. Everyone thought I was still in college and had no knowledge of my background whatsoever. Thus, the focus of almost all of my conversations was on my dad. And pretty much every conversation went like this. "You are Buzz's daughter? Oh, we just LOVE your father. He is such a wonderful man and we are blessed to have him here." (I concur!!!) Even though I'm just the daughter, I felt so proud of him. He is the best. Period.

So.... wine tasting was great. Grilling the CEO was great. Hanging out with my dad for the night - THE BEST!

Lucky!

I'll be in San Antonio all day for work...

My dad will be in San Antonio that evening for a wine tasting / charity event...

Which means.... I GET TO SEE MY DAD ON THURSDAY NIGHT!!!!

Yay. :)