Half a Decade

November 20, 2006 It is amazing that FIVE years ago I met this young lad... This picture was taken the weekend we were 'official,' what a little looking guy! I will never forget seeing Brad in Ludington in his blue Gordy's shirt and then come to find out that he goes to West Ottawa two months later! Talk about crazy, but I guess it was worth the wait and unknown!! 

Also known as the guy in the red sweatshirt I took 

F-O-R-E-V-E-R to accept his invitation to go out with him. I turned him down four times and then finally I just decided to go for it and see what happened. Our first date technically was going to Pizza Hut, but he had to my parents first so he had to come over, talk about nerve-racking. We ended up renting The Sentinel  but getting there meant driving through a horrible thunder storm which was quite eventful and still something we laugh at today.

Chicago

Every year now we go to Chicago to celebrate. It it nice to take the train for the day and explore the city hand in hand and take time away to do something for ourselves. I have found it is so easy to take for granted the people you love in your life and Brad and I make a point to plan our Chicago trip every year. We always make sure to do something a little different every year so far we have done Shedds Aquarium, Navy Pier, Willis Tower, and Blue Man Group. Yet we always make sure to walk down Michigan Ave and hit up our favorite stores (mind you we NEVER buy anything) you will find us sitting on every couch in Crate & Barrel, walking around playing with every gadget in Apple, smelling chocolate in Hershey's, eating in the Water Tower, checking out snowboarding stuff and our most recent eating a celebratory cupcake at Sprinkles! YUM!!

This year we are going for a whole weekend!! Friday morning we will take the train and explore the city like always and then take a second train to stay with Matt and Betsy for the weekend!! This years adventure consists of hitting up the Science & Industry Museum!! Cannot wait!

Now the semi-cheesy part of this post comes out, we have pictures from every year around November 20. Ready. Go!

Year One

Year Two

Year Three

Year Four

 Distance

Seeing Bradley for the first time after six weeks of him being in Virginia.

Distance has always been a factor for the two of us, luckily we have college to keep us connected. However even then we face challenges. I will not say that distance is easy by any means but it can make you stronger in the end. Which some days I have questioned why we are always pulled apart, but I guess that's the beauty of us because regardless we have found a way to be resilient and face the distance head on. Between baseball, internships and me being two years younger in school we have had our fair share of time apart. But I guess on a positive note we have both seen some interesting places along the way, without him spending a summer in Virginia I wouldn't have got to go to Washington DC and without him working for the Tigers, well I wouldn't have got to see all the behind the scenes action. Aside from all the perks distance has made us closer in some way shape or form despite the numerous arguments and frustrations felt along the way. All I can say is thank God for e-mail, skype, texting, cell phones, ProFlowers, U.S postal service, and packages!!

The past five years have been a bundle of craziness!! That is probably a fairly large understatement, but it will do for the point that is being made. Although not known at the time Brad came into my life with perfect timing. He has held my hand through so much and as a couple we have gone through a great deal of lose and trials and injuries/surgeries. All of this has brought us so much closer and ultimately lead us to l-o-v-e!!

Brad has done so much for my life. He has the ability to make this belly laugh I don't often hear come out, he knows how to push my buttons to really piss me off, he has a way about putting me back in to reality or perspective, I often times over plan and get caught up in life's annoyance that I lose sight of who I really am. Within the past few months he has done a really good job of sitting and talking with me through frustrations burdens both him and I face as a couple and that both of us as individuals face. He pushes me even when I'm not wanting to be pushed aka working out...just ask him about my work out regimen...all I can say is thank God his roommate is patient enough to deal with me in the weight room, lets just say Brad and I do not see eye to eye when working out/ being competitive. Brad has shown me to love whole hearted despite whatever life throws at you, he has always believed in me and helped me through the most trying of times and some of the best times. He knows when I need a laugh, he knows when I just need to cry and he knows the right time to step in and offer a hug. Overall he is really great guy, I think we make a pretty good match. We challenge each other, we do not always see eye to eye, we argue, we get frustrated, we get annoyed, but we love each other. And despite all the ups and down we continue to love regardless, and we work hard to make our relationship strong and full of love.

Little by Little

So I am currently reading a book called Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist. I encourage all of you to read it, it is moving and amazing. The subtitle states "celebrating the extraordinary nature of everyday life" yep its one of those you have a highlighter next to you while reading. Anyways I started reading it quite some time ago and just never ended up finishing it, until now. I wanted to try to see if by finally finishing it I could find the inspiration I need to write my statement of purpose essay for my application. And well, as you can imagine I ran across a quote in the book that made me stop and question all my current thoughts. 

As you can read in my last post I talked about hoping to make it to the informational meeting that was held Monday. But then it hit me tonight, sometimes, actually probably most of the time, I am constantly pushing and striving to reach something so much more than is actually ready to be discovered take for instance what Shauna stated in her book:

"I get stuck because I try to map out every dip and turn, try to write an ending, literally and figuratively, before a beginning even exists. So I don't write, but with the energy that I could use on writing, I worry instead."

Although this is referring to her writing career I felt as though I could relate to this on many levels. I wanted so bad to go that informational meeting, so much so I asked to go into work late. Well it didn't work out, I had to go watch my little guys and missed the meeting. It wore on me all day, I kept thinking of all the questions that could have been answered today and how the direction of my research could have been decided. Yet as I lay in bed reading my book and sipping on a glass of wine it all hit me. I plan way to much sometimes and that in the end the other FOUR informational meetings are there for a reason. There is time and I was not meant to attend that meeting for some reason that is unknown to me right now. Perhaps it was for me to read my book and to find a sense of peace in knowing that the time will come when all the answers I have rushing around in my mind will have an answer, until then I will wait.

I want so badly to jump ahead to conclusions and to finish the whole application process and start doing extensive reserach, however something is stopping me from accomplishing all these tasks. I have found I get stuck...I'm not sure why but obviously there is a reason I get writers block or have an obstacle that gets in my way of furthering this journey. Yet I am not defeated. Then I found:

 "Start where you're stuck."

Those four words bring such a peace of mind to me right now, since I've let others know of my adventures I want to take, figuring every single detail out has been pressing on my mind. What I need to keep in mind is pacing and that not everything has to be figured out right this very second. Yet starting where you are stuck is sometimes the best thing you can do. And that brings me back to why I ever wanted to travel to Africa.

"But little by little, when I start where I'm stuck, over and over and over, getting stuck and unstuck, something cracks through, and life reveals itself to me like an scroll unfurling."

Things began to become unstuck for me and came through the cracks ;). I don't want having nothing to say about my progress to my trip to stop me from posting what is inspiring me to be where I am at. I think the following quote really sums up how life and the things that mean the most to you really impact and move you to do something extraordinary. For those of you who know me the last five years have really moved me in a direction I never really expected to go, however I can not complain of where I am at today. I believe that everything happens for a reason, even despite not knowing exactly why, and that each life event, if taken on positively, can mold you into something great. I am believer in that everyone has a story and that everyone has their own stories that shapes them into something else. Part of my story is always wanting to travel to Africa but never fully believing that it could happen. I am now realizing that life is far to short to doubt what you want to do, and regardless of how big your dreams may seem you have to follow through with them and chance them with everything in you. 

This final quote motivates me to continue to write regardless of if anyone reads:

"I feel, in the best moments, in spite of the uncertainty, in spite  of the fear, like Lily Briscoe in To the Lighthouse. Yes, she thought, laying down her brush in extreme fatigue, I have had my vision. I had that line written on my wall for years, years ago, and now it holds a whole new richness. I have had my vision, and I thought it would come in a flash, a bright beam of knowing. But it has come in the same way that all things come to me. it has come to me with a fight. It has come to me the hard way, through tears and fog and fear and chaos, and now has landed in the palm of my hand like a firefly. There now, I have had my vision."

This is powerful to me and reiterates that the dreams I had long ago that I never felt would come true can come true if you believe and put your mind to it. I encourage all of you to find what encourages you and chase after the dreams you are too afraid to chase. Follow through.

Please feel free to e-mail my account to get on the e-mailing list, I would love to share my new posts with all that are following and reading. Join the mailing list at followthroughblog@gmail.com Once you e-mail me your e-mail you will get an e-mail notifying you of the new post. I feel as though Facebook just isn't letting all of you know I wrote something new! 

Once again I thank you all that find the time to read and share my journey. It truly means so much and is so nice to share my thoughts with those who are encouraging me throughout my journey. It means more than words can really say. Thanks a bunch!

God Bless,

Kate

Updates

No huge news as of now but I did want to have an e-mail for anyone that wants to receive an e-mail when I update. The e-mail is below just send me an e-mail with the e-mail address you would like to me send a message to and I will send a mass e-mail out when updates are made! 

followthroughblog@gmail.com

Quick update: There is an informational meeting I will hopefully be able to make it on Monday, but since I work that day I may have to wait until the next one. Once I go to this meeting I will know lots more. I met with the professor that is going and she is excited to hear about what I want to get out of this experience and is willing to help me with the research. I have started doing some initial research about the country in general hopefully tomorrow I will be able to post some fun information about the country! Until then Happy Friday & have a superb weekend!!


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Best,
Kate