Turning 37

Life has been moving in high gear. But not too fast that I haven't had time to appreciate it.

I'm now 37 years old. I'm old enough to realize that the things that are most important to you are worth fighting for. And young enough to realize that you're never to old to dream.

The day after my birthday, I walked in the Walk Now for Autism Speaks event in South Jersey. I was the team captain and tried to recruit my sorority sisters -- both alums and collegiate members -- to walk with me. I guess I should be surprised that only three other alums and two collegians showed up, but I really wasn't. I'm just really happy that I didn't try to do anything extravagant for my team.

I won't count dressing up as my sorority mascot as extravagant. That was fun.

I had always wanted to be a character at Disney World. Today I got to fulfill a small part of it. I gave high-fives to kids and passed out balloons. I posed in pictures and had a really fun time being a big kid.

That evening my family had a party for me. I broke the news that I put my house on the market and that I was moving in with Charles in North Carolina. I was glad he was there with me. Not only would it show to my family that I was serious about this, but it would give them more chances to get to know Charles and realize just how great a man he is.

I got some expected questions:

• Where are you going to live? (with Charles)
• When are you leaving? (by the end of June)
• What about Barry? (He's coming with me)
• What does he do for a living? (runs his own home improvement company)
• How old are his daughters? (15 and 12)
• Have you met them? (I met his oldest daughter)
• What are you going to do for work? (I'll become a contractor for my current employer. If that doesn't work, then I'll find a job in Raleigh. If not, then I'll just be a kept woman.)

It turned out to be a really nice evening. There was no weirdness. My aunts and cousins were genuinely excited for me and the adventures I have in store. I pretty much got the 'thumbs up' on Charles. He fit in the family well and wasn't shy at all.

Sunday was a work day for Charles and I. We removed unnecessary furniture, spackled and painted, packed, cleaned and got the house ready for the market. It was a long, tiring day. Charles wanted to make sure that he got to do all the big jobs before he flew back home Monday morning. I had time for small packing and staging, but not too much. I was flying back down to NC Wednesday night and had to make sure everything was ready before then.

The best part is discovering how well we work together. We were a team. And when Charles got tired and hungry and cranky, I was still able to pick him up, find him food at my Mom's kitchen, and turn him human again. :)

This has been the best birthday ever.

The next step

Image by bearclau via Flickr

I would have never imagined the turn my life would take when I drove down to Key West.

In just two months I have found the man I have waited my life for, I fell in love and am following my heart to North Carolina. To stay.

My New Jersey townhouse goes on the market Thursday. My first open house is Sunday. All this will be going on while Charles and I frolic at his mountain house near Boone, NC. While people are wandering my hallway, peeking into cabinets and criticizing my paint color choices, I will be hiking, horseback riding and star-gazing in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

About a month ago we talked about the direction we were heading in -- forward: me in North Carolina. We knew we wanted to be together and we weren't concerned about timelines or the quickness of it all. But when I was at the airport last week waiting for my flight back to Jersey the futility of plane tickets and extended airport parking hit us. Why are we doing this?

We had come to a point where we ask ourselves. Is this for real? Do we see a real future here? And if yes, then what will waiting a year, six months, six weeks really accomplish?

Through my tears I asked Charles, "what do you want me to do?"

"I want you to call a Realtor this week."

Monday afternoon I sent Charles a text. "We have an appointment with a Realtor Thursday."

"YES!!"

I knew I'd be selling my house to go and live with him. I didn't know that I would be doing it so soon. But the great thing is that I'm not scared. I'm excited to go and start my new adventures with this man who loves me. And I have no doubt in my mind that he does. Its not overwhelming or smothering, but energizing and comforting.

Friday, on my 37th birthday, I signed the contract with the Realtor. Charles sat next to me as I held the pen, grinning because he knew the big step we were taking together. He came up to visit me for my birthday, and now was looking forward to a few days of cleaning, painting, fixing, and packing.



Slowly my home is become less mine and turning into something that looks like it belongs on an HGTV show. And I couldn't be happier!

2010: So far

I was just looking at the photos I've added to my 365 Project set on Flickr. I'd say its a pretty good year so far.

Going home

I like it that recently, the days we are apart are much shorter than the days that we spend together.

I got back from Raleigh on Sunday. I'll admit that my eyes were not entirely dry. But I need not worry too much. Charles will be here Thursday morning. Just in time to celebrate my birthday with me.

My time in NC has been comfortable. Very comfortable. Like I wonder why I ever have to leave. The reasons are getting less and less. I think soon that my travels to NJ will be for short trips and not for coming 'home'.

A (very) good visit

Yeah, so I've been pretty silent about what's been going on lately. But I've been busy.

Just a week and a half ago Charles drove up to see me for a few days. It would be an understatement to say that we both had a great time.

In the 5.5 days he was here, he:

• met my parents
• walked my dog and picked up his poop
  
• help me make dinner for my brother and his girlfriend
• made some minor improvements on my house
• attended his first baseball game, complete w/fireworks
• met my extended family at a BBQ
• visited my hometown and all the places I went to school
• picnicked in Princeton
• lunched in Times Square
• rocked out to Rock of Ages
• relaxed in Central Park
  

A line in the sand

I'll be back in NC tomorrow night!

In the meantime, I'm getting busy with work and Charles is taking care of some stuff at his family's beach house. (Yes, beach house. Don't get it confused with the mountain house that I'll be at over Memorial Weekend.)

He sent me some pictures to let me know he's thinking of me.

*mush*

Surfing Sheep

I wonder. Does the sheep actually enjoy surfing, or is he like WTF?

(from PhillyD.tv)

Today's Horoscope

You are definitely feeling that it’s time to take things to a deeper level, and it ought not be too hard to convince your partner you’re right. Don’t worry about the consequences just yet.

From Astrology.com

In other news...

I spent this last semester as the alumnae Chapter Advisor for my sorority, Alpha Xi Delta at my alma mater, Rider University.

I have had a really amazing time getting to know the women of my chapter and helping them succeed on campus as a chapter and as individuals. Not all the interactions have been wonderful, but they all had learning opportunities for both me and the women. When I was an undergrad, the experience being in a sorority is the reason I am the person I am today. It had always been my desire to give something back to the chapter who had given me so much.

I have seen the women of Alpha Xi Delta do amazing things. Just last week they performed at the Greek Week Lip Synch contest.



However tonight at the Greek Awards Banquet, they really rose to the top.

They won the following:

• Highest New Member Cumulative GPA and Highest Overall Female GPA
• Intramural Member of the Year
• Highest Sorority Cumulative GPA

and the top award:
Bart Luedeke Outstanding Chapter of the Year Award

Oh, and I didn't do too bad myself. The chapter nominated for Chapter Advisor of the Year and I won! I am so humbled and so proud of my chapter. *mush*

More presents...

I know there is a whole other world out there besides the fairy tale one that I'm currently living in. But right now that's not as fun and exciting.

So, never let it be said that chivalry is dead. Just two days after my box 'o chocolate mousse, I receive another item in the mail.



This man is spoiling me... and that's not a bad thing at all.

By the way, he arrives in Jersey in 48 hours 36 hours! (We just couldn't wait that long.)

Presents...

I open my front door on the way to put out the garbage and this was waiting for me.



So with giddy anticipation, I brought it inside.



Ooh...Godiva!



Its a gift from my sweetie!



Mmm...sweets from my sweetie!

Virtual Date

Today I let Charles know what I was doing for dinner.


And he replied within 5 minutes...



So while we were both at Panera Bread, in two different states, we had ourselves a virtual dinner date.

*mush*

It was a very good trip

You know, there are some things that are just too good to share.

So I'll just leave this and let you figure it out.

On my way to my happy place

I couldn't wait until the end of the month when we agreed that Charles would come up to see me.

So yesterday I boarded a plane to Raleigh.



This is gonna be great!

Falling For You

Today's Horoscope

Prepare yourself for something you'd never have expected in a million years: the chance to start over with a brand new partner. Whether they fall into the romantic, platonic or professional category doesn't matter -- the point is that you're letting a new person into your life with no strings attached. What could possibly be better? Open yourself up to all new possibilities right now.

How's THAT for awesome?!

I'm leaving on a jet plane...

...don't know when I'll be back again.

I just purchased my plane ticket to Raleigh. I'll arrive Tuesday night and stay until Friday night.

We'll play house: I'll work in the house during the day, he'll work out of the house and at night we get to play.

This is so fun and exciting for me. And I'm fortunate enough to be able to fly down there and still be able to work from home.

This weekend he's on vacation in Disney World with his daughters. I'll be working on a presentation I'm giving to my professional society on Saturday and my sorority on Sunday. There's plenty to keep us busy, but the anticipation of next week will be very distracting.

What I did on my spring break: Part 2

(continued from Part 1)

The first thing I noticed was a tall, handsome man with the bluest eyes walking towards me. I almost turned around to make sure he was talking to me. He had a smooth southern drawl that made me smile.

He was in Key West by himself and wanted to have a picture of him taken with the palm tree background. I suppressed my normal inclination to get all photo-geeky and worry about the light and shadows and flash and setting up a good shot. Instead I asked to make sure I clicked on the right button to take a picture and took the shot.

I handed his camera back to him so he can make sure he liked the photo. I thought that would be it. But I was wrong.

"I was about to go get some ice cream. Would you like to join me?"

I was thinking, Um...YEAH!

But instead I countered his ice cream offer with dinner as that was what I was in search for when he ran into me. I knew of a balcony bar that overlooked Mallory Square that would be a prime place to watch the sunset. He agreed to join me and we walked and talked and made our way along the water to the bar.

The second thing I noticed about him is how friendly he was.

Charles is 38, from Raleigh, NC and was taking some 'chill-time' in Key West. He had originally planned on staying for the week, but got bored with it and was cutting his trip short. He was flying back home tomorrow.

He gushed about his daughters (it was very sweet), we shared stories about our work, our families, what was important to us. We were asking all the standard 'get to know you' questions, but we talked as if we knew each other for years. We people-watched and made fun of the same people: the drunk old man, the rich woman with the tiny dog in her purse, the teenagers who pretended too hard to be adults, the twenty-something who was getting hit on by the old men.

Little by little, the normally protective exterior I usually possess gave way and I began to just enjoy the moment I was having. I had someone take our picture so I could record it and prove to myself that I wasn't making it all up.

Like a true gentleman, he paid for dinner. The third thing I noticed about him was his kindness.

We watched the sunset, him in his 6'3"-ness towering over behind me.


However, when the sun went down, the temperature dropped and we walked through the street performers and crowds through the marina along the water together to get my jacket out of my car. It was chance that we had met and the night was too young for this encounter to be over.

So we made sure it wasn't.

What I did on my spring break: Part 1

I could tell you about the geeky fun I had at my eLearning conference I went to in Orlando, and how I was Twitter-famous with my other eLearning Twitter geek friends. But I wont.

Image by bearclau via Flickr

I could tell you about exploring Old Town Alexandria, VA with my friend Steve and playing in the Peeps store at National Harbor, MD. But I wont.

Or I can share my photos of Charleston, SC and of Boone Hill Plantation. But, no.

I probably could even tell you about the awesome time I had in St. Petersberg with my Alpha Xi Delta sisters. There was plenty of laughs to go around. But I know that that's not where the real story lies.

Instead I'm going to tell you about a chance encounter in Key West that has made all other stories I have ever shared pale in comparison.

On Tuesday, I finished my morning dive in Key Largo and drove down to Key West to complete my southern roadtrip, grab a margarita and a beer and watch the sunset. I arrived at around 5pm and found a place to park my car near the Historic Seaport of Key West. I looked up hotel rooms and started calling for reservations, but no where seemed to have availability. Looks like I would not be spending the night in Key West.

Hungry, and a little thirsty, I wandered along the marina admiring the boats and watching the pelicans wait for fish scraps to be thrown to them. I was making my way towards Mallory Square where I could sit and watch the nightly party as the crowds waited for the sun to set.

On my way there, I came across a building that had many whimsical outdoor sculptures. There was one in particular that amused me. It was of a man painting a group of dancing naked women. Just as I was filming, I hear someone ask me a question.

"Hey, can you take a picture for me?" (If you listen, you can hear it at the end of the video.)


Now, all my life I have loved John Hughes movies. He has made me believe in those 'movie moments' when you happen to turn around and your Jake Ryan is right there, just waiting for you. I just never expected that to happen to me.

I was wrong.

(More to come in Part 2!)

Souviners

I'm back from my roadtrip to Florida. I have had the most amazing time and I will need time to write it up.

But the most incredible time was my evening in Key West. I picked up a little something while I was there.

That turned into an unplanned stop in Raleigh, NC.

Good times, indeed!