come fly with me.

Ever had one of those weekends where you just change up your routine...be a little spontaneous...and it feels like you're off on vacation?

I think that's definitely a signature of a weekend well spent. Being spontaneous is something I've never been, and in the last 2 years it's something I couldn't afford to be (sanity- and study-wise). It's on my "list", which I'll have to compile later, of subtle changes to come once I can finally close the book on school. It took me 2 years... and now 3 weeks from graduation, I feel that I was able to begin to relax and hush some of my worries, and truly enjoy my free time. Other graduate students have shared a similar complaint - that anytime you aren't studying or working on something involving school, you feel this tug and guilt that you should be back at your desk productively laboring away. There's just so much more than having little 'independent' classes, and having your 'last final' being the celebration that meant a semester was over. It's just not like that. There is a lot of pressure to know your stuff with only 2 students in the program, that's for sure. And, a lot of pressure self-imposed to provide for your patient. But, I digress... now that I'm learning to be able to distance myself and unwind...I feel like I've stumbled upon one of life's little secrets. ...and, that I'm probably the last one to know.

So, my totally-guilt-free relaxation began Friday night with dinner after work in Bricktown with Aaron, and then catching a Redhawks baseball game with Corey and Kara. I'll be the first to admit, I really pay little attention to the sport being played until the very end. I just spend the first 6 innings looking around at the other fans... I loved catching up with our friends, counting how many hot dogs the guy in front of us had inhaled, getting up and down to go get bottomless buckets of popcorn, cheering & singing along with all the classic baseball chants, enjoying my husband watching his favorite sport and spending 6$ on ice cream in a batters helmet, and of course, the fireworks display at the end of the ole'...ball...game.
Saturday was a beautiful day... I stepped out on our porch when I woke up and ran back in to Aaron - "Summer is here!" It's felt so strange here, just last week I had to wear my heavy winter coat. I've felt the winter 'cabin fever', and I'm just ready to BE outside. We went and had a long, leisurely meal just catching up with Aaron's mom out at the lake. There are several lovely restaurants that have patio tables where you can sit watch the sunset...it definitely felt like we were out of the city. We almost missed our chance, and I almost got into it with an older couple who snatched our table... yes, me. first come means first serve! I'm pretty sure Aaron was ready to go crawl under one of the big rocks.

Thanks to your friends and mine, Redbox & TiVo - we caught a few movies this weekend... one being Lars and the Real Girl, if anyone has seen it - please, feel free to explain it to me.

On Sunday, we just had to get out and enjoy this beautiful weekend. Aaron and I took the bikes and a picnic lunch out to the trails at Lake Hefner. What seemed like a perfect idea... only to be interrupted by some 40 mph wind gusts! It was definitely an exercise of resistance training. At one point, I actually was 'blown off' the trail. Because the winds were so strong, Aaron couldn't even hear me calling for him to wait up. We only managed to put in about 7 miles (compared to our previous 13). We decided to grab a seat on the benches by the lighthouse and eat our lunch & watch the kite-surfers. Now, they were probably pumped about the weather... we saw some of them fly nearly 10 feet in the air. It looks like so much fun, and I'm sure it's much harder than it looks. For some reason, that seems like something my brothers would love to try. I'll look into it kids... oh yes, and Aaron almost had another run-in with some canadian geese... the second picutre just cracks me up, there's just so much 'going on'. He really earns his membership into his facebook group "People who have been attacked by ducks."