Summer, but just as busy as ever.

For the last few months of school I was continually telling myself things would slow down after one more week, or two. Then I finally realized school was not going to slow down. So I started telling myself things would slow down once I graduated. And that was what I held onto. I put off laundry, dishes, and vacuuming, holding onto the idea that once school was over I'd have time to catch up on chores, catch up on photo editing, clean my office, read, etc.

However, graduation has come and gone, and I've now recognized my latest hope isn't true. Life doesn't slow down. Period. There are always responsibilities, always surprizes and there simply aren't enough hours in every day. I expected to at least have a little bit more time, but thus far it feels like I'm just as busy as when school was in full swing. I'm working 3-4 days a week at my office job, which gives me a day or two each week. I planned on using that day to catch up on chores, editing, etc.

Thursday I spent ALL day doing laundry. I'd tried to catch up on laundry a couple times during school, but they were never sucessful attempts - instead they ended in even more dirty laundry [after being left on the couch, end of the bed or even the floor, begining stepped on, mixed with other dirty laundry, etc]. So for the last few months almost every article of clothing Jeff and I own has been dirty. When we needed clean clothes we would wash just the necessities - jeans, shirts, and undies. So Thursday I attacked laundry. I filled our living room with carefully color sorted piles and started a process of load after load into the washer and dryer, folding previous loads in between. And I managed to make it through most of our laundry. I also refolded everything in our dresser and shelf in the closet.

I thought I'd make it through laundry, and dishes, and some pictures... but I only made it through laundry. Oh well. Then Jeff and I chaperoned at single's conference this weekend - which was amazing, but more of that on another blog. ;]

Anyway I'm starting to get back into the swing of things - work, chores, picture editing, etc - with that means dealing with the fact that life flies by, no day has enough hours in it to accomplish everything on my list, and I have to deal with it, smile, and keep going.

College Graduate!

It's official. I'm a college graduate. It's crazy to be done, exciting and sad, but finally here!!

I graduate with honors - summa cum laude and with the deans award for outstanding graduate in the arts. My gpa was around 3.95 and I graduated with over 30 extra credits that don't web apply to my degree. I entered 4 years ago as a math major, spent a year and a half as an undecided major, and graduated as an art-photography major with a business minor. My photography was published 3 different semesters, I've had 3 joint exhibits and one solo exhibit. I also completed a self-portrait 365 project. I was awarded an honors undergraduate grant, completed an 85 page honors thesis, and presented my research at a research conference.

I commuted 1 hour each direction from Carson, usually four days a week, to attend classes. I worked 10-20 hours each week at my office job, and an additional number on my freelance photography. I spent evenings with my husband and managaed to keep up on most of my household responsibilities. I graduated with no student loans.

But these 'statistics' don't begin to explain my undergraduate experience.

I've grown tremendously. I've learned about my past, my weaknesses, and my strengths. I've learned to juggle multiple roles and responsibilities. I've learned to deal with stress, prioritize and to not sweat the small stuff. I learned how to be a loving and humble wife. I've become a leader and mentor while still a student and learner. I've become a technical and conceptual artist. I've recognized my desires and priorities and am learning to keep a proper outlook of life. I've learned to rely on God for my strength and to never take any of the good gifts He's given me for granted.

I'm thankful for the support of family, mentors, and peers through these last four years that have allowed me to continue striving to do my best.

Congrats to all my fellow 2010 University of Nevada, Reno graduates!!!!

The End!

After four years of school and over 800 hours commuting to Reno from Carson... I'm done!

I kept having one more thing to do, and now, suddenly, its all done, all over. All tests have been taken, papers submitted (including my 85 page thesis!), projects critiqued, and evaluations completed. The only thing left is to walk across the stage on Saturday! It feels unreal and at the same time, it hasn't really hit me. I'm not sure it will until Saturday or even next fall when I don't go back to school.

On Tuesday I arrived at school about 1pm. I was early to my last class - Book Arts, so I could finish putting away materials and printing a few final bags. No one was in the studio when I arrived, and so I sat there for a few minutes, thinking. It would only be a few hours and I knew my undergraduate studies would be completely over. And after I started, the next few hours flew by, and then it was over.

Its kind of sad. I mean, school is what I've done for the last 16 years... and despite how much I have complained about it, I'm really going to miss it. I didn't take advantage of college like I should have and I regret it. In so many classes, I did the bare minimum to get the grade and didn't try to learn and understand the material. And I often made excuses for why I couldn't give 100%. I'm going to miss my peers and mentors and the environment.

But I'm also really excited. I'm excited to kick off my photography business in full swing, catch up on editing photos for clients and my 365 project, blog more (woo!), clean and decorate my house, and just live and be!

Graduation this Saturday at the University of Nevada, Reno! Barbecue/Taco/Fajita Celebration at my house afterward! See you then! ;]