penguins_place

I haven't posted in FOREVER it seems. I may not post so much here anymore since Brian and I have created a blog together to talk about what's going on. Feel free to read up on us there at www.eastkowski.wordpress.com

I have been down in Charlotte for a month and a half and I love it here. I am finishing my internship at UNC-Charlotte in the career counseling center there. It is a good job and I work with some really great people. I DID pass my NCE exam and I couldn't be happier. One less thing to worry about.

Other than that not too much. We have been exploring Charlotte and some places outside of it. Like I said, you can read up on this in my other blog. We are also officially moving to the Ft. Worth Texas area over labor day weekend. So, we have already begun to think about that. I'm a little stressed about figuring out what I will do job wise... but I've decided to procrastinate on it in order to block the stress for now. I know, not the healthiest thing! lol. That's about it! Life is good and I'm really happy.

As of yesterday I have finished everything! My YA internship is done, OU is done, work is done. Today I had a lazy day. I packed and made cookies and enjoyed myself. Tomorrow I am getting a pedicure :) (for free too!) and hanging out with my sister and Tyler. Then Friday morning I get to pick up Brian. I am SO SO excited! It has been 6 weeks since we saw each other. That is the longest we have ever gone. It was equal to the time I was in Italy in 2005. Trust me, it's too long! Then Saturday is graduation. I am so worried that it will rain... I really hope not. Then Sunday morning we drive on down to Charlotte.

Down in Charlotte it seems I will be working at UNCC in the career center. It is to complete my internship. I will work with walk-in students, non-traditional students, and recent alumni. It is similar to what I did at OU but not the same. I am looking forward to it. Oh, did I mention they are gonna PAY me? Amazing. I am looking forward to such a great summer ahead of me.

Then by September 1st it looks like we will be moving to Texas. In Fort Worth. It's not official yet but that is what Brian put in for. I think it will be fun. However, I am not sure that anything will top Charlotte.

Things are starting to end and I am really getting sentimental... Don't worry, I'm not sad to be done. Not really anyways. I am not going to miss papers, deadlines, lack of sleep, working for free, quizzes, and fretting over grades.

I am sad to lose the support system of classmates going through the same thing. I am sad to stop have discussions with professors and classmates. I'm probably the most sad about leaving work. Don't get me wrong, it was work and there are always things that aren't great. I have the BEST coworkers and I'm honestly gonna cry when I leave them.

Why does graduation always = moving for me? I think that makes it worse. Change and milestones topped with more big change. It stresses me out. On top of trying to figure out what I am going to do. That is the popular question from others. I DON'T KNOW, but I'm working on it I swear...

Taking the NCE (National Counselor Exam) in 2 days... but I think it will be okay. I'm trying to minimize my anxiety about it. Someone said to me today that being nervous is a selfish act. Think about it, it is kinda true. Say you are nervous to speak in front of a crowd. You are nervous about what those people are going to think of you right? That's pretty self centered. Those people are probably there because they are interested, looking for information, or what to have a good time. Not worried about you. Me being nervous for this test was described as anxious since the test is really just trying to make sure I am ready and qualified to be a counselor. If I'm not I shouldn't pass. Now, I am not saying that I fully believe in this, but it is something to think about. I just like new perspectives, whether I agree or not.

Less than 4 weeks until graduation and being reunited with Brian. Right now that seems like an eternity. I know, lame. This has been a little, okay, a lot harder lately. I did good before, it was temporary and I am very busy. So... what has changed? I really don't know. I'm still just as busy with the exception that I don't physically have to go to class on Tuesday nights. Don't worry though, I have begun to pick up extra hours at my internship. There will be no early Tuesdays again until I move maybe. So, I'm still busy but I'm much more lonely. Here's my hypothesis:

I worked hard to create my own life. This started in college, I moved out, worked, had friends, a boyfriend, and like normal, going home to visit decreased over the years I was away at college. Then graduation. I went straight into grad school which I'm glad I did or else things would be much different right now. I did move into my grandma's to save money but not quite be back at home. This worked. I also got even closer with my extended family. Then I got engaged. This was wonderful and the ultimate step towards creating my own life. We got married and moved in to our own apartment and life was good. We really had our own lives together. Then we came across the current situation. His rotation came up and it was out of state and I was not quite done with school, but didn't have enough left to justify taking a leave of absence. So, I stay for the two months to finish and he moves to Charlotte to start work there. I made the decision to go back to my dad's house. It hasn't been bad, but I am now starting to see how the rest of my world now has their own lives too. Both my parents are in relationships. One I can't stand and the other is okay, but this is a topic for another time. It keeps them busy. I end up alone on the weekends often. I am glad for them. (Well sorta...) I do not want them to stay home for me, but what do I do with myself??? Many of my close friends have moved out of state and I can't go see them in a random weekend trip. I do have one of my best friends still near but she also is in a relationship, a newer one too, so she likes to spend lots of time with him and I can't blame her.

Anyways... all this rambling is giving me a "poor Kelly" attitude. I am left wondering where I would fit in this world if I hadn't gotten married. What if I didn't have to just wait it out 4 more weeks. What if this was it??? That thought scares me.

So, we found out today about possible rotations for Brian's job. This would start in September of 2008. MI will not be on the list for us. Our likely places will be in Fort. Worth Texas, Augusta Georgia, or a town near Boston Massachusetts. That we won't know until much later, like May or June. I know my family will be disappointed but I'm excited. I don't think we will like anything as much as we like Charlotte, but it is still a new adventure. I'm open for any one of those new places. I'm torn between the idea of Boston and the idea of having a warm winter... right about now that seems like a great idea!!! :P Life continues to change for the Eastmans. I'm learning to roll with it and be open to all the new possibilities these adventures will bring. Don't worry, I'm still a little confused about what I really think. I suppose I need more time to let it sink in.

5 weeks till graduation and I am very excited. I will have to finish internship hours, but NO more classwork. I have yet to secure an internship in Charlotte, but hopefully that will be taken care of soon. After next week I can really start looking.

I got back last night from visiting Brian for Easter weekend. It was a perfect weekend. We shopped, bought curtains :), walked around the sunny uptown Charlotte, met new friends, cooked and just enjoyed the time we got to spend with each other. We also went to church on Easter. Boy was that an experience!!! It was a big Catholic Church. Brian said he felt like we were on TV. Everyone was singing and dancing and I almost couldn't follow along! I have been going to mass my whole life and I didn't always know what was going on. They sung the Our Father, and not just prayed in a sing-song way, the Our Father had a chorus to it in this church! They also rounded out the mass with "Oh Happy Day" Everyone was dancing and clapping. I had to keep checking that I was in a Catholic Church. Not that there is anything wrong with these things, it was just so out of the ordinary for a Catholic Church. Brian told one of the women he works with about it and she said "Down here even them Catholics be signin and dancin!"

We have also found that we can't always understand what people are saying. While people talk slower the accent is so thick to me sometimes that I find myself saying "what was that?" more than once. Maybe I'll get better at that. I do think the accent is cute. Brian has been told that he talks too fast! It is funny the differences you can see in different states, especially between the north and the south. I am enjoying finding the positive things about life in the south.

Well, I left Brian down in Charlotte a week ago... It was okay at first because it really felt more like a temporary thing. Which it is, but it is starting to hit me how long 8 weeks really is. I am in a funk about it today. For now I am staying with my dad and I will move down there May 4th.

On the positive end, we LOVE the new apartment, it is open, bright, clean, and beautiful. I love the huge windows and our big balcony. Everything was all set up when I left and I can not wait to get down there to enjoy it with him. Brian also seems to be liking his new position so far, which makes everything better.

We also have visitors lining up to come down. Eric and Amanda in May, My mom and Bill in June, and my dad in July I think, he can not seem to make up his mind about when to come. I know my sister is planning a visit sometime too.

Our one year anniversary will be down there too which is exciting. I am looking forward to planning a fun weekend to celebrate, and down there we have many options to choose from.

Graduation is less than 7 weeks away! I am really looking forward to being done. My internship has been going alright, there was a frustration period, but it is better now and I really find some of what I am doing fulfilling. I am also realizing how much I am going to miss my current job. I like what I do, it is comfortable now, and I love my co-workers. It is hard to have all of that in a job. I have also applied for a counseling job, just to see how it would go. I do hope that I get the job, but I do not want to get too excited about it yet. Ele's Place things are coming around. There seems that I will have a lot of support in the area, I have much much more work to do in other areas though. I need to get more familiar with the business end of things as well. This will be a very long process and I am a little scared but very excited.

I think that is all for right now. Eastman out! :)

We went this past weekend to Charlotte, NC to apartment hunt. I officially fell in love with Charlotte. It is beautiful there! We found a nice apartment in the Ballantyne neighborhood. I really think I could live there. We are on the southern end, it is near the border of SC. Uptown (Charlotte's downtown) has everything to offer of a big city but it is so clean, new, and feels very safe. Not that there isn't crime, but there is less than a lot of other places. There were wine bars, great restraunts, bands playing on the streets, it was great. Not to mention that while it is around 3 degrees here it was 65-70 there! I wore flip flops this past weekend! :) I only wish that I got to move down there with Brian in 2 weeks... We are going to see how this goes, we have 6 months there, 6 months somewhere else and then we settle someplace. I love Charlotte, but we will see how I do without my family near by...

For now, we couldn't be more excited about this move! I'm ready for a new adventure :) We will possibly get a dog when I get down there too so add that to me excitement!

I am in my last semester at Oakland University!!!! :) I am doing my internship at Waterford Youth Assistance. I have couple and family counseling for my elective and internship (plus work of course) and then I am DONE. It hasn't truly sunk in yet.

Brian's next job rotation is in Charlotte, North Carolina. We are pretty excited. Brian will be moving the last week of February. and I will move down in May after graduation. I'm glad that we have one friend that already lives there. It will be nice that we aren't completely alone in a new city. I am really going to miss him for those 2 months but I'll be busy so hopefully that will help distract me.

That's it for updates in the Eastman household.

A random thought: It seems like a lot of people are having babies right now. It's crazy. Don't worry, we aren't pregnant!!! It does make me think about it more, but it won't be happening for another few years between me just starting out in my career and us having to move around for a while. Plus, I'm just not ready for that, if I thought I felt old now that would NOT help! :)

Well the wedding is over, and I am glad. it was an amazing day, nothing major went wrong and we had so so much fun. Still, it was a lot of work and I'm glad i don't have to do it anymore.

We moved to Sterling Heights about 2 months ago which was also stressful. The merging of 2 peoples things and wedding presents with not enough space to keep it all. it was a process deciding what would stay and what would go but I think we are settled in finally. We like being over here in this area, having people we love near by, it's nice. Too bad we will be leaving in March...

Brian started his new rotation and he seems to really like it which is great. They keep him busy and challenged unlike the battle creek rotation. I started my semester and I'm back at work. This semester I start seeing clients in practicum. This is the beginning of the separation between being a student and becoming a counselor. It's exciting, and I'm ready. It has been very stressful but I'm getting it done. Next semester I will be doing my internship. I have an interview this week with youth assistance for oakland county, so wish me luck! :) If all goes as planned I will be an LLPC (Limited Licensed Professional Counselor) in June!

I also got my very first brand new car!!! It is so nice, i'm in love with it. It's a 2008 Ford Fusion. Black, balck interior with red trim, sport package. I absolutely love it, but I'm sure that I would have loved pretty much anything brand new! :)

Lots of changes have been happening in our lives and it's been crazy, but everything has been positive. Life is good and we are settling into married life pretty well I think.

Well, less than 5 weeks till the wedding! it's crazy. I'm ready. and everything is pretty much done too, cept the last minute stuff that I can't do without all the reply cards. I'm a little disapointed in some friends of mine... I am so excited for my bachlorette party, the girls have something super fun planned i'm sure, including a limo :) however, a few friends have super lamo excuses for not being able to come. so not cool. I only get to do this once, and it is gonna be a really fun time! I know i will have the people that are the most important to me there though so that is what really matters, my sister, ash and linz (practically sisters), and amanda. All my closest friends anyways. when wedding stuff starts happening you find out who your real friends are... it's been interesting. I just feel bad that the girls are now stressing out about the money... like really bad, i just wanted everyone to have fun, not be worried abotu money. I just wanted to go out and have a good time. I'm sure we still will but i feel bad that something like this has people worried. It's only a week away! YEA!!!

other random news, dad has donna back at the house... BOO! it's no good and he didn't realize why jen was so upset about it. so i told him that she had every right with what had happened and that he promised that she wouldn't come back. It makes me crazy that someone who has brought only negative things to our family, brings out the worst in my dad, and has done many things that i won't bother to mention here... is STILL allowed to be around. what is wrong with my dad that he can't jsut get rid of her? why are all the things she does to my sister, my dad, amd me pushed aside and forgotten about? I assure you that they are not small things, nor one time events. I hope and pray that he won't bring her to the wedding. i did tell him. Closer to the wedding I will make sure again since i have to do the seating. I just don't want her there! i'm just nervous because i remember the graduation situation...

other than all of that mess... i am done with school and work until september! just wedding stuff. then when we get back moving stuff. I think we found an apartment in sterling heights. I looked at the grounds, but haven't had a chance to go in and look at the apartment. when i get back from camp i will do that, and probably sign a lease for the end of august. I will be glad to be on this side of the state. It will also be amazing to be finally living together, no more driving forever to see each other. think of the gas money we will save! :) This week I am going to camp quality to be a companion. It's a camp for kids with cancer, let them be kids again for a week. I have a 10 year old boy that will be my camper for the week. i'm really looking forward to the experience, but dreading some of the camp atmosphere... I'm sure it will be fine and will be a lot of fun. www.campqualitymi.org if you want to check it out. It's an amazing organization. Then on friday when I get back will be stock the bar party! and sat is bachlorette party! i'm very excited. it will be a fun crazy weekend. I am also excited to see linz, since last time she was home I didn't get to spend much fun time with her. we had my shower which was boring... so this weekend should be fun.