Finally! Update on my life

Hi everyone!
Last week, a LOT of things happened. Life changing things.
And now it is all finalized, and I can finally reveal why I have been so MIA and where I'm going from here.

First of all, I got my wisdom teeth extracted two weeks ago:

(Please note: I had just woken up from being drugged and don't really recall taking this pic!)

All went well.... except I got a dry socket and peeling gums afterward.
HOLY @#!$%#(FKUSDYF&&&!!!!!!((!@#!!!!!
The pain was excruciating.
On a scale of 1 to 10, my pain was definitely a 12. Vicodin hardly helped. It was sooooo miserable. I've had to go to the dentist for 3 follow ups, and I still have to go back for more. Just yesterday I had to get my gums stitched up because they were peeling off my teeth. Yuck. No Bueno. Hopefully this disaster will be resolved soon.

Ok. Enough about my disgusting bleeding gums. haha. Moving on.

Last week I got laid off from my job.
Interesting.
I want to say that I'm sad about this, but it is actually quite fortuitous timing.
Because on the same day that I got my layoff notice, I received news about a new development in my life.

I've been hinting at this in a couple of posts, but back in January, I started preparing to apply to Grad School. I've been busy studying for the GREs (NOT FUN!!!), writing my personal statement, putting together my application, etc for the last several months.
I never really imagined myself going to grad school, but now, I am proud to say it's happening!!!! I just thought it was hilarious that on the same day I got laid off, I got accepted into grad school. Funny how life works.

In August, I will be on an 18-month track to getting my Masters in Sport Management!
I am really really excited to start this new chapter of my life. Of course, I am terrified. I have to relocate to a completely new city, find a new apartment, find a new job, make new friends. But at the same time, I can't wait to embark on this challenge.

I chose a program in Sport Management, because after A LOT of soul searching, crying, quarter life crisis, anger, etc, I realized that I really frigging love the endurance sports community, and this is where I want to stay. I always knew I wanted to be in the fitness field somehow, (I've worked at a gym, fitness magazine, got certified as a personal trainer, etc) and I finally came to the conclusion I want to get more involved in the endurance sports industry, more from a management perspective than a participant's perspectives. I have high, naive hopes and dreams, and I can't wait to see where life takes me. :-)

While we are on the topic of Grad School, James also got accepted... to Vanderbilt!!!! He is such a smarty pants and I am sooooooooooo happy for him and proud of him, for getting into such an amazing, respected program. He will also be starting in August..... in Nashville. I am in CA. There is going to be 2,050 miles between us. I am in complete denial about the fact that we are going to be apart for the next 18 months, potentially up to 4+ years if he goes for the PhD program.

Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
:-(

I honestly can't even begin to think about this right now cause it's gonna make me cry. I have no idea what this really means. I guess the only thing to do is take it one day at a time. Deep breaths. Deep breaths. I think I will deal with it in August. Putting things off till the last moment always works best anyways, right? right? please tell me it's true. :-(

AND, because both of us are going off to grad school in August, and because neither of us took time off after college, (we both started working full time a week after graduation and never had a legit summer break) we are going on a real life summer vacation!

James and I will be spending over a month in Hawaii!!!!!!! in exactly 23 days I will be on a jetplane to paradise for 39 days! No work, no school, no nothing. Just relax, have fun, spend time with each other and his family (who live in HI), and enjoy life before crazy grad student life begins. Plus, the best part is, I get to celebrate my quarter-life birthday in my FAVORITE PLACE IN THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am very very very happy about this.

So I gotta start packing my life up once again, put all my stuff into storage, go to HI, come back, move to a new city, find a new apartment, find a new job and start classes within a week of returning to CA. Totally doable, right? I mean.... haha. I know I am crazy. But for the first time in my life, I feel liberated, ready to take on any challenges, be spontaneous, and be independent. I know it's gonna be tough.... but for some reason, I'm ready. Bring it on, LIFE!

So thank you so much for your continued support. I really appreciate it. I feel like I have guardian angels all over the place looking out for me.
But I'm happy to report that you haven't seen the end of me yet!

I have the Rock and Roll San Diego Half Marathon next weekend, and I definitely plan on racing while I am in Hawaii in July. Stay tuned for some race recaps, and please understand that my posting will be sporadic until things settle down, most likely by September. But I will do my best to keep you updated!

And now some recent photos:

Feeling like Man vs Food with all that meat!

I baked my first yeast bread. It was so so so unbelievably good. I'm never buying bread again!

I have a lot of packing and tying up loose ends to do. Busy busy busy!
But I am glad I am finally able to reveal everything that has been going on in my life. Again, thank you so much for reading and leaving me such encouraging comments. It really brightens my day, and puts a smile on my face.

Thank you, Mahalo, and Alooooooha!