Caution: Midnight realizations ahead

Life will not always happen as you wish or thought it would. 

Of course, this is a simple idea that has been preached over and over again. There are times, though, that these little gems of wisdom don't mean much to me until I experience them myself. Last night, while reading up on the realities of nursing school I thought against my personal protocol, It would have been great to attend Nursing School while we were in Boise. I try to never play the "If-Only" game with myself. "If only I would have been able to go there" or "If only I had been able to do that" or what ever the case may be. I find I just cause myself to become stuck in anger and frustration, ignoring real solutions and hindering personal growth. 

The point is, I wound up playing that game. I wound up remembering the times I played that game while I was in a specialized educational program in a small town in Idaho. At the time, I thought, If only family, friends, or Ryan could come and live here with me to keep me focused and help balance my life while I endure this schooling that is not what I thought it would be. I saw all the locals and married people in my class going home to a cute little place and a husband/family who kept them afloat. I have to admit, I was jealous of their immediate support. (I had overwhelming support, by the way, but it was 3 hours away. Still, I couldn't have done it at all with out them.) Obviously, my career took a different route than what I planned and it is totally okay with me. (Life -1, Katherine - 0)

However, on the route I imagined, I married a wonderful man. I don't know how I managed to wrangle him in, but I must have been on my A game (and that doesn't happen often). Thank goodness he still loves me despite my crazy antics, silly obsessions, and wicked hair days completely unrelated to said A game. (Life -1, Katherine -1)

Close to a year later, we are 2,000 miles away from the city that had been my home for 5 years (and Ryan's hometown). So, of course, it would have been more comfortable to go to nursing school surrounded by the family and friends we adore. But, we needed to find our place in the world, make our own path, and break away for better opportunities and career choices. It's a bit different than I may have thought 5 years ago or even 2 years ago, but nothing that we can't manage. Nothing that going home to cozy apartment and a brilliant, hilarious, handsome husband can't fix. Or homemade fudge brownies, for that matter. Just sayin'. So, bring it on nursing school in PA. (Life - 2, Katherine - 2)

I had to add this for some reason. In all it's imperfection, I just love it. (Life - 2, Katherine - 3)

WE WIN.

What can I say, I get satisfaction in the little things.

I think I lost my train of thought.

I'll admit it. Lately, food is all I think about. I've spent weeks and weeks learning to cook everything under the sun. I am soaking up everything and I can't get enough. During my studies, I have convinced myself that a garden is the only way I will be able to enjoy the deliciousness of summer tomatoes, basil, parsley, strawberries, peppers, squash, etc, etc. Just to be clear, it shouldn't come from just any garden. Those fruits and veggies better pop out of my garden. The one that I will lovingly slave over, water, till, sing to, watch grow. Maybe I should consider that I've only owned a handful of plants that I have successfully kept alive. But, I can be terribly stubborn, so I doubt my inexperience would stop me.

But, then...I'm starting a rigorous school schedule in May and gardening will be the last thing on my mind. After class, lab, clinicals, studying, I definitely won't have any time to do this. I will be living in my books and eating whatever I can manage to fit in that little pocket on the outside of my backpack (X-tra Cheddar flavor-blasted Goldfish usually did the trick). I will have no time for my ripe, delicious, plump tomatoes...Mmmm tomatoes. Juicy tomatoes. I can fit those in my backpack. I can make sun dried tomatoes every week! We could eat pounds of sun dried tomato pasta! I could make sun dried tomato pesto! We could make tomato sauce on a whim and put it on pizza! Ooooh, I could grow jalapenos and we could make salsa! I forgot to add cilantro to the gardening list.  We could sip on strawberry smoothies after we devour that salsa! I'd better start working out now before I eat myself into oblivion. Oh, I can't wait to have a garden!!...

Wait, what was I talking about again?

Farewell February!

Just a recap on February, according to the news:

• 51.5 inches of snow (for Philly, but our area got more during some of the storms) just in those 28 days
• Snowed for 86% of the month
• Only 3 entire winter seasons had more snow than we did in those 28 days 

Even though there is more snow in the near forecast - this weekend is gonna be mild, and sunny! (or so I'm told). 

Tonight, we celebrate with tacos!

The Pot for Me

Alright, someone please tell me why the one piece of kitchen-ware that I so desire is (way) over $200? 

Someday, I will make you mine Le Creuset.