AFSP Overnight 2012-San Francisco

June 9th and 10th Joe and I volunteered for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Overnight Walk in San Francisco. This was Joe's second walk and my third. As always it was an amazing experience. We met some amazing people, supported hard working walkers and helped make a difference in the stigma towards mental illness and suicide.

One of the most touching parts for me was a woman we met in the park where our Rest Stop was. When we arrived we had to clear out the park. While most of the people were upset with us, one woman was curious. She wanted to know more about us. As we continued setting up, I went over and chatted to her a bit. I wanted to thank her for understanding our need to empty out the park. While talking to her I learned that she had lost her brother to suicide in the past month. Being able to direct her to resources and plant a seed of hope meant a lot to me.

After we closed and cleaned up our Rest Stop, we made our way back to the site of the Closing Ceremony's where the Luminary bags were lining the end of the walk. The above is the one Joe decorated. I dedicated one to my struggle and another to the people who  have struggled along with me.

We are looking forward to hearing where next year's location is! *Fingers crossed for Chicago.*

Its Been Awhile

This is a brief catch up post, I wish it was of more substance, but I haven't been here in more then a week. The biggest news is that I have started school again. I am working on getting a certificate in Library Technical Assistance. What better place for a literature major to be then a library? I am only allowed to take two classes my first semester, which still leaves me with far too much free time. So I am taking the Intro course and a work skills course. I need to decide how many summer classes I want to take. They are offering two classes, but I want to see how I feel towards the end of this semester. I just applied for a part time job, so keep your fingers crossed for me!

Speaking of summer, Joe and I are planning our California trip for June. I can't wait until I can start booking flights, hotels, baseball games and our AFSP volunteering. We are planning a nine day trip which will include LA and San Francisco, as well as day trip to the Redwoods.

The diet isn't going 100% perfectly. But I definitely use the tools I learned and am eating far more balanced meals and a ton more produce. I was even able to drop a pant size! I plan on keeping up with the good habits and continue dropping the bad ones.

And now, because I am sick, I am going to go rest and work on reading my one book a month. This month's book: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

My Need to Travel

When Joe first met me he did not understand my need to travel. He didn't see the point in spending so much money in such a short amount of time. What was the point really? This came as a shock to me because I LOVE traveling and seeing new places and making new memories. I remember being in Disney World and riding Splash Mountain, being assaulted by a goat in Texas, discovering the joy of raspberry chocolate chip ice cream in Ohio, seeing the inside of the FBI in DC and seeing a favorite gymnast practice for the Olympics in Colorado. All of these are important memories, and I intend to keep adding to the list....preferably without any more goats, that just wasn't necessary.

After my first trip to Europe my need (I do consider it a need, its definitely more then a want) to travel increased tenfold. Seeing things that we will never have in the US because of its infancy. Seeing new cultures, trying different food....you should have seen my face when I found out I was eating duck for the first time. Because my first trip to Europe was with my extended family, I got to experience all these new and wonderful things with my parents, brother, aunts, uncle and cousins. When I had the opportunity to spend a college Spring Break in London, it was an absolute no brainer. I can't really explain why, but England has always felt like a second home to me. I go there and I feel at peace, like everything is right in my world. To get to spend another week there was amazing, and its also where I cultivated friendships with some of my closest friends.

So as Joe and I are trying to figure out the how, when and where of the trips we want, I can't help but be reminded of my grandmothers, both of whom like to travel; one in the US and the other the world. After taking a few trips together Joe is warming up to the idea of travel. He is starting to look forward to our trips and get excited about them with me. It makes me so happy to be able to share one of my greatest passions with him. Last week he even mentioned how some of his favorite times with me is when we travel and see something new together.

Canada 2011

I met some amazing people when I studied abroad in college. We spent an amazing nine days together in London, where we did a literary tour ---have I mentioned how amazing the British Library is?. In the four years since we have had many failed attempts to travel together again. Illness, money and time all stood in our way. This year,  however, we decided enough was enough and our passports were lonely and in desperate need of a new stamp. Money still being tight, we decided a road trip was our best bet.. So Friday morning we left Park Ridge at 6am (as in A.M., as in still dark, as in I may again be developing a caffeine addiction) to head towards the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. We spent the first day of Beth's first road trip driving for ten hours. We were lucky, the drive was bearable and we had several highway changes so we were never stuck doing the same thing for too long. When we finally arrived we spent our first night of vacation going out to dinner....raspberry margaritas anyone?....and seeing the falls lit up after dark. It was beautiful!

We then went back to our hotel to relax and indulge in an amazing chocolate cake!

The next day we got up and went to the Butterfly Conservatory. There were so many beautiful butterflies roaming around their green house. It was gorgeous and made for lots of beautiful pictures.

When we finished at the Conservatory, after a long search for that butterfly in the picture (it was a sneaky guy and hard to photograph) we walked around the botanic gardens that played host to the Conservatory.
 That afternoon brought us back to the Falls. We did the Journey Behind the Falls which brings people through tunnels to view the falls from inside the waterfall.

We concluded our day with a ride on the Sky Wheel to see the Falls from above!

It was a wonderful vacation, and a very relaxing girl's weekend. We concluded a trip with a morning massage before our ten hour car ride home. I had a wonderful time and was thrilled to share this experience with my girlfriends. Here's to hoping we get another chance to travel together again!

Friends Since 1998

We have been friends for 13 years. Together we have been through a lot: deaths, illnesses, moves, road trips and several celebrations of 21st birthdays. We may be separated by miles or even by states, but the moment we are together it's as if no time has passed.

Our college garduation celebration.

It has been an exciting four years for us. In 2008 I got married, 2009 Shannon did, 2010 was Heidi's turn and this past weekend was Sara's! Four years, four weddings (and four Bachelorette parties!). This wedding was in Nebraska (which crossed Iowa off my list of 50 states to visit), and marked a bittersweet end to the celebrations of the past four years. I believe we are all glad to be past the planning stage and into our marriages, and sad because there will not be any more big parties to look forward to for awhile.

Sara and her man put on quite the extravagansa! The wedding was in an old train station that was turned into a museum and was completely gorgeous. The bride and groom looked amazing and it was a great time. Congratulations you two!

AFSP Out of the Darkness Overnight, NYC 2011

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is a cause close to my heart. I have, and know, many people who struggle with depression or similar troubles. Every year they do what is called "The Overnight" and people walk from sundown to sun up. It isn't reasonable for me to raise the money required to walk, so instead I show my support by volunteering to help the run the event.

Two years ago my friends Josh, Heidi, Mary and I volunteered and ran Rest Stop 1, which later converted to Rest Stop 3. The 2009 Overnight was in Chicago. We had a great time helping out and meeting people who understood this taboo topic. It was one of the best nights of my life and I felt like I truly belonged to something great.

I knew I had to be a part of the AFSP Overnight again. Unfortunately, I was not able to make it to Boston in 2010, but this year the Hubs and I made it to New York City and helped run Rest Stop 3. It was aonther amazing and touching night. I was grateful to, for the first time, be able to share something so important with my husband.

Next year's walk is in San Francisco. I hope to be volunteering with my husband and good friend Katie. Please take some time to look at the AFSP's website and consider supporting them. Thanks!