Master’s Graduation: Take Two!

Welcome to the real world, Jillian.

Today I walked in my second, and final, Master’s graduation.  I now have my second master’s degree, after my graduation in 2011, and can finally practice, can finally do what I want to do.  My class and I are now genetic counselors!!!

Pretty awesome right?  Yea, we think so too.  In attendance: Joshua, Jack, my parents, and my paternal grandfather.  What a support system, right?  I am so blessed.

Also, while we’re talking about commencement and the start of the rest of my life, I have a huge announcement!  I have accepted a prenatal/reproductive genetic counseling position.  I am officially employed.  It made graduating that much more sweet given that I knew where I would be going, what I would be doing.  Not only is the position exactly what I wanted, but my apartment is pretty awesome too.  Major selling point: the awesome spacious kitchen.

I can’t wait to move in and start the next chapter of my life.  I can’t even believe we’re here at this point.  It has been an incredibly long time and coming.  But hey, bring it on.  What’s that saying?  The world is my oyster.  Or how about, my future is so bring I need shades.  Sure, all that.  Great day.  =D

Last but not least, to all the readers, on this day of all days, thanks for hanging in there with me as I disappeared for a while.  I know it’s been rough and spotty and such but I look forward to sharing this new transition with you all (much like my last move) and chronicling my first foray into the real genetic counseling world.  I hope you’re on board, because this train is leaving the station!

Question: What is your favorite part of graduation?

Good To See You

Sometimes you just need to see your parents, face-to-face miles away.

Talking to their faces is incredibly different than just hearing their voices.  I really loved being able to chat with them like this.  It was just what I needed tonight.

Mmm, even the puppy tried to get in on the action.  Her little body just wasn’t quite tall enough.  Her ears were more than visible though.  Adorable.

Questions: Phone or video?
When was the last time you saw your family?

Healthy Living Survey

Found this survey a few days on Tina’s blog.  Looked interesting and I was searching for something to do tonight to relax before hanging up my fun shoes and slipping into my work ones for the week.  Darn Sunday nights…

1. What did you eat for breakfast?

I tried some new pancakes this morning.  I found the recipe somewhere but I didn’t write it down because it was the simplest thing ever.  Two ingredients: banana and two eggs.  My banana was kind of small so I did one whole egg and one egg white.  In retrospect I probably could have used only the one egg.  I also added some cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger.

So the pancakes turned out thin.  Not really my style.  I like my pancakes thick and fluffy.  Also, because they only had egg and banana going on, they tasted kind of like awkwardly scrambled eggs.  And the didn’t cook fast enough to flip without the bottoms being a bit burned.  Oh well.  The almond butter and maple syrup kind of helped.

2. How much water do you drink a day?

I drink at least 60 ounces a day, if not 80.  Fairly sure I read somewhere that you should shoot for half your body weight in water.  Well, I’ve got that covered.  A few of these big guys and I’m done.

3. What is your current favorite workout?

I don’t know that I really have a favorite workout.  I have workouts that I do but nothing that super calls to me, you know?  At this point I’m in the middle of Stage 5 of New Rules of Lifting for Women (NROLFW) and I guess the body weight matrix at the end of each 5A workout is pretty cool.  You do a full set, then rest, then do another full set.  I think I like it because even though it makes my legs feel like jelly, I am shaving seconds off and that feels pretty awesome.

4. How many calories do you eat a day?

Right now I’m shooting for 1500 a day.  I’d like to lose some weight before graduation and this seems to be working right now.  A pound of week is the plan.  When I’m not eating to lose eight I suppose my intake is around 1900-2000 some.  (Admittedly that sounds pretty scary right now.  Makes me nervous that I’d just gain weight as fast as you know when eating all that.  Also, some days it takes a lot just to get me to eat close to 1500.  What would I do with another 400-500 calories?)

5. What are your favorite healthy snacks?

Sweet potatoes with sunbutter.  Carrots with peanut butter and/or barbeque sauce.  String cheese and apples.

6. What do you usually eat for lunch?

Gosh, that really depends.  I love leftovers, hot ones.  Mostly that’s because my clinic site right now is incredibly cold, like all the time.  I also have been known to do salads a bunch while at school.  Or sandwiches…like today’s sunbutter and banana one!

7. What is your favorite body part to strength train?

Hmmm.  That’s a good one.  If I want to feel real strong, I’ll do my legs.  If I want to feel challenged (and subsequently proud of progress), I’ll take my shoulders.  YTWLs are killer.

8. What is your least favorite body part to strength train?

Hm, off the top of my head, nothing.  But I’m also sure that I probably haven’t done enough lifting to find an exercise that I really don’t like.  Come to think of it though, I suppose I really don’t like step ups.

9. What are your “bad” food cravings?

All the “normal” stuff: cake, cookies, frosting (straight from the jar), marshmallow fluff, Ben & Jerry’s…

10. Do you take vitamins or supplements?

I do.  Actually quite a few.  I take a multi; vitamins C, D, and B complex; extra virgin fish oil; zinc; potassium citrate (for my kidneys!); iodine; and one to promote healthy estrogen metabolism by the liver.  The kicker: I down them all in one gulp.  That’s how I’ve always done it.

11. How often do you eat out?

That really depends.  Lately, I haven’t been going out too much because I’ve been doing a ton of stuff for clinic and school.  However, a little over a week ago Jack and I went for froyo and just yesterday Jess and I went for lunch.  So I guess it’s probably close to once a week if you average stuff out, maybe less frequently this semester.

12. Do you eat fast food?

Not unless froyo counts as fast food!

13. Who is your biggest supporter?

I’m happy to say I don’t just have one.  I have plenty.  To name a few: my parents, Jack, my best friend Joshua.  They are all incredible and I couldn’t do half the stuff I do without them!

14. Do you have a gym membership?

No gym membership, just a fitness center at my apartment complex.  I have been really happy with that decision.  I think I’ll definitely put a complex gym on my must-have list for my next place.

15. How many hours of sleep do you get a night?

I am an eight hours a night kind of lady.  I seriously don’t function on less than seven but eight really leaves me feeling satisfied and capable of doing my early morning workouts.  Thanks to my iHome, I even have the stats to prove that beautiful eight hour record.

16. Do you have a “cheat” day?

I don’t know that I would call them that.  It sounds so illicit. I know that I have days where I might eat more than my 1500 but I still try and stay within the amount of calories I’m allotted for the week (1500 x 7).  Part of that is out of fear of gaining weight, part of that is out of fear of losing control, and probably part is because I’m afraid of blowing all of my progress.  Its hard sometimes because I seriously love food (obviously if you’ve been around this blog for any length of time you get that) and being anxious about it on those days that I eat more than I typically do is really annoying and discouraging.  Some day I hope to be free of that anxiety, somehow.

17. Do you drink alcohol?

Sure.  I love wine and an occasional beer (like the bourbon one from a cool Tavern across town).  Amaretto is great and 43 is seriously some of the best stuff on the planet.  For as much as that sounds like, I have maybe a three drinks a month.  Except when I’m home, then it is a glass of wine every night with dinner.  =D

18. Do you have a workout buddy?

No workout buddy most days.  Not many people around this apartment complex brave the 5:45am cold gym.  I have been known to work out with Jack when we’re together, one of my classmates when we were at the national conference together, Joshua when he’s around, and even my momma (we do pilates together at her normal studio).

19. What is the best thing that has changed your life since coming to a healthy lifestyle?

Gosh, I don’t really know how to answer that question.  I suppose becoming the most fit I have ever been would be the best thing.  I played sports in high school and such but I have never had this much muscle on me or worked out this often, this consistently.  I like that sense of dedication, that commitment, that control.  I dare say that spreads throughout other parts of my life.

20. What was the last healthy thing you did?

In the grand scheme of things, I’d say that last healthy thing I did was decided to regain control of my eating habits after the past few months of craziness and holidays.  If we’re talking something a bit more acute, I’d say making myself a pretty balanced three bowl dinner was pretty healthy.  One bowl for salad: spinach, lemon pepper, and extra virgin olive oil.  One bowl for mashed sweet potato with cinnamon, vanilla, and a pinch of Stevia and salt.  One bowl for leftover chana masala. 

2013–The Year of Change

First off, I’m so sorry I haven’t been around.  The last weeks of the holiday season were incredibly packed with traveling, family time, cooking, gift exchanging, and much needed relaxation.  As such I was less than inclined to blog but I’m back, at least for a bit.  I do warn you that this upcoming semester, my LAST!, is going to be my hardest yet and as such, I’m might be a bit sparse on the blogging front.  I think it really depends on how under control I feel while learning the ropes of each new clinic site.  I have three this semester and I’ve heard they’re all pretty different from one another.  Should be challenging.

Anyways, I figured I’d do a quick recap of some of the Christmas season and New Years time before starting work on some more academic things like my thesis/project presentation.  My holiday break started with a brunch visit with my 6-months-pregnant cousin.  It was so great to see her and catch up before she moves to Germany because her husband is being stationed overseas.

Next up, Jack and I were at my parents’ home from Christmas.  We spent a bunch of time opening presents on Xmas morning after a wonderful brunch of potato waffles and bacon.  My favorite gift of the day: a college quilt made for me by my mother.

Tasha decided she liked it too and decided to photobomb all attempts to capture the gorgeousness of my quilt.  Oh well, she’s pretty cute too.  Another favorite: my Christmas bling from Jack.  Beautiful.

A bunch more presents later, including clothes, tablets, and some interesting family art, we wrapped things up only to go downstairs and realize the sump pump had failed.  Our basement was soaked.  Oi, what a lovely morning.

Most the entire day was spent recovering from the water leakage but thankfully things slowed enough that we could actually sit down for dinner.  The night previous I had made some homemade noodles which we cooked in veggie broth when the time came.

Let’s just say they were entirely awesome.  We ate them with some mustard rubbed ham and a carrot, pineapple, apple, and cranberry honey salad.  Delicious night.  We also put away a fair number of bottles of wine.  Dessert came in the form of raspberry and apple pies with creamy vanilla ice cream.  The family had gotten some cute gelato dishes as a present so we playfully tipped one over and sent a picture to the people we got them from stating “This is how you’re supposed to use them right?”  It was pretty funny.

The rest of break was less eventful, which if that means no flooding…I’ll take it, and we finished off the week with my parents at their favorite restaurant.  I had the shrimp and lobster mac and cheese and it was incredible.

Most interesting part: those little spikes you see are actually deep fried raw pasta that are then tossed in parmesan.  Very interesting touch.  I ate one and left the other though, sometimes raw pasta is just a bit awkward.  Seriously though, terribly good meal.  The next day Jack and I headed out early so we could make it to our friends’ wedding.  Two of our swing friends tied the knot and, as the groom so bluntly put it, “we wouldn’t be here without you [meaning me]”.  Let’s just say that I played matchmaker for these two.

It was incredible to watch them grow.  They also had some yummy angel food cake available.  You know how I love my cake!

Super personal touch: the tea, coffee, and hot chocolate bar complete with adorable personalized guards for the cups.  We thought this was just adorable.

All in all, it was a beautiful day and we had a great time.  We even got to teach a swing dance lesson while the bride and groom were taking their pictures.  Honored to say the least.

The day after the wedding, Jack and I played host to some of our good friends, Tom and Liz (who wed a bit over a year ago).  I decided on a make-your-own-calzone bar after manchego-stuffed-bacon-wrapped-date appetizers.

We were up past midnight playing games and chatting.  We haven’t seen them in a while so the conversations were long overdue.  Next up, New Years Eve arrived and Jack and I decided to stick close to home and attend a Black, White, and Red party at one of my classmate’s apartments. 

We had a stellar time.  We brought food to share as well as some sparkling wine.  Pretty sure the whole party when through a ridiculous amount of wine bottles by the end of the night.  There was even some intoxicated MarioKarting by one in the morning.  Admittedly, the most incredible moment happened embarrassingly late in the night, or rather early in the morning.  I was creeping on Facebook and there it was, Jack’s brother proposed to his long time girlfriend on NYE in Paris!!!  We were so excited.  We immediately cheers to them and posted congrats on their profiles.

This was a long time and coming and we couldn’t be happier.  I can’t wait to watch the whole event take shape.  It’s going to be awesome.  So, as you can see, it was eventful and crazy and happy all the same.  Now is the time where I thought I would discuss NYE resolutions and plans for this upcoming year of great change.  After dropping my NYE resolutions of last year around the six month mark, darn it, I decided perhaps this year wouldn’t start off with resolutions per say.  I still want to establish a healthy relationship with food and, as cliché as it is, I would really love to lose my 2012 weight by the time graduation rolls around in May.

Speaking of which, can you believe it?? I’m graduating for the final time in just four and a half short months.  Oh my gosh!  I think that’s hands-down the biggest change coming up.  Graduation = finding a job = maybe moving (something which makes me kind of nervous).  I have been applying to positions around the country but I would really love to stick around Jack if at all possible.  The bottom line remains though: I need to be employed after graduation.  I have loans that need to be paid.  I will try and keep you updated about the job process as much as I can over the coming months.  I have a feeling its going to ramp up any day now.

Well, this post became about five times the size I thought it would.  However, it felt nice to write after a while of being gone.  In the spirit of regular food photos fairly typical of this blog, I’ll leave you with some pictures from yesterday’s Noodles & Company lunch and homemade dinner (actually eaten at the dining room table without the TV going…how odd, haha).

Questions: How was your holiday season?
Have you made NYE resolutions?