So I took my CPC certification test today.
I honestly have no idea how I did. Like . . . I really just don't have a strong feeling either way. I don't feel like I did super awesome, but I don't feel like I bombed either. If pressed I would say that I probably didn't pass and am going to have to take it again.
Let's see. It sucked to get up that early on a Saturday. The test environment was a little bit cramped, so I couldn't spread out as much as I'd hoped I'd be able to, but whatever. The AAPC is apparently very serious about preventing cheating and stuff, so it was a very interesting experience. The test was split up by CPT section, so that was nice, since all the practice tests weren't and I wasn't expecting it. There was also a whole section on anatomy, which I definitely had not studied in preparing for the test, so . . . yeah. I'm sure that section of my test is a complete disaster haha.
I finished in 3.5 hours, which is pretty fast, so I don't know if that's good or bad. I definitely think I was rushing because I was so paranoid about not finishing in the time allowed, and I overdid it a little. But by the time I was finished, I really didn't see the point in going back because I'm just not someone who really changes their mind on tests like that, so I just handed in my test and left. The lady next to me wasn't even half finished and seemed to be really struggling, and I felt bad for her. It kind of made me realize how lucky I am to be getting hands on experience in this field, and how lucky I've been to have my boss there to guide me, since she just passed her exam 6 months ago. (Almost exactly).
Now I just have to wait. Test results show up on your account on the AAPC website before they're officially mailed to you, so I'll be logging on regularly the next few days to see how I did. I hope I find out before I leave for SLC on the first so that I'm not thinking about it during the wedding weekend, but I'm not sure that'll happen.
I'm crossing my fingers but not getting my hopes up.
9.26.2015
9.07.2015
Salt Lake City Trip # 1: Bridal Shower
This past weekend (3 day Labor Day weekend woohoo!) I made the trip to SLC for Theresa and Jenna's joint bridal shower. I went by myself, and holy hell, that drive is ridiculous. By the time I got home I was pretty much dead on my feet. It didn't help that I didn't sleep well at all last week, that I had to go to urgent care Friday morning, aka the morning I left (long story), that I had to stay later than anticipated at work the day I left, and that I had to make a stop at job # 2 before I left. Plus I had to pick up my rental car so . . . yeah, it was kind of a stressful send off. It was definitely one of those things where I felt rushed and unprepared even though I'd known I was making this trip for a long time, and I found myself really frustrated with that. Honestly, I need to get over this whole procrastination thing . . . but that's neither here nor there.
I finally got on the road to SLC around 3 PM, and I just drove and drove and drove. For the trip up I went through Page on the 89, and once I actually got into Utah I had some issues. Apparently the bottom part of Utah is just all these small towns along the 89, and the 89 just curves and curves and curves through all of them. By the time I hit this part of the trip it was dark, and curvy roads that I'm not familiar with in complete darkness=basically when I'm at my worst driving. I kept having to slow down and it just sucked. Twice I thought I had missed something in my directions and had to turn around and retrace my steps. Finally I made it to the point where I moved from the 89 to the 15 North, and that helped a lot. The 15 is a highway highway, and the speed limit is 80, and it's well lit and smooth, so that part was a lot easier. I definitely had a moment when I saw the first sign that had the distance to SLC on it where I was just so disappointed, because I saw the sign and was just like, "How the hell am I still so far away when I've been driving so long??" But really, at that point all you can do is drive, so I did. I got checked into my hotel around 1:30 in the morning. I pretty much got to my room, took off my clothes, and fell into bed.
Saturday was the day of the shower and, not surprisingly, I spent a good chunk of it getting lost trying to find Theresa's apartment, because addresses in Utah can sometimes be said backwards, if that makes sense. I got confused but eventually figured it out, and I rode with them to the shower. (I made them late and felt terrible, incidentally). The shower was outside, and it was beautiful but insanely windy, so there were a lot of pauses where we just had to hold things down, but it was a lot of fun. Jenna's sisters did a great job of hosting. I also met a few new people who live in SLC, so that was exciting. It was a great group, and I'm looking forward to seeing them all again at the wedding. (In less than a month, eek!!)
After the shower Theresa and I (and their roommate, Zach) went back to their place, where Theresa and I watched football and talked about wedding details. Later, the two of us and the Goldmans went to the Girl Scout camp that Jenna ran over the summer, which was awesome! It's a really beautiful camp and I loved getting to see it. We saw deer at the camp, and moose on the drive up and down (one each way!) so that was really cool. The camp is near Provo, so it was quite a drive, but the Goldmans are awesome company. After Trefoil we had dinner at Red Iguana, a Mexican place, which pretty much made my day because I actually found out about Red Iguana a few weeks ago and had been planning to eat there during the wedding trip, so when that was already the plan, I was thrilled. And the food did not disappoint, some pretty solid amazingness right there. (I'm already craving it and can't wait to go back). It was a long and exhausting day but so much fun.
On Sunday we all had breakfast at Theresa's, she made some delicious stuffed french toast. Then we went to David's Bridal and picked out new bridesmaid shoes, and then we visited the venue where the wedding and reception will be taking place. The place is absolutely incredible, like mind blowingly beautiful, and completely perfect for Jenna and Theresa's wedding. It just fits them, and seeing the venue just made me even more excited for the wedding.
I left SLC a solid 3 hours later than intended, but it was worth it to see the venue. I took a different route home so I could go through Las Vegas (this route was completely the 15, and it's the route Jerbs and I will take when we drive to SLC for the wedding) and pick up my bridesmaid's dress from Kelly, another bridesmaid who lives there. I spent some time just chatting with her, so that was nice. Once I had my dress I got on my way, only to get pulled over for speeding right outside Boulder City. I thought the speed limit was 65 so I was going 75 (I know, I was speeding, but I thought by only 10 mph), and it turns out the speed limit where I was is actually 45. So yeah, good job Ica. Really everything about this situation was not in my favor, because I was speeding near Vegas at 2 AM in a car with California plates so . . . yeah. The cop asked me if I'd been arrested before, which freaked me the fuck out. I mean, why ask that unless you're planning on arresting someone? I was terrified I was going to end up in jail in Boulder City in the middle of the night . . . but thankfully, he just gave me a speeding ticket. Which yes, sucks, but I didn't even care, I was just thankful I didn't get arrested.
Then I had to turn around just outside of Kingman for gas, because I'd thought I had enough gas for the trip and about 20 miles out my fancy rental car told me it could only go another 45 miles with what was in the tank. I knew I couldn't make it to Seligman on that so my only choice was to turn around (in one of the little cop parking places that you are definitely not supposed to turn around in, so yay). I was so upset. I got gas and finally finally finally got on the road. At this point I was so tired I don't even know how I made it home. I was also really really angry so I was pretty much hating life during that drive. I finally got home at like 3 in the morning and just crashed, and felt much better after I got some sleep.
This morning I tried on my dress, and I am thrilled because it fits perfectly and I actually kind of like how I look in it. Having my dress here kind of makes it sink in a little more that the wedding is coming up, and fast! I can't wait!
I finally got on the road to SLC around 3 PM, and I just drove and drove and drove. For the trip up I went through Page on the 89, and once I actually got into Utah I had some issues. Apparently the bottom part of Utah is just all these small towns along the 89, and the 89 just curves and curves and curves through all of them. By the time I hit this part of the trip it was dark, and curvy roads that I'm not familiar with in complete darkness=basically when I'm at my worst driving. I kept having to slow down and it just sucked. Twice I thought I had missed something in my directions and had to turn around and retrace my steps. Finally I made it to the point where I moved from the 89 to the 15 North, and that helped a lot. The 15 is a highway highway, and the speed limit is 80, and it's well lit and smooth, so that part was a lot easier. I definitely had a moment when I saw the first sign that had the distance to SLC on it where I was just so disappointed, because I saw the sign and was just like, "How the hell am I still so far away when I've been driving so long??" But really, at that point all you can do is drive, so I did. I got checked into my hotel around 1:30 in the morning. I pretty much got to my room, took off my clothes, and fell into bed.
Saturday was the day of the shower and, not surprisingly, I spent a good chunk of it getting lost trying to find Theresa's apartment, because addresses in Utah can sometimes be said backwards, if that makes sense. I got confused but eventually figured it out, and I rode with them to the shower. (I made them late and felt terrible, incidentally). The shower was outside, and it was beautiful but insanely windy, so there were a lot of pauses where we just had to hold things down, but it was a lot of fun. Jenna's sisters did a great job of hosting. I also met a few new people who live in SLC, so that was exciting. It was a great group, and I'm looking forward to seeing them all again at the wedding. (In less than a month, eek!!)
After the shower Theresa and I (and their roommate, Zach) went back to their place, where Theresa and I watched football and talked about wedding details. Later, the two of us and the Goldmans went to the Girl Scout camp that Jenna ran over the summer, which was awesome! It's a really beautiful camp and I loved getting to see it. We saw deer at the camp, and moose on the drive up and down (one each way!) so that was really cool. The camp is near Provo, so it was quite a drive, but the Goldmans are awesome company. After Trefoil we had dinner at Red Iguana, a Mexican place, which pretty much made my day because I actually found out about Red Iguana a few weeks ago and had been planning to eat there during the wedding trip, so when that was already the plan, I was thrilled. And the food did not disappoint, some pretty solid amazingness right there. (I'm already craving it and can't wait to go back). It was a long and exhausting day but so much fun.
On Sunday we all had breakfast at Theresa's, she made some delicious stuffed french toast. Then we went to David's Bridal and picked out new bridesmaid shoes, and then we visited the venue where the wedding and reception will be taking place. The place is absolutely incredible, like mind blowingly beautiful, and completely perfect for Jenna and Theresa's wedding. It just fits them, and seeing the venue just made me even more excited for the wedding.
I left SLC a solid 3 hours later than intended, but it was worth it to see the venue. I took a different route home so I could go through Las Vegas (this route was completely the 15, and it's the route Jerbs and I will take when we drive to SLC for the wedding) and pick up my bridesmaid's dress from Kelly, another bridesmaid who lives there. I spent some time just chatting with her, so that was nice. Once I had my dress I got on my way, only to get pulled over for speeding right outside Boulder City. I thought the speed limit was 65 so I was going 75 (I know, I was speeding, but I thought by only 10 mph), and it turns out the speed limit where I was is actually 45. So yeah, good job Ica. Really everything about this situation was not in my favor, because I was speeding near Vegas at 2 AM in a car with California plates so . . . yeah. The cop asked me if I'd been arrested before, which freaked me the fuck out. I mean, why ask that unless you're planning on arresting someone? I was terrified I was going to end up in jail in Boulder City in the middle of the night . . . but thankfully, he just gave me a speeding ticket. Which yes, sucks, but I didn't even care, I was just thankful I didn't get arrested.
Then I had to turn around just outside of Kingman for gas, because I'd thought I had enough gas for the trip and about 20 miles out my fancy rental car told me it could only go another 45 miles with what was in the tank. I knew I couldn't make it to Seligman on that so my only choice was to turn around (in one of the little cop parking places that you are definitely not supposed to turn around in, so yay). I was so upset. I got gas and finally finally finally got on the road. At this point I was so tired I don't even know how I made it home. I was also really really angry so I was pretty much hating life during that drive. I finally got home at like 3 in the morning and just crashed, and felt much better after I got some sleep.
This morning I tried on my dress, and I am thrilled because it fits perfectly and I actually kind of like how I look in it. Having my dress here kind of makes it sink in a little more that the wedding is coming up, and fast! I can't wait!
8.31.2015
Final Passed, CPC Course Finished
I passed my class final with a 90 and averaged an 88 in the class. I'm really really happy with that score.
Now I just have to prepare for the exam and hopefully pass that!
Now I just have to prepare for the exam and hopefully pass that!
8.30.2015
And So It Goes
I feel like my life goes like this: nothing going on nothing going on nothing going on FIFTY THINGS GOING ON AT ONCE.
Right now I just feel a little overwhelmed.
MHC--Is busier than ever. I have more job duties than ever, which is fine, but I'm honestly feeling a little . . . burnt out, I guess. It's just getting a little monotonous, same thing day after day after day, to the point that some days I just genuinely don't want to be there. A couple of co-workers are just on my last nerve too and that's frustrating. Not for any new reasons either, just the same issues over and over and over again that no one seems to want to address and fix. I mean, overall I'm still really happy at my job, I think it's just some burn out.
SHAF--Is still behind, and I have zero desire to get it caught up. I'm going to, but it takes a lot of effort on my part. We just get busier and busier there, and between my full time job and the non-work stuff I have going on, I just don't have the time I should to do my second job. I like working there and the money helps so much, but I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to do it. And Theresa's wedding is at the beginning of October, and I'm pretty much going to be in SLC the whole first week of the month, which is during SHAF's billing cycle, and I don't even know how to tell my boss that. She's not going to be happy. Honestly, if it came down to it, I'd just quit. I mean, I'm already thinking about it anyway, and if it came down to choosing between that job and the wedding, believe me, there is no contest. But we'll see.
CPC Course--I'm actually finished with all the chapter work for the course, which is awesome. I just have to take the final now. I actually already took it once, last night, and got a 69% . . . and you need a 70% to pass the class. Missed it by a freaking point! Fortunately you get two tries, so now I have to re-take it. I just have to be finished before September first, so I don't have to pay the extension fee (you have 6 months to take the class, and my 6 months are up at the end of August). And yes, I realize that September first is the day after tomorrow at this point. Once the class is finished I take the actual certification test, and that's on September 26th. I need to pass with a 70% to get my certification, and I'm really really really really really hoping to do it on the first try. The test is actually an in person proctored exam, so that'll be fun.
Aside from that . . . I finally got my oil changed Friday after going a shameful amount of miles without one. My check engine light came on on Thursday and as soon as it did I realized I hadn't changed my oil in over a year. (Good job, adult Ica). The light went off as soon as the oil was changed, so now I'm just kinda praying that my engine continues to run correctly.
Dogs, cats, and Jerbs are all fine and dandy.
I'm going to SLC next weekend for Theresa and Jenna's joint bridal shower, and I'm SO excited about it!
Right now I just feel a little overwhelmed.
MHC--Is busier than ever. I have more job duties than ever, which is fine, but I'm honestly feeling a little . . . burnt out, I guess. It's just getting a little monotonous, same thing day after day after day, to the point that some days I just genuinely don't want to be there. A couple of co-workers are just on my last nerve too and that's frustrating. Not for any new reasons either, just the same issues over and over and over again that no one seems to want to address and fix. I mean, overall I'm still really happy at my job, I think it's just some burn out.
SHAF--Is still behind, and I have zero desire to get it caught up. I'm going to, but it takes a lot of effort on my part. We just get busier and busier there, and between my full time job and the non-work stuff I have going on, I just don't have the time I should to do my second job. I like working there and the money helps so much, but I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to do it. And Theresa's wedding is at the beginning of October, and I'm pretty much going to be in SLC the whole first week of the month, which is during SHAF's billing cycle, and I don't even know how to tell my boss that. She's not going to be happy. Honestly, if it came down to it, I'd just quit. I mean, I'm already thinking about it anyway, and if it came down to choosing between that job and the wedding, believe me, there is no contest. But we'll see.
CPC Course--I'm actually finished with all the chapter work for the course, which is awesome. I just have to take the final now. I actually already took it once, last night, and got a 69% . . . and you need a 70% to pass the class. Missed it by a freaking point! Fortunately you get two tries, so now I have to re-take it. I just have to be finished before September first, so I don't have to pay the extension fee (you have 6 months to take the class, and my 6 months are up at the end of August). And yes, I realize that September first is the day after tomorrow at this point. Once the class is finished I take the actual certification test, and that's on September 26th. I need to pass with a 70% to get my certification, and I'm really really really really really hoping to do it on the first try. The test is actually an in person proctored exam, so that'll be fun.
Aside from that . . . I finally got my oil changed Friday after going a shameful amount of miles without one. My check engine light came on on Thursday and as soon as it did I realized I hadn't changed my oil in over a year. (Good job, adult Ica). The light went off as soon as the oil was changed, so now I'm just kinda praying that my engine continues to run correctly.
Dogs, cats, and Jerbs are all fine and dandy.
I'm going to SLC next weekend for Theresa and Jenna's joint bridal shower, and I'm SO excited about it!
8.27.2015
Move In Day Nostalgia
Today was move in day at NAU.
It was an overcast day with a few thunderstorms (AKA perfect), and I found myself thinking about how much college me would have loved a move in day like this. Coming back up the mountain to rain after a hot summer in Kingman would have made me so very happy.
Back then move in day was my absolute favorite, because I was always so glad to come back up to Flagstaff and be back in school and see all my friends. And I knew that a beautiful fall was right around the corner, so it was always just a happy time for me. (Now I hate move in day, because I much prefer living in Flagstaff when it's not crawling with douche bag college kids, but I digress).
Earlier this week, I went on a Dunkin' Donuts run in the afternoon, and there were some flag line girls practicing in the parking lot next to DD (DD is right by campus, so they were in the parking lot of what I think is Disability Services . . . that's what it was when I was in school, anyhow). It definitely made me nostalgic for marching band and football games.
Add all of this to the fact that I've been reading through my old LiveJournal, which encompasses my whole college experience, and it's just been a nostalgic kind of week.
As much fun as it is to look back on my college days here in Flagstaff, it also helps me to really understand why I want to leave Flagstaff, but that's for another time and another entry.
8.07.2015
A Rough Week
Let me tell you about the time I had a mental breakdown because of air freshener.
So first, some background: I spray air freshener in my bedroom every night before I go to bed. I like to smell something soothing while I'm falling asleep, and those better sleep tips almost always include having a scent you associate with sleep and spraying it at night. I used to use the pillow spray they sell at Bath and Body Works, but it's really expensive for how small the bottles are; then I switched to Febreze's night time line but that's disappeared from the stores, so now I just spray air freshener. I usually use a lavender/vanilla Febreze, but if the store's out of that I'll just buy whatever.
So this past Sunday Jerbs and I went shopping, and they didn't have the lavender stuff. But they did have this Febreze kind called Pumpkin Bliss, and even though I think it's a little too early for fall stuff, I got excited and bought it.
That night, I got ready for bed like always and sprayed my new air freshener. It smelled really good and very fall-y, and I thought it would definitely help me sleep. I was very, very wrong.
While I was lying in bed trying to fall asleep, I started to think that this pumpkin air freshener smelled familiar, like it was making me think of something. I realized that it smelled EXACTLY like this pumpkin air freshener Jerbs and I got at Bath and Body Works way back in 2009, when we first moved to the complex we live in now, when we got our 2 bedroom place after we broke up. We put that air freshener in our living room, and I guess I associated that smell with that place. And smelling it again just took me right back to that time in 2009, when the break up was still really raw and I was struggling with having moved but at the same time hopeful that the move would be a new start for me.
And it was all just overwhelming. In a way that I can't even really explain. But I suddenly found myself feeling so nostalgic for that time, when I was younger and before I got really sick and when I had my own space and potential, and I got sad thinking about how little I've accomplished since then, and how much better that time was (in some ways), and I felt guilty about everything I've put Jerbs through since then and how nice she's been to me, and then I thought about how it was my meeting Corey that put an end to that era and I got sad and bitter about that. And all of those feelings inevitably lead to thinking about how behind I feel in life, and how I feel like I haven't reached my true potential, and how that is entirely because of being bipolar. So I just laid in bed and cried my eyes out for a couple hours; I eventually fell asleep but I didn't sleep well, so Monday morning was not pleasant.
I almost faked sick and asked to leave early, but instead I requested Friday (today) off, just because I needed a mental health day. Thankfully it got approved, so I got to just chill at home and relax today, which was nice. And Jerbs bought me dinner at Beaver Street Brewery, which is a good solution for most problems.
Anyway, I survived Monday, but on Tuesday I was still just in a funk. Then Wednesday my period started, which helped exactly NOTHING. I felt like crap yesterday too. I seriously didn't work out all week, I didn't even try to eat decently, I was just . . . out of it. Depressed and angry and just out of it. It sucked.
But today I got to just chill at home and hang out with Jerbs, and that helped a LOT. Jerbs bought me dinner at Beaver Street Brewery too, which is always great.
I'm feeling better now, but I still feel like I just have a lot on my mind. I've just been thinking a lot about my life lately, about what I haven't done and what I want to do, and I know I shouldn't dwell on the past but . . . I think a combination of still being in mental health recovery and having turned 30 contribute to that kind of thinking.
Right now, though, life is good. I like my job. I'm OK financially. I'm more engaged than I've ever been. I'm almost finished with my CPC class. My BFF is getting married in 2 months and I get to be a part of that, and after the wedding is Halloween and fall and Christmas and all my other favorite things so . . . I really can't complain.
There are just times when I really think about how much of my life this BS mental illness has caused me to miss, and it seems so colossally unfair that I can't shake it.
But I can't do anything about that now, so the next best thing is to just make the most of every single second from here on out.
7.23.2015
Sunset Trail
We had to skip a few Trail Days for various reasons (rain, exhaustion, being out of town, etc.) so it's been a few weeks, but today Jerbs, me, and the dogs were finally able to get out on a trail again.
Jerbs picked Sunset Trail, and for the first time since I started Trail Day, we found the correct trail and did the whole thing. Sunset's a short little hike (0.6 miles, so 1.2 miles total) that goes along McMillan Mesa, and it was probably the prettiest trail yet. The views were amazing and we were quite a bit higher up than I expected.
Jerbs picked Sunset Trail, and for the first time since I started Trail Day, we found the correct trail and did the whole thing. Sunset's a short little hike (0.6 miles, so 1.2 miles total) that goes along McMillan Mesa, and it was probably the prettiest trail yet. The views were amazing and we were quite a bit higher up than I expected.
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| The view! |
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| These little bird (or bat) houses are scattered along the trail. |
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| Another little house. |
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| And another one. |
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| The view of Mt. Elden from the trail. |
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| Evening primrose (I think). |
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| The trail. |
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| Hollyhocks. |
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| And Hollie the dog. |
7.14.2015
Colorado//First Plane Ride//Shannon's Wedding
I'm home from my trip to Colorado, and now that I've slept for approximately 14 hours, I finally feel awake enough to write about it.
I left last Thursday, after I made sure the cats were going to survive 4 days home alone. Jerbs left for San Diego last Tuesday night, so all of the animal and house preparing fell to me (yay, my favorite). I get super paranoid about that kind of stuff, so I spent all my after work time on Wednesday making sure various things were unplugged and taking out trash and setting out bowls of food and water for the cats and making sure there was nothing in the fridge that would go bad, etc. etc. etc. I also managed to do most of my packing somewhere in there, which of course made exactly zero difference in being able to leave on time on Thursday because I just don't do on time, I guess.
I worked a half day Thursday, then put in a little time at job # 2. Then I came home and triple checked everything in the house, showered, finished packing, loaded up the car and hit the road. I was just over halfway to Flagstaff when I randomly started wondering if I had locked a cat in the laundry room. I seriously considered turning around and driving back to check, but talked myself out of it. I had checked the laundry room before I left, but I'd only kind of glanced because I was in a hurry, so . . . yeah. I kind of talked myself into a panic about it. (Happily, I did NOT lock any cats in the laundry room when I left, but those fatties did manage to eat all the food I put out for them so . . . good job, cats).
I drove to Kingman and dropped my dogs and their stuff off at my mom's (she was nice enough to watch them for me), then I spent the night at my sister's. (Austin was so happy to see me, when he saw me at my mom's he said he'd been waiting ALL DAY for me to get there haha). Our flight from Vegas to Denver was at 6:20 in the morning, which mean we got up around 2 AM to be on the road by 3. This all happened after staying up until at least 11 the night before, so it was not the most pleasant experience. The whole way to Vegas my sister (needlessly) worried that we were going to miss our flight, which made the whole thing even more fun.
So the flight. This was actually my first time ever flying, so I was really excited and nervous about it. The security stuff was kind of anxiety inducing, I was very worried that I was going to get stopped for extra stuff--not that there was any reason at all that I would be, but still. On the plane, I sat with Austin, so he got the window seat, but since he's so short I was able to see over him. Let me tell you, I really surprised/impressed myself with how calm I was about flying. Like, I fully expected to be shit terrified, but . . . I was just completely at ease. Take off was a little weird, just because you kind of get thrown back in your seat as the plane goes up, and it's a strange sensation when you experience it for the first time. Once we were in the air, the only thing that scared me was when the plane would kind of roll to the side. That's the only way I can think to describe it, and I think it happens when the plane moves in a curved line, if that makes sense. It's kind of creepy to be looking out the window and then just have it dip to one side, so that scared me quite a bit. But the flight to Denver was really smooth and the landing was smooth too, so overall I think I got lucky to have that particular flight as my first one. (Flight home was not so great but more on that later).
Once we got to Denver, we picked up a rental car and drove to Colorado Springs (about an hour away). Then my sister and her friend, Jen, who had flown out with us, had the rehearsal dinner. At that point I actually took the rental car and drove back to the Denver airport to pick up Jen's boyfriend, who had flown out from Phoenix. Weirdly, that drive was one of the highlights of the trip for me. Before I left, my sister freaked out because I don't have GPS on my phone, and I just looked up the directions online and wrote them down. Then the exit I was supposed to take was closed, which initially made me panic, because I was on a packed 4 lane highway in a strange city/state, so I just kept driving, intending to turn around and try to hit my intended exit from the other direction. But then I saw signs for the airport at a different exit a few miles up the road and just followed those, so basically I ended up taking the highway instead of a toll road, which just adds about 20 minutes onto the trip, not really a big deal. So I made it to the airport, followed the signs to the terminal (based on just knowing the airline BTW), then followed the signs to passenger pick up, and smoothly and successfully picked up Jen's boyfriend. Then I just followed the signs to get back on the road to Colorado Springs, and we successfully made it back. I was so fucking proud of myself! I mean, I still get lost in Flagstaff sometimes, but I was able to drive to an airport in a place I'd never been to pick someone up. It made me happy. And confident. And my sister was very impressed that I did all that without GPS. So go me.
The next morning, my sister and Jen left super early to get ready for the wedding, so Stevie (another friend of my sister's who came with us) and I were in charge of Austin. We had breakfast at the hotel (Austin prayed over the meal and thanked Jesus that Stevie and I were there to take him to breakfast, it was very sweet). Then we all got ready for the wedding, which involved multiple texts from my sister to make sure I was actually getting Austin ready. The three of us and Jen's boyfriend had to take a cab out to the Airforce base where the wedding was, which was interesting. The driver told us a bunch of the history of the base, which was cool, but it was a long drive that cost $55, which was less fun.
The chapel on the base, where the ceremony was, is a really beautiful place. I had Austin write I love you and his name in the guest book, it was cute. The ceremony was really pretty, very traditional and elegant; I really liked the chaplain who officiated. My sister (and all the bridesmaids, a lot of whom I know through her and Shannon) looked amazing, and Shannon was just a stunning bride. I definitely cried during the ceremony, not just because it was a wedding, but because I was watching someone I've known since she was a little kid get married. Weird, but in a good way. I'm very, very happy for Shannon and her husband. They definitely seem like a good fit.
After the ceremony the 4 of us who took the cab together got a ride back to our hotel with one of my sister's friends, Lindsey. I'd never met her before that day (at least not that I remembered, but she said we were introduced once a long time ago at my sister's in Kingman), but she was very nice, and I was glad for the ride because I definitely didn't want to either wait for my sister to be finished with pictures or shell out another $55 for a cab ride! My sister did pick us up for the reception, though.
The reception was fun, we sat with some nice people who are friends of Shannon's husband. The food was good (Austin said to my sister, "This is what you should make at home, Mom!"). My sister gave a very nice MoH speech that made me cry. And then at some point the whole thing turned into a rave, and I just . . . well, it's just not my kind of thing. I don't like loud music or strobe lights or drunk people, so I was a little out of my comfort zone. I did dance, a little, when forced to by the bride haha, but that was about it. In retrospect, I wish I'd been a little more confident and had more fun, but I am who I am so oh well. We finally left, which, for me, involved playing DD (joy). I was in such a shitty mood by then I almost felt bad but whatever, it had been a long night, my shoes hurt, and again, I don't like hauling around drunk people. It was an amazing feeling to finally get back to our hotel (which took awhile because I didn't have directions and everyone I was with was too drunk to help me) and go to bed. My sister went to the after party, and I vaguely remember her stumbling in at like 2 AM, but aside from that, I was freaking out.
The next morning I took Austin swimming for a little while, then I took a walk around the neighborhood where our hotel was. It's the downtown area, so it's a really old, really residential area, and I wanted to see it. I looked at some pretty houses and met a cat who lived at one of them, he came over the fence and let me pet him. Later we actually went over to Shannon's house to visit her and say goodbye. She has a pet hedgehog that I got to hold, so that was exciting. (I want a hedgehog SO bad, but you have to have a wildlife license to own one in AZ). We had a nice visit, then had dinner at Applebees and went back to our hotel to pack and get ready to leave the next day.
Monday we got up early so we could go to the Garden of the Gods before we left for Denver, which was definitely worth it. It was beautiful, and it was something I was hoping to see while we were there. I took a bunch of pictures that I don't really feel like posting, but it was just lovely. We stopped for coffee at Starbucks and then got on the road back to Denver. We made really good time, got to the airport and returned the rental car, got to the terminal and made it through security a full two hours before our flight was scheduled to take off. So we had a nice sit down lunch and felt pretty dang proud of ourselves. After lunch we went souvenir shopping in the airport shops, then went to our gate to wait for our flight. This was the point where everything started to go downhill.
About 20 minutes after we were supposed to start boarding, just as we were starting to wonder why we weren't on the plane yet, they announced that the flight was delayed by 2 hours. Apparently, the plane was flying Seattle to Denver, and was held up because of bad weather in Seattle. So we killed 2 hours doing basically nothing, and finally got on the plane. (Side note: the guy I was sitting next to told Jen and I about how once, years ago, his flight out of Dallas got grounded after he was already on the plane, and he sat in the plane on the runway for 6 hours . . . so I guess our little delay wasn't all that bad). By the time we boarded it was looking pretty stormy out in Denver, and the take off was rough. The first half of the flight was pretty rough too, with lots of patches of turbulence, which was a little nerve wracking. Plus the cabin lights wouldn't stay off or on for awhile, they just flickered, which made for a pretty spooky/ominous atmosphere. The landing in Vegas was rough too, so the whole flight home experience was not great. And stepping out into the Vegas heat (it was 103 degrees out when we landed) after spending 4 days in 70 degree weather was just . . . blech.
We drove back to Kingman, where things continued to go wrong: within 20 minutes of being back at my sister's, we had to take one of her dogs to an emergency vet. Long story that involved me having to find an ATM, but the dog thankfully is fine, she just had a concussion. By this time it was almost 9:30 PM, and I finally made it to my mom's and picked up my dogs (who were just delighted to see me). I had planned to visit my dad, but by then I figured he was asleep so I was just going to go home, but my mom mentioned he had been waiting up for me, so I ended up going to his house and was there for probably about 45 minutes. It was nice to see him, and we had a nice visit. He just got back from a trip to visit his family in Ohio, so we got to talk about that and I told him about the Denver trip.
I stopped and got gas and finally, at around 10:30, got on the road home. I got on the 40 East at Andy Devine (like always), and went maybe half a mile, and then traffic was completely stopped. Like, completely stopped. I was literally parked on the effing highway. I texted Jerbs (she was home in Flag by then) and asked her to look online and see what was up. Apparently, a couple miles up the road from where I was, there had been a vehicle on fire, so crews were working on that. Traffic started moving again (VERY slowly) around 11:20, but one lane was still closed so between the merging and the huge amount of back up (mostly semis), it was about another 20 minutes before I was actually driving at highway speed. I finally got home around 1:30 AM, and I don't think I've ever been so grateful to see Flagstaff or my crappy little apartment. I walked in, set up the dogs' bed, gave Jerbs a hug, and just fell into bed. It was glorious. I woke up this afternoon and ordered a pizza and felt very very grateful that I thought to take today off, because no way could I have functioned at work today.
Overall, it was a good trip, and I'm glad I went and I appreciate my sister booking the flight and hotel and everything. I do have to say that, as much as I love my sister, she and I are just drastically different people, and 4 straight days together with very little time apart really brings that out. I don't necessarily think that she and I make good traveling buddies. As for flying, I didn't mind it, and I'm glad that now I at least know how to fly, like I know how to get around an airport and all that, which I'm sure is a useful skill to have. But I have to say it wasn't my favorite, I think because so much of it is hurry up and wait, y'know? Like waiting in line at security, then waiting in line at the gate, then waiting in line for the rental car . . . just too much down time. It makes me feel like I'm wasting time, somehow, so I think I'll stick to road trips when I'm able to. But that's just me.
I will say that seeing my sister and Jen as bridesmaids made me even more excited to be in Theresa's wedding this fall!
I left last Thursday, after I made sure the cats were going to survive 4 days home alone. Jerbs left for San Diego last Tuesday night, so all of the animal and house preparing fell to me (yay, my favorite). I get super paranoid about that kind of stuff, so I spent all my after work time on Wednesday making sure various things were unplugged and taking out trash and setting out bowls of food and water for the cats and making sure there was nothing in the fridge that would go bad, etc. etc. etc. I also managed to do most of my packing somewhere in there, which of course made exactly zero difference in being able to leave on time on Thursday because I just don't do on time, I guess.
I worked a half day Thursday, then put in a little time at job # 2. Then I came home and triple checked everything in the house, showered, finished packing, loaded up the car and hit the road. I was just over halfway to Flagstaff when I randomly started wondering if I had locked a cat in the laundry room. I seriously considered turning around and driving back to check, but talked myself out of it. I had checked the laundry room before I left, but I'd only kind of glanced because I was in a hurry, so . . . yeah. I kind of talked myself into a panic about it. (Happily, I did NOT lock any cats in the laundry room when I left, but those fatties did manage to eat all the food I put out for them so . . . good job, cats).
I drove to Kingman and dropped my dogs and their stuff off at my mom's (she was nice enough to watch them for me), then I spent the night at my sister's. (Austin was so happy to see me, when he saw me at my mom's he said he'd been waiting ALL DAY for me to get there haha). Our flight from Vegas to Denver was at 6:20 in the morning, which mean we got up around 2 AM to be on the road by 3. This all happened after staying up until at least 11 the night before, so it was not the most pleasant experience. The whole way to Vegas my sister (needlessly) worried that we were going to miss our flight, which made the whole thing even more fun.
So the flight. This was actually my first time ever flying, so I was really excited and nervous about it. The security stuff was kind of anxiety inducing, I was very worried that I was going to get stopped for extra stuff--not that there was any reason at all that I would be, but still. On the plane, I sat with Austin, so he got the window seat, but since he's so short I was able to see over him. Let me tell you, I really surprised/impressed myself with how calm I was about flying. Like, I fully expected to be shit terrified, but . . . I was just completely at ease. Take off was a little weird, just because you kind of get thrown back in your seat as the plane goes up, and it's a strange sensation when you experience it for the first time. Once we were in the air, the only thing that scared me was when the plane would kind of roll to the side. That's the only way I can think to describe it, and I think it happens when the plane moves in a curved line, if that makes sense. It's kind of creepy to be looking out the window and then just have it dip to one side, so that scared me quite a bit. But the flight to Denver was really smooth and the landing was smooth too, so overall I think I got lucky to have that particular flight as my first one. (Flight home was not so great but more on that later).
Once we got to Denver, we picked up a rental car and drove to Colorado Springs (about an hour away). Then my sister and her friend, Jen, who had flown out with us, had the rehearsal dinner. At that point I actually took the rental car and drove back to the Denver airport to pick up Jen's boyfriend, who had flown out from Phoenix. Weirdly, that drive was one of the highlights of the trip for me. Before I left, my sister freaked out because I don't have GPS on my phone, and I just looked up the directions online and wrote them down. Then the exit I was supposed to take was closed, which initially made me panic, because I was on a packed 4 lane highway in a strange city/state, so I just kept driving, intending to turn around and try to hit my intended exit from the other direction. But then I saw signs for the airport at a different exit a few miles up the road and just followed those, so basically I ended up taking the highway instead of a toll road, which just adds about 20 minutes onto the trip, not really a big deal. So I made it to the airport, followed the signs to the terminal (based on just knowing the airline BTW), then followed the signs to passenger pick up, and smoothly and successfully picked up Jen's boyfriend. Then I just followed the signs to get back on the road to Colorado Springs, and we successfully made it back. I was so fucking proud of myself! I mean, I still get lost in Flagstaff sometimes, but I was able to drive to an airport in a place I'd never been to pick someone up. It made me happy. And confident. And my sister was very impressed that I did all that without GPS. So go me.
The next morning, my sister and Jen left super early to get ready for the wedding, so Stevie (another friend of my sister's who came with us) and I were in charge of Austin. We had breakfast at the hotel (Austin prayed over the meal and thanked Jesus that Stevie and I were there to take him to breakfast, it was very sweet). Then we all got ready for the wedding, which involved multiple texts from my sister to make sure I was actually getting Austin ready. The three of us and Jen's boyfriend had to take a cab out to the Airforce base where the wedding was, which was interesting. The driver told us a bunch of the history of the base, which was cool, but it was a long drive that cost $55, which was less fun.
The chapel on the base, where the ceremony was, is a really beautiful place. I had Austin write I love you and his name in the guest book, it was cute. The ceremony was really pretty, very traditional and elegant; I really liked the chaplain who officiated. My sister (and all the bridesmaids, a lot of whom I know through her and Shannon) looked amazing, and Shannon was just a stunning bride. I definitely cried during the ceremony, not just because it was a wedding, but because I was watching someone I've known since she was a little kid get married. Weird, but in a good way. I'm very, very happy for Shannon and her husband. They definitely seem like a good fit.
After the ceremony the 4 of us who took the cab together got a ride back to our hotel with one of my sister's friends, Lindsey. I'd never met her before that day (at least not that I remembered, but she said we were introduced once a long time ago at my sister's in Kingman), but she was very nice, and I was glad for the ride because I definitely didn't want to either wait for my sister to be finished with pictures or shell out another $55 for a cab ride! My sister did pick us up for the reception, though.
The reception was fun, we sat with some nice people who are friends of Shannon's husband. The food was good (Austin said to my sister, "This is what you should make at home, Mom!"). My sister gave a very nice MoH speech that made me cry. And then at some point the whole thing turned into a rave, and I just . . . well, it's just not my kind of thing. I don't like loud music or strobe lights or drunk people, so I was a little out of my comfort zone. I did dance, a little, when forced to by the bride haha, but that was about it. In retrospect, I wish I'd been a little more confident and had more fun, but I am who I am so oh well. We finally left, which, for me, involved playing DD (joy). I was in such a shitty mood by then I almost felt bad but whatever, it had been a long night, my shoes hurt, and again, I don't like hauling around drunk people. It was an amazing feeling to finally get back to our hotel (which took awhile because I didn't have directions and everyone I was with was too drunk to help me) and go to bed. My sister went to the after party, and I vaguely remember her stumbling in at like 2 AM, but aside from that, I was freaking out.
The next morning I took Austin swimming for a little while, then I took a walk around the neighborhood where our hotel was. It's the downtown area, so it's a really old, really residential area, and I wanted to see it. I looked at some pretty houses and met a cat who lived at one of them, he came over the fence and let me pet him. Later we actually went over to Shannon's house to visit her and say goodbye. She has a pet hedgehog that I got to hold, so that was exciting. (I want a hedgehog SO bad, but you have to have a wildlife license to own one in AZ). We had a nice visit, then had dinner at Applebees and went back to our hotel to pack and get ready to leave the next day.
Monday we got up early so we could go to the Garden of the Gods before we left for Denver, which was definitely worth it. It was beautiful, and it was something I was hoping to see while we were there. I took a bunch of pictures that I don't really feel like posting, but it was just lovely. We stopped for coffee at Starbucks and then got on the road back to Denver. We made really good time, got to the airport and returned the rental car, got to the terminal and made it through security a full two hours before our flight was scheduled to take off. So we had a nice sit down lunch and felt pretty dang proud of ourselves. After lunch we went souvenir shopping in the airport shops, then went to our gate to wait for our flight. This was the point where everything started to go downhill.
About 20 minutes after we were supposed to start boarding, just as we were starting to wonder why we weren't on the plane yet, they announced that the flight was delayed by 2 hours. Apparently, the plane was flying Seattle to Denver, and was held up because of bad weather in Seattle. So we killed 2 hours doing basically nothing, and finally got on the plane. (Side note: the guy I was sitting next to told Jen and I about how once, years ago, his flight out of Dallas got grounded after he was already on the plane, and he sat in the plane on the runway for 6 hours . . . so I guess our little delay wasn't all that bad). By the time we boarded it was looking pretty stormy out in Denver, and the take off was rough. The first half of the flight was pretty rough too, with lots of patches of turbulence, which was a little nerve wracking. Plus the cabin lights wouldn't stay off or on for awhile, they just flickered, which made for a pretty spooky/ominous atmosphere. The landing in Vegas was rough too, so the whole flight home experience was not great. And stepping out into the Vegas heat (it was 103 degrees out when we landed) after spending 4 days in 70 degree weather was just . . . blech.
We drove back to Kingman, where things continued to go wrong: within 20 minutes of being back at my sister's, we had to take one of her dogs to an emergency vet. Long story that involved me having to find an ATM, but the dog thankfully is fine, she just had a concussion. By this time it was almost 9:30 PM, and I finally made it to my mom's and picked up my dogs (who were just delighted to see me). I had planned to visit my dad, but by then I figured he was asleep so I was just going to go home, but my mom mentioned he had been waiting up for me, so I ended up going to his house and was there for probably about 45 minutes. It was nice to see him, and we had a nice visit. He just got back from a trip to visit his family in Ohio, so we got to talk about that and I told him about the Denver trip.
I stopped and got gas and finally, at around 10:30, got on the road home. I got on the 40 East at Andy Devine (like always), and went maybe half a mile, and then traffic was completely stopped. Like, completely stopped. I was literally parked on the effing highway. I texted Jerbs (she was home in Flag by then) and asked her to look online and see what was up. Apparently, a couple miles up the road from where I was, there had been a vehicle on fire, so crews were working on that. Traffic started moving again (VERY slowly) around 11:20, but one lane was still closed so between the merging and the huge amount of back up (mostly semis), it was about another 20 minutes before I was actually driving at highway speed. I finally got home around 1:30 AM, and I don't think I've ever been so grateful to see Flagstaff or my crappy little apartment. I walked in, set up the dogs' bed, gave Jerbs a hug, and just fell into bed. It was glorious. I woke up this afternoon and ordered a pizza and felt very very grateful that I thought to take today off, because no way could I have functioned at work today.
Overall, it was a good trip, and I'm glad I went and I appreciate my sister booking the flight and hotel and everything. I do have to say that, as much as I love my sister, she and I are just drastically different people, and 4 straight days together with very little time apart really brings that out. I don't necessarily think that she and I make good traveling buddies. As for flying, I didn't mind it, and I'm glad that now I at least know how to fly, like I know how to get around an airport and all that, which I'm sure is a useful skill to have. But I have to say it wasn't my favorite, I think because so much of it is hurry up and wait, y'know? Like waiting in line at security, then waiting in line at the gate, then waiting in line for the rental car . . . just too much down time. It makes me feel like I'm wasting time, somehow, so I think I'll stick to road trips when I'm able to. But that's just me.
I will say that seeing my sister and Jen as bridesmaids made me even more excited to be in Theresa's wedding this fall!
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