Into the Hobbit Hole

Out my window: cooler weather. It was really sudden for me last week. I tried to take my littles outside as usual for free play, but after about five minutes I just couldn't stand it any more, and took them inside to our indoor tumble room. I really just started wearing shorts this summer during the last week of June, and now am wearing jeans again already. What?

Clothing myself in: jeans and a tee. It's Monday, people...

Around the apartment: Just cleaned up from our graduation party/belated birthday party this past weekend! I spent my first full week out of school cleaning a different room each day. I even took time to take pictures since it's so immaculately clean at the moment, which I will share at the bottom.

The hubby: is now a whole quarter of a century old! I think he's de-stressing from me being out of school almost as much as I am haha.

In the kitchen: I'm finally getting back on a regular schedule, post-finals craziness. This past week we had steaks with boxed mac&cheese, chicken and dumpling soup, and I'll be doing a salmon dish in the next couple of days.

Crafting: I'm contemplating/readying myself to make some homemade curtains. Possibly using this design for drapes, pending hubby's approval. I just really want them to be our own besides looking classy, at least while we're in an apartment...I'll feel better about investing in quality curtains when we're in a house someday. Also, I'm working on re-visiting my hobbies. Just allowing myself to have structured, real free time. Last week I did a little genealogy, wrote a letter, worked on a jigsaw puzzle, and did reading...for fun.

Learning: taking a nice looooooong break from any structured learning...though I'm sure I will incorporate little life lessons and what I take away from leisurely reading into this category eventually.

Reading: I started on the book Joshua. My mom and I rented the movie years ago, and I don't remember being super impressed, and the book is...okay. I obviously have a problem with the thought of the author that all Christian sects are essentially equal.

Watching:  Still making my way through the Twilight Zone, though I AM nearing the end, along with Phineas and Ferb. I've also started on the one season of Pioneer Woman that's on Netflix, and a short series on How States Got Their Shapes, which is pretty interesting. I'm super excited for the next season of Once Upon a Time to make its way onto Netflix, and the latest season of Downton Abbey is waiting for me in iTunes. Besides that, I watch the occasional documentary, or 50s/60s film, or drama/chick flick.
 
Bringing me joy: free time...allowing myself to savor this free time, work on my prayer life, engage in restful recreation

Thinking about: The job search...oh the job search...changes in friends from high school...the very sad news recently about the Ashley Madison account holders, especially as the media has a field day with the Christians that had accounts...I may be posting a rant my thoughts soon, it's been on my mind a lot...

Pictures to share: Yay, I actually have pictures for you!

The kitchen. Awesome differences from last apartment: the open concept and more open counter space, a split sink, as well as the baker's rack (thank you, Mom V.!)...Downside: some smaller cabinets, a smaller dining area

Living room. Awesomeness: the paint is so much lighter, and I love love love the big window/sliding door. Downside: slightly smaller, but that's ok, because it's still the same layout really as our last apartment. Also, as you may notice, we have put my desk in this room so that I can be working at it by the window for extra sunlight :-)

Bathroom. Awesomeness: nice big counter, I like the storage under the mirror as well. Downside: the washer/dryer is actually behind this door, so to get out laundry involves a lot of moving around the doorway.

Our bedroom. Awesomeness: super large, lots of room. My closet is super huge, and this room actually has a second closet, so Matt and I each get our own. And my closet has nearly full-length mirrors on its doors, which is wonderful. Downside: really can't think of one...

The office: Awesomeness: Matt still has an office, and it still comes in handy for letting other people stay with us. We did get rid of our big bookshelf and have my books in here on a couple smaller shelves for now. Downside: significantly smaller than our last extra bedroom, however, it still serves its purpose.

Something I'm super proud of on our porch...my little plants! I used some old coffee cups that I was slightly still attached to, and put some hardy plants in. I've hardly watered these besides the rains, and they're still surviving! Woot! Overall, our porch is awesome, I really like that it's cement rather than all wood...no silly wasps/carpenter bees hanging around constantly.

Mysterious tiny closet under our stairwell (I'm literally outside our door in this shot). This tiny door is about half my size. What could it be used for? Storage? But it's so small... Ergo, I've decided it's a hobbit door :-)

Oral Comps

Excuse me while I bounce off some walls...

I PASSED!

Monday was exactly 4 weeks since my written comps, and I was getting pretty desperate. I have had the hardest time studying for orals because I didn't even know if I'd be taking them yet! And then, voila, Monday evening I got the email that I passed written, and to schedule my orals with my two examiners. Then, all week, I was still mentally blocked on studying, but because I was so stressed that it was finally happening! I finally escaped to the library yesterday to seclude myself for a few hours.

Written comps were based entirely on field of study (bioethics) while oral was to be a mix of field of study and general theology, divided into sections of Church history, dogmatic theology, moral theology, and Sacred Scripture, touching on all of the core classes that we have taken besides our electives. It was so. much. I think all in all I have about 200-250 notecards of the individual topics we were given to study. Yeah.

Today has felt surreal. I didn't have nearly the amount of stress from written, purely due to how surreal it was that it was finally here. I felt like I knew nothing, and had kind of resigned myself to that. My conference call was at 2pm. It was rough, but in spots I wasn't sure on I reasoned through and talked through it.

I still have a final to take online and a paper over a final project to write, but I'm done. I'm graduating, y'all. Is this real life?