weekend challenge: doing something for myself

and now #3! all weekend i've been decorating and prepping my apartment and it's finally all unpacked and the decorating is gradually coming together. this is something that's definitely doing something for myself. i'm loving my apartment more and more and am excited to have the next chapter of my life here. :)

thought this was the perfect place for this piece and very appropriate for this time (please excuse the unmade bed, rarely like this...i swear!)

so my mantle is now another step closer to being done. i thought the black, white, and red theme was perfect (inspired by my piece from China) and it looks great so far. found the awesome red frame from Target for $1! that place is incredible! definitely going back for some other home decor stuff! (also need to print some new pics- one for the red frame!)

Ammu & Nanda Bear

as i keep trying to find a nickname to call myself and to call my boy, i figured at this point i might as well just address us as what we call each other. 

soo..i call him "ammu." i don't think we're sure where it comes from at all but it's the only thing i ever call him and it's also his name in my phone. i love my ammu and i'm sure that will last forever.

aaand i'm nanda bear. again this whole thing may be giving away my identity but whatever happens...happens. so it comes from "panda bear" and he also calls me Nanda. just cute little nicknames that i've come to get used to and love. it's really strange when he calls me my actual name (which is usually when he's upset with me :/)

so i think from now on this is how i will address each other as "lobstress"clearly never stuck... oops!

*really missing warm, exciting weather nowadays i would love to walk around NYC and find flowers and cool foods in fun outfits just enjoying the outdoors... it's only January so we have a while for that :|

12 days until graduation

guys..it's really settling in now. less than two weeks until graduation. as close as it feels i still can't believe it. i think that now more than ever i'm wishing there was just a little bit more time left. especially with my boy being here this past weekend we reminisced of all of the times we had here and how binghamton will never quite be the same for me (or us) again.

i think that change has always been difficult for me...especially moving from phase to phase (high school to college, for instance or changing majors..one too many times for me) but i think that one thing that college has shown me or perhaps something i'm just used to now is that change is constant and at this point in my life all of these changes are good things. i'm really embracing this change from undergrad to grad, moving to Syracuse (someplace i never really thought i'd be..but am blessed it happened this way), embarking on a career path i finally am 100% sure is perfect for me, and so much more i'm sure.

it's funny how all of this landed in my lap. in august, beginning the semester i had no idea if i'd be graduating, or if early childhood really was my niche, if i did get into grad school where i would be...and the list goes on. i've come to enjoy these really quick-paced changes. it's even thrilling (and a little crazy) to think that in a few months things could be completely different.

but like i said i'm excited but also really sad about leaving this place. as much as i've bashed it and tried to escape sometimes, it's been one of the most amazing times in my life and the ways in which i've grown in a personal level, i couldn't have done it without you bing. i love you even though i never want to admit it.,

and to you, i'm glad that i've started this blog so that i can share these changes with you and hope to support you through my experiences.

xx,
Mrs.Dr.

mistakes are always okay

i used to be terrified of every and any mistake possible. and i think i have a lot of that to blame on my upbringing and then not allowing myself to ever make those mistakes. i've sincerely learned as i've become more independent and grown up that they really are okay.. i would not be the person i am today and although i have my good and bad days i'm proud fo who i have become. i have worked so hard and tirelessly to break away and be "me" i'm still working very hard at it and don't think i've perfected it, as yet but i'd like to get as close to it as possible.

i still make mistakes and feel that embarrassment and guilt initially but soon after (and maybe after some  convincing from my boy) it really is okay and there has been so much throughout my life that if i could get up from, that i could do it again. and how bad could it really be?

i think that people (including myself) focus way too much on what other people think and that's a major flaw in our society as a whole. you should want to be happy for you. you should want to look and feel beautiful for you. you should study what you want to and follow the career path of your choice. and again, i'm still working on all of these things myself but i think that once you have that determination to want that for yourself, you will slowly but surely be able to achieve it. i believe it. and i believe in you.

mistakes mean that you're trying and as long as you keep learning and growing, they are okay. and when you have that moment of "feeling dumb" after make yourself some tea or hot chocolate and eat a brownie...always makes everything better ;)

xx,
Mrs.Dr.

A little more about us...

 Like I mentioned in our "about us", we met in Costa Rica. It was ironic when I was browsing through my iPhone that I had to scroll to the very top. Realizing how long it really has been. I must admit that knowing this, it maintains my faith in continuing to make it work and knowing that one day we will have everything we talk about: our (hopefully) booming careers, beautiful home in the suburbs, our marriage, beautiful children, and a dog! (still working on him for that one) But I hope you enjoy this little "story" about us! :)

she loves bows, stripes, and pink. he loves everything else (mostly her).

welcome again, to our little blog about our lives as a young, long-distance couple. soon to be entering our fourth year together and she is an undergrad, he a med-student. This will prove to be one of the hardest times for us but here, we'll document how we're going to do it all. 

Every time I come across this picture I remember "him." I took this just a few days after meeting and he had then, returned back home and for some crazy reason I could NOT get him out of my head. It was too strange.

So, a few days prior on Herradura beach, being of the same heritage our mothers immediately were drawn to one another. They talked about "us" "the kids" and "where we were from" Ironically, when at our permanent addresses "back at home" we are only about 40 minutes away from one another. 

Fate? I think so.

I was not interested, to say the least. We were pushed into talking and walking on the beach, I merely answered him clearly not realizing his interest, or even, mine. Our families continued to spend time together on our vacation in Costa Rica and upon my return, he was waiting for me to come home. He called just about every day just to "see what I was doing." It was already more than I already had had. 

We became best friends, still the best friend I have ever had (I'm so blessed) and then fell in love. Then, in early September 2009 we decided to try out our desires long-distance. With all of the hesitation and fear in the world... Of course we've had our major ups and downs (and I mean MAJ-OR) but we have always returned to "us" and what we loved and wanted, forever. 

I hope our story intrigues you and you hope to hear more! Happy reading.

XX

Mrs.Dr.