Visit from Shannon!

Shannon was in town a few weekends ago to tour Xavier & hangout with me! Friday I snuck them in to all the buildings on campus and even showed them the new pizza ATM. Saturday we did typical fall things, brunched, went to the cutest pumpkin patch (which had $1 wine tastings for 5 wines!!!), devoured tacos at Bakersfield & went to Muskie Madness (the kickoff of Xavier basketball). I'd say the weekend was quite a success! 

Oh Hey Blog!

So I completely abandoned by blog for several months....but I have a few great excuses of why!

First, I was studying insane amounts for my boards! My life was seriously so boring for a good 3 months--every free second I had, I was studying. Thankfully, it all paid off! I passed both my state and federal exams on the first try! It is very rare for someone to pass both on the first try, usually one or the other. Ever since those stressful exams ended, my life has gotten 10x better. I was promoted to Associate Administrator at my facility and have been loving it!

After I passed my boards, the next week I was off to Europe! A trip of a lifetime that I seriously think about pretty much everyday since I've been back. If I had the opportunity to go back tomorrow, I would. If you hear of any European nursing homes looking for an administrator, let me know....This trip will have a few posts of its own once I get the motivation to write all about it.

Once I got back from Europe, I was in a bad car accident that totaled my car...no my car did not look like what you are probably imagining but enough damage for them not to repair it. I was fine, only have scars from the airbag burns. Being the creature of habit that I am, I ended up buying the same exact car, in the same exact color. But hey, I loved that car so I am happy to have it back. The week after my accident, I had a work conference to attend in Columbus all week so I looked hilarious with my hands all wrapped trying to network and shake people's hands (I looked like I took up boxing as a sport, not to mention I was in a ton of pain when someone would actually shake my hand). I got a few laughs when people believed my story that my accident actually occurred on the autobahn in Germany, not a residential street in Cincinnati...

Trying to recreate a "Hugo"--drink I fell in love with in Germany.

Summer has officially arrived in Cincinnati, all 97 degrees of it...

Schwaben joke from Germany.

My people.

Drunk Stephanie in action.

Since being back in the US, I was able to spend Memorial Day with my family back home which was so nice. The following weekend my two best friends from out of town were in Cincinnati!! Javier came in from Colombia and Kacie was in town from Boston! Our mini reunion made me so happy-that weekend did not last long enough.

Just a quick update on what has been going on. I am going to try and be better with writing on here. I have a ton to write about Europe, so be prepared!!!

Roots

Never forget where you came from, that is what the saying is right? Although, I have ended up in Cincinnati, Ohio. Parts of me will always be in Illinois...especially since that is where my family is. Family is so important to me and moving out of state, I've really realized that. It is weird because we are all at a different point in our lives now and even weirder is that we are in different states! (Shout out to Shelby who is only 2 hours away now!) Studies say that students end up living where they went to college. I guess I am now part of that statistic, making it true.

Communicating is huge when living out of state. Sometimes you take for granted seeing someone every day. Being so far apart requires effort to keep in touch. I have learned how difficult that is through out the last 4 years. Lives get busy, but never too busy for a quick text! 

I hate not having scheduled breaks, as I did in college, for fall break, Easter break, Christmas break, etc. The holidays will definitely be different this year. When I am able to go home for a weekend it seems to go by so fast and I am always sad to leave. I am just thankful that I am within driving distance and the drive is actually very easy! 

As much as I would love for everyone in my family to just move down to Cincinnati so they can be with me. I really cherish every time someone comes down for a visit. I like being able to show them around the city and take them to new places. Although my apartment is very small, I am glad that I invested in a pullout couch because now they can stay with me!

Moral of the story: KEEP IN TOUCH!!!