Engaged

While on vacation last week in Mexico, Jared asked me if I would marry him.

And I said yes. 

A Date

Photo from here.

Today is my last day in the city before heading home for Christmas.

I'm not quite ready to leave yet. I know I've done a view odes to New York during the holidays but wow, there is really nothing like it.

I'll be finishing up holiday shopping in Chinatown and the Upper West Side. Tonight, I have a date with the man who's holding my heart these days. He asked that we deliver a turkey dinner to a family in need rather than see "A Christmas Story" on Broadway.

Yes, my dear, we can do that.

Why A Girl Who Hated Running Signed Up For a Half Marathon

I think June 9th may have been one of the best days of my life. Which sounds crazy because it was the day I ran a half marathon.

Side note: I would NEVER have thought one of the best days of my life would include running. 

Back story behind the madness: Last year was a doozy. I've mentioned it briefly here but my divorce was the hardest thing I have ever gone through in my life. In the midst of the separation and divorce, I decided to take the GRE and apply to graduate school. Now try going through the deepest heartbreak of your life, the identity change, depression, and endless paperwork that comes with that heartbreak all while studying for a seemingly impossible test. People ask me how I did it and truthfully, I went numb there for a while. I think one way to cope with our trials is to hunker down and do what you have to do. 

Well my approach to the GRE was basically "I am going to bomb this and I won't get it anywhere but let's just get it done so I can move on from the graduate school bug". Over the weeks of studying, I somehow convinced myself that I wasn't going to bomb this and graduate school was actually a possibility. As it turns out, I didn't bomb it at all. And I'm going to graduate school. Well, that got me thinking....What other impossible things can I do?

In fact, what is the most impossible thing in my world? The answer was easy.

Running.

The numbness may have added a bit to this decision because at that point, I just wanted to feel again. Even if it was heart-racing, gasping pain, I was ready to feel it. So the idea of a half marathon was planted in my head.

I started jogging a bit here and there. I basically repeated Week 1 of Hal Higdon's program for 2 months...Come February, I knew that if I was going to actually do this, it was time to register for a race to have some accountability and get cracking. I called up a girlfriend of mine and we decided the Utah Valley Half Marathon was where it was at and with $70 and a Frontier flight, I was Provo bound. Now it was time to work.

I followed Higdon program religiously. I'd wake up at 4:30 am to eat something, then sleep until 5:30 am and be pounding the pavement by 6. Even then I'd be late to work sometimes. Hindsight, I think my training here followed the same path as the GRE.

I'm going to bomb this but why not give it a go?

Then after a while it became..

Hmm...I'm actually able to run 7 miles...Maybe I could run the whole 13.1...

The week before the race I realized I could not only do this but I may do pretty well. 

Folks, June 9th was a day to remember in my book. Race recap tomorrow...

Because My Name Is Enough

Back when when we were "we", I had a mug in our office that held pens, pencils, scissors, etc. This mug had the initial "D" for our last name. I loved it.

When I became "me", I left the mug behind. While it's still my last name (for now), it didn't feel right to take it. I thought of getting an "E" for my original last name, but I wasn't sure when I would be that again either.

Then guess what happened?

I realized that I, Amy, will always be Amy. And that was good enough.

So now this beauty is holding my make-up brushes. And every time I look at it, I remember that even when I'm just "me", I'm worth it.

Why The MAC Store Scares Me

'Twas a Saturday night and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse...

In other words, it was a Saturday night and I was free. I had been wanted to try the red lipstick trend going on this season but I was missing the guts a bold red color calls for.

But was this something I wanted? Yes.

So I loved myself enough to get myself what I wanted. After a little research for a universal color, I mustered up some courage and headed out to my local MAC store to purchase.

Yes, it took courage.

You see, the MAC store to me is like Abercrombie & Fitch to a 6th grader. Too cool. But I new what I wanted: Matte lipstick in Ruby Woo. All I needed to do was walk in, pick it up and pay.

Oh, if only it could have been that simple.

I walk in and quickly find the color but there were only tester tubes out. I asked an employee to please find me the color in a new tube. The next thing I know, lipstick is in my hand and I'm being told to try it on. Bright red. Put it on. People are watching.

I quickly smear it on.

First mistake: You can't be quick with red lipstick.

I looked like a mess so I began rubbing the color off with a tissue.

Next mistake: You shouldn't rub.

Now, as a result of smearing lipstick and rubbing my skin, my mouth (not just the lips) is entirely red. Just then, an employee asks me how I'm doing and the entire store looks over to see. Not well MAC lady! Not well at all! She hands over a make-up remover cloth and I started rubbing that all over which brings us to mistake #3.

The make-up remover cloth has alcohol in it.

So at this point, my red face is now even more red and oh yes, it's burning! I walk to up to the register, pay for my lipstick (with my head down the entire time) and race out of there.

But I did get the lipstick. And after a little more practice with the application, Miss Ruby Woo and I are getting along great.

Adele Knows Her Stuff

(a little pick-me-up every time I look at the keyboard)

"No one treats me as well as I do."
-Adele on being single

Don't you love that?

I am no expert on dealing with grief. I have religion and a therapist to help me conquer that beast. And I am fully aware that a manicure will not solve deep heartbreak.

But it certainly doesn't hurt.

In those first terrifying weeks, it took all of my energy simply to shower and get to my job. Fortunately (and I say that with complete understanding of how fortunate I am for this), I had family to put a plate of food in front of me when it was time to eat and a Tylenol PM on my nightstand when it was time to sleep.

After some time, I was able to take care of myself again and I began incorporating little treats to me, from me, throughout the day. Because there is nothing wrong with loving yourself.

So this week, I'm going to share some of my favorite tiny, inexpensive ways to show yourself a little L-O-V-E.

What do you do for yourself? How do you love you?