a better me

I got home early today after a stockholders’ meeting and various board meetings in Lancaster.  The weather outside was (and is) absolutely beautiful, so I decided to sit outside and read in my back yard.  My back yard is really no yard at all.  My back “yard” is actually my neighbor’s roof which I access by climbing out a kitchen window to our fire escape, and climbing over the fire escape railing onto my neighbor’s [flat] roof.  Unfortunately, there are currently about 20 bumble bees buzzing around right outside my kitchen window and right around my fire escape.  I, preferring not to be stung, was forced to stay inside and do some online shopping.  Totally forced.  Thanks a lot bees; I better like my new ann taylor suit, or ELSE.

Now, after putting it off long enough, it is time to workout just dance 3 style.

Considering it’s after 11:30 p.m. and I have to wake up super early tomorrow to drive to Lancaster for board meetings, this post is going to have to be brief.  For brevity’s sake, I am limiting myself to five quick items:

1. Italy:  We haven’t booked the flights yet, but we’re going in the very end of September through the second week of October!  I just started Rosetta Stone Italian so that I will at least have some familiarity with the language by the time we get there.  SO EXCITED–we’re currently thinking of visiting Venice, Florence (day trips to Tuscany and Pisa), Rome and Positano.  There’s also a coast town of Maratea that is supposed to have amazing, little known beaches, so maybe we’ll try to squeeze that into our 2 week tour.
2. Niagara Falls:  Rob just booked a [great] deal for a 2 night hotel stay for four on the Canada side of the Niagara Falls.  My best friend and her husband agreed to go with us at some TBD date in the Spring.  YAY!!!
3. I have off Monday for President’s Day and Rob is taking off for a fun 3-day weekend this weekend.  We’re going to stay Saturday and Sunday nights in a hotel in Wilmington, DE and take Sunday to visit Longwood Gardens.  We’ve been meaning to go to Longwood Gardens together since… well, for several years.  We’re FINALLY going!
4. Next weekend, Rob and I are going to visit my best friend and her husband in Pittsburgh.  We haven’t been out to visit them in a while, so I’m excited!
5. Tonight I went to a networking event with the partner I work for–a scotch tasting.  Not a fan of scotch, but I did try a sip of a 21 year old Macallan.  My dad and husband would be jealous!  Personally, the only difference I noticed was that it burnt a little less going down.

And now, to bed!

I had off of work today for Martin Luther King Day.  To be honest, I didn’t know it was a day-off kind of holiday other than for schools.  I guess working in a law-firm which bases its holidays on whether federal courthouses are open has its perks!

COOKING:

The majority of my day was spent, surprisingly, in the kitchen.  Generally, I don’t have a lot of extra time and, when I do, cooking is not my go-to hobby.  But, for whatever reason, I’ve really been into trying new recipes today.  Maybe it’s all the delicious looking recipes I’ve been collecting on pinterest!  On Saturday, I tried a delicious brussel sprouts and sausage dish with Rob and the Hackmans.  It was a big hit and we’ll definitely be making it again.

Today, I made a mango and grilled chicken salad I found among the recipes for a Jillian Michaels’ meal plan.  It was OK, but nothing special.  Fortunately, dinner turned out better than I could’ve hoped!  I made turkey and spinach meatballs with an avocado citrus sauce with brussel sprouts on the side.  Muy delicioso!  Rob was so impressed he kept exclaiming how the meal was better than any “restaurant food” and how amazing it tasted.

ETC…

1.  Rob and I finally upgraded to a queen-sized mattress!  We’ve had a queen-sized bed for a few months, since we got our grown-up bedroom set, but we were still just using our full-sized mattress.  Until yesterday, that is.  Our new bed is super comfy and feels so spacious!

2. I know it’s a bit late for new years resolutions, but I’ve just started thinking about things I want to do this year.  A few trips I have in mind:

• Italy–We’re hoping for a two-week trip this Fall, but a lot depends on whether we (mostly me) are able to get off of work for that long.
• Niagara Falls (and Canada)–I’ve never been to either!  This will probably be for a long weekend.
• Boca Raton, FL–a long weekend for my firm’s meeting.
• A long weekend or week in the Poconos at our time-share.
• And, at least a few other weekend trips yet TBD!

I got home from work early today–two hours early!  In fact, I wouldn’t normally be home for almost another hour.  When I arrived home, the first thought that crossed my mind was:  NAP!  And, although I am, admittedly, lying in bed typing this blog entry, I decided against a nap.  I’ve come to realize, since starting work in September, that week-day naps are not a good thing.  Week-day naps just make week-night bedtimes later and the following week-day mornings harder.  So, no nap.

Instead, I decided to make a few calls that I had been putting off for a while.  Starting January 1, I was no longer covered by my parents’ health insurance and, instead, I began coverage under my own work-associated health insurance.  As a side note, it’s amazing that I was covered by my parents’ health insurance for as long as I was (thanks, healthcare reform)!  Anyway, under my new health insurance, I had to choose a Primary Care Physician, or “PCP” for those in the know.  In December, I chose a random doctor’s office that is located walking distance away in the Narb-erhood.  Fast forward to today.  I called to schedule an appointment and found out that my designated PCP isn’t even a normal doctor’s office.  Apparently the doctors have an office there, but spend their time visiting patients in nursing homes.  Not exactly what I was looking for.  What was most shocking to me was the realization I had while on the phone with the pseudo-doctors’-office’s receptionist.

Receptionist (we’ll name her Rita):  Do you have your medical records?
Me:  No.
Rita:  Who was your doctor before?
Me:  …… (*having a realization*)
Rita:  Did you have a doctor before us?  (graciously rephrasing the question she, perhaps, thought I did not understand)
Me:  I didn’t have a doctor.  My last doctor was my pediatrician. (*still having a realization*)
Rita:  You haven’t been to the doctor since you were 21?

“Rita” wasn’t far from the truth.  I think I’ve visited doctors twice since I was 17–i.e., the last time I visited my pediatrician.  Once for whooping cough and once more recently to a lady doctor in order to get a prescription for birth control.  That’s less than once every 4 years!  What I realized was that, I am, by age, if nothing else, a grown-up now.  It’s time to collect my medical records and move on–no more pediatrician for me.  And so, that is what I did.  Well, first I changed my PCP to a REAL doctors’ office, and then I scheduled an appointment.

Look at me go …after 9 years!

Just this week my best friend reminded me of an old blogging platform we both used years ago:  xanga.  To this day, I can go back and re-read posts as old as 2004!  My most recent post on xanga is from July 23, 2009.  So much has changed since then!!  Check out what’s changed (in italics):

10. I am working at Stock and Leader as a summer associate – the biggest law firm in downtown York, PA.
I am working as an attorney at Duane Morris – an international law firm with 700+ attorneys in center city Philadelphia, PA.

9. Rob and I have been dating for over 2.5 years.
Rob and I have been together over 4.5 years and have been married just over 2 months!

8. I am training for a 5k in September… with the help of my friend Jill.
I ran the 5k, no problem.  Unfortunately, it would take more training to get me through a 5k right now.  Something to which to aspire… again!

7. My class rank for my first year of law school is 5/251… my never-ending work paid off.
I graduated law school 13th in my class, summa cum laude, and a member of the order of the coif in May!

6. My car is falling apart, and therefore is at the shop being put back together (hopefully for a reasonable price).
I am now–and have been for over a year–the proud owner of a mini cooper.  I absolutely LOVE it!

5. Rob and I are traveling to the Dominican Republic for a week long vacation in August, where we will be staying at an amazing resort.
The Dominican Republic was amazing… and so was Jamaica the following year and Hawaii (honeymoon) this year!  We’re 70% sure that 2012 will be the year of ITALIA!!!!!!!!!!!!

4. Work has forced me to become more accustomed to heels. That is, now I can walk in them, but I still prefer flip flops.
This one hasn’t changed.

3. I just re-watched Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea and loved it. If Gilbert was a real person, rather than just a character in a movie, Rob might have to watch out.
Gilbert is no longer competition for Rob.  Rob won, fair and square.

2. I cook dinner every Wednesday night for my family. This week’s zucchini “crab” cakes were delicious!
I have not been cooking as often as I’d like, but it’s definitely hard after a long day at the office.  Fortunately, Rob is great at pulling dinners together when he beats me home (i.e., pretty much every week day).

1. It is time for me to go to bed!
It sure is!

I wish I could say I am surprised it has been over three months since my last post but, unfortunately, I am not.  You see, blogging and I have a very unstable relationship.  At the first sign of busy-ness, I turn my back.  Then, days, weeks, or months later, I come running back to pick up where I left off.  Fortunately, I am not nearly as flaky in any of my other relationships.

As a follow-up to my last post on personal goals, I have some good news and some bad news.  The good news:  Rob and I have been attending church regularly and attended a class on Sunday to begin the process of becoming new members!  We’re both excited to become a part of the church and start getting to know more of the congregation.  The bad news:  I have not been as diligent in my daily thankfulness as I had hoped.  I thank God for His many blessings on a regular basis, but only in fleeting thoughts or quick prayers.  I certainly have room to improve the quality of my thankfulness.

For starters, today I am thankful for the train.  That’s right–I am thankful for public transportation.  I just started my job at a law firm in center city and love having 20 minutes in the morning on the way to work to catch up on e-mails, read, or just zone out… none of which I could do (at least not safely) if I was driving to work.  I am very blessed to have such easy access to the city from my apartment.  Plus, the Narberth train station is across the street from my apartment and is only 3 stops away from suburban square, which is 2 blocks from work.  So blessed!

Speaking of blessed, I’ve experienced a lot of amazing, life changing events in the past few months.  In the end of July, I took the bar exam to be admitted as an attorney in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  18 hours of testing split into three days–two days in Pennsylvania and one in New Jersey.  It’s quite the test on a number of levels (i.e., mentally, physically, academically).  Unfortunately, we do not receive our results until October/November so I am still waiting to hear that I passed.

New Husband:
Several weeks after the bar exam, Rob and I got married.  We had an unbelievably perfect wedding!  I am not saying that everything went exactly according to plan, but everything worked out exactly as it was supposed to.  Most amazing of all was that we had perfect weather during our outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour.  It wasn’t too hot and the rain held out until right after everyone had headed inside for the wedding reception and we had gotten some great photos in.  Amazing timing!

We also had a blast at our reception!  There was so much dancing and hugging and dancing and cameras flashing and dancing and… did I mention dancing?!  We even had my brother-in-law whipping out his awesome break dancing skills at one point.  SO much fun!  And, the wedding reception was only the beginning.  The day after our wedding we left for Hawaii for 10 days!  It was gorgeous and so much fun!  I cannot wait to go back and explore more of the islands someday.  I’m thinking 5th year anniversary trip already!

New Name:
As of today, my name is no longer Maria Rose Rubadue.  I just received a new social security card in the mail with my new name:  Maria Rose Granholm!  It’s official.

New Job:
About two weeks after Rob and I returned from our honeymoon, I started work for a 700+ attorney, international law firm in center city Philadelphia.  I feel so fortunate that I was able to line up a job before graduation… it’s such a tough time to be looking for a job, let alone looking for a job to start out a legal career.  I’ve been working now for just over two weeks and so far so good.  I’ve done very little work on the weekends or on week night evenings, which is far better than I expected.  I also got my first paycheck in over a year today.  The paycheck makes the job that much more worth it!

I would have to say, for a person not keen on change, I have been handling these life altering changes pretty well.  Of course, having an amazing husband, a supportive family, and great friends certainly helps!

Several girlfriends and I met last night for the second meeting of our newly formed book club.  Right now we’re reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp (http://onethousandgifts.com/).  The book is about learning to live fully right where you are, wherever you are.  To live fully, you have to learn to be thankful for the gifts you’ve been given.  The author was able to learn thankfulness by making a list of one thousand gifts from God for which she is thankful.

Last time we met for our book club, we discussed how easy it can be to take things for granted and forget to be thankful for the many blessings we receive every day.  We’re all so busy that taking a minute to say “thank you” is often the last thing on our mind.  Even finding time to spend with God is difficult… but really, that is my own fault for failing to prioritize properly.  God should be priority numero uno.  To help with that prioritizing, last time I met with the girls, we decided to set goals to encourage us to work on our own personal challenges including finding time for God and being thankful.

Last night we discussed our goals.  The girls had great ideas:  reading the Bible every day, doing daily devotions, praying several times a week with their significant other, being less judgmental of others, sending an encouraging note to someone new every week, etc…  I wish I could start doing them all, but I’ve decided to start small.  I want to make these goals to be sustainable and become habits and then challenge myself further.

My two goals are:   (1)  Go to church.  (2)  Thank God for something in my life every day.

Ever since Rob and I moved back from California (almost three years ago) we’ve only gone to church sporadically.  At first, we tried a number of churches in hopes of finding a home, but with no success.  It is so easy to get discouraged and relinquish Sunday mornings to sleeping in.  After that, we attended different churches sporadically, but never consistently.  Now, that is going to end!

Just a few weeks ago we tried out a new church for the first time.  Two of our friends invited us to check it out and we took them up on the invitation.  Other than being a little farther away than we’d prefer, it is tremendous!  The congregation is primarily young adults… but our age, rather than college-aged.  The worship is inspired and the messages applicable.  Rob and I have gone three times now and we’re hooked.  Looks like we’ve found our new home!  The difficulty will be forcing ourselves to get up and go every Sunday… but, we’ve come up with a pretty good method.  We take turns being responsible for getting the other up.  The accountability makes it so much easier!

My second goal is to thank God for something every day.  I thought about writing a list, similar to the author’s list of one thousand gifts.  However, I think for now, I’ll just start getting in the habit of thankfulness.  There are so many things I have to be thankful for, coming up with something new every day should be a breeze!

Today, I’m thankful for avocados.  Muy delicioso!