All Choked Up.

Today I had my last fiction class. In reality, it's my last real class, even though I have photography tomorrow and then the final critique next wednesday. Today was my last "real" college class, in some sense.

I hugged my professor right at the end- I've had her for three semesters now- and got a bit choked up as she wished me luck and I coughed out "thank you" over the lump in my throat.

I almost always cry after good classes end. I've been doing it since my first semester of freshman year. Today I did again, and I hope it won't be the last time.

How odd, to be this close to finishing what has been, to this point, a lifetime of great classes.

Visitation.

On Thursday afternoon my mom and Aunt Sue arrived in New York! It was SO much fun having them here! I don't actually have much photographic evidence of me being with them because those pictures are all on my mom's camera, but here are a few pictures. Most of these are of Dash, or Dash and others... we got to spend some good times with the little guy at his house and at Central Park!

We went to lots of great meals, saw the city and walked for hours, and saw "The Drowsy Chaperone" Saturday night. They came to church with me on Sunday- it was so nice not to go alone! I'm excited that Matthew will be here for church next week, and then I'll only have one more week of church-going alone before I leave!

I'm pretty much ready to head out of this place. Thankfully, the weather has warmed RIGHT up (85 today!) and so we had a lovely weather weekend! I'll write more later, but here are the pix!

Dash on Friday morning at his house:

The biggest Good Night Moon EVER!

Fixing his cart with his wrench and beans.

Dash and his Grammy!

In the stroller- that look! His stroller gives him static hair!

Total topic change: A weird building sign on 35th st where my mom and aunt's hotel was... see if you can make out the writing and why I took the picture :)

Me and ma at the orchid show in Rockefeller center. I've never seen so many gorgeous flowers! It was so fun that we were there for that, they loved it too!

Now at Central Park with Ian, E, Dash, and Ma and auntie Sue!
Dash can say "flower."

He was very intently inserting things into his large plastic bag- very organized! Here he's holding the bag, and with his left hand is driving his red truck around on his leg.

Giving kisses to the finger monster!

SO CUTE.

Yes... he threw the ball. His release is a bit off- so he releases when his arm is just next to his ears and the ball goes straight up or backwards. You can see, though, that he has great follow-through!

That face!

And there you have it! Hopefully I'll post some of me and my aunt and my mom, but realistically that may not happen due to the camera's current location: Utah.

In the end... I had an absolutely wonderful time with them! I'm SO happy they came, it was exhausting but so much fun and I'm so happy to have had the time with them.
Thanks for making the trip ladies!

Last Assignment.

Today I turned in the last assignment I'll ever turn in during my Undergrad career.

I turned in my fiction portfolio. It feels so awesome to have that overwith!

Now I just have a few piano lessons, and a few pictures to take and print for my last photo critique on May 2.

I'm so happy to have this time! I'll be studying hard for the GRE now, and enjoying the visit of my mom and Aunt Sue this weekend, and Matthew next weekend!

Thanks for the help, reading, and support in general... and ESPECIALLY thank you to those who read and dealt with my drafts!

3 un-illustrative Easter pictures.

Three of my favorite things, not in this order:


The HERMANN!


Snout shot!


Mid-Sentence!

The Final Countdown.

Today I rode into the city from the JFK Airport for what could be the very last time.

Odd sensation.

I am sure (as I can be) that I will be back. But never in this way. And that is weird.

In other news, today I received my Golden Tassel (sounds like a fable or something). It is so weird to stare at this thing that I'll wear in just a month from this wednesday for graduation. It really is all coming to a close.

Will blog more later, just a note to say I made it back.

Weird.

Yesterday I booked my last flight, a one way ticket, from JFK to SLC.

Weird.

Pictorial: Julie's Visit!

Julie arrive early Thursday morning. She was feeling pretty good, so she skipped a nap, and we got right to the sightseeing!

We had such a great time together, and I'm so glad she came. Here are some pictures of us, and of the places we visited. Because I've never done my OWN touristy trip, I took the classic touristy pictures so that I can have my own when I move!

One of the Rockefeller buildings. Big!

Atlas, holdin' up that world!

Cathedral on 5th

Looking across the pond towards 5th avenue... I can't wait until the flowers bloom!

Heading out from the park to go get our show tickets at TKTS... the walk ahead of us.

Here's a shot of us in Times Square, you can see the adds behind us!

Julie on the Subway!

After getting our TKTS tickets to "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" -- fantastic-- we headed to Washington Square Park to meet Dash and Elizabeth!

He LOVES the slides, and says "weee!!!" when he goes down, it is SO adorable!

Julie and Dash... he's got a funny face on there, but still adorable!

The Washington Square Arch!

Julie on the playground!

WEEE!!!

I loved these blocks, they're so colorful. He liked them too, spinning them around etc.

Me and Jules, the arch behind us!

Elizabeth and Dash walked us back to my apt and hung out for a while until Ian got off work.

Julie had a red eye on Wednesday night, then we got right to our sightseeing on Thursday after some breakfast. She got a well-earned nap that afternoon.

SO CUTE!

This is Friday. We walked all OVER the island. We started in Batter park....

Julie with the Lady!

We walked over so she could see Ground Zero, and get a feel for downtown.

We walked over to cityhall, and walked half way across the Brooklyn Bridge.

More Bridge!

Us on the bridge! It was so nice and warm we didn't need the little jackets we had!

Yes, we walked all the way from Battery park to the Empire State building...
with one stop for lunch :)

After the Empire State, we went to Grand Central Terminal. After that, we did finally hop the subway to the Met. After getting a good taste of that, we walked through the park down to the Moma where we met Staci. After the MOMA we went to Burger Joint, my new favorite random restaurant. It's in a ritzy hotel, but in a dark hallway you see the sign above, and you know it's going to be good.

On Saturday we slept in a bit to recover from the million blocks we walked. We had brunch, and walked around, and here we are standing in line for Magnolia cupcakes. Though in the end they're really just cupcakes, it is very fun to stand there and go in and choose a little cupcake. We got some banana pudding too, it was yummy :)

On our way home Julie noticed this fabulous window box... I loved it! Had to take a picture! I really am so glad that she came- it was so fun to have her see what my life is like here in New York. I hope I can go see her in California and get a taste of her life!

Thanks for coming Julie! I'm so glad we had time together and so many laughs and good conversations (and good food!).