The Wait is OVER!

It has been a long 6 months. The kind of long that makes you stop sleeping, bite your nails, and develop aversions to foods you once loved. Yea. A long 6 months. I knew it would be worth it in the end though. Here is the final tally:

University of Nevada, Las Vegas...Accepted...No money (yet) but the promise of something around April 15th. Got a phone call from the Dean, but he wasn't much help. Not impressed.

Chicago-Kent (Illinois Institute of Technology)....accepted w/ a good scholarship and loans. Can't turn our noses up at Chicago, it is an amazing city with a far superior job market to Las Vegas.

St. John's University...FULL Tuition, but a huge deposit due WAY too early. Also, Yankees fans...enough said. I decided to do the right thing and withdraw from consideration. New York is just not in my heart, and not right for me or Nick. I hope some other lucky potential 1L enjoys the scholarship to the fullest. I know I wouldn't have been able to.

DePaul....decision letter mailed on 3/15/10. Decision received on 3/19. IN! They're offering me some money, but not enough to outweigh it's roots with the Catholic Church. And my other Chicago option is far more enticing.

Drexel University...last minute application. 3/12 application was complete. 3/19 ACCEPTANCE. WITH a great scholarship! As much as I'd love to experience a new city as vibrant and "gritty" as Philly, Drexel is a very new school and is not yet fully accredited. The co-op feature is tempting, but ultimately not the right choice. Will withdraw this week but am honored to have been given such a great opportunity.

University of Denver. 7 weeks and counting. I've been tortured over this one since it's my first choice. Nick's family is in Denver, we BOTH love the city and would give anything to live there. I'm convinced they saw that I lived in Boston and were punishing me for the 2007 World Series. Thank goodness, today I got the best email of my life...an acceptance WITH a scholarship from The University of Denver Sturm College of Law. My tuition deposit and a few other formalities will make it official, but for all intents and purposes, I am a member of the 2014 Class of the Sturm College of Law.

I must give a HUGE thank you to my family and friends. This has been a long time (26ish years) coming and I couldn't have done it without your support. And another HUGE thank you to my other (better, but we won't feed his ego) half. Your strength, humor and patience has meant the world to me and I know those qualities will prove to be even more essential over the next few years. I can't wait to call this beautiful city our home!

This weekend will be filled with fun, celebrating and maybe a few glasses of champagne? Justin and Leah are coming to visit for Justin's birthday, so we've got a full itinerary of activities planned. I should mention Justin was also accepted to DU Sturm College of Law for the Fall, so it's a triple celebration weekend of sorts. Dinner @ Vintner Grill on Friday night, followed by line dancing and mini bowling @ Stoneys. Champagne Brunch on Saturday afternoon, table service @ Christian Audigier on Saturday night. Chillaxing, basketball, general merriment and convincing Tom to move back to the 303 too for any downtime in between all of that.

A post and pictures to follow...but can we just let out one more relaxed, relieved and happy SIGH!

Boot Camp Tough...Sort Of...Getting There?

One week of Boot Camp...mission accomplished! A couple years ago, I found a website for Boot Camp Las Vegas (www.bootcamplasvegas.com) - a military style boot camp for civilians designed to get people into the best shape of their lives. I was interested, but scared. Getting to the gym a few times a week was struggle enough for me back then. Flash forward to Christmas, 2009. I had mentioned joining BCLV a few times over the last year to Nick. His roommate/best friend Tom has been doing it for awhile, and since we've been getting in better shape this year, it seemed like something we could do...eventually. Well, imagine my surprise when I opened my last present on Christmas Morning and it was a certificate for a weeks worth of classes with BCLV! I was thrilled, terrified, but READY to start the fitness adventure of my life. Nick promised he would do the classes with me, and we would start once our Half Marathon training was done.

This past Monday, March 1st, 2010 was our first class. After work we drove out to Mission Hills Park in Henderson (Hendertucky...joy)to meet our fate. About 10 other people, all at varying levels of fitness and age were assembled in the corner of a park. We introduced ourselves to the group as newbies, met our instructor (Julie - 118 lbs of blind fury) and got to work. A BCLV trailer sits in the park's parking lot. It's contents? Instruments of torture. But the fun, in shape making kind of torture. I won't bore you with the details of every exercise but I will tell you our first task was to run a mile around the park, dragging a semi-truck sized tire on a rope. Later that class we used 9lb sledge hammers to drive a similar sized tire across a field, alternating crawling in plank position. The week has gone on in this same manner...arrive at the park, sore and nervous about what the day's workout will bring. Do the workout much to my shock and awe. Leave the workout feeling exhilarated and exhausted at the same time. Repeat. If you were on the verge of throwing up at any point of the workout, consider it a success.

All through college I had very inconsistent and obviously ineffective workout habits. I would "forget" to bring shoes, socks, my iPod, or anything else that would give me good justification for skipping a trip to the gym. Weekends were for bars, the library, and other activities. My health wasn't a priority. At 26, I am at a point in my life where I clearly see the direction those habits were taking me, and am proud to say I have more motivation than ever to stick with this program and work harder than I ever have before. Sure, a new swim suit, and once too tight jeans being baggy are a nice bonus, but the real prize is knowing the good I am doing for my body and for my future.

This weekend, Nick and I got in some much needed R&R. BCLV has a Saturday class, but after 5 days of grueling torture and sore muscles, we opted to be proud of our 5 days and let our bodies heal. Friday night was a very special treat. After class, we rushed home to shower/change and meet up with my very dear old friend (since 4th grade - yikes), Nathan. He and some of his friends from college were in town for the weekend, so it was a perfect excuse to meet up for dinner. The location? Where else but Firefly - our favorite tapas place around. They just opened a location overlooking Fremont Street in Downtown LV.



The food is ALMOST as good as the Paradise Road location, and the view is mesmerizing. As much as people love to hate on downtown, it is prime for people/spectacle watching, admit it!

Saturday and Sunday were equally as enjoyable. Spent a couple hours at the outlets (running low on work and workout clothes that fit!) and then met up with some of my work friends for dinner. Where did we go? Oh right, Firefly again. This time, the Paradise location. Same great food, and good company. I managed to venture away from my standard menu selections and tried the Spicy Shrimp and the Baby Back Ribs. Both AMAZING!

Sunday was the Oscar Party at Nick and Tom's. It was perfect and low key, just the three of us, Jenny and Steve, and of course Jill (she was rooting for Up. I think she has a crush on that annoying dog). I was a bad hostess and neglected to take any photos, but please note that both Tom and Nick rocked their tuxedo shirts for the occasion.

The week has started again, and it actually feels good to be back in the routine of work/boot camp/eat/sleep. I'm still slightly terrified for the half hour before each class, and the mile warm up always feels like 10 (especially when I see Nick cruising in to finish a few minutes ahead of me!) But, I see signs of improvement in both of us every day and that reminds me that the pain is well worth it.