WEDNESDAYS ARE FOR ONIONS AND ORCHIDS

if you look reeeally closely you'll notice those are orchids i'm surrounded by. orchids and love. the only things a girl truly needs.

hi! it's me! isn't this the most random of randoms? surprise! i love surprises.

i've been thinking a lot about blogging lately. a lot a lot. the longer it's been since i've stretched my creative writing muscles the stiffer they get and the more hesitant i've become to start exercising them. (i often feel this way about my real muscles, too). life and time is just whipping by right before my eyes, and i tend to get caught up in the day-to-day, feeling like there's nothing special or significant occurring that's worth recording - but upon reflection i realized i've never been so wrong. these minuscule, insignificant moments are what i live for. i want to remember these every-day happenings that often go unnoticed because i'm just going through the motions on auto-pilot out of familiarity. it's these little memories, interactions, thoughts, and feelings that are what make my life so special and unique. they make me me. and i want to be able to look back and have a sweet and simple reminder of that.

in pure honesty there's just something intimidating about getting into the groove of things here again. it's like the first day of school after a long summer vacation and i've got a raging crush on this cute older "boy" so cue squirmy nerves because naturally i'm trying to be cool and calm and charmingly impressive in hopes of masking the plain lump of awkwardness that lies beneath. and of course i have nothing to wear!!
or something. you see?
so! i'm rusty. forgive me. but i thought what better way to ease into it than with a little onions & orchids action? time to reflect back on some of the sillies, awkwards and awesomes of this week, my friends. i will try not to have a life-dump right here and now but i can't make any promises. once i got my little typers goin' they just wouldn't stop!

onions

• i'm addicted to smokey row's iced snicker bar latte (with whip and crushed candy bar topping, duh). while my stomach is satisfied i can practically hear my whimpering wallet shriveling up and dying right there in my purse. i need an intervention.
• we experienced 70* weather, thunderstorms + tornadoes, and snow all in one weekend. one word: iowa.
• i wrote this post in my genetics/religion classes. shame on me. i've checked out.
• i was reading back through the rough draft of one of my final research papers that i submitted last week and realized i accidentally typed "social sloots" (ehem you know) instead of "social slurs." my gravestone reads rachel: death by embarrassment.
• the bestie and i started a "couch to 5k" program (using this smartphone app) to help motivate us to get healthier, in better shape, and reach my goal of running a 5k this summer. while i'm proud of us and our dedication to the cause (and for those of you who know me know just how big of a deal this is because i am so anti-any-pace-above-a-brisk-walk), it is doing the weirdest things to my body, making the transitional period interesting. and awkward? like junior high all over again? does this side-effect relax after a while? 

orchids

• i'm running! and i'm proud. it  feels good.
• in the matter of one week, one of my cousins got married and another got engaged. i've already started planning their wedding. LOVE IS IN THE AIR and i'm so thrilled for each of them.
• both of my sweet little sisters are on the high school soccer team this year and i finally get to cheer them on in person tomorrow! their team is undefeated 3-0, so i'm hoping i don't jinx it with my presence.
• our campus-wide service day was yesterday. classes were canceled so that students could participate in one or more service projects organized around our community. i went to a before school breakfast club through the organization CFUM (children and family urban movement) in des moines. a truly rewarding yet humbling experience.
• i got to see my organs last week! they are just so cute snuggled all up in there! my pancreas even made a surprise appearance! (no i'm not pregnant! no!)
• i'm doing an internship with student development and dabbling with study abroad this semester and i am downright giddy about all of it. that's when you know it's real.
• i have a huge surprise that i cannot wait to reveal in my next post.
  ..that was vague. i know, i hate vagueness too.
  but moderation is key. good things come to those who wait. that sort of thing. ;) so come back soon!

thanks for hanging in there with me. i'm happy to be back. :)

what would you dish out your onions and orchids to this week?