We're down to days.....

Well it has been almost two months since I have posted! YIKES! I can't believe I have been so bad about posting!

We are now down to days before I leave! It's becoming a huge roller coaster about whether I want to go, not want to go, what to do, what not to do....it's just crazy!! This weekend has been all about getting stuff ready and packing and getting everything together. My parents have been doing so well with helping!

Last night we had my going away party! I was able to see all my friends (most of them) and celebrate! We danced, drank, and partied the night away! It was so great to see everyone!

After this post all other posts will be going on my other blog which is for traveling! It's site is:
http://uberthrill.blogspot.com/

To know where I am currently at click this link then click on the map:
http://www.semesteratsea.org/voyages/upcoming-voyages/summer-2009.php

To see my pictures as I upload them click: http://www.flickr.com/photos/uberthrill/

If there is a country you are interested in getting a postcard from, please let me know! I would love to send one to everyone from every country, but apparently that's super expensive! HAHA!!

Can't wait to go! I will do my best to keep everyone updated!!

Hope all is well!!! :)

Love always,
Aubrey

Months....Days....And Counting!

It's been quite a while since I have posted on here. I hope you were all able to check out the London Blog while I was there. If not, it is uberthrill.blogspot.com It will take you through our wonderful experience of London.

Traveling in London was the most fun I have had in a long time. Spending time with family, touring the world and seeing all the wonderful things we saw is something I won't forget for a long time. I really want to thank Jeremy and D'one for allowing us to stay at their place and make the trip so exciting. Also, thanks to Mackenzie for allowing me to play with her, her toys, and spend time with her. She's such a joy!! It was a great time!!

So...the exciting news??

SEMESTER AT SEA is TRULY happening!! I can't believe I'm saying this but I was accepted for a work study position that will help pay for my trip. Also, I was awarded $1000.00 grant. This is so beneficial to my cost to go on this trip. Tomorrow I will booking my classes and will inform all of you how that goes and what classes I sign up for.

Many of you have asked for my itinerary so here it is:

• Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
• Cadiz, Spain
• Civitavecchia / Naples, Italy
• Dubrovnik, Croatia
• Piraeus (Athens), Greece
• Istanbul, Turkey
• Varna, Bulgaria
• Alexandria (Cairo), Egypt
• Casablanca, Morocco
• Norfolk, VA, USA

Also, you have been asking about what I will be doing while I'm ported. I will also sign up for these tomorrow so I will inform you more then. I can't wait to get all this going. Thank you for all of your support and love!!

Tonight is Chi Omega's Formal. I am going with my friend Evan. He is Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) a men's fraternity on campus. It should be a great time. It is currently snowing here and blizzarding in other parts of the state. I'm hoping it stops soon so we don't get all wet and cold while going to the dance. I'm very excited that Evan is my date. He's a really funny, sweet, crazy guy so it should be a great time!

I was asked by my good friend Coley to be Maid-of-Honor in her wedding. I am very excited for this! Her wedding will be July 31, 2010 in Rockford Illinois. It should be a great time. She is marrying a SAE, so it should be a bunch of friends getting together in Illinois!

Nothing else is new or exciting. School is done is six weeks and I will be done with Brookings! Hard to believe that I'm already a senior. I would have never thought I'd be finishing. I will take the PRAXIS test on April 25 in Brookings. This will determine if I'm smart enough to go on and student teach. I have one opportunity to take it because the first test was while I was in London and the third test is while I'm doing semster at sea!

I better start getting ready for the dance!

Talk soon!

*~*Aubrey*~*

Counting Down....

We leave for London in two days! TWO DAYS!!! I never thought this day would actually come. It's hard to believe I will actually be going. Every time I say it to someone I have to pinch myself because it doesn't seem true! I can't wait! I'm so excited to see my family! D'one, Jeremy, and Mackenzie better be prepared for a great week!! :) I'm also excited to get away and just have a relaxing week! No speech, No fraternity stuff, Nothing but me and my vacation! (Okay--so I do have homework and do have some PHC and OOO stuff that I need to do, but nothing to stress over!)

I can't believe it's almost here! I will be creating a new blog for my travel experiences! It will incorporate London and then my trip this summer! The address is www.uberthrill.blogspot.com Please follow me on there!!

Gotta get ready for the day and start packing my stuff from here!!

*~*Aubrey*~*

.:*PaRtY*:.

Last Thursday was my party and it was a great time! I had so much fun with my friends!!

Treat Table!

We had so many great treats and enjoyed spending time together! So many people were able to come and see me it was amazing! I received beautiful flowers from my parents!

Flowers from Mom and Dad!

Many of my best friends and sorority sisters were able to stop by and celebrate with me!



Amanda and I
(Debate Partner and Best Friend)

Coley and I
(Chi O Sister and Old Roommate)


Sorority Sisters!
(Megan, Me, Jada, Leiah)
Chase and I
(SAE boy and we share the same birthday!)


Matt and I
(We met last year at my party! Happy Friendiversary!)


Sorority Sisters!!
(Alesha, Megan, Me, Leiah, Jada)


SAE boys and Me!
(Chris, Chase, Me, Matt, Lance)


SAE and Chi Omega!
(Marie, Amanda, Lindsey, Megan,
Me, Chase, Chris, Matt, Lance)

Nathan, Me, and Andy
(SigEp boys are my favorite too!)

All in all it was a great time and I'm so thankful to have been able to spend time with them!

*~*Aubrey*~*

Two Years? Thank You New Life!

Well....Two years ago (by date) I was calling my mom and telling her to make the appointment for me to go to the doctor for this sore spot on my leg. After a fifteen minute meeting with the doctor, her say "ohhh wow!", and then having tests run, I come to find out that I have staff infection, yeast infection, bacteria infection, ring worm and oh, by the way -- a blood sugar of 474 (And A1C of 15.1). Within two days I have learned that I have an infection in my body that isn't getting fixed because of the high blood sugar and also type one diabetes. Two days later, a massive snow storm blows into South Dakota. SDSU is canceled, every other school across the state is closed and what am I doing? Calling mom because my new blood glucose monitor isn't working. Within hours I was being admitted into the hospital, ICU. From there...everyone knows the story. Crazy to think that was two years ago already. I can't believe how much better I feel now that I have been on insulin and trying to eat better. I have to say thank you first and foremost to my family! Without support of mom and dad (and all extended family) I would NEVER have been as positive as I have been with this. Sharing this with my dad is something that is special to me! He is an amazing role model for things like this. (I mean after broken heels, West Nile and Cataracts, in addition to Diabetes and Epilepsy, he is the best person I know that keeps a positive outlook on everything). That is the reason I have stayed so positive. My friends and sorority sisters also made it much easier! They have supported me and helped accomodate to my new life. Without all these fabulous people, I probably would have been discouraged and not care about it at all. THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU!! I LOVE YOU ALL!! I'm having my Diabetes Anual party tonight....so I will post pictures as soon as I can!

As for other things in my life, student teaching is going great! I absolultely LOVE being in Sioux Falls. I counted today...10 weeks left of class! My classes are stressful at times, but also enjoyable. I know now after being at Sioux Falls Roosevelt instead of a smaller school that I am making the right decision with my life! I can't wait to get into the teaching sections and the true student teaching part!

So the thing I'm MOST looking forward to.....LONDON!!!!!!! I leave next Thursday. I guess I shouldn't say I, I should say WE. Mom, Dad and I cannot WAIT to get to London next Thursday / Friday. I know that we are so excited we just want to do EVERYTHING while we are there. We have been thinking of things. I know we are planning a day to Paris, a theatre show, and spending AS MUCH time with Jeremy, D'one and Mackenzie!! I know it will be great. I will take as many pictures as I can and put them up when we are there.

I realized this week that this weekends speech tournament will be my last tournament of my collegiate career. It has been a stressful year, but there have been many great memories, and great friendships! I know that I will be going to Pi Kappa Nataional Tournament the week after Spring Break, but then that's it! I can't believe it. I am glad that I have been active in this organization. It's sad to see it end...that means I'm getting old and almost done with school!!

Well, my cupcakes just got done in the oven so I better go get them! Start cleaning some things up! I hope all is well with everyone else! It is snowing in South Dakota....yes that's right considering two days ago it was 52 degrees!

Love you all!

*~*Aubrey*~*

New Semester = New Changes

Well, it seems that once school starts I have no life and everything starts to focus on school. Here are the most current updates to my life!! :)

My family is currently staying healthy. My dad had both of his eye surgeries and all went well. On the second surgery his cornea was scratched, but they say that happens often and it will get better on it's own. Well it has almost been two weeks since the second surgery and all is well. He started back to work last Tuesday and has been enjoying it.

My knee has been getting better. It still hurts, but I'm wearing my brace to make it better. Time will make it better!

School is going well. I am student teaching / observing at Sioux Falls Roosevelt. I'm working with my high school speech teacher. Basically the person who lead me to believe I wanted to be a speech teacher. I have gone once so far and I really enjoyed it. I also am involved in my other classes. I'm learning everything there is to know about being a teacher!! I can't believe how much there is to know about being a teacher. It's a lot of information, but I'm really enjoying it.

The big news? I moved into an apartment!! I was going to live in Chester with Aunt Paula, but due to having to pick up extra classes and having to be here so early in the morning it worked better for me to find an apartment. The apartment is shared with a girl I knew from a class previously and we get along well. She is nice and we actually are not here together very often. My new address is :
Aubrey Graham
1047 3rd Ave. Apt 2
Brookings SD 57006
In case you ever want to send me something :)

Things are going well. I'm staying busy with school and trying to get done with school!! Hope all is well with you!

Good Day!

*~*Aubrey*~*

Final Day? New Day?

Hello Everyone,

Today was my dad's eye surgery. He said it went well. The doctor also said it went well. He will have the next one done next Wednesday. He meets with his doctor tomorrow at 11AM. He said this evening that he actually could see better, it's a bit blurry, but he could see none-the-less.

After meeting with the surgeon this morning he said "tough luck". Basically what I have is something that many females have growing up and I will grow out of it. I have to wear a brace when I'm going to be walking and stuff or sitting for long amounts of time, take Advil, and lose weight. So ... that's my goal! I have three months to lose as much weight as I can. I have learned that I should focus on losing weight and not losing to a certain amount.

I start class tomorrow! Hope all goes well. That being said I should probably get some sleep.

*~*G'Night*~*

Aubrey

Life as I know it....

Hello Everyone!!

Lots have happened since the last post!

I was able to spend the holidays with my family. My cousins came in from London and I was able to spend a lot of time with them. It's hard to believe my little cousin Mackenzie is already 2! She has grown up so fast and definitely has a wonderful personality! My cousins from Chicago came as well. It was so great talking with Stephanie and Ian. They are so busy with everything, I barely get to catch up with them. Gabe is such a cute little boy. I can't believe in just five months he will be 3. Finally, my cousins from Phoenix flew in and I was able to meet Nolan, the baby!, for the first time. Liam is so cute! He's one of those boys you know will break many hearts when he gets older! Nolan was a lot of fun to play with and watch. All the kids are growing up so fast and all have wonderful personalities, but also such different personalities. I can't wait to spend more time and holidays with all the family and watch them grow into wonderful kids!

My dad went to Rochester for the final time a week ago and we got all the results back! Everything turned out normal!! They basically said that the only reason things are bad is because of his eyes. His eyes got worse and then everything got bad from there. He went to the ophthalmology doctor today and found out that he will have his first eye done.....TOMORROW!! We were very excited to find out that we could get in right away tomorrow. His second eye will be done next Wednesday. After all that he should be able to see better!! I will keep everyone updated!!

I went to the doctor last Friday to have my knee checked out. We started with X-Rays and found out that my knee caps are hanging off my bones. The doctor wasn't concerned with that so much, but was concerned that I had a tear in my cartilage, so we then went in for a MRI. I got my results back and they said there was no tear (thank goodness) but there are some other things that came up so I have to go in for a surgery consultation. What they did find out was that it's degenerative arthritis. I'm not sure how exactly this will be fixed so tomorrow morning I go in for my surgery consultation to figure out what to do. I will also post later to update about this!

Within the past month, Justin and I have decided to break up. We realized that being friends is for the best right now. For a while it was rocky and there were hard days, but we have done a lot of talking in the past few weeks and talked things out. We still care a lot about each other and we will still be friends.

Starting Thursday I start my final spring semester at SDSU. It's hard to believe this is my fourth year at SDSU. And now it's coming to an end! I will be going to school again next fall and then graduating in December! THEN MORE SCHOOL!! Right now I am working with Augustana College in Sioux Falls to go to school there next Spring to major in American Sign Language Interpreting! We will see what happens!!

I finally have all my paper work for Semester at Sea. I find out in March about financial aid. It's hard to believe that it's happening in less than six months!! :)

Well, I do believe that is everything! I will post tomorrow after I have results of my dad's surgery and my doctors appointment!

Hope all is well!

*~*G'Night*~*

Aubrey