Getting Out of My Comfort Zone

Moving back to Texas has its advantages. I grew up in a suburb of Dallas, and we lived in Dallas and a different suburb while Christopher was in medical school. We also have friends and family who all mostly live an hour away from us. After living in Chicago for a year, our time in Dallas so far has felt comfortable.

Still, now that I am healthier, I have been trying to branch out. Most of the friends we have made in the past live in the suburbs, and if you know Dallas traffic, you know meeting up during the week is nearly impossible. Now that Chris is starting to work more nights and weekends again, I decided to reach out to some of the other doctors’ wives in the area and planned a get together.

Even though I was the one who planned the get together, I was so nervous. I’m super introverted at first when I don’t know anyone. It turned out way better than I expected. We already had a huge thing in common, and the conversation flowed easily. I stayed longer than I planned to that day and have spent time with them since then.

This weekend, I am doing something I never thought I would do in a million years. By the time you read this, I am going to be at a conference for doctors’ wives where I don’t know a single person. A bunch of people there are already friends, and the whole purpose of the conference is to make friends who know what you are going through. I feel like I’m the new kid in school again trying to get included in a circle.

All week I’ve been wondering what I was thinking when I signed up for it and coming up with ways to get out of it, but I’m going to go. I’m going to make friends, and I’m going to have fun. Here’s to getting out of my comfort zone!

If you want to know what a doctors' wives conference looks like, follow me on SnapChat! (SiberianOlya)

Do you ever struggle with getting out of your comfort zone? 

Nine Years

Nine years ago yesterday, I was having one of the biggest and most confusing conversations of my life. Our “defining the relationship” conversation started at around 11 p.m. and lasted till 3 a.m.

Freshman formal

It was all my fault. I didn’t come right out and say What are we? Instead, I began this long, convoluted story of how our college friends recently became official and asked Chris what he thought of that. I was so nervous to just come out and say it. Chris and I had both dated our best friends our senior year in high school, and the relationships had ended badly. We had gotten super close over the last month (you can read more about that here) and were both afraid to mess it up.

It’s the best risk we’ve ever taken. Before I met Christopher, I hadn’t even wanted a relationship, but I could quickly tell that this relationship was different from any I had been a part of in the past.

We said I love you quickly. We didn’t want to wait to get married until after college when we knew we were ready for marriage. (Such a bummer, though, because it meant we got married before Pinterest. ;)) One of these days, I will share about our wedding (I wanted to on our anniversary this year, but it turned out to be close to my surgery), but we got married the summer after our sophomore year in college.

Nine years ago, I had no idea what an adventure we were starting. If you had asked me then what I thought my life would be like today, the answer would be extremely different from reality. My life isn’t what I expected. It’s so much better, all thanks to that conversation nine years ago.

PS-I'm over on Ashley's blog today sharing five things you must do in one of my favorite cities in the world, Prague!

Lake Michigan Circle Tour: One of the Most Photographed Lighthouses in the United States?

On our way from Arcadia Inspiration Point to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, we saw a sign for the Point Betsie Light, and Chris decided to take a detour. In all the research I did before the trip, Point Betsie never came up as a suggestion, so we were surprised when we saw a sign for the lighthouse.

I was even more surprised to see the sign that called Point Betsie Lighthouse “one of the most photographed lighthouses in America,” mainly because of the location. I would have thought the lighthouses on the East Coast would be more photographed because they are easier to access (The Portland Head Light, which we saw on our fall foliage cruise, is thought to be the most photographed lighthouse in the world).

I could see why people would come to Northern Michigan to photograph the Point Betsie Lighthouse. It’s truly stunning. Right next to it is a small beach, which provides the best angles for photos.

Point Betsie Light began service in 1859, and a light saving station was built in 1875. It was the last manned lighthouse on Lake Michigan, becoming automated in 1983. The lighthouse is private property, but it is available for tours on certain days from May to October. You can even stay at the Keeper’s Quarters for a unique experience with a gorgeous view.

I could have spent hours watching the waves crash with the lighthouse in the background. Even on a trip where we saw so many amazing sights, the small detours are sometimes just as fun.

Catch up on our Lake Michigan Circle Tour Road Trip:

Quick Thoughts

Seven-Day Itinerary from Chicago
South Haven Lighthouse
Big Red Lighthouse
Grand Haven, Michigan Food Adventures
Grand Haven Lighthouse and Boardwalk
Hiking to the Big Sable Point Lighthouse
Big Sable Point Lighthouse
Arcadia Inspiration Point Scenic Overlook

Have you ever taken a fun detour on a road trip? 

Five Reasons I Love Fall

Like most of my blogger friends, I am obsessed with all things fall! I can’t help but feel giddy when the season is approaching, even when Texas hasn’t decided to get with the program yet (It’s currently 93 with a “real feel” of 98. That is not OK.) I could make a list of 100 things I love about fall, but for your sake (and mine), I decided to stick to five for this post.

The chill in the air

In The Great Gatsby, Jordan says “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” I know that feeling so well. That first chill in the air feels like a renewal. A new beginning. It’s one of the best feelings in the world.

Fall color

Hi, my name is Olya, and I am obsessed with fall color. We went on a fall color cruise for our fifth wedding anniversary, and everyone called us “the young couple” because we were the youngest there by about 30 years (there was actually a few more people our age, and they sat us all together at dinner). I didn’t care because I got to eat lobster rolls and see these amazing colors at Acadia National Park. Last year, I planned day trips on Christopher’s days off to see fall color. (If you are in the Midwest, I recommend both Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and Starved Rock State Park in Utica, Illinois.) This year, we are going on a road trip in October to the Smoky Mountains and Blue Ridge Mountains. I think fall color is magical, and I hope that never changes.

Apple cider

Here’s where we probably have a difference of opinions. Apple cider is by far my favorite fall drink. Give me a back porch, a good book, and some apple cider to drink, and I’m the happiest girl in the world. I’m not a huge coffee drinker (crazy, I know), so I can’t get behind the pumpkin spice latte. I must admit I do love a white peppermint mocha during the holidays, though.

Clothes

I think fall is the best season for clothes! You get to wear light sweaters, plaid, boots, and cute cardigans without having to cover everything up with a jacket all the time.

Texas State Fair

For me, The Texas State Fair and fall go hand in hand. I love everything about it, especially the crazy food. I’ve been to many fairs and festivals and think nothing else compares. I missed it when we couldn’t go last year, so I am really looking forward to going this year. If you are ever planning a trip to Dallas, try to make it during the state fair!

What's your favorite thing about fall? 

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Confessions: What Is Normal?

I was planning on finishing up a travel post for today, but I woke up with a migraine and didn’t feel well enough to put together the photos for it. Let’s just ignore the fact that I’m still halfway through sharing about our California road trip…which we took in March 2015. Life has just been so crazy since then. Here’s hoping it slows down a bit!

I’m having trouble figuring out what my new “normal” is. This week was the first time in months where I haven’t felt bad every day (though I have had a few rough days that got me worried. I’m hoping it’s just the healing process.), and I am slowly starting to freelance again, but it’s been hard to get back into my regular routine. I think that’s partially because the last time I felt “normal” I was in Chicago, and life looked a lot different than it does now. Anyways, now that I’m doing better, people keep asking me if I’m planning to keep freelancing or find a job, and I just don’t know yet. I know I would miss freelancing if I quit, but I do miss the people interaction of an office setting.

After having to have two haircuts in the past two weeks, I pretty much want to avoid haircuts for the foreseeable future. My hair is so much shorter than I wanted it to be since I needed to lose length to get my terrible haircut fixed. Most people would probably still consider it long, but I’m usually pretty low maintenance with my hair, and at this length, I feel like I’m constantly having to style it.

Is it strange that I have never reread a book? I just feel like there are so many books in this world I want to read. I’ve actually been considering rereading the Harry Potter series, though, since it’s been almost 10 years since I read the last book.

I finally got a Snapchat. I thought it would be a fun way to document our adventures in Tennessee next month. Follow me (SiberianOlya), and I will follow back! Also, be prepared for lots of snaps of my dog.

I have a striped shirts problem. I bought new clothes for the first time in forever (pretty proud of myself for that! Haha.), and it was five striped shirts. I keep telling myself to diversify my wardrobe, but then I see all the striped things, and I can’t help it.

I also must confess that I’m pretty sure every time I’ve done a confessions post I haven’t linked up with anyone, and I likely won’t today. I just like to do them every once in a while to share all the random things in my head. I also haven't done one in over a year, so I figured it was time!
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