2017 is flying by. The last time I blogged, I was in Texas caring for my mom, as she recovered from foot reconstruction surgery. Upon returning home to Northern Kentucky, blogging took a back seat so that I could spend time with the hubby, the kitties and get caught up with life in general.

Like always there are many things I want to blog about.  The purpose of my blog has always been (and still is) a place where I document life happenings. To keep up with all the little events, I have decided to do a reoccurring post, which I will call “Current Happenings,” where I document events I don’t want to forget. My hope is, this will become an easy way to document everyday life happenings, I don’t want to forget. Additionally, I hope it encourages me to blog more frequently and on topics beyond daily life happenings.

Moving onward here is what has been happening since I last blogged …

• January 1 to March 17 was spent in Texas taking of my mom, after her foot surgery
• While in Texas, I reconnected with my ranching roots

• Matthew, my half brother and I, spent a Sunday together; we hung out at Texas State University in San Marcus, where he is a freshman, and were I completed my master’s degree
• Patrick, my King Charles Spaniel and I spent a LOT of quality time together

• I got to spend some quality time with my aunts and their families, which was long overdue
• For the first time in years, I hung out with my buddy Jason, a childhood friend; we even celebrated his birthday together, for the first time in years

• My sister-in-law surprised me with the news I am going to be “Aunt Amy” in September
• The day before I left San Antonio we celebrate my mom’s 65^th birthday

• My first weekend back in Kentucky was spent on the couch with Allyn and our kitties, watching movies and cuddling

• I returned to work at the AJA
• My friend Sue and I celebrated my return home with a girl’s night out to see Beauty and the Beast   
• On March 23^, I was offered a place in the incoming graduate class of 2017 in the History Department at the University of Kentucky, as a Ph.D. student

• At the beginning of the April, I attended my 5^th ambassador circle briefing at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta, GA, which included a weekend visit to Plains, GA the home of President and Mrs. Carter
• Driving back from Atlanta, I stopped in Chattanooga, TN and explored Lookout Mountain, Rudy Falls, and Rock City

• Allyn and I attended our first Reds’ game of 2017 season

• At the beginning of May, we drove up to Alfred, NY to see my cousin’s senior art show
• From Alfred, NY we drove to Niagara Falls, Canada where we got to hang out with some friends and see a few sites in the Niagara Falls area … This was our first trip to Canada