Day 27 - 32 (Education + 5 Day Vacation)

Wow have I gotten behind on my blog posts. I have a very valid reason though. Lets start with Day 27 when I was on the education side of things at the center. Another intern and I started off our morning like we do every time someone is on education; by sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping. I personally only swept everything and helped move rugs. I was going to clean windows but we did not have any window cleaner so that fell through. I ended up answering some phone calls instead though and eventually the morning led into giving tours. I think I gave roughly 3 tours this day but cannot 100% remember since it's been a few days and because so much has happened since this particular day.

I recall it being average aside from the fact I gave one of the best tours I had given yet. My confidence had sky rocketed on said day and suddenly I have been able to speak easier; not so much stuttering and what not. I feel like I am starting to express myself better when interacting with others which, to me, is a big bridge I needed to cross. I eventually started doing gift shop inventory and this honestly carried through out the day. The only time I really stopped was for a tour or phone call that the other intern could not get to. Eventually lunch was thrown in too but overall, as said, this day was average. My day ended up of course when the education director discovered I had a 9hr drive ahead of me because I intended on going home for 5 days in order to attend a family reunion and to surprise everyone as well. Around 4pm he told me to go and so I packed up really quick, grabbed a box of five European Starlings, and off I went.

My 9hr drive became a tad bit longer because I needed to make a stop at REGI. More or less I volunteered and will receive a reimbursement for gas based on the extra miles driven. I wrote down my mileage before and after of course. After I dropped off the starlings I headed home. This included numerous back roads through out southern Wisconsin until I finally hit highway, driving through Illinois (including Chicago), Indiana, and Ohio. During this venture I spent a good $15 on dang toll boths (Ohio took $10 alone!!) but this was all because I took the fast route despite tolls. I did not become tired until the last hour because of coffee. I drank a ton of it at the hint of the slightest yawn and periodically got out to stretch when I used cash to get gas. My head started spinning honestly but I made it safetly to Toledo, OH where my most amazing boyfriend is staying at his aunts. They allowed me to stay the night there despite how late I was arriving (4:30am) which I am eternally grateful for! I went to bed around 5:30am because I ended up chatting with said boyfriend until he had to leave for work. Poor man stayed up all night for the most part waiting on me! I wished he got more sleep but I cannot deny the fact I love having someone who cares this much about me and lets be honest I would fought to stay awake in order to do the same. I slept from 5:30am or so until roughly 11:30am. Overall this means I arrived/woke up into Day 28; the first day of my vacation.

I meat my boyfriend's aunt, uncle, and couple cousins on this day which means I have now officially met everyone within the close family on mom and dad's side. Close family of course, there's a lot more I have not!!! Aside from this I waited until he was off of work (napped somewhere while waiting and showered too!) and then he and I went on our first date to one of my favorite types of restaurant; Hibachi style Japanese food!!! We went to Sakura Japanese Steakhouse (http://www.sakurasteakhouse.com/). I swear it was the best tasting food I have had in a VERRRYYY long time and I was absolutely thrilled that he and I were able to share the time together. Will never forget our date it was just that amazing. I even caught the broccoli bit in my mouth. Poor Josh could not but at least he tried :)!

After Sakura we head back to the house in order to pack up and head to Dayton, OH where we hoped to surprise my mom and family. They knew he was coming but did not have a clue about me so our surprise worked. We arrived roughly around 9-9:30pm I believe so of course after a good few hours or talking we all finally went to sleep. I got to see my baby kitties; Arthur and Fergie. Arthur has grown up big time since I last saw him and is honestly bigger then Fergie now! He did not remember me at first but eventually he figured it out and ended up sleeping with like the old days.

Arthur

I was not aware of this though until I was told the next morning. Arthur is scared of Josh so the moment he saw him after peeking up over my leg he bolted for under the bed. We all woke up around 8am I believe, packed up by 9am, said some goodbyes to the cats, and head over to my grandmas house. We managed to surprise her as well and all of us head to Delaware, OH for a family reunion of mine for my mom's side. It was great seeing everyone and I ended up winning $35, two baskets, a cake, and was given another cake. It was a very nice/pleasant day. Sunny with good temperatures and I was able to see almost everyone in my immediate family, and not so much, that I have not in a long time. Some in about a year or more and others for a few months.

After sticking around for a good few hours with the family the boyfriend and I took off to Wellington, OH where he lives. I spent time with my family and now was going to spend time with his. As soon as we arrived we actually head next door to his neighbors home, whom I met before, and had dinner (and my aunts cake which we ALL loved!!!). It was great to see everyone! Got the chance to see their new barn which looks great and met Duck Duck for the first time. Cutest duck ever, he is a Muscovy. I wish I took pictures of him but forgot. A lot of humor around him that is honestly hard to explain via blog post. He does have a dance made after him if this helps explain!!

I cannot recall what else from this night besides going back next door to Josh's and later going to bed. We attempted to go to grandma/grandpa Dowdell's but they were not home so we stopped at the Beagle club for a a very short while. Otherwise, as said, bed. The next day, Day 30, we all got up and went to sunday morning mass at St. Patricks Catholic Church. I must say I have missed going to church so much. I never truly have any saturdays or sundays off and I don't wish to be a stickler about taking off since ive been a somewhat stickler so far this summer regarding pay days, this vacation, etc but I have missed going to church. It's more pleasant going with someone you know anyway; especially when you're still a catholic in training vs the real deal. Wish I could find time to convert but I am all over the place except when at school so hopefully then I can.

After mass I went with Josh and his brother to Good will, over to grandma/grandpa Dowdell, to the Beagle Club he used to work at, and later to grandma Feldkamps home. We visited an old house owned by his great grandma that was to be torn down and other places around the home I prefer to not talk about. We later went out to eat with grandma to a place in Vermillion, OH up near Lake Erie. It was a place known for its ice cream but we got more meal food; I personally ordered a coney that tasted great. After eating and getting our pictures taken we said goodbye to grandma and head over to Linwood Park in Vermillion as well. We later head home I believe and later went out for pizza at a local pizza place in Wellington (amazing pizza!).

This led to visiting Josh's great grandmas grave where he, his dad, and brothers pulled weeds around the grave to show respect while his mom and I checked out other grave stones and such. I honestly kind of regret not pulling weeds as well but maybe next time :(! We head home after and watched a movie known as the Gift. Excellent movie. Once this was over I remember migrating upstairs but then Josh and I stayed up until roughly 2am because we were looking over old albums of him and his family when he was young. Grandma Feldkamp takes a lot of pictures, and I mean A LOT, so she has pictures of him from age 1 to now. I honestly wish I had an album of myself growing up and all the adventures I have been on (which is why I take so many pictures now). They were great. He pulled out an album she and his great aunt Sandra made for him for graduation. It was, as said, him growing up through the years and different pictures of his family (brothers especially) as they all grew up too. It's crazy seeing them all as small children and seeing them now. I can only imagine what Mom thinks :)! Probably the same my mom thinks when she looks at me haha. He also pulled out picture albums of him on vacation to Yellowstone and an album of random adventure pictures (whale watching, michigan, etc). Finally at 2am I went to sleep though. Today was truly great, I missed everyone and loved all the pictures!!!

The next morning, which was monday (Day 31), we hung out for a few hours before eventually packing up and heading back towards Toledo. I honestly cannot remember what all we did on this day besides watch a little bit of Netflix and drive. We were so tired that we skipped going to Magee Marsh (number one birding spot in Ohio) but instead stopped off at Maumee State Park. We were going to check out their nature center but it was closed. So instead we walked along the boardwalk. This turned out to be very funny and I honestly will never ever forget this memory because it started to downpour while we were out walking!!! So we became soaked and despite how angry Josh wanted to sound I could tell he was smiling. He wouldn't admit it though. We managed to run/scurry back to shelter under the nature centers balcony. I had to go to the bathroom of course but when I came out I was baffled because Josh was gone. I peeked around to search and started to walk towards the truck but he mentioned turning around because he actually grabbed us both two dry shirts. I honestly was shocked because I was never used to this sort of help; it was always "fend for yourself" with other people. So I must say this simple act of kindness, amongst many other acts, truly makes me feel blessed to have someone such as him. Although it sounds crazy I cannot imagine being with anyone else and am pleased to finally have someone who 100% understands me even when there are days I feel I don't understand myself. One act of kindness truly makes someone feel special and he has taken the cake with all that he has done. Driving me around despite the age of his truck and gas prices was the biggest thing I could ever be grateful for in all honesty! Though there's a lot of things I am grateful for though. Biggest of course is God, him, family, and friends.

Now upon arriving back in Toledo we mostly chilled for the rest of the night by playing on an ipad and watching TV. We had dinner with the family courtesy of his aunt (Salmon was AMAZING) and for the most part cuddled. Once it was time to go to bed he took the couch and I took the bed (another thing to be thankful because I got a good nights sleep). Sadly this was the last time we had together until I return home again because he had work at 6am on Day 32 and I had a long drive ahead of me. With a kiss and hug goodbye he was off to work and I went back to sleep for a few more hours. Once I was awake and showered though I was off to Wisconsin. I gased up, got an oil change, and hit the road by taking 75 North through Michigan. I traveled on 75 all the way to the Mackinac bridge where I then crossed into the Upper Pennisula and head east on route 2 until I was in Wisconsin. UP was amazing. I traveled the whole lake (Lake Michigan) until I was closer to Wiscosnin. Then I followed a few familiar roads I traveled before until I was back at the center.

While traveling through Michigan I did stop a few times! When I was younger my grandma and papaw would take my two cousins and I up to a cabin they used to own in the middle of the woods. It touched the sauble river. We used to canoe down the river so I first stopped at the Bear Paw canoe and cabins to attempt to hunt down the cabin so no one can remember where it is. I managed to narrow it down to an area based on memories and the canoe paths but overall I was not able to find it. Too many back roads and although I know the road dead ends into the cabin its a matter of WHICH road. I know its around Luzerne at least and that there are dead standing pines nearby (habitat for Kirtland's Warbler :)!) but other then that it requires longer searches and more maps. I knew I was short on time so I head up to Gaylord, Mi and visited the Call of the Wild Museum where my papaw used to take us as well. In the past there were always other families around when we went but this time it was only me. It was kind of lonely, especially without my own family and especially without my grandparents with me to live the memory again, but nostalgia kept me company for sure. I took many many pictures. Due to how long it takes to upload them here please check out my Call of the Wild album on facebook for now. Maybe I will add some later. If anyone ever gets the chance to go to this museum please do!! Please help support them for sure because its family owned and I would love to take my future kids to it someday and maybe my grandkids if it gets that far! Just like papaw took us.

Aside from these few stops and getting gas/food, my last stop of course was at Northwoods Wildlife Center. I was "home" again and will be here up until August as well. It's crazy to think I will only make the long drive one more time and even more crazy to think I will only be going to instead of to and from. I intend on making every day here count and my final days count the most. Going to create a map of sorts of places I want to go and explore before I leave. That way I am able to do it all before I finally say goodbye. Who knows when I may return to good ol Wisconsin again....