The Very Last Christmas Break...

I am back - tired after a week of finals, but now I am up visiting the parents, and enjoying it completely. As for life...Well, I haven't had a life for 4 months (:-P), but hey! I know that this is a short post, but I'm tired, and I want to go torment SFL and WOT some...hehe...I think I'll make them play a game with me, muhahahaha.

Turkey Genocide

To all my fair Turkey lovers out there...still eating reminants of Turkey from two days ago, I beg you to turn your hardened hearts to the woeful calls of the million plus Turkeys killed within the past month. Here is what the newscast should read:

Thursday, November 24, 2006
Over one million turkeys were found slain this year. Their moist, buttered, and brown skin was roasted, fried, and baked across the country today. The people in the spirit of tradition turned a deaf ear to their cries; instead gracefully carved tender meat onto garnished trays beside cranberry sauce. Spokesman R.D. Quill from the Federation for the Liberation of Turkeys stated Wednesday morning. "The slaugher this year is unprecedented, and we call for Freedom to Turkeys across the world!" Unfortunately, the illustrious Mr. Quill was one of the many who fell during Thursday's events. A memorial to the fallen hero will take place next week sometime. And now, please stay tuned for an update on the "hunt for the Grinch".

*********
As for me, I am enjoying my break from classes and early morning very much! It is hard to believe that in another three or so weeks Christmas break will be here!! Yea!!!! Alright, well I am off to do whatever I want to :-). Till next time...

Hay Rides and Square Dances

Yea, so I know that you will all be overwhelmed by two blog postings within one day, but I can't help it; try to stablize yourselves please.

I had to post and tell you about my very fun night last night. I got an invite by a friend to go hang out with a Christian group of college kids, because they were putting on this big square dance and hayride. It was a blast, we hung out with about 80 kids and danced till we were exausted, and then we braved the cold to take a hayride. It was awesome because the sky was so clear that you could see every star, it was so beautiful. However, it was freezing and I think that my fingers were ice cubes by the time I got back (hehe). I seriously realized that I needed to get out a little, because this semester has been busy I really haven't hung out with anyone so I think that I needed it. Well, anyway that is my little summary of my night, it was so much fun! :-)

Debates With the T's....

Good afternoon my faithful commentors! How goes it in your unique, individual, worlds?

Well this week, I was reminded that I have failed for far to long to introduce you to some friends of mine - pardon a' me (my French is atrocious). Without adu meet the T's; Mr. and Mrs. and their four little ones. Yes, they are my favorite Landlords, and my family away from home. The T's have been absent from my humble internet abode, however my fabulous blog topic this time around would not be complete without the recognition that the T's spawned (hehe - SFL, its your favorite word) this topic. Thus, everyone say hello to the T's!


As for the topic which you have all been so patiently waiting for, I expect some excellent dialoge.


Mr. T informed me the other night that it is very unAmerican to not have a Christmas Tree at Christmas. Now, my question to him was why the Christmas Tree? And why is the Christmas Tree "American"? Why not Stockings, Eggnog, or Snow? After all, is Christmas another cultural holiday or does it mean something else? I am sure that there are plenty of stories about the history of Christmas, and to me they may or may not be true. However, if Christmas truely is a "pagan" holiday like Halloween should we treat it the same way? Should we not celebrate it, and celebrate Hanika instead? Hummm, any ideas commentors, or shall Mr. T remain uncontested?

My Future

That sounds like such a large monumental concept does it not? "THE FUTURE". After all, think about your future; the hopes, dreams, and possibilities that at times seem so unclear, and at other times seem to lead us in a straight line. I know that this sounds appears to be quiet theoretical, but as I am gaining more life experience I am beginning to understand the absolute trust we must have in the Lord. Little 'ol me has all these plans, where, when, and how my life is going to work...when in reality I cannot make one thing happen on my own, without the Lord. This leads me to think how ironic it is that for all the plans I make and could never put into action; I get so offended at the Lord when he changes those plans. I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with plans, goals, and great ideas; instead I think that for me I just need the reminder to always trust that the Lord knows those good plans that He has for me, and if I follow Him, and keep a heart tender to His leading I will live in a way that pleases the Lord, and ultimately will satisfy my heart.

Ahh, I love a good contemplative moment...:-)...As for life, I am actually in the midst of deciding where I might go upon graduation. I tell ya' there are so many choices! My friends at school are determined to keep me here, my family and friends at home (ie. Jess #1, parental guidences, and Heather) will kill me if I don't move back home ;-), and I have job offers and opportunities from across the country. I hate choices...lol...Well, this is true, whatever decision I make doesn't have to be perminant, and will only open other doors for me. Anyway, I got to go to a very fun conference on Saturday, and see my MUMMY!!!!!! Yeah!!!!! We had a blast, and got to listen to hours of info relating to nursing and jobs, etc. I find it quite entertaining to see a couple hundred nurses and nursing students interacting. I think that my favorite part of the conference was when this one nurse was answering a question about why there is not some way to make IV ports unique to the tubing so that nurses can't make mistakes and put something like Ensure into an IV line instead of a gastric tube where it should be...because this has happened. The nurse replied with, "actually the two different tubes don't fit on the IV port...however nurses are known for their creativity and if something doesn't work they WILL find a way." Nurses are so use to having to work with things that don't work, having to be creative, and having to think out side the box, that sometimes its to our death...er...to the death of whoever we put Ensure in their veins...cough! Anyway, it was funny to think of how creativity can sometimes be a negative, and the nurse reminded us, "if something doesn't work or fit right, before you MAKE it work you should first check to make sure that it SHOULD work". Ah, such a simple idea, and yet at times how we forget...lol.

Well, I apologize for the delay of a recent posting, and for the length of this one. Enjoy, and comment well! :-)

Ode to Mom...

Just so you, my faithful commentors do not think that I spend all my time on UTube, I preface this blog with the explaination that the song I am about to share with you was actually showed to me by a friend, which I there by loved for reasons you will understand after listening to it.

Also, before my Ode I'll give you a little update. I have actually been sick for what feels like a month. At first I had a nasty cold two weeks ago, and then on monday I came down with Strep. Monday was also the day that I got a chunk of my leg out, and six stitches put in (it looks cool). The leg was due to a mole that the Dr. found and thought that it may lead to Melanoma cancer, thus he wanted to take my flesh...You know I am seriously contemplating starting a body scar collection, after all I get a new one about every year. Hey I could even get tatoos to go along with them describing the weird cirrcumstances surrounding the scar. Hummm......Well anyway, please excuse my lack of writing I will hopefully be up to speed soon.

Enjoy!

Ode to Mom - The EBAY song...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=5L6XsGV7kRg

Ode to Mom...

Just so you, my faithful commentors do not think that I spend all my time on UTube, I preface this blog with the explaination that the song I am about to share with you was actually showed to me by a friend, which I there by loved for reasons you will understand after listening to it.

Also, before my Ode I'll give you a little update. I have actually been sick for what feels like a month. At first I had a nasty cold two weeks ago, and then on monday I came down with Strep. Monday was also the day that I got a chunk of my leg out, and six stitches put in (it looks cool). The leg was due to a mole that the Dr. found and thought that it may lead to Melanoma cancer, thus he wanted to take my flesh...You know I am seriously contemplating starting a body scar collection, after all I get a new one about every year. Hey I could even get tatoos to go along with them describing the weird cirrcumstances surrounding the scar. Hummm......Well anyway, please excuse my lack of writing I will hopefully be up to speed soon.

Enjoy!

Ode to Mom - The EBAY song...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=5L6XsGV7kRg

White and Nerdy...lol

Ok, I know that my title probably has you raising those eyebrows, is skeptical amusement and question, but please bare with me. Yesterday, I was introduced to one of the funniest songs that I've heard in the longest time, so I have to share it with you. It is so you SFL, and totally reminded me of Audrey's "I was born a small black child" line. Anyway, I hope that you laugh for all you are worth, and please don't take it for more than its worth...it is only a song. Have fun, just follow the link! :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO7HhkGTJf4&search=white%20nerdy%20funny

Fall Has Arrived

Ah, I am back again; finally. To my defense I have spent the last two weeks studying for my 4 exams, taking care of ill patients three days a weeks, and entertaining Velvet (woof) - she says hi.

This week we have had several very nice days, with beautiful Fall temperatures, sunshine, and blue skies. These days are truly the nicest of the South. Thursday I had to go get my senior yearbook picture taken, because someone's parental guidences insisted that for historical purposes I must have at least ONE yearbook. Personally I thought that there was no need for historical records, but hey, I may thank them in years to come.

My adventure this week was on Tuesday. I got ready to go to the monthly Oncologic Nurses Local Chapter Meeting which was going to be at a restaurant about 45 minutes away, and which I was actually excited to go to. After all, how often do you get a free steak dinner as a college student? So, you understand my excitement at the chance to go. Anyway, I get all ready, drive there, and go inside. When I get there the hostess tells me that they don't have a dinner party under that name, but that they would call the other restaurant in the area (30 minutes away), because perhaps my locations got messed up. I should have just called it a night, but I felt bad because I had said I was coming...I should have just gone home...Nevertheless, I drove another half an hour to get to the other facility where they said there was an Oncology group. When I get there, there was a group, but not my group...So, I drove home...After two hours of driving and no steak dinner I got home again. I know that its a disappointing story, believe me I felt it, and next time I will just skip the whole thing if I can't find them. :P

Well, that was my main adventure this week I know that it was a riveting story, but it was the best I could come up with.

By the way, if you haven't seen the new movie Akeela and the Bee you should rent it, because it is such a cute movie about spelling. SFL I think that Akeela is definitely Word Power - sorry, she knows more big words than I've ever heard...lol, enjoy!

Finally

Yes, ok so I finally got around to posting. I'm back to school and all the work that goes along with it. Actually, it has not been bad yet, although I'm sure it will. I love my fabulous apartment - Velvet likes it too she has finally settled in, and loves the walks we take around the block.

As far as new and exciting adventures one funny thing happened last week. I went on a hike with my family upstairs and their friends, so we had 9 kids (5 weeks to 7 yrs) and three adults heading out into the woods. We found this great water fall with pool and spent about a hour playing in the water; the kids loved jumping from behind the waterfall. We had a blast, and then it was on to the trail. The hike was suppose to be about 2 miles long total, but after climbing the heights (during which we felt as if we were in the Sound of Music climbing the Alps - "The hills are alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! With the sound of music....Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...."); we finally reached the peak only to find that they meant 2 miles one way. By this point it is getting to be evening, and we are all aware that none of the dads know where we are, or when we should be home, we almost panicked because we weren't sure if we could get nine children back two MORE miles home, but the sheer fact that we had to come back down won over our doubts. Thus we sat everyone down for a refueling of GORP (good old raisins and peanuts; aka trail mix, but I like GORP better), and prayed that God would get us down the mountain. Heading back down the kids did amazingly well, all but three year old Hannah who was so tired that she fell asleep in my arms and I carried her down the mountain...all two miles of it...Needless to say, my arms hurt the next day. :-) As you can see by my documentation we all made it safely down, and determined to never attempt that one with kids again.

I love adventures, they make your life so spontaneous! Better yet, they cause you to press yourself to a new level either physically or mentally. I think that too many people get concerned with the goal and not the ride there. Life is an adventure we need to enjoy it, and see mishaps as adventures (right Jess ;)). There my lovely soapbox....

What Are Men Good For Again?

Ok, strange, but perhapes appropriate title...I'll let you make your own judgement call on that one after you hear my story.

Here goes...I was at work, and I was sitting reading the a little medical history, when I stumbled upon some questions that the Doctor had asked the family. Interested I read on;

Category: "Physical signs and symptoms"
Doctor's Note: " Family states that patient is able to dig holes, mow the lawn, and carry out other household chores."

Ok, I might not be the brightest crayon in the box, but how often do you have to dig holes as part of your daily chores? Unless of course you are a ditch digger...this however is not the case...Needless to say I was sitting there cracking up at the fact that neither laundry, taking out the trash, or any other number of normal chores were mentioned. No, instead ditch digging was the first item on the list. Hahaha...Sorry, ok, I'm done.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.................

Texas and the Mule!

Weird title I know, but what else have you come to expect from me! Anyway, we have been away on a fabulous family vacation to the great state of Texas; where as my sister has stated - "The sky really is bigger in Texas". The weather has been great, and the few thunderstorms gave us the opportunity to snuggle inside with a good book. Much of the week was taken up in exploring the 3,000 acre community/ranch that my great-aunt and uncle live on. I have also determined that the only way to see all the beautiful rolling hills, big blue sky, and rugged terrain is by mule. No, not the four legged equine type, but the off-road; four wheel drive kind. Its a great name for a handy vehicle, and I love standing in the back bed part- dad driving - there is no better way to travel!

On another key, you should see the animals. There are around 3,000 deer on the place, and they eat right out of your hand. Everywhere you go you'll see them and their cute fawns grazing. There are also Black-Buck Antelope who are much chunkier than their deer relatives. Cows, sheep, foxes, armadillos, skunks, occasional mountain lions, horses, and ducks also inhabit the ranch. There are humming birds galore, and plenty of other birds for the avid aviary fanatic. As you can see I had my fill of wildlife! Unfortunatly all good things must come to an end, and so tomorrow we head home. I keep threatening my aunt and uncle that I going to come live with them...for some reason they don't seem quite as enthused! :-)

Well for now pictures and memories will have to do till my next visit to TX.

P.S. Unfortunately I wish I could decide which part of the West I like best! They are all very different, but all very enjoyable. I will post some pictures and you can make up your own mind!

June 14th

A date will have to suffice for my title today because I am entirely out of fresh ideas. I know that my posting has been lacking, but due to work, and much desired R&R I have neglected my blog...sorry...

As to my life:

Work at the hospital is good, busy, and rewarding. I am also trying to decide what I want to do with myself after school. Work, an externship, the peace-core, military nursing, immediate grad-school, missions, etc. I one way options are nice to have, but on the whole it only means that now I must decide what I am suppose to do.

As a random side note....I think that I may have finally come to a revelation as to why abilities such as vocials, instruments, dance, etc are so appealing to us as humans. I believe that every person has emotions that are initiated by the hearing, seeing, smelling, or experiencing; these emotions - a built in responce, a trait of the Father - long to be expressed. Singing, dancing, playing are direct expressions of emotion, and thereby allow all to enter into a place of worship/holy expression of love to a Heavenly King. What an awsome responsiblity the Lord has given those individuals, and yet do we not all have giftings that can somehow or another express our feelings? Emotion gives passion to actions, and reaches out to others. Ok, enough random rambling...lol...

More later!

As requested by popular demand...Drumroll please!!!!!

SFL in tights!

Ah yes, the truth is out...hahaha....

Enjoy my dear readers!

Home again, home again!

Well, I'm back home, and enjoying a little R&R :-). Actually, I've been getting really for work, and another wonderful summer of reenacting! I know...its so exciting!!! Well, at least try to understand...

As for Merle, no, I have not forgotten about him I just haven't learned to load my camera pictures on my computer yet. Sorry. He did however, tell me to describe a quite remarkable story which transpired not but two days ago.

It was Wednesday morning, and Merle was upstairs doing what all people doing the in morning, and as he was he told me that he heard this strange noise down in the living room. I know that you don't know Merle very well yet, but he is very curious, and well, he went to go check it out. When he looked through the stair railing you will never believe what he saw! Merle described this huge brown squirrel sitting on the couch holding an acorn not three feet from a broken window. Now you may be wondering what happened to bring a squirrel into Merle's house, but I tell you it did not take Merle long to figure it out. You see the nut which the squirrel held was the giant acorn that sat in decoration on the mantle of Merle's living room! Yep, the stupid squirrel had busted through Merle's window in attempt to reach the acorn. Who has an acorn sitting on their mantle you ask? Please! What kind of question is that??...Weird I know, but you can believe Merle he is good with the details. ;-)

More later...

Finals Week

Well, we're two days into finals week and I can't wait till I'm on the road home. I hate finals...I also hate 40% cumulative finals, and 10 research study critics, and research proposals, and periods, and professors who only give two tests and a final, and, and, and.....Give me a minute I'll think of something else...Sorry, I just finished a 100 question MedSurg final, and found out that I missed an A in Gerontology by a point. Perhaps dwelling on the negative is not a good idea, after all not getting a 4.0 semester is really disappointing, but not the end of the world.

On a lighter note I will have a picture to post on here as soon as I figure out how to transfer pictures from my camera to the computer. I have a friend to show you his name is Merle...he's green. Hehehe, I've peaked your curiosity now haven't I. I can see SFL getting very excited, well you'll just have to be patient.

Anyway, good luck to all my commentors experiencing finals week I'm sure you will all do great! I'll post more later!!

Oh, Sunny Day!

I hope that you all had a fabulous Easter, mine was nice enough although I wish that I would have gotten to go to a Sunrise Service; they are my favorite. I love really early on a summer morning when there is just a hint of coolness in the air and mist kinda hides the sun...Not to mention it gives me a really good excuse to go hang out in a graveyard. I mean at anyother time of year I would just be considered strange, but Easter, its tradition! :-) It is so fun to go read all the names of dead people, especially if it says something interesting on the stone. Just for your information if you die please put something worth reading on your stone, otherwise Jess 1 and I will make up really interesting stories about you... I mean think about all those people, and Jess 1 and I are probably the only people who ever cared to look at their grave...apart from the actually funeral itself. Anyway, while I'm on the topic of graveyards there is a really neat one at home that has this mosoleum (spelling?) which contains an entire family, and Jess 1 and I had a blast the other summer, trying to piece together who died first and who was related to who and how. Yeah I know were strange, but come on perhapes it is the authors in us, but I like to imagine people's life stories. Ok, enough of dead people...sorry...

Anyway...

Ahh yes, beautiful summer weather has finally reached my happy home, and now I'm ready to leave. My perfect temperature is about 75 degrees, and unfortunately we were at about 90 degrees the past two days...way too hot for me. I guess it is nice though to through on a t-shirt and not have to wear a jacket in the morning, but still I wish it would just stay a tad cooler...

Ok, well since I'm at the computer lab, and there is a line I should sign off.

"School Days, School Days, Dear Old Golden Rule Days..."

Due to the fact that I could sense impending doom were I not to post an update soon, I have finally gotten around to it. Afterall, I have been productive today, and thought I would contiue with a posting.

Well, school is school, and fortunately it is wrapping up. We are all registered for classes next year, and unfortunately I will have to be up at 5 am three days a week...joy...One good thing, we finish our last week of clinical this week (YEAH), and have our lab final next week. Then before I know it I'll be done!!! It is hard to believe, it flies by...

Today I've been cooking up a storm for a family in our church whose mom is having a baby in 6 weeks, and is on bedrest (well...suppose to be at least). Anyway, I am taking dinner this wednesday and next. I love to cook but it is just not the same cooking for yourself, so I was very excited to have people to cook for. I made choc. chip cookies, stuffied shells, corn, and garlic bread, yummy! I have had so much fun, and my roomy is excited to try it too.

Oh, yeah, how could I forget...I'm 21 now!!! Yea!!! Lol... I guess me and Jesus can turn water into wine now...legally, although I definately think that the drinking age is nonexistent in that part of the world. Oh well, random thoughts from my mind.

More later...

Happy Birthday!!!

Yeah!!! Ok, so I'm almost 21, 1 hour and 53 minutes counting!!! It is very exciting, and for one of my presents I got an amazing little digital camera, so now I can bambard all your e-mails with annoying pictures of me doing strange and unusual things like brushing my teeth....Muhahahaha!!!! Lol!!! Ok, so I won't really bombard you, but I am very excited. Also, Jess # 1 sent me the best smelling lotion, sented water, soap, and lip balm...Hummm...Anyway, I'm going to watch the new Pride and Prejudce (don't worry I won't convert, the old will always be better!), then SLEEP :-)...Tomorrow I'm swamped, and I will get to hang out with my friends to eat cake and ice cream how fun I know. Acually this is a bad weekend to be busy because I have a MedSurg test on Monday, but oh well. I will study Saturday night maybe and Sunday. Ack, to many things to do not enough time. Ok, well I have to go more later. Sorry SFL that you had to wait so long I will post more soon.

SPRING BREAK!!!

Yeah! I am almost a couple hours away from Spring Break, and thought I would write to declair my excitement. As to the only two blog suggestions I recieved; first I don't think that my dear Mary would appreciate any reference to a future mate, and secondly, as much as I don't mind a story posting I am not sure that I have the mental ability to start one right now (you can help me). However, please feel free to make further suggestions. Anyway, I am trying to get through the last two classes of my day before I leave to see my wonderful sister and IHOP girls. Ahhh, the day drags on....I guess I should never wish away any moment, but it is really hard not to just skip class...Perhapes since there is only going to be ten or so people in class our instructors will let us out early....PRAY....lol. Well, I'm off to search the web and waste time till my second class.

Back Again

Hey all! It is only a couple days to Spring Break and I am about ready to die! PPPPLLLLEEAAASSSEEE let me LEAVE! It seems like Spring Semester will never end, because there are 10 weeks before our first break. I guess the only good thing is that after break we only have 5 weeks, YEAH!!! Perhapes I am looking forward to break because I have a nasty little sinus cold and have been sneezing like there is no tomorrow. Actually, now that I think about it it is kind of funny to think of me sneezing...

Well, new topic...humm, I'm trying to think of a new topic...yeah....lalalalalalalalaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Nope, boring...Can't think of anything interesting...lol...Any topic suggestions my faithful bloggers?

Continue...

Ahh, yes I am back to add to my lists! Yeah!!! Aren't you excited to hear more meaningless stuff? Oh, and by the way I must make an addition of places to go...Australia, because obviously Jessica #1 will want me to come visit her and her dashingly handsome Aussie husband!

10 Things I love:

1) Porch Swings (I never want to own a house without one...)
2) Sunsets and Sunrises (I can't decide which I like better, because a beautiful sunset makes me think of a day well done, relaxing totally at peace, and enjoying Jesus; I love sunrises because it feels like no one else on the earth is awake yet the day is fresh and new, and you can smell the morning...)
3) Lilies and Tulips
4) Easter Sunday (I am one of those strange ppl who actually enjoys going to the graveyard)
5) Family dinners (theres nothing like 'em)
6) Reading (a good book is worth, or might I say contains a 1000 words, lol)
7) Snuggling in a really warm blanket on a really cold day
8) The smell of a camp fire, actually any burning wood will do...
9) JESSICA #1!!!! lol, :-)
10) Getting total new and awsome revelation from the Word! It's like seeing for the first time, I love the feeling.

13 Things I've Done (I'm sure there's more but these were interesting):

1) Learned to fence (On Guard! lol)
2) Wrote an award winning story (ok, so I was 14...)
3) Showed horses and dairy cows
4) Shot rifle, shotgun, pistol, and bow (I like bow the best...)
5) Been overseas
6) Taken 5 years of dance (tap is the greatest! :-))
7) Broken a window (it really wasn't my fault! I swear!)
8) Baby-sat my friends kids for 2 whole weeks while they were away (Whew!)
9) Been camping in a flood, tornado, blazing heat, and extreme cold ( you know the insane part? I still like it...Humm I missed the Newman Camping Hating gene...)
10) Swam on swim team
11) Played soccer
12) Nutered and Declawed my own cat (With the vet of course *do not try at home*, sorry Jess...Still love me?)
13) Cut my finger off

My Favorite Music (Humm, thats hard):

1) Almost any worship music and Contem. Christian
2) Bagpipes (I know, stupid, but hey...)
3) Classical
4) Country in moderation (you can't go to school in the South and hate it)

8 Things I'm Just Plan BAD At (I'm sure there are more of these too):

1) Shutting up...(enough said on that one, lol)
2) Spelling (yuck!)
3) Doing things the easy way
4) Acting "girly" (hehe)
5) Tact...yeah...
6) Running Marathons
7) Speaking Foreign Languages (maybe English too for that matter)
8) Drawing (I try, but...)

Ok, that should keep the great sfl busy for awhile!

Finally

Yes, I've heard your calls for commenting material, and I am very sorry to have deprived you for so long. Bluntly, the Olympics have been on, and I have watched them every night instead of blogging...sorry...Just be glad that they are almost over.

Well, in deciding what to write about, I have determined that the "list" is the blogging fad right now (i.e. 10 things I like, 10 things I want to see, etc), and so I want to join in :-).

- 5 Places I want to see:

1) Grand Canyon
2) Prince Edward Island Canada
3) Scottland
4) Italy
5) Boston

- 10 Things I want to do:

1) Visit every state in the US (working on it...)
2) Get married (maybe...eventually...)
3) Graduate from college
4) Drive on the Left side of the road
5) Go skiing
6) Own land
7) Use snowshoes
8) Ride a motorcycle (not fast...lol)
9) Go as far as I can go with the Lord
10) Be a published author

- 5 things I hate

1) Spitting on the side walk (gross!)
2) People who don't know how to drive their motor vehicle
3) Poor english (even I fail here...)
4) Swearing
5) 60s clothes (lol, sorry Dad...)

Ok, I have to go now, but I'll try to add to the list later! Enjoy!

Thoughts of Snow...

The weeks fly by, partly due to the fact that we only have lecture Mondays and Fridays, and partly because the rest of the week we have clinical and lab which makes the days seem to disappear. I was hoping for snow this weekend but I don't think it will happen unfortunately. I love snow, and although it is very nice not to have to tramp though it to school everyday, I still miss seeing it. I love waking up in the morning and seeing snow falling outside my window blinds, and hearing the snow plow go by with it's distinctive sound of metal on pavement. To bundle up and go shovel snow on the driveway, which soon becomes almost a neighborhood party as the designated "shoveler" from each house braves the cold. If school has been cancelled kids will be running down the deserted street adding the joyful music of laughter to the rhythmic scraping beat of shovels. The physical work makes you exhausted and by the time you finish the driveway a new layer of snow mocks your efforts, and reminds you that in another three or four hours you'll be shoveling again. Back inside the smell of something warm and good makes the work worthwhile, and I make myself a cup of hot chocolate to heat my frozen fingers. Soon my dog begs to go outside and standing by the door I laugh as she jumps through the snow unable to capture the illusive snowflakes that seem to disappear as soon as she has them. The universal gray sky of a winter day fades far too soon into the dark charcoal gray of evening. Making note of how much snow has fallen by the height piled on the back porch railing, my back accurately tells me how much all that snow weighs. Another day is over, and yet the snow continues to fall, mindless of the time, the day, or the lives lived. My favorite thing is when it's very late at night and I can't sleep. The house is dark and quiet, and I can just sit by the window and watch the snow silently cover the ground, sparkling as it falls around the single driveway lamp. Everything is so still, then far away carried by the stillness comes the faintest sound of a snow plow, or the distant bark of a dog. It's as if you are the sole observe of a sacred moment in time that only the starry sky and barren trees attest to. What a God who would create something so beautiful. It is truly as if all of nature cries out the beauty and goodness of the Lord. How often I forget to enjoy that which God has created all around me. I get so wrapped up in the temperature, or in the inconvenience, that I forget to just sit back and lose myself in the beauty of Jesus. "Humans are the only creatures concerned with time" a quote that I recently heard someone say, and how true it is. We get so busy in our lives that we don't have time to live. Yes, there are days where the weather is anything but beautiful, but in reality enjoying life it is not about the external conditions which uplift our hearts. Instead it is about experiencing the beauty and glory of Jesus, which transforms even the dreariest of days into a celebration of life, love, family, and creation. What a God who made a world in which to reveal Himself to man through each encounter with nature. It is as if God rejoices in our exploration and appreciation of that which we are surrounded by. I suppose that was a rather long means to an obvious ending, but you did request another addition to the blog, and so I have heeded your long awaited request...enjoy.

Back for More

Thank you my dear commenters for remembering your place on this blog. Hehe, no I love watching your conversations, and I love you all. It seems as if time is flying by, and I guess that is a good thing as it will bring me closer to seeing you all again. School is insane as always, but I love our Med-Surg class because our instructor is hilarious! In clinical yesterday she was telling us stories of her self administered rectal tubes (if you don't know what that is look it up), and by the end tears were running down my face I was laughing so hard - not to mention the fact that I will never look at a straw the same way again... Perhaps her creativity and funny stories comes from the fact that she was a nurse in Vietnam and has been teaching for years. Whatever makes her entertaining, I don't care all I know is that she makes class fun.

As for the rest of my life apart from school...Wait! I don't have a life apart from school, who am I kidding! Lol, ok maybe I have a small life one that consists of playing computer games, cleaning, and sleeping as a method to prevent total mental burnout. Actually this semester has such a different feel to it than the Fall term, and so I am still trying to adjust.

Alright, I'm off to class for our very first test of the semester, whoho! :-) More later...

Ratings

Before long, my once harmless blog is going to need a disclaimer to read, and will have a PG-13 rating. Skulls, gangrene, carbonic acid! Really guys (girls) control yourselves...well, it is pretty entertaining, however I sense that none of your blogging pertains to me, instead my mine is a mere host for all of your irrational conversations (I feel so neglected...).

Anyway, I thought that you all might like something else to do, so I made a quiz for you to take. We will see who knows me better (although I will admit SFL has the upper hand)...Have fun all! :-)

http://www.quizyourfriends.com/yourquiz.php?quizname=051226115532-264564

Stories From the Hospital

What you ask has made me so slack in regards to this fabulous blog? I shall tell you.

The past few weeks have kept me quiet busy adjusting to our schedule of classes. Unfortunately, unlike Mary I have not had exciting skating escapades and adventures (although I would have enjoyed them). Instead three out of five school days I get to wear scrubs because we have clinical, or lab. The one thing that is great about this is that three out of five days you do not have to decide what to wear! I will make a comment though, I do not know who thought it best to make nurses wear white scrub pants and colored tops, but it should be the opposite! The worst is to be walking around campus and see a nursing student - who must have gotten changed in the dark - wearing floral print underwear which I might add is VERY visible through white pants. At least with a white top you could wear another shirt underneath it, but you can not wear an added layer under pants. You would think that my logic made sense, but does anyone care obviously not.

Anyway, we spend the majority of our time wearing scrubs, and fortunately I love our instructor she is hilariously funny, and she loves to tell stories of nursing student flubs and interesting situations. She is very down to earth and relaxed which is great because then it is easier to feel like you can learn and make mistakes. The only think bad about clinical is that we have to get up at 5:30 am Thursday morning! Mary be glad this is not you....

Other than school I try to relax some, and just hang around the house. Oh, I am sooooooooo excited, because I am going to KC for spring break!!!!! My girls there are already planning, and we are going to have a blast I can't wait. I think that 3/4ths of my internship is still there, so there will be LOTS of hanging out, oh I miss them! That will allow me to work at home this summer, and reenact with MARY!!! Yeah!!!!!! I am so excited to see her! We will terrorize solders and spend lots of time complaining about the heat. Then we will watch Pirates of the Caribbean 2 together!!! Yeah!!! Come to think of it, I am pretty much excited about anything that doesn't relate to school...Yep, I guess at this point anything that can get me through 15 weeks of tests is exciting.

Well, that's all for now!

My children....

Dearest Mary, as much as I love you my children are not up for adoption. Verni is still young and very impressionable, and Veronica is too cute. I may allow you to adopt any future children (Vern Jr, Vanessa, Violet, Vikki, Valerie, Vladimir), however we will cross that bridge when we come to it. I have a long history with my children, and despite what you may think, there is a man somewhere (only one) - I prefer to imagine him lost in some barren stretch of Texas - and he may have a say against the adoption...

Note: Lest you think that I am an abusive parent I would like to remind you that Verni and Veronica are figments of my parents imagination, and are included along with Vernon, Texas, penguins, and protestant Nuns. You may not be familiar with my reference, and this is fine just ignore it.

Heading back to reality; I've been mulling some ideas, but I can't quite form them into verbalized thoughts yet, so you'll have to wait for any true revelations. :-) One thought - It amazes me how you can live your life thinking that you have experienced so many things, only to find that every effort you made to open your own eyes has only led you into a kind of false realty or false perspective. You think you are looking out of a new window, when all you've done is to look out of another part of the same window. How do you live apart from personal prejudice, experience, and preference? Can you separate yourself from it to truly see from another's' view, should we separate ourselves, or is a new approach on life only found by the touch of the Holy Spirit? How often do I think I see the full picture only to find that I've been staring at my own finger? Humm, it really struck me this week, that my whole life I have approached every situation and person from my background and limited understanding without realizing that although the Lord uses our life as an element to our growth and maturity, that is just the beginning. I'm sure this sounds strange, and maybe I'm the last to understand this, but I am starting to truly see that I have been looking at the world through my eyes and the lens of Christianity, without actually experiencing a eye "replacement" to where I am looking through the Lord's eyes! What a different that would make! I'm not saying that I haven't had wonderful life experiences, I guess it is just that as much as I have heard the "new creation" concept before it has never really caused me to think like I have been. There is a time for everything, and you may not understand a thing I ramble about, but that is ok, because it is my rambling...

More later! Have a great night!! :-)

Back to the books, errr...blog....

Hello all,

I know that you have long awaited my return, and I apologize for the wait. Although there are definite positives of school, currently I am trying to enjoy the last days of Christmas break. I hope that you all had a delightful Christmas and New Year's Eve, I certainly did despite them being quite different from our family norm.

I fully enjoyed seeing my good friends at the beach, and the weather wasn't at all bad either! :-) When our two families get together all insanity breaks out, and we spend the entire (well, almost) time laughing. Poor mom, Audrey, and Aunt Carol they were recovering from Bronchitis and surgeries, and were trying so hard not to laugh... Anyway, we had a blast, and spent so much time in the pool and hot tub that I'm surprised that we're not permenately wrinkled! One of the things we did this trip, was play this game called CashFlow, which is a fun game aimed at teaching financial principle that will help you get out of the "rat race" of income verses expenses. Contrary to all appearances it was actually a fun game, and we played for hours. As part of the game, you can randomly fall on game board spots that help to show things that can happen in real life, and are costly. Poor me, I have a feeling that I will never live it down, but I fell twice on the BABY spot...Yes, I became the single mother of Verni and Veronica (long story with the names...don't ask...). I guess it was hilarious as we all joked about what I'd been up to, it was all terribly unfair! Not that I don't like kids I do, but the connotations..........Despite this I loved the game, and we all laughed more than what was good for us! :-)

Not back at school I am fully enjoying my peace and quiet! It is kinda nice that there is only a couple people around, or maybe I just love not having to fight for a parking spot *wink*...

Till later!