Monday's with Maia

Well... I'm finally done with my paperwork for the night. I was not expecting it to take that long since I didn't have to do all of the paperwork this week. Oh well.... it's over.

I got to see precious Maia in person today (and her Mama). She's so cute! Her Mama is so proud of her, and her Daddy too! You would think Deena has been a Mom for years instead of only 3 days the way she acts with Maia. She's a natural! Maia is recovering well from her surgery. She hasn't had any complications so far, so that is good news. Deena will be discharged tomorrow (probably late) and Maia will hopefully follow later on this week. Continue to pray she continues on the road of recovery, and pray for Deena as well. C-sections are not easy to recover from, plus she has a lot going on with school and the new baby. Here's a pic that Deena sent....

(Don't freak out... she has an IV in her head. Sometimes it's easier to get IV access on the head than in their small hands or arms.)

Not much else on this front.... I start teaching for my Community project this week. Pray I don't mess up with these kids! :) Ha, I'm kidding. I don't think I can mess up too bad with teaching them nutrition and wellness. I hate talking in front of people, even if they are 25 seven year olds.
Alright.... I better go. I want to do one more thing for school before I go to bed. Have a good night and a great week!

Until..................................

News on Maia

So little Maia didn't end up having her surgery until last night...that's why I hadn't heard anything. She came through the surgery fine, and is doing well now. If all keeps going well she may get to come home on Monday when her momma Deena is released. Praise the Lord!
Rumor has it she has lots of dark hair and is as pretty as can be. :)

In other news..... it's Missions Conference at CBC this week. This morning was a good sermon by Jack Perrine, and then a panel discussion with 5 missionaries during Sunday School. More from Jack Perrine and another missionary tonight, as well as a FFF afterwards. (FFF is Finger Food Fellowship.) All are welcome! The conference continues through Wednesday night. The service starts at 6p tonight and 7p consecutivelty for the rest of the conference.

Well, I should go get things ready for tomorrow since I will be busy tonight. If I'm not back until later this week, Have a good one!!

Until..................................

Little No-Name...and other things

***Post Update*** Little No-Name has a name!!!! Drumroll please...............LUCY!!! Doesn't she look like a Lucy? I think so............

Ok, so my cousin and her husband decided that they needed to add to their family this weekend. They'd been talking about it for awhile, and finally made a decision tonight. I went to visit my newest little "cousin" and she is adorable!!!




She doesn't have a name yet, but who cares! She's pretty!

So, as some may have noticed already there is a new feature on my blog. My sister suggested it to me since we were frustrated with the lack of blog stalkers coming out of the woodwork. I put the Feedjit feature up thinking there would be a bunch from our town and the neighboring town, but lo and behold there are out of state, heck, out of country people reading this. Am I really even the tiniest bit interesting that people would be coming back to read what I have to say?? Who knew? I won't leave it up forever, just a week or so to see if people besides my family and a few friends really are reading this. Not that it would matter. I would write regardless....

So tonight was movie night for us sisters. We rented Nancy Drew and Dan in Real Life. We were in the mood for some light-heartedness. Nancy Drew was a bit ridiculous but fun none the less. Dan in Real Life was really good. Steve Carrell is a bit of a toss up for me sometimes, but he was surprisingly good in this film. I would recommend it. My sis also cooked dinner for us, but I forgot to take a picture of the yummy meal before we devoured it. Oh well.....

Update on baby Maia--- She had surgery this morning and I haven't heard anything since. I assume everyone is super busy, but keep mommy, baby, and family in your prayers as we don't have much information on what is going on at this time. I'll keep you updated as I get more information.

Well, I should be off. I'll probably be back tomorrow. Do you realize there are only 2 more days left of March?? How exciting!

Until.......................

Chipmunk or no Chipmunk??

Ok, so both of my sisters have reported to me that on both of their computers there is a song in the playlist at the bottom of my page that is very very fast and sounds like a chipmunk singing.
Does anyone else have this problem??? The song they are reporting on is Wonderful Cross by Chris Tomlin.
Go to the bottom of the page if you would and click on that song and listen to it. Please report back here to let me know how you hear it. If you all report it is Chipmunk-y I will remove the song and get another....or I can keep it if it's entertaining... just let me know. It's normal on my computer, so I don't know exactly what they are hearing.
Thank you..... :)
Until...................

What's in a Name?

Ok, so my sis "borrowed" this idea from another blog and told me this would be a good post, so here I go... this is for you Hol! :)

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) Muffin Cavalier (Something about the name Muffin just doesn't make me think "rock star")
2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) Rocky Road Chocolate Chip
3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)
M-Wil
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) Blue Puppy
5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born) - Nicole Pekin
6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) WilMe
7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink) The Purple Water
8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers) Harold Frank
10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ) Ellen Dean (I could live with that being my Alias)
11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter) Sarff Springfield
12. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower) Summer Lily (that doesn't exactly scream SPY to me, but whatever)
13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”) orange pajamasie (what kind of cartoon is this??)
14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree) Waffle Maple (haha, I don't really have a favorite tree, but I thought Maple would be funny considering what I had for breakfast.... get it?)
15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”) The Reading Sun Tour

Ok, so that was kind of fun.... feel free to take this and add it to your blog. I don't mind. :)

Until..................................

Miscellaneous-ness

Is that a word? I don't think it is, but oh well.... This post if going to be a mix of sorts. Lots of things to say. :)

Ok, so have you ever seen the Secret Life of a Soccer Mom? It's on TLC. I caught it last week and it sucked me in right away. However, I think the fact that the mom was a former nurse had something to do with it. She hadn't had a nursing job in 10 years, but she was getting the opportunity to be a Maternal/Fetal Flight Nurse. It was pretty awesome. Made me think about if that would be something that I might want to do. It definitely intrigued me.... So anyway, the whole point of the show is to tell the mom's family she is at a spa for a week, but in reality she is doing the career she wished she could have pursued had she not made the choice to stay at home and raise her children. Now don't get mad people. They aren't saying being a stay at home mom is bad, they are just giving these people an amazing opportunity to jump back into the workforce for a week to see how they like it. At the end of the show they usually get offered an internship or something. They can confer with their family and then choose whether or not to take the job. The show definitely has it's flaws, but overall was enjoyable for me since it was focused on my field of choice. Next episode is about a woman who wanted to be a news anchor. Don't think I'll be as enthused for that profession. :)

So...prayer request.... pray for my good friend Deena. She is having (or already had) a C-section tonight. Her baby has some complications, so they had a scheduled Cesarean scheduled for Thursday, but little Maia decided she wanted to meet everyone tonight. Pray Deena and Maia don't have any severe complications and that they both recover quickly.

SI.... do you know what that stands for? Well you sports fanatics surely do. It's an abbreviation for Sports Illustrated. Did you guys see that my dad was in the March 3rd issue with Jason Kidd on the cover? I mean of course you saw him... how could you miss him?

Hard for you to pick him out with all those people? Let me make it easier for you.....



You see him now right? He's in orange.... If you still haven't seen him, I'll give you a hint.... he's by someone who ISN'T in orange. You surely see him now. :)

Ok, so I officially think I will be selling my camera. It isn't that it doesn't take high quality pictures, and I love the size of it, but it just doesn't have the features I want. I'm not a professional photographer, so I need a camera that is semi-smart. I don't want to have to figure it out. I want it to do all the work for me. So if you know anyone that wants a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55 let me know. It's in super good condition. I keep it in a case, and haven't dropped it or anything. :) It's practically like new! I'm serious... make me an offer!

So, I went to a bookstore today. To shop. For books. The kicker is, they are books I actually WANT to read. I know... shocking! I do not have to study this weekend, so I am hoping to finish up a book I am reading now and then move on to one I bought today. I can hardly wait!

Alright, well that is probably enough for now. I'll be back later though with more interesting things to talk about I'm sure. :)

Until................................

My Top 5 least favorite....

Well, as far as comments go... Holli is disappointed, but I must say I am disappointed in the disappointed. Practice what you preach sister! :)
So this time I have returned with another installment of "My Top 5..." This time it is kind of broad, but who cares. No one replied to the last one so you must not have an opinion. :p

My top 5 least favorite things of all time.....

5. Wrestling on tv... seriously?? Is that really necessary? Don't we have enough fighting in the world without adding in the fake stuff?

4. Exams/Papers... refer back to my previous posts from the last couple months. Need I say more?

3. Hot dogs/bologna.... let's face it... they're the same thing, one is just un-rolled. My cousin and I did have a fun time breaking out in song though. Sing it with me people... you know the song...

"My bologna has a first name, it's O-s-c-a-r.
My bologna has a second name, it's M-a-y-e-r.
Oh I love to eat it everday and if you ask me why I'll saaaayyyy.
Cuz Oscar Mayer has a way with b-o-l-o-g-n-a!"

.

This last one appropriately leads me into my next least fav....

2. Children singing. I know... you're thinking "Megan! What a horrible person you are!!" I know!!! I just can't stand it!! I love Christmas pageants and such, and it's different when you are in person, but when I hear a children's song on the radio or on a cd, I cringe. Literally... ask my sisters. I don't know what it is, but it just rubs me the wrong way. Call me a horrible person if you want. I love the kids, just not their little voices on tape. :p

1. Lastly.... (cover your eyes Hol).... Steak and Shake. Ugh! I can barely type the words without feeling nauseous. *shudder* Let me just say this... New Years Eve circa 2004.... FOOD POISONING.... Need I say more??

Well, there you have it. Thank you to my beloved cousin Andi for helping me brainstorm. You were quite helpful with getting the creative juices flowing.
I'll be back later with something else I'm sure....

Until..........................

My top 5....

Ok, so my brain is pretty fried, but I thought I would come up with some "top 5..."
Haha... that rhymed (sort of). I'm a poet and I didn't know it!
OK, seriously... enough of that......
Ok, so for this blog we are going to do Top 5 favorite songs RIGHT NOW (since I just so happen to be listening to my itunes) Mind you... these songs pretty much change every day, but this is what I'm feeling right now with my itunes playing in the background seranading me as I type this blog for you lovely people....
I'll be interested what you guys have to say about your favorites (that is if any of you brave souls reply). <- Don't get mad Hol! :)

Without further ado.....

5. Just Remember sung by: Chad LaMarsh
4. Walk on Water sung by: Blue County
3. Faithful One sung by: Selah and Christy Nockels
2. Just a Dream sung by: Carrie Underwood
1. Great is Thy Faithfulness (no artist.. I've just had it in my head a lot lately)
BONUS SONG (because I just heard it on my itunes I finished typing this list):
You'll Ask For Me sung by: Tyler Hilton

Well, that's it for now. I have one more day of school and then a lot of work to do this week, as well as babysitting Robin's kiddos Thursday.

On the next edition of "Top 5..." "Top 5 least favorite ________" (If you have a suggestion for what the least likely topic should be let me know. As of now... I got nothin'.

Until whenever......................

P.S.-- Sunburns ITCH!!!!!!!!

Week 10...over halfway

I can't believe that this semester is half over already. I'm glad... but can't believe it. Tonight I worked on my last week of FULL paperwork for Adult! Woohoo!!! That means that from here on out I just have to go read up on my patient(s) the night before, do their meds and labs, and then read up briefly on their diagnosis so I know what I'm talking about. Basically my paperwork will be cut down by like an hour or more. It'll be fantastic!
Well, this paper/project drags on... We actually start teaching next week. Eek! I'm sorry, but did I go to school to become a teacher or a nurse???? Hmm.... Hopefully all goes well and these kids learn something.
So how was everyone's Easter? Mine was fine. I went to early service so I could study some more, and that just wears me out to do that. I did like having the extra time though. I took my test today, so we'll see how it went hopefully in the next couple days. It snowed a little on Easter. Nothing that accumulated, but the white stuff fell none the less. It was a very bizarre holiday. It seems as though this winter has lasted forever, but I think the fact that Easter was so early this year has something to do with that.
Switching gears.... have you seen the movie Enchanted? It's pretty cute. The music is so catchy! "How does she know...." haha... If you haven't seen it, you should. Go rent it this weekend!
Alright, well I'm feeling quite tired all of a sudden. I think it's all that knowledge that I stuffed in my head today. I'll be back later this week. I have some finishing touches to put on my paper, and I have a elderly appointment for clinical on Wednesday, but everything SHOULD be easy breezy, so I'll come back with something more interesting than my boring weekend I just recapped for you.
Have a good Tuesday!
Until.........................

The Resurrection

Matthew 28:1-10
1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down frome heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
5 The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you to Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

Can you imagine if it was you or I that came upon the tomb that day? How awesome it would have been to see an angel of the Lord sitting upon the stone that was supposed to be blocking the tomb where we would have expected our Lord to be laying. What a sight it would have been. Then the most wonderful sight of all would have been on the road on our way to tell the disciples of his resurrection. It's hard to fathom what Mary Magdalene and Mary were truly feeling in that moment when they met the Lord on that road....

Let's not forget what this Sunday is really about. It's not about candy or gifts, good food or a big bunny. It's about the Risen One..... Hope you all have a great Easter!
Until................

Super Duper Easter Egg Hunt!

Hop on over for the Super Duper Easter Egg Hunt!

Saturday, March 22nd.

10:00am

(snow, rain or shine)

***************************************************************

CBC

***************************************************************

For ages 23mo-6th grade

Prizes for every age group in addition to over 15,000 candy-filled eggs

(Bags Provided)

***************************************************************

Free doughnuts and Coffee

***************************************************************

COME ONE, COME ALL!! You do not need to go to CBC to be able to come. Bring your kids, and bring your kid's friends and their parents. ALL are welcome!!!

******************************

I'll be working the event, and it is sure to be a fun time!! You don't need to give notice that you're coming, JUST COME!! Hope to see you there!

Until..............

Who would have thought....

***Change made to this post as of 3/20. Scroll down to the blue print to see the change.***

I never in my wildest dreams would have thought that NKOTB would have stirred up so much (and by so much I mean 5 haha) commenting. And they were all from different people! Craziness!
Speaking of music.... check out the playlist. I've added A LOT and taken off most of the old ones except for a few that I'm not ready to part with yet. As always check the "What's New?" segment for changes and updates.
Speaking of new... did you know that Mary Kay is going to be selling mineral make up soon? I read that on a blog today. The woman wears Bare Minerals (like me... and Hol... and Lisa), but she is going to switch because supposedly MK will be cheaper. Hmm... I may have to look into that. However, I just bought a whole new thing of foundation and I'm not junking it to buy more of the same stuff in a different brand. Can we say poor college student? I'm not that crazy!
Speaking of crazy.... isn't it wild how when you "grow up" and look back on your childhood you have such fond memories of music or tv or clothes, and then you listen, watch, or see an old picture of those things and you cringe? I don't know why I was thinking about that today. Maybe it was because of the whole NKOTB post. I used to love a cartoon when I was little called David the Gnome. I would never miss it! I youtube'd it one day, and watched an episode, and I was a little disturbed. I actually liked that cartoon?? It was basically about animal rights. haha! This little gnome was like a doctor to all the animals in the forest, and he and his wife lived in a tree. It was all very bizarre. Then there is the music... My cousin Michelle and I used to sit and color for hours listening to The Hugga Bunch tape I had? Have you ever heard of that? I still have the old tape, and I still know all the words to every song, but now that I think back on it, and listen to the songs now, it was a little creepy too. Is it just the sign of the times or were we totally oblivious to all these things?
Here's a little taste of what a Hugga Bunch is....

I however, only had the cassette tape, and didn't watch these scary doll/puppets. My tape had a little moral to it and everything. Anyway... getting sidetracked.
Do you have any childhood memories that now that you look back you have found are a little weird or freaky? Or do you ever wonder to yourself, "Why did I ever like that?" It doesn't have to be scary like the Hugga Bunch dolls above. It can be funny or totally embarrassing. The more embarrassing the better! :) Let the rest of us know in the comments area....
Alright, well I need to go, because clinical is tomorrow and I kinda quit on my paperwork early tonight, so I have lots to do tomorrow. Hope you have a good Wednesday!
Until.............

NKOTB

I added a song to my playlist as a tribute to Robin :) and also to all those nostalgic memories of listening to NKOTB on tape in my oldest sister's room at our old house. *sigh* The memories....
Until...........

Go Green!!

Well, I thought that a post on being environmentally aware would be good for my next entry. One: because that seems to be the new "thing" and Two: St Patricks day is tomorrow.

Are you doing all you can do to help save the earth? Well, if you need some ideas in how to be more eco-friendly here are a couple tips....

1. Turn the water off while brushing your teeth. No use in wasting the water when the brush is in your mouth. In addition to this, take shorter showers. Still take a shower... just don't spend as much time. If you are going to shave your legs (ladies) turn the water off while you do, or wait until you get out and shave them sitting on the side of the tub with a little water in the bath. Or if you're feeling super limber, in the sink!
2. Re-use your plastic bags that you get from stores. Hint: Target bags have ideas on the side of their plastic bags for what you can use them for after you take your items out. Example: Trash bag, carry your lunch, use for wet swimsuits, etc.
3. Take a cloth bag to the grocery store when you go. That cuts down on how many plastic bags are used, and you can re-use them again.
4. Use cloth napkins instead of paper. You can just throw them in the laundry with your regular loads and you are helping save a tree.
5. Speaking of trees... plant a tree! It helps improve the air. (More oxygen, less CO2= easier breathing for you and me)
6. Walk or ride your bike instead of driving your car if possible.
7. If you get a ridiculous amount of catalogs in the mail, from places you've never heard of especially, call and have your name removed from their mailing list. Practically everything is online people. Subscribe to the emails and shop online. Or you could even go the store... but ride your bike. :)
8. Use eco-friendly cleaning supplies. There are several products out there that you can buy, or you can even make home-made cleaning products with things that are in your cabinets already at home. Here is an informative website- http://www.greenproducts.net/
9. Turn the thermostat down by 2 degrees. It will save on your energy bill, and that is always a plus! If you get cold easily, wear layers. Soon the weather will be nicer, so just hang in there a few more weeks, and then hopefully you won't have to turn your a/c on right away, and you will have a break on your bill. :)
10. Turn the lights off when you aren't in a room. If you're not in there, who are you keeping it lit for? Also, if you buy the new fluorescent lightbulbs that saves more energy as well... again, good for the bill!
11. Take a reusable mug to your favorite coffee place. They'll just poor your drink in your mug and it saves the use of all the plastic cups. Good for the ozone layer! :)
12. Recycle! Paper, plastic, glass.... re-use, reduce, RECYCLE!!

Alright, are you overloaded on green yet? :) I think I'm done for this post. Don't forget to look at my last post "Guess Who?" Also, there is new news on the right-hand side.
Try and be a little more earth friendly this week. If you have any ideas that are "green" share it with us in the comments. I start back at school tomorrow, so don't expect another post too soon. Lots of things going on this week, so I'll be back as soon as I can. Have a good St Patrick's Day. Wear green or you'll get pinched! (I think that is so stupid, but whatever. I'll still probably wear green tomorrow.)
Until next time......................

Guess Who?

Do you remember that game?? I used to love playing that when I was little. It was always such a bummer when you picked a girl card, because if the other person asked the "gender question" you were a gonner within a matter of 3 questions.

Oh the simple days of being able to play board games like that. No thought required. At dinner last night L&L's daughter (who is in 3rd grade) was talking about how she didn't have to take her spelling test that day. Do you remember when school was as simple as a spelling test made up of ten words? Can I go back to that easy time in life? On second thought.... I don't want to have to re-do the last 13 years of my life, so I'll stay where I am with less than a year left of college to go.


Anyway... moving on to the real reason for this post. Last night on our way to stuff eggs, my sis was like "Ok, so I think you need to ask who reads your blog." I think she's more curious than I am. I do usually get more than 20 hits per day, so there has to be more than just a couple people reading my monologues. It seems everyone has been asking lately who reads their blog. Don't they know curiosity killed the cat? So, I decided I would just do it and get it over with, and when only 4 people reply we can give it a rest. I've decided, however, to put a spin on it. Normally people just ask you (aka the blog stalkers) to post a comment and then people go into this huge long story of who they are, how they found the blog, they talk about their blog, they talk about what they like about your blog, etc..... No need people! I'm not asking for much. I myself am a "blog stalker". The first step is admitting it... :)Instead of the normal run of the mill answers, let's play a "game" You can put your name, blog name or even comment as anonymous... doesn't matter to me. Since we all know there are freaks in the world (see about 6 and 10 posts previous to this one) don't feel obligated that you have to list your name. You can tell me how you came upon my blog (that might be interesting). Lastly, tell us something about yourself. Example: I have auburn hair and am currently a nursing student. Simple enough right? That way if you don't want to put your name the "crazies" won't know who you are and we can GUESS WHO you are. If you think this is stupid then call me a dork and you can move on to another blog.
Alright, happy commenting.......
Until....................

Are you kidding?

We have been spoiled these last couple days. The weather here got up into the 60's! Woohoo, Spring here we come!! Well, I feel like we just got a "not so fast" (you know when you're all excited about something as a kid and then your mom blows your bubble by saying "not so fast" and the precedes to tell you about something so not fun that has to be done before the fun can commence).... It's only 33 degrees out right now, and it's snowing.... *sigh* I just hope that it starts getting warmer in the next couple weeks, so the easter egg hunt at church isn't a freezing mess outside!
Well, I should get to studying for my test. That coffee didn't wear off until 2 am, so I did get a little studying in after I worked on the paper for a bit. Craziness!
Until..............................

Stuff it...

Eggs that is.... The three of us sisters went to church tonight and stuffed easter eggs for the annual CBC Easter egg hunt. Let me just tell you... not so fun (although I think our table was the most productive). I've compiled a list of things you need to know if you are going to stuff eggs for Easter......
1. Don't EVER buy eggs that have glitter on the outside as a coating. They don't work well. You practically have to pry the thing open because the glitter-goo has melted together, and then when you do get it open it won't close.
1a. Don't buy "cute" eggs. Go for practical people. The kids don't care what the egg looks like, they want whats inside. Get the regular run of the mill eggs that have been around for years.
2. Something you NEED to know if stuffing a standard size egg... nerds, sweet tarts, suckers, and basically anything longer than your pinky that doesn't bend does NOT fit in the egg. So if you are ever assigned to buy candy for easter eggs, keep that information in mind.
3. Make sure you calculate correctly. If you are wanting to put 2 pieces of correctly sized candy in each egg, make sure you look at the bag, figure out how many pieces of candy you get and buy accordingly. This will prevent multiple trips to Walmart for more candy.

Ok, I think that pretty much sums it up.... After we stuffed the eggs (which we ended up having over 15,000 for the egg hunt), we went to L&L's house to play our new favorite game. We're such nerds... :) Hol and I went on a coffee run midway through the game, so I'm still feeling pretty awake. I should be using this time to write more of my paper, and I probably will, but I had to blog first.

I have a test for Community on Monday. Wasn't that nice of them to have a test the day we get back from vacation? As if I haven't done enough school stuff over this "break". I'm postponing the paper tomorrow and Sunday so I can study, but I will pick it back up Tuesday night or Wednesday probably. I think I made a lot of progress today, but still there is much to be done.

Alright... I guess I'm going to write a little bit more before I head to bed. Enjoy your weekend!

Until.............

Pretty Picture.....

So there are 38 people on a missions trip to Israel through our church. They have a designated blogger for the trip (Dan), and I completely forgot about it until my sisters were talking about it over dinner.

So I promptly hopped online and went to read how the trip was going. So far it looks like they are having a busy but enjoyable time.

Dan posted this picture, and I thought it was just too pretty.....

Isn't that a nice picture? Kudos to dan for a good photo.

Pray for the team. They get back on the 20th.

Well, I guess I've been procrastinating enough. Back to the paper.....

Until................................

News

I've added a new "segment" on the right hand side. It's called "What's New?" I will try and keep this current, so you will know if music has been changed or what exciting things are going on. As you can see the music HAS been changed. I removed a couple of songs and added new ones. I like to change things up every once in awhile. :) Poosibly be looking for a new layout as well. I've had this one for awhile, so it's about time for a new one....
Until...........

1,000 hits and History

I can't believe that my little ol' blog has gotten over a thousand hits since I put that "ticker" (for lack of a more technical term) on here. I can't even imagine who would be reading it except for a few people, and even more so coming back to read again. Thanks people!

Ok, so this paper for Community is a nightmare! I've written one part (woohoo for me!), but the next part I'm supposed to do is on history, and if any of you knew me in highschool you know that I pretty much HATE history, especially if my grade is depending on my recalling the information. Now, I guess I should clarify. I don't "HATE" history, per se, but it just not one of those things that comes easily to me. I like all that stuff that is only brushed over in class, not the major stuff I should know. So far I have two sentences written for the history portion, and neither one is very good. I would have my trusty sister help me write this part of the paper, but let's just say she did just about as well as I did with history in highschool. Guess, I'm on my own for this one.....

Not much going on today. I've been working on the paper. I did brown some hamburger for my mom earlier just to "break up my day". Her words, not mine. I was going to maybe get out of the house today, but then I'm not really supposed to go anywhere by myself, so that plan was kabashed. I didn't really even know where to go anyway, so driving aimlessly with gas so high wasn't a good plan either. Although, it's killing me that it's so nice outside and I'm inside working on school stuff. What kind of Spring Break is this anyway??? A bad one, that's for sure!

I guess I could do some shopping online... I'm not leaving the house so that would be safe.... on second thought, me + credit card + online stores = dangerous. I better table that idea for now too. I keep getting all these coupons and catalogs though, and they're just begging me to use them. All the spring styles are coming out, and my pasty white legs are begging for some time in the sun! Will it ever come??? I'm beginning to think winter is going to drag on and on for months... So sad....
My sister sent me an email yesterday and this is what it looked like....

I was wondering.....

Is it SPRING yet?

That's exactly how I feel baby.....

Alright, I guess I should get back to doing something............

Until next time..................

Quick Update

Ok, so I just wanted to update and say the creep runs free. I spent my Monday talking to a Detective off and on all day, and basically the phone calls I received came from a "Plain Old Telephone System" and whatever block was put on the phone could not be decoded (or however that works...) He said it wasn't local, because we have different pay phone systems here.
Oh yea, and there was someone else involved in the case. Apparently the scum bag contacted another woman in my same town. He said some of the same things to her, but he called her back on Sunday. I had my number changed by then, so who knows what would have happened had I kept my old number.
So basically we have hit a dead end. Do not pass go, do not collect $100. For now I am told to keep my guard up, don't go anywhere alone, and always be aware of my surroundings. Yea... as if I'm going to fall into a relaxed pattern so quickly.
Nothing much else to report. I've been working on school stuff all day. Fun, fun!
Tomorrow will be more of the same.....
Until next time...............

Summer Extern

With all this drama that has been going on, I forgot to tell you all... I got a position in the summer extern program through the hospital. I will be working on the Pediatric ICU. My hours will be 7p-7a and I will work 36 hours a week for 10 weeks. So basically I will be a night owl three nights a week.
The whole idea of the program is to shadow a nurse and get "signed off" on tasks that we can do ourselves. We become more and more independent, and it gives a good experience before we are pushed out of the nest and expected to fly in December. (Like that little analogy?) I actually was going for The NICU (which is the Neonatal ICU), but God had other plans for me to be in the PICU. Robin and Ashley also got the 7p-7a extern schedules, so we will all be on a whacked out sleep schedule for awhile. :)
Well, I better go. I've been putting off working on my paper for as long as possible, and I need to start working on it atleast a little bit tonight. Tomorrow will be filled with eating breakfast with my great aunt, working on a presentation with Robin, and starting my paper with Heidi. And if I have a little bit of time left I'm going to try and spend an hour or so with a friend I haven't seen in months before I go pick my mom up from work. I know... you're wishing you were me. I won't have too much fun, don't worry.
Until next time...........
P.S.- Sydney just made a noise that sounded like Harry from the movie Harry and the Hendersons. Hahaha!

There was a thief....

All you that have pets probably know what I'm talking about....
Everytime I turn around Sydney has something else in her mouth... socks, underwear, washcloth, and even my mom's cami once. What is up with that??? She loves to steal things out of the laundry room (clean or dirty) and run around the house with them. The other day I was so tired of chasing after her I just let her have the washcloth she had stolen. It was used to wash her face anyway, so it wasn't as gross as it could have been. Everytime I would come out of my room or walk past her she would hover over it like it was a priceless jewel. Crazy dog!
Here are some pics.............

(All these toys and she wants to play with a washcloth)

(At the top of the stairs "guarding" her lovely washcloth)

Until.............

Birthday card...

I forgot I said I would post what my Dad's Birthday card said. I was a little preoccupied since then.... so here you go. This card was from the three of us girls....

"He got all kinds of jobs- fixing our bikes, killing bugs, checking for monsters under the bed so we could sleep(I wanted to put mice here, but forgot. :)). He helped us move, checked our oil,
slipped us extra cash when we were broke. The rewards weren't big, but he didn't care. It was enough for him to watch us grow, hear us laugh, know that we were safe and happy and would grow up to be reasonably content. And without ever exchanging a word on the subject, he taught us all about love- how it's very often in the little things. That it makes a whole lifetime of difference to a child. That he's always been there, this unsung and utterly devoted man, our one and only dad."

Wasn't that nice? It would have been even nicer if when he was reading it he didn't throw in "Changing your number so you aren't harrassed by a crazy old guy".... yup... nothing says Happy Birthday Dad quite like that.
Anyway, just wanted to share the nice card we got him.
Until...........

It's not a party 'til the police show up....

So Friday night was interesting.... We had our supper NINE (yes, I finally figured out how many it was) and it was a lot of fun. Dinner was scrumptious! We had grilled chicken, cheesy potatoes, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes (aka a little piece of heaven), rolls, and then a necterine (I think...) and blueberry cobbler thing for dessert. It all was so delicious! We didn't move from the dining room table the whole night. We had A LOT of laughs, and got to meet and spend time with some new people. The night was going fantastic... that is until I got a phone call....
I had my phone at the table because I was showing everyone a picture that I had on my phone. (That is a whole other story....) So I just left my phone sitting on the table while we continued to talk. Well, all of a sudden my "How to Save a Life" ringtone goes off, so I silence it and notice that the call is an "unknown caller". I apologize and we continue talking. The call goes to my voicemail. Not even 2 seconds later my phone rings again... "unknown caller". At this point I'm thinking "maybe it's someone from school. I should answer it." So I excuse myself and go into the living room to take the call. ......I'll spare you the details (even though I can remember every word) because I have enough trouble sleeping, I don't want to freak you all out. Basically, the guy says some threatening things to me, and I hang up. So I stand there for a second thinking to myself, "What just happened here? Was that for real?" I go into the dining room and sit back down at my chair. Meanwhile no one knows what just occured. Then, my phone rings AGAIN! "Unknown Caller". I was sitting in between both my sisters, and Holli goes, "Who was it?" I said, "I don't know." "Well, should you answer it again?" "I don't want to..." So Holli grabs my phone and answers it. I didn't say much the first time around so she passed for me on the phone and talked to the guy. (Again I will spare you the details of what happened). So while she is talking on the phone I looked over to my other sister (and by that time everyone could tell I was kind of freaked out) and told her what was said during my conversation. Needless to say everyone was concerned, and once Holli hung up on the guy, we called our family friend who is a detective and he advised us to call the police and file a report. So, here we are at 9:45 at night and the police come knocking at these people's home. These poor people!! I had really only "known" them for less than 3 hours, and they are having to deal with all this drama. Anyway, so Hol and I relay the phone conversations and the police officer takes our statement. The night was pretty much over after that. I went home, told my dad about it, just in case the police called in the middle of the night, and I went to bed for a restless nights sleep.
So, then we come to Saturday morning... didn't take much to get myself out of bed, since I really didn't sleep that well to begin with. I wasn't even up 20 minutes before I'm telling the whole thing to my mom (who had been asleep when I got home the night before). Then, I had to hurry and get dressed so my dad and I could go to Verizon... on his birthday mind you... to change my phone number and try and obtain my phone records. One of the ladies working customer service was a real witch, so we walked out with only a new number... no records. (apparently they have privacy laws about people who have their phone number resitrcited.. I see, so they can call and harrass me, but I can't know who it is... makes perfect sense...) So, the police station will turn the case over to a detective and they will have to subpeona Verizon for the records, and then we will go from there. All in all, I got the crap scared out of me, and have been a little on edge the last couple days. Tomorrow my dad is going to the police station to tell them we couldn't get the records and then they will take it from there. Hopefully they can figure something out before I go back to school next week. Until then, I'm pretty much staying in groups and have only given my new number out to a handful of people. If you are reading this saying "Hey... why didn't she call me and give me her new number?" then leave a comment. I may have just forgotten. Forgive me... I've been a little preoccupied.
Alright, well I need to get going. I have a few things I need to do before I leave for small group tonight. Hope everyone had a more enjoyable, less drama-filled weekend than I did. I'll be back hopefully with some good news later this week.
Until.................

What's new??

Not much here. I took a 2 hour drive today. No, it wasn't aimless driving. I know the price of gas right now! I drove an hour away to drop of Christmas gifts (yes, I said Christmas) to my friend and her three kiddos, then I turned right back around and came home. Since then I have been reading my Bible, picking out new music for my playlist (see below for some new additions), surfing some blogs, and putting off starting my paper as long as possible. :) I figure I will probably start writing it Sunday night/Monday morning at the earliest. I had this big idea to start writing it today, but you know what... I don't want to. I'm tired and I want to relax a little bit before I jump into my Spring (not-so-much-of-a) Break.
On my way home earlier today (after dropping off gifts) my friend Robin called me. She was breathless with excitement! She wanted to tell me that she got the summer extern and she was placed in the NICU (her first choice!) which is awesome!!!! She will do amazing there, and has so much to offer those precious little ones and their families because she has walked in their shoes.
Tonight is "Supper 6"...or 8 or 9 or whatever..... the point is the three amigas -or should it be hermanas- (aka me and the sisters) are getting together with a few couples in our Sunday School class to break bread and have a good time. :) Then we might get really crazy on a Friday night and go play Mexican Train Dominoes at some friend's house. I know... we're crazy!
Tomorrow Hol (and maybe Lisa, I'm not sure) and I are going to head out to shop. Holli is desperate for spring clothes and I have no money, so I'll probably be tagging along for cookies and a coffee! :) And tomorrow is my Dad's birthday, so we're going out to eat for that. He'll be XX years old. And he doesn't look a day over XX. :) (No that is not roman numeral, so you can stop trying to figure out what the double X means. I am concealing his age, in case he doesn't want me to tell.) I was in charge of the birthday card this year. For the last few years the three of us girls just get one collective card for our parent's when it is their birthday, mother's/father's day, anniversary (duh).... I did a pretty good job this year if I do say so myself. I'll post what the card says tomorrow after we give it to him, just in case he reads my blog I don't want him to find out until he actually gets it.
Ok, well enough randomness for now. I'll be back sometime this weekend. Have a good one peeps!!
Until.............................

Happy Birthday....

...to my baby, Sydney!! I can't believe the crazy pup is three years old today!

I can still remember when...

- we said goodbye to her momma Brandy

- we could hold her in our arms... standing up

- she could fit in the sink

- she would walk right beside my dad... oh wait... she still does that.

- we could give her toys without her destroying them within 5 minutes

- she would lay underneath the coffee table downstairs

- she didn't know how to go up and down stairs. (Boy has that changed!)

I miss her being that small, and then I love the stage she's in now even though people say she's wild and rambunctious. Those are the people that aren't around her when she lays on my bed and snores, or is so excited to see me in the morning that she can't even stand still, or when she gives me hugs (yes, she does). No one sees those things, so therefore their judgements have no bearing....


I do have to say that her birthday slipped my jamm-packed mind until my mom reminded me of it after clinical today. I promptly came home and sang happy birthday, played ball with her for awhile, and of course... took pictures!!!

Well, there she is... my BIG three year old puppy! Isn't she adorable?

Alright, I'm wiped. One more day before Spring Break officially starts for me. Woohoo!

Enjoy your Wednesday!

Until next time.................................

Where has my head gone?

I had something in mind to blog about tonight, because I knew I would be done fairly early with my paperwork. Now that I'm sitting here though I can't think of what it was. Shoot! I hate when that happens.

I do have more pictures from the Doctor's Dance though. These are Ashley's pics. Same camera... much better result.

(Here is what the picture of me and Robin was supposed to look like.)

(Here we are: The Three Muskateers! Ash, Me, Robin)

(Here we are with Jen, a friend from school.)

Haha.. I just noticed that those three pictures are practically the same except each one has an added person. Too funny!

(Here Robin and I are "getting down" on the dance floor. I have NO idea what I am doing. It looks like I'm eating, but I know I wasn't. Hmm... oh, and that's Maria making a face in the corner, and I have no idea who that guy is in the background.)

Yea, so that's how a camera should take pictures. It seems that in the last couple days I've seen nothing but camera ads everywhere I look. Is it a sign??? I really do like my camera, I just think it's having issues. I will try to resolve them, but if things don't get better all I have to say is "Camera for Sale!".

Alright, well I should get ready for bed. I need to get up at 5 tomorrow. Ugh! I hate early mornings! Only about 9 more months of this and then I can do whatever shift I want!

Stay healthy people! Lot's is going around right now.

Until next time.....................

The Luck of the Draw...

One thing is for certain about Mexican Train Dominoes... it's all about luck! You have no idea what your tiles will be and if they don't have the magic number to get your train started you are in big trouble. This is something my sister Lisa learned today. My sis Holli sent me this picture with the following message...

"This picture sums up Lisa's bad luck at Mexican Train Dominoes today. (Notice she had not even started her train.) Needless to say the entire game ended with me only losing 2 rounds and the final score being 763 to 97."

I bet she had to use a calculator to add up that round. Poor Lisa! Better luck next time sis!

Alright, well I must go study a little more before I go to bed. I'll be back probably Wednesday night or so. Wish me luck with my last week before Spring Break!!!

Until.............

The Doctor's Dance aka "The Ball"

Well, the night is done. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Robin (who was my date because Brian was out of town with the kids, and I was not going by myself) and I rode together. I met her at her house, and she was all sniffly nosed and coughing. I thought I had an out. If she was sick, I didn't have to go! Yes!! Not so fast.... she was still going... Shoot! I guess if I was being honest though I have to say I did have fun, although I have proven once again I have absolutely zero rhythm. It's sad really when people are dancing and all you can do is sway back and forth with an occasional bounce thrown in. Oh well... it's over, and hopefully I won't have to do it again for a very long time.

The food was pretty good. It consisted of a salad, green beans, mixed veggies (steamed), little red potatoes, chicken or beef, and rolls. There was also cake and cheesecake. You gotta love free food!

Ok, so let's go back to the dancing part of the night for a minute. It is quite entertaining when you get to watch your instructor's dancing. You see them all serious and "school appropriate" all week and then when you see them all dressed up and cutting a rug on the dance floor it is quite hilarious. At one point I looked over and my cute little community instructor was dancing next to us. She looked at me and waved and smiled, then said, "I'm so glad you're out having a good time!" ...That's just weird. haha....

Anyway... so we did the mandatory electric slide, YMCA, Shout, blah blah blah.... I felt like I was at a wedding reception.

OK, so let's switch gears for a second... I HATE my camera!!! I'm about ready to post it on ebay or take it back to the store. It is ridiculous. Nine times out of ten I get a crappy picture. It is just not right! I will definitely be figuring this out soon or I am going to throw a serious hissy fit!

Here are a few pictures from the night (atleast some semi-decent ones).

(Krissy and her hubby. The poor guy had a tooth pulled a couple days ago.)

(Ty and Ash)

(Exhibit A of why I hate my camera. This is supposed to be a GOOD picture of me and Robin. Instead I get weird streaky things. Ugh!)

(This is exhibit B. It would have been so adorable had it turned out! They were dancing to their song Open Arms by Journey)

I'll be getting more pictures from Ashley I'm sure, and I'll post those when I do. Her camera is the same as mine and it takes good pics. I don't know what the deal is.

Alright, well I need to go to bed, because tomorrow I have church and I will be studying the rest of the day. Ick!

Until..................

Mexican Train Dominoes!

Ok, when we left the Fundue/Fondue last night and were headed off to "have some fun" I was pretty excited. I had had a grueling week and was ready to have fun. When the words "we can go to my house and play dominoes" were uttered my excitement quickly deflated. Dominoes?? I'm staying up late...without doing anything productive... to play dominoes? Oh boy....
Well we go get a Starbucks (thank goodness... I think that is what kept me going until 1:30am) and headed off to our destination. So we get there and we're sitting at the kitchen table and dominoes are dumped all over the table... and they were pretty! <-(Said in a dreamy trance-like way) So then they start explaining these whacked out rules that I was sure, even though I didn't know the real rules to dominoes, wasn't correct. Then they throw in that it's MEXICAN TRAIN DOMINOES! Okay, if you have not played this you should. Not only does it use your math skills (some rounds more than others), but it's fun too. You don't have to use your brain too much while playing so you can still talk and get up to go to the bathroom, etc. without having missed anything. It's also kind of fun if you are a strategist or an organizational freak (yes Holli, I know... but you're one too!!!), or if you like pretty colors and patterns. I think pretty much everyone would love this game. I think after my baby shower today I'm going to have to go on the hunt for some double twelve dominoes.
Alright, well I must go. I just wanted to tell you of this new game (new to me atleast) that I had played. It was much fun, and I'm glad I now have something to switch out Greedy Dice with every once in awhile. Oh, do you know how much fun would be had by all if we were to play Greedy Dice AND Mexican Dominoes all in one night?? Oh my!
Ok, for real I have to go now. I need to finish reading something for school and get ready for the baby shower.
Until people..................