Groundhog Day

So yeah, I have a groundhog living in my basement. He dug himself a little tunnel in and set up his bachelor pad in the middle of my basement. I was pretty sure that he was living there, but had not fully investigated the situation until yesterday. I had seen him in the backyard several times and had noticed a hole at the corner of my house that the dogs sniff around a lot. I gathered up some courage yesterday and went down to the basement to check things out. I did not see him (probably a good thing cause I think that would have totally freaked me out!), but saw plenty of evidence of him.
I am not interested in being a landlord or adding a new member to the family, so I need to find a way to evict him. In my quest to rid myself of this pesky house guest, I have learned quite a bit about groundhogs.

• They are herbivores, but will eat some bugs.
• When cornered, they can be rather feisty. 
• Evidently in this area to trap them, you have to have a permit. Animal Control has provided me with the name of three men who have said permits.
• The groundhog in my basement appears to be packing on the pounds for the winter. He is quite chubby.
• Groundhogs are hard to get rid off.
• It is illegal to fire a gun in the city limits and to have a silencer for said gun.
• Several of my friends own dogs that are good at hunting and killing various animals.
• Ground hogs hibernate (hence my hurry to get rid of it as I do not want a guest for the winter).
• The gestation period for groundhogs is only 32 days.
• There is a ground hog living in Ontario named Wiarton Willie and he is 22 years old.
• Groundhogs can climb over a short fence.
• And that's what I've learned so far.

I hope to be serving an eviction notice soon. Maybe I'll get to meet someone like Billy the Exterminator during this fun little adventure. Stay tuned for updates.

Career Day

I love being a PA. I have encouraged several people to pursue this field.  I enjoy my job most days. Sometimes though, when it's been a particularly bad day or I'm feeling a little restless, I think about looking for a new career. Because I'm a realist, my "dream jobs" don't include things like super star, world class athlete, actress or any of the so called glamorous jobs. Those things aren't really me and I don't think I'd be very happy with them. I like to work, but some days the responsibility and decision making gets to me and I dream of days where no one looks to me for answers and I can just show up do my job, and go home. So I've come up with a list of alternative occupations that I could see myself doing. A couple are still health care related, but sometimes it's hard to break away from what you love.

1. Scrub Tech During my annual GYN surgery trip to Mexico last week, I was reminded just how much I love being in the OR. Scrub techs get the chance to be in the OR and be involved in the surgery without the pressure of actually doing the operation.
2. Nanny I love kids, especially the little ones. I think being a nanny would be great. I recently saw an ad for a position and have to admit I considered applying. I know there are some bad positions out there, but I feel like those are the super elite families with more money than sense. Being a nanny over seas would be my really dream job.
3. Flight Attendant I believe that's the PC term these days. It's pretty clear I love to travel and see different places. I would of course want to fly the cross country and international routes. I know I'd have to deal with some jerks along the way, but think of all the cheap trips I could take.
4. Cupcake Shop Owner/Baker If I had lots of money, this is seriously the one I would most likely do. I love to bake, and anyone who knows me, knows that cupcakes are my thing. I think it would so much fun to have my own shop and get to bake and design cupcakes all day long. Of course the stress of running my own business that whole turning a profit in order to pay the bills thing might not be so great.
5. Paramedic I really considered this when I was in high school. I think it would be fun to work on the ambulance or even better the helicopter. To truly get to make decisions that can save a person's life and do life saving procedures. I know there's a lot of taxi driving involved with that too, but for the real emergencies it would be pretty great.
6. Product Reviewer I think it would be fun to test out new inventions, try new foods, play new games and give my feedback on them. I think it could also be good for a few laughs.

I realize that some of you are thinking that a lot of these jobs aren't much different from my life now or that they don't sound very interesting, but it's my list. And while I don't plan a career change in the near future, it's always good to have a backup plan.

I think I'm in love.....

...with my new vacuum cleaner. I have drooled over Dysons for years, but could never bring myself to fork out that kind of money for a vacuum. But this week I finally gave in and purchased one. It arrived today and it is amazing!
 I like to vacuum. I always have. There's something about sucking up all the dirt and seeing a clean floor that makes me feel like I have accomplished something. Thanks to my sweet cocker spaniel Toby, I have managed to kill 3 vacuums in the last 5 years. Meaning I have invested close to $300 (close to the price of a Dyson), and I have never really had one that I've loved. The most recent victim was killed off last week. I took it apart (as I have had to do many times in the past), spent 30 minutes cleaning it out, and it still didn't suck. Even when it did work, it wouldn't really pick up the stuff of the hard wood floors.
So I scoured the internet for deals and discounts, because as much as I wanted a Dyson, I still couldn't bear to pay full price. I considered buying a refurbished model, until I found an amazing deal on Amazon. I read a million reviews and finally decided to buy the All Floors DC14. Thanks to QuantiaMD, I even had a $100 gift card from Amazon to use. I also signed up for a free trial of  Amazon Prime so I could get my vacuum in 2 days (two day shipping is free when you do!). I know I'm weird, but I wanted to be able to clean this weekend. I waited excitedly for the Fed Ex man to bring my wonderful vacuum today. When it finally arrived, it immediately came out of the box and was put to use. It is everything I had dreamed it would be and more!!! It sucks up everything. I have never had a vacuum that picks up off my hardwood floors and handles all the dog fur. But now I do! I seriously don't think my house has been this clean since I moved in 2 years ago. Yep, I totally love it.

Run Away with Me

I went running last night for the first time in about a month. It wasn't easy but it was good. I even ran without any music, which for me is a big deal. It started out as just a walk, but once I was outside, it felt so nice that it turned into a run. I am determined to conquer this thing. I know I can do it, I have before. It's just finding the motivation and time to keep at it. I joined the YMCA a month ago, and have yet to darken the doors. Partially because it's about 20 minutes away. Partially because I've been sick since the middle of July. Partially because I just haven't wanted to. So at this point I've begun refering to the money I'm paying the Y as a donation rather than a membership fee. I really like running outside better any way, it's just been too stinking hot lately and I can't handle it. I don't do heat well, or cold for that matter. A girl I work with says I'm like a snake because I can't regulate my body temperature. Running is hard for me for several reasons.

• I have bad knees. I always have. I did physical therapy in college which helped some but running on a treadmill still kills them after a few days.
• I have this annoying heart condition thing that goes haywire when my heart rate gets to high. Therefore...
• I take this medication that limits my heart rate both at rest and when exercising. That means my heart can only beat so fast when running. Which means only so much blood is getting pumped to my body. Which means there is only so much oxygen available to me when I run. This all gets a bit better as I build up endurance, but still there's a limit to what I can do.
• My thighs rub together. Enough said if you experienced it you know why this is a problem.
• I am incredibly self consious when I exercise. I'm sure people really don't pay that much attention to me, but I'm convinced they do. I hate looking stupid in front of others and I know when I'm running I don't exactly look like a world class athlete. Probably quite the opposite. People driving by are probably reaching for their cell phones wondering if they should call 911 for the girl who looks like she is about to pass out at any second. My face gets really red when I run even if it just a short distance and I'm not dying.
• I also sweat a lot. To the point that sometimes it makes my skin itch. I wonder if it's possible to be allergic to sweat. Because by all logical reasoning that means I could be allergic to exercise as sweat is the product of exercise (isn't that how all those ridiculous geometry proofs work?)
• I get bored when I run. Even when it's outside. Hence why I almost always have music with me. I have to have gum too cause I get this really funky taste in my mouth when I run and it makes me want to puke. I also have a hard time thinking about spending an hour or so just running. Not that I have a problem spending that time on the couch in front of the TV, but to spend it running seems crazy to me.

But I'm determined this time. I am going to stick with it. Fall is just around the corner, which means cooler weather is on the way. I am committed to losing weight and running will help me greatly with this goal. I really want to run the 5K this year at the CFF Great Strides walk and maybe even the Turkey Trot this Thanksgiving. So for now, I will keep on putting one foot in front of the other, because this eventually will get easier.

Walking is like Driving and Driving is like Walking

I had a lapse in judgment this weekend and went to the mall on Saturday. I normally avoid the mall like the plague on the weekend because for one the mall isn't all that great and two I normally want to kill someone within a short time of being there. I needed to fill my afternoon though, and I was really craving some Chick-fil-a for lunch, so in the midst of the monsoon, I braved the mall. Yeah, not so much a good idea. If you can have walking rage, similar to road rage, I definitely had it Saturday. I don't understand why people can't follow a few simple principles and courtesies when walking around. Such as viewing the hallways as roadways. One side goes one way, the other side goes the other way. If you are walking out from a store, you should stop and look as you merge into traffic. Not, just plow ahead and slam into whatever is in your path. You also shouldn't randomly stop in the middle of the walkway and block the area so that no one can get through. If you are walking through the food court and hit into my chair, you should probably stop and make sure you didn't do any damage. So basically walk like you would drive. Of course when driving, I realize most people can't or don't follow these simple rules in their cars, so why would they observe them when walking in public places. Still, it's just not that hard people. Wake up and pay attention.
For the record, my Chick-fil-a sandwich was fantastic as was my diet lemonade and I got a couple of cute things at Forever 21, so the outing had a few bright spots. It will be a while before I venture out the Mall weekend though, which is probably best for the safety of the teenage population of Johnson City who are the major rule breakers.

28 Years

Exactly 2 weeks ago, I turned 28 and I'm not sure I like it. I realize that there's not really anything I can do about it, but still I don't think I'm a fan of this late twenties phase of my life. Aside from a wonderful little party at work with the most wonderful cupcakes ever, and flowers from my besties, my birthday itself was pretty uneventful. I worked. I went home. I had a Happy Meal as my birthday dinner. I watched TV. I went to bed, another year older. I did celebrate that weekend with my family, so don't feel too sorry for me. I kind of feel like that what birthdays have become for me, just another reminder that I'm not getting any younger.
28 isn't that old, I get that, but when I pictured being 28 this is not how I thought it would be. I didn't think I'd spend most evening sitting at home alone. I thought there would be someone to come home to and maybe the pitter patter of little feet to greet me at the door when I got off work. And there are little feet that coming running when I get home, but it's of the 4 legged variety. I try and be happy with the life I have, because I really don't have much to complain about. I have a mostly normal family, a great job, good coworkers, a house I love, and amazing friends. And yet, none that fills the void in my life that longs for someone to share this all with. As 30 quickly approaches, I feel as though I am daily reminded that I am a single woman, and it's a status I'd gladly trade in. If you read my blog, you know I've written about this before, and while I don't want to sound like a broken record, this is my outlet to share what's on my heart and mind. This is something that weighs heavy on my heart a lot and I hope will someday soon be something I no longer have to worry about.

Random Bits of Randomness

Do you ever just have those random thoughts, that you aren't quite sure where they come from? I sure do. I think I might have a few more than most because of how my brain is wired. According to Clifton Strengthsfinder, Analytical and Strategic are two of my top 5 strengths. This combination means that I process information faster than most and then am able to formulate a plan based on that. In short I'm a problem solver who looks at lots of situations and comes up with a bunch of random things based those situations. Right now my head feels rather full of random thoughts, so I'm giving you all a chance to hear a bit of my inner monolouge. I know you're thrilled :-).

• All public restrooms should buy the air freshener Target has in theirs. It always smells like oranges when I go in there, even if the bathroom is a mess and the trash is full.
• I think mailmen would make the best robbers because they always know when people are out of town.
• More stores need to implement self check out. Having to deal with most store cashiers kills some of my brain cells. I'm sure of it. Checking myself out saves me from this.
• The sales girls at aeri know me as "the girl who loves the Ella bra." Is that weird? I think maybe it is, and perhaps indicates I shop there a little too often. It is however the best bra ever! 
• No matter how many times I watch Home Alone and Home Alone 2, they never get old. I'm currently watching 2 as I type.
• I have this obsession with buying baby clothes (especially if they're on clearance), but there's no baby anywhere in my near future. Is this a problem?
• I hate the way Augmentin makes my pee smell, but since it's knocking out my sinus infection, I guess I'll be putting up with it for a couple of weeks.
• I would pay a lot of money for indestructible dog toys. My cocker spaniel and toy schnauzer have managed to tear up every toy I've ever bought (even the really expensive one I bought online after seeing it in Rachael Ray) and picking up the pieces gets old. 
• Also where does all that fluff come from? Seriously the smallest stuffed toy seems to have half a bag of stuffing in it. 
• Why do mosquito bites itch so much? I mean I get the science of histamine release and all that stuff, but why does a little bug that sucks outs some blood itch so stinking much? It doesn't itch when I cut myself shaving and way more blood is shed then.
• Does your family sing Happy Birthday before or after you blow out the candles? My family does after candles and lots of people seem to think this is weird. (My birthday was Wednesday so this isn't quite as random as it may seem.)

So what are your random thoughts? The things you lay in bed at night and ponder when you can't sleep. Feel free to answer or comment on mine cause I'd love to move on to some other randomness. 

Nose Plugs

Ok, so I promise to try my best not to gross anyone out with this little adventure of mine, but 5 plus years in the medical field has made it a little difficult to discern what qualifies as gross or too personal. I forget that what I find interesting or might discuss at the dinner table, others get faint or nauseous just thinking about. So you've had your warning. I promise this experience of mine isn't too bad, but in case you don't agree, proceed with caution!
I've been sick for over a week now with the sinus, earache, sore throat, headache crud, and I am miserable. Thanks to this wonderful little heart condition of mine, Sudafed is completely out of the questions leaving me with a very few medications to relieve my symptoms. I've pretty much tried them all. I've sucked on numerous cough drops and hard candy, slathered on plenty of Vics Vapor rub, gargled with salt water (almost chocking to death at one point), taken enough naproxen and motrin to give me a stomach ulcer, and my face practically has frost bite from my sinus mask.  But alas, none of this is helping. Not even a little. I have become a mouth breather (which I hate) and constantly have this horrible drainage taste in my mouth. Nothing tastes good and all salty, spicy, acidic, and rough foods are out as my throat does not appreciate them. I'm sick of it.
So, last night I decided to give in and brave the saline nasal spray. Many people claim it's great and will really clear things out. For most people this probably doesn't seem like a big deal, it is just salt water after all. But to me it's a big deal. I'm not really sure why, but I hate things up my nose (this applies to my ears as well). I don't use nasal sprays (partly because some moron decided to make them floral scented which adds to the allergies), Qtips, Zicam, or anything that involves my nostrils and "up". The idea of having my nose pierced weirds me out more than I can tell you. I don't even like to blow my nose. Yes, I realize this is strange, but hey it's me. I had strep in my nose as a child and had to have my nose cultured, and I think it scarred me for life. Heaven help anyone who tries to get a flu swab or insert an NG tube on me. I will need sedation. However, I was so miserable last night I broke down and decided to go for the nasal spray. It couldn't be that bad right? Wrong!!!! I layed down on the couch to administer the spray because I knew I'd never convince myself to inhale the stuff. I literally drop 2 drops into my right nostril and I immediately think I'm going to die. It burns, makes my eyes water, causes me to gag, and then I taste it going down the back of my throat and I think I'm going to throw up. It was horrible. My nose and throat continued to burn for the next few hours and I couldn't get rid of the taste. Needless to say, the nasal spray is now residing in the trash can, never to come near my nose again. So for now, I continue to be a mouth breather and pray this passes quickly. Tomorrow is my birthday and since no one should be sick on their birthday, I'm praying for complete healing over night. Feel free to join me!

Back to the Real World

I head back to work tomorrow after spending a wonderful week in  Williams, AZ loving on babies at Young Lives camp. I really enjoyed my time out there and it was amazing watching these teen moms change through out the week. I got the sinus, ear ache, head ache, sore throat, swallowing razor blades feeling thing early in the week which made getting through the week a little bit harder physically this year. I am thankful I didn't get the GI bug that some people got though. I just hope I can kick this thing soon as I head back to work tomorrow and will begin my call week. Plus my birthday is on Wednesday and it's no fun to be sick on your birthday.
It was so beautiful out in AZ and I wish I could have stayed longer. If I go again next summer I hope to make it out to the Grand Canyon. The weather was perfect with highs in the upper 70's/low 80's and nights in the low 60's. Plus NO humidity. It was so cool one day I wore long pants and long sleeves! So needless to say, the return to summer in the South was not so great. I was welcomed back with heat and plenty of humidity.
Since I flew out of Nashville I got to start and end my travel time with visits with my good friend Tasha. I wish we lived closer cause we always have so much fun when we hang out and I value her friendship lots.She also runs a wonderful "taxi service" to and from the airport! I also got to have dinner with my friend Erin and it actually made me miss our time spent together in PA school. The only thing that was missing was Nathan.
Well, it's off to bed for me now in hopes that some extra rest will be just what I need to start the week feeling refreshed. Goodnight all.

Beantown

Reasons I like Boston

• Public Transportation
• Everyone Walks
• Fresh Seafood
• Good Sports Teams
• Val is there
• Near the water but not the beach
• Neighborhoods/Communities

I'm definitely a southern girl at heart and long winters aren't my thing, but if I had to pick a northern town to live in, Boston would be at the top of the list. In a word, my long weekend in Boston with the girls was AMAZING. It was seriously one of the best times I've had in a while, owing in large part to the company while there. It was so great to hang out with the girls and come home feeling refreshed. The weekend was the perfect mix of activity and relaxation. We stayed up late, slept in, lounged around on the patio drinking coffee, ate amazing food, walked-a lot, visited some of Val's everyday hangouts- including her school and neighborhood restaurant, shopped, cooked, and basically just reconnected as friends and caught up on life. It was great. I was a slacker and didn't take any pictures, so these photos are courtesy of Jen. Enjoy!

                                     

Second Career?

I love to bake and have tried my hand at some cake making and decorating over the years. I'm not very creative on my own, but if I see a neat I idea I'm very good at copying and putting my own spin on it. My friend Jessica recently gave me the most wonderful book ever, called What's New Cupcake that is filled with pages of wonderful designs that all involve cupcakes, which for me is perfect. For some reason cupcakes are less intimidating that decorating a whole cake, plus I have making cupcakes down to an art. If turning a profit wasn't an issue, I would open my own cupcake shop tomorrow and spend my days baking and decorating. Who knows maybe one day or at least a little side business.
I had been looking for an excuse to try out on of these wonderful creations, and got that opportunity to do just that this week when Jessica asked me to make one for her dad's birthday. It turned out quite well if I do say so myself and very close to the picture in the book. It did take my wrist a day or so to recover from piping all the grass, but otherwise it was quite easy. I'm already looking for an occasion to make another one!

TMI

I like Facebook, I really do. I probably spend way more time on there than I should, but it's fun to keep up with what's happening in everyone's lives. However, recently I kind of dread signing on. It seems like every time I read through the news feed someone else I know is engaged, married, or pregnant. I am happy for all my friends that are experiencing these wonderful life events, but I'll admit I'm jealous too. I'm kind of tired of seeing all the good things happening to everyone but me. That's not to say that my life is horrible. I have a good job and great friends. But I want more. I won't repeat my previous blogs as I've shared my thoughts more than once on my desire to be a wife and mom, but if you know me at all, you know that is the deepest desire of my heart. I'm going to be 28 here in a couple of months, which means only a couple of years until I hit the big 3-0, and I'm dreading it. I just thought I'd be settled, with a husband and a baby or two by the time I turn 30, and with each passing day, it becomes less and less likely. I know it can still happen, but I'm a realist and I'm good at figuring the odds, so while I'm not giving up on my dreams, I'm trying to prepare myself for what may be my reality. So to all my friends who are experiencing life to the fullest right now, I am happy for you, I just wish I had those events to share with you too.

Is it June yet?

I want it to be June. June 25th to be exact. While it might seem like an ordinary, random day to most,  for me it's a day I'm really looking forward to, because this is the day I will be in Boston with 3 of my favorite girls in the world. We've been friends for so long, sometimes it's hard to remember how long we've known each other (for the record in case you are curious or OCD like me- V: 23 years(has it really been that long?!?!), L: 15 years and J: 13 years). We know each so well, that even though we only get to all be together a couple times a year, we remain close. It's like we've never been apart even if it's been months. I love these girls so much and don't know what I'd do without them in my life. I could really use some girl time, shopping, good seafood, and fun, and all this and more will certainly be had on this weekend. I've been to Boston once before, but it was cold and kind of rainy, so I'm looking forward to seeing Boston when it's warm and hopefully sunny! My plane ticket is purchased, and I even got a new suitcase for the trip. I've actually already thought about what I'm going to pack. So yeah, I'm ready for June to get here.

Catching up

Wow, it's been a while since I last posted, so I thought I'd fill you in on what I've been up to lately. I've been up to a few things since I last sat down and blogged. I know you're dying to know all the recent events in my oh so exciting life :-) Well, the wait is over! Here's what I've been up to in addition to working lots and keeping up with daily life:

We had a baby shower for the girls at work who are prego and it was wonderful. It was lots of fun to plan and everyone had a wonderful time.
The wonderful cakes were made by a friend, Amy Callahan Walker, that I went to college with. She is quite talented and the cakes were delicious! I made diaper cakes with a little help of my friend Melissa, and have decided that if I ever need a new career this just might be it. That or a cupcake shop! The babies will be here soon and I can't wait to meet both little girls.

I participated in the Great Strides walk in Cleveland. It was another great turn out and successful day for raising money and awareness for Cystic Fibrosis. I know Nathan was there with us in spirit and there was much tears and laughter as we remembered Nathan and how he touched us all.  This year I walked the 5K but next year my goal is to run it. My friend Tasha and I have decided we should plan to do it together.
So that means, I've started running again. I've been at if for 3 weeks now and I have to say I kind of like it. Not so much the running part because I'm not sure that I'll ever love to run, but I like how it makes me feel when I run. Afterwards I feel like I've accomplished something and I know I'm healthier for it. I'm doing the Couch to 5K program that I downloaded for my iTouch. It's pretty great because it tells me when to alternate running and walking so I don't have to pay attention to the time and can just workout. Plus I can add my own music to it and it coordinates with my workout. Sometimes I'm not sure I'm going to make it but, I know I can do because I've done it before. I got in to running before, near the end of PA school and it got me back in shape pretty quickly and I managed to lose a little weight too. I wouldn't mind if that happened again!
I am so glad Spring is finally here. The weather the past few weeks has been amazing. I've even been running outside! I also been gardening, well I weeded and remulched my flower beds which is about as much gardening as I can handle. I am contemplating planting a few things this year because I have a few open spots, but I'm a bit afraid I'll kill anything I plant.

I got a new dog. His name is Bandit. He is a toy schnauzer and is 8 months old. He is very sweet and loves to play. He and Toby actually get along pretty well.
Last weekend I headed to Nashville for a conference and got to spend some time with a couple of wonderful friends. The conference was okay, the part we went to anyway, but the shopping and hanging out part was much better! I watched the Blindside with my friend Tasha, and I think it may be one of the best movies I've ever seen. I'm not one for buying movies, but this is one I would like to own. I seriously recommend it if you have not seen it yet.
I think that about sums up the major events of my life over the past month or so. Summer is almost here and while it will be busy, I'm looking forward to it. So far I'll be spending a week at DRG as camp doctor, hanging with the girls in Boston, and going to Arizona for a week at Young Lives camp. I may try and fit another trip in there too, but I'm not sure to where yet. I'll keep you posted!

Here's to Nathan

This weekend I'm walking in the Great Strides walk for Cystic Fibrosis awareness in Cleveland, TN in honor of my friend Nathan. I've been thinking of him lots as a result and remembering all the fun times we had. So this week I've decided to have my own little tribute to Nathan and relive some of those great memories the best I can. Right now I'm sitting here watching Blue Collar Comedy tour and it's the part where Ron White tells how he got thrown out of a bar and was drunk in public. I can almost hear Nathan reciting it word for word and watching him laugh so hard he turns red, starts coughing, and is practically rolling on the floor. No many how many times we watched it, it was always funny.
Other things on the list for the week are watching Bad Boys 2, playing some Guitar Hero, drinking root beer, and listening to Rascal Flatts. If it was football season, I'd be watching the Colts play too. All of these things and many more make me think of Nathan. These happy times are the ones that I try to remember. Not the times when he was sick and tired and fighting for his life. But those times must be remembered too, because those bad times are why I'm walking this weekend. To help find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis so that others don't have to suffer with this disease. I know that Nathan would be proud of our efforts this weekend to help others because that's what Nathan spent his life doing while he was here on earth. If you would like to help support this cause that is near and dear to my heart, you can click on the link on the right to donate.

February

Not too much has been happening in my life lately, but I figured it's time for a new post so I thought I'd string together some random updates.

• I am so sick of cold and snow. I think it's snowed everyday for the past week and too many times to count since December. I'm ready for the sun and it's warmth to return.
• I finally got my car back. It spent 2 1/2 weeks at the body shop to repair damage from when the tree branch attacked it during the first big snow back in December.
• I love the Olympics! I could watch it all the time if they had it on. I enjoy watching the stars excel in their sports but also enjoy the stories of the underdogs who are just proud to be there representing their countries and the surprise medalists. My favorite events include speed skating, figure skating, snowboarding (which I'm watching as I write this) and skiing.
• I'm trying to lose some weight and have been watching what I'm eating and working out more. I've joined the ETSU gym thanks to my good friend and her Plus One Membership. It's much cheaper than the Wellness Center. I've been swimming laps lately which is a great workout, but when I get home I want to eat everything in the house! I'm trying to figure out how to remedy that as that kind of defeats the purpose of working out!
• I'm going to visit my college roomie next weekend and I'm so excited! We always have a good time when we are together.

• Even though it seems like the cold will last forever, summer will be here before I know it so I'm trying to organize my travels. So far in the works are a trip up north with the girls, a week at DRG as camp doctor, playing with the babies at Young Lives camp in Arizona, and maybe a trip to a medical conference.

• Work is work and I still enjoy it most days. I work with a great group of girls that help keep me sane on the crazy days.

Nothing too exciting, but that's what's been going on with me lately. I guess sometimes the norm is a good thing. It's nice to have a drama free life for the time being.

Just Me

Lonely: 1. a: being without company b: cut off from others: solitary
            2. sad from being alone
            3. producing a feeling of bleakness or desolation
Most of the time I'm okay being alone. It's nice to be able to do what I want, when I want, and not have to worry about anyone but myself. When it's just me no one cares if I'm put my pjs on as soon as I get home from work or if I eat the same thing for dinner 4 nights in a row. No one sees if I turn up the music and dance while cleaning. I can work out in my living room and not have to worry what I look like struggling to keep up with Jillian. If I don't feel like doing the dishes, I can just leave them in the sink. And if I feel like sitting around all night and doing nothing, there's no one to make me feel guilty for being lazy.
But then there are the not so great things about being alone all the time. Coming home to an empty house, eating dinner alone, no one to talk to, sitting on the couch by myself hoping for something decent on tv to fill the hours til I can justify going to bed. When I'm sad or have a bad day at work there's no one there to give be a hug when I get home and tell me it's all going to be okay.
Sometimes the silence is deafening. Sometimes I just lay on the couch and cry because it hurts to be alone. Sometimes I just want someone there to talk about my day and to cook dinner for. I'm just tired of being alone. There's not a whole lot I can do about it, which sucks. I just feel stuck. I just want someone to share my life with.

“I've got everything I need except a man. And I'm not one of those women who thinks a man is the answer to everything, but I'm tired of being alone.”

“Loneliness is the first thing which God's eye named, not good” John Milton

What a Week

Ever just have one of those weeks? Well, this one was mine. On top of freezing cold and snow all week, my dad's been in the hospital with a small bowel obstruction, this week was Nathan's birthday and marked 1 year since his death, work's been busy, and I'm working in the ER tomorrow. Talking about getting kicked when you're down. It has just been one thing after another and I couldn't seem to catch a break. A few high points have helped me keep sanity including playing Quelf Sunday night with a wonderful group friends while holding sweet little Jake,holding babies in the nursery at church, spending time with someone near and dear to me on my day off yesterday, and keeping at the 30 Day Shred.
I also have almost gotten my Christmas tree down. All the decorations are off, but the lights are still on. I know when I take the lights off a million pine needles are going to fall off and I'm avoiding removing them because of the mess. Normally I would just take it outside and do this, but it's way too freakin' cold for that!
So to make up for this week I am spending Friday night curled up on the couch, watching movies, and having some me time. Hope the rest of you have had a better week. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a good shift in the ER tomorrow.

PS

The getting kicked when down thing yeah, it continued. My ER shift was crazy and I got asked by a patient if I was pregnant. Seriously?!?!? Seriously. Next week has to be better, I can't take much more of this.

2010

I can't believe another year has passed. 2009 was a year of ups and downs. It didn't start off too great. January 7th will make one year since my friend Nathan lost his fight against Cystic Fibrosis. It's still hard for me to think of him really being gone. It still hurts like it was yesterday and I miss him just as much. After the year starting on a low note, things improved slowly. I started a new job in Interventional Radiology that I really like, my little sister got married, and my niece turned 5. I got to travel a lot which always makes me happy. I spent 2 of the most amazing weeks at Young Lives camp loving on babies and can't wait to go back again this summer. I cruised around the coast of Europe with one of my best friends, and made my 3rd trip to Mexico to do GYN surgery. I participated in the Great Strides Walk for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. I gave up caffeine. I mastered making peanut butter fudge. I had another kidney stone that required lithotripsy (3 days before my sister's wedding). I got to celebrate the birth of the sweetest little boy with 2 good friends. Sunday game night became a tradition. And I finally got a table for my dinning room.
I hope that 2010 will hold good things for me. It will be my 10 year high school reunion, 5 years since I finished PA school, and my 28th birthday. I want to travel more, spend more time with the people that are important to me, make memories that count, and maybe just maybe trade in my single status for good. Stay tuned to see what this year has in store for me.

Christmas Time

I love Christmas and everything about it. I love the traditions that the holiday brings. As anyone who knows me would tell you, I like routine so tradition is important to me. For me Christmas is about baking, seeing friends,putting up the real tree with all the random collection of ornaments, a candlelight Christmas Eve service, Christmas carols, a Christmas Eve dinner of the most random foods ever but the same every year, the Christmas breakfast casserole that I'm not the fondest of but eat every year, opening presents on Christmas morning, and Christmas dinner at my Granny's. I love it all. I look forward to the day when I have my own family and we can make traditions of our own. I treasure the years of things staying the same as I know they won't always be that way. The snow this weekend has made this Christmas season even better. It looks like it might even be a white Christmas this year!