It's a New Day

I joined Weight Watchers right after Thanksgiving when they started the new plan (You know the one Jennifer Hudson is always singing about on those commercials). I haven't shared this with many people for several reasons. 1. I guess I am a bit ashamed that I need to lose weight 2. I am worried I won't be successful 3. I'm somewhat of a private person and 4. This is about me. But I figured what the heck, this is who I am and what I'm dealing with so I might as well share. Maybe someone else will be encouraged by my decision. It's going pretty well so far, there have been a few bumps in the road, but this is a lifestyle change, not a diet, so that is to be expected. I have a WW blog because well, there truly are somethings that only others on the Plan can relate to. The other day I posted what I consider to be a rather amusing post and I wanted to share will all my dedicated readers (all 3 or 4 of you!). So sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Dear Mr. Scale,
We need to have a chat. That number you've been holding on to for the past few weeks, yeah it's time to let it go. Remember how in the beginning of this journey, everytime I stepped on, you displayed a lower number. Yeah, let's go back to that. I've been working really hard this week and I think you owe to me to drop those digits just a little bit. It wouldn't hurt you, I promise. I keep fighting the urge to pick you up and throw you against the wall, because I know that you are not the only thing that determines my success. But still, it would be great if you'd support me in my quest to make these lifestyle changes. So I'm counting on you Monday morning to come through. I've done my part and I think it's only fair that you do yours. Glad we had this little chat. Let's hope we don't have to have it again.

Chicago

Last week at this time I was sitting in day 2 of a 5 day board review course in Chicago. I was probably fighting sleep and hoping my brain was subconsciously absorbing some of the information that was coming at it at lightening speed. Literally. I swear a couple of the speakers could get part time jobs as auctioneers.
It was a small miracle that I actually made it to Chicago in the first place. Originally I was set to fly out of Nashvegas with my 2 friends that were going to be enduring the week with me, but decided to change it to Tricites due to the snow that was being predicted (change #1). Tuesday morning, I got up and was finishing up packing when I got a text that my 230p flight had been canceled and that I should call and rebook. I called the handy dandy number from my message, and was told the 100p flight was supposed to be a go if I could make it there. So I booked this flight (change #2). I then called my dad and let him know of the plan change and we headed out to the airport. I checked in, went through security, and then 30 minutes before departure, they announced this flight is canceled too. Naturally all the passengers headed upstairs to try and rebook. While standing in line, I decided to pull out my iTouch and see if there were any flights that might get me to Chicago that day. I located a direct flight to Chicago that was supposed to depart from Tricities at 430p. I put a hold on a ticket hoping that I could just get a refund from my canceled flight and book this one. I finally get up to the counter and the lady tells me the flight I want might be full. Thankfully the one thing our little airport has is free WiFi and I had already booked the ticket, because sure enough my name was on the passenger list and I got the last seat on the plane (change #3). The very nice lady, even transferred my flight info over and I didn't have to pay anything extra. While this may seem like the end of my adventure, it really is just the beginning.

My 430p flight, yeah, it didn't leave until 730p. And then when we landed in Chicago we sat on the runway for 2 hours because all the gates were full and there was no where to deplane. Fortunately I sat next a really nice guy and we now know each others entire life story (including pets, parents, siblings, jobs, and shoe size) after spending close to 5 hours sitting next to each other. Let's just say I was so glad to finally get off the plane, meet my friends (whose flights from Nashville had also been delayed), call a taxi and get to the hotel. 
For the next 5 days, I sat in lecture from 7a to 6p and then took a 2 hour practice test. Needless to say my brain was on major information overload, but according to my scores, I should pass my boards without any problems.

The plastic covers the seat

Instructions for plastic changing!

What I saw of Chicago included the airport, my hotel, the inside of a couple of sketchy cabs, the mall near by, and the hotel shuttle. I did manage to come across something I had never seen before and I had to share it. I'm not really sure what to make of it. These are the toilets at O'Hare. The plastic changes when you wave your hand over the top sensor. Very strange. Hopefully it's new plastic coming out and not the same circle just going round and round!!!! Chicago my first impression was not too great. I hope to come back soon and change my opinion and see more of what you have to offer. But for now just allow me to say GO PACKERS!!!!!!

New Year

So the holidays are over and a new year has started. Christmas this year was good, but hard. It was so good to have all of my family in one place and to build on our traditions. I still feel like I am scrambling to catch up from the holidays. I feel like I need a week just to sleep and clean. The Christmas tree is still standing, although most of the ornaments are off. The dinning room table is covered with my post Christmas clearance purchases. I shamefully admit there are still dirty cookie sheets and pans in the sink from all the cookies, fudge, truffles, and chex mix I made. I don't really have any resolutions for this year. I have a few goals, but I'm pretty sure my year is going to be busy enough without trying to add in a bunch of changes. I had already made some lifestyle changes at the end of 2010 and will continue to stick to those in the coming year. I plan to run another 5K in April at the CFF Great Strides walk and want to better my time from Thanksgiving. Travel is of course on the agenda. There are already 3 weddings on my calender for this spring, one of which I am in. I hope to make my annual GYN surgery trip to Mexico, spend a week loving on babies in AZ at Young Lives camp, hang out as camp "doc" at DRG for a week, and maybe make it out of the country on another trip or cruise. As much as I want to go to Australia and New Zealand, I just don't think it's going to fit in this year so I'm penciling it in for 2012. Maybe I'll have someone in my life to go with by then. I feel like this year is going to fly by and I am going to just try and hold on tight and enjoy the ride. Stay tuned!

Random Acts of Senseless Kindness

I'm the kind of person that if I see someone struggling to carry things or someone who can't find an item in a store, I will stop and help if I can. I often share helpful tidbits with random strangers. I point lost children back to their mommies and pick up items that people may not realize they have even dropped. I fix turned up collars and sleeves. I will tell you if you have something on your face or in your teeth. I give directions to people on a regular basis. I didn't think this was such a weird thing, but evidently not everyone does this. I thought I'd share of few of my especially helpful moments recently.

• I was in Kroger in the cracker/cookie aisle when I heard an older couple next to me talking about how they couldn't find the goldfish crackers that were individually packaged. If you shop at Kroger you know that these are located at the other end of the aisle with the other individually packaged crackers. So I kindly spoke up and said I couldn't help but overhear what they were looking for and pointed them in the right direction. I mean the woman had a coupon and I wanted her to be able to use it. I'm pretty sure they would not have located the goldfish without my help.
• I encountered a woman in Target who was struggling to reach the Wesson oil that was on super sale from the top shelf. I offered to help mentioning that I didn't know if I was much taller, but I would give it a go. She looked at me and said "I don't think you are any taller, but you are much lighter and can climb on the shelf." This was exactly what I was thinking, but I didn't want to say it. So I proceeded to climb on the bottom shelf and reach her all of the remaining bottles of oil, including the one in the very back. She was very impressed with my reaching skills. Fortunately, I have lots of shelf climbing experience. I do it often :-)
• One time I politely told a woman that she had left the size tag sticker on the side of her jeans. She was quite appreciative that I didn't let her continue to walk around the store like this. 
• And my favorite one, last night after my shift in the ER, I stopped at Kroger to get my turkeys for Thanksgiving. I am at the self check out (because I always check myself out) and the man behind me asked if I had a Kroger Card and if he could borrow it. I of course do and was glad to lend it to him so he could save a few bucks....on his beer. Hey, I earned fuel points thanks to his beer! 

Cancer.
It's crazy how that one little word can turn your world upside
down in a second. How it can make you want to throw up the minute you hear it. I think it's the ugliest word in the english language. I can not begin to imagine how my little sister and brother in-law felt when they heard those words Saturday morning. It's been a roller coaster week. It started out as what doctors thought was a gallstone but turned out not to be, which led to a CT scan and the discovery of a tumor in the pancreas and spots on his liver. The biopsy results came back showing malignancy with a diagnosis of stage 4 Pancreatic cancer. He is only 25. This type of cancer is pretty much unheard of in someone his age. Needless to say we are all in shock. Prayers are greatly appreciated. I feel like I am having a bad dream and that eventually I will wake up, but I don't. I feel like I have been punched in the stomach. We remain hopefully, but also realize the seriousness of his condition. All of my medical knowledge feels like a curse at this point, but I know that I have it to help in this situation. I have shed so many tears but try to remain strong and trust that God has it all in control. Times like these are when I realize how thankful I am for my family and my faith. Without those things, times like these are unbearable.

Happy Thoughts

These little faces always make me smile.

It's been a pretty crappy week. I can't really wrap my head around it all right now. Needless to say I need some happy thoughts to focus on. These are things that make me happy.

A few of my kiddos from the nursery at church.

We had a dessert cook off at work today. My pumpkin cupcakes won first prize. This is what I got plus a Panera gift card. I was almost as excited about the pretty box as what was in it.

Pumpkin Spice Soy Latte from Starbucks. Enough said.

This was my major impulse purchase of the week. I've been sticking with the running so I decided to buy myself a nano. I have a touch but it's just too bulky to run with. It came today. I love it.

My boys. I really do love them even though at times they drive me crazy. Like the other day after one of the worst days of my life when I came home to find that I must have not shut the bathroom door all the way and while I was at work the boys had some major fun. I had left a 6 pack of toilet paper right inside the door. I opened the front door to find my living room covered in what looked like snow, but on closer examination was just shredded toilet paper. If it hadn't been such a sucky day, I probably would have found it humorous.  I however did not.

Really Random

It's that time again folks. Time for me to clear out all the random thoughts out my head and post them on my blog for all to read and hopefully get a few laughs out of. I must confess I keep a list, because I don't want to deprive anyone of the amusement that my inner monologue might provide. This also includes random things that have happened that don't qualify for their own post. So with out further delay.....

• I peeled and chopped my first onion a couple of weeks ago. And I survived. I have a strong dislike for onions and am very sensitive to the smell so my eyes go crazy. Even scallions bother my eyes. I managed though and it was well worth it because the white chicken chili it made it's way into was amazing.
• This was on the sticker in my new Rachael Ray 9x13 pan: "Keep small children away from the oven while you are baking. Some pets, especially birds, have extremely sensitive respiratory systems and should be kept away from the kitchen area."
• I gave candy out to trick-or-treaters for the first time ever this year. I myself have never been trick-or-treating.
• I am running the Turkey Trot this year. It's a 5K on Thanksgiving morning. It's my first 5K
• I am also hosting Thanksgiving for the first time. There will be 15 people at my house. I have visions of my turkey turning out like the one in Christmas Vacation.
• Sweet potatoes are my new favorite thing. I thought I didn't like them, but am convinced that I had one that was not cooked well and it turned me off. I think I could eat them until I turn orange. The best ones I have had so far came from the stand across from Fender's Farm.
• Our church is part of a social network site called The City. The other day it told me that approximately 2 other people were on line.
• Currently you can try out a Barnes & Noble membership for free for 2 months. It includes free expedited shipping. That means free shipping for Christmas presents, plus good discounts.
• I made pumpkin bread for the first time last week. I randomly decided I want to make some last week at 9pm. Good thing I had pumpkin on hand. The random recipe from the internet turned out very well. I'd like to send a thanks to whoever's grandmother provided it.
• If anyone else is trying to be diligent about running and the cold weather is making that difficult, I recommend Danskin running tights from Walmart. They are $11. I bought a pair, ran in them, and went back and bought 2 more pairs the same evening. Yes, they're that good.

Ok, enough randomness for now. I'm working on a Christmas post of really random things so stayed tuned. Hope you got a few laughs or at least some useful info from my brain. 

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.