August is Heeeeere!

Let me just say wow! August is here! In like 34 minutes! I continue to be amazed at how fast time goes by. I start Nursing School in 2 weeks! I've been waiting and working toward this for over a year now, and it's just around the corner. Now I am scared! In my life I have made choices of where I am going to take my life and then it comes time to take the walk and I get scared. But never too scared! I just jump on in and see where I end up! I am so excited about what kind of doors this will open up for me - traveling nursing, a good paycheck, independence, having a job that makes a difference - it is going to be a tough year though. Like insanely busy. I am going to quit both of my jobs because they ask you not to work because of how demanding this program is....it will be so weird not working. But I guess I will be working in other ways. I am so ready to start, that way I can finish. This is just the beginning for me in lots of ways. So much in my life is kind of on hold until I can finish school. I am ready to press "Play" on the remote control of my life!!!

So August 1 is my grandma's birthday. And I would like to tell you just a little bit about one of the 2 most important women in my life. She is amazing. She raised 5 kids pretty much on her own and has worked so many jobs throughout her life. In her later adulthood, she went back to school to become a nurse, after not having had any school in 35+ years. She is now retired, and lives to love life. She takes dancing classes for fun and travels all the time and makes beautiful quilts and just has an amazing spirit! I will forever love her for coming to visit me in Germany and I am so glad we saw Italy together!! She is beautiful and I admire her and love her so much! Happy Birthday Grandma! (When I was like 8 or 9 she decided she didn't want her birthdays any more and that I could have them. So, technically I guess that makes it MY birthday! But I have reached an age where I don't really want them any more either.....anybody want a birthday??)

This is a whirlwind time for so many people in my life. New babies, new homes, new jobs, new travels, change is all around. Fall is approaching, well maybe not any time soon, but I love the colder weather. And for me, there has even been a lot of old friends coming back into my life. I just never can wrap my brain around how much things change and the amazing adventures life can bring. Or perhaps I just need to go to sleep. So, I guess lots more of thoughtful, or maybe thought-less, ramblings of a sleep depraved nursing student to come. Smell that? The winds of change are in the air......or it could be dirt.....I do live in West Texas....

Extra Ordinary Talent

So, how many times in my life have I wished I could do something extra-ordinarily? Some talent, sport, academia, art-ism, etc. I do some things well and others not so well, but I have never done anything to really make me stand out and make people think I am extra ordinary. This guy, however, has an Extra Ordinary talent. I think these are just so cool. How did he even think of doing that? Too fun! So, alas, I will settle with being ordinary. But I can at least enjoy other people's Extra!!

Finally

So, I came home today anxious to see what awaited me in my mail box. And alas, my bank statement (which I almost NEVER want to see) and some random junk catalog. Ok, not acceptable. So, I plop down in front of my desk ready to send a polite email to Tech wondering when we were supposed to find out about school. And there in my Inbox is an email from the very person I intended to plead with. First word in the email: "Congratulations!!" 7 months of stress just left my body. And a whole future year's worth came right back in. There is much I have to do before I start, but as of August 16th, I am off and running! I am so relieved, excited, terrified, and panic-ing - but this is a good thing. Thanks everyone for all your support and encouragement along the way!! It is good to have good friends!

West Texas Experience

For those of you who have never been to West Texas (and Abilene does NOT count), I wanted to share with you a little of what we deal with on a fairly regular basis:





Now doesn't that look like fun????

Big Sky

Ok, so I know it's been a while since I have blogged. And all of my faithful readers are so curious as to what is so great and wonderful in my life that I have neglected my Journey-al. Well, it starts with a P and ends in -athophysiolgy. Fun times are to be had indeed when you crack the book of the wide world of "what is wrong with our body today?" I still haven't heard about school - anytime now - I mean seriously. But I did have something I wanted to share tonight. It is late and I stink - more to come on that......I finished my test tonight and I walked out of the Health Sciences Center and I was acosted, literally, by the brown air that had so aggregiously landed on our humble town. It was those wonderful straight line winds that come before a storm and pick up everything in their path. And I thought man, I was supposed to do something tonight. Well, I got to do my something anyway. It was not even 30 minutes later that the sky began to clear and I was on my way. I was driving around the loop and it was so beautiful. Toward one direction we had the sun setting, and then in the other we had the storms that had just passed us. There was half of a rainbow and the sky was that blueish-gray of a downpour with the sun shining on it from the West. The moral of the story: I love how big the Texas sky is. That is something I truly missed when I was overseas. It just never did seem like I could see as far as when I do in Texas. Only in West Texas can you have a dust/rain storm and then 5 minutes later you have a rainbow and a cool breeze. What was the something that I was doing you ask? I was riding horses. And I got bucked. My face hit the saddle and I broke 2 freshly manicured nails. I cut them off when I got home and I have a scratch on my face, but I love the old brut (or young buck I should say) anyway. I love to travel and see big cities and explore ancient ruins, but I'm a Texas girl and I sure do love to ride. And even though I don't want to live in Texas, I guess that little cowgirl will always be a part of me, and I can let her out every now and then.

Emily's a Genius!!

Thanks Emily!! You rock! I finally got my picture on my profile!!!

I'm such a joiner

Ok, ok. I really didn't want to have to do this. But I am hoping I won't regret the fact that I am member 87 billion on my space. I was bored today at work and I thought I would see what all the fuss is about. I still don't get it really, but I guess it is kinda fun. I did enjoy seeing people that I knew in high school and other random college folks as well. And people have really done some cool things that I have yet to figure out. So, I have one friend and he is only my friend b/c he is the genius mind that created the doggone thing. Now, he has a lot of friends...87 ga-jillion. So, anyways....I have linked it if you want to check it out someday. It won't change your life, but you get to see my smiling face and that is my gift to you!! See ya on MySpace!!

I'll take life with a cherry on top.....

MMMMMMM....chocolate cake....ice cream.....fudge....caramel.....whip cream.....nuts.....and a cherry. Does life get better? It does if it comes with a good friend!! Happy Birthday Momo!!

And on another subject....is it wrong that I like the new Ashley Parker Angel single?

And a much more serious note - I remembered today that there are American men and women living their lives in a war zone. I didn't forget, but I remembered today.

Miss v. Ma'am

So, I am confused. Friday night, Melissa and I were at Applebees and I order a drink...."Can I see your ID?"....."What, I don't look 21?".....Awkward smile (oh and her name was Tima by the way....??)....today at Schlotzsky's...."What can I get for you, Miss?"......later on today at grocery store....."How are you today, Ma'am?"......"Thank you, Ma'am, you have a nice day"....so, what am I? The ruling of the court is most definitely Miss!!!! What are you crazies doing calling me Ma'am???? Most people tell me I look 19, personally I think it's because I am vertically challenged and not because I really do look 19, but I will say I am NOT ready to be called Ma'am....MADAME, maybe....(wink)....but I digress. MA'AM is what people call our mothers, grandmothers, aunts.....that is what WE are supposed to call people, not be called by people. I like the French standard, Madamoiselle until you marry. Then you can be a Madame. So, right here and now I would just like to declare that if I don't marry and you see me when I am 94 years old, do NOT address me as Ma'am. If you please....it will be Madamoiselle for me....I wonder if they would charge extra for my gravestone....

Pontification of the Purse

So, I am standing in Double Dave's waiting for my pizza to be done and a man walks by and he is wearing a fanny-pack. (he wasn't wearing it on his fanny, but that is neither here nor there) I thought, "What could he possibly have to carry around that he feels it necessary to wear the most rediculous fashion accessory, all-be-it very practical one, of our time?" I thought maybe he has some life-saving medication or something that he has to have at all times. But that got me thinking....why do women carry purses and men don't? I mean, seriously. Don't they have stuff they need to have with them on a regular basis? So let's pause for a moment and examine the contents of my purse: wallet, checkbook, keys, cell phone, gum, glasses, lotion, iPod, pens, and chapstick. Now, which of those items would a man not need to have on him? Other than maybe the chapstick I can't honestly say any of them. Oh, well maybe the lotion. I love a cute purse as much as any girl, but is that the point? To carry something cute? I guess it's an accessory like earrings or jewelry. But what do men do with their stuff? I guess they carry a briefcase or backpack for somethings, but for the most part they just don't. Why don't men feel the need to carry stuff? If I am without my purse I feel like I am missing an arm. Do you remember the episode of Friends where Joey carries the "Man-Purse"? I think men should be allowed to carry their stuff and not get mercilessly ridiculed. However, if they choose to do so by means of a fanny-pack, I might have to reevaluate that statement.