I got to go to lunch with my sister and her two sweethearts today.
Then we went for a walk.
It was a nice relaxing day, and I didn't do anything for school!
I acted like I don't have an exam on Monday...which is completely fine by me. :)
100 days!!
I am so happy about this. Because even though I tend to get busy and get way behind, I have always managed to catch up! I don't think I have stuck with anything like this quite this long before.
Today, I gave my part of a presentation in a class with 4 other classmates. I stuttered a little more than I would have liked, but I think I am possibly the only person who noticed.
Then, I finished my paper for Research 5 hours before it was due...and only like, 10 weeks after I started it.
Now, we are settling down for a family move of Box Trolls. Hope it's good!
I may have had a rough week, but today was a great day, and I am thankful for the family time we are getting to spend together tonight.
Today, we were supposed to have more severe weather...
Only, it never came to my part of the State.
I am SO thankful for that, because I just don't have time for bad weather!
Today was a bad day.
Like BAD, bad.
Like, I cried in clinic, bad.
I got my first "N"...which is like an "F"...
It's not the end of the world, and it doesn't make me a bad clinician...but I DIDN'T WANT ONE!
So, basically, I am thankful today that I held it together as long as I did...that I didn't break down in front of everyone.
I am also thankful that my husband let me eat Schlotzky's for dinner and didn't even cringe when I refilled my coke for the second time...cause I just really needed a Coke.
And I am really thankful for Coca-Cola...High fructose corn syrup and all.
Oh, Monday, sometimes you break my heart.
Today was definitely a manic Monday.
From start to finish, the day was crazy.
But, my dental materials lab let out early, and I got to pick my kids up from school.
When I picked my little darlings up, this is how they walked to my car:
It's Easter Sunday!!
I am so thankful that my savior died in my place, suffering a death he didn't deserve to save me from an eternal death that I do deserve. I can think of no better reason to celebrate, because He didn't stay dead; HE IS ALIVE!
I am thankful for that empty tomb today!
We also had a fantastic day in Chickasha after church, celebrating Easter with Matt's family. It was misty and wet, so the kiddos hunted eggs in the house, which was interesting to say the least.
Zac found the most money eggs and ended up with $7.75 in change. I'm not sure how he does that every year, but the smile on his face is priceless!
Mady had her very first dance competition today!
I had the camera, yet I neglected to get any pictures of her. (Insert sad face)
Her group got the gold award, which is like 3rd place, but, she had a great time! She got to experience one of my favorite feelings every, which is the fear, anxiety, and excitement all rolled up into one right before going on stage.
How I miss those days!!
We also celebrated Easter with my family, held babies, watched basketball and hunted eggs.
It was a fun day and I am so blessed!
Can I be thankful for the same thing every Friday?
If I could, I would once again be thankful that I don't have class on Friday's for the rest of the semester!
I woke up this morning with a goal. It was to finish my literature review for research class.
Did I mention it is due this coming Thursday?!
I also knew I needed to get Mady tights for her competition tomorrow and Zac an Easter outfit.
I got all that done...except for the paper that is.
I also looked up homes on openhouseok...
Not that it matters, but I found a couple of great homes I now really want to buy.
Although the paper didn't get done, I did make a ton of headway and I only have two more paragraphs to get done which will hopefully be easy peasy...
A year ago today I got the opportunity of a lifetime!
I received an acceptance letter to the Dental Hygiene program at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
I jokingly posted a caption of my Facebook status update from last year stating, "A year ago today I was so excited. Now I am just tired." Well, it's all true
But, I wouldn't change a thing.
Through all the highs and lows, laughter and tears, successes and failures, I have survived.
Not only have I survived; I have thrived.
The summer before I began this dental school journey, I met my "big" for Starbucks. She told me, "This is the hardest thing I have ever done."
I can repeat her words wholeheartedly. This is most definitely the hardest thing (school wise) I have ever done. The classes are demanding, the clinic can be overwhelming...
But the experience is WONDERFUL!
And, I can't believe it has already been a year since I received that letter!
Hello April!!
After an evening of torrential hail and thunderstorms, and a bedroom so hot (literally ya'll, it felt like a sauna in there) I thought I was going to melt into the bed...I finally fell asleep and possibly got 5 hours of sleep.
The quiz I studied 3 hours for last night, that I memorized nonsensical percentages for, along with the ADA code for tobacco cessation counseling (D1320 in case you were wondering) contained nearly NOTHING of what I studied and was instead full of obscure, completely irrelevant information.
I made ANOTHER 70 on a quiz in that class and I am quite peeved about it.
I did however get to see my daddy-o in clinic today and that made the day better.
The free lunch from Dental Depot was a plus, and the hot tamales I got from their free candy bar didn't hurt either.
Then the nap I took after I got home was glorious!
I am SO thankful my kids are at an age where they can get their own snacks and drinks. They can use the restroom on their own and wipe their own hineys. I can tell them I am going to lay down and they will leave me alone! (I remind myself of then when I hold my sister's babies and think I want another one...)
Tuesday has consisted of assisting a dental student with a screening, lots and lots of studying over lunch, two exams (which I didn't rock, but passed with an 87 and 88), a full night of soccer and dance, dinner on the run, and studying (again) for a quiz in the morning.
Not the most fun day ever, but nothing blew up and I didn't fail anything, so...success!
I also busted my "diet" today with a doughnut AND a cupcake (which I said I wouldn't eat because I would only allow myself one or the other but then I stayed at school late and the hot pink icing was screaming, "EAT ME" and so I did)
On a thankful note, my step-mom, Lucy, picked my kids up from school and took them for dinner so I didn't have to bust my rear to get them fed and to their practices!
She does a lot to help me out each week. I am crazy thankful for her help!
One more Monday closer to school being out for summer!
Oh, and I finished patient #3 today!
I am halfway finished with junior year requirements so hopefully I can be one of the few here at the OKC site that completes them all.
Also, my dad agreed to be my patient on Wednesday, which just saved my bacon when it comes to requirements!
Day 90 has been good to me.
Remember that Pharmacology test I mentioned on Thursday?
Well, I made a 95.7! Highest test grade yet!!
YAY ME!!
I'm just thankful that even tornado sirens can't diminish my studying ability!
We spent the evening at my parents' house.
Sometimes, the best thing you can do is get away from your own house and sit on someone else's couch.
I am so glad we did!
We had bar-b-que pork chops and held babies.
Zac got to fish with the fishing pole he won at the wild game cook off at the church. He didn't catch anything, but he had a great time.
Matt and I finally came up with a plan for a big change in our lives coming up. We haven't made a decision yet, but when we do...I am sure you will have a chance to read it here. (That is bait, so you will stick around and read.) (haha!)
Today was a tiring, yet amazing day.
I started the day off by waking up at 5:45 so I could be to school by 6:30 only to find out that I didn't have to go in early if I was working the afternoon shift...so I napped on the couch for two hours and then headed for the zoo.
I had a blast playing games with kiddos at Smile Safari, unfortunately, I had to be elsewhere in the afternoon, so I didn't get to see the new baby elephant of gorilla. :(
I headed over to the good ol' College of Dentistry to help out with Kid's Day. I only got to place one sealant, BUT, I got to be there helping provide care for kids who otherwise might not receive dental care at all.
I finished up the day driving my Mother in law's awesome car around town shopping.
She also paid for our dinner at Chili's; (which busted my diet, but was totally worth it!) Thanks Teresa!!
I don't have school on Friday's anymore! I LOVE having Friday's off...
Although, I did go in to school today for quite a while to work on a group project.
It was nice to go to school to work on something, but not be in class. It is especially nice since we worked long and hard and got the entire project done!
I am so thankful to check one more thing off the list for completion of my Junior year!
I took a Pharmacology test today and for the first time in the last 3 tests, I felt like I did well!
I haven't done poorly on any of the tests so far; my lowest test grade is an 81.4, but I don't particularly care for B's when A's are possible.
I feel like today's test will be an A and I hope I find out soon!
We have been able to catch up on some of our Disney movie watching as of late. This week we made it through The Little Mermaid, The Rescuer's Down Under AND Beauty and the Beast!
We had some severe weather here in Moore, OK today.
Thankfully, after a scare when the weather man basically yelled our exact location followed by, "tornado on the ground!", we were spared any damage and only lost power for about 5 seconds.
We have got to get a shelter on this property like, yesterday!
Starting something new is never easy.
Implementing change is never easy either, but sometimes it is necessary.
School is stressful. Life is stressful. Being a wife is stressful. Being a mother is stressful.
Somedays I feel like going back to school was the dumbest decision I ever made.
Don't get me wrong, I am so blessed to be there, and as I have said many, many times; school is the journey to get me where I want to be in life. I won't take the journey for granted. But, I will acknowledge that the journey is stretching me further than I ever thought. It is straining my relationships. It is straining the seams of my pants...
I wouldn't be truthful if I didn't tell you out right: IT'S HARD. All of it.
LIFE IS HARD
I can't be who I need to be for everyone. I just can't and I need to be okay with that, but I'm not.
I have to be the mom who helps with homework and sends snacks to parties and keeps up with who is friends with whom and gets kids to dance and soccer.
I have to be the wife who cooks and cleans and decorates and keeps her husband happy.
I have to be the student who studies and gives 100% all the time and applies herself in clinic and helps everyone clean up after clinic because it's what a good decent person does...especially if she wants others to do the same for her.
I have to be the friend who calls and texts to maintain contact.
I have to be the daughter who helps feed the fish and cat when needed.
I have to be the sister who helps with babies and encourages sleep deprived parents.
I have to be the church leader who stays in the Word and can lead children in Biblical truths.
I have to be the dance teacher who always shows up on time and comes up with choreography on the fly.
And I TRY to do it all with a smile on my face.
Wanna know a secret?
Somedays I feel like I am dying inside.
This life I lead; it's a blessing. I KNOW that...
But somedays I just have to hold my husband. And when he asks me if I am okay, I just have to say,
The first day back to school after a break is always brutal.
Matt got home from his weekend away with the guys.
The kids came home from Grammy's this afternoon.
So we are all back together for the evening!
The sad news is, spring break is over.
The good news is, it was a great time of relaxing and baby loving.
Also, I am one week closer to the end of the school year and summer break!
Tomorrow, I am starting something new.
I won't say what it is yet for a few reasons.
1. I don't know if it will work.
2. I don't want to be judged.
3. I want the chance to be thankful for results.
In related news, I started food journaling again today.
Weight is an issue I talk about and struggle with a lot. I don't see myself stopping any time soon. I don't lose weight easily. It comes pretty easy for some people (for instance the Facebook friend who posted that she lost 10 pounds in 1 month by cutting back on portions) but it does NOT come that easily for me. I have to work and I have to work HARD. Sadly, when school and family are your priorities it isn't losing weight that is the problem. It is NOT GAINING weight that is the problem. I could prioritize the gym and some of you would likely say that I should. But, I will not give up my studies or time with my family. Therefore I have to do something else.
Here I am food journaling and trying to make good choices, including what I eat and how I fit in exercise at home while spending time with the family.
For now, I am thankful for the opportunity to try something new, and I look forward to the day I can share every detail with you.
The kids are at Grammy and Poppy's house.
Matt went to Tulsa to hang with his friends.
So here am I...with my computer and my blog.
And my literature review for Research Methods.
Something tells me I am having the least fun of all of us...
However, I cuddled some sweet babies this morning and this afternoon. My sister introduced me to Pitch Perfect (which was hilarious by the way). And now I have uninterrupted me time to finish this paper and never think about it again for a couple of weeks when I have to present it to the class.
But, at least the paper will be done.
I'll be thankful for this alone time since it is so hard to come by, yet so needed.
Matt went back to work today.
He was off Monday through Wednesday. Sadly, we did nothing together over those three days because every day we were waiting for an AT&T man to show up which never seemed to happen...plus I had dentist and doctor appointment to chauffeur people to.
So, in terms of activities, spring break was kind of a bust. But, we got a lot taken care of. All the laundry and dishes are done at least.
Since he went to work, I just hung out with my sister and the babies all day. I am happy to help her at feeding time when two is just a lot of work. We watched Kung Fu Panda 2, which my sister hadn't seen yet, and had some nice heart to heart conversations.
I'm so thankful for my sister. She loves me when I am difficult to love. She tries to encourage me when I am having my "debbie downer" moments (which are much too frequent) and she always believes in me.
Mady had her teeth extracted first thing this morning.
I wish I could have been in the room with her, as I was really interested in what that looks like, but I was on my way to my sister's house to help feed babies and get them all to the doctor by 9:30am.
I was told, however, that the whole procedure took less than 20 minutes. Mady did great and is not in much pain. She is just glad they are gone and she isn't in pain anymore.
Something really amazing happened to me at the babies' doctor appointment. I was recognized. A girl I went to high school with who is now a doctor said, "You look familiar."
Ya'll that NEVER happens. Never. Usually people I was actually friends with don't recognize me. So, I was pretty excited about that!
Zac had a dentist appointment today. Everything looked good, but my concerns about his occlusion were confirmed; so, a call and consultation with an orthodontist will be occurring soon. He doesn't seem to be too worried about it.
The dentist also confirmed that Mady's last three baby teeth need to be extracted. The permanent teeth are coming in off center and are causing a lot of discomfort. Poor girl is nervous about going back to have the teeth extracted tomorrow.
Also:
Mady and I were able to spend some quality time with the babies today.
It was very special for Mady as I don't think anyone has ever let her feed a baby before. She was so ecstatic to get to feed little Kiera!
We took my sister and the babies to a doctor appointment, figured out the carseats and the stroller, and grabbed lunch.
All in all, a good day. Thankfully, I get a spring break to get things taken care of that get put on the back burner when school gets busy.
Today, I finally made it to Sam's and the grocery store!
There are many things I miss about being a stay at home mom. Not the least of which is sleeping until 8am...but you already knew that.
I miss Monday morning grocery trips.
Sounds crazy, right?
But, NOBODY goes grocery shopping on Monday mornings, therefore I have the whole grocery store to myself and it is wonderful.
There is such serenity in a quiet grocery store by ones self...I was thankful for the quiet alone time.
I am playing catch up for multiple reasons.
1. It's spring break, so I have tried to avoid my computer as much as possible
2. AT&T disconnected our services to upgrade out internet speed and then found a short in a wire and didn't see fit to fix the problem for 3 days.
I figure the next several posts will be short and sweet...
I met up with two high school friends at the funeral yesterday and we decided to hang out and see a movie this afternoon. So I took Madelyn to see Cinderella with me and my friends. It was a fun girl time and something we definitely don't do often enough.
I am thankful for friends. Especially the friends you can catch up with after several years and pick up right where you left off.
Today I attended the funeral of a friend of mine from high school.
He left behind a wife and three small children and my heart has been so broken for the family.
Justin was a true friend. He liked everyone as far as I knew and if he didn't like everyone, he sure hid it well because he was kind to everyone all the time.
He was funny. So very funny. And he was passionate. He was passionate about his drumming and about sports and about his friends. One example of his passion for sports was Moore War senior year. We thought we were going to win and the excitement was thick. But we lost... He cried. I watched him sit there and cry real tears, ya'll. It sounds silly, but we were ALL crying. I never saw him cry before that and I never saw him cry again.
He was a great friend. He put a smile only my face every day during high school. He made awkward moments more survivable.
For example: I had a boyfriend in 11th grade and we were pretty serious as far as high school relationships go. I thought I would marry him. But, then I thought I wouldn't marry him and I broke up with him. Since we went to the same church and the same school, things got awkward often...especially in math class senior year when we ended up sitting next to each other. Thankfully Justin was near us as well. He engaged us both in conversation and had us laughing in class so much that we forgot any animosity that was felt between the two of us. In fact, we talked and laughed so much in that class that I'm lucky I even made a C.
Besides being funny, he had a serious side. He sincerely cared about his friends. He wanted to do whatever he could to make them feel better and cheer them up.
I will never forget the football game where he spent all his free time talking to me. I don't remember the conversation, but I remember the subject matter. I couldn't figure out what I wanted and I didn't want to look like a fool. I couldn't identify my true feelings, but Justin spent the entire break during 3rd quarter to talk me through my "crisis". He gave up laughing and cutting up with his buddies to talk to me and find out why I was so blue.
A friend like Justin doesn't come around every day.
He will be dearly missed by so many and I am thankful for the moments of true friendship I shared with Justin "Wang" Waganer.
High school would not have been the same without you, friend. Not by a long shot.
Well, the good news is, I survived the day.
The other good news is, I survived the week.
I wasn't sure it was possible. There was a possibility of a nervous breakdown. But, I made it!
Today consisted of class at 8, exam at 9, exam/competency at 10, clinic competency at 11:30 and class at 1.
I am pretty sure I didn't fail anything.
Now to the thankful part of my day:
Matt texts me out of the blue, "Do you want to celebrate spring break by not cooking?"
Me: "Sure, what did you have in mind, The Mantel?"
Matt: "Ha ha, no. I was thinking Ted's. No joke."
Me: Absolutely!"
So...I got Ted's for dinner followed by Oliver and Company with the family.
Happy Spring Break!!
ONE MORE DAY OF SCHOOL AND IT IS SPRING BREAK!!!!!!!
Somehow, I am going to survive tomorrow. I hope.
I completed my first patient today. Two appointments later and I got to dismiss the patient and say, "See you in 6 months." instead of "See you next week."
Today was the dreaded research exam...and I made a 92! So, yay me! Down to only 2 more tests this week...which I should be studying for, but I am doing this instead.
My patient today was a hoot. I know I have said this before...but I have been so blessed with my patients. Still not a rude or nasty patient to be found, only awesome ones! Today, my patient made the time fly by and made the school day fun. I appreciate that more than he will ever know!
I saw the sweet babies for the first time since Friday tonight. I decided that studying is overrated and that a trip across town to hold babies was much more important...and I was right!
I have also decided that I must be a superhero (that or absolutely crazy)...I managed to get home, get two kids ready for practices, feed two kids (okay...technically Arby's fed my kids, but details), and get both kids to practice relatively on time. *Okay...so hey, Zac was 11 minutes late to soccer, but the dance studio is across town from the soccer field and both kids start at 5:30, so WIN for me* And I did that ALL BY MYSELF!
Note to self: Look back at this blog this time next year and remind yourself that it was all worth it. Every minute of every day spent going crazy and running around like a chicken with its head cut off; every emotional break down, and every sacrifice was worth it. Look at what you have accomplished despite the obstacles! You are a super hero!
Also: I'm tired...so goodnight!
Today is officially Miss Whitley's 6th birthday.
Gee, I love that girl! She is feisty and ornery and sweet and amazing!
I am so thankful that I get to be her auntie!
Also, it's been a "monday"... If I could have a redo for today, that would be great.
On a positive note, 2 tests can be checked off the list, only 3 more to go this week!
It's spring forward time!
I hate it. So much.
Not the time change as much as the lost hour of sleep. It messes with me. I don't get enough sleep as it is, and now an hour gets robbed from me!
I love the extra hour at the end of the day, so I will try not to be too bitter about it!
So, today I stayed home from church to study. It's been a busy week and I have 5 exams, 3 patients, 1 quiz and 1 competency this coming week. Studying was definitely called for.
I didn't even put on "real" pants until I had to leave my house at 5:30 to run an errand for my sister...then I changed right back into my sweat pants as soon as I got home.
Pretty sure I've mentioned my love of sweatpants before though!
I love Saturday! It is my favorite day of the week for sure!
Zac's soccer game was cancelled due to field conditions, so we got to sleep in and take it easy this morning.
After a pancake breakfast, we headed to Chickasha for my niece's birthday party.
As per the usual, we stayed long past our welcome wore out, watched a movie with everyone and ordered pizza.
I married into the most loving, compassionate, generous family! I am so thankful I get to be part of their family.
Today was the LAST DAY OF FRIDAY CLASS FOR THIS SEMESTER!!!
I'm so excited about this.
I took a final this morning, made a 100%, and ended up with a 96 in the class (yay me!).
Then I spent a full 4 hours at the hospital visiting with Chad, Sarah and Kiera.
It was perfect!
I got to see Ephram in the NICU and I also fed Kiera and kept her company while mom and dad visited Ephram in his cubby.
I have other nieces and nephews...and I love them all so very much, but there is something special about your sister having babies.
I am so blessed!
Finally!
Ya'll, I've been away for almost a week. Time got away from me.
My goal is to catch up tonight and try to do better...but you know me, I'll get behind again eventually.
After the extraordinarily out of the ordinary snow day off of school yesterday, which was nothing short of a miracle, as it allowed me to be at the hospital all day long with my sister on the most special day ever (run on sentence much?) we were blessed today with a late start. Since half the learning sites were closed, the midterm scheduled for today was rescheduled and we were told not to be at school until 12 for a meeting.
That meant I got to sleep in again!...AND I got a free lunch.
And if you know me at all...sleep + food = Great day!
Of all days for babies to be born...my niece and nephew choose a snowstormy day in March!
But, they're here!!
Kiera Cathleen 5 lb 1 oz 17 1/2 in at 2:22pm
Ephram William 4 lb 3 oz 17 in at 2:23pm
They are beautiful and wonderful!
God orchestrated this whole day. Both mine (surprisingly) and the kids' school were out which left us free to sit at the hospital all day. I am so glad I was able to be there for Sarah and Chad and to be one of the first to meet the sweet babies.
So...D-day for my sister has been rescheduled to this Friday instead of next! This is good(ish) news for me. It means that her husband gets to help out the first week and I get spring break! However, it also means that they will be another week under-cooked and may have to spend some time in the NICU.
So, my friends, be praying for my sister and her husband the the two sweet babies we are about to meet! Pray that they have grown and developed enough to avoid a lengthy stay in the NICU and pray for peace for the parents!
In other news, I got word this morning that one of my close friends is moving far, far away. I can't give specifics on person, place or thing...but just pray.
I don't make friends easily. I tend to be a loner. I don't force myself on anyone and I certainly don't invite myself places where I may not be wanted. She is my only true confidant. The only one I trust with my deepest, darkest secrets. The only person I have taken a girls weekend with. We haven't seen each other in around a year (because our kids and husbands...and my school keep us so busy), but it never matters how much time has passed, we always pick right back up where we left off. I love her. I love her dearly and I can't say that about many people.
I am so very thankful for her friendship and acceptance. She has made me a better person and for that I am grateful.
Also, apparently we are expecting some kind of epic ice, sleet and snow storm because my school, which never closes, has already called off clinic tomorrow morning and cancelled morning classes. So, add to my thankful list....I get to sleep in tomorrow morning!
I saw my 3rd patient today!
I am finally starting to feel like I belong in that clinician chair. I'm not always on top of it, and sometimes I get too focused on being meticulous about the wrong things. The "learning" software we have to use for the college is such a learning curve for me...but every day I get a little bit better. I got farther in the sequence at this patient's first visit than with either of my first two patients which is a relief, because I was sure I was going to be the slowest clinician in my class.
Anyway, so far, so good. I still struggle with anxiety and feelings of panic, but it is getting easier to talk (and pray) myself off the ledge. Every single patient has been a God sent blessing to me. I don't want to jinx myself or anything, but they have all been so kind and encouraging; not one of them has been harsh or rude. God knew I would need kindness and encouragement and He has been so faithful to me as I embark on this journey.
Also, the countdown is ON...
At most 11 more days till I welcome my newest niece and nephew!!! Any day now!
ONLY 11 MORE DAYS UNTIL SPRING BREAK!!
I will likely be spending my spring break with a baby in one arm and typing a literature review with the other! But I don't care as long as it means I can sleep in!
I honestly can't believe that I have made this blog happen for 61 days. With everything I have on my plate, it was a crazy idea to say the least. Somedays, I just don't find the time to take even 5 minutes to write something boring and cliche.
Through it all, I am determined to make it work...even if I have to blog 6 days worth in one evening.
This morning we braved the icy roads to make it to church. I didn't want to go, I was tired (even after the amazing snow day yesterday) and I just wanted to stay in bed. Thankfully, Matt teaches Sunday School, so I had to suck it up, get dressed and show up.
First, I made myself an amazing coffee to go. Then I drove the family to church and only had slippery trouble in the neighborhood. I just happened to get the last Cinnamon Crunch Panera bagel in the bowl and it was delicious! I enjoyed a great Sunday School lesson and Sunday morning sermon then got in the car to find that the roads were completely clear and the neighborhood streets were no longer icy, but slushy. We walked into a kitchen that was thick with the aroma of a roast and had a fantastic Sunday lunch.
We ended the evening by watching the Thunder beat the Lakers on my dad's new 75" TV and it was amazing! It makes my 36" look tiny...
It was just an ordinary day, but I loved every minute.
Today was a snow day!
We didn't go anywhere or do anything.
First, I slept until 9:15. And IT WAS AMAZING!
Then, I woke to the smell of breakfast...which Matt cooked. (Ya'll he also did dishes!)
We played Wii golf, Wii bowling, watched Old Yeller and The Black Cauldron (wish I could have that hour and a half back of my life) ate plenty of food and never changed out of our PJ's.
I could use more days like today for sure!
My sister had a little scare yesterday.
Her non stress test didn't show enough movement on one of the babies so they admitted her to a room and kept her for blood work and observations.
Thankfully, she and both babies are fine, so they get to cook a little bit longer.
I went by her house today to help her out. I'm not sure how much helping I actually did, but I brought lunch and helped with cutting tags off of clothes and starting laundry.
As much as I know those babies need more time to develop and gain weight, I sure am ready to meet them!
Today was rough, not gonna lie.
I made another 70 on a quiz.
So, I came home and took a nap.
Naps make me happy.
I am definitely thankful for naps.
Just like last Wednesday, I had a pharmacology exam today.
I had myself a little meltdown tonight.
I'm not proud of those moments, but I try to be real...and the truth is, I didn't handle tonight well at all.
After a long day at school, I thought I would try a new recipe. Don't ask me why I thought that would be a good idea, especially when I knew I had a huge exam to study for. It just sounded good, and I thought that even with an extended cooking time, it would be fine because the prep would be easy and while it was in the oven I could study.
Not so much.
I overlooked the fact that the meal had to be covered in foil and I had just used the last of my aluminum foil over the weekend.
Thankfully, my wonderful husband ran to the grocery store for foil and also picked up the one ingredient I am missing for tomorrow's dinner.
I've been thankful for him before, but he deserves another shout out tonight.
I know I am difficult to live with right now. I know that I spend way more time in front of my computer studying than doing anything else. I know he deserves to be treated better than I am currently treating him.
But he still loves me, and he helps me and for that I am so very very thankful.
I used a scaler on a real live patient for the very first time today!
I can hardly believe it myself, really!
My patient is so good natured and such a joy to work on.
I am so thankful for my patients, actually. It takes a special person to subject themselves and their teeth to students who are still learning.
My patient today drove in the snow to help me learn...how awesome is that?!
Also, I just found out that my school has delayed the starting time until 9:30 in the morning. I don't know exactly what that means for the College of Dentistry...but I'll take it!
It is FREEZING out there!
I'm one of those annoying people who complain about the weather most of the year.
I do NOT like the cold and I DESPISE the absurd heat.
I need to move someplace where the weather is a consistent 85 degrees all year long. That is my paradise!
Mady stayed the night with her Grandma last night so we were sans a child this morning for church. I had an amazing time volunteering in the nursery this morning with Ms. Tammie. I even said the memory verse and got a little lotion for a prize. :)
Matt and I were able to knock out our Sam's trip for the month, hit the grocery store for some staples and lastly run into TJMaxx for some last minute baby outfits because I (oddly) had more for baby boy than baby girl and that had to be remedied ASAP.
While it wasn't the most relaxing Sunday ever, we got a lot accomplished before starting a new week and possibly braving a snow storm.
My heart is heavy for a dear friend whose husband passed away this week. The celebration of her husband's life was today.
Sande has been such an amazing encouragement to me over the last several months. She went back to school with kids and completely understands the demands on my time, patience, and heart.
Just a few weeks ago (maybe it was a month ago?) we sat at a table with Sande and Jimmy at the new kids' pastor meet and greet at the church. We talked, laughed, ate pizza, and had such a fantastic time visiting. Now, my heart is breaking for her.
I hope and pray that the Lord can use me to encourage her as He has used her to encourage me. For now, my thoughts and prayers are with Sande, Jimmy and Aimee as they begin this new journey.
I can't believe it has been a whole year since I had my interview for dental hygiene school!
It seems surreal that an entire year has passed since I battled some of the worst anxiety I have ever faced in my life.
I was able to help with this year's dental hygiene interviews today and it was such a fun experience. I followed along with the interviewees on a tour of our facility and enjoyed candid conversation with them as they were waiting to be called back.
I remember so well being in their shoes and I was happy to give back; to be the smiling face that made them feel more at ease in the midst of all the panic.
I met some pretty amazing girls (and one guy) and I sure hope I see them again in the fall!
So, yesterday, I chose to be thankful for the lesson I gave my class on family.
Mostly I chose that subject because I had little else to be thankful for...least of all the Pharmacology exam I took...where I guessed on 29 of 60 questions. So...yeah.
Today was much better than yesterday for sure.
Circumstances notwithstanding, I am thankful that we got out of school early today. My name got called in Perio to answer a question I did not know the answer to. I was bailed out by my wonderful classmate sitting next to me so I didn't look like a fool in front of a class full of dental students.
We'll just overlook the wordy dird I said when my name was called and I kind of freaked out.
Tonight with my 4th grade girls we made a family tree.
I love my family. I kind of pride myself in knowing who my family is. I can name off my parents' cousins, aunts, uncles...I just love family. I love tracking the genes and seeing who looks like whom; it's fascinating.
It was good to teach the girls how important family is and how important it is to know and love them.
Zac made it to the eye doctor today!
Matt saved the day by taking off work early to get him there...and since we didn't miss the appointment, we don't have to be "fired" (as the kind *snort* receptionist told us over the phone), well, not yet anyway. I still have lots of room for forgetfulness. Hopefully Matt will be able to save the day again when that time comes.
After the drama with the doctor's office last month, and then a cancellation due to ice yesterday, we were really glad to get him in.
Thankfully, we got good news. His left eye is still not normal and there is still no explanation for its rapid decline. However, he was able to see slightly better out of it during the appointment today and because the left eye seems to be working well together with the right, the doctor does not want to start vision therapy just yet.
The office was able to fix his glasses even better than Lens Crafters, complete with a spring so they stay on his face like they should. I feel much better about him wearing them to school and to play soccer this coming spring.
He will go back in September and we are praying for a miracle...and I am breaking out the Frankincense essential oil.
P.S. Round 2 of "Dental Hygiene school in February is straight from Hades" has commenced. Thankfully, I made an A on my competency yesterday, and A on another competency today, a 92 on my Research exam and a 95(!!!!) on my Radiology exam! I'm on a roll! Now to study for two more exams tomorrow. Wish me luck!!
7 years ago today this little guy joined our family!
We had a Skylander's birthday extravaganza today!
Zac is one happy boy after his party! He sure is one very loved little boy!
I still can't believe he is going to be 7 tomorrow.
Also, I have done absolutely no studying At All . In fact, one of my classmates posted that we should remember to take study breaks this weekend. I am sure she meant that we should take breaks from studying...So far I have only managed to take small breaks to study.
But, I got to celebrate my favorite little boy in the whole world. Studying can wait.
Matt and I "celebrated" Valentine's Day last weekend.
We don't really do Valentine's Day, it's just not our thing. I know it is special to some people and I don't want to make light of it, but it has just never been important to us.
We usually buy each other a card and go out to eat on a different night that the rest of the state.
This year, we took the kids to see the new Spongebob movie, Sponge Out of Water. Madelyn and I laughed at a man in the audience until we cried (we're so mature) and had popcorn! (We never buy popcorn at the movies; it breaks the budget...)
We spent the rest of the non movie watching part of the day cleaning house, which needed to be done considering Zac's birthday party is tomorrow and we still have two kitchen tables hanging out in our house.
Matt swept and mopped the kitchen floor.
Best Valentine's gift EVER!
I got to go to the hospital for a non stress test with my sister today.
It wasn't exciting, sitting in that tiny triage room, but I got to hear the sweet babies' heartbeats for the first time!!
We also got to watch most of an episode of Gilmore Girls which was awesome, and reminded me that is has been WAY too long since I have watched that glorious show.
I love Fridays!
I was talking to my boss (and best ballet teacher ever, of course) the other day and she said this:
"I can't remember when it happened that waking up in the morning meant the best part of my day was over."
Of course that is an exaggeration, but geez, I feel that way so often these days.
Thanks to my favorite purchase ever, (in the history of the world) my Serta iComfort Savant mattress, I always get a full night's sleep, even though it isn't ever for as long as I would like...
It's kind of silly, really, to be thankful for a mattress. But go lay on one...you'll understand.
Today was legislative day at the state capitol with the Oklahoma Dental Hygienists Association.
It wasn't what I expected, but it was fun to see all the seniors and the gals from the distance sites.
I was able to tell a representative a tooth joke.
It wasn't really funny...it came off the back of a Laffy Taffy.
I assisted a 4th year dental student with a bridge prep.
My dad was able to pick the kids up from school.
Radiology class was cancelled, but we all took the quiz before we left for the day and I made a 100!
I got home, and before I could lose all my gumption, I cooked dinner.
It was quesadillas, made with pre-cooked meat...so nothin' fancy around these parts.
I watched one episode of Downton (Season 5 ya'll, almost caught up!!) and got to bed EARLY!!
Since yesterday evening, I have eaten half a box of Savannah Smiles girl scout cookies. I should really learn to control myself.
I saw my very first real life patient today. I don't think my patient was aware of that fact, and I most certainly kept it to myself. Honestly, I am relieved that the "first" is over. It is so stressful going over and over in your head how something might go. I am totally aware that I over think pretty much everything and I stress about things way too much. (To the point that I had a classmate tell me last week that she couldn't believe I am not on Xanax...) But it is always scary doing something new. I know that I am well educated and I know that I am capable of doing exactly what needs to be done in the clinic, but the first time...well, that just messes with my head. Next time it will be easier, and before I know it, patients will be just another part of a normal day.
I can't wait for that day!
But for today, I am thankful that I didn't vomit or pee myself...(mostly kidding) and although I didn't get as far into the sequence as I would have liked, I did everything to the best of my ability. I am alive and well to tell the tale, and nobody got injured in the process.
Also, thanks to TobyMac for his "Way Beyond Me" song that played on Air1 on the way to school today. That song always pumps me up because I know that situations where I feel in over my head keep me counting on the Lord for strength.
I have struggled with what to be thankful for today. It has been a blur and we have really just worked around the house. The poor house has been neglected after the whirlwind that was last week. Add to that being in Tulsa all day yesterday, we had a lot of catching up to do.
My sweet husband worked until he was sore today. I cleaned up the kitchen, started laundry, made a grocery store run, and put up all the groceries. Then I paused for a long time to study for a quiz and prepare for seeing my first patient tomorrow. He worked non-stop. Dishes, laundry, our bathroom...he knocked it out of the park.
Thanks to him, I will be sleeping on clean sheets tonight...and believe me, I am going to need an amazing night's sleep to face tomorrow.
Today I was able to help with Oklahoma Mission of Mercy.
I will be candid. I feel like I am a pretty compassionate and caring person. I want to help others. These qualities and the desire to help fit well with my social work degree and they also fit quite well with dental hygiene. BUT, I was not looking forward to this. My classmates were posting to Facebook how excited they were to help out, but I was tired. I had spent the entire week doing homework and studying for tests and quizzes. I gave up several hours that could have been spent with my family and devoted them to school. Then I had to send my kids to Grammy and Poppy's house for the weekend while I drove out to Tulsa to volunteer my precious time to people other than my own family. I didn't have the best attitude.
I'm still tired, but spending the day helping others and having quality conversation with them, and teaching them was amazing. I didn't get to assist any hygienists. I spent the entire shift at the oral hygiene instruction table, but it was still amazing. I got to look in the eyes of people so in desperate need of dental care that they stood outside all night long, for a chance to receive care. It was a fantastic day!
To top it all off, Matt went with me, so we got to make a date night of out little Tulsa trip. We ate at a "sit down" restaurant where there are hostesses and waiters...and you have to tip. (In case you couldn't tell, we don't do that much...) We did a little shopping and a lot of talking (with no interruptions) and just got to be together.
Sometimes you just need an attitude adjustment.
It's safe to say this has been a rough week.
Yesterday I made a 70 on a Geriatric Dentistry quiz. Today I made a 70 on a Dental Hygiene Theory quiz.
Suffice to say, this week is getting on my nerves.
However, since tomorrow is a laid back day, (only 1 quiz...) I decided to make a decent meal for a change.
I made my favorite meal ever: sour cream chicken enchiladas. They were wonderful and everyone ate together with a smile.
I am thankful for the evenings, even in the middle of a hellish week, when I am able to pretend everything is fine and cook a meal we all enjoy.
Even better, Matt cleared the table, put up the leftovers and let me take a long hot shower while he did homework with the kid. Then he handed me a wad of cash and told me to have fun at An Affair of the Heart tomorrow. He's a keeper!
I didn't have class this afternoon.
Sadly, our professor had a family emergency and was unable to teach. Certainly not ideal circumstances and her father is in my prayers.
I have to admit, I was still glad to have the afternoon off.
I spent my lovely afternoon at Starbuck's where I enjoyed a free Venti iced white chocolate mocha and studied for tomorrow's pharmacology exam. I made some great studying progress...although I still see something like an all-nighter in my very near future.
I also see Taco Mayo in my very near future as all this studying has not afforded me time to cook dinner.
We had our first experience with broken glasses today. They "fell off" when Zac was running at recess and got stepped on by another child. They managed to make it through the school day, but once my sister got him home, the screw fell out and the whole ear piece fell off.
Not thankful for that...
Zac was beside himself. Bawling. Freaking out. I don't know where he gets that...
I bought a eyeglass repair kit at Walgreens but none of the screws fit so we were out of luck and about to pull out the duct tape.
On a whim, we looked up the closest Lens Crafters. It was 6:40. Lens Crafters closes at 7. Matt called and they assured him they would fix the glasses if he could get there by 7.
He made it, glasses are fixed and they did it for free!
Now we just need to be sure he can make it without breaking them again before his next eye doctor appointment in 2 weeks.
Since last year when I saw a picture of a dental hygiene student standing on top of her crushed car in her dental hygiene sweatpants, I have wanted a pair.
Superbowl Sunday.
I'm not a huge football fan, but I do watch the Super Bowl. My team didn't win, so that was a bummer...but it was still a fun evening.
The kids got to hang with Grandma and eat lots of junk food.
Lastly, a lot of people complained about the commercials. Most weren't funny (except for the Snicker's Brady Bunch commercial which I thought was great, although not groundbreaking) but they were very poignant. Dad's watching the Super Bowl were encouraged to be good fathers and told that they play an important role in their children's lives. We were all encouraged to make great strides to make our homes safe for our children.
Some say they were depressing and killed the mood...but I thought they were great. We may just see accidental deaths of children go down, and that is a great thing.
More important than the Super Bowl...
I have made it through one month of penning a blog every day!
I can hardly believe it, considering the last time I tried to do this it took me about 4 months to write a month's worth of blogs.
Some posts have been mundane, others have been deep, and still others have been silly, but I kept going. I haven't always been timely, but I made it work.
Some days I like to go back and read what I wrote. I like to remember what the Lord has done. I have to remember what He has done in the past so when times get hard, I have the proof of his goodness and faithfulness right in front of my eyes.
It's been a fun ride so far and I look forward to the next 11 months.
The Bible says laughter does good like a medicine. It's true how much a good laugh can cure your ills.
This afternoon in the car we were having a conversation about a lady in my life who hates going to the dentist more than anything in the entire world. I mean, I can't say for certain, but my guess would be that she would rather have a colonoscopy than visit the dentist.
She happens to think I am a little loopy for my chosen career.
This conversation just happened:
Me: "She thinks I am nuts. I guarantee you she thinks I have a mental disorder for choosing this career."
Mady: "She doesn't think you have a mental disorder, she just thinks you are crazy."
I love Fridays!
After the insanity of Monday-Thursday, Friday with only one class from 9-11am is wonderful!
As you know, we are planning a Skylanders birthday party for Zac. He really really wants the light and dark expansion packs for Trap Team and we can't find them anywhere. We could find them two weeks ago, but now they are nowhere to be found. Even on Amazon they are marked up by $20 over the regular price.
I took a gamble. I remembered seeing the expansion packs on the 19th...almost two whole weeks ago, at the Target on NW Expressway. I left class and headed that way.
I don't remember praying so fervently for something so ridiculously unimportant in my entire life.
Long story short, they had the expansion packs and I snatched them up like my life depended on it!
God even answers the ridiculously unimportant prayers ya'll.
One of my professors made a statement in class today about ballet. She said, in essence, that you need to be proficient in ballet before you can dance in pointe shoes.
That got me thinking, I have pictures that can prove that point. Plus it's TBT...so why not.
I got into my game/photo/extra cord closet and pulled out a couple of photo albums and one big photo box. I was pretty sure that I was not going to find the photos I was after; I assumed they would be at my dad's house hidden in a cedar chest or box in the attic.
No! I found a picture of me in my very first ballet costume, my Don Quixote costume picture (it's gorgeous and red and has the most perfect tutu), and my pointe picture from my junior year of high school, which was also my last year to take pictures for dance. I couldn't believe each picture that I really wanted to use was here in my house!
It's kind of silly, but I was so thankful I didn't have to dig too long or hard to find what I was after!
I got to take a nap today and it was completely unplanned.
I picked the kids up from school and got home around 4. We talked a little about their day and they went outside to play, enjoying this last day of unseasonably warm weather.
I climbed in bed. I expected to just lay there until (inevitably) one of them needed something...but (surprisingly) that never happened.
I woke up at 5:50, and then only because I really needed to pee.
It was amazing! And how awesome are my kids for not waking me up?!
I just checked my timehop about 1 minute ago and immediately knew what I needed to say tonight.
The thoughts are still swarming around in my head making it hard to get them all collected enough to communicate.
Exactly three years ago today I posted what I thought was an innocent status update to Facebook. That status cost me a friendship and resulted in many, many, MANY tears. It's a long story that doesn't need to be rehashed, especially since it happened three years ago, but it still haunts me to this day. I wish I would have done things so differently.
That friend never has, and probably never will forgive me. I have apologized over and over again. Even though I didn't mention the friend's name, business or any other identifying information, and even though I was just venting about the cost of an item I paid for through a third party...I still hurt her feelings and for that I was, and still am, extremely sorry.
It's funny, because I am so hard on myself. I find it hard to forgive myself for even the most minor of mistakes...but when it comes to forgiving others, I find it often (although not always) easy. I know people aren't perfect. I know people typically don't set out to hurt, offend, insult, etc...me on purpose. I understand that, which is why I forgive. Besides, unforgiveness only hurts me and why would I want to hurt more?
But God.
God forgives.
When I hurt my friend that day, it wasn't intentional. In fact, had the thought that I MIGHT hurt my friend crossed my mind, that status never would have been written. But sometimes, I hurt God intentionally. I know the good I ought to do and don't do it. I know the bad I ought not do and still do it. So many times I have done this. So many times I have fallen to my knees in repentance.
And He always forgives.
I am thankful for that forgiveness today. So very, very thankful.
You'll be reading this next sentence a lot for the next 3 1/2 months.
I have an exam tomorrow, so I will make today short.
My daughter's sweet friend is sick with the flu. Her Mama takes my kiddos to school every morning, so you can see where we were kind of in a bind; especially with my sister having "I'm 30 weeks pregnant with twins" issues and my step mom with a highly contagious stomach virus.
I turned to my backup for help and like always, she came through!
Not only is she picking them up, but offered to let me drop them off in the morning so she can take them to school also! She's a lifesaver!
I don't have a lot of close friends. I'm kind of a loner, I like my space and I don't like to intrude on others or push myself in on a person for friendship, but I am so very, very thankful for the friends I do have. The friends like Rochelle that I have known for 30 years and can be such a blessing. It takes a village ya'll and I am so thankful for mine.
I was browsing Pinterest last night and I came across this:
http://stuffparentsneed.com/essential-oils-weight-loss/
I was intrigued. I mean, I know I need to get healthy. I know I need to exercise and eat right, but it seems to me if there is something out there to help by giving me a jump start and it isn't detrimental to my health, go for it!
I ordered everything I needed, and as soon as it is delivered, I'm giving it a try! I really hope it works! What do I have to lose...besides the freaking 25 pounds I have gained since my sister's wedding a year and three months ago?
I am thankful to my oily friends, including Amy Drewery, who introduced me to Young Living.
I am also thankful for our current financial situation. We aren't rich by any means, but if I want to try something new, all I have to do is bring it up at the "finance meeting" and we budget for it.
I got Zac's birthday invitations made today!
I found an amazing deal on a fabulous Skylanders invitation design on Etsy for only $8. (Check out EventsPrintables, she was super fast and affordable!) Then I only had to pay $1.89 for 5 photo prints of it at Walgreen's!
This is definitely the best deal on birthday party invitations I have ever gotten!
(Of course, I cropped out the bottom so as not to give away any personal info to the entire world)
Matt and I finished Downton Abbey Season 3 last night. I can't believe I was able to keep the ending a secret. I was also able to hold it together; I only let 3 tears slip.
In other news, IT'S THE WEEKEND! (as the Dowager Countess would say, "What's a week-end?")
I doesn't matter that it was a short week, I am more than ready for some rest!
Ya'll, dental hygiene school can be such a beast. Some days, I come to this blog and the words just flow and other days I am all, "I hate this computer, I hate this day, I need a nap, they need dinner again tonight!? I just fed them yesterday!"
Today basically falls in the latter category, but I'm still thankful...
BECAUSE I MADE A 92.9 ON MY PHARMACOLOGY EXAM!!!
In case you couldn't tell by the bolded all caps underlined italics, it's kind of a big deal to me.
Now, I gotta jet...I have another exam tomorrow morning and only 30 minutes until I have to pick up my kids from school. (And of course, they will all expect dinner tonight too...) :) :) :)
This morning I got to see the sunrise, and it was beautiful.
Don't get me wrong, I would have rather been in bed. I love sleep.
But this morning, when I was so tired and had to be in class by 7:45, had to place sealants on a real live human being's molar and then take a Pharmacology test, and was not in the best mood of my entire life...God placed a breathtakingly gorgeous view right in front of me.
I've got a test tomorrow, so I'll make this short and sweet.
I couldn't do this crazy little thing called life without help, and a lot of it.
God sent Ava Hatton into my life and I will never be able to express the thankfulness and gratitude I feel when I think about her! How else would I get my kids and myself to school every day? Your guess is as good as mine. She would say it is no big deal, but that is just what people say when making such a huge difference in someone's life doesn't take much effort...IT'S A HUGE DEAL!! Every morning, I wake up and know that my kids are going to a loving home to spend an hour or so of their day. I don't have to worry about questionable song lyrics playing in the car. I know they are in good hands.
I am so blessed to have Ava in mine and my kids' lives!
Thankful = sleeping in!
I had the day off today and so did the kids. They stayed the night with Grandma, so I had THE BEST quiet morning with coffee. It was awesome.
I spent the rest of my day with Mady and Zac, my sister, aunt and cousin. We had Schlotzky's for lunch and shopped at TJMaxx, Goodwill, Ross and Target.
It's been one of those days you wish would go on for a week; not because I am ungrateful for where I am in life, I love school and am looking forward to where this path is taking me joyfully, but because if I am honest with myself, I miss my downtime. Somedays amidst the excitement, I grieve. I grieve for the life I led just six short months ago; the one where I could sleep till 8 and take my kids to school. I miss so many things and yet, I know the best is yet to come!
I needed the day off today. A day not overshadowed by the excitement of Christmas, or the drudgery of taking all the Christmas decorations down. An extra day in the midst of business as usual to sit back, relax, drink coffee and let someone else get my kids out of bed.
Today was a good day.
Today is my cousin Amanda's birthday!
She is one of my El Paso cousins, and years go by between the times we see each other. Still, every time we get together, we pick up right where we left off. She has always been one of my closest friends.
For the past several years, Amanda and her husband have lived in Yuma, AZ. Matt and I basically promised we would come out for a visit and drive over to San Diego to see the zoo and the ocean. Unfortunately, we will not be able to fulfill our promise, because very soon, Amanda and Paul are moving to Texas! She will definitely be close enough for weekend road trips which I plan to take full advantage of as soon as school is not dominating every waking moment of my life. I can't wait!
Happiest of birthdays to you, Amanda!
We spent Saturday in Dill City and Cordell visiting my Papa and my aunt, Louan.
When I was growing up, I saw Louan and my cousins maybe once per year. They lived in El Paso and it's a long drive. After my Nana passed away several years ago and my Papa's health began deteriorating, Louan moved into Papa's house to help take care of him. That is when I began seeing her fairly regularly.
Oh, how I LOVE her!
My kids are dear to her. She doesn't have any grandchildren of her own, so she treats my kids as though they are her grandkids. The feeling is mutual; my kids adore her as well. She is one of the last links my children have to my mom. She can tell the stories I don't know. She can make my mom real to them.
She is the closest thing to mom I have. I have a wonderful mother-in-law, and I have a great step-mom, but Louan can talk to me about my family. She understands the weird idiosyncrasies I share with other family members. She can identify the faces I don't recognize in the old family photos. She makes missing my Nana and mom better just by being there to remind me that they did exist and that she loves and misses them too. My life is better because she is in it.
I am so thankful that although the circumstances that brought her here, to Oklahoma, to live were horribly sad, God has used these years to bring us together resulting in a wonderful relationship.
Tonight is the white coat ceremony for the OU Dental Hygiene class of 2016.
The girls in my class are all young (20's), vibrant, gorgeous, skinny, amazing people.
Therefore, tonight, I am thankful for Spanx.
That is all. Happy Friday!
Okay, this is silly.
I love Coca-Cola. I know it's bad for me. I know it can remove rust from metal. I know these things and it's not that I don't care, but I just like it.
At the end of last year and the beginning of this year, I didn't have a coke or soda of any kind for 15 days. It wasn't a fast and it wasn't a diet, it was just something I felt like I needed to do to break the cravings for a coke every day. I feel like it worked. I had a coke while watching the national championship game monday night and I didn't even feel guilty about it. I also didn't really care if I had another one any time soon. So, mission accomplished.
Tuesday night I went grocery shopping and I saw a cart full of 20oz bottles of Coca-Cola Life for only 50 cents a piece. I had seen a billboard for it on my way to school some time ago and had decided I wanted to try it eventually. It is sweetened with pure cane sugar and stevia. No high fructose corn syrup, no sucralose, no aspartame. I know it isn't water and it isn't good for me and it is still empty calories, but I just had to buy some to try it. I can't really tell a difference between it and real coke, but I can't be trusted to give an adequate review since I can't even tell when the wrong drink is placed in front of me at a restaurant...
Technically, I don't think I said that I was thankful for anything...I guess I am thankful that I found the drink I wanted to try, I liked it and it was only 50 cents!
School starts at 7:45 on Wednesdays! If you know me at all, you know that I am NOT a morning person. Although the sunrise is beautiful, I don't care if I see it. My ideal time for waking up is around 9. I can do 8; 7 is pushing it. Anyhow, big girl panties are on and I am dealing with it.
I was running late; it was 7:15 when I left my house and class started precisely at 7:45. I thought I was sunk. Miraculously, I hit every green light between my house and SW 15th street. I made it to school by 7:35! Prayers of thankfulness were being said for a straight 25 minutes!
We got out of school at 2:30 today! (Talk about THANKFUL!) I was able to work with other students to complete a quiz after class and still make it to school to pick up my kiddos! The best thing about this semester is that most weeks, I get to pick the kids up from school myself 4 times!
The hardest thing about school right now is the time and energy it takes away from my family, but I know it will all be worth it in the end. That is the reason I love picking them up from school. It is the time of day they are most excited to see me! When I wake them up in the morning, there isn't any excitement, but when I pick them up after a long day at school, they look at me like I am their favorite sight in the entire world! Not only do they make me feel special, but I am the first person to hear about all the events of the day. I get to hear about recess and lunch and P.E./Music. I get to hear about the AR tests they took and trouble they got into. It's my favorite time of the day for sure.
Also, Zac took his 3rd AR test today. It was on a non-fiction book and it seems those tests are always a little bit harder because the questions are fact based instead of story based. I wasn't worried about him because he has made a 100% on the first two, but I was curious to see how this one would go. He made a 100% on this one too! Now, I'm not saying he has arrived yet. I know he has a long way to go, but for now, I am EXTREMELY thankful that he is reading on level and comprehending what he is reading. This is something I thought would be a struggle when the school year started.
Mady is about 1/4th of the way through Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I love watching her fall in love with one of my favorite book series ever! I love that she loves to read; she makes me so happy!
Two things:
1) I had impressions lab today. It took my partner two tries to get a perfect mandibular impression on me and three tries on the maxillary. I only gagged twice...and there was no vomit to be seen. I was so proud of myself! I kept my composure and didn't cry, but I did drool a whole lot. Haha!
2) My sister saved the day! My kids were safely retrieved from school at the appropriate time by my sister who cleaned out at least part of her car to make room for a third body. She also managed to get Mady to dance class, hack her way into my garage and pick Mady up from dance class all while cooking twin fetuses (more figuratively than literally ya'll). She rocks!
P.S. My husband just informed me that Doogie Howser M.D. was the first blogger and he thinks I should play the theme song to the show when I blog. He's funny, that's why I keep him around.
I will keep today extremely short and sweet.
Let me start by saying, I have followed blogs similar to this before. It starts getting repetitive in the first month because we are creatures of habit and we tend to do the same things over and over again. My first attempt at a thankfulness blog failed miserably. Not only did it fail, but one of the reasons it failed is because I couldn't just be thankful for ordinary things because ordinary things are boring. No, the things I was determined to include in my rundown of thankfulness had to be huge, they had to be exciting. I am trying to stick to simplicity here; to find something in every day life...which may at times be huge and at other times mundane. So stick with me when I get repetitive. Something exciting may be right around the corner.
Yesterday, we finally celebrated Christmas with Matt's grandparents. We left their house and headed to my in-law's house to deliver their gifts and stayed much longer than we expected. They are the single most generous, kind, and loving people I have ever met in my entire life. They love big time. I am SO VERY thankful for them and all they do in our lives. Last night the kids wanted to stay the night, but never would ask anyone but me. I continually told them they needed to ask their Grammy and Poppy, but they continually did not. So as we loaded the car, Mady is sobbing and Zac is hanging his head low. On a last minute burst of confidence, Zac approached Grammy and asked very sweetly if he and Mady could spend the night. Of course, her answer was yes...and so the night was saved, by the best in-laws ever.
I know I have been thankful for my in-laws before and just bear with me because I will most definitely be thankful for them again.
I'll start by saying Mady was a natural reader. She just took to it, no effort at all. School has always been easy for her; not so for Zac. He hasn't been interested in reading, he really just wants to do math and I am okay with that, except that you need to be able to read to pass school.
Zac just said, "I LOVE READING FOR FUN, IT'S AWESOME!!"
That is what I am thankful for today. I am beyond ecstatic about that statement!
I am officially on a three day weekend! That is what I am thankful for today!
I am ecstatic about whatever meeting occurred that cancelled my Friday class because even though it is only the first week back, but has been brutal with the mornings and waking up before the sun. And driving to school before the sun and actually sitting in class before the sun! Brutal!! As of now, I have worked ahead enough to fully enjoy this weekend!
I got behind! Yesterday was a busy day. Class from 7:45am to 3:30pm and then church at 7. Wednesdays are going to be really busy this semester, but my 4th grade girls make it all worth it!
I am so thankful for those girls. One of them is my daughter, but that is beside the point, I love each and every one of them! They work so hard and they are so very funny! I have a particularly rambunctious bunch this year, but they are a joy and they make the night fun! Last night we had a badge ceremony and I got to recognize them for all the work they have accomplished since August. Out of 5 girls, 3 of them have completed every single unit as well as the extra honor steps. Out of those three, two of them have worked ahead. I am so thankful I was listening when God called me to teach these girls, I think they bless me more than I could ever bless them.
Everyone thinks their kids are the best, cutest, brightest...but mine really are.
We're pretty strict parents around here. We have fun; they have everything they need and most of what they want. You have to draw the line somewhere and that line is different for every family. For our family, it is with electronics. We have a Wii, PS2, PS3, Original Nintendo, Super NES, N64 and more currently a throwback SEGA genesis and Intellivision. So, we like our video games around here. Matt has an iPhone through his job and I have a Galaxy S4. I also have a Mac laptop for school, but believe me, if not for school...that would never have happened. I say all this to let you know, we aren't all hung up on modern technological gadgets. Our home doesn't hold a single tablet or iPod. If one of my kids wants a tablet, he/she has to save his/her own money and purchase it. Look, our Christmas budget for each kid could buy them a Kindle Fire and they would get nothing else. It's pretty simple because they don't want only one gift. They aren't allowed to have phones until they can drive; my oldest is 10 years old, WHO IS SHE GOING TO CALL?!? I guess I just don't get it, probably because we are a part of the few who still have a land line...but I like it this way. If my kids want to have a conversation with someone, they know how to do it...FACE TO FACE. They know how to respect their teachers, family members, and other children. They aren't perfect, but they're still pretty darn great.
The real story here is Mady. She's a great listener. Well, she is a great selective listener...but apparently she was listening every time her father taught her what we feel is a very important lesson in life.
My conversation with Mady after school today went something like this:
(Names have been changed to protect the innocent...haha)
Me: So, how was school today?
Mady: Well, everyone was bragging about what they got for Christmas.
Me: Ok, so what did everyone get?
Mady: (lists off several kids and what they said they got, then...) Marly said she got a phone, but I know she didn't. (lists reason why she "knows" Marly did not get a phone) Why do kids lie about what they got for Christmas? Who cares?
Me: Well, some kids want you to think they got better stuff for Christmas than they really did so they just make stuff up. But the real reason is; Well, what does your daddy always tell you?
Mady: "Kids are stupid"
Lesson learned!
Ok, so we aren't that harsh. We say it like a joke because kids always do stupid stuff (most adults do too...so there is that...) Kids are funny, watch them. They make up stories about guys trying to break into their house on Christmas morning and then defending their home by shooting them in the eye with their brand new bow and arrow they just opened for Christmas. Something tells me that didn't really happen. Haha!
Today I am thankful for amazing kids who are funny, talented, smart, kind, and good.
I survived the first day of spring semester today, which means I am 1/4th and one day done with dental hygiene school!
I won't lie, today was rough. We stayed up until midnight watching Downton (season 2, we're trying to catch up!) and then had to get up at least 2 hours earlier than any other day in the past 2 weeks. Also, it's cold out there ya'll. I ate a good breakfast and packed a healthy(ish) lunch. By the time the last class was over, I was falling asleep and really hungry, but I survived!
I'm gonna share two things I am thankful for today...because it's Monday and why not?
1. Besides finishing my first day of spring semester, I am also thankful for coffee. It's possible I couldn't have survived today without it.
2. I haven't had a coke (diet or otherwise) in a week and a day. It's not that I have forbidden them from my diet, because goodness knows, that would cause me to crave them more than ever. I decided that I didn't want to pump my body full of high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners all day long. Surprisingly it hasn't been hard at all. They hardest part was when I had a huge energy slump in the middle of class today and could have really used a caffeine boost.
I am struggling tonight because I start my spring semester of dental hygiene school tomorrow and I am scared out of my mind.
Ok, that is an exaggeration...but I am really nervous.
This semester brings 11 classes equaling 18 hours plus we start seeing patients in February. It is so exciting and terrifying at the same time. I really hope I can sleep tonight!
Today I am thankful for this long Christmas break from school. As it comes to an end, I look forward to a new routine; however, I will miss the late night Downton marathons and the 10:00 mornings. I will miss the days filled with nothing to do but whatever I want. All of this is nothing compared to the excitement I feel when I think that in 4 short months I will have completed my first year of dental hygiene school and will be halfway to my dream career!
The hard thing about going back to school when you have kids is that you often don't have the same schedule. This requires babysitters and help from friends and family and it often results in me feeling like a burden to others. Today, my step-mom informed me that her schedule had been rearranged and she was able to watch my kids Monday while I am at school. Not only that, but she invited them to spend the night Sunday night so they don't have to get up early and I don't have to drive across town before school. God always works things out, and for that I am thankful.
Also, the new dishwasher if fabulous!
January 2nd, 2015
Today I am thankful for a new dishwasher. It's not hooked up; in fact it is in the garage and I HAVE to remember to bring it in the house before we go to bed and it freezes up. When we moved out of my Grandma's house 7 1/2 years ago all I wanted in a new house was two toilets and a dishwasher. So, thankful as I was and have been for such a blessed invention and its presence in my home, it is time for a new improved machine!
Write this down because you will probably never hear (or see) me say it again: I can't wait to install the new dishwasher and do my dishes tomorrow!!
This is the year all 80's kids have been waiting for since we watched Back to the Future and 2015 seemed to be so very far away. Here we are. I have to admit, I am disappointed. I was really excited about hover boards and flying cars and movie billboards that are so 3D you really think you are being eaten by a great white shark. Oh well.
2014 was good to me. I got into Dental Hygiene school on the first try. I have to admit, I wasn't sure I could do it. I find myself surrounded by these wonderful ladies day after day and it is really special. I rocked my first semester of DH school with 6 A's and 3 B's. It's not perfect, but with my responsibilities as wife, mom, cook, chauffeur, and dance teacher...I'll live with imperfection.
I resolve to be thankful for something, at least one little thing every single day of my life for the entire year. I might miss a day or two, but I will make up for it. No more 10,000 reasons in one year for me. It was amazing for my friends who did it, who were up for the task, however, for me...it was daunting. The more I tried to come up with 27 things to be thankful for in one day the harder it was. I'm not saying that I didn't have overwhelmingly more than 27 things to be thankful for each day, it is just that identifying them and then putting them into delightful little sentences was just too much for me.
But enough excuses.
This year, yes, this year, I will strive to let go of the chaos for 5 minutes each day to type a single sentence (two if you're lucky) to say something I am thankful for. Some blessing the Lord has seen fit to bestow upon me. Big or small. Exciting or boring. And so a year begins.
January 1st 2015: Today I am thankful for a new beginning. A new year, a new chance to be better. I am also thankful that my husband decided he will watch Downton Abbey with me...and even more thankful that he actually likes it.
