Thursday, March 25, 2010
Well, as most of you know I just turned 28! Though I wasn't excited about being a year older, I was glad to leave 27 behind! I just don't like that number.... I mean yuk! 28 sounds much better.
I also had one of the best birthdays ever! I was kind of expecting this birthday to, well, suck. This year my birthday happened to be the day before I took my national board exam. I thought that I'd be all stressed out and just sit around the house and do nothing but worry. Well, my wonderful husband and his family took care of that for me!
Cody's family has been four wheeling for, well, I'm pretty sure forever. At least as long as I've known them. And me? Well, the first time I sat on a four wheeler was when I started dating Cody. Big surprise! However, I quickly came to love it. One of my favorite things is four wheeling at Kenny and Melanie's. We've gone countless times since my first ride, and I get a little more comfortable each time.
So this year, Kenny called Cody and asked if we wanted to go down to Ava and ride. Luckily, I was on Spring Break and could go with them. It also happened to be on my birthday! So we packed up the truck and headed down to Glade top. We arrived to find one of the most beautiful days of the year. The sky was perfectly blue and the weather was not too cold or too hot.
Glade top is a national park, and it is gorgeous! There is nothing around for miles, except for trees, creeks and wildlife. It's just you and nature. I love riding because I can just sit and enjoy the breeze on my face and look out into the forest. Glade top has a little bit of everything; you can drive forever and see only trees surrounding you and then suddenly you are on top of a hill and can see for miles around. There are rocky hills to climb up and creeks to cross. I love those gurgling creeks with the water so clear you can see the different colored rocks on the creek bed. If you go slow enough you can even see the fish and frogs that make the creeks their home. I love looking out and wondering how many little animals are hiding from the hum of our four wheelers, waiting to come out until we pass by. This area is one of the most peaceful places I've ever been. I can't help but think of how awesome our Creator is when I'm in a place like that.
Another of my favorite things about Glade top is the history that is there. Every once in a while you come across an old homestead. You can see the remains of old cellars, forgotten tin pails rusting in the grass, rock foundations that once supported a home. I find myself wanting to know more about the people who lived here. The ones that worked so hard to tame the land and build a home. Did they thrive here by the water, or did they struggle each day to put food on the table and to protect their children? Were they born on this land, or did they travel from a far away place to claim it as their own? How many children came into this world at this very spot? I can almost see a little girl sitting in the tall grass making chains of flowers, or a little boy struggling to chop wood so his family would stay warm. What were their hopes and dreams? What did they fear? Did they fall asleep at night listening to the water flow outside their window?
There is a small and very old cemetary on one of the hills on Glade top. It's a beautiful place, in its own way. There is certainly sorrow to be felt there. Many lives had been laid to rest there, too many before their time I'm sure. Many graves are only marked by a stone. Some have names and dates scratched on their surface. A few mark the resting place of entire families. Did they die of some terrible sickness? I can almost see a mother leaning over her child, wiping their little face, praying that they would get better. Some stones only tell of an infant, one that was called to heaven before ever even beginning life here on earth. Many graves show birth and death dates from the 1800's; what did this cemetary look like when these people were laid here? Was there snow on the ground? Were there this many trees around? I'll never know; all I can see now is a shadow of the past. As we leave the cemetary to continue our journey, I find myself hoping that it will always be there. That a hundred years from now, another person can walk through it, wondering about the lives that were lost here, thinking about those that had to walk away and leave their loved ones where they lay.
We left the cemetary and continued down the trail. I began to think that maybe I would try driving. Kenny and Cody have always been great about helping me and they are always very patient with me when I get scared. They always encourage me to get out of my comfort zone and actually drive instead of just ride behind Cody, but they never make me feel bad if I chicken out! I have driven several times; Cody stays on the back and helps me by providing emotional support, and, well, helping me do things like turning the four wheeler on. I usually decide to drive when we're on flat land with lots of open spaces; no hills or creeks to cross, no trees to run into. Just simple, easy driving. Well, Glade top is not really simple, easy driving. There are rock ledges to climb and water to cross, both of which are surrounded by trees to hit! I did overcome my fear and I drove! I didn't really go up any rocks, cause that's just craziness, but I did cross several of the creeks! I was so proud of myself! I've attached some pictures of our adventures.
Cody going up a steep bank
Me resting on Cody after driving through some scary creeks!
Me going through a creek
Look how deep that is!
I like this one because it shows the steepness of the banks and
I also had one of the best birthdays ever! I was kind of expecting this birthday to, well, suck. This year my birthday happened to be the day before I took my national board exam. I thought that I'd be all stressed out and just sit around the house and do nothing but worry. Well, my wonderful husband and his family took care of that for me!
Cody's family has been four wheeling for, well, I'm pretty sure forever. At least as long as I've known them. And me? Well, the first time I sat on a four wheeler was when I started dating Cody. Big surprise! However, I quickly came to love it. One of my favorite things is four wheeling at Kenny and Melanie's. We've gone countless times since my first ride, and I get a little more comfortable each time.
So this year, Kenny called Cody and asked if we wanted to go down to Ava and ride. Luckily, I was on Spring Break and could go with them. It also happened to be on my birthday! So we packed up the truck and headed down to Glade top. We arrived to find one of the most beautiful days of the year. The sky was perfectly blue and the weather was not too cold or too hot.
Glade top is a national park, and it is gorgeous! There is nothing around for miles, except for trees, creeks and wildlife. It's just you and nature. I love riding because I can just sit and enjoy the breeze on my face and look out into the forest. Glade top has a little bit of everything; you can drive forever and see only trees surrounding you and then suddenly you are on top of a hill and can see for miles around. There are rocky hills to climb up and creeks to cross. I love those gurgling creeks with the water so clear you can see the different colored rocks on the creek bed. If you go slow enough you can even see the fish and frogs that make the creeks their home. I love looking out and wondering how many little animals are hiding from the hum of our four wheelers, waiting to come out until we pass by. This area is one of the most peaceful places I've ever been. I can't help but think of how awesome our Creator is when I'm in a place like that.
Another of my favorite things about Glade top is the history that is there. Every once in a while you come across an old homestead. You can see the remains of old cellars, forgotten tin pails rusting in the grass, rock foundations that once supported a home. I find myself wanting to know more about the people who lived here. The ones that worked so hard to tame the land and build a home. Did they thrive here by the water, or did they struggle each day to put food on the table and to protect their children? Were they born on this land, or did they travel from a far away place to claim it as their own? How many children came into this world at this very spot? I can almost see a little girl sitting in the tall grass making chains of flowers, or a little boy struggling to chop wood so his family would stay warm. What were their hopes and dreams? What did they fear? Did they fall asleep at night listening to the water flow outside their window?
There is a small and very old cemetary on one of the hills on Glade top. It's a beautiful place, in its own way. There is certainly sorrow to be felt there. Many lives had been laid to rest there, too many before their time I'm sure. Many graves are only marked by a stone. Some have names and dates scratched on their surface. A few mark the resting place of entire families. Did they die of some terrible sickness? I can almost see a mother leaning over her child, wiping their little face, praying that they would get better. Some stones only tell of an infant, one that was called to heaven before ever even beginning life here on earth. Many graves show birth and death dates from the 1800's; what did this cemetary look like when these people were laid here? Was there snow on the ground? Were there this many trees around? I'll never know; all I can see now is a shadow of the past. As we leave the cemetary to continue our journey, I find myself hoping that it will always be there. That a hundred years from now, another person can walk through it, wondering about the lives that were lost here, thinking about those that had to walk away and leave their loved ones where they lay.
We left the cemetary and continued down the trail. I began to think that maybe I would try driving. Kenny and Cody have always been great about helping me and they are always very patient with me when I get scared. They always encourage me to get out of my comfort zone and actually drive instead of just ride behind Cody, but they never make me feel bad if I chicken out! I have driven several times; Cody stays on the back and helps me by providing emotional support, and, well, helping me do things like turning the four wheeler on. I usually decide to drive when we're on flat land with lots of open spaces; no hills or creeks to cross, no trees to run into. Just simple, easy driving. Well, Glade top is not really simple, easy driving. There are rock ledges to climb and water to cross, both of which are surrounded by trees to hit! I did overcome my fear and I drove! I didn't really go up any rocks, cause that's just craziness, but I did cross several of the creeks! I was so proud of myself! I've attached some pictures of our adventures.
Cody going up a steep bank
Me resting on Cody after driving through some scary creeks!
Me going through a creek
Look how deep that is!
I like this one because it shows the steepness of the banks and the pretty rocks on the creek bed
Me driving over a big tree branch
Cody driving down a really steep hill~ Melanie and I
Me driving over a big tree branch
Cody driving down a really steep hill~ Melanie and Iwalked down this one!
Kenny and Melanie
Crossing a creek
Melanie crossing a creek~ she's braver than me!
another creek crossing!
Kenny and Melanie
Crossing a creek
Melanie crossing a creek~ she's braver than me!
another creek crossing!
Monday, March 15, 2010
I'm am very tired of writing about school, so I'm sure you are tired of reading about it! Therefore, this blog will not mention it at all! Yay!
I'm starting to get very excited about life! The future is looking bright and, for once, very close! Right now I'm working on getting all my old stuff together so I can have a garage sale. I'm planning this for late May or early June. I've never hosted my own garage sale, I've always gone in with my mom or sister, so I'm kinda nervous! I'm wanting to sell of the majority of what I own, so that when I get a job I can replace it all with cool new stuff! However, I am trying to control the urge to throw out everything, because I'm sure in a different environment I would still like some of it. My house looks a little funny right now, because I'm taking items off of shelves and walls to add to my growing pile of "garage sale stuff". I'm also inviting several people to put stuff in the sale, so if anyone is interested just let me know.
I'm also getting excited because Spring is on its way. I LOVE Spring. It is by far my most favorite season. I love watching everything turn green and grow. I love the weather, which is not too hot or too cold. I even like the thunderstorms, as long as they don't produce tornadoes! I made a slightly embarrassing purchase to use this spring. It's a blue plastic folding lawn chair, you know the kind that were everywhere in the '80's! Cody has informed me that it's white trash, but I love it! I can sit out on my back porch and read, enjoying the weather with my dogs having fun playing in the yard. I am looking forward to taking some nature walks with Cody too. We are going to go hiking this Spring/Summer. We found a nice little trail near our house that we walked the other day. It was so peaceful and quiet. It wound around a little creek, an old barn and even a really old graveyard (not the creepy kind of graveyard, but the really old 1800's graveyards). Hopefully, we'll be able to go back at least once a week.
I have also decided that I'm going to kick myself in high gear when it comes to exercising this summer. I have waited way too long to start; there was always too much going on for me to really concentrate on it before, but now I'm going to make it a priority. My friend introduced me to a new website named Living Strong. It is a really neat site that allows you to enter what you eat each day and it calculates the calories, protein, sugar, sodium, etc for you! You can also enter when you exercise and it calculates about how many calories you burn. So far I haven't been able to enter info every day, but I'm averaging about every other day. I think it helps just to see how much we actually put into our bodies every day. My sister and I have also started running again. Well, so far we've just walked, but once it gets a little warmer we'll start running.
Cody and I are also starting to look into buying a house. We won't be able to actually buy one until I find a job and we know where we will end up. But it's really fun imagining the possibilities! We are both so ready to own our own home that we can't wait to get started! We'd really like to end up in Rogersville, or around there, but again, it all depends on where I can find a job.
There are many other things I could write about, but I'll save it for another post!
I'm starting to get very excited about life! The future is looking bright and, for once, very close! Right now I'm working on getting all my old stuff together so I can have a garage sale. I'm planning this for late May or early June. I've never hosted my own garage sale, I've always gone in with my mom or sister, so I'm kinda nervous! I'm wanting to sell of the majority of what I own, so that when I get a job I can replace it all with cool new stuff! However, I am trying to control the urge to throw out everything, because I'm sure in a different environment I would still like some of it. My house looks a little funny right now, because I'm taking items off of shelves and walls to add to my growing pile of "garage sale stuff". I'm also inviting several people to put stuff in the sale, so if anyone is interested just let me know.
I'm also getting excited because Spring is on its way. I LOVE Spring. It is by far my most favorite season. I love watching everything turn green and grow. I love the weather, which is not too hot or too cold. I even like the thunderstorms, as long as they don't produce tornadoes! I made a slightly embarrassing purchase to use this spring. It's a blue plastic folding lawn chair, you know the kind that were everywhere in the '80's! Cody has informed me that it's white trash, but I love it! I can sit out on my back porch and read, enjoying the weather with my dogs having fun playing in the yard. I am looking forward to taking some nature walks with Cody too. We are going to go hiking this Spring/Summer. We found a nice little trail near our house that we walked the other day. It was so peaceful and quiet. It wound around a little creek, an old barn and even a really old graveyard (not the creepy kind of graveyard, but the really old 1800's graveyards). Hopefully, we'll be able to go back at least once a week.
I have also decided that I'm going to kick myself in high gear when it comes to exercising this summer. I have waited way too long to start; there was always too much going on for me to really concentrate on it before, but now I'm going to make it a priority. My friend introduced me to a new website named Living Strong. It is a really neat site that allows you to enter what you eat each day and it calculates the calories, protein, sugar, sodium, etc for you! You can also enter when you exercise and it calculates about how many calories you burn. So far I haven't been able to enter info every day, but I'm averaging about every other day. I think it helps just to see how much we actually put into our bodies every day. My sister and I have also started running again. Well, so far we've just walked, but once it gets a little warmer we'll start running.
Cody and I are also starting to look into buying a house. We won't be able to actually buy one until I find a job and we know where we will end up. But it's really fun imagining the possibilities! We are both so ready to own our own home that we can't wait to get started! We'd really like to end up in Rogersville, or around there, but again, it all depends on where I can find a job.
There are many other things I could write about, but I'll save it for another post!
Monday, March 8, 2010
My national board exam is literally two weeks from tomorrow! Yikes! I'm not sure what I'm feeling at this point. Part of me is terrified, yet part of me is ready to get it over with! I have studied and studied and studied! This one little (ok, well, not little) test has been held over my head for almost two years now. We first heard about the horrors of "boards" in our first semester; however, at that point, they were safely stored in the "future" folder. In our second semester we watched as the second year students went through the exam process and thanked our fates that it wasn't us. It became a little more real in the summer. This was when we all thought, "I'm gonna spend at least 30 hours a week studying, and I'm gonna be the most prepared student ever! I, mean, why wouldn't I do that? My whole career depends on this test!" It was about half-way through our fourth semester that we realized we had, in fact, wasted most of our lives by NOT studying the 30 hours we had originally planned for, and now it was almost too late to get ahead! Crap!
So, now, here we are in our fifth and final semester. Watching the days slip by; constantly thinking, "Man, I should really be studying, boards are only 3 months....2 months......3 weeks away." I remember wondering what I would feel like when boards were two weeks away, and now I'm wondering what I'll feel like when they are only a week away. When will the panic set in? Maybe, just maybe, I've prepared enough and I'll make it through just fine. I'll let ya know in two weeks!
So, now, here we are in our fifth and final semester. Watching the days slip by; constantly thinking, "Man, I should really be studying, boards are only 3 months....2 months......3 weeks away." I remember wondering what I would feel like when boards were two weeks away, and now I'm wondering what I'll feel like when they are only a week away. When will the panic set in? Maybe, just maybe, I've prepared enough and I'll make it through just fine. I'll let ya know in two weeks!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
It may only be Wednesday, but I have had enough of this week! I have been sick with bronchial pneumonia for like a week now; the doctor gave me antibiotics, which, of coarse, make my stomach so happy. I swear, I have not been this sick since I had mono! To top that off, I was scheduled to be in sterilization for the first time ever this week at school! Here's a sampling of my day yesterday....
Wake up and wish to die so that I would feel slightly better. Choke down some yogurt (it's not like I can taste it anyway) and head to school. Try and blunder my way through all the normal sterilization duties, all the while trying to convince the teachers that I'm competant enough to graduate. Figure out how to clean an autoclave, and then do it 3 more times. Pull charts for someone because they "can't bend over, cause I'm pregnant." Clean contaminated blood from the waiting room and all associated surfaces. Develop x-rays that I didn't take. Slip, and almost fall in front of the entire clinic, on some water that is coming from...... under the sink!?!? Clean UP the massive amount of water that overflowed under the sink. Switch out old supplies for new supplies in the emergency kit. Confirm the doctor's suspicion that I'm a total idiot because I can't figure out how to turn on the oxygen tank (while he stands next to me saying "you'd have to figure it out in an emergency over and over again) even though I already took, and passed, that class. Clean and flip 4 radiology chairs at the same time. And finally, head home so I can sleep before I do it all again on Thursday!
The one bright spot in this week was when I got home and found that Cody had cleaned every inch of the house (including our spare bedroom!) as well as made me dinner! He also bought me beautiful flowers and a very sweet card. I'm not sure how he knew the exact right day to do this, because I hadn't even told him about my horrible day yet. But somehow (maybe a husband's intuition? is that a real thing?) he knew exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it. What a great end to the most horrible day in clinic so far!
Wake up and wish to die so that I would feel slightly better. Choke down some yogurt (it's not like I can taste it anyway) and head to school. Try and blunder my way through all the normal sterilization duties, all the while trying to convince the teachers that I'm competant enough to graduate. Figure out how to clean an autoclave, and then do it 3 more times. Pull charts for someone because they "can't bend over, cause I'm pregnant." Clean contaminated blood from the waiting room and all associated surfaces. Develop x-rays that I didn't take. Slip, and almost fall in front of the entire clinic, on some water that is coming from...... under the sink!?!? Clean UP the massive amount of water that overflowed under the sink. Switch out old supplies for new supplies in the emergency kit. Confirm the doctor's suspicion that I'm a total idiot because I can't figure out how to turn on the oxygen tank (while he stands next to me saying "you'd have to figure it out in an emergency over and over again) even though I already took, and passed, that class. Clean and flip 4 radiology chairs at the same time. And finally, head home so I can sleep before I do it all again on Thursday!
The one bright spot in this week was when I got home and found that Cody had cleaned every inch of the house (including our spare bedroom!) as well as made me dinner! He also bought me beautiful flowers and a very sweet card. I'm not sure how he knew the exact right day to do this, because I hadn't even told him about my horrible day yet. But somehow (maybe a husband's intuition? is that a real thing?) he knew exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it. What a great end to the most horrible day in clinic so far!
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