A Train in the Distance

Does anyone need a transition? I'll give you some of mine!

2007-01-10T12:52:00.000-08:00

Because my life is not nuts enough, in the past 2 weeks and in the coming 2 weeks I have/will.....

1. moved
2. started a new job
3. graduated
4. started dating someone (yay!)
5. started a new small group
6. switched church campuses

When it rains, it pours!

Ah, how I love making lists.

picture....perfect

2006-12-19T13:40:00.000-08:00

I had new employee orientation today and yesterday with 4 of my classmates (so much fun!). We got our ID badges today, and to our utter dismay,

-Jake looks like a child-molester

-Jenny is half smiling, half confused and the picture is blurry

-Max looks like a member of the Russian mofia

-I have no neck and my hair takes up the entire box (we dubbed it the "floating head")

-Abby refused to show her picture to anyone leading me to believe that it's just as bad as our's! (on a side note, where exactly does that apostrophe go? is it after the "s" or is there one at all? or is it where it should be?)

We all got a hearty laugh from our glamour shots.

You never knew....

2006-12-15T10:13:00.000-08:00

I've always wanted blue eyes.

Point and flex, point and flex, tondu, frappe, pas de chat....

2006-12-12T09:11:00.000-08:00

I'm beside myself with glee right now because I'M GOING TO THE NUTCRACKER on Friday!!!!

(insert stupid little dance around the kitchen punctuated by shrill squeeling and awkward arm flailing)

Good work, good work.

2006-12-08T11:06:00.000-08:00

START: August 20, 2001

1,936 days
100+ friends
13 semesters
1 Starbucks addiction
11 roommates
8 pairs of running shoes
13 majors
2 parking tickets
1 gopher's football game (accidentally) in the frat section
1 empty bank account
4 goldfish
1 half marathon
12 bagpipe lessons
1 stay in the hospital
21 weddings
2 field trips
16 pounds
2 funerals
1 Honduran parasite
1 year of Easy Mac
2 madrigal dinners
4 jobs
1 new kitten
1 all-nighter
3 pairs of mittens

END: December 8, 2006

Why the 80's?

2006-12-06T13:44:00.000-08:00

I determined today that I was born in the wrong decade. Most of my friends have known this for sometime but now I have one more reason to think so: Dr. Eastland!

He's the transfusion doctor at the hospital and frankly, he's the cutest man EVER! He wears a bowtie and has this huge moustache and wears hiking boots with his dress pants, not to mention that he's very sweet and has a lovely spirit. Gentle, he's gentle. He's brilliant and very smart but doesn't let it get to his head. He's absent-minded and incredibly social. He loves his job and does it very well. He's kind.

If only he wasn't 60!

A fond look at my recent high school reunion!

2006-12-04T13:37:00.000-08:00

This past weekend in the span of 3 hours I ran into John L. and Chris H. - totally random!

John and I have been friends since 6th grade, and I've known Chris since first grade, when he parted his hair on the side and tucked his shirt into his pants that were always pulled up a little too high.

John played the french horn through middle school, but he always read during band practice and got scolded a lot for not practicing for his lessons....in high school we were in a lot of the same classes, including French class. Let's just say that French was always amazingly fun! He, Ben B., Ben N. and I composed "les quatre Benjamins" (I adopted the name Benjamine and John adopted Benjamin, obviously). John was the one who cheerleaded me into joining the track team junior year and introduced me to my favorite running route, put up with many failed and poorly written chemistry lab reports (as a funny side note, I HATED science in high school! Ha! Love how life turns out....), wanted me on his broomball team even though I had to stop every 5 minutes to blow my nose....so many fond memories!

Chris and I go WAY back to elementary school, where we endured the wrath of our cranky first grade teacher, walking outside in the freezing winters to go to E.L.P. (Enriched Learning Program) in 5th grade, 10th grade biology and a debate gone terribly wrong, many marching band trips, A.P. projects and reports that always got worked on til 1-2am, caffeine pills and Snyder's Pharmacy....we used to call him "Quasi" after Quasi Moto in the Hunchback of Notre Dame (he slouched a little bit)....In 3rd grade math class he and Kenny Majoris made up this song: "Gretchen (insert my last name cuz I don't want it online), American gravity, Neer neer neer neer!" and let's just say that I heard it quite frequently for the next 10 years!

Good times, good times.

COUNTDOWN O' FUN

2006-11-29T13:53:00.000-08:00

Drumroll please.........

...................there are only.............

..........................7 MORE DAYS.................

...........of clinical rotations..........

FOREVER.

and then I get my diploma in the mail and hang it on my wall and scream really loudly because it only took me 12 torturous semesters and 13 majors* to get it!!!!!

*I know you think I'm kidding, but I'm not. Let's just my advisor and I are very close. Here they are, in order:

1. Music Performance (french horn)
2. Undecided (should have stayed here)
3. English
4. Biology, pre-med
5. Chemistry, pre-med
6. French
7. Secondary Ed
8. Physiology
9. Chemistry
10. Nursing
11. Microbiology
12. Physiology, pre-med
13. Medical Technology (hallelujah!)

Moral of the story = FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH YOURSELF BEFORE SPENDING $10,000/YEAR

...and put it in the oven for baby and me!

2006-11-20T14:35:00.000-08:00

My best friend is pregnant!!! I'm going to be Aunt Gretchie!!!

YAY for baby toes and stomachs and dimples and fuzzy heads and clenched fists and baby thighs...

I think it's going to be a boy.

And someday he'll marry my future daughter.

Or at least we'd both like that to happen, since the dream of marrying brothers and having a double wedding has died!

There's still hope of being related somehow....

Congrats AA and Dan!

Dear, dear Pythagoras:

2006-11-15T13:54:00.000-08:00

Triangles are ruining my life!

"Has anyone seen my hypotanuse?!"

Lessons I have (unfortunately recently) learned

2006-11-13T13:47:00.000-08:00

Concerning exercise:

1. dancing (spazzing?) + walking fast on a treadmill = not good

2. singing + dancing + walking fast on a treadmill = really not good

3. being walked in on + singing + dancing + walking fast on a treadmill = oh so embarassingly really not good

Concerning the placement of an ipod during said exercise:

1. roomy waste-band + small electronic device = trouble

Friends, learn from my mistakes and maintain your dignity!

My scars are now government property

2006-11-08T13:25:00.000-08:00

The VA hospital is more than serious about preventing lab coat theft. In order to receive my alloted lab coats for my rotation, I had to

1. be fingerprinted
2. list any large scars or tattoos I have
3. give a complete health history, social security number, address, and REFERENCES

....for all of that I'd like to be buried in one of these lab coats.....

I got got got got got no time

2006-11-03T15:54:00.000-08:00

For those of you who have been delighted and even astonished that I've updated a whopping 3 times this week, please prepare yourselves for the usual once-a-week-if-that posting from now on. I don't have time people, I don't have time!

Yesterday I think I had one of the more memorable trips to the dentist:
I had to have 3 fillings re-done since they're old, both top six-year molars and one bottom six-year molar. I think the dentist gave me too much novacane though, because my left eyelid went completely numb, followed by both ears and pretty much all of my face! And then as he's drilling one of my top molars (a very pleasant experience I might add) he stops, puts the drill down, looks over at my x-rays, looks in my mouth again, and quietly says to himself, "hmm, I've never seen that before!".....oh so reassurring! He proceded to comfort me after seeing the look of horror on my face. An hour later and 3 new chunks of metal later, I tried to talk to the receptionist, which was pretty interesting. I could barely swallow at that point because everything was numb....you can only imagine trying to converse with someone!

I'd also like to throw in that my dentist's brother is the head coach of the Colts. That's right! I see Dr. Dungy. Maybe I can work on getting some root canals so he'll get me free tickets to a game.....hmm.....

For Erin

2006-11-02T11:00:00.000-08:00

I tried to write a poem but that turned out to be awful, so once again I will quote a favorite Simon and Garfunkle song.

Old Friends, old friends,
Sat on their parkbench like bookends
The newspaper blown through the grass
Falls on the round toes, of the high shoes
Of the old friends.

Can you imagine us years from today
Sharing a parkbench quietly?
Isn't it strange to be seventy?

Old friends, old friends.

I'll miss you, old friend!

Foiled again!

2006-11-01T15:44:00.000-08:00

I was sitting in my favorite comfy chair Monday afternoon, with a cup of tea and a dove chocolate, planning for and anticipating an afternoon of absolutely nothing. Pajama pants, a sweatshirt, a few hours by myself....until my dad broke my train of absolute nothingness with "I need you to run an errand for me"....

What came next was a sequence of directions - I was to return this gutter cap at home depot and get a different one. The directions themselves took 3 minutes, which is ironically the time it takes to drive to home depot from my house. My attitude at this point was less than lovely and could have in and of itself curdled milk. "My afternoon of peaceful solitude and lounging is ruined, he knows where the part is so why doesn't he just go get it, I hate having to do stuff like this..."

On my way I went. I changed clothes, got in my car, popped in a favorite cd all the while nursing my bitterness.

And then it hit me.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT MARRIAGE WILL BE LIKE.

Sacrificing my time and energy for him, being selfless, going out of my way for his needs, serving him, etc.....

Wow. I can only wish that every errand was this sanctifying!

Simon and Garfunkle were right!

2006-10-23T14:51:00.000-07:00

Today, more than ever (I think even when I was 7) I want to go to the zoo! There's something so wonderful about being with animals. And next to large shark tanks without the threat of losing your life. And petting starfish and smelling the flamingos in the monkey cage.

DOES ANYONE WANT TO GO TO THE ZOO WITH ME?????

the monkies stand for honesty,
giraffes are insincere,
and the elephants are kindly but they're dumb
orangatangs are skeptical of changes in their cages
and the zookeeper is very fond of rum....

My mother always told me, "never assume! etc. etc." She left out the "etc." part and it was replaced by something a little less lady-like

2006-10-12T14:40:00.000-07:00

Such a seemingly harmless object - a piece of thin wire stuck on a small metal rod - and yet so powerful and painful! One would assume 8 years of ballet have left me graceful and coordinated but if I've learned anything lately it's that things aren't always as they seem.

This morning as I was looking at petri dishes for things like E. coli, Pseudemonas, and Staphylococcus, I was asked to pass a tube of thio broth that accompanied my patient's culture panel to my instructor. I swivelled around in my chair to grab the tube out of the rack behind me. Immediately before grabbing this tube I had taken that precious little inoculating wire (figure 1) and plated out a colony. I had left the wire in the incinerator to kill off whatever I had just tried to put on an agar plate. So after I grabbed the thio broth tube I went to grab the needle from the incinerator. However, I failed to realize that the patient's specimen I was working with came from a corneal swab. A swab is a swab, but THERE WAS AN ENTIRE CORNEA IN THE THIO BROTH TUBE!!!! I jolted in surprise, knocked the white-hot wire needle off the holder, and burned my poor, innocent pointer finger. Tragic. I also managed to burn a hole in the bio-hazard trash bag (safety first!) and my other hand on the incinerator....

A Saturday afternoon awards ceremony for those so inclined to attend

2006-10-07T11:46:00.000-07:00

Let's have an awards ceremony in regards to 102.9 Lite FM (because I was just forced to listen to it for 8 hours at work)

Best Most Inspiring song: "Hold on for one more day" a true early 90's classic!

Best Most Depressing song: "I can't make you love me" indeed, this song brings tears to my eyes.

Best Most Recent Song I LOVE to Hate: "Unwritten" therapy wrapped up in a bubbly, obnoxious bee-bopping something-or-other.

Best Most Danceable Song: "I will survive" bust out those fake microphones and awful disco moves!

Best Song That is Played Every 5 Minutes: "My heart will go on" well I'll sure never let go.

Best Song That Makes Me Wish I Was Still in High School: "Dancing Queen" yes, having the time of my life.

Best Song That Makes Me Want to Help Someone Out: "I can be your hero baby" and I'm sure I could do it in a spanish accent too.

Best Song That is Never Played Enough: "Whenever I see your smiling face" come on Sweet Baby James!

Best Song That Reminds Me To Chill Out: "Just Breathe" a friendly reminder we all need.

Best Song Reflecting Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: "You're once, twice, three times a lady" just kidding people, just kidding.

Best Most Likely to Make Gretchen get Goosebumps song: "Big yellow taxi" no comment.

Best Most Likely to Make me Want to Perform Lifts and Twirls: "I've had the time of my life" this song was in close competition for the most inspiring slot.

And thus ends today's awards. Please come again next year!

2 out of 3 ain't half...but it ain't half bad!

2006-09-27T12:08:00.000-07:00

My brother is now officially ENGAGED!!!! I'm really excited about this marriage, and the fact that I'm going to have another sister. Way to go Gordon, I'm really proud of you!

On a completely different note, if I got a dollar for every time I lost my car in a public parking ramp I think I could pay off my student loans sometime next week. Wow, it's almost impressive once you get past the depressing, frustrating, annoying part.

One of my best friends miscarried her baby yesterday and it leaves me with a very deep sadness, especially after the baby dedications this weekend. Life is so precious, isn't it? It still amazes me how the human body works, even if it doesn't always work the way we want it to.

It's your party

2006-09-20T17:03:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pomp and Circumstance on an untuned piano, and throw a few wrong notes in for good measure...

2006-09-16T19:43:00.000-07:00

September 16, 2006: official college graduation. I am now the proud owner of a kelly-green tassle with an oversized "2006". The ceremony was short and sweet: 35 classmates, one main speaker, one fantastic slide show of pictures from this year(accompanied of course by "She Blinded me with Science") and way too much heat to contain in a thick polyester gown! The main speaker was the president of the transfusion center at the red cross and came fully prepared with a powerpoint presentation. Just in case we haven't had enough of those already.

Does anyone know the history of the graduation cap? I'm confident that this style of head adornment is not flattering on anyone. Can you imagine what an African tribesman would say if he saw pictures of someone wearing one of those? HA HA....oh dear....well anyway, they're really funny and awkward. I learned today that it is not advantageous to hug ones family members while wearing the cap! It's a miracle my brother still has both eyes!

After graduation all 14 of us celebrated at Buca Di Bepo - at the Pope's table.....for those of you not in on Buca culture (I think we've gone there for almost every major family event; my parents are fully convinced that Buca = heaven) the Pope's table is a HUGE round table fully equipped with a lifesize painted bust of the pope. The bust is encased in a glass box, which is then planted firmly on the biggest lazy susan I've ever seen. Much fun, much fun. My granddad, dad, brother, and brother-in-law all wore the exact same light blue oxford shirt, which was pretty comical. I bet they secretly called each other ahead of time.

And to make this post even longer (I think this is the longest one I've ever had!) I have to comment on my favorite graduation gift. My b.i.l. (brother in law, Jay) and sister (Glenda) gave me a tool kit. This is not a girl's tool kit. Half of the things in there I can't figure out....but I am savvy enough in my tool knowledge to recognize the hammer, the utility knife, and the level! Oh and let us not forget the hacksaw!

The General (my Granddad - we call him the general for fun since he was a brigadier gen. in the army back in the day) informed me that I am now able to proceed with falling in love (thank you for the permission).....when I was a freshman at Covenant College (clearly I transferred) he told me I wasn't allowed to fall in love until I graduated. YAY I'm graduated. He says I get more points in heaven if the guy's Jewish (he's kidding of course - he's an awesome christian calvinist but has an intersting sense of humor). Alright enough of that.

Goodnight to all!

Life is certainly a highway!

2006-09-07T17:53:00.000-07:00

Ok first of all, I'm upset that Rascall Flats felt the need to remake "Life is a highway". There's no need people, no need!

Second, I only have 12 weeks left of these ridiculous clinical rotations!!! YAY!!!!

Third, I caught the bouquet at Fran and Steven's wedding last weekend!

Fourth, congrats to G and R - you'll be FANTASTIC parents :o)

Fifth, I am in the process of applying for my first "real" job. Hallelujah, it's about time. Please pray I get it. It sounds just right.

Sixth, my brother bought a very important diamond ring last week. Shhh - it's a surprise! (at least for his leading lady, seeing as I've told everyone I know)

Seventh, I think I'm done here.

What do I do with boys?

2006-08-28T15:24:00.000-07:00

To continue with the international theme of love I have now been "approached" by a man from the middle east, rounding out my passport of pursuers quite nicely! Let's review the countries represented, shall we?

1. Kenya
2. Togo
3. Ecuador
4. afore mentioned middle eastern country

I'll be sure to keep you posted on which country he's from. Clearly, I represent the American ideal and can boldly put "girl next door" on my job resume. Sweet mercy!

Operation!

2006-08-17T15:50:00.000-07:00

Remember the game "operation" that every child under the age of 8 loves? Yeah, well the real thing is so much cooler!

Today I was in the OR "lab" - the "lab" is a rolling cart with a bloodgas machine (roughly the size of a microwave), a small table, and a computer. These are all placed against walls in the hallway of the OR wing. One person is supposed to man this "lab" each day, running hemoblogins and electrolytes and gasses on this machine and delivering the results back to the particular operating rooms. Next to our little station was an exciting case - a heart surgery never been done before in this state. Since we had very little to do my trainer and I were standing at the window in the door watching the surgery on the overhead monitors. After about 20 minutes of this one of the doctors asked us if we wanted to go in and watch - are you kidding me??!!! So we got all suited up in masks and gowns and booties and bonnets (we were already in scrubs) and headed in. The man who invited us in carefully explained what was going on and showed us the bypass machine, the parts of the valve they removed, the new valve that was going in, etc. He was very helpful and frankly, without him I just would have seen a lot of tubing with a lot of blood and about 10 people all wearing the same blue outfits rushing around, watching, talking. They let us stand in there for the entire surgery, except of course for quick jaunts into the hallway to run the poor woman's blood gas levels. However, I was offended when someone asked who we were and before we could answer, a somewhat haughty doctor explained, quite snootily, "they're just lab people".....I kinda wanted to rush him but I guess that's not proper operating room etiquette.

Yen, on a side note, today there was a "microvascular resectioning of the trigeminal nerve". I thought of you when I read that.

And of course, now I'm back to daydreaming about med school.....blast.....and I'm also finding that the big scary research/teaching hospital isn't all that big or scary. I'm enjoying the university hospital a lot more than I thought I would. There's a lot more people here my age rather than late 50's, early 60's. There's a lot more interesting cases, and there's a considerable level of energy here that I didn't get with the smaller hospital. Oh, nothing like an unexpected experience to make me more confused about where to go next! If anyone knows the answer to the following questions, let me know:

1. where should I live?
2. where should I work?
3. should I go to med school? (or at least attempt...)
4. what should I be when I grow up??????

Insight is greatly appreciated.

Well, here we are

2006-08-10T13:57:00.000-07:00

I DON'T WANT CLINICALS TO START AGAIN!!!!

Well, as of right now, the drama is not resolved. There is no "closure" (as if there ever could be!) or even hint of resolution. I'm here, hanging. I'm pretty sure that's the worst place to be in life, this limbo stage of not knowing how the pieces will fall. But, since I've got nothing to do with this I'll keep going in the way that I am and trust that this will all work out. I just have to be patient and although it's a virtue, I wish it was genetic. I need more of it!

My mom just asked me if I'd ever want to go watch a taping of the Dr. Phil show. I'm hoping she's kidding.

Ok this is funny! I work at a nursing home, and today one of the residents was looking particularly lovely - she had her hair done, her make-up on, a nice dress, etc. While they were eating lunch, her table-mate looked over at her and said, "Irene, you look good. You even have lipstick on. Why do you look so nice? Are you sleeping with a man?" So maybe that's not the funniest question, but to hear a 90-something year-old women ask another 90 yr old women that question is pretty hysterical.

The countdowns

2006-08-07T13:54:00.000-07:00

Days until I "graduate": 39

Days until clinicals start again: 6

Days until clinicals are completely over: 122

There's an undercurrent of drama pulsing through my life right now. Lovely. It'll be interesting to see how this pans out - it needs to soon, the dynamics are ridiculous right now.

How do you determine when God un-calls? Is there some big event and then BAM that's it? Or is it just a silent knowing? Asking doesn't change the fact that I already know the answer to this question, at least in my heart.

I'm pndering missions for the first time in my life. That's a big deal and I don't know what to say. So I'm praying - a LOT.

I'm tired of gas prices!!!!

The drunken cat, the singing mother

2006-08-04T16:03:00.000-07:00

My cat just awoke from a long nap and strolled past me as I sit here typing. He looks a little woozy, his eyes are still half closed and it appears that I could tip him over if I gave him even the slightest tap. As I ponder this option my mother walks by, jerking her body in sharp convulsions that she refers to as "dancing" and singing Disco Inferno. This is the life people, this is the life! I feel like I'm stuck in a Seinfeld episode.

I miss Minneapolis.

Is being a packrat a disease? Can this be linked to some neurological problem? Packrat syndrome. Good idea. Let's make something else a disease so no one has to feel responsible anymore!

Tomorrow I will taste my first Starbucks coffee in over 4 weeks. Oh boy, am I excited! My dad lovingly refers to this locale as "starburnts", however, I disagree and eagerly await this experience. If my life had a soundtrack "it feels like the first time" would play tomorrow morning as I order, add cream, add sugar, and stir.

Had churchlady salad at work today, complete with coolwhip, marshmallows, and apple chunks. Gotta love a good potluck!

A bittersweet goodbye

2006-07-31T08:03:00.000-07:00

Today marks the official last day of my residency in Minneapolis. To mark that end the roomy and I will bathe ourselves in paper towels and bleach cleaning products, pledge dusting spray, vacuum cords and steam cleaners.

The move is hard. I love the hood and trading sirens and the music of the lightrail for crickets and the stillness of the suburbs is hardly appealing.

My brother-in-law is here this week to look at houses. I'm glad he's a part of our family. The more beans in the pot, the better.

I can't believe tomorrow is August!

Yen, this is for you!

2006-07-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not dead. Life just swept me up in all the excitement that is summertime. I've been reading a lot lately - a lot of Elizabeth Elliot. If you've never read any of her work before I highly recommend doing so. She's very grounded and encouraging.

I've decided on a hearty "no" when in comes to moving to Houston. There are a couple reasons that brought that decision about. First, the heat. Sweet mercy I'd melt! Second, after spending a week at the University hospital I realized that the big research hospital really isn't my cup of tea. Third, I felt like making a move strictly for career reasons was incredibly selfish. Obviously there was a lot of prayer that went into this decision, and that was the conviction. So as of right now I'm planning on staying here unless the Lord calls me elsewhere.

My sister and her husband are moving back! They should be here within the next 2-3 months....another reasons not to move :o)

Yesterday I had a meltdown in my car. I think it's because of all the change going on right now: smallgroup, moving, college, clinicals....there is very little stability for which I am thankful. You heard me right - I'm thankful! Among the many lessons God has been teaching me this summer is that he is the only thing that is unchanging and worth clinging to. Whew! As the great old hymn says, "When all around my soul gives way he then is all my hope and stay"

Congrat to all those newlyweds, Karen and Jesse, Genevieve and Ricardo!

Oh Paul

2006-06-14T18:25:00.000-07:00

I listened to this song in my car today and then promptly put it on repeat and listened to it many more times. I'll spare you from all the lyrics but the first verse is perhaps my favorite anyway.

That's where I belong by Paul Simon

Somewhere in a burst of glory
Sound becomes a song
I'm bound to tell a story
That's where I belong

Anyway, the reality of being right where I belong is comforting and sweet to me. Oftentimes I feel displaced and awkward.

My diet has regressed this week to a mixture of frat boy and sorority girl: frozen pizza, diet coke, and salad. I'm a college grad, I should be able to cook something real, right? Maybe I should have gone to culinary school after all. (but just as a disclaimer, that's not ALL I'm eating!)

So I guess this online journal thing is addicting....is there a support group I can go to for this?

My life is now complete

2006-06-13T13:25:00.000-07:00

Today I got to do PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) at work. This amplifies a DNA strand so certain mutations can be found. Bla bla bla, it takes about 4 hours to set up and then has to incubate for another 2 hours. Well, after the 4 hours we realized that our sample was invalid because one of the specimens had gone flop. Oops. So we will be doing PCR again tomorrow! Quite unfortunate.

In approximately 6 days I will turn 23!!! It's so sad that nothing exciting happens at 23. I have to wait another 2 years to rent a car on my own, and since I don't drink, smoke, or gamble I guess there was never really much to anticipate on those birthdays anyways.

Jen sent me some pictures this morning:

Jen, Meg and I at Starbucks in Nicollet Mall (visiting Aaron and Tim). We each wore nametags of our drink, as most times customers are identified by their drink of choice.
L to R: Caramel Machiatto, I can't remember Meg's (sorry Meg!)....and Tall Coffee with room for cream

Lisa, me, and Meg in Jon's trunk before the great pulling-Jon-on-his-motorcycle-to-the-repair-shop event. Whew! Our legs are blinding me!

And here's Jon, being pulled on his bike during afore mentioned event.

Just Another Manic Monday

2006-06-12T15:08:00.000-07:00

You know, it's a strange thing. Every morning when I get to the hospital I think "wow, this day is going to go slowly"....and then every day when I leave the hospital 9 hours later I think "wow, where did the day go?" Time is strange - it's deceiving and its control on me is purely a function of how busy or entertained I seem to be at one particular moment.

I have many petty things to be thankful for today:
1. I heard all 5 alarm clocks this morning
2. I got to sit down all day
3. I got to go home 30 minutes early

I need to buy new running shoes. My feet are starting to yell at me.