Going quietly mad....

I can't believe it's been almost a week since I blogged. That is so unlike me! It's mostly due to the fact that I have absolutely no free time. My time is very precious to me right now, seeing that it's disappearing before my very eyes! :) When I think I've finally finished a paper or taken a test, there is always something looming. It's either another test, another paper, or heaven forbid, WORK! I'm wearing myself out, and it's not even October! I have a major check off for my assessment class in 2 weeks, and hopefully, once that is over with, my school year will start to slow down. It's just a mile a minute these first couple of weeks. I've been in school a month, and already I've done 3 months worth of work! :)

Today, on a precious day off, I had to go practice for my check off all the way over at UTA. I did find a quicker way to get there though, and it only took me 45 minutes instead of the normal hour. Hooray! :) I guess all my hard work is paying off. I did great on my first test and paper. I just took another test this past wednesday and turned in another paper, so we'll see how that goes.

Tonight, I am absolutely not doing work or school. I'm going to hang out at a friend's house for some much needed time off! Sometimes, I just have to forgo working and school for some sanity time.

Oliver is doing really well at obedience school. He's a lot less agitated when he sees other dogs, and more times than not, wants to play with them instead of rip them apart...or just make them think he will. He's letting all kinds of people pet him, including men, which have freaked him out before. They are really enjoying the beautiful weather because they can sit out on the patio all morning and guard it. They are truly ferocious.

Not much else is going on. Work School Work School Work. That's pretty much it. Hopefully, I'll find something else to take up my time that's more interesting!

Settling in...

It's been a great week of CRAZINESS, but I'm enjoying it for the most part. I'm all moved in, most of my boxes are gone (thank you Lorin!), and there's only a wee bit of disaster still present. I've just got a lot of those finishing touches to do...the picture hanging (which reminds me, my pictures are still at Nathen and Kerrie's!), the cute little candle holder placing, and the picture frames on counters. I think I just need some time to do it, time which I really don't have! Being in school is really cramping my style, but it's completely worth it..I hope!

This week, I've got a test and a paper due, as well as three days of work, and a day of practicing for my major assessment practicum in 2 1/2 weeks. I'm sure that there is more looming in the schedule, but that's all I can think of right now!

Liberty is finally adjusting to the apartment, and she's doing great! She's pottying outside instead of inside (I know you're thrilled to know that!), and is barking less at every little noise she hears. I do need to work on her random barking when we go walking, but it's a work in progress. I've figured out why Oliver gets so upset when he sees people/other dogs. He's trying to protect his sister! How sweet is that! Earlier this week, I had friends over to watch the Gray's Anatomy premiere. When they each got here, of course, Oliver barked like he was going to rip them to shreds. Once they both picked up Grace and loved on her, his attitude completely changed and he wanted love too. It's an interesting habit I hope to discuss with the trainer this week at his class.

I really should be studying for my test right now, and I guess I should get back to it. How much do I really need to learn about male/female parts anyways? Keep me in your prayers this week as have the test and paper due...with not much time for either.

Home sweet home...sleeping angels.

Bedroom, complete with sleeping Oliver.

From front door, to bedroom...

Dining room/Kitchen from in the living room.

Here's the living room from the front door...

NO MORE MOVING! :)

I'm so happy to be all moved! I despise moving...and now it's done! I live in a new place...that's all mine. It's very bizarre. It's been an exciting 48 hours, but hopefully things are going to settle down. Oliver's having an interesting time...especially starting this morning when he chased someone! HE IS VERY SWEET, but gets scared with people he doesn't know. That's why we're working with him and taking him to school. He's a little confused, but he'll get it. Liberty is doing fine. She's adjusting well. I think she remembers apartment life.

I have school this week..and then some more work. LOVELY! It seems like the last couple of weeks, I've just been working weekends. I don't really like that, but my schedule is just too crazy right now with school. I've got this enormous paper due on Thursday as well as a big assessment project! Hooray for papers! :(

Anyways. PLEASE pray for me, as I'm starting to get sick. I've got some sort of chest cold, which does not need to develop into anything more serious. I'm already hacking up a storm and not sleeping. That doesn't do well for the whole stress school/work/moving complex!

I'm gonna post some preliminary pics of the apartment. I'll post more once it gets more decorated and stuff...but figured people might like to see it! Enjoy!

My birthday cake at work! :)

363 days and counting...

Friday, I turned 29 years old. Hooray! :) On one hand, it was a sad day. Sad to think that this is the last year I can put a 2 in the front of my age. Sad because my 20's have been wonderful....crazy, but wonderful! Sad because there's a lot of things I have left to do...and sometimes, it doesn't seem like I'm going to get them all done! :) It was also a happy day. Happy because I only have one more year in my twenties...and I've heard the 30's are better. Happy because I am really content with what's going on in my life right now. Happy because I have friends and family who love me! :)

I did have a good day on Friday. I got my hair cut! Hooray for haircuts! :) I love them. I also went and hung out in my bare apartment with Tammy and Manda. They brought me a plant and chocolate. I love chocolate...and I'm going to try not to kill the plant. I can't promise anything... Then I went out to dinner with Michael, Jennifer, and Becca. Afterwards, we went and played board games...something I dearly love to do. My mom flew into town really late, and so I went to bed late...but it was all okay. Saturday, I was getting report when Whitney brought me a flashing princess crown and a birthday girl button and instructed me that I was to wear them all day. She'd also brought CAKE and strawberry shortcake! :) Hooray for us! :) So, I got to wear a tiara all day...and feel fancy. After work, my mom and Michael and Jen picked me up and we went to eat Indian food. YUMMY. Today, I went to work...and got a phone call from Tammy around lunch time, volunteering to come in for me so I could go spend time with mom before she flew out. Hooray for friends! :)

Tomorrow is the big move. I've got a lot of stuff done already, thanks to my wonderful family who slaved away while I was at work. Tonight, I've been getting all the last minute stuff done, so that when the movers get here and packed, I can just throw Gracie into the car and go with them. I don't really want to have to come back over here to pick up little stuff if I can help it. I'd rather do it all in one trip. My movers come from 12-2, Cable/Internet from 2-5, and furniture from 2-6. Hooray! :) Tomorrow night, I'll hopefully be on my way to the land of unpacking. Oliver will come over and join the madness...it will be quite the adventure. Moving stresses him out, so I'm going to try my hardest to have a lot of the boxes gone so he doesn't stress out. Liberty has been doing really well. So far, her only sign of stress has been that she's extra clingy...but I can deal with that. I love it when she's in snuggle phase.

So, since I should really be finishing the packing, I'll be off...Somewhere amidst the packing, I have to finish a HUGE paper for school. I'm 75% done..so that's always a relief! Anyways. I'm off....to return later from a new destination...

Stress revisited!!!

The weeks of stress are continuing! I've gotten through the bachelorette party (WAY FUN!), 2 days of work (ABSOLUTE TORTURE), and the test (not too bad!). I've also started writing my major paper that's due next week. Tomorrow, I'm going to sign my lease and get my keys. Friday (a completely uneventful day!), my mom is coming into town to help me pack. I work Saturday/Sunday...then the movers come Monday. I'm holding up okay right now, mostly due to lots of prayers and very supportive friends and family!

I am still into the Friends marathon (now Season 4, Disc 1) since I have no cable. I'm really sad about it too...especially since I'm starting to miss some of the season premieres! I did not get to see Dancing with the Stars...with the likes of Joey Lawrence, Mario Lopez, Jerry Springer, and Emmitt Smith...but I heard it was good. I like to live vicariously through my friends!

Well, I'd better get going. I'm absolutely certain there's something else I should be doing...like packing...or studying...or working on my paper...

What happens at the lake house....

It is Sunday morning, 7:21AM...and I can not go back to sleep for the life of me! ARG! I'm in rustic Longview, Texas, sitting on the most beautiful back porch I've ever seen...wishing I was still asleep. Why does my internal alarm clock just HAVE to go off at this time? I don't really have any idea what time I went to bed, seeing as how there are absolutely no clocks here. I've got the best view, facing the lake with the sun rising over my left side. It's so pretty! :)

I'm the only one up right now, as everyone else is happily sleeping away. We've been having a great time, and I'm not ready to go back to the reality of mi vida loca at this point. It's kinda nice just being here and pretending it doesn't exist...

So, that aside, I'm going to have a pretty crazy couple of weeks. I have to work Mon/Tues, take a test Wed, practice with my lab partner and sign my least/get my keys on Thursday, try to have fun on my birthday and pick up my mom on Friday, then work Sat/Sun, and move on Monday. EW EW EW! :( My mom is coming into town this weekend, in attempts to destress my life, and I am SO thankful for that. Other than the boxes that Becca and I packed while we were splitting stuff up, I haven't packed a single one....I just have no time. I've already decided that I need a couple more days in the week...just so I can find my sanity. The next couple of days are going to be spent with my textbook and notes, frantically studying for my looming test. I haven't done tests in almost 2 years, so I'm sure it will be interesting. All the former students of this teacher say the 1st test is the hardest....yippee for me. I think they might just say that because you have to get used to how to take tests again, and stuff like that...but I really have no idea. It will be interesting, to say the least, and I would HOPE that there'd be lots of prayers headed my way...not only for the test, but the rest of the crazy stuff going on.

It's now 7:29...and no one is up. I don't really anticipate seeing anyone for awhile, so I guess I'll have lots of study time. EW! At least I have a pretty backdrop...

Love the rain BUT....

Oh heavens. The rain is fabulous. The mud, however, is NOT. It probably wouldn't be such a big deal if I didn't have 3 dogs traipsing in and out of the house. What makes it even worse is I have hardwood floors. There's really nothing for the mud and dirt to get wiped on. Even if I am very careful to wipe all 12 paws, something still gets tracked in. My bed is SO disgusting right now. I have mud streaks and dirt clumps all over everything! EW! I spent a lot of time wiping down the floors and door this afternoon, but I know in several hours, it really won't have mattered.

Tomorrow, I have school again. I'm really excited because I transferred to the Presbyterian Dallas campus and it's going to cut my commute by about 45 minutes! :) Instead of having to drive to Arlington, I just have to drive down Greenville Avenue and I'm there! :) I still have to go over to UTA 3 Thursdays for labs, but that is SO much better for myself and Nessie.

This weekend, I'm going to my friend Whitney's lake house in Longview. She, Tammy, and I are hosting a bachelorette party for our friend Ashley. It's going to be SO much fun! :) I love that house, and I really enjoy playing out on the lake! There's going to be a lot of my friends from work there, so it will be tons of fun! I'm sure I'll wind up with a fabulous sunburn, no matter how much sunscreen I lather on myself. Maybe I'll just try hanging out under the canopy of the boat. HA! :)

Anyways. My cable's out until I move...so I'm at the beginning of a mega Friends 10 season marathon. Right now, I'm on Season 2, disc 1. I've got a lot more discs to go....Hooray for me! :)

No labor on labor day!

I don't have to work! I know the thought that me not working on a holiday is a foreign concept...but it's true! HOORAY!: ) I'm actually going to see part of my family today! My parents have been visiting my grandma in Fort Worth this weekend, and are coming on over here today to see me (but mostly the puppies!). Again, Hooray! :)

This past weekend was one of the most quiet I've had while working at Children's. Now, don't get me wrong, I will really REALLY miss those days in the next coming months when RSV is running rampant and our beds are never empty. It was, a little monotonous this weekend...but still okay. I worked with great people, and that always makes it better. We didn't crack out any board games, but the talking and laughing was enough to make the time go by...

The puppies are being very needy this morning. They are all trying to jump into my lap at one time, and keep putting their noses against my leg as if to say "PLEASE LOVE ME!". Liberty's now laying on the ottoman, licking her paws and staring at me because I've got the computer in my lap and not her. Big baby. Now she's just licking the fabric. Disgusting.

Well, guess I should get ready for the day. There's not really much point in getting fancy, especially with the lovely rain that's drizzling down. I will NOT complain about it, since we haven't had much at all this summer. I will be thankful! Hooray for rain! :)

End of an era...

When I moved to Dallas in 1999, I was scared, yet excited about starting a new life. I assumed I'd get teaching, get involved in a church, and teach for awhile. A year went by...and I was still happy. Loved my job...loved my apartment...and I was loving life. I'd even picked up a second job on a labor/delivery floor of a local hospital. It was a great life. Then, something started to prod at my heart..."This isn't what you're supposed to be doing. Don't be satisified with the ordinary...go for the extrordinary" The summer before what would end up being my last year of teaching, I decided that teaching wasn't going to be a long term career. I wanted to be a nurse. I knew I couldn't afford to do it on my own, especially since I was going to have to quit teaching. I needed a rescue. That rescue came in the form of one of my friends from college deciding to move to Dallas and go to school. At the time, she wanted to be a nurse, too...or so she thought. We poured over the apartment guidebooks and the internet, scouring for that perfect dual apartment. I was excited because I was getting a roommate, she was excited to be out of East Texas. We found jobs at the same hospital, only 1/2 mile away from our apartment. She moved to Dallas...and the fun began. She had a dog, I got a dog. The next years were filled with LOTS of school, lots of vacations, and generally a lot of laughter. Some of the time my sister joined us...sometimes my brother. We even rescued a couple of dogs...Heidi went to live with my grandma and Oliver stayed around here. We changed apartments twice, went to live in the duplex with the worst insulation, and finally moved to the absolute suburbs to another house. 10 years I have known this woman. We've seen each other through the hatred of our first year of acquaintance...straight through to this growing up part where we move apart and open another part of our lives. She has always been there for me, and I know that even though she's in a separate place, she'll always be there for me...whenever I need her. Our dogs, which are like our kids, have grown up together and will always need to see the other. I'll always stay in contact with her, even though she sometimes not-so-secretly fears that I won't. We'll get our own places, our own new sets of friends, and at a point hopefully sooner than later, our own families. Things will change...separation always does that to people. BUT...to you, oh wonderous friend, some things will never change. I'll always remember that you were there for me through all the boy heartaches. We'll still travel and our puppies will still see each other. You'll always be one of the first people I call when good things happen...when I get that elusive ring or have that even more elusive offspring. You can't disappear...and I won't let you.