Week 2
Oh my goodness...what was I thinking?!?
Patience and persistence...that's what I need!
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Friday, November 27, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Poet Laureate of Dogwood Lane
During my time in Amarillo, I wandered across some of my old high school folders that my mom has kept for me over the years. They are mostly folders containing my great literary works (hehe!), and it really amazes me at how good I used to be able to write. I guess it is true...you lose it if you don't use it! The last huge paper I had to write was a 20 page paper in pharmacy school reviewing a journal article. It definitely wasn't one of my finest literary masterpieces. I miss (kinda!) the days of Mr Biggers' English III-AP class where I really had to pour over every word that I chose to type on my paper. The portfolio that I was left with at the end of the year really made me proud of my writing ability! Todd was always the author of the family. If came naturally to him. I, on the other hand, had to work and work and then rework everything I ever wrote.
During my sophomore year in high school, we covered poetry for one six weeks period. I was forced to write a poem pretty much every night. The best poems that I composed during the poetry six weeks were classified as "sense" poems. Todd always made fun of me and said that I should get a beret and bongos and go read these poems down at the local coffee shop! I will share how pathetic sounding these poems seem to me now! Oh...and I had to add artwork ...if only you could see the great artwork too!!
"Worry is puke green.
It sounds like the chewing of fingernails.
It feels like an ulcer forming in the pit of your stomach.
It smells like a hospital room before going into surgery.
It tastes like Maalox."
"Contentment is peach.
It sounds like a supportive family.
It feels like accomplishing a goal.
It smells like the earth after it rains.
It tastes like chocolate cake after a hard day."
During my sophomore year in high school, we covered poetry for one six weeks period. I was forced to write a poem pretty much every night. The best poems that I composed during the poetry six weeks were classified as "sense" poems. Todd always made fun of me and said that I should get a beret and bongos and go read these poems down at the local coffee shop! I will share how pathetic sounding these poems seem to me now! Oh...and I had to add artwork ...if only you could see the great artwork too!!
"Worry is puke green.
It sounds like the chewing of fingernails.
It feels like an ulcer forming in the pit of your stomach.
It smells like a hospital room before going into surgery.
It tastes like Maalox."
"Contentment is peach.
It sounds like a supportive family.
It feels like accomplishing a goal.
It smells like the earth after it rains.
It tastes like chocolate cake after a hard day."
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The Always Positive Friend
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to a friend that I am blessed to call my "Always Positive" friend!! You turned a special number this year, and I am glad that you will pave the way for me to understand the decade that begins with a 3!!!
I met you over a dead dog. That's right...a DEAD DOG named Pudge. I praise the Lord that our last names both begin with "BA" because I don't think I could have made it through Anatomy without you!! Our group was made up of Matt (now a veterinarian), Lauren (now a dentist), you (now an AWESOME nurse), and me (now a pharmacist). We did Dr. Ruoff proud....even though I was terrified of her! The dog that we ended up with was definitely the fattest dog in our section (hence the name Pudge). I remember that they never wanted to use good old Pudge during the lab practicals...I wonder why...maybe it was his nasty smell?!?
Anyway...enough about the dog...I knew the minute I saw your smile and experienced your kind spirit that you were a Christian. I had actually prayed for my Anatomy group the entire summer before we started the class because I knew that we would be spending so much time together, and I was VERY nervous about Anatomy for some reason. God totally blessed my socks off by allowing me to have you in my group and then become my dear friend! We struggled through Anatomy together while our lab partner, Lauren, made a 100 on every practical...she was super sweet though!
I was quickly blown away by your serving heart and your huge volunteer work with Breakaway. I remember studying with you in the West Campus Library and dropping everything on a Tuesday night to head to Reed Arena for Breakaway. It was always a much needed break, and our outlook on Anatomy always seemed a bit different after hearing Gregg Matte preach! I am so proud of the work you did for Breakaway as an intern after we finished with A&M. It is such a small world that you became so close to my dear friend, Kelsey, during your intern year at Breakaway. That college ministry was truly blessed to have you and your beautiful smile!
Anatomy wasn't our only classroom adventure together at A&M. We actually randomly signed up for the same Beginning Tennis class. That blows my mind since there were a ton of Beginning Tennis sections to choose from. The Lord totally knew that I needed you in my life. We then proceeded to take Venture Dynamics together. I might have been more cautious about signing up with you for a class that involved ropes and heights after seeing your wonderful falling record (over completely random items)!
It's crazy to think that we ended up living right across from each other in San Antonio four years after graduating from A&M. I am so glad that I chose your apartment complex to reside in, and it blows my mind that I lived in a building directly across from your apartment. My residency year was SO crazy that I'm not sure if I would have made it without your positive, kind words everyday when I wanted to break down crying. You were always there to listen about a bad day and to calm my continual fears about my residency. We had great stress release times of watching "Strong Bad" and listening to "Real Mean of Genius" commericals together. It killed me when you left San Antonio in December of that year (darn graduation from nursing school!).
I am SO proud of the nurse that you have become...a fat, smoking, lazy nurse that is...HAHA...just kidding!!! I know that you are a ray of sunshine for every patient that you encounter. You have such a caring, serving, and Godly heart. I am so thankful God called you to be a nurse.
I had the time of my life on our adventure to the Aloha state in February/March of this year! What a trip of a lifetime, and it was so wonderful to get to experience it with you. Your laid back nature makes you a wonderful travel buddy, and I love that you can find humor in anything! We definitely make perfect travel buddies after both falling asleep on the Road to Hana (leave it to us)!
I continue to thank my God for you and your friendship! May you have a wonderful start to the decade that begins with a 3!!
My advice to you during your 30s...in the words of Pauline (our tour guide).."Always go to the loo-a before looking at the nature!"
Hawaii trip
I met you over a dead dog. That's right...a DEAD DOG named Pudge. I praise the Lord that our last names both begin with "BA" because I don't think I could have made it through Anatomy without you!! Our group was made up of Matt (now a veterinarian), Lauren (now a dentist), you (now an AWESOME nurse), and me (now a pharmacist). We did Dr. Ruoff proud....even though I was terrified of her! The dog that we ended up with was definitely the fattest dog in our section (hence the name Pudge). I remember that they never wanted to use good old Pudge during the lab practicals...I wonder why...maybe it was his nasty smell?!?
Anyway...enough about the dog...I knew the minute I saw your smile and experienced your kind spirit that you were a Christian. I had actually prayed for my Anatomy group the entire summer before we started the class because I knew that we would be spending so much time together, and I was VERY nervous about Anatomy for some reason. God totally blessed my socks off by allowing me to have you in my group and then become my dear friend! We struggled through Anatomy together while our lab partner, Lauren, made a 100 on every practical...she was super sweet though!
I was quickly blown away by your serving heart and your huge volunteer work with Breakaway. I remember studying with you in the West Campus Library and dropping everything on a Tuesday night to head to Reed Arena for Breakaway. It was always a much needed break, and our outlook on Anatomy always seemed a bit different after hearing Gregg Matte preach! I am so proud of the work you did for Breakaway as an intern after we finished with A&M. It is such a small world that you became so close to my dear friend, Kelsey, during your intern year at Breakaway. That college ministry was truly blessed to have you and your beautiful smile!
Anatomy wasn't our only classroom adventure together at A&M. We actually randomly signed up for the same Beginning Tennis class. That blows my mind since there were a ton of Beginning Tennis sections to choose from. The Lord totally knew that I needed you in my life. We then proceeded to take Venture Dynamics together. I might have been more cautious about signing up with you for a class that involved ropes and heights after seeing your wonderful falling record (over completely random items)!
It's crazy to think that we ended up living right across from each other in San Antonio four years after graduating from A&M. I am so glad that I chose your apartment complex to reside in, and it blows my mind that I lived in a building directly across from your apartment. My residency year was SO crazy that I'm not sure if I would have made it without your positive, kind words everyday when I wanted to break down crying. You were always there to listen about a bad day and to calm my continual fears about my residency. We had great stress release times of watching "Strong Bad" and listening to "Real Mean of Genius" commericals together. It killed me when you left San Antonio in December of that year (darn graduation from nursing school!).
I am SO proud of the nurse that you have become...a fat, smoking, lazy nurse that is...HAHA...just kidding!!! I know that you are a ray of sunshine for every patient that you encounter. You have such a caring, serving, and Godly heart. I am so thankful God called you to be a nurse.
I had the time of my life on our adventure to the Aloha state in February/March of this year! What a trip of a lifetime, and it was so wonderful to get to experience it with you. Your laid back nature makes you a wonderful travel buddy, and I love that you can find humor in anything! We definitely make perfect travel buddies after both falling asleep on the Road to Hana (leave it to us)!
I continue to thank my God for you and your friendship! May you have a wonderful start to the decade that begins with a 3!!
My advice to you during your 30s...in the words of Pauline (our tour guide).."Always go to the loo-a before looking at the nature!"
Hawaii trip
Sunday, November 15, 2009
OPERATION COTTON
OPERATION COTTON is set to commence tomorrow morning! Stay tuned for more details as to what this operation involves. I am going to create an acrostic to get it started with a bang!
Oh my goodness...what was I thinking?!?
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Watch for t-shirts, bumper stickers, and maybe even some TV public service announcements. Woohoo...here we go!
Oh my goodness...what was I thinking?!?
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Watch for t-shirts, bumper stickers, and maybe even some TV public service announcements. Woohoo...here we go!
Monday, November 9, 2009
Is This the Way to Amarillo?!?
So I will be returning to my hometown soon! I just realized that I haven't been to Amarillo since February (see apron blog), and I haven't seen my mom since June. That just may be a record for me...not something I need to repeat though!
A few years ago, I remember hearing that a song about Amarillo was on the top of the music charts in England. Tony Christie did such a wonderful job with the song "Is This the Way to Amarillo" that it topped the English music charts in 1971 AND 2002! I think it may have resurged in popularity purely due to its exciting topic of Amarillo. Can you imagine what people in England think about Amarillo? It sounds like quite a sexy location...I mean....sweet Marie...who waits for me!
Many folks like to spoof the original Tony Christie video. I have attached a You Tube video for your pleasure of this awesome song! It is of the Royal Dragoon Guards who were serving in Iraq at the time!
Hopefully I will remember the path to Amarillo! I don't think that there will be a sweet Marie waiting for me, but a Steve, Vicki, and Sandie will do just fine!
I guess I will have to hug my pillow a little longer...dreaming dreams of Amarillo...sha la la la la la la la!!
Oh...and George Straight may now have some competition for my favorite hometown song...
A few years ago, I remember hearing that a song about Amarillo was on the top of the music charts in England. Tony Christie did such a wonderful job with the song "Is This the Way to Amarillo" that it topped the English music charts in 1971 AND 2002! I think it may have resurged in popularity purely due to its exciting topic of Amarillo. Can you imagine what people in England think about Amarillo? It sounds like quite a sexy location...I mean....sweet Marie...who waits for me!
Many folks like to spoof the original Tony Christie video. I have attached a You Tube video for your pleasure of this awesome song! It is of the Royal Dragoon Guards who were serving in Iraq at the time!
Hopefully I will remember the path to Amarillo! I don't think that there will be a sweet Marie waiting for me, but a Steve, Vicki, and Sandie will do just fine!
I guess I will have to hug my pillow a little longer...dreaming dreams of Amarillo...sha la la la la la la la!!
Oh...and George Straight may now have some competition for my favorite hometown song...
Monday, November 2, 2009
The Big Sister Friend
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to a friend that I am blessed to call my "Big Sister" friend. It's not that you are that much older than me...it's just that you took care of me when I truly needed you!
I met you when I was a junior in high school. We instantly bonded. You were so kind to find out what was going on in my life! I remember sitting on the bar stools of my house and carrying on such a fun conversation about EVERYTHING. You were the outgoing girl who could talk to a wall, and I was the shy girl who hated talking to strangers...but we instantly clicked! I remember thinking how high class you were by the fact that you drove a new Ford Mustang, and you were the valedictorian of your high school class! And oh...let's throw in that you were the Luling Watermelon Thump Queen!! I never had such a classy friend!!
I arrived at Texas A&M in the fall of 1998 as a clueless Biomedical Science major. The horrible science classes quickly kicked my behind. You too were a Biomedical Science major and knew exactly how to encourage me and help me make it through the classes. You also made sure that I had a little bit of fun during my A&M career. I always got great football seats at Kyle Field because of having you (a junior!) pull my ticket to the game. I always looked forward to Tuesday nights as you would come pick me up in Mosher Circle, and we would head off to Breakaway together. That was back in the day when it was still located at Central Baptist Church! I would never have found a parking spot back on campus if I had driven myself!
If I had never met you, I might not be a pharmacist today! By meeting you, I met your wonderful crazy family! "We're not all crazy here!!" I got to spend a day in the wonderful Luling Discount Pharmacy where I started my pharmacy career by knocking over an ENTIRE pharmacy shelf full of medications. I think I turned five shades of red that day! Who would have thought that I would ever get into or make it through pharmacy school!
We got to experience graduate school together! You amazed me that you could go to PA school and be a wonderful wife at the same time...and then be pregnant during your last semester! I was proud of myself if I brushed my teeth at bedtime while I was in pharmacy school!
I was so blessed to stand by your side when you got married...wearing a naked dress and having cornrows in my hair was definitely one of my greatest looks! I will always treasure those pictures...haha! It has been so fun watching you become a mother to two sweet little boys and a girl on the way! You never got your bald-headed baby, but they sure were cute babies. There might be a chance for this last one!
I am so thankful that God placed you in my life, and that we have remained friends through all the crazy parts of our lives! We have been friends for 13 years now, and I thank my God everytime I think of you!
I met you when I was a junior in high school. We instantly bonded. You were so kind to find out what was going on in my life! I remember sitting on the bar stools of my house and carrying on such a fun conversation about EVERYTHING. You were the outgoing girl who could talk to a wall, and I was the shy girl who hated talking to strangers...but we instantly clicked! I remember thinking how high class you were by the fact that you drove a new Ford Mustang, and you were the valedictorian of your high school class! And oh...let's throw in that you were the Luling Watermelon Thump Queen!! I never had such a classy friend!!
I arrived at Texas A&M in the fall of 1998 as a clueless Biomedical Science major. The horrible science classes quickly kicked my behind. You too were a Biomedical Science major and knew exactly how to encourage me and help me make it through the classes. You also made sure that I had a little bit of fun during my A&M career. I always got great football seats at Kyle Field because of having you (a junior!) pull my ticket to the game. I always looked forward to Tuesday nights as you would come pick me up in Mosher Circle, and we would head off to Breakaway together. That was back in the day when it was still located at Central Baptist Church! I would never have found a parking spot back on campus if I had driven myself!
If I had never met you, I might not be a pharmacist today! By meeting you, I met your wonderful crazy family! "We're not all crazy here!!" I got to spend a day in the wonderful Luling Discount Pharmacy where I started my pharmacy career by knocking over an ENTIRE pharmacy shelf full of medications. I think I turned five shades of red that day! Who would have thought that I would ever get into or make it through pharmacy school!
We got to experience graduate school together! You amazed me that you could go to PA school and be a wonderful wife at the same time...and then be pregnant during your last semester! I was proud of myself if I brushed my teeth at bedtime while I was in pharmacy school!
I was so blessed to stand by your side when you got married...wearing a naked dress and having cornrows in my hair was definitely one of my greatest looks! I will always treasure those pictures...haha! It has been so fun watching you become a mother to two sweet little boys and a girl on the way! You never got your bald-headed baby, but they sure were cute babies. There might be a chance for this last one!
I am so thankful that God placed you in my life, and that we have remained friends through all the crazy parts of our lives! We have been friends for 13 years now, and I thank my God everytime I think of you!
The In-The-Trenches-With-You Friend
I apologize for my blog hiatus and being late with these posts about my dear friends! That horrible BCPS test took all the power out of my brain for awhile!
HAPPY (BELATED) BIRTHDAY to a friend that I am blessed to call my "In-The-Trenches-With-You Friend!" I met you during my pharmacy school interview. We can definitely call that a "day at war!" You sat next to me in the huge lecture hall during that horrible interview day, and I knew instantly that there was something special about you! I think we kept each other sane on that day! You were already encouraging me, and I didn't even now you! I knew that we had to be friends since our names are almost exactly the same...you're just missing an important "I!!"
Little did I know that we would soon be spending FOUR LONG YEARS together! They weren't long because it was with you...they were LONG because we were getting our butts kicked in the trenches of pharmacy school! Actually...they weren't long at all...the time flew by, and we didn't even have time to sleep! We of course sat next to each other during the entire first year of pharmacy school. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to do as no one could figure out how to say your name or my name! I kinda wished that Dr. Weidanz had gotten our names confused for Immunology because I truly could have used your awesome grades!
You amazed me by how fast you jumped into being a leader for all of our pharmacy organizations! Your many activities encouraged me to dive right into the trenches of the organizations with you! I never knew how you held all of those leadership positions and worked so much at Walmart pharmacy during those years. You probably still haven't caught up on all your sleep deprivation!!
Now that we are many miles apart from each other, we rely on the phone and funny emails to keep in touch! Oh and by the way...why did you move to Arizona?!?...you know it's hot there...HAHA!! I love it when I get off work and have one of your crazy LONG messages on my voicemail! I miss your laugh! I miss your teasing! I will always treasure our roadtrip around Minnesota for Julie's wedding. Only you would allow me to see go to Walnut Grove and see the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum.
We shed many tears and shared many laughs during our journeys to become pharmacists. I truly am proud to call you my friend as you are a wonderful pharmacist! I know that your customers love you, and I can just picture how patient and helpful you are to your elderly patients! You truly are living the "Oath of a Pharmacist." Thanks for making my pharmacy school journey so fun...it would have been miserable without you!
Here's a toast to staying out of the trenches!! But if you end up in another trench, I've got your back!!
HAPPY (BELATED) BIRTHDAY to a friend that I am blessed to call my "In-The-Trenches-With-You Friend!" I met you during my pharmacy school interview. We can definitely call that a "day at war!" You sat next to me in the huge lecture hall during that horrible interview day, and I knew instantly that there was something special about you! I think we kept each other sane on that day! You were already encouraging me, and I didn't even now you! I knew that we had to be friends since our names are almost exactly the same...you're just missing an important "I!!"
Little did I know that we would soon be spending FOUR LONG YEARS together! They weren't long because it was with you...they were LONG because we were getting our butts kicked in the trenches of pharmacy school! Actually...they weren't long at all...the time flew by, and we didn't even have time to sleep! We of course sat next to each other during the entire first year of pharmacy school. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to do as no one could figure out how to say your name or my name! I kinda wished that Dr. Weidanz had gotten our names confused for Immunology because I truly could have used your awesome grades!
You amazed me by how fast you jumped into being a leader for all of our pharmacy organizations! Your many activities encouraged me to dive right into the trenches of the organizations with you! I never knew how you held all of those leadership positions and worked so much at Walmart pharmacy during those years. You probably still haven't caught up on all your sleep deprivation!!
Now that we are many miles apart from each other, we rely on the phone and funny emails to keep in touch! Oh and by the way...why did you move to Arizona?!?...you know it's hot there...HAHA!! I love it when I get off work and have one of your crazy LONG messages on my voicemail! I miss your laugh! I miss your teasing! I will always treasure our roadtrip around Minnesota for Julie's wedding. Only you would allow me to see go to Walnut Grove and see the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum.
We shed many tears and shared many laughs during our journeys to become pharmacists. I truly am proud to call you my friend as you are a wonderful pharmacist! I know that your customers love you, and I can just picture how patient and helpful you are to your elderly patients! You truly are living the "Oath of a Pharmacist." Thanks for making my pharmacy school journey so fun...it would have been miserable without you!
Here's a toast to staying out of the trenches!! But if you end up in another trench, I've got your back!!
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