Wordless Wednesday!

Church Camp

Now, obviously you can tell by the look on my very young face that I hated camp. Every miserable day I was at camp, I just wanted to get out of there. I think I'm like the only one in the world to hate camp, but sharing a room with 10 girls, not sleeping, and forcing me to go into a lake, NOT my idea of fun. At all. I probably look so unhappy in this picture cuz I hadn't slept in days due to giggly girls at 4 in the morning, not to mention they force you to wake up at 7:30 to eat breakfast.

Wow, off that soapbox. I have a point. I promise :)

Anyways. Camp is one of those places that give people the ultimate "high" that churchgoers get.  You know, the spiritual "highs" and "lows"...You come home and you feel great about God and your life WILL be different this time... (and it rarely ever is). I, at some point during the years, have come to dislike that feeling.

I have become so bitter at this "high" that christians get that I had been trying to avoid it. Yes, you read correctly. I have been trying to AVOID the spiritual high. In my avoidance, I learned that I can not avoid it, if I want to remain close to God.  I, of course, realize that lows will happen, but I believe they will bring an even better spiritual high.  I have been in a spiritual low, for quite some time. I am confident that God is teaching you something when you are in a spiritual low.
 
I need to learn to disconnect myself from the "camp feeling" and realize that spiritual highs are a good thing. Everyone who is a believer should feel close to God as often as possible. Spiritual highs are necessary.No one should ever be content in their spiritual walk, because God is always trying to teach us something! Yay!

Pre-PA Reality

I know must of you probably don't care. But in less than 10 months, I will know if I am accepted into the PA school of my choice (Nova Southeastern, Orlando Campus). In less than 4 months, I will have my complete application in and just wait for the phone call or letter or email letting me know that I got an interview. EEP!

Here's what my calendar for my Pre-PA schedule.

April: Start my CASPA application. (CASPA is the general application for ALL PA schools. Some, like Nova, have supplemental applications, but everyone must use CASPA). Also during April, I finish classes for this semester and order my transcripts. And.. >>>CRUISE!!!<<< [I know that it's not PA related.. but it's too exciting NOT to put!]

May: Ask 3 people to write recommendations for me. Take the GRE. Shadow a PA as much as possible. Start my Anatomy and Physiology 2 class. Start writing my essay.

June: Preliminary list for Hodges is announced. (I am in a program that matriculates straight into Nova Ft. Myers campus, if I make the list. I WANT to be on this list [especially if I'm not accepted into the Orlando campus]).  Retake the GRE, if needed. Continue shadowing. Start finalizing my CASPA application, including my essay.

Mid-July: APPLY!!!!!!!! I will be applying to 4 schools.

August: Finish A&P 2.

September: Official list for Hodges recommendations are announced.   Start new semester.

Then, I just wait, and wait, and wait, and wait. I will wait 6 months! to find out if I even GET an interview.  Most of the people invited for an interview are accepted into the program.  An interview is a very good thing.

If all goes as planned, I will start Physician Assistant School in 

June 2011

and graduate as a Physician Assistant in

August 2013

CRUISE!

I have an addiction!

Seriously.

My mom and I are going to take our second mother-daughter cruise on April 29th!!! 

We are headed to Key West and Cozumel, Mexico, and I just

Can.Not.Wait.

Most of my favorite memories are on cruises, and most of the best feelings are on the cruise. It's a feeling like no other. It's pure bliss. It's perfection. It's food. All.Day.Long!!

Here's some pictures of some previous cruises.

This was from our last mom-daughter cruise. :)

I know this is not a good pic, but it's the only one I have of this trip.. (I'm not good at taking pictures..)

Anyways, this was our trip to Bermuda.

Formal picture with best friends on senior cruise

Me and Mary and pretty blue water!!

Me, Amy, and Ryan on a horse-drawn carriage ride in Bahamas!! (Senior Cruise)

READY FOR FUN!

Me and my parents during that lifevest thingy at the beginning of a cruise

Me and my absolutely BEAUTIFUL (and tan!) sister-in-law, Alexa!!!

I have WAY more pictures that I'd like to share, but I won't :) 

Well, maybe in another post !

YAY!

Up, Up, and Away.

The title of this post has NOTHING to do with anything, I just couldn't think of a title, and it popped into my head :)

I took a risk tonight. I'm not sure if I regret it yet or not.  It was probably a mistake, and NONE of my business. I have a very dear friend and I feel he's being taken advantage of, and I let him know.  

Honestly was definitely always my thing. Some people love it. Some people hate it. But I am very honest with everyone.  Sometimes too honest, my brain-mouth filter doesn't always work.  

I actually thought about this decision though, as it was bothering me for a few days before I actually decided to go ahead with it.  It could potentially change a few relationships, including mine with the person.  I do hope that he realizes that it was out of love -- out of friendship.  It was my opinion.

Only time will tell.

Ignorance

I am usually a very positive person, giving people the benefit of the doubt. But sometimes, I want to look people in the eye and go "SERIOUSLY?!!?"

Oscars

I recently, for some reason, decided to watch Oscar nominated movies.

"Slumdog Millionaire" and "Up in the Air"

They were actually better than I was expecting. I was NOT expecting to like either one. I really enjoyed Slumdog Millionaire and Up in the Air was okay...

Slumdog Millionaire took you through the life of a young man playing "Who wants to be a Millionaire" It started off with him being tortured for how he knew the answers (basically how he was cheating) So, he went through each question and with flashbacks showed when he learned the answer. The questions from the beginning took us through his life, up to the moment he is playing the game live.  It had a sad and happy ending. But it was very good. I would recommend it. 

Up in the Air was fine. Up until like the last 10 minutes, it had great potential to end as a chick flick. But then something happened (nothing tragic, just unexpected).  It didn't have a bad ending, but it wasn't the "chick flick ending" that it could've had. It ended well, just not particularly happy. Eh. I wouldn't really recommend it.

I have netflix and I would LOVE recommendations. What are your favorite movies?!?

Have a Happy Friday!

Research and Reality

I do TONS of research on getting into P.A. schools, the stats needed, the volunteer work, the GPA, the GRE, and so on and so forth.. but when the times comes to actually DOING the things needed for those stats, I sometimes lack in motivation. Studying for the GRE.. memorizing endless vocabulary words, attempting to understand Organic Chemistry.. I just don't want to do it.. I'm in that terrible place where it seems so far away, I just can't seem to find an end in sight...

I can do this. I can. And I will...

I just need to keep reminding myself that, it'll be worth it..

I WILL GET IN!

On a much, much sadder note... I am interested in blogging, and I found some great blogs that I've been following, but have never met. On of them was A Little Pink in a World of Camo. She is a newly married (10 months) 23-year old with a brand new baby girl (honeymoon baby)..She is also the wife of a Marine.

On March 15, she found out her husband was killed in Afghanistan, he never got to meet his baby girl. This is a tragic time for her and her baby and their families.  Although you may not know them (me either) they could use some prayer. 

Spring Break!

I don't actually get a spring break, because my school isn't like most schools, but it's okay. I had a FANTASTIC weekend. It included the beach, Elise, Mary, Ryan, Alexa, Mark, Kate, my mom, shopping, and a brand new pair of beautiful Sperry's!

On Friday night, I went to Elise's house and spent the evening and night with her. It was just like when we were kids, except for playing with Barbie's, we talked for hours. It was splendid. 

On Saturday, I took Katelynn (my niece) to the park after visiting my brother, Mark, for a while.  At the park, it was TWINS AND TRIPLETS Day. OMGOSH. Seriously though. It was like some club of baby twins and triplets celebrating Easter. I've never seen to many in my life, and I don't want to ever again.  Katelynn had fun, and got to see the Easter bunny.

Alexa, Kate, and I went to the mall after the park. We ate at California Pizza Kitchen (YUM!) and then shopped for a bit, but we didn't get anything. It was fun nonetheless.  I then went shopping by myself and later that night I got to eat dinner with a great friend, Ryan. It was extremely pleasant.  He's always easy to talk to. 

Then on Sunday, Mary and I went to the beach!!!!

I LOVE Mary :)

My parents came home from California on Sunday night/Monday morning. So, my mom and I and Kate went to the mall. I NEVER EVER buy things for myself, I just don't (unless it's food, I buy too much of that lol) but I decided that I wanted to get myself a pair of Sperry's. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Sperry's. I wear mine daily and they are the most fantastic pair of shoes in the whole wide world. So, I got a pair of performance Sperry's. Basically tennis shoes that I can get wet and do all this out-doorsy stuff in. I plan to do lots of that this summer. Here's a picture of my beautiful new shoes. (Sperrytopsider.com)

I am so excited!!! That was my spring break.

:)

Love

I love Patrick Dempsey.

The End. =)

Randomness.

I would like to clarify that I am NOT giving up blogging, I am simply not setting a goal for myself to reach with blogging. 

On a different, random note, I have a question.

People tell me I am funny. Lots of people. Do people tell me this because I am actually funny or I am simply easy to laugh at? Both are fine. I'm a likable person and I definitely do make people smile with my personality. Just wondering :) 

Creation courtesy of Katelynn Grace Lehman :)

I am a Quitter.

And I am okay with that :)

I made some resolutions that, like most Americans, give up on.  I have a good and valid reason though! I made the resolutions that I would read 30 books this year and write 150 blogs (among some others...) These are the 2 that I am quitting.

I have decided that I have absolutely NO free time to read the books I enjoy. I attempted to read this weekend, and it was simply amazing, but I didn't study as much as I should have. I also can't add stress to my life by saying "I NEED TO DO THIS! IT WAS A RESOLUTION!" And, I know I would (have), because when I say something, I do it, if it's a rule, I follow it. It's just who I am....

I did manage to read one book before I quit my resolution :) (1/30, WOOHOO)
It shouldn't count though, because I didn't enjoy it and it was for a class.  The name of the book by "In the Arms of Elders: A Parable of Wise Leadership and Community Building" by William H. Thomas, M.D.

 

The guy who wrote this in a genius.. He went to Harvard Med School and he has a long list of awards and credentials.  He, unfortunately, has 2 kids with idiopathic infantile encephalopathy, which is very rare.  Neither of those two girls will ever see, walk, or talk, but he loves them unconditionally. He also has 3 other children and lives on a farm (lol). 

Anyways, he is the president and founder of the Eden Alternative.  He wishes to make nursing homes into a modern day Eden, filled with animals, plants, fish, birds, and the beauty of nature.  His main vision is to rid the elders of the 3 plagues: loneliness, helplessness, and boredom. In his book, he wishes that all nursing homes would be replaced with Greenhouses, a house of about 10 people with the same care as nursing homes, but in a smaller community and the Eden feel.  

All of the above isn't mentioned until like the last 30 pages... He takes you through this FICTITIOUS long journey  of living in Kalimos.  Kalimos doesn't exist... He made it all up to show you what life COULD be like if we followed the ways of Kalimos. It sucks. I was angry. He made me read this whole story and it wasn't even true?! He was trying to show what life would be like when the 3 plagues of the elderly didn't exist and how the lives of not only the elders, but yourself, would be changed for the better....(The story itself wasn't bad, but the ending messed me up, I didn't like any of it)

Let me state my own opinion now.  I believe that this man lives in a world of hopes and dreams while the rest of us live in reality.  The Eden Alternative is FANTASTIC, in theory. I am all for the connection of old people and children, and birds and plants and flowers and pets.. But it's just not realistic, unfortunately, for lots of reasons.  I do hope the best for this man, and if he can touch even a few lives with his program, I would consider it a success.