When a Tree Falls

Every morning, Monday through Friday, my Big Ben Sunbeam alarm clock begins to blink at 4:15 am. As I race to turn my fan off before the oscillation hits me, I listen for the wind. And the rain. This week has been incredibly and insanely windy. 60 mph gusts shake the house and threaten to flip my car when I drive past the cows at the dairy farm. Luckily I have the five miles to the Astoria pool memorized and I rarely pass anyone else on the road. Today was no exception. It was not quite as windy as it had been so I knew I was going to be able to run later; just had to get through the test I had in pathophysiology/pharmacology. After my dutiful hour of studying on the elliptical at the pool, I retraced my steps home. I was cruising down Williamsport (the one mile hill that winds through tall trees, thick bushes, and the WOW (Western Oregon Waste) site. I hadn't even made it halfway down when I saw flashing red and blue lights up ahead through the trees. Wow, I thought. They were out early (many people go 40 mph on Williamsport when it's only a 25 mph zone; lotsa tickets). As I crawled to a stop in my car, I realized the dark blue SVU that had Astoria Police in small white letters on the bumper was parked in the middle of the road. Um what? And then I saw it. An enormous fir/pine/some kind of confirous tree had fallen across the road, completely blocking it. Apparently it had just happened because there was only one police car there and the road wasn't even closed yet. I turned my car around and did a little detour back home. But that tree must have JUST fallen. What if it had fallen on me? Or I had run into it? Gulp. Yeah I was driving fast (but cautiously) the rest of the way home, watching the rest of the trees and power lines carefully.

Their new album is excellent. My favorite song is Get Me Right- both the regular and acoustic version.

The Ultimate Goal

Starting IV's is the ultimate skill to learn in nursing school. My clinical instructor prefaced the lab by saying that she has been doing this for thirty years (she is really good) but it took her about ten years to get it down. I was nervous. The fake arm trial went okay, but boy does that thing bleed. A lot. It looked like a massacre when I finally got the dang thing in. Then there were four of us in the class who decided to try putting one in. On each other. So today after lab, we all headed to Louisa's house. Haley successfully put one in my arm (my veins stick out but she did a fantastic job anyway). Then another person tried. The alcohol swab wrappers started to pile up. Finally my turn came. Poor Louisa let me stick her sooo many times but she wouldn't let me give up until I got one. :) Her antecubital vein proved to be my best bet and success was mine. :)

Distractions

I love my nephews. Kayler is 9 (he is on the left) and Evan is 7. And they are such boys. Its hilarious.

And I know I'm wearing the same hoodie as in the last picture but its one of my favorites. :)

Studying

I don't have class today so my goal was to get some studying done, specifically working on my study guide for Pharmacology. My four year old nephew Kellan wandered into my room about an hour and a half ago and has been here ever since. Reading of Parkinson's has been punctuated by questions like "what happens when you warm a car up", "Heavenly Father loves all of his creations" (yeah my heart melted too), and for some reason, a repeated chanting of "nude! nude! nude!". My room is very warm because he likes to have my heater on, smells like popcorn (we each have our own bowl), and there are Skip-Bo cards everywhere.(I was trying to keep him entertained).

So while I haven't gotten a whole lot of learning in, at least I got some aunt-nephew bonding. Okay better go- I think he is going to break my heater...

Respectively Agree

http://www.newsweek.com/id/216210?GT1=43002

It Happens Every Year

Actually it happens twice every year. Around September and April, my mom would always comment "Look how light (or dark) it is at five o'clock." It happens every year- the days get shorter (or longer), signaling either the start of school or the beginning of vacation. Well the days are getting shorter. I've been trying to deny it for awhile now but here it is, 8:30 and its completely dark outside. And its been like that for a good hour. More things I've tried to ignore? The leaves aren't green anymore but vary between crimson red to golden delicious yellow. School buses appear in the morning and afternoon. Grocery stores now carry pumpkins and advertise costumes. Normally I LOVE autumn. I'm all about covering up and what better season to break out the new hoodies and long pants than when the weather dips into the fifties and it rains every other hour. But this year, I go back to school. And I like school, especially since I'll be learning something that I can earn a living off of and help people (working in scrubs is a nice plus). I just really dislike change. Any kind of change. I didn't want to leave Astoria last June. I don't want to leave Portland this September. And I'm pretty sure when graduation rolls around next June, yes of course I'll be ecstatic but you know that nagging feeling that sometimes happens when you have a paper to write that is ten pages long and its due tomorrow? Or how you have a great weekend planned...right before finals? Its that kind of feeling. Ugh. I really would rather things stay the same. Or at least change a little bit slower.

Twenty-Six

One week ago, my sister and I turned 26. As birthdays are when you get older, it was pretty much another ordinary day. My older brothers and sister had a barbeque for us since our parents decided to go back East (our nephew was being baptized so we figured he deserved to have them their for his birthday). I went for a run. We both took naps. The birthday was a mere blip in the year so I decided to find out what was so interesting about the number 26. So, thanks to wikipedia, here it is.

26 is:

-the atomic number of iron

- the only number between a squared number (five squared) and a number to the third (nine to the third)

-the number of letters in the English alphabet

-the number of miles in a marathon (rounded down from 26.2)

-the age at which males can no longer be drafted in the US

-Michigan is the 26th state to be added to the union

Okay so apparently 26 isn't that spectacular of a number. Maybe I'll just say I'm 25 since my older sister got me a card that says I am. :)

The Reunion

The second week of June, all the Randalls and a few Newby's convened at Aspen Grove in Utah for a family reunion. The last one we had was five years ago and this time, there were quite a few more children. And though none of them were mine, I spent time holding Reese, chasing Cameron, and trying to get Brian to smile. It was a great vacation, especially since I had just finished all my finals for spring term. And somehow, I pulled straight A's this term. :) Even though it rained most of the time, it was still fun. I shot a rifle with my brother's and sister making quiet jokes about the adult counselor who was there. I convinced Elizabeth to play paintball and she did well- except when her paint bullets started to hit me and I was on her team. One of the best parts was late at night, I played Phase 10 with Elizabeth, Eric, and Seth. Elizabeth zoomed ahead in the phases (I think she had the deck rigged), while Eric and I lagged behind. I don't know if it was the late hour or all the candy we had eaten, but we all lost it when our nephew's cell phone started buzzing. Pretty sure we were all crying. 

Acute Mountain Sickness became the phrase of the reunion. The director of Aspen Grove explained that this can occur to those not used to high altitude (yeah like me coming from the beach to the mountains) and can result in headaches, dizziness, etc. Pretty soon we were all coming down with AMS, though I'm sure it was the steep incline up to our cabin that caused our being out of breath every time we came back from a meal. 

I love my family and am so happy OUR family is forever. :) Joanna took the pictures above.

Eight Tidbits

I check everyone else's blog at least once a day, though I haven't updated mine since February. But I'm doing this because I have a test tomorrow and I am thoroughly sick of studying. Thanks for the distraction Katie. Oh and by the way, I am succesfully off of Diet Dr Pepper. Now sugar free Rockstar is another story, much to the chagrin of my mother. But I need something to keep me awake during nursing school.

8 THINGS I LOOK FORWARD TO

1. Going to Las Vegas next week with Joanna and hitting up In & Out
2. Aspen Grove family reunion. With everyone. But at least I don't have kids to watch. :)
3. Being able to run again. Though the elliptical does the job, I miss running outside.
4. Finishing this term, starting with that test tomorrow on fluid, electrolytes, and acid-bases.
5. Actually finishing nursing school. Though its a year away.
6. Catching up on all the TV shows I've had to delay.
7. Buying some more Safeway sugar free sparkling water.
8. The Blizzard that is in my freezer right now.

8 THINGS I DID YESTERDAY

1. Studied about 10 hours for my test tomorrow.
2. Checked my email every two minutes because of number 1.
3. Had to jump out of my car in the middle of traffic to move a huge garbage bin that the wind had blown over into my lane.
4. Woke up at 5:30. On a Saturday. Grr dang clinicals.
5. Sweated a good hour on the elliptical.
6. Started to watch 30 Rock but then saw my text book glaring at me so I had to stop and study.
7. Did the dishes. Twice.
8. Braided my hair.

8 THINGS I WISH I COULD DO

1. See without contacts. Or actually see WITH contacts. 
2. Run as far as I want whenever I want without worrying about my knees.
3. Speak in an accent. Of any kind.
4. Not look mad when I'm really not.
5. Own a herd of dachshunds.
6. Go to another country. Even if its Canada.
7. Tell the old guy at the gym to share the freaking fan.
8. Play the piano like I used to. Seriously I should with 8 years of lessons.

8 SHOWS I WATCH

1. 30 Rock (I would eat a dozen donuts if I'm sad or happy)
2. 24 (its all about the Jack pack)
3. Bones (Sweets is the first psychologist I like)
4. Fringe (its like the X-Files)
5. The X-Files (even though its not on anymore, its still a classic)
6. Dollhouse (though I'm waaaay behind, I'm really into it)
7. The Office (because I want to meet Creed. And Jim)
8. Supernatural (thanks Katie. "That's not school Dean. That's schoolhouse rock.")

8 BANDS I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT

1. Dashboard Confessional
2. Blue October
3. Taylor Swift
4. October Fall
5. Bon Iver
6. The Airborne Toxic Event
7. Third Eye Blind
8. The Crash Motive

8 MOVIES THAT I LOVE

1. The Fugitive
2. Pride and Prejudice
3. North & South
4. Pillow Talk
5. What's Up Doc?
6. Identity
7. You've Got Mail
8. Coraline

8 BLOGGERS TAGGED

1. sister Elizabeth
2. sister-in-law Jen
3. nursing student friend Lynn
4. Um I don't know anyone else....

One Month with H20

It started with not wanting to drive in the dark. In the snow.  Last week, the weather here at the coast was cold. And a little icy. I had a clinical shift and luckily, I carpool the majority of the way to Seaside. But I was anxious just thinking of driving to our meeting place. Anxiety usually brings on a stomach full of knots. They'll go away once I get to the hospital, I thought. Yeah not so much. I was calmly pouring an Ensure-like fluid into my patient's G-tube when I could feel my blood pressure start to drop. You know the feeling. Palms are clammy. Nausea sets in. You feel like you are going to pass out. Luckily the nurse I had that day was supremely understanding and ordered me to sit down immediately while she finished the tube feeding. The patient and the patient's friend were both "Are you okay? You don't look so good." Um wait a second. I should be caring after the patient not have the patient concerned for me. The nurse instructed me to drink some orange juice and go to lunch. Which I did. I crashed as soon as I got home and thought it had passed. Nope. The rest of the week I basically had some sort of stomach thing. The point of this is that I couldn't drink what I usually drink: Diet Dr. Pepper. I drink that every day. A lot of it. You know the 36 can cases at Costco? I go through one of those a week. But that sweet liquid made me gag when I tried it and so far, I haven't had any since Valentine's Day. That is a long time for me. So I figure what a perfect time to test out the water and soda debate. Will I have more energy drinking water? Does it really help your skin look better? If I was drinking diet soda before and now I am drinking water, will I lose weight? I have had less energy as of right now and get a headache off and on but I am going to give it a month. March 14 guys. I almost gave in today but I can make it a month. By March 14 I'll be about done with this term of school. It will fly by. I have noticed that in drinking more of H2O I spend a lot more time in the bathroom. I read somewhere that this usually passes as your body gets used to all the water. Hopefully this is true. Ahem. Now excuse me. I have to go. Again.

Listen

Like I am sure everyone else does, I go through music phases. Levels. Groups. Whatever its called. It starts with the discovery of a certain genre. For me, middle school. 97.1 KISN FM. The Oldie's station. My dad listened to it so I did too. I had a weird paranoia that if I turned to any other random radio station, I'd get an earful of something horrible. After two years or so of Sugar Pie Honey Bunch and Brown-Eyed Girl, my ear caught what my older sister was listening to. What is that? They sound so young. And happy. And clean. Yup. I had found my next genre- contemporary country. I couldn't get enough of Garth Brooks, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, and Le Ann Womack (that dance song throws me back to freshman year every time). I remember I'd catch a good one on the radio, grab a blank tape, and record it. Sometimes I got the whole song, sometimes I cut off the beginning. I hated it when I got the DJ talking. Then in ninth or tenth grade, I remember exactly when I found pop music. Or rather my sister found it and introduced us. The song? Yeah Britney Spears' first single. But I loved bubble gum and so it worked. Pop music, the oldies, and country music were my music staples all through grade school. At college, I had a roommate who loved Dashboard Confessional and I instantly fell for "Screaming Infidelities." Its still my favorite song. So emo or alternative or whatever its called became the music while at BYU. With the previous genres making an appearance every now and then.

What brought on this whole music thing? Yesterday my friend Katie sent me a list of her current song favorites. And it snowballed from there. Ever used Pandora? Dangerous for those who tend to get lost in iTunes and emerge an hour later with new tunes. And a large bill. But I love finding new songs. I can't sing well at all but I love running to them. The song I listened to for an entire run: Hedley "Hand Grenade." And when I couldn't get to sleep last night: The Crash Motive "Don't Shut Your Eyes." 

Applause

On Monday I took a test. And you know how you can tell how the entire test is going to play out just by reading that first question? Well my stomach hit the floor when I read the first question. Um did we cover this? *Looks around* I AM in nursing school right? Not medical school? Okay it wasn't that bad but the rest of the test was pretty shaky. And the group test we took right after only aggravated the sickness building up in my stomach. Wait I missed that one? Where was I when she went over incentive spirometer's lowering a postoperative patient's temperature? Leaving class on Monday I was pretty confident in my low test grade.  Then on Wednesday, right after clinicals, our teacher let us know she wouldn't be posting the grades and instead we were having a test review that she "strongly recommended" we attend on Friday. There were six of us students in that little room in the hospital and with the tiredness from having done clinicals plus the stress of that test, we all were laughing. About everything and anything. I'm sure our clinical instructor just wanted us out of there. Anyway, Friday comes and the tension in the room is palpable- just like a patient's bladder if its full (okay that was a test question that I missed). Everyone is nervously laughing about the test and how we were going to get a severe tongue lashing. The two teachers file in, looking serious and determined.  Instructions were given succinctly: they were going to hand back the tests and the scantrons and read each question, the answer, and the rationale. No questions were allowed...okay they didn't SAY that but you could tell that's what  they meant. So when one student did ask an annoying question (there is one in every class and whenever they talk, you kind of put your head down in embarrassment for them and pity for the teacher), the answer was curt. No more questions after that.  I barely passed the test. Others completely failed it. As we handed back our tests, I put my head down, exhausted and disappointed. I had already kicked myself enough to leave bruises; there was only one way to go and that was forward. No more breaks when I hadn't done any work. This was serious. This was my freakin' career. 

The teacher spoke. We were going to retake the test. My brain doesn't quite register this. She continues. If we score between a 95-100, we add 15 points to our test grade. 90-95, add 10 points. And so forth. My brain is about twenty miles behind and my heart is racing 100 mph. (That might have been from the quickly downed Rockstar) We have a five minute break so everyone scrambles out of their seats to go to the bathroom, sharpen pencils, I mention a bridge. Five minutes are up and we all retake the exact same test. Well, the answers were switched up a bit. Yeah everyone got a 100 that second time. Um except for me. Okay okay my pencil was filling in those bubbles faster than my mind could read them and I realized after I handed it that I mismarked one. One that I had gotten right the first time around. One more good solid kick. But I fell with in the 95-100 so those fifteen points are so mine. 

But a retake? I still can't believe it. Granted, when the majority of the class does poorly on a test, that is pretty much a reflection on the teacher. But the teacher wasn't bad. She's really good. I think it was the chosen questions. Some of those seriously came out of nowhere. But I am so grateful we were able to do that. I genuinely believe that our teacher wants us all to pass. Pass her class. Make it to the next term. Make it to graduation. And finally, pass the boards. 

Today was a cap on a good week. I had good days in the hospital. I gave my first injection and the patient survived. I got a new phone. Discovered where I can get bulk candy without having to go to Costco. Ran up the near vertical hill to the Astoria column and survived. My sister got a job. And my sister in law gave me a compliment about my appearance (someone told her I was pretty and who can't help but smile when told that). Its all about moving forward. Or up. Whichever.

Joanna and the dogs

This is yesterday morning, as described by my sister Joanna. After reading it, I couldn't stop laughing.

Okay, the story about the dogs is pretty funny. Cameron and Ella were over this morning and I'm lounging around in my pajamas, waiting until they leave so I can take a shower. Mom, however, is fully dressed (this is important later). We're downstairs, Ella is on Mom's computer and Cameron's just sort of walking around. All of a sudden, Gretchen and Austin break out in this barking frenzy. Mom exclaims "Oh, there's a squirrel in the backyard." I can't see it but the dogs keep barking and barking and it's getting really annoying. I egg Mom on "C'mon, just let them out. They can't do anything." 

 Mom, on her own volition and FREE AGENCY, opens the door. * This is also very important *

 Gretchen and Austin, at breakneck speed, dash across the patio, RUN OVER Mom's little wire fence that wouldn't keep anything out, and then up the steps. Gretchen is wriggling under the wooden fence in the back before it has hit Mom what really is happening. She freaks out as she realizes Gretchen is on the OTHER side of our property and at the same time, Austin is leaving his mark all over the kids play area.

 I'm just laughing. 

 Mom puts on Dad's shoes and clumps across the frozen patio, screaming "Gretchen?! Austin?! Treat?!? Ride!?! Green bean!?!? CARROT!?!?" The last word was with a particular note of desperation as Gretchen is clearly not interested in what Mom is saying. Austin, his first and foremost thoughts always on food, comes trotting obediently into the house.

 I'm starting to feel bad for Mom at this point.

 I start yelling at Gretchen and now with two adults screaming desperately about treats and carrots and you better come inside, she slowly makes her way back down the steps, over the broken gate, and into the house.

 Mom closes the door and doesn't speak to me.

 I start laughing again.

 Me: "C'mon, you can't be mad at me for that."

Mom: "I am so mad."

Me: "I didn't know they would do that."

Mom: "Yes, yes you did. And I nearly broke my neck with Dad's shoes on that patio."

Me: "They were never in any danger."

Mom: "Gretchen got on the other side of the fence!" (apparently this is equal to when the Cubans crossed the 43rd parallel in the Cuban Missile Crisis)

Me: "It was funny!"

Mom: "You kept telling me they'd be okay..." And then she was off on plans on further fortifying the backyard against the dachshund escaping.

 Gretchen and Austin got their treats. And because Cameron had been there the whole time and kept hearing the word "Treat!" yelled over and over, he wandered into the kitchen, wondering where his treat was.

 Mom put him in the high chair with a granola bar.

 I sat back on the couch, still laughing.

 Best. Morning. Ever.

Sometimes You Do Learn Something

Why is it that your mother is usually right in the end? Well she was about the boy situation. But hopefully she won't be about my bones breaking when I'm thirty from my Diet Dr. Pepper habit. Anyway, I've learned that sometimes sitting in the front row of church isn't always a bad thing. And being preoccupied with a nursing test is a good thing. Finally, I need not to judge people so quickly. But this is what I've learned this past week about something. This is from an email my lovely friend let me dump on her. 

Anyway, I've decided not to go to single adult activities/institute for right now because I just get upset and obviously am too preoccupied to learn anything spiritually. That is what is frustrating me the most. How this one boy gets in the way of me trying to concentrate at church. For example, today. We were late, as usual (four kids you know? and my sister in law was sick) so I'm walking in late with my niece and my brother has chosen the front bench. Wonderful so we have to walk by everyone. Luckily I thought I looked pretty good. Which I never think but hey, all that running has to pay off somehow right? Anyway, I sit down, look up and whoa. The entire choir is sitting on the stand and who is sitting about 100 feet from me? Yeah. Dylan. Worse, he is sitting next to this young 18 year old just back from her first semester at BYU-I. *Rolls eyes.* But, I've decided NOT to care. Apparently my mind didn't get the memo. Because all through sacrament, etc. I am very aware that I can see him and vice versa. So the talks were on prayer, etc. and I am trying so hard to pay attention and get something, anything out of it and yeah. Has that ever happened to you? Its sooo annoying. Anyway, sacrament ends and he walks right by me, not saying anything. But I smile at my brother and go sit near the back for Sunday School because I AM over this. But someone has a cruel sense of humor because yeah, he sits next to me for Sunday School. Actually there was enough space between us for a small child which only further irritated me. Either sit by me or don't but don't play lukewarm k? Grrr. He asks me why I didn't go to the activity last night (um I had to study. Well actually I ran and watched Bones but study sounded better). He teased me about how Moses was in the Bible- stuff like that. Stuff that I so did NOT need at the moment. Not when I was just getting over the whole thing. By the time Sunday School ended I was furious. At him for sitting next to me and then abruptly walking away when I asked him where he had been going when I saw him when I was running. And at myself for thinking he might like me because he sat next to me. *throws hands up* I went to RS, hung out with people who actually make sense, and then I was waiting with my brother for the rest of the kids and he walks right by me. I can see him glance toward me out of the corner of my eye but he keeps walking. So I pulled out my .22 and shot a light out. No. But I felt like it. But as I left church, I wasn't as mad as I thought. Why? Because of those two words you said awhile back. "Not yet." Because even though I think I might want to date him and fall in love and yadda yadda yadda, school is what I'm doing right now and I am so not going to fail nursing school over a boy. Especially since I want to marry a MAN. And you're married FOREVER. Thinking that, singleness is looking mighty appealing. I can go running whenever I want, eat Lean Cuisines every night for dinner, and sleep soundly in my twin bed ( I hate anything bigger). 

Sunny

Its been eight days since the sun has been out and every morning I wake up, expecting to see clouds and rain, but nope. Its still sunny.  I can go for a run without getting soaked and the blue sky and water is really amazing. I could almost live here permanently...almost. This week has been so much better, due mostly to Katie sending an email with two words that I've been repeating to myself often: Not Yet. Patience is something I really need to work on and it seems when you pray for patience, you are given plenty of opportunities to try it out. But yeah. The weather, the fact I had five days off of school, and that my knees miraculously are holding up to forty miles a week all makes me smile. The two tests I have looming on the horizon make me a little nervous, but that is what school is for. To even out everything. And whenever I need a nice break from study guides or trying to diagnose my brother in the kitchen, I can go outside. Without getting wet.

Figuring Things Out

This past week has taken a long time to end.  It started last Sunday when I got dressed for church.  Normally I throw a skirt on and am out the door in a few minutes, but last Sunday I actually took my time. I put on make up. Okay just mascara and lip gloss but that is more than I usually do. And I did my hair. I never do my hair- its always in a pony tail.  Anyway, I did all this for a stupid reason. Yeah. A boy. When said person didn't say a word to me at church, I kicked myself all through Relief Society.  But that's not the part I gave up at. That happened Monday when I went to a social event.  During that hour and a half I was there I felt older than everyone else. I AM older than all the others, by at least three years. I'm not saying I am the most mature person but I certainly felt my 25 years.  After three straight days of clinicals and another institute class where the same thing pretty much happened, I remembered why I stayed home so many Monday nights at BYU. Awkwardness is pretty much me in a big group of people. I never know what to say so I don't say anything. And then I end up coming off as mad or something. But what I figured out this week is patience. I need to have patience in so many things in my life. School. My nephew. And becoming more social. I know I won't be the girl talking to everyone at church tomorrow, but I'll smile. And if that boy doesn't talk to me tomorrow or the rest of the time I'm here, I'll live. 

Highlighting

Three months. I can do three months of reading, going to lecture/lab/clinicals. Sure its a long time to hold your breath (because seriously that is what it feels like I'm doing) but when March 20th rolls around and I have spring break, I can take a deep breath.

I didn't have any class today and my brain was so fried from six hours of lecture yesterday that I took it easy this morning. My sister in law dropped me off at the elementary school where she volunteers and I ran home. In the wind and rain. Eight lovely miles of it. It didn't seem too bad until I actually got home and my knee started yelling at me. Grrr. It better stay okay or I will be so ticked. Tomorrow I have lab from 8:30-3 and then another lab on Thursday from 9-11. Not too bad I guess. Mostly its next week that I can't wait to be over. For some reason, I was scheduled to have clinicals three days in a row. Eight hours each. But actually I used to work twelve hour shifts three days in a row so what am I worrying about?

Worrying about? Yeah how to PAY for all this education. Apparently my bachelors degree is preventing me from simply applying for school loans. I knew that degree was worthless. Here is hoping I finally win the Publisher's Clearing House. Then I would pay for my school. And my sisters. And buy all my siblings a car. Or a house. Or maybe just a dog. :)

School Night

Growing up, my mother would always say "Its a school night." Those four words carried so much weight. It meant alarm clocks had to be set, outfits laid out, homework done, etc. Plus, it produced a feeling of dread that the freedom you had been experiencing from not going to school was abruptly ending. Gulp. I start school tomorrow and from the looks of it, its going to be brutal. Pharmacology. Passing meds to real people (my mom graciously offered herself for injections...of what I don't know). Taking tests. And more tests on top of that. Sigh. I keep telling myself that come May 2010, all my "school nights" will finally be over. 

I'm back at the coast and I woke up yesterday with white streets. Today? Snowed again. Seriously is this winter ever going to be like a regular Oregon winter? Rain. No snow. Just rain. Rain I can drive in. Rain I can run in, leave the house, do everything like it were sunny but just a little wetter. With snow, I can't drive, especially here where the hills are steep. And getting out of the house is a must with the four kids running around (they're doing it right now!). As my older brothers would always say "Its all fun and games until someone gets hurt." 

2009: Mighty Fine

My older sister and I were off and running at midnight this morning for Portland's First Run. The 5K was a simple out and back along the Willamette waterfront, under a few bridges and over a few MAX tracks. There were quite a few costumes, ranging from a guy wearing a huge box (we think he was supposed to be an iPod) to the guy in a full Grinch costume. There was a cow costume as well, complete with a tail and udders. Honestly I don't know how they would run in any of those. On the way back, my sister was mistaken for a doctor (yeah I think it was the glasses Elizabeth) and I didn't tell my mom we were home so she had a restless night. Whoops. :) It rained all day today which I think fits Portland so much better than all that snow we had. My lovely vacation comes to an end tomorrow as I head back to the coast for another semester of nursing school. I'm anxious to hurry up and get back into my school rhythm but am sad to leave, even though I'll only be an hour and a half away. Here is hoping I get another 4.0 semester.