Thanksgiving and Adam's Birthday

I know, I know. I didn't finish my 30 day countdown. But I have a valid excuse. I was with family that I don't get to see everyday and, therefore, didn't open my computer much to blog. My apologies. But to sum up those last three days, I am very thankful to have spent an entire week back in Georgia at home with my family, visiting with friends, and helping both mine and Adam's parents put up their trees. Marley and Lucy loved it, too.

Blurry, but Lucy is a little dancing dog.

So let's see. As I mentioned in my 30 days of thanks, my parents came to our apartment the weekend before Thanksgiving. Their visit had two purposes. 1) to help me decorate our little apartment for Christmas and 2) to take me back home to Georgia with them. I'm so glad my mom was here to help decorate because everything looks SO MUCH cuter than it did last year. I need an experienced veteran's eye for this sort of thing apparently.

Anyway, over Thanksgiving break I studied and did a lot of crafting for a couple of different things. My nieces and oldest nephew and I made glitter Christmas ornaments. I made one for myself and one for my sweet friend Katie. My PA school girlfriends and I did a secret santa gift exchange (don't worry, we've already exchanged. No secrets being prematurely revealed here) and that was one of the gifts I gave her.
Can you guess which one is mine?

Yep, Katie's a Clemson girl.

Lindsay had my name and she gave me these two things:

I think these both sum our friendship up perfectly. We both LOVE Christmas, and we both love drinking wine together. :) I had been on the lookout for a new special wine glass, so she got me one! Love it. 

Anyway, back to Thanksgiving break. The other craft I was working on was a ten day countdown for Adam's 30th birthday, which was yesterday!

Before and after they were sealed. He got a clue each morning as to what he would get for that day. 

So yesterday he came home for lunch and I gave him his real birthday present. After that, things started getting much more exciting. His mom ordered a bouquet of balloons for him so I picked them up and took them to Adam's work.

While I was there, I took the opportunity to decorate his truck. :)

Rickie had decided a few weeks ago that he really wanted to surprise Adam for his 30th, so after Adam came home from work, Rickie jumped out of the spare bedroom! They decided to head out together to pick up Chinese-to-go and then I got this picture in a text:

So we had Hooters for dinner. Oh, and we topped off the night by watching the Victoria Secret Fashion Show. I think Adam enjoyed his 30th birthday. :)

You know I can't write a post without at least mentioning school a couple of times. So we're FINALLY in finals week. I have two left, one tomorrow and one Friday. And then I'm finished with didactic forever. I cannot even believe it. Not even a little bit. I remember how I felt this time last year as I was finishing up my first semester of PA school. Being at this point seemed entirely too far away back then. Ugh, that makes me cringe. I count my blessings every night and am SO thankful that I'll never have to do that over again. Ever.

Two. More. Days. Oh, and only 368 days until graduation!

Pin It

Day 27

I'm thankful that Adam is on his way to Georgia as we speak! Can't wait to have him here and celebrate  Thanksgiving with two yummy meals with our family.

Pin It

Day 26

I'm thankful for a hometown full of kind people. With experience of living in a different state, I can definitely say you don't get that everywhere. I've been out and about in Athens for the last two days, and I'm just loving everyone smiling at me, saying "excuse me," or waving out of kindness. I suppose the approaching holidays could have everyone is a slightly more chipper mood than usual, but I'm not complaining at all. It's very refreshing. Athens, please don't ever change. I love you!

Pin It

Day 25

Today I'm thankful for my iPad mini. Now, please understand that I'm not trying to be braggy or snooty about the fact that I have one, but honest to goodness, this is the best thing since sliced bread!!

I have textbooks on here, a kindle app to read books for pleasure, tons of documents and notes from school ... And it even fits neatly and perfectly in my white coat pocket. I love it!

I've been using it this week to catch up in a few of my shows via my Netflix app. Seriously, it's the best little device ever!!

Pin It

Day 24

Tonight, I'm thankful for this.

Pin It

Day 23

Today I'm thankful for my parents and parents in-law!

My parents are so supportive, so loving, so giving, so protective. And I'm excited that they're on their way here right now to help me decorate our apartment for Christmas!

My in-laws are so very creative and they have such strong worth ethic! They constantly have a project going on, and whenever I come across a small issue in a project I'm working on, they ALWAYS have a fix.

I'm a lucky girl!

Pin It

Day 22

Today I'm thankful that my Thanksgiving break commences! Three weeks (including this next one) until I'm FINISHED with didactics. Man oh man, so thankful!

Pin It

Day 21

Everything happens for a reason. The good. The bad. The devastating and the miraculous. There's a purpose, a meaning behind every story that's told. I'm thankful for this reassurance, especially when horrible things happen and it's not always clear as to why.
Please say a special prayer for my dear friend who lost her baby yesterday. Please pray for peace and comfort on her heart.

Pin It

Day 20

Today I'm thankful for my pups, my dawghters, my cuddle bugs! Despite the random surprise bouts of vomit and diarrhea they sometimes leave for Adam and me, I am so thankful for them and love them so much! Their sweet hello kisses and wagging tails can turn even the worst day around. Our lives wouldn't be near as fun without them!

Pin It

Day 19

I'm thankful that today was the last day for one of my classes! Two down, five to go!

Pin It

Day 18

Today I'm thankful for the 3rd year PA students, the ones in the class ahead of me. Today is their last first day of clinicals! I can't even imagine how excited they must be ... I get a small idea based off all of their facebook statuses. :)
I'm thankful for them because throughout the past 15 months, they've been so encouraging, they've given us so much direction, and they've supported us in many ways with the knowledge they've shared. I've said this before on my blog and I'll say it again because it's so true -- they are the best upperclass PA students ever! I wish them the very best in their future and I'm so proud of them! They're all going to be fantastic PAs.

Pin It

Day 16 and 17

Shoot! I missed one day. We'll pretend that I didn't actually forget, I just posted it to Facebook instead of my blog. So yesterday the Dawgs had a pretty heartbreaking loss against Auburn. We almost had it, but then we literally handed the win off to them. This was my post to Facebook (I "shared" it from UGA Dawg Nation): Our DAWGS lose a heart breaker to Auburn 43-38. They came back with so much heart and determination. I never like for our DAWGS to lose, but I am so proud of the way they overcame so much and fought back. It's Always A Great Day to be a Georgia Bulldogs fan. Go DAWGS!!

So on day 16 -- I'm thankful to be a Ga Bulldog no matter what. Once a dawg, always a dawg! How sweet it is!

Day 17 -- I'm thankful for lazy, hazy weekends where I can just cuddle with my loves.

Pin It

Day 15

Today I'm thankful for Christmas music!! It always puts me in a happy mood. Lindsay and I were both belting out N Sync Christmas this morning and it was amazing. Both our singing, and the music. :) So please watch the video below and enjoy the happy places it takes you...

And for all you Grinches and Ebenezer Scrooges (my husband included) -- watch this. You'll feel better, I promise.

Pin It

Day 14

I'm thankful for medicine, especially when my head hurts, like right now. 

"I do not feel obligated to believe that the same God who endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use."

-Galileo Galilei 

Pin It

Day 13

Today I'm thankful for shelter over my head in the form of our apartment. Despite the frustrations Adam and I sometimes have with it, I do love it and I am very thankful. One of the greater things about it, it's very conveniently located within a mile from a grocery store, Chick Fil A, a few gas stations, and Adam's work! And only about four miles from school. It'll get the job done while we're here in Bham!

Pin It

Day 12

A friend of mine once told me that we shouldn't pray for patience, but rather pray for the opportunity to practice patience. So today, I'm thankful for the opportunity to practice patience. It's not easy, that's for dang sure. And being in school and living off one income, Adam and I are getting A LOT of practice in. :) There's nothing I can do to speed up this whole "get through school" process, so I guess I may as well at least try to enjoy it ... somehow. And be thankful for the opportunity.

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

Luke 11:9

Patience is the key to this one, I just know it!

Pin It

Day 11

Today, I'm proud and thankful to be the daughter, granddaughter, and niece of veterans. We are all very blessed, and we all have much to be thankful for in this regard.

Pin It

Day 10

Today, I'm thankful for Andy Stanley and his wonderful gift of enlightening Adam and me to be better disciples of Christ. I want to be clear that I'm not idolizing Andy or anything, but he was definitely blessed with something special, and I'm so glad he recognized it and embraces it every week.

Pin It

Day 9

Today, I'm thankful for my health. I think this is something so many of us take for granted. Yesterday I met a man named Bob Lujano (no HIPAA violation here -- he came to speak to our class) who lost all four of his limbs due to meningococcemia (meningitis in his blood) when he was nine years old. Despite everything he's been through, he still thanks God for life, for purpose, and for his ability to help others. He's also a badass murderball player (wheelchair rugby) for team USA!

Bob definitely demonstrates that even with a disability, life does go on. He is fully functioning completely on his own. But his ability to care for himself didn't come without difficulties and lots of adjustments. No doubt, if something like this happened to me it would be exceptionally difficult, especially now. I have no idea how I would cope, and my life would be forever changed in so many ways. Just thinking about it makes me appreciate my ability to walk with my own two feet so much more! And as I said before, it makes me so very thankful for my health.

Pin It

Day 8

Being a grad student comes with a lot of baggage. The biggest, heaviest, grossest bag is the debt that I'm accumulating as I obtain this superb education from UAB. Student loans are an absolute necessity, but I'm also extremely thankful for my considerate, selfless, wonderful husband and his job. Adam's hard work doesn't go unrecognized (by me or his supervisors), and there's no way I could make it through this season of my life without his support emotionally and financially. He's the best!

Pin It

Day 7

Today, after one last big test, I'm thankful for a huge break in school. Like a break till after Thanksgiving.

This day of thankfulness might last for a few more days. ... .......

Pin It

Day 6

I'd like to start this one off by saying that my 30 days of thanks posts are not ranked in any way. I write them based off some sort of inspiration each day.

So last night, my cousin Kevin called me. During our conversation (not knowing that I am participating in the 30 days of thanks "challenge") he informed me that he is not participating. His reasoning was that he is thankful every day of every month, not just during the month of November, which happens to hold the holiday where we all give thanks.

He's absolutely right. It's very important for us to be thankful each and every day for our blessings. One thing I am very proud to share, despite my downfalls as a christian, is that I give thanks to Jesus Christ every time I pray. It's not hard for me to be thankful. Every morning and afternoon when I walk the dogs, I have a beautiful scene to view here in Birmingham. From the back of our apartment building and also from our patio out front, we have a perfect view of a ridge that's currently full of colorful fall trees. They remind me every day of God's powerful creations. It sparks a series of other thoughts of all that's good in my life and all I have to be thankful for. I'm so thankful for my health, my husband, our family, our dogs, our friends, our apartment, our cars ... and most importantly, I'm extremely thankful for my ever deepening relationship with my lord and savior. Which brings me to day 6. Today, and everyday, I'm thankful for Him.

"Do not be anxious, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

- Philippians 4:6-7

Pin It

Day 5

There will come a time when the days of PA school are far behind me ... a time when Adam and I are a living in Charleston, SC in a beautiful home, and I will laugh about how stressed out I was during this time in my life. Because I will remember that it was hard, but I'll know I made it through and it was worth it.

I'm thankful for day dreams that keep me excited about the future. I'm in PA school because I love it and this is exactly what I want to do, but this will also allow me to provide my family with a wonderful future. I'm thankful for that as well. And I'm also thankful that I've almost made it to the very end of the didactic phase of school. SO CLOSE!

Pin It

Day 4

It's days like today, when PA school makes me feel so behind in life or just down and out in general, that I'm thankful for the support of my family and friends outside of school to keep me going for at least another day. Their constant reminders that I'm exactly where I'm meant to be and that it will all pay off in the end definitely help keep my head up high.

So, thank you all for your kind words. Please keep them coming! :)

Pin It

Day 3

Today I'm thankful for my brilliant and beautiful and generous PA school friends. I know for fact, without their support -- in many different fashions -- I would not have made it as far as I have. I keep telling them I'll owe them my degree when it's all said and done.

One way or another, I'll make it to the finish line. And for that, I'm thankful!

Pin It

Day 2

Today I'm thankful for all things Fall:

• Leaves changing colors and the beautiful fall scenery
• Cooler weather (which of course calls for spiked hot coco, sweaters, and cuddling!)
• Fall TV
• Football Saturdays -- Go Dawgs!

And with the onset of fall comes all of the best holidays! Love it! 

Pin It

Day 1

Sooo, I've felt moved to do the 30 days of thanks this year, which of course starts today! Hopefully I'll be able to keep up with it since it's really only a small blurb each day. So here goes!

Today, on day 1, I'm thankful for opportunities. Especially the opportunity to follow my dream and go to PA school. God never fails me. He's so amazing and so divine and so wonderful. And I am so thankful.

Pin It

A little of this and that. And Baby Jack!

Hmmm, let's see. What's new?? Not too much really. We're just counting down the days to the end of the semester!

We received our clinical rotation schedules for next year. I got the two elective rotations that I wanted! We'll be doing 9 rotations at 5 weeks each. Here's what mine looks like:

1. Inpatient Medicine
2. OB/GYN
3. ER
4. Dermatology (elective)
5. General Surgery
6. Psychiatry 
7. Outpatient Medicine
8. Burn Unit (elective)
9. Pediatrics

Pretty exciting! The closer I get to it, the more nervous I become about knowing enough for next year. But at the same time, I'm so ready to start clinical year and be done with didactic forever! Soon enough...

In other news, Adam and I went home this weekend so I could meet Bryan and Whitney's brand new baby boy! Jackson Bryant Burns was born on October 14th and he is a little ball of preciousness! Whitney looked great, Bryan was on cloud nine, and the baby was just a doll.

I think he has Bryan's nose and Whitney's mouth, and I've seen a few of his little faces that remind me of some of Whitney's facial expressions. I've already told Adam that I want one and that I'm ready whenever it's our turn. Which of course will be a while. Silly PA school. I'll leave you with a few other pictures of Jack. These are my favorites. :)

Adam and Rickie went to visit the little family last weekend. :)

Pin It

Stress, stress, stress...

Warning -- Negative Nancy here -- Really, I'm not even sure anyone should read this conglomeration of random rants, but I really just felt like getting it off my chest.

Ugh. Guys, I'm so tired of school. I'm tired of studying all the time, and constantly being stressed out about studying enough and balancing classes and life. Thankfully we have a break in tests this week, but of course in turn, we have the biggest part of our thesis due this week as well. ::Sigh:: It's never ending.

I'm also tired of apartment life. Somehow, at 27, I've managed to never live in an apartment before now so this place has special meaning to me, but the management staff (who has recently changed) absolutely sucks. Adam and I went home last weekend and forgot to pay rent (for the first time ever!) and there's a $50 late fee. They wouldn't wave it for us even though they've lost our rent checks twice before. Does that seem fair? The "maintenance" staff is just as crappy. Actually, they're a straight up joke. Other than changing light bulbs and unclogging shower drains, they're no good at anything. And I can say that because the last few major complaints we've had that they've "fixed" go right back to being broken the very next week. Charter sucks here too! I actually think Charter sucks anywhere, but that's forced upon us here. Yesterday morning I woke up to yet another cigarette butt on our patio furniture. It's stuff like that that I'm sick of too. Adam went up and taped it on their door knob. I've already complained to the management about them, left them a note, bought them a cigarette tray, and confronted them. I honestly have no idea what else to do.

And lastly, I'm about done with Birmingham. It's sad, really, because I think this city has a lot of potential, especially if Adam and I were living in a different part of town. Everyone I've spoken with that's lived here in the past for school has loved it. I think I'm projecting all my stress and apartment frustration upon Birmingham, which may not be fair, but it's reality. And what bothers me the most is that we've got another year here. :(

Ok. I think it's time to move on past all that. In much more exciting news, Lindsay and Jon are engaged!!! I am so happy for them both! Unfortunately for her, she's headed back to Birmingham this afternoon, but it's exciting for me because I haven't seen her or her ring yet! Here are a few pictures...

I can't wait to hear the story of how it all happened! I've already texted her letting her know that there's wine waiting for her when she gets back. :)

In other exciting news, Adam and I went home last weekend for a Neila and Michael's beautiful wedding at the chapel at Athens First United Methodist! The reception was at the Hardeman-Sam House on Milledge. OMGosh, Neila was SUCH a stunning bride. And her decor style was so pinterest-y and amazing! We had a great time! Here are a few photos taken by the photographer.

And in yet still more exciting news ... Bryan and Whitney are due ANY DAY NOW to have their baby! Girl or boy, what will it be?! Adam and I are on our toes ... so anxious and excited! Here's yet another example of how school is totally cramping my social life. It's likely she'll have the baby this week sometime, and although it'd be close to impossible for us to get home on a week day, I can't even go home this coming weekend because I have three tests the next week. Phewy! Bad, grad school, bad! Shame on you for getting in my way like that.

61 days until the semester is over.

426 days until graduation = I'm done with school forever = Katie gets her life back (after the certifying exam) = Adam gets his wife back!

#soclose ... :/

Pin It