Snowpocalypse 2014

So I think it's official. The last Brain child (who will actually be named Brain) has been born. My brothers are finished having babies. And I'm so excited to say that I got to watch my last nephew be born! I loved it so much! My SIL manned up and delivered this precious boy without an epidural. I was so proud of her! She made labor look easy.

Finn-Taylor Carson Brain, 6 lbs 1oz, 18 inches long

He was born at 34 weeks so he was required to spend some time in the NICU. He's also been receiving some antibiotics, hence the IV.

I can't wait to see him again! But of course we had to get back to Birmingham. Although for what, I'm not sure... Adam and I have been cooped up in the apartment all day due to all this snow! And I'm not going to work tomorrow either because school is closed.

Yesterday was quite an experience. But now I realize that Atlanta had it worse because it's a bigger city and people had farther to go. I'm very thankful that I made it home last night and slept in my own bed, despite the fact that it took me 8 hours to travel 8.1 miles. This trip should normally take 22 minutes, according to google. Lindsay and I happen to have rotations at the same hospital this month, so it worked out well that we were very close to each other for most of our trip home. After about 5 hours in the car, my phone had 3% battery and I started freaking out so I made the decision to park my car and jump in the car with Lindsay. And by the end of the night, I knew I couldn't have made a better decision. I'm so glad we experienced that hell together.

I thought the best way to remember everything would be to draw it out on a map. So here it is. This is the exact route I took, including deviations to dodge some bad areas. I hope you enjoy reading my story!

Here are a few other photos that I took throughout the day. There are so many other things I wish I could have captured, but I really needed to preserve my phone's battery. Lesson to learn: always carry a phone charger with you in your car. A portable potty, warm clothes, food, and water would also be helpful.

My view from the hospital. It's normally a really pretty view but the snow definitely made it more difficult to see.

About 45 minutes into my trip. I'm less than a mile from the hospital.

I didn't see this happen, I just saw both vehicles just sitting there.

 Pedestrians pushing cars up hills on campus. Notice the pure white roads. That's most certainly a thick sheet of ice. I didn't even attempt it -- this was one of my deviations. 

- - - - - 

Today Adam, Marley, Lindsay, Sadie and I went out to a field behind our complex to play in the snow a little bit. Lucy didn't come because when I took her out this morning to potty, she shivered and kept picking her feet up whenever she stood still. She normally doesn't mind the snow, but I guess today she just wasn't in the mood. Anyway, we had a fun time playing with the dogs and throwing a football around. Apparently this field belongs to a church so we walked up the hill to the church's parking lot to check out the road on the other side. There was traffic, but everyone was moving very slow. We had talked about getting my car today but the roads are still terrible with ice and standstill traffic. Hopefully tomorrow. Here are a few pics. Enjoy!

And since I haven't posted many pictures of Lucy lately...

This is a very full and content pup.

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Desoto Falls, Unclaimed Baggage, and the Dog Park

Adam and I have decided we really want to try and enjoy Birmingham/AL since we only have one more year here, so this past weekend, we got busy doing just that!

Saturday morning we drove up to North Alabama, heading to a store called Unclaimed Baggage (more about that in a minute), but on our way there, we stopped to enjoy this beautiful waterfall called Desoto Falls.

We decided that had we been maybe 10 years younger, we might have been stupid enough to jump off the ledge and into the beautiful water below (well, had it been warm enough). Seriously, that water was so clear! It was pretty unbelievable. The whole environment was serene and romantic. It was my favorite part of the whole day for sure.

After we jumped back in the car we finished the drive up to Scottsboro, AL, grabbed lunch at a cute little old-school soda counter, and then finally made it to our destination. So, Unclaimed Baggage is the national center where all unclaimed bags from airports are shipped. It's pretty humorous that this place, where 7000 new items arrive each day, is found in this tiny little town. To be honest, we were a little disappointed with what we found there. Maybe not disappointed by what we found, but we felt like the prices were still pretty steep for used, possibly damaged goods. It was basically just a huge thrift store that was actually kinda expensive. Oh well. It was still fun to go and experience it.

Today we went to a doggie park, and despite what Adam's facebook post made you think, we took both pups. Lucy and Marley were both a little slow to engage with other dogs, but Marley certainly loved all the attention from the dog owners. And I loved giving attention to other dogs! Such fun therapy. :) Marley found a creek and decided it was calling her name. She stayed there for quite a while ... crazy dog.

Anywho, now we're back at the apartment preparing for next week. Adam has tomorrow off, but I don't. :( So to make up for it, I'm eating frozen yogurt covered in an Irish cream liqueur and toffee chips. Mmmmm.

Until next time friends! Have a great week.

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Georgia, Georgia, Christmas, ...Georgia, and Clinicals!

Oh my goodness, it's been quite a long time. So much has happened since then, so here's a very quick recap:

After Adam's actual birthday, we drove home for a surprise 30th birthday party for him that Tammy and I had planned. Although I don't think he was 100% surprised, I know he thoroughly enjoyed seeing and visiting with everyone.

This is the only decent photo that I got. :(

After Adam's birthday, we came back to Birmingham for another two weeks before we trekked back to Georgia for Christmas. During this time I finished the didactic phase of PA school. Holy mother, there is no better feeling. I really think this deserves it's own line, so I'll say it again.

I finished the didactic phase of PA school.

 For a while it didn't even seem real. Like it hadn't clicked yet or something. I was excited ... kinda, but I guess I was also distracted by Christmas crafting and things of the such. But after the new year, it really started settling in. And it feels real, real good. I'm pretty sure I've said that PA school for me feels analogous to climbing a mountain. Well, I really think I've made it to the top. I know that most may see graduation as reaching the top, but in my opinion, coming back down is half the battle. Clinicals = traveling down the mountain. Real life will continue once I've accomplished and attained this monumental mountain known as PA school. Real life starts on the other side. Adam and I are so ready for it! Less than a year!!

 (This is our "holy $&!%, we're about to treat real life patients??" face.)

So after school let out, I had LOTS of crafting to get done. What better way than to do it with friends?? So I had Katie and Casey over. Unfortunately I didn't get any pics of Casey, but she helped me with my wreaths again. I was pretty happy with how they (and everything else) turned out!

These are Katie's craft projects. I think they turned out great!

I made these a few days after our crafting party:

I guess it's hard to tell what's going on with the wine bottles. I sprayed them with adhesive and put Epsom salt on them to give them a snowy effect. 

So I was pretty busy during my break before Christmas. On Christmas Eve, we made our way to Georgia for what felt like the billionth weekend in a row. Christmas morning we started at my parents' house and then went over to Adam's parents'. Adam sent me on a super cute, super fun, and super creative treasure hunt for my Christmas present from him. I loved reading his little rhythms and solving the puzzles which ultimately lead to my new pearl stud earrings! I love them. :) He's been watching a lot of White Collar, the TV show, lately so he might have been prompted to do this because of that show. Either way, I loved it!

We came back to Alabama the weekend after Christmas, and then (surprise, surprise) drove back to Georgia the next weekend. We had not one, not two, but three parties to attend. We made it to all of them! And we had a great time. We drove straight to Bryan and Whitney's Friday night for Bryan's 30th birthday party and spent the night. Then on Saturday we drove home to my parents' and that evening we went to a wedding reception and ended the night at Lindsay and Jon's engagement party. We had a great time at both events!

On Sunday we came back to Birmingham and that next day, I started my clinicals! I'm already a week in! It's been terrifying, exhausting, empowering, amazing, exciting ... tons of emotions. This next year is going to be so different than what my classmates and I are used to, and we're all looking forward to that. Can't wait to continue and try out all the different specialties. It'll be a new job every five weeks! Very exciting. 

One of the gifts my mom gave me for Christmas is a daily devotional book called Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. I'm only on day 12 (because it's only Jan. 12th...) but I'm absolutely loving it so far. Every day I find that it definitely applies to me, and I'm excited to see how it continues to line up with my life right now and in the future over this next year. I know it'll make clinical year even easier and more enjoyable. Less than a year left! It's exciting to think "this time next year..." because this time next year I'll be finished with school and will either already be in, or will be shortly moving to Charleston. Woo!! Exciting things to come!

I'll leave you all with this photo of my sweet niece, Emma-Grace. She had a wilms tumor, but has been cancer free for two years! :)

Have a good evening, friends.

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