Calm before the storm

Mike and I are so excited about our upcoming weekend with old roommates and their spouces (and kids!) This will be our calm before the storm. Here's the storm:

- Mike leaves at 6:00am on Monday to go to DC.
- I leave on Tuesday afternoon for Nashville for my last week of classes for the semester
- Our 4th anniversary is on Thursday- I'll be in Nashville and he'll be in DC. BOOO
- Mike comes home on Friday morning to take a test for one of his classes, go to class on Saturday morning to do a presentation and then flies back to DC Saturday night.
- I come home Sunday afternoon
- I have 3 tests the next week
- Mike comes back Thursday night

THANKSGIVING BREAK!!
then....

- Mike travels to New Mexico on Monday, Dec. 1
- Mike flies home on Dec. 5 to take another test and do another presentation- finishing his semester!!
-Mike flies back to New Mexico on Dec. 6th and comes back to Dallas on Friday, Dec. 12
- Mike graduates on Dec. 13 from SMU!!

AND THEN HE TAKES A MONTH OFF OF WORK!!!

We were talking last night and I said, "Babe, I'm glad that we're normal."
He goes, "we're not normal."
"Why?" I asked.
He said, "Because we're the only people that we know that only have one weekend off this semester."
"Oh," I said.

Mike said that when we're both finally done with school, we're taking a year off and doing nothing. Sounds like a plan to me.

mental health day

Today I went shopping with my mom and Meredith, a life-long family friend who was in town visiting. It was great! We went to lunch at Jason's Deli (I had my favorite turkey wrap- so good!) and we went to the Allen Outlet Mall. Fabulous. I definetly did a little stress-shopping and got some cute, more professional clothing for clinicals in the spring. And, I got those cute, trouser-like dark denim jeans....

I've been wanting some of these for a while, and I got a great deal at Banana Republic Outlet.

Anyway, it was a great and much-needed break from school....

And, I did not get tempted at the Coach Store. :) At least, not much....

deep thoughts

During yesterday's lecture about growth and development:

Professor: "We start in diapers when we're babies and end up in diapers when we're old and gray."
My thought: "We'd better enjoy the underwear we're in now while it lasts!"

fabulous

Do not yield to the temptation of looking at everything at once, as if everything would happen at once, and all the events of the day be crowded into an hour.
Do not thus forecast, but take each thing as it comes to you, and look upon it as the present expression of the will of God concerning you;then regard the rest in the same way, and thus receive your day piece by piece from Him who will remember always when He gives you work to do,that you need strength to do it.
-Priscilla Maurice

the new normal

So, I've been trying to figure out what the new "normal" is. I don't think I've quite figured it out, but I do know that it consists of a lot of reading and studying, drinking lots of coffee, working, trying to figure out when to do laundry, go to the grocery store, clean the bathrooms, etc.
I think it's a juggling act and I'm in the circus.

I used to have a pretty normal and regular routine, where on my days off, I'd get up, go work out, go to the grocery store, come home, clean, do laundry, run other errands, etc.

These days, that's not the case... I'm just trying to figure out when I can fit in stuff I have to do to keep the house up and running and make sure that I'm doing everything I need to do for school.

I'm not complaining, I'm just trying to figure out how I should organize my time and what gets into the high priority spots of time.

So if you come over to my house and the bathrooms haven't been cleaned in a couple of weeks or you notice that the floor isn't as clean as it should be....well, wait until next year. I might have some free time then. :)

Our New Kitchen!!!

We still have a few things to finish (backsplash and lighting)....but, everything is moved in and I have already started cooking again!! I LOVE how it turned out!

kindness expressed with stickers

I was at Walmart this afternoon, in the card section looking for a birthday card for Paige. I overheard this mom and her two girls at the sticker section. The mom said, "Now remember, we're getting these for the soldiers, so there are probably going to be more guys than girls....let's pick some that would be good for both." I about lost it, I started to tear up...I wanted to go over and thank her for doing that for the troops and that my brother had just left for Iraq, but I was afraid that I would loose it....

Even though that mom had no idea I could hear what she was saying, it was so impactful to know that kindness does still exist...