Madrid!

Madrid

Haiti

About a month ago I found out that $100 would send a kid in Haiti to school for an entire year. Hence the $1 challenge. Here are some other facts about Haiti that I've learned recently:

$144 feeds a family of 4 for an entire year.

A child dies every hour in Haiti due to malnutrition. (This is happening all over the world today.)

1 in 3 children under the age of 5 will die.

People, we can do something about this! If you feel like you can play a part in making a difference, find an organization to work with. There are lots out there.
http://www.foodforthepoor.org/site/c.dnJGKNNsFmG/b.3074717/k.BE96/Home.htm
http://www.hopeforhaiti.com/
http://www.adventconspiracy.org/
http://www.tomsshoes.com/
http://www.compassion.com/default.htm

By the way, some of you need to STEP IT UP on the $1 challenge. If you are reading this, that means you. Take 2 minutes to send me a dollar! Please :)

This is not a joke.

I passed this lamp while walking the dogs the other day.

...Or, just take the lamp and run?

Let's Say Thanks!

If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com, you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq . You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services. How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! It is FREE and it only takes a second.

Trophy Dog!

Sadie won 1st place in the Heel Down this month at dog school! The heel down is a contest we do at the beginning of every class, and the 1st week of the month is "trophy night." Over the months we have worked our way from 4th place, to 3rd, to 1st. This is the dog that started a fight the first time I took her to class and I almost never came back. But, I kept working with her even when I had blisters on my fingers from the leash in the beginning... Thanks to a sweet lady named Emily who believed in my out of control pit bull. It's been almost a year since we started and I am so proud of her for finally making it to the top! (Even if I did bribe her with turkey!) Now if we could just get past the fighting... http://www.abotc.com/Month.htm

She's not as snobby as she looks!!

Hope for Haiti

Recently I chose to spend a weekend living in "poverty" in order to learn more about myself and the world around me. During that weekend, I found out about a program that allows orphans in Haiti to go to school and get an education. And guess what? It only costs $100 to send a kid to school for the entire year! A hundred dollars. That amount just struck me. I mean, I could easily spend $100 in a matter of minutes at REI, the mall, or even the grocery store these days.

At first I thought to myself that giving $100 to help a kid in Haiti would be an easy thing for me to do. Then I thought about the opportunity to get other people involved in this effort. So, I present to you, THE $1 CHALLENGE:

I am looking for 100 people who would give a dollar to help send a kid in Haiti to school for a year. A dollar. Think about that for just a second.

I have already approached a few people regarding this challenge and they keep on asking if they can give more than a dollar. I really like the idea of finding 100 people to get on board with this, so here is my promise to you. All of the extra dollars given will go into a jar and we will send as many kids to school as the jar will allow. Make sense? Great.

Do not even let yourself wonder for one second what you get out of this. The real question to ask yourself is what do these kids in Haiti get out of this?

For decades, Haiti has remained the least-developed country in the Americas. Somewhere around 80% of the population lives in poverty. 80%!! As of 2003, Haiti was the ONLY country in the Americas on the United Nations list of Least Developed Countries. As if that's not enough, foreign aid makes up approximately 30%-40% of the national government's budget.

What we have here is an opportunity to make a difference in some kids' lives. So as we head into the holiday season and start thinking about all the decorations and gifts and travels that we are budgeting for, stop and think about Haiti for a minute and figure out how much you will give.

Reflections

This season of Thanksgiving is reminding me that I have a lot to be thankful for. My parents are one (or do they count as two?) of the things I am most thankful for. I have been blessed with Godly parents who have taught me and my siblings to trust God in every circumstance. They have reminded us over and over that everything is from Him and that all the glory belongs to Him. Any time the economy has taken a plunge (which seems to be a consistent and unavoidable theme in the oil and gas industry), they have never shown us the slightest hint of anxiety or worry, EVER. They have always put our needs and desires above their own and they have never considered us to be under them, in the sense that they've never made us wash the dishes while they sat and chatted just because we were the kids. I am so thankful for that. Everything in our family has always been a family effort. Everyone pitches in gladly and no one gets told what to do. Jenny, Ben and I are all quite different and I think we've all required a different set of parenting skills. Our parents have been so adaptable and so in tune to our wiring that they have made parenting look graceful and effortless, and I know it is not. They have taught us by example their whole lives, and I hope I can pass it on to my own children.

36 days...

I leave for Spain in 36 days. More than anything I just can't wait to see my sister...and of course to speaka tha spanish. I don't think Jenny will be allowed to leave the country for prolonged periods of time anymore without taking me with her. In fact, I think I am going to kidknap her when she gets back so we can be roomies.

Warning...

Do NOT get your dogs bathed during the month of November. They may come home smelling like pumpkin spice cologne.

Scrooge!

I have been known to say I do not LIKE Christmas. (gasp!) I've even been called a scrooge on more than one occasion. This is mainly because I hate how commercialized it has become, and how we feel obligated to buy gifts for people that they don't need or necessarily even want. I know that I, for one, have enough STUFF and really could do without any extra STUFF. Now don't totally misread me, there is definitely joy in giving... (and there is also joy in receiving). Jesus is a prime example of giving. He asks us to give to the poor, those in need, widows and orphans, and even each other.

See John 13:34-45. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this men will know you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Loving one another often includes giving. It's not always a "giving" of material possessions, but rather the giving of yourself. It can be a gift of time, love, compassion, encouragement, even truth. How is it that we have gotten so far from the meaning of Christmas that we spend $450 billion on mostly useless stuff?

I love this video. It captures just how much we have lost sight of the PURPOSE.

Fall Colors in Texas?

Saturday I met my parents in College Station to watch the Aggie game, which they won! And, we got to SIT in the SHADE the whole game... now you really can't beat that. It turned out to be a great day for a road trip through the rolling hills of central Texas (aside from all the roadkill that I could have done without). The leaves were all turning colors and it was so beautiful. I was pretty surprised to find the fall colors actually, since I guess you don't hear much about that happening in Texas. I had just noticed on Friday that the trees around our neighborhood were starting to turn. I wonder how they know it's time when it is 88 degrees outside? Here are some pictures from the weekend...

What is wrong with this picture?!?


These guys have figured out what it takes to make it in Texas!

Today is a great day!

Wow, I am in shock! I have been feeling very poor lately and it's been very concerning to me. Then, all of a sudden, tonight I came across 2 unused starbucks giftcards while looking for a new checkbook. And, a few minutes later I found almost an entire book of forever stamps in a box in our "office" room. I guess unpacking has its perks, especially after putting it off for 5 months! Wonder what else I may come across...

Brrrrr!!!

Wow, it is COLD outside! Call me a whimp, but I was not prepared for 50 degrees compared to the 92 it was in AZ this weekend. One thing I do know, I don't like it! So I guess that rules out moving up north anywhere next year. I still like the idea of living as close to the equator as possible so I can get the most hours of daylight year-round. We shall see how that turns out...

Externs!

I love this quote from Erin: "Audiology has this bizarre affinity for made up words (as evidenced by calling our last year of school an externship, not an internship or residency)." So true...
Anyway,these are my fabulous fellow externs, Michelle, Reagan, & Rachel! Good thing we all get along because we share the tiniest office imaginable. We must be an amazing assett to the office since the four of us share 1 salary and yet can do the work of 4 separate people. Simply amazing!
p.s. Am I really that short?

Attagirl, Glenda!

 

 

These were taken just as Dad pulled away from my house on the 257-mile journey to Houston. I didn't know if she had it in her, but 8 hrs later they both made it home safely! Attagirl, Glenda! And... thanks, DAD!

Name Game

It has come to my attention that the motorhome does not have a name. Since we are taking it on a retreat soon, we will have to come up with one. So far we have a few suggestions, but I'm certainly open for more!

So far the nominees are:

Arturo (the rolling turd)
Harvey the RV
Bertha

Cast your vote now!

Attack of the Killer Toad

I was out walking Sadie last night around 10:30pm and we came across a frog. She immediately recognized it as a menace and began growling at the tiny little thing, assuming her tough, bull-terrier attack stance. I thought it amusing that a 44 lb dog could be terrorized by such a tiny creature, so I let her go at it. BIG mistake.

Apparently, toads are extremely poisonous to dogs and other animals. My first clue was when Sadie instantly began foaming at the mouth uncontrollably. I wasn't sure whether the frog had foamed her or if her body was responding to her strong desire to massacre the toad. It never crossed my mind that she could be in danger. I brought her inside and told Lori what was happening and Sadie kept shaking her head around trying to get the foam out. I thought for sure the thing was harmless because never have I heard of such a thing. A lot of people have dogs, and there are a lot of frogs out there, so I thought I should have heard of this by now. You know, "keep your dogs away from chocolate, coffee, FROGS!!!" But when Lori googled it, she came up with page after page about dogs that had been poisoned by frogs.

The Bufo or Cane toad produces toxins from the parotid glands located behind the head. The toxins contain high concentrations of hormones such as adrenalin and others such as bufotoxins. When attacked, the toads release the toxins and dogs become affected. The toxins affect two major organ systems: the cardiovascular (heart and blood vessels) and the nervous system (brain). Great.

Common signs of intoxication include the following: foaming from the mouth, drooling, pawing at the mouth, vomiting, stumbling, falling, tremors, rigid legs, seizures, and death. Online postings range from anywhere to "my dog was foaming and shaking its head" to "seizures and death within 15 minutes." Most people said they had rushed their pet straight to the emergency vet, but I thought I'd just keep an eye on her and see if anything progressed since she was still acting like herself, aside from the foaming. There is really nothing you can do about it, except provide supportive care (aka mechanical ventilation) and wait for the dog to come out of it. I thought to myself, we are so not going there. No way. Not tonight.

So anyway, Lori helped me wash her mouth out with the hose, and we went off to bed. I have to admit, I layed there and listened to her breathe for about half an hour, and then I figured she would have started seizing by now if she were going to. I will say I was more than happy to find her alive in my bed this morning. It's been almost 24 hours now, so I like to think we're out of the woods at this point. I will also admit that the frog did win the fight, but at least my dog survived!


In other news, we've been evicted from the Lutheran School's football field down the street due to the start of football practice, just as we lost the softball field on Beltline when soccer and baseball season began last spring. I finally decided to check out the tennis court at the end of our street to see if it's suitable for puppy play. The one thing stopping us was a big sign on the gate that reads "TENNIS COURTS ARE FOR TENNIS PLAY ONLY." So..... I took a tennis ball and we played. So far so good, and it's not even muddy when it rains! We may have struck gold there, even if it is a little smaller than we're used to.

OH, the adventures of puppy-parenting.

Summertime

Wow, it is hard to believe how fast summer has flown by. It's been a fun one full of great memories, even though I've been working full time during the week.

In May, we took a super fun road trip to Mt. Rushmore in the motor home.









In June, I went to Yosemite with my hike team and hiked Half Dome. What an adventure to remember!









In July, my family went to Frontier Camp and enjoyed a sweet weekend on the lake.
I also got to spend every other weekend on the boat, which was amazing! It's been an incredible summer, one I've been able to enjoy without school and homework hanging over my head. LOVE IT!



I almost forgot, I also got to take part in a summer camp for kids with cochlear implants. It was so fun to be back in a "camp" environment and to spend time with these kiddos outside of the clinic. Even though it was very very hot that week, we had a great time.

Finally!

Finally, I have checked everything else off of the required courses list and am registered for the final requirement of the Au.D. program: DOCTORAL INTERNSHIP IN AUDIOLOGY - instructor: CGC - grade: PASS OR FAIL. I honestly didn't think this day would ever come. (yay!)

HOT! HOT! HOT!

WOW! I think we've had something like 12 consecutive days of 100+ temperatures (more like 105+). I don't know if I remember a summer so hot. The past week I spent almost entirely outdoors due to a Cochlear Implant Summer Camp. It was a great week and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the kids, but boy was it hot out there! Luckily, we had a few chances to escape to the A/C during the day for lunch and bathroom breaks. Today I noticed the car thermometer read 111 - not sure just how accurate that is but it's definitely the highest I've ever seen it. Sadie's been dying to go on a walk all day but I keep telling her we have to wait until 8:00. That is our designated outdoor time since maybe by then it will be below 100. We've taken several short jaunts to the backyard today to try and keep her entertained. I decided to give her a big treat and we shared a popsicle on the porch. (Translation: I ate the first half and she ate the second half.) I don't normally give her people food but I felt bad because I refused to take her on a walk. Anyway, here are some pics :)

Top Dog

I've been taking Sadie to the baseball field behind the Lutheran school lately to practice some "off-leash" obedience. It's a huge area, and not entirely fenced in, and so far she hasn't made any escape. I've even let her walk out the gate to get in the car two times with no leash at all. Now that's an accomplishment. So last night she turned up this tiny little bouncy ball and began tossing it up in the air and catching it over and over again. I was thoroughly amused by her interest and skill with this little rubber ball. At some point, however, she lost control of the ball and it buried itself in a thick pile of freshly mown weeds. She spent about 30 seconds diligently searching for it before I caved in and retrieved it for her. Immediately she resumed her catch-and-release routine. I decided I had to pocket this new treasure for future entertainment around the house. It's now our new favorite toy. I can bounce it all around the room and she'll keep chasing it like a kitten. It's very entertaining. I just hope she doesn't decide to eat it some day.
I was also amazed when we left her home for 2 hours tonight with an open sack of chocolate candy bars sitting right on the floor in Lori's room. I thought for sure she'd have finished it off by the time we got back and I'd have to cancel my weekend plans to watch over my sick dog. I was pleasantly surprised when we returned home to find the candy untouched. Attagirl, Sadie!

4th of July

My family was lucky enough to spend our 4th of July at Frontier Camp. Growing up, Ben and Jenny and I have spent many 4th of Julys at camp... but this was the first time our parents joined us. We got to see the firework show Friday night, then spent all day Saturday on the lake skiing and wakeboarding. We even taught Ben how to slalom! It was a great weekend and a memorable experience.

On the job front, things are going pretty well. I am adjusting to waking up every single morning and coming home exhausted every evening... counting the days until our next 3 day weekend. I'm pretty sold on a 4 day work-week! Hard to believe I'll be looking for a job in a few short months. (Scary.)

Mission Complete.

HALF DOME

Our team leaves Thursday morning for the big adventure. We will travel to Yosemite, spend Friday seeing the sights, and begin the hike Saturday morning bright and early. My group meets at 3:45 a.m.!!! Then we'll take the 1-hr bus ride to the trail head, snap on our headlamps, and start walking. We hope to reach the base of the dome by lunchtime so we will all have time to ascend the "ladder". If you look closely at this picture, there is an arrow pointing to the cable ladder. Fun times await!

Wikipedia says, "As late as the 1870s, Half Dome was declared "perfectly inaccessible", but it may now be ascended in several different ways. Thousands of hikers reach the top each year by following a trail from the valley floor. The trailhead is only 2 mi from Half Dome itself, but the circuitous route is 8.5 mi long. The final ascent is accomplished by following a pair of metal cables raised on posts up the peak's steep but somewhat rounded east face. The cable route was constructed in 1919." It seems to be quite a popular route, and we are expecting quite a crowd once we get there.




Wish us luck as we hit the rock! I'll try to post pics as soon as I get back!

Quick Update

Well... it's been awhile since I've thought about blogging. Now that I don't have homework anymore, I hardly ever just sit at my computer and procrastinate. I don't even remember to read other people's blogs, so I just spent an hour catching up on everyone! I absolutely love not having homework, by the way, and get really excited about it every single night. Work has been great. I actually like going there every morning. I like having my own desk and computer, seeing patients by myself, and being a real person. I'll be even more like a real person in 2 weeks when I start getting my own patients! Right now I am just seeing patients who really belong to other audiologists, but it's fun, nonetheless.

So here's the update:
-Lori, Green, Sadie, and I moved to a new (to us) big (for us) house on May 1st. We have tons of space, but you wouldn't know it for all the boxes still piled up. The dogs LOVE the backyard though.
-We (Dad, Julia, Sadie and I) had a fabulous trip to Mt Rushmore. You can see the pics on the "MY PHOTOS" link to the right. Caution: there are 6 albums!
-I started my externship May 12th and I am an official UTD employee, complete with benefits! I also got my own computer, stapler, scissors, tape, and Callier Center stamp. It's the small things that really make me feel cool!
-Hike training is going well and we are about 3 weeks from the REAL DEAL! I am getting so excited about seeing Yosemite, and I've made lots of new friends.
-Today we did hearing screenings at Special Olympics and my mom came to help out! It was so fun to let her see what we do for fun - EAR NERDS!
-Jenny's been staying with me this week and the rest of the fam is coming up tomorrow for the holiday weekend. Hopefully we'll get to go to the lake one day!

I think that's about it for now... hasta luego!

Reality Check

Today was a sad and very strange day. It was our last official day together before we go our separate ways. It is hard to imagine life any other way than it has been these past three years. We have gone through everything together. We rely on each other and keep each other sane. Of course we will still be in touch, but it is hard to think about life without these six people by my side.

It is also strange because there was no ceremony, no send off. Without some rite of passage, like graduation, it's hard to understand what this day really means. It's like we're all just going on vacation and we'll all be back together again soon. I secretly hope we all end up back in Dallas in a year, but I think it's foolish to assume such a thing. I'm sure this year apart will help prepare us for real life and we'll eventually be okay going our separate ways and getting back together for conferences and such. It's just not something I can really wrap my mind around today.

Luckily, the transition will be gradual. Susan goes first, then Sara, and then Greg and Julia. I am fortunate enough to be placed with Reagan, and Rachel will be close by also. We've been to the pit and back together - more than once - and we'll always have a special kind of bond that only a few people can understand. We are... us.

My week in pictures

Luckily, I have the internet to keep me sane.
The next time I blog I will probably:
1. no longer be a student
2. live in a new house
3. have a new hobby or two
YAY!

Hiking Pictures

Part 2

A man in his eighties reads that hearing loss is rapid at his age so he decides to give his wife, the same age, a test. She is in the kitchen with her back to him so he asks quietly "What’s for lunch darling?" He gets no response. A little worried, he takes two steps nearer. "What’s for lunch darling?" Again she keeps her back to him and does’nt respond. Now he is really worried so he goes right up behind her and asks again, "What’s for lunch darling?" At this she suddenly whirls around and yells "For the third time DARLING we’re having pork chops!!!!!"

Seems an elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the audiologist and was able to get a set of hearing aids that allowed him to hear 100%. The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, "Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased you can hear again." To which the gentleman said, "Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will five times!"

Funny Stories

I love working with old people. They are so fun and often funny. Here are a few jokes to share with you some of the things I experience on a daily basis...

Three old guys are out walking.
First one says, 'Windy, isn't it?'
Second one says, 'No, it's Thursday!'
Third one says, 'So am I. Let's go get a beer.'

A man was telling his neighbor, 'I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me four thousand dollars, but it's state of the art. It's perfect.'
'Really,' answered the neighbor . 'What kind is it?'
' Twelve thirty.'

Morris, an 82 year-old man, went to the doctor to get a physical.
A few days later, the doctor saw Morris walking down the street with a gorgeous young woman on his arm.
A couple of days later, the doctor spoke to Morris and said, 'You're really doing great, aren't you?'
Morris replied, 'Just doing what you said, Doc: 'Get a hot mamma and be cheerful.''
The doctor said, 'I didn't say that. I said, 'You've got a heart murmur; be careful.'

And a few quotes from actual patients I've seen...

"Now just wait a minute while I get my head oranized."

"One hearing aid is broken and the other's not working."

"Well you can't live forever..... thank goodness!"

Raising dogs

Sadie the Destroyer and Green the Disaster









Here they are pretending to be friends.














Usually, it is more like this...
















No, these are not posed.

So anyway, I've decided that having dogs must be a lot like having kids.

Here's why:

If they get too rowdy inside, you can always:
a) force them to play outside
b) take them to the park, or
c) drive around in the car in hopes that they'll pass out in the back seat.

I am constantly cleaning up spills and messes.

They cannot go to the bathroom without my help.

If you stop paying attention to them for long enough, they will surely get themselves into trouble in the meantime.

You can never get both of them to look at the camera at the same time, and if you want to take a picture of something they do, you can never get them to do it again for the camera.

They can usually be bribed with treats.

It takes lots of discipline, consistency, and repetition to train them to listen and obey.

But in the end, they are fun and rewarding to have around...most of the time...

Hard to believe

The seven of us on St. Patrick's day during our first year of grad school! We were already inseparable.

Today marks 4 weeks until the end of the semester. While we are beyond ourselves with excitement, we're also beginning to wonder what it will be like to move on from this "black hole" we've been stuck in for so long. These 6 people have become my closest friends. They've been with me through literally everything; they are my biggest support system, and the only people who truly know what my last 3 years has been like. And believe me, it's been hard. I can't wait to move on and see what life holds. Still, it's hard to believe our 3 years is over. Going forward with 4 of these people missing is going to be strange. Luckily, 3 of us are staying in Dalls, and the 7 of us will be required to have monthly chats during our externship. Darn! ;-)

Hike Update

Hey guys!

If you haven't had a chance to donate to my hike (or if you're feeling rich and want to give again) today is a great day to do it! I have raised almost $5000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. What a cool accomplishment! For any donations I recieve today, Friday, March 28th, I will be entered in a drawing to win a sweet prize. Any amount works, so even $5 gets me a ticket!

Training is going great. I love getting to hike every Saturday, and our team is really fun. See if you can spot me in the picture we took at Lake Grapevine a few weeks ago. (I love the sky in this picture.) The weather has been great, too. Much better than during July & August last year! Check out my website to see the progress and to make a donation!!

http://www.active.com/donate/hfdntx/hfdLButler2

Tough times

Aunt Peggy
Mama Dara

The last few weeks have been super hard for me. Two of my 2nd moms have gone to be with Jesus. While I celebrate their victories and cherish their lives, these 2 tiny people have left a big hole in my heart. It is hard to believe this has really happened.

I've also found out that my favorite teacher (Dr. Northrup) has lung cancer. You can read about her at www.caringbridge.org/visit/brisynorthrup. She has taken me to Panama twice and these have been amazing trips!

On a happier note, I have 31 days until I finish classes. Then I will start my externship May 12th, at Callier. I've also had some exciting adventures over the past few weeks, which I will post when I have all the pictures uploaded.

Until then...

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.

"Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Sadie

It's only been about 3 weeks, and I've already taken way too many pictures!

Passion

Every so often I stop and wonder whether I've chosen the right path. After all, I've spent the last 7 years of my life (soon to be 8) preparing for a career in audiology. That is 1/3 of my life at this point. I love working with people who have hearing loss, and being able to help them make a difference in their life, and the lives of their family. However, I've realized that I can spend my whole life preparing for this career, working to stay on top of the changing technology, trying to stay employed in a desirable setting, and hoping I sell enough hearing aids to make a living. And then I think about how easy it would be to open a tanning salon, or to sell some specialty item (like printer cartridges) to an ever-hungry market. Peaople actually want these things and are willing to pay for them again and again, unlike hearing aids, which people hate buying. I sometimes think about how many ways there are to make a living and wonder why I've spent so long preparing for a job, when there is so much more to life than work. But I think there is something to say about passion. I admire people who love what they do, those who are passionate about it. I want to have a job that I love doing, that really makes me want to get up in the morning and go to work. And I think audiology opens that door for me. Working with patients in an ongoing relationship, helping them face and overcome their challenges, seeing them smile and laugh, and showing them that someone does understand what they're going through and wants to help them make it better - these are the things I love. I also love the thought that I am soon going to be a real audiologist, my own person, not someone's "student" who is in their workplace, doing their job, under their watch. I look forward to my future in audiology, whatever it may hold, with anticipation that my passion for helping people will be with me throughout my life. And to me, that's way better than selling fake sunshine or printer ink.

Sadie

This is my new dog Sadie. She is just over a year old, and full of energy. When people ask me what kind she is, I tell them she's "black" because I really don't know. I love her ears because one goes up and one goes down, as you can see. She loves to play with toys and chase animals outside. I think she'd be a great hunting companion. I'll leave it at that for now, except for one funny story I must share.

Sadie loves to hide her bones all over the house. If she could, she'd take them outside and bury them, but until we have our own backyard, we try to minimize our time outdoors due to her predaceous nature. Anyway, today I gave her a bone and she intently searched the entire house for just the right place to hide it. I sat on the floor "Indian-style" and watched her wander around for probably 5 or 6 minutes, tenaciously scoping out all the possibilities. Finding no place suitable, she eventually came over and buried the bone in my lap, of all places. Of course, as soon as I got up, she had to start all over. What a peculiar lady. I kind of wonder how many bones we'll find tucked away when we move out in May!

p.s. Sadie's full name, according to Lori, is: Anna Maria Sophia Sadie Elaine Bumkins Butler... and this is my favorite photo so far.

Pondering

Ever wonder how a copy machine works or why people from different parts of the world look so distinctly different? I mean, we're all human right? It's just interesting to me. Other things that really get me thinking are fax machines (weird) and the postal system. I mean, we complain about the price of stamps... but I'd charge you a whole lot more to carry a letter from here to Montana, and it would probably take me longer, too! And then you got airplanes. I mean, I can kind of explain to you how and why it works, but really, there is no rhyme or reason why a 777 should ever make it off the ground. Seriously. And then of course there's hearing. I've spent almost 3 years studying how hearing works and it still amazes me when I think about it. It's so incredibly intricate! Not to mention the rest of the body... I won't go there. These are just a few things that have crossed my mind in the past day or two (probably when I was supposed to be doing homework or something "productive"). I just wondered if anyone else ever ponders these things....

p.s. If there is anyone out there who actually gets how a fax machine works... don't bother trying to explain it. I'd just rather wonder.

Hooked

Well, I took the bait and decided to stay at Callier for my externship. I haven't decided exactly how I feel about that just yet, other than that I am super excited to be staying in Dallas awhile longer. I love it here, and it's become home. Someday maybe God will decide to bring me to a new place, but for now I'm thrilled to be here.

Now that I've got my externship worked out, I'm ready to move onto more important things like finding a new and exciting place to live! We've loved where we are now, but sometimes a change of scenery can be quite exhilarating. Lori and I have been looking into some townhomes. I'd love a garage; she wants a backyard. The challenge comes in finding something which fits that description, in a decent location, at an affordable price. We think we may have struck gold in one potential neighborhood just a few miles south of where we are now, but we need to wait a few months to be in the right time frame. Unfortunately, one more semester lies between now and then.

Getting back in the swing of things after Christmas break has been a bit challenging, and I often wish we could go back to "vacation" mode. In a few months' time there will be another break in the action, and I don't think it could come soon enough. Hopefull the next 4 months will fly by and I'll get all of my assignments turned in for the very last time. And what a relief that will be!

Here's to a great 2008!

On the edge of reality...

Well, I'm 5 days away from beginning my final semester of classes. I'm not sure I'm ready seeing as I've been off for over a month and every day has felt like Saturday for the past 5 or so weeks. It has been fabulous! I have had a month to kick back, not think about school, visit friends and family, and pretty much just chill. Only problem now is, I'm 5 days away from two days of testing during which I should be able to remember everything I've learned in 2 1/2 years of graduate school. (And I've been off so long I think I've forgotten everything I ever knew about audiology.)

Over the holidays, I got to spend 3 weeks at home with the fam. It was probably the longest time I've ever been home since I left for college and it was lots of fun. It was great to be in a new place, visit old friends, and see all the sights (my parents live less than a mile from a shopping mall and a mere 3.7 miles from REI in Houston)! I love our new house and the area we live in. It's easy to get to, yet relatively tucked away for being in the middle of Houston, and reminds me a lot of camp (lots of tall pine trees). We went on a 6 mile bike ride one afternoon through a beautiful park. The weather was gorgeous the whole time I was there.

I've recently decided I must be hitting the quarter-life crisis, because by the end of my stay I was pretty convinced I could just stay there and scrapbook all day, run errands for my mom, play Guitar Hero and Pool with Ben every night, and ride bikes on the weekends. Getting back to reality is going to be a bit of an adjustment. I don't think I'm ready. This semester is supposed to be a lighter one but right now it is seeming very daunting.

In less than six months I'll be starting my externship, which should be my first taste of grown-up life. I'm really looking forward to having no homework for a change. I've been in school for the past 19 1/2 years (about as long as my sister has been alive) and I'm ready to have a little free time on my hands! As soon as my tests are over, I'll be counting down the days!