Why I love Easter

Celebration of new life in Christ. He has conquered the grave!

Lots of family!

Lots of food!

Confetti Eggs!

Little people and big people having an absolute blast with the same activity!

Watching the little girls get bigger every year!

...and the first shall be last...

Here we are in height order

 

The amazing YOU

"The sound we hear is being played on a perfect little musical instrument inside our ear. The sound waves go down the auditory canal and are carried by the bones of the middle ear to the cochlea, which is rolled up like a tiny sea shell. The outer ear operates in air. But the cochlea is filled with liquid, and transferring sound waves from air to liquid is one of the most difficult problems known to science. Three tiny bones called the ossicles are just right to do the job that enables us to hear properly. Interestingly, the size of these little bones does not change from the time we are born."

Just another example of how amazing the human body is. I am always trying to explain to my patients that hearing aids just can't do what our brain does. Unfortunately, they probably never will.

I must be shrinking.

Above is a picture of Ben & I when I was in Houston a few weeks ago. Below is a picture taken at a wedding a year ago. Scary how fast he's outgrown me!

That's a first...

I decided to stop by McDonald's this morning to check out their new fancy coffee selections. I ordered a small hazelnut latte, to which the employee responded, "Would you like regular or diet milk?"

I have to admit, I froze. Diet milk? I've never heard of that. Now I know there are lots of kinds of milk. I am usually a bit overwhelmed at the grocery store by all the different types and colors, but diet milk I am sure I've never run across. I decided to go for it, and tried to spit out "diet" before the long pause got too awkward. The latte was definitely tasty, and cheaper than Starbucks. I just may be a new McCafe fan.

7:45 am

My little sister just landed solo in Buenos Aires Argentina. Good thing she speaks enough Spanish to (probably) find her way to her hotel without too much trouble. The rest of her group arrives tomorrow for the TOMS shoe drop. I am quite envious that she gets to visit Argentina without me. Not so envious of the overnight flight to get there. Apparently, it's a little further away than Panama or Mexico! Can't wait to see pics when she returns.

Happenings

Here are some pics from January and February, for those of you who don't use facebook. Enjoy!

One year ago...

Today marks the 1 year anniversary of a day I will probably never forget. As I was walking into practicum, I got a call that Mama Dara had died earlier that morning. It was also her birthday. After I finished practicum, I crossed the sky bridge over to the hospital where Aunt Peggy had been admitted for pneumonia the night before. That was the last time we got to talk to each other, and the last words I said to her were, "When I come back next Thursday, I won't expect to find you here." Unfortunately, she was in ICU by the weekend and she passed away 3 weeks later. It's hard to believe a whole year has passed, and I remember that day like it was just yesterday. I still think about Dara and Peggy a lot, and miss them both terribly. They were very special to me.

Spring's a comin'

Well, it's almost the end of February, which means spring (and by spring we mean summer here in Texas) is just around the corner. It's that time of year when I can stop putting on a hat and gloves every time I walk the dogs, but I also have to be careful what gets left in the car (i.e. chapstick, iPod, purell and the like). It means it's time to pull the shorts and skirts out of the back of the closet and find my swimsuits and beach towels and put them on a shelf I can actually reach. It apparently also means that the weeds begin to grow uncontrollably in our grass-less back yard. I can already tell the days are starting to get longer, which I absolutely LOVE! But alas, it is still February, which means that even though it's 84 today we probably won't get above the 50s this weekend. So, I can't put away the gloves and hat quite yet.

Sadie girl

Valentines!

Family Valentines Banquet - First Baptist Church, Portland, TX

Devotion

Saw this billboard today. Wow.

Random

1. My uncle once: told us he was pooped from spinning us around and around, to which my sister exclaimed, "YOU POOPED IN YOUR PANTS?!"
2. Never in my life: do I expect to go skydiving. I am past the age where I thought that was a good idea.
3. When I was five: I cried because my parents made me give up my carseat for my little sister.
4. High school was: a tough time, but when I look back I see mostly happy memories.
5. I will never forget: the day my little brother was born.
6. There’s this guy I know: who died for me so that I can spend eternity in paradise.
7. Once, at a bar: I actually drank something alcoholic.
8. By noon, I’m usually: eating my 2nd lunch for the day.
9. Last night: I got to listen to people tell their stories. I saw myself in all of them. It was a God thing.
10. If only I had: enough guts to skip graduation for the Brazil trip.
11. Next time I go to church: I get to eat free Pei Wei!
12. What worries me most: getting caught up in "life" and forgetting to LIVE.
13. When I turn my head left I see: "That's what she said."
14. When I turn my head right I see: Reagan, headphone-less... astounding!
15. What I miss most about the Eighties is: wearing two pairs of colored socks, and rolling them down.
16. If I were a character in Shakespeare I’d be: probably a tree. Shakespeare bores me.
17. By this time next year: I should have a real job.
18. A better name for me would be: Jenny's sister.
19. I have a hard time understanding: poverty and injustice around the world. How can one family live in a big house with way too much stuff and another live amongst a garbage heap. I don't get it.
20. If I ever go back to school: I must have gone crazy. I'm never going back.
21. You know I like you if: I invite myself over.
22. If I ever won an award, the first person I would thank would be: my parents.
23. Take my advice: go to bed by 10 every night.
24. My ideal breakfast is: anything my dad makes... or pancakes at Granddad's.
25. A song I love but do not have is: chicken fried.
26. If you visit my hometown, I suggest you: let me know which town it is, because I'm still not sure.
27. Why won’t people: fork over a dollar to send a kid in Haiti to school?
28. If you spend a night at my house: I hope you don't mind the dogs.
29. The world could do without: the commercialization of Christmas.
30. My favorite blonde(s) is/are: 5 little Martin girls.
31. If I ate the same thing for lunch every day it would be: Panera's You-Pick-Two
32. If I do anything well it’s: vacuuming and doing laundry.
33. Something I haven't done in a long time is: gone snowboarding.
34. I can't stand: for my ears to be cold.
35. If I could do anything with my life: I would travel and take pictures.

Go Team!

"Loyalty to any one sports team is pretty hard to justify. Because the players are always changing; The team can move to another city. You're actually rooting for the clothes when you get right down to it, you know what I mean? You are standing and cheering for your clothes to beat the clothes from another city."

Jerry Seinfeld

update...

Sadie did get her 2 hour walk across town yesterday. Sarah Tillman and I walked down to White Rock Lake and were lucky enough to have Michelle pick us up and drive us back to my house. Yay!

Happy MLK, Sadie!

This morning Sadie got a taste of her perfect day. She woke up at 6, had breakfast, went potty, and crawled back into bed with me until about 7:45. Man, she thought she was living the life. That is until her perfect morning was completely derailed when I decided to take a shower and get ready for the day at 8:00 instead of embarking on a 2 hour walk across town. She just stared at me in disdain and disbelief until she finally convinced me to take her around the block, which takes all of 7 minutes to do. Poor thing. Maybe later we'll have time for that long walk across town.

Shout out

I'd like to give a shout out to my little brother, Ben, who hung blinds in my room while he was up here as a Hurricane Ike evacuee in September. How a 13 (at the time) year-old kid can figure out how to hang blinds like a professional still boggles my mind. He and my mom measured the windows and got the blinds custom sized at Home Depot, and then he hung them up and surprised me with them when I came home from work. I am still impressed every time I walk into my room. Thanks, Ben!


P.S. If you read my story of grace (to put it in Watermark-ese), I hope you'll take the time to post yours as well. I think this is something we ought to know about each other as friends.

My Story

My parents are Christ followers, so I was raised going to church and to Sunday school, memorizing hymns and Bible verses, such as Romans 3:23, Romans 5:8, and Romans 6:23. The Bible was always taught to me as the truth, and I never knew anything different. When I was in first grade, all of this started making sense to me, and I realized that I needed Jesus to be my Savior. Romans 10:9-10 says,

• “That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

I very clearly remember the day I walked down the aisle at church and how I prayed right there and asked Jesus to forgive my sins and come into my life and be my Savior. I also remember talking with my dad about it the night before, but for some reason I thought that I actually had to be at church when I did it. I have since learned that you can pray and ask Jesus into your heart at any time and any place. Shortly thereafter, I was baptized, and I understood that this was to be an outward sign of the change that had happened inside my heart. In Matthew 28, after Jesus was raised from the dead, he came and told his disciples,

• “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

Since I was so young at the time, I don’t specifically remember my life “before” Christ. I was always a good kid, a people pleaser I guess you could say, and I never wanted to get in trouble or make my parents upset. Fortunately, most of my life the choices I’ve made have been guided by what is pleasing to God and I’ve managed to stay out of a lot of trouble. However, it is easy to just roll through life knowing that there is a God who made you and loves you, but to fail to ACT on that truth and to live your life in a way that is different and shows evidence of this change in your heart. Paul says in Romans 12:1-2,

• “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Figuring out what it means to “live for Christ” has been an ongoing challenge for me. Paul says in Philippians 2:12-13,

• “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”

I’m still not sure exactly what it means to “work out your salvation.” The New Living Translation says, “Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.” What this says to me is, work hard to make your life count, to avoid temptation, to deny your own pleasures and desires in order to make God more famous, so that everyone you encounter in life will know it is He who deserves all the credit.

• “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Top 10 happenings of 2008

As I looked back over 2008 and focused on the positives, I came up with this TOP 10 list (in chronological order):

1. In January, I got Sadie who is just precious and loves me absolutely unconditionally, even after I abandoned her for 2 weeks over Christmas break.

2. In February, I started training for Hike for discovery - an awesome event that required me to do one of my favorite things for 19 weeks in a row, while I raised money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and met a ton of awesome people who are a lot like family to me now.

3. In April, I finished 3 years of classes and got to experience for the first time life without homework. I cannot even begin to express how absolutely freeing this feeling is. I have fully embraced what it feels like to not have projects and deadlines constantly hanging over my head.

4. In May, I went to Mt. Rushmore in the motorhome with Dad, Julia, and Sadie. We had a great time all the way there and back.

5. In June, I traveled to Yosemite National Park with my hike team to climb Half Dome. What an amazing trip. I absolutely loved climbing without the Colorado altitude!

6. In July, my family and I went to Frontier Camp and spent a weekend on the lake. What an awesome experience for Jenny, Ben & I to share this place which is so near and dear to our hearts with our parents. We had a great time!

7. In October, I went to Phoenix to visit Greg, Sara, Julia and Susan. I also got to visit the State Fair of Arizona & the State Fair of Texas in the same month. It was so great to be back with old friends. Man, I miss these guys!

8. In November, my entire family went to my parents' house in Houston for Thanksgiving. I took the whole week off and thoroughly enjoyed myself. It's so fun having the whole family together.

9. I also spent a weekend in November experiencing poverty through Mission Waco. While I would not call this experience "fun", it certainly was eye opening. One thing I know God has been showing me this year is that this world is one big, messed up place, and He wants to use us to make a difference. This experience was one of many this year that opened my eyes and my heart to see what God is doing all over the world. I so want to be a part of it.

10. In December, my family went to Spain to visit Jenny. She spent last semester at St. Louis University in Madrid, so we took the opportunity to go visit! We traveled down to the Costa del Sol and even spent New Years Eve with Amine & Lisa in Malaga. I still can't believe it! Thank goodness I work for UTD and they gave me 2 whole weeks off so I didn't even have to use vacation days. Now that's a perk I probably won't have next year.

Reflections on 2008

This past year was a challenging one, with seemingly more downs than ups. As I trudged through my third year of graduate school, I lost touch with various things that have always been important to me... friends and family, God, and most of my hobbies. Thankfully, I had Hike for Discovery to keep my life somewhat interesting and meaningful through the spring semester. As I finished classes in April and started my externship in May, a whole new world of free time opened up to me, but I don't feel like I used that time very effectively since I'd already kind of fallen off the deep end by that point and all the friends that I did have left all moved away to start their externships. I've had to really focus on trusting that God is in control and He knows best. Even when I feel like I'm living in total isolation, He is with me and he KNOWS me.

Also during my third year, I endured some events I never expected would happen. Throughout this year, God has been reminding me that every single day is a gift and that none of us is promised tomorrow. I feel like I've always been pretty aware of that concept but now I live life with a different perspective. Unfortunately, this new perspective has created more fear of losing the people I love than really challenging me to live each and every day to the fullest. I need to work on becoming closer with the people I love and care about rather than pulling myself away. I am also praying for eternal perspective, and comfort in knowing that God's plan is way bigger than this fleeting life on earth. "The world and its desires are passing away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever" (1 John 2:17). Today the Lord revealed to me another scripture, which says this: "For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's" (Romans 14:7-8). Praise Jesus!

Even though 2008 has been difficult, "we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day" (2 Corinthians 4:16) "because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus (verse 14). Praise God, who never changes, who holds fast to His word, who extends grace and mercy to the worst of sinners. To Him be all power and glory.

Costa del sol

Costa del Sol pt. 2 Road trip thru Malaga, Ronda, and Gaucin

Sadie's idea of a perfect day...

Wake up around 6, EAT BREAKFAST, maybe go potty
Take morning nap until 7:30 or 8:00
Go on a walk from 8 until 10:30 or 11:00
Come home, drink lots of water, take 2nd morning nap
Wake up, walk some more (she actually prefers running, but I can only run so far...)
Be home by 4:30 and have DINNER
Go outside and play as long as possible
Bedtime is stricly at 8:30

Truthfully, her perfect day would involve a lot more food than this, but I get to be the one who is (mostly) in charge of her diet.

Mas fotos!

I am spacing these out to save you all from boredom =)

Costa del Sol pt. 1 Gibraltar

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!