dolphfreak

2009-07-31T09:55:00.003-05:00

I'm still here!!

So, the summer has been pretty great thus far. Busy, but great. My birthday was tons of fun. Michael really out did himself with all the surprises and fun times. It was a wonderful 30th birthday. We had a great time showing my cousin around dallas and austin. It was so great to see her and be able to spend some time with her. We also got to see my aunt for a few days and both my aunt and cousin were here to help michael and i and my parents celebrate our anniversaries. We had a great time all around.

Well, today is Michael's last day for the summer session. He found an apartment in Alexandria and will be moving on August 18. He has a few weeks to get himself packed and ready to go and hopefully also spend some time relaxing. I have my last class for the summer next week and then I have a few days off before I need to start really studying for my qualifying exam, which is on August 17. Please send good thoughts my way between 1-5 on August 17. This is the exam that I have to pass in order to continue on in the PhD program. Big stuff. It comes at a very inopportune time as the week before Michael moves, i will have to be studying, but that is life, so we will make it work. I plan to go visit Michael the weekend after he moves down to Alexandria to help him get all set up there.

There really isn't much more going on with us right now. Just getting ready for the qualifying exam and the big move. Wish us luck on both accounts. :)

2009-06-24T16:13:00.002-05:00

I love SUMMER!!

So, as most of you know, my life is crazy busy right now with school and teaching and work and life in general. But, summer has been much nicer. Since I am only working, teaching one course and taking one course, I have had a bit more down time. It has been great because Michael's school schedule has been a bit more flexible also. There have even been a few nights when I didn't study at all after coming home from work. That sounds crazy to write, but it is so true. :)

The class I am teaching is going well. It is a lot of work as there is a lot of content the students need to know, but one thing I really like about teaching is that it really makes you learn the information very well, which I think is a very good thing. My students this semester are also pretty good, so that is nice.

Work is going well. I am getting a bit more adjusted and learning the ropes a bit better. The days have gotten busier, which is nice. There is more to do and I actually feel as if i am helping people which is what i signed up for when i chose to be a social worker.

So, summer fun planned...Here we go. I am looking forward to a 4 day work week next week as we have friday off for the 4th of july. I am also looking forward to whatever crazy birthday plans my husband has put together. :) Then, the next two weekends, my cousin from lebanon is going to be in town. One weekend, we are going to hang out in this area and then the next we are going to austin to spend some time with my brother, his wife, and my sister. Good times ahead.

Also, this past weekend, we got to catch up with our two good friends from the master's program. one was in town with her new baby. He was so adorable and she seems to be doing well. It was great to catch up with them.

I am looking forward to tomorrow night. I am going to dinner with all the ladies from my old job. I am so excited, I have really missed catching up with them everyday. :( Anyway, it will be nice to see how they are all doing.

Well, that is all I have right now. Not a very interesting blog, I know, but it will have to do for now. :)

2009-06-02T21:09:00.002-05:00

CSWE, here I come!!

So, a few semesters ago, I worked VERY, VERY hard on some research with a professor. It took quite some time as I was using a new qualitative program to analyze all the data and then had to write the article. Well, we finally submitted the article and are now waiting to hear back from the journal to see if it was accepted. But, we also submitted the paper as a presentation for the CSWE (Council on Social Work Education) conference in November in San Antonio. Out of 38 abstracts submitted for our track at the conference, ours ranked 4th!!! Not bad at all. I am so excited. This will be my first conference presentation. And the conference is local so it wont cost too much to go.

In other news, my day at work today was better. I am getting used to everyone and how everything works. We have research day at work tomorrow. This is an afternoon reserved for the 3rd year doctor residents to present the research they have been working on. I think it is going to be very interesting. Also, when it is over, we all get to go home early. I like that!

In school news, I made some changes to my summer schedule and I feel much better about it. I dropped my education course and am only taking 1 course that is a research practicum with my professor. so, i will have one course and will be teaching one course. I think that sounds like a much more doable summer. I should still be able to finish all my course work by Spring 2010. Not bad!! then, i will start some serious work on my dissertation. good times ahead.

I had a great evening tonight. i was able to get dinner with one of my coworkers from my previous job. It was great to catch up and spend some time just chatting. I really miss everyone there, but also think this new job will be a good fit for a while.

Well, I am off to take care of a few things, but just wanted to give a quick update.

2009-05-31T17:10:00.002-05:00

I am back...

So, a LOT has been going on lately. I know I have been away for some time. it has been a very hectic few months. First off, I have a new job. Yeah!! Last week was my first week at the new job and it was fine. It is definitely going to take some getting used to, but I think it will be a good fit in the long run. I am working as the outpatient social worker for a hospital clinic in the area. I will be working with clinic patients and also with the residents who work at the clinic. Everyone there is very nice and welcoming. it is a bit further from home than my previous job (about 30 minutes each way), but in the DFW metroplex, that is not so bad.

My sister graduated with her bachelors degree last week, so we went to austin to help her celebrate. Congrats, Nadia!! I am very proud of her, she has already found a job that seems to be a good fit for her also.

Other than all that, school starts next week and i am already feeling overwhelmed. I am teaching a course again this summer and taking 2 classes of my own, while also learning this new job. Very busy. also, my big exam to continue in the PhD program is at the end of the summer, so I need to prepare for that also.

I need to get back to the studying, but just wanted to give a quick update.

2009-03-23T20:59:00.004-05:00

Bad News Bears!!

to add insult to injury, our house was burglarized today. When it rains, it really does pour. I really just wanted to vent about this in the hopes that it will make me feel a little better. They only stole our TV, it seems that the alarm scared them off. They just kicked down our front door and welcomed themselves in. I am so glad neither one of us was home. the tv is just a material thing, it still sucks, but at least we are both safe. I wonder what people must say to themselves to justify breaking into someone else's home and stealing their hard earned things in order to benefit themselves. i just lost my job and am already looking for a new one in order to continue paying our bills and contributing to society. why don't i just give up the job hunt and start stealing other peoples' things for my benefit? because I am a decent, hard working, passionate human being. anyway, the guy that came to fix our door and provide the boards to make it a bit safer for now said something pretty true, i think. i told him that the police officers told us that burglaries are happening more and more lately with the economy and everything and that people are becoming more blazen when it come to breaking in and burglarizing. the door guy responded with, yeah that might be true, but you still have to have a few screws loose to burglarize someone's home. i agree.

anyway, all this to say, we are safe and life will go on as it always does. I am trying my very hardest to keep a positive attitude through all this, but any good thoughts you all want to send my way will be greatly appreciated. check out our front door below. :)

the 2X4's are the wood guys safety precautions.
maybe we can just keep those on our door at all times
and just use the garage to come in and out of the house. :)

2009-03-22T21:26:00.002-05:00

Michael's Surprise 30th Birthday Party!!

Ok, so i know i have been a very bad blogger this semester, but when things are too busy to get everything done, I think blogging is one of the first things to go. :) well, we have a little less than 2 months left in the semester, so that is good. i think things should be much better this summer as far as school goes. so, i have been gone way to long to sum up the past few months, lets just leave it as BUSY. I will start with Michael's surprise birthday party. It was awesome!! my parents, michael's whole family and i have been planning this for months. I sent out the first email in september of last year. I am such a crazy planner. well, i told michael that my parents wanted to take him out to dinner for his birthday, so the plan was to go to my parents house and get some dinner with them. but, when we showed up michael's whole family (i mean just about everyone) was there, my siblings and my parents. it was perfect. michael was completely surprised. the company was wonderful and the food was also quite delicious (thanks to fadi's and my mom :). also, since it was the beginning of our spring break, michael's family stayed with us for a few more days to hang out. it really was wonderful. thanks mom and dad for all your hard work, we could never have pulled this off without you. here are some party pics.

One party table

Another party table

The food. delicious!!

Michael blowing out the candles

Michael and some of his siblings in front of the best birthday gift ever
(the portrait of will ferrell)

In other news, spring break is over and now we are back to the crazy schedules. we are both feeling rested and ready to punch out this last month and half till summer.

More big news is that I found out the week before spring break that i am being laid off from work. the good news is that i have 60 days before i am unemployed there and then another month of pay before there is no paycheck coming in. so, hopefully i will be able to find something new and possibly even better in the next few months. it is another added stress that we weren't planning for, but i think that it will all work out. as everyone keeps telling me, i need to stay positive and things will fall into place. i guess i am so busy right now that i don't have much time to stress. :) anyway, please keep us in your thoughts and if you hear of any great social work positions in the area, please let me know. :)

well, it is late and i am need to get to bed to be rested to start another week. will try to post again soon, but i can't make any promises. :)

2009-03-08T22:10:00.001-05:00

Busy, Busy, Busy =

no blogging. :) still very busy, so this is a going to be a short post to keep you enticed for my catch up posts during spring break next week. :)

Things have been crazy busy. work is going well, school is going well, michael is doing well.

we have a few days until michael's 30th birthday and then next week is spring break. I am actually taking the whole week off from work. So, i will not have class or work and I will get to be home. I haven't had all that in a long time. :) Michael and I have tons of school work to do over spring break, but it will be a great time to catch up and maybe sleep in a few days. anyway, just wanted to check in. i will write more next week.

2009-01-30T19:46:00.001-06:00

Friday night...

study time is NO fun!!! I am studying on a friday night and it just feels wrong. anyway, wanted to take a quick break, so I thought I would write a quick blog.

I did get to learn about how to make a webpage today. I am going to put together the social services webpage at work. I am actually pretty excited about it. I hope that it will be a great way to get more information out to the public.

anyway, I think I should stop wasting precious study time. back to the books, my friends.

2009-01-28T20:22:00.002-06:00

Two posts in one week...

that is sheer craziness. But, i have seen crazier things happen, so here it goes. I have a couple of quick things I want to blog about.

First, I want to talk a bit about the class I am teaching this semester. I really was in the mood to blog about this on Monday night after the class, but i was too tired. So, the class was GREAT!! I had a really great time teaching it and I felt that the students really enjoyed it. I had them write down the most confusing part of the lecture on a piece of paper at the end of class and hand it in. my goal is to go over those points at the beginning of the following class. many students wrote some really nice comments about how they feel they are going to enjoy the class and that they already learned something on the first day. yeah for me!! I guess I just really enjoy teaching. I always have and I always will. I think teaching social work information is going to be even more perfect. I found myself being able to explain things very easily, it was a great feeling. Anyway, all this to say, I am really excited about teaching this course despite the challenges I am sure it will present.

Second, due to "inclement weather", my classes were canceled on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. this is good in that I got a slight break this week and had more time to study. this is bad because i am sure we will have to make up those classes some time in the future. oh well, it will all work itself out.

Third, Michael and I have picked up on this show called Man vs. Food. We have only watched it a few times this past week and have actually vowed not to watch it anymore for the following reasons. So the premise is that this guy, Adam, travels all over the country and finds the best hole in the wall restaurants with the most unhealthiest delicious food ever and he tries to eat as much of everything as he can. He also has a competition, hence man vs. food, each week. Last week, he was in austin and his goal was to beat their reigning champion at Juan in a Million and eat 8 Don Juan tacos. He got through 5 and called it quits. On one of the episodes, he went to Amarillo and ate that huge steak they have at the big texan. he won that challenge. anyway, since watching this show, michael and I have been craving some unhealthy food. We usually eat pretty healthy at home, so since i had the night off from class, we decided to eat out. I asked some people at work for some burger food joints and they recommended buck n loons. it is a local arlington restaurant with lots of fried food and burgers. well, we went there for dinner and got our fix of fries, potato chips and burgers. It was very delicious, but it also reminds me how I feel after eating such fatty foods. ugh. All in all, it was worth it, but I will keep that type of eating out to a minimum. I will say the price was nice also. pretty cheap and a co-worker gave me a 25% off coupon. good times.

well, that is all, I am off to continue prepping for class.

2009-01-26T14:00:00.002-06:00

I was lost...

and sort of still am, but here I am ready to post. So, I am not even sure what was going on last time I posted. The holidays were great. We had some great times with Michael's family in Amarillo and then were also able to spend some time with my family back in Dallas.

We had a very relaxing, yet short break during the holidays. I took time off from school work from Christmas till January 1. It was a nice break. I had to hit the ground running again at the beginning of January since I have a research project and a CEU presentation I had to be working on. My CEU presentation is this weekend, so I am glad that will be over. I am looking forward to it, so hopefully it goes well. Also, my research project is in the final stages, so hopefully I can get that sent off soon in the hopes of getting it published.

Classes are back in full swing. I thought last semester was challenging, but it seems that I am even crazier this semester. I guess somewhere in my subconscious, I feel that if I am able to handle it, why not just keep piling more on myself. :) so, this semester, I am finishing up my research project and teaching a class all on my own. I am teaching a bachelor's level social work practice course. It is tons of work to prep for, but I am getting paid and getting some good experience. I am also taking 2 courses of my own and one is the second PhD statistics course. good times. So, I am at work Mon-Fri 8:30 - 5 and then on Mon, Tues, and Wed, I head to school to teach or sit in class from 6-9, then I spend any other time I have available studying or preparing for class. I see good times ahead.

I do want to send a shout out to Michael. Even though he is also crazy busy with school, he is really helping me so much since I just don't have any extra time. Thanks.

Well, all this to say, I am still really enjoying getting my PhD. I haven't really looked at the program of courses in a while as not to overwhelm myself, but I am thinking that i only have a few more semesters of actual coursework. We will see.

Other than work and school, there is not much going on in our lives. this weekend will actually prove to be quite enjoyable. i have my CEU presentation from 9-12 on Saturday, then we have a party for a good friend of mine's birthday that evening. then, Sunday will be full of studying until the superbowl, when we will have my parents and a few friends over.

Good news, I had my annual review at work and got a raise. YEAH!! anyway, sorry for the long delay in posting, but I can't promise it is going to change soon. I will post as often as I can. Thanks to everyone for their constant support. It really helps.

2008-12-19T16:07:00.003-06:00

Oh, the holidays...

So, I really do not have a good excuse as to why it has been over a month since i have blogged. anyway, here is what i got. i have been wanting to post more pics, but i have not had a chance, so this blog will just be writing and i will try to post pics later. let's start with thanksgiving. we celebrated with my parents, sis, the Deeba family and gabe. it was a lot of fun, good food, good conversation, football, bloody marys, and some poker (it really isn't thanksgiving without football, bloody marys, and poker). :) then, michael and i went to austin to help May-Ling celebrate her engagement. Leith proposed to her at the UT tower where they first met and then there was a celebration with good friends and family afterwards that her mom and sis put together with leith's help. I am so glad that Michael and I were able to make it. We stayed with my brother and Elizabeth, so we were able to see their new home. it was so beautiful. it is in a great location and the backyard is amazing.

so, on to school. we finished our finals and are now on a short break between semesters. we both did great this semester, grades wise. it is always a great feeling to have your hard work pay off. we are going to take time off from school until january. classes don't start until the middle of january, but we both have some school work to take care of before the semester starts. i have a research project to continue working on and finish and also a continuing education presentation in january that i need to prepare for. i will also be teaching my first class all by myself next semester, so i would like to start the prep work for that also. tons of fun. :)

we also just bought an elliptical machine for the house. next semester is going to be so busy and i wanted to continue working out regularly, so this was our splurge gift. I dont usually want a lot of things, but i really did want this. it just arrived yesterday, so we plan to put it together tomorrow. wish us luck.

we are heading to amarillo christmas eve to celebrate christmas with michael's family. i am really excited to see everyone. i am so not excited about being in the cold, but it will be worth it to spend some time with michael's family. then, we are going to hang with my family the sunday after christmas, then back to work on monday. the holidays just seem to fly by.

we had our work party last night and it was tons of fun. we all went out to dinner and did a white elephant gift exchange. i ended up going home with some lotion and packaged smoked salmon. mmmm, delicious. we also headed over to a holiday party that one of the Phd students hosted. it was a lot of fun to spend time with my student friends.

this weekend will be full of some more family time, my sis is in town, and some relaxing and maxing. have a very merry christmas everyone and see you in the new year. Here are some pics for your enjoyment. :)

Mom and dad with the turkey and ham. mmmm.

Us with dad's beautiful Studebaker.

The Deeba family with the Studebaker.

Some of my PhD buddies. :)

My social worker colleagues at our work x-mas party.
(my work party and the phd party were the same night, this why i have the same outfit on. :)

The Happy Couple (newly engaged)

The Birthday Boy at the Big 30 Party

2008-11-16T21:26:00.002-06:00

Procrastination is so much fun...

So, I should continue studying, but I feel as if i have been studying all day. Oh, maybe that is because I HAVE been studying all day. Oh well, that is what sundays have become. I guess I should be used to it by now. Anyway, I am ready for a break, so I thought I would write a bit since our cable box is not working, so I really can't watch tv.

On that note, sometimes it feels like owning a home is way more trouble than its worth. Here are several reasons: 1. Our dvr/cable box is not working so I have to go to the time warner place tomorrow after work and exchange it for a new box. 2. we just finished fixing our pool which took my dad and michael about 3 saturdays. 3. Our roof leaked last week when the heavy rainstorm came through. I was studying in the living room and all a sudden water starts dripping through the vent in the living room. Not a good sign. So, michael and i head up to the attic and there is a 5 inch by 5 inch hole in our roof where a vent used to be, but is no longer, so water is just pouring in. we try to think of ways to fix it, but it is way too high in the roof, so we leave it be and hope that our roof doesn't cave in. Needless to say, we did not sleep well that night. the next day, michael put some shingles over the hole and we have some people coming out this week to give us an estimate on how much we have to pay to fix it. now, we have a few nice stains on our ceiling, but that is how it goes. We will get someone to fix it and all will be right at our home again.

so, this week has been quite eventful. I got stuck in an elevator with one of my coworkers this past week. we were only in there for about 15 minutes, but we did have to start yelling for help since the alarm and the phone weren't working. adventures in hospital elevators. :)

This is the story of the year in my book. so, i go to DSW shoes to get some black pumps. I don't really have a pair and i am told they are a staple in any women's shoe wardrobe. I have 2 $10 off coupons and a coupon for a free tote bag if I spend $40 or more. So, i find the shoes I want and they are $39.95, but they are also on sale for 30% off. I cant find anything else i want, so i decide to go without the free tote bag. ends up when i go to checkout that the free tote bag has turned into 25% off instead of a free bag. so, with 30% off plus 25% off and $20 off with my coupons, my shoes end up costing me $1.05. can you believe that? as I was leaving, the lady who checked me out turned to her coworker and said, "that woman just bought shoes for $1.05". good times. that is the best bargain buy ever in my world. Below is a pic of me in my new shoes. cute, huh?

So, the whites are coming back in my hair, so i decided to get my hair cut and colored yesterday. well, I actually decided to get my hair highlighted, which i have never done before. I decided to get red highlights. Initially, I wasn't so sure about them, but since yesterday, I think they have grown on me. Let me know what you think.

4 more weeks of school including finals!!! woo hoo. I cant wait for the holidays. I am really looking forward to thanksgiving. good food and great family time. I love it. Anyway, back to the books.

2008-11-09T20:35:00.002-06:00

Yeah for America!!

If you know me at all, it is no secret that I am a democrat and for that reason I am very happy that Obama won the election. But, more than that, I really feel that Obama getting elected says something amazing about America. I think it is so great that we can see past his name and what people may assume it means and past his color or his upbringing and so much more. I was just amazed at how many people from so many different segments of society voted for him. I believe he really has united a good portion of this country. I know he is still a politician and we don't know what he is going to do for this country, but it has been a long time since I have been this hopeful for America's future. Good luck, Obama. I hope you do great things.

So, the pool is all fixed. Michael and my dad recemented the part of the deck that they had to break and the leak is officially fixed. Thank you so much guys for your hard work.

So, I finally checked off one of those tasks that has been on my to-do list forever. We cleaned house and donated a ton of things. My mom and I went to Berry Good Buys, a resale store in Fort Worth where all the proceeds go to the women's shelter in our area. I cleaned off our 2 old computers and donated those. Now, we have some room in our guest closet for guests' clothes instead of computers. My mom and I also went through my closet and got rid of all my clothes that are too big and I donated those too. We also collected all the trinkets and stuff from around the house and gave those also. My mom and her friend also donated some clothes and purses. They were quite excited when we showed up with a car full of donation items. It was so nice to clean house and also do something good at the same time.

I am loving my closet now. I can find everything and all my clothes fit. YEAH!!!

well, the semester is still pushing along. We have a few more weeks until thanksgiving and then the end of the semester. I am in the process of registering for next semester. it is a never ending cycle. Anyway, that is all for now.

2008-11-03T15:56:00.002-06:00

Good News!!

I submitted a proposal for a Continuing Education Program at the university I attend and it was accepted!! a certain number of CEUs (continuing education units) are required each year for social workers to be able to renew their license to practice social work. I will be teaching a 3 hour CEU course to other social workers about how to practice social work in the NICU. This is great for 2 reasons: 1. I will get experience teaching and will get to add this presentation to my resume, 2. I will get paid to do it. When I was getting my master's, I don't ever remember getting paid to something i needed to do to get through the program. Actually, i remember working at my internship for many hours a week for free. :) anyway, all that to say, this is good news.

Just wanted to say only 5 more weeks of class for the fall semester!!! YEAH!!!

In other news, we have some major projects going on at our house. First off is the pool. michael, my dad and gabe have been working hard in our backyard for the past 2 weekends trying to fix the leak in our pool. it seems that the leak has been fixed, yeah!!!. I think we are going to recement the part of the deck they broke apart this weekend, so that will be 3 weekends in a row we have been able to hang out with my parents. it has been hard work, good times and great food. my mom and i have also had some projects of our own. we went shopping for some new winter clothes for me and we also cleaned out my closet of all the clothes i do not fit in anymore. i have 5 garbage bags full of clothes to donate to the domestic violence shelter. It was so nice to be able to get rid of all those old clothes. losing weight has been very hard, but it is sooooo worth it!!

well, Halloween came and went. we gave out some candy to the neighborhood kids while we studied and then watched tv. nothing to exciting to speak of.

I am really looking forward to tomorrow. i cant wait to find out who won the election. It is going to be so exciting. I know we should probably watch cnn or something, but i think we are going to hang with jon steward and colbert during the election results. i think it will be much more entertaining. anyway, we are in november and I am already ready for thanksgiving. good times ahead.

2008-10-22T16:28:00.002-05:00

The pros and cons of being a social worker...

The amount of heartache and sadness I see for families and babies can sometimes be overwhelming. I feel as if I should have a private line to Child Protective Services (CPS). It is just amazing how many times I have had to contact them in the past few weeks. Just when I think all is well, something new comes up with one of the families. Anyway, on the brighter side, there was a baby that discharged from the hospital, and was already being followed by CPS, but the family ended up fleeing, or as they said moving, to another state just after discharge from the hospital. The authorities have been looking for them for a bit over a week now and I found out today that baby has been found and is in great condition. What a relief.

Also, recently, we had a surrogate mother deliver a baby at the hospital for 2 fathers from out of the country. I really don't think I have truly seen a couple happier to have a baby. that baby is going to be so loved. It was so nice to help a family that truly wanted help and that was so interested in caring for a baby. Through all the crazy sad stuff I see at work, these are 2 good stories.

In other news, we are trying to be a bit more green. we have a long way to go, but we are doing some little things. when I go to the grocery store or shopping, i am now taking my 3 reusable bags. i love it. everyone kind of looks at me funny, but i don't care, it is a great way not to use those plastic bags. Also, i get 5 cents credit at Kroger for every reusable bag i use. how great is that?

In school news, I was recently nominated for 2 really great associations. I was nominated to be a part of phi kappa phi, which is the "oldest and largest collegiate honor society dedicated to the recognition and promotion of academic excellence in all disciplines". I have turned in the nomination application and now i just wait to see if I get accepted. Also, i was just nominated for the Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges Award for the 2008-09 academic year. "This award recognizes undergraduate and graduate students who are outstanding in such areas as academic achievement, co-curricular involvement, campus leadership, and community service". I have to fill out this pretty long and intensive application, but if i am accepted, that would be pretty great. I am not quite sure who on campus is nominating me for these positions, but i guess someone likes me. :)

so, the election is about 13 days away. early voting started last week, so there is no excuse for you not to vote. there is plenty of time. No matter who you choose to vote for, please make sure and vote. America is not perfect, by any means, but having the right to elect our president is a luxury we should not take for granted. ok, I am stepping off my soap box right now.

No other major news going on. I think michael and I have opted against celebrating Halloween this year. Last year, we only had about 3 families knock on our door, so we are going to buy a small bag of candy and pass out candy while we study. I don't even think we are going to carve a pumpkin this year. All that to say, I am looking forward to thanksgiving and christmas. :) well, I am off.

2008-10-15T08:27:00.001-05:00

Good News!!

I don't have time to write much today, but I did want to post about my great day yesterday. I have officially lost more than 40 pounds!!! I got a 98 on my statistics homework and a 100 on the midterm. I actually set the curve, how great is that?! Michael is also doing well, he got a 98 on his last test. Even though this semester is crazy hard, at least we are doing well, that makes it all worth while. have a great day everyone. It is hump day!!

2008-10-06T11:29:00.002-05:00

A whirlwind!!

I can say that it seems that the weeks and months are flying by. No sooner do we start a month or week and it is already on to the next one. I guess that is good in a way, so this craziness will be over sooner than we know it.

Not too much new going on here. We are both still plugging along with school. it is so time consuming and brain numbing, but at least we are both doing well, grade wise. :) we did take some time out this friday to see Religulous. It is a movie by Bill Maher addressing the idea that most organized religions believe the same basic things, yet everyone who believes those religions believes their religion is correct. How is that truly possible? I really enjoyed it. He asks a lot of great questions.

We have put up a lot of new photos in our house. It has been quite a project, but it is done now and they all look great. It is nice to walk around the house and see faces of friends and family.

This is sad, but one of the highlights of this weekend was purchasing a new desk lamp for michael to use in the office and a laptop desk for me to use on the couch. Our respective study spots are Michael in the office and me on the couch. :) the old desk lamp put off a ton of heat and so the office always got very hot, this new one is an LED one and it is much better. My wrist was always hurting from using my laptop and mouse while on the couch, so now I have a new laptop desk that i can put in my lap and it has a spot for me to use my mouse, so hopefully my wrist wont hurt as much.

One thing I do want to talk about are the debates and the presidential election. So, I know most of you know that I am democrat, but this election is really bringing that out. First off, we need a change in this country, things have really gone downhill over the past 8 years. Second, did you see Palin during the debate? do we really want someone from some small town in Alaska who can barely put whole thoughts together possibly running the country? I don't. Now, for Biden, i really like him. I know he is arrogant and such, but i still like him. How can I not like someone who wrote the Violence Against Women Act? I actually wrote my policy analysis paper last semester on that act. We actually thought about getting an Obama/Biden yard sign, but you actually have to pay for them and on principle, I don't think I should pay for something that will help advertise for someone. Anyway, I might actually still purchase one, we will see. :)

Well, I am off my high horse for now. Have a great week everyone.

2008-09-19T15:54:00.002-05:00

Who knew?

May-Ling (my college roomie and best bud) sent me information about a feminist course being offered as an undergraduate course at Stanford. the course was titled "Violence Against Women: Theory, Issues, and Prevention". I am so amazed and impressed that such a course is being offered as a university course. There are actually several feminist studies majors at universities across the country now. when I got my bachelor's degree, i don't think such courses were being offered. It gives me hope that we are moving in the right direction and makes me feel better about my research focus. I was thinking about how my research focus is not very broad and I wonder if that will impact my ability to find a job. I have decided that I need to research what I am passionate about and the rest will fall into place.

In other news, May-Ling was in town this weekend on work and stayed a few extra days. We had so much fun. It was like we were back in the dorms again. eating, drinking, watching movies, and just talking for hours. It is so nice to be able to spend time with someone where just talking is so much fun. I miss you so much already, May-Ling. Maybe we will move out to cali one day when I am done with school, especially if I can be a part of a feminist studies program. :)

In school news, Michael took his first test and he made a 94. I am so proud of him. He is working very hard, but at least the work is paying off. :) My classes are going well. I am having trouble with the qualitative computer program I am using to analyze the data for the research project I am working on. It just keeps crashing, so I have been emailing with the tech support guy for the past week and a half and it is still not resolved. It is so frustrating to waste so much time on this, but i cant really analyze the data any other way, so I will keep working on it.

Other than that, this weekend is the 5 year anniversary of Michael and I's first official date and the 4 year anniversary of the date we got engaged. We don't really have anything planned except maybe just relaxing together and NO studying for one whole day. I am not sure if we can do it, but we will try really hard. :)

2008-09-07T20:40:00.002-05:00

My brain and my eyes hurt...

If this post is a bit crazy, please don't hold it against me, this post is my study break. :) well, my brain hurts from constantly being used, I think it needs a break (or a drink :). My eyes hurt from looking at a computer screen and many, many, many (over 1000) survey responses that I am tallying in a qualitative computer program for my research project. So, I spent a good chunk of my day at the university phd lounge working on this research project in an un-air conditioned room. brings back memories of morocco. :) anyway, now i am home and have been studying for many more hours. Anyway, enough of that. Lets just leave it at...classes are keeping me very busy, but are going well. I really cannot believe this is only the 2nd week of classes. Michael is also doing well, basically if he is not eating or sleeping or in class, he is studying. enough said. Ok, no more class talk.

So, we bought a new laser printer since we are both printing tons of stuff this semester. Since I am married to Michael, you know it is the best laser printer out there for the price we want to pay. Michael is a researcher, so you know we got the best. there are many great things about it, (which michael can tell you all about) but the two i really love is that it is wireless and it prints superfast. so, i can print from my laptop while sitting on the couch and as soon as i hit print and get up to get the printout, it is all done. I love it!! You know you are crazy about technology when your little home office has two printers, 2 laptops and a desktop computer. Good times!!

In other news, May-Ling, my roomie from college is coming to town this weekend on work. She will be staying with us from friday night until monday night. i took the day off from work on monday so we can hang out. I am so excited. She will be working on saturday, so I will have some time to study while she is here. I cant wait to hang out. It feels like it has been forever since we have had some good girl time.

So, we put our studies away and met my parents for dinner on friday night. We went to the gaylord texan and ate a fancy buffet. it was quite delicious. and as always, it was so nice to catch up with my parents. Thanks mom and dad for being so supportive during this crazy time in our lives. :)

Well, I guess that is all my brain can handle right now. I am going to lay down and take my 10 minute break now before i hit the books again.

2008-09-02T16:50:00.000-05:00

One week down...

well, We just finished our first week of classes for the semester. It has been very, very different. Here is a quick breakdown of our last week.

Monday - Michael had class from 8-5, then we ate dinner from 5-6:00, then he studied from 6-10. I worked 8-5, ate dinner from 5-6, did dishes and random housework, then studied until 10.
Tuesday - Michael studied from 8-12, lunch from 12-1, studied from 1-5, dinner from 5-6, studied from 6-10. Crazy!!! I worked 8-5, then had class from 6-9.

The rest of the week was basically one of these two days repeated. We did get a bit of time on saturday when michael mowed the lawn and i took the car in to get the tire fixed. we were also able to run a couple of errands, like costco and groceries. We cooked one meal to hopefully last most of the week and then we were able to watch a movie at home on saturday night. then, sunday, back to the studies. I think I forgot what TV shows look like. :)

All that to say, i think it is going to a be a crazy few semesters. anyway, i have class tonight and I don't really have much to report yet. my brain is kind of on overload. I am hoping we will get used to this constant studying. Please send brain power our way. :)

2008-08-24T18:54:00.003-05:00

We are as ready as can be...

This week starts the beginning of the craziness. Michael and I attended his school orientation on Friday and it was very interesting. From the sounds of what everyone had to say, it seems as if Michael will be studying or going to class all day, every day. We are hoping to be able to have Sunday off every week just to chill a bit. During the orientation, they had a session just for spouses/family that had attended the orientation. They were very quick to tell us that we, as family, need to be supportive and not ask for too much from the student while he/she is in school. Being a social worker, it was very funny to me how they presented this information. Anyway, it was also very eye opening to see some of the situations of the other students and their families. One family (student, his wife, and their 3 young kids) just moved here from Utah to start the program and next August, they will be moving to California where his clinicals are. They are both not working and they are paying for everything via loans. Also, she doesn't know anyone here or anything about the metroplex. Sounds pretty tough. I guess it doesn't seem so bad to have michael live in Lousiana for a year or so. :) Anyway, he will be here for a year and then clinicals (when he moves to Louisiana) start August 17, 2009.

I also start classes tomorrow. I am looking forward to getting this research project done this semester. I am also really looking forward to learning stats so I can have a better idea about how to do the quantitative analysis. I am hoping this semester just flies by.

Other than that, there really is nothing much going on. We are just getting ready to become book worms. We hung out with my parents and a friend or ours, Jen, yesterday, which was tons of fun. Anyway, please keep us in your thoughts as we begin this journey. I am sure we will make it through, but I am also sure it is going to be tough. i will do my best to keep up with my blog this semester, so that you all know we are still alive over here in Arlington.

2008-08-14T23:38:00.003-05:00

I'm Back...

and Amarillo was tons of fun!! So, sorry again for the long delay. I guess i am not as faithful a blogger as I would like to be. Well, we are currently on vacation and we just got back into town from Amarillo a few days ago. We went to visit Michael's family before school starts in a week. We had a great time!! It was so much fun to see everyone. Check out some pics of the kids below.

Kylia in flight.

Ann Marie and Michael having fun at the park.

Becs, Ava, and Quinton getting ready for bed.

John Aiden shooting me a smile.

Quinton and Darrian chilling at the park.

Well, we are home now and we are on our "staycation". We decided to just take a few more days off work and have some fun in town before we hit the ground running for the fall semester. Thanks for all your advice on classes. I have registered for all the classes, so i will be working full time and taking full time classes, while michael starts his crazy school schedule. We are ready to do this!! Wish us luck.

So, now we are home and enjoying some time off. We had a couples massage today, which was very relaxing. We went to First Chinese BBQ and also hit Pirahna (the best sushi ever!!). We watched Tropic Thunder, which was pretty funny. Tomorrow we are going to see Sheryl Crow and James Blunt in concert. The best part of the vacation is sleeping in and not having anything else to do. Good times all around. This is definitely needed before Fall semester starts. Anyway, I am going to hit the sack. Will write more later.

2008-07-23T19:08:00.002-05:00

School advice please!!

So, here are my two options for next semester. I am not sure which one to choose and would love some feedback.

Option #1: Take the first Statistics course (3 hours), which is a required course and also take a tutorial (3 hours), which is a course I would use to finish the research I have been working on with my professor and would count towards my degree. If I choose to take these 2 classes, I will not really get credit for all the work I did this summer, so that is a big down side. But, on the upside, I don't think I will be too overwhelmed and will be able to focus on my statistics course and definitely finish the research with my professor.

Option #2: Take the first statistics course (3 hours) and the tutorial (3 hours) as above. Also, take a research course in the education department (3 hours), which is also a requirement for the program because we have to take 2 courses outside the school of social work at some point in the program. Also, this course is an online course. Then, if i take all 9 hours, I can be a GRA (which is what i was supposed to be doing over the summer, but ended up not being able to since I wasn't taking enough hours). So by being a GRA, i would also get paid so i would basically be able to cover the cost of one of my classes. The pros to this option are that I would get paid for what I had been working on over the summer and I would get 3 courses said and done with in one semester. The major down side is that i am not sure if it is going to be too much to take on while also working full time and getting used to michael's new school schedule.

so, all that said, any comments and feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

2008-07-17T15:57:00.002-05:00

"let me explain...

No, there is too much, let me sum up" (from the Princess Bride :) So, I have been a blog slacker as of late, I guess I have just been having too much fun. :) Anyway, here is a much needed update.

So, my birthday was great. I got a ton of calls, text messages, emails, myspace and facebook posts. It was so great to hear from everybody. Michael took me to see Sex and the City and out to dinner on friday. we had a great time. then, on saturday, we had a lot of fun spending time with my parents, sis, and gabe. Also the ceiling fan outside has been wonderful. It took some jimmying (sp?) to get it to fit right, but it is up and working now. thanks michael, dad and gabe for all your hard work. Sunday, we spent relaxing and maxing. I did a bit of studying, but not that much considering it was a 3 day weekend. Good times all around.

In other big news, our dishwasher broke. I have been hoping that it would break since we moved in because it is old and we have a home warranty so I wanted to get a new one. well, my wish came true. we had the warranty people come out to check it out and they said it could be fixed, but it is the motor that is broken, so it will cost $260 to fix it. they said they will fix it or just give us that money to put towards a new washing machine. Also, they said we can buy the washing machine through them with their discount and at manufacturers price and they will deliver it to the house. So, after MUCH research, we finally found the dishwasher we wanted and one they had available. So, it is a GE with a stainless steel tub, pretty fancy. so, it sells for about $850 at bestbuy and we got it delivered to the house for $300 out of pocket. what a deal. So, michael and dad installed it this tuesday and it works great. michael and i usually rinse our dishes before we put them in the dishwasher which means we basically clean them before the dishwasher cleans them. So, we took the dishwasher for a trial run last night to see if we don't have to wash our dishes twice and it worked. we had a dish with bbq sauce dried on it and it cleaned it right off. all the dishes look very clean. it is also super quiet. all that hard research work paid off!!

Michael's sister (Lani) and brother (Chris) came into town this week for a few job interviews Lani had. She is trying to move to Dallas, but wants to find a job first. I only got to see them in the evening after work, but it was fun to hang out with them.

On the jackfruit front, when I was visiting my parents on sunday, we had scallops and jackfruit chutney. it was delicious. the first good jackfruit dish. congrats mom and dad!!!! well, my mom took me shopping for clothes on sunday as my birthday gift. we had a great time and i got some really cute new clothes. I am wearing one of the outfits today and i have gotten a million compliments on it today. Thanks, mom and dad.

In school news, it seems that the sociology course i was going to take this fall has changed topics and is no longer related to my dissertation topic, so i have to find a new course to take in the fall. if i cant find another course, i might just stick with doing the statistics course and a tutorial and leave it at that for the fall. i really want to be able to focus on stats without getting too overwhelmed with other courses. I did pick a dissertation committee chair. I asked the professor i have been working on the research with and she said she would be glad to be my chair, so that is great.

One final bit of information, yesterday was Michael and I's 3 year anniversary. 3 wonderful years of marriage. They have definitely been the best 3 years of my life and I am sure there are plenty more where that came from. thank you all for your well wishes on our anniversary. michael sent me beautiful roses at work. i love them. i got him a gift, but haven't given it to him yet, so i cant write what it is in case he is reading. :) also, we are going to the oceanaire on saturday to celebrate. It is this delicious seafood place in dallas, i will keep you posted on how delicious it really is. well, that is all for now.

2008-07-04T10:18:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday...

to me. :) Well, since this is my blog, I get to wish myself a very happy birthday. YEAH!! Thus far my birthday has been fantastic and I am looking forward to more great times this weekend. Thank you all for your wonderful birthday wishes, it means so much.

Also, happy birthday to all my buddies who are born in July, there are a ton of birthdays this month. Love you all!

2008-07-01T15:25:00.003-05:00

The Birthday Week Begins!!

so, not much new to report here except that the birthday fun has started. I love that no matter how old I get, I can always still celebrate my birthday for a week or so. :) Anyway, I have Friday off from work since it is a national holiday along with my birthday. Oh the perks of being born on the 4th of july. :) Well, on Thursday, my coworkers and i are ordering out lunch and having cake to celebrate my birthday. Then, in the evening, michael and i are going to lake arlington to see the fireworks. (my professor said i didn't have to go to class, she is so good to me) Then on Friday, I plan to sleep in, lounge around (maybe swim) and relax during the day. Then, Michael and I are going to go to dinner and maybe even catch a movie or something else totally fun I don't even know about yet. then, Saturday my parents, sis and Gabe are coming over for some lamb and other delicious foods and some good times by the pool. My dad is also going to help us put up a ceiling fan outside so we can be nice and cool during the summer months. Thanks dad. Then, on sunday michael and I are going to continue planning our august vacation and i think i need to get some study time in also. All in all, sounds like a great week. I cant wait!!!!

In other news, it seems you that you have to be registered for 6 hours in the summer in order to be a graduate research assistant (GRA) and since i am only registered for 3 hours, it seems that i am no longer able to be a GRA this summer. It kind of put me in a panic last week when i found out since i have already put so much time in on this research project. But, i talked to the professor i am working with and she said that i could just sign up for a tutorial with her and be a GRA in the fall, so it will all end up working out. She basically said she doesn't really care what semester i do the work. So, now I will get a 3 hour course (the tutorial, which is a class you basically design with a professor of your choice) out of the way and also get paid to be a GRA next semester. so, all in all it worked out pretty well.

The class I am helping teach is going well also. I just finished grading their first set of quizzes. I think I am a pretty tough grader, but I think that is necessary if these students are working towards their master's degrees. I have already received several emails with students protesting certain wrong answers and I have been able to respond back pretty well to help them understand what was incorrect about their answer. I think I am really going to enjoy being a professor.

Other than that, not much is new here. I am still working on the weight loss. Today I am at the lowest weight I have been at since i started this journey. :) i am also running 2.5 miles when i go to the gym which is pretty good, for me. Not much else to report here, hope you all have a great 4th of july.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot the jackfruit update. So, the jackfruit chips did not go so well. I baked them so as to not use all the oil needed to fry them and they came out kind of mushy. If i was willing to fry them, I think they would be delicious. Also, we tried a jackfruit curry dish and it was also not so good. Overall, I am not a big fan of the jackfruit :). But, if you know anyone out there who is, we have two gallon ziploc bags full in the freezer. :) Let me know.

2008-06-21T17:58:00.002-05:00

The Jackfruit

So, as you all know, Michael and I are really into other cultures, but this is how things can go way wrong when you get too adventurous. So, we are at the local asian store we always go to buy some of our staples (dried seaweed, peeled garlic, kimchee, lop chong, etc.) and we see this new fruit we have never seen before. It is marked as a "special" for $1.29 a pound. Almost everyone in the store (mostly Asians) has one if not two of these in their basket. I mean they are going crazy over it. So, we think, why not give it a try, so we buy one. Now, mind you, these are HUGE fruits, so our "special" jackfruit costs us $30, but at that this point, we are already checking out and don't want to return it. :) so, we get home and get on google to find out how to cut this and what to do with it. It ends up it is a big, sticky mess to cut these things up. When you cut into it, it oozes this sticky white stuff that google says people used to use for glue. So, you have to put oil on your hands and on the knife to cut it up. So, we start the task as follows.

The table prep.

The oil prep.

The inside of a jackfruit. The only edible part is the yellow stuff surrounded by all the sticky white stuff. just imagine how fun cleaning this fruit was. :)

The finished product.

Michael rinsing before we put it in ziplocs.

Thank goodness, people of google gave us the forewarning to protect our butcher block from the stickiness. We were able to just wrap all the remains up in the trashbag and throw it out. Overall, it was a very labor intensive process, but we have found some cool recipes already. As I write this, I am trying to make some Jackfruit chips, which everyone online says are delicious. I will keep you posted.

2008-06-15T17:29:00.003-05:00

Father's Day Fun

Dad and I crossing the finish line.

Mom and dad crossing the finish line.

Group photo after the race.

All cleaned up for dinner time.

Well, this weekend was much more fun than last. :) The 5K this weekend was tons of fun. It was so great to run it with my parents. We all did so great and we got some beer and BBQ afterwards. Mmmmm. After the race, we went to the Dallas Arts Festival for a bit. Then, we headed to my parent's house and hung out by the pool. I got my hair cut, then we went out for a nice father's day dinner. overall, it was a very fun day. I will write more later, but enjoy the photos.

2008-06-09T20:26:00.002-05:00

Just take deep breaths

that is what I keep telling myself. So, I spent the entire weekend, I mean the ENTIRE weekend, studying. It was pretty hard to stay focused, but it was worth it. I don't really feel caught up, but I think since I have the research to do every week and the preparation for my Teaching Assistance class each week, the work just starts over every week. All this to say that I have 8 weeks of this craziness left. I am going to try to wake up early and get in an hour of studying before work each day. hopefully that will help me not have to do as much work on the weekends.

In other news, I am teaching my first 3 hour course ever this Thursday. the topic is religious diversity. Here is the lesson plan in a nut shell. I am having a guest speaker come speak about Islam and some of the similarities and differences in relation to Christianity and Judaism. I think this will be so relevant right now in the current political climate in regards to terrorism and such. also, we are going to watch a video on religious diversity in America. then, I am going to attempt to facilitate an open discussion about religious tolerance and acceptance. My goal is to have an open environment free of judgement, but I fear that might be quite challenging, but I am always up for a challenge. :) then, there are a few assignments that we need to go over. hopefully, it will go great. I am really enjoying the students, they are a good group.

Also, my parents, michael and I are doing a 5K this weekend in dallas. It is in support of a local domestic violence shelter in the area. Hopefully I can beat my previous time. :) anyway, i just finished more studying for the evening and i think i am going to reward myself with a cold beer and maybe hitting the sack early. Peace out.

2008-06-04T16:42:00.003-05:00

Overwhelmed

ok...so we all remember that I don't do well with "overwhelmed". I think for the first time in a long time, I might have bit off more than i can chew. At least it is only for 10 weeks. i keep telling myself that anything is doable for 10 weeks. :) so, learning how to teach graduate level courses is very time consuming. i basically have to do everything the class is doing except the major assignments and i also have to be preparing to assist with teaching for each class. It involves a lot of time and mind power. it is a different kind of mental strain because i am having to be creative to figure out how to present information to the students in a way that is fun, interactive and yet passes along what they need to know. also, i am doing 5 hours of research each week in the hopes that the professor i am working with and I can publish a paper at the end of the summer. i think i may have set my sights too high with this goal, but i will keep chugging along and see what happens. we were out of town this weekend for my cousin's high school graduation party, which was tons of fun. congrats rita!!! but, since i was out of pocket all weekend, i spent each night last week, except friday (we had a date night at the new piranha, good times) and each night this week after work studying until about 9 or so. it has been pretty overwhelming and i think my brain has turned to mush. anyway, michael is working all weekend and i have cancelled some fun things i had planned in order to get some much needed work done, so next week is not as tough. i am actually teaching an entire 3 hour course next week on religious diversity so i plan to spend a good portion of my weekend prepping for that class. sorry to vent on here, but just needed to let it all out. thanks for all your well wishes on school and work. all this to say, getting a phd is hard work, but i guess that is to be expected. anyway, i am off to the gym, then home to do more studying.

2008-05-29T20:07:00.002-05:00

Teaching my first Master's Course...

went great!!! I don't have a lot of time to write, it has been a very long and busy day, but I just wanted to let you all know that my first day teaching was wonderful. All I did was go over the syllabus and some assignments and answer any questions the students had, but it was still super. I had several students stay after class to ask me questions about the master's program, the phd program, hospital social work and program development. I felt like the expert on everything social work. :) anyway, all that to say, i think this teaching thing is definitely for me. Good times ahead.

By the way, the 5K this weekend was great. Michael actually placed 2nd in his age group for the 10K. That is so great for his first race. I placed like 30th in my age group, but at least i ran it. :) Anyway, I am out. Time for some relaxing.

2008-05-25T17:26:00.004-05:00

We are back home...

Michael and I in Paris, Las Vegas :)

The men ready to hit the town

The Bellagio water fountain. It follows whatever song is playing and the jets shoot the water up way high. I could watch it all day. :)

Michael and I in Rome, Las Vegas.

mom and dad having WAY too much fun!!

No comment necessary

The bunch of us before dinner.

The ladies ready to hit the town.

Me and my dolphins at the Mirage.

So, our trip to Vegas was tons of fun. We had a great time hanging out with the family and celebrating Nadia's birthday. I played tons of slot machines and actually won $50. :) Some of my favorite things were the wonderful restaurants full of amazing food. I had the best crab legs I have ever had. They were so delicious. Also, I loved the Bellagio fountain. I think the Bellagio was my favorite hotel. It was so classy and chic. I also really loved La Reve. It was a fantastic show. Now, I have seen several Cirque du Soleil shows, but this was way better. It was all the same kind of acrobatics and such, but it was set over an aquatic stage, so half the show was done in the air and the rest in the water. it was truly amazing!! My favorite slot machines were Lobster Mania and Jackpot Party. Good times. It was really fun to spend time with my family. i also really enjoyed seeing all the hotels. Everything there is just so extraordinary. Michael and I spent more of our free time with my parents. We seem to have similar interests and bed times. :) my brother and his wife, and my sister spent more time together as they like to party and stay out late. It all worked out very well in that we all had someone to hang out with and spend time with. The major things I don't like about vegas are the constant smoke smell, the men on the street that flick the naked women cards at you, and just the crazy amount of drunk people everywhere. i don't think michael and I will go back to vegas unless we are in a group. I am sure we will not take a vacation there, just the two of us. Overall though, it was a fantastic vacation. we all really had a great time.

my week at work has been very busy, i had a bunch of overtime this week because there was so much to take care of when i returned from vacation. but, that is done and now i am in the middle of a great 3 day weekend. i did a ton of shopping yesterday and bought some new cross training shoes. they are amazing. i went running in them this morning and it made such a difference to have good shoes. i also got a new swim suit since my old ones don't fit at all anymore since i have lost all that weight. :) i also bought a few capri pants and some new tops. I feel like I am constantly buying new clothes now since none of my old stuff fits anymore. it is like starting my wardrobe completely over, but i guess it is worth it. :) so, for memorial day, michael and i signed up to run a race in arlington. I am running the 5K (3.18 miles) and michael is running the 10K (a little over 6 miles). Michael is training for a half marathon, so this is a stepping stone. It is early tomorrow morning, but i am really looking forward to it. i never thought i would be running a race. good times. we are also having a few people over tomorrow for some grilling and lounging in the pool.

Summer school starts this week. I am actually teaching the first day of the class I am doing my teaching practicum on since my teacher is going to be out of town for a conference. i am really looking forward to it. also, i am starting my 5 hours a week of research. it will be a lot of stuff, but it will all fall into place. anyway, i am off, have a great memorial day everyone.

2008-05-14T18:37:00.003-05:00

As tough as writing is...

I guess I am not that bad at it. So, for some reason this week has been a bit tougher than usual. It should be the opposite since I am going on vacation tomorrow, but I guess I am just feeling overwhelmed with getting ready for school in the Fall for Michael and I and finishing up this semester and starting summer school while also trying to plan 2 vacations. Anyway, all that to say, it has been a tough week, but all that is about to change since we are going to Vegas tomorrow. All i have left to do is pack. YEAH!!

Anyway, about the title of my post, when I turned in my final paper for my policy class, I gave my professor a self addressed stamped manila envelope to mail it back to me when she graded it. Well, I got the paper in the mail today (perfect timing since i wasn't feeling so great) and I got an A +, which means I got an A in the course. But, the best part is that my professor wrote at the end of my paper "this is a great paper - one of the best I have ever had for this class! Could I have a copy to keep as an example?" How great is that? It is always so nice to get positive feedback, but that is some really good praise. There are few times during these past 2 semesters where I have felt very overwhelmed and thought it may be too much for me to get my Phd while working full time, but then I get feedback like this and it reminds me that I can really do this. Every one has talents and I am slowly realizing that I am a very good writer. I enjoy doing it, especially in relation to topics that interest me. Anyway, enough self praise for one post. I just wanted to let you all in on my good news.

Anyway, I am really looking forward to getting out of town and having a great time in sin city with my family. Good times ahead.

2008-05-07T08:29:00.002-05:00

Yeah for the internet...

Just wanted to let you all know that I just got an A in one of my courses for this semester. I know I shouldn't know that yet, since class just finished this past Monday, but thanks to webct where our professor can email us and post our grades, i already know my final grade. YEAH!! have a great day everyone. today is hump day, the middle of the week.

2008-05-06T15:40:00.002-05:00

Another semester down

Well, yesterday was my last class day for this semester. YEAH!! here's to 3 weeks of freedom. Today, I am leaving work and going straight home (after I stop by the tailor to pick up my new pants :). I am not going to a 3 hour class after working an 8 hour day. that sounds so nice. I am going to go home, play on my computer, possibly go for a jog, maybe even take a nap. good times ahead.

I am looking forward to the next couple of weeks. there is a party, a wedding, my sister's 21st birthday, mother's day, and a trip to Vegas. that's a lot to do in 2 weeks, but i am ready to hit the ground running.

well, my classes this semester went well. The PhD program has been harder than i imagined it would be, but I just keep telling myself to take it one paper at a time. :) my professors this semester gave me a lot of information about what it is like to be a professor. It seems like you are always working towards something, which is ok with me. I like to have a goal or direction for my work. basically after you get your PhD and are hired as a tenure track professor somewhere, you have 6 years to work towards getting tenure. most universities require quite a bit in order to get tenure (which means they cant fire you). it sounds like you have to work pretty darn hard during those first 6 years to get tenure and then if you get tenure, you spend the next 6 or so years working towards becoming a senior professor. it sounds like academia is very flexible as far as the whole 9-5 thing goes, but it also seems like you have to have a lot of personal discipline to continue researching and writing in order to get things published because no one is looking over your shoulder and setting deadlines for you. Some of what they said made me feel a bit overwhelmed, but I will just keep chugging along and see what I decide to do with my PhD when i finally do get it.

I am looking forward to my summer courses. i am actually teaching the third class during my summer course. the course is human behavior and diverse populations and i am teaching the class on religious diversity. I think it will be a fun class to teach. I am thinking i might get a guest speaker. I will see.

other than that, i am still doing pretty good on the weight loss. I have lost a total of about 35 pounds now. I am learning all kinds of new weight watchers recipes. also, we are trying to eat more fish, so i am eating this crusted tillapia from costco and it is not too bad.

other fun news, michael, gabe and i had a battlestar gallactica marathon this weekend. i know it sounds crazy, but michael and i started watching it in morocco because we ran out of other stuff to watch. well, we missed the third season and now they are into the fourth, so we wanted to catch up. we watched it all weekend and now have a few more episodes left. good times. it reminds me of the lord of the rings marathon from morocco times.

well, that is all i can think of right now. keep sending us ideas about where to vacation. we are not looking to spend a lot of money, but we want to have some r and r. Let me know if you have any ideas.

2008-04-25T16:18:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the delay...

well, the end of the semester is always tons of fun. :) My classes have been keeping me quite busy. Work also hasn't given me a break either. But, that is the way it goes. anyway, I basically have 3 more class days left. One of my classes will be over next week and the other goes into the first week of May. I have a massive paper left to complete and a few smaller assignments in my other class. I also have meetings next week with each of the two professors i will be working with over the summer. it turns out that the professor that i will be doing research with has hired me as a GRA (Graduate Research Assistant) and I will be making about $15 per hour. Not bad for something i was going to do for free. :) I cannot wait for my 3 week break between this semester and summer semester. good times.

well, during my 3 week break from school, we have 2 weddings to attend, my sister's birthday, mother's day and a family trip to Vegas. should be a very fun 2 weeks. I cant wait. I am really looking forward to our trip to Vegas. I haven't been in so long.

Ok, I need some advice. Michael and I are planning a trip in August after my summer classes finish and before we both head back to school for the fall. I think Michael will basically fall off the face of the earth when he starts school, so we wanted to take one last vacation before he starts. :) We are going to visit Amarillo for a few days and maybe head up to Oklahoma to visit michael's sister and her family, then we want to take a few days on our own so we can have some alone time before the chaos begins. I would love any ideas of great travel spots. We are very flexible, very open to new ideas and love trying all kinds of fun stuff. Let me know what you all think.

Ok, so as far as TV shows go, I am so, so, so glad that Ali won the biggest loser. She is crazy great when it comes to weight loss. She is such an inspiration. She not only lost 112 pounds, but she also is really buff now. she has become an athlete. I love it. lost and grey's anatomy are starting back up now, so that is great. we are also trying to catch up on last season's battlestar gallactica so we can start watching the new shows airing now. Also, top chef is back on. I really love that show. God love the dvr. I don't even remember how i used to watch tv without it. I cant remember the last time i watched a commercial because we just get to fast forward through them all.

oh yeah, more about the bon jovi concert. It was amazing. they put on a fantastic show. their live performances are almost better than their albums. Even though they have been around for so long, the american airlines center was completely sold out and they really put on an amazing show for their fans. michael got a video on our camera of my rocking out to jbj. it was a great night. It was so worth missing class and leaving work early. if you cant take time off work and school for bon jovi, what are you going to take time off for? :)

anyway, i am off to enjoy another weekend. we are going to hang out with my parents on saturday, then a day full of paper writing on sunday. good times. have a great weekend everyone.

2008-04-16T08:24:00.003-05:00

JBJ!!

In one word: AMAZING!!

For those of you that dont know, JBJ stands for Jon Bon Jovi. I dont have a lot of time, i will post more later, but the concert was perfect. Talk more soon.

2008-04-11T15:15:00.002-05:00

End of the semester fun...

It is so crazy to be working and going to school. I know this is how I got my master's degree also, so I should be used to it, but it is just 2 totally different worlds. Work goes by weeks, Monday thru Friday. The weekend comes and it is supposed to be bliss. But, school goes by semesters and the weekends are full of studying. People at work talk about all the fun they will have on their vacations or at the end of the day when they are off work. In school, classmates talk about how much fun they will have during summer break or when they are not in class. It is such a unique mix of perspectives.

Anyway, life is good, busy, but good. Major news here is the Bon Jovi concert on Monday night. So, Bon Jovi is my all time favorite musician, singer, rockstar, well, basically, a legend is what he is. :) anyway, michael, my friend (jen), and I are going to see bon jovi monday night and I cannot wait!! I have already decided which outfit I am going to wear. i can not wait to rock out. All you Bon Jovi fans out there who are not going to be able to make the concert, I will be sending rocking vibes your way.

The Ipod shuffles have come in very handy. It is quite nice to be able to run without the big ipod strapped to my arm. They are so small and compact that it has really been helpful when working out. Thanks, dad, for getting us started with the first one.

Michael and I went to the Take Back the Night rally at the university yesterday. Take Back the Night is a rally that happens on college campuses every year in April (April is national sexual assault awareness month). The Take Back the Night rally is a rally that is meant for people to come together and stand up against sexual violence. This is the 2nd rally that has been put on at UTA. It wasn't as well organized as the ones in Austin (I am sure I am partial since i helped organize those :), but it is definitely a great start for UTA. I think that along with the new Sexual Assault Response Team on campus, UTA is well on its way to providing the necessary services for survivors of sexual violence. I am really looking forward to working with these new programs and possibly even collecting data from them to use in my dissertation.

I met with a professor at school who has very similar research interests as myself last week and asked her if i could work with her this summer on some research. I said I would volunteer to help out just to get my feet wet. She actually said that she has some funds available and would be willing to pay me a little. So, i get to work with her, get paid, and do research in an area of social work that is very near and dear to my heart. This might even lead to a publishable article. Good times.

Well, michael returned from amarillo safe and sound. Him and his brother had a great time backpacking. they got some great pictures. He also really enjoyed spending his last day there with his family. We are planning a trip in august to go visit everyone before michael starts his classes. I cant wait. i really miss everyone in amarillo.

Well, the next couple of weeks are basically full of a lot of studying. The end of the semester is always a very busy time of year. I am looking forward to finishing this semester. The summer will be very busy, but it will be different since i will be doing research and a teaching practicum. it wont be just regular class work.

Well, that is all i have right now.

2008-04-04T16:13:00.003-05:00

Since we got back...

we have been quite busy. here are some of the highlights. My brother and his wife closed on a new home in Austin. They are moving in and getting settled now. We are so happy for them and can't wait to visit. We also helped one of my mom's friends, Lucy, celebrate her 60th birthday with a surprise party. It was nice to be able to help her celebrate such a special birthday. I got invited to attend an academic excellence recognition ceremony at school. I am not quite sure why i got selected, but why not. I got my nails done, which was quite nice. I don't get to pamper often. :)

Now, we are getting Michael ready to start school in August. He just ordered his new laptop computer. YEAH!! We have also filled out all our loan information. So, we are waiting on all that to come so we can decide how much we each need to take out. I have been told that the American way is to be in debt and I feel that we are definitely fulfilling that role very well. :)

We also bought an ipod shuffle. Here is the story. So, my mom and dad walk for exercise each morning. one day my dad kicked this ipod shuffle while they were walking. he almost kept walking and then realized that it may be something cool. so, he picked it up and passed it along to me. we could not use it since we did not have the charger, so we bought a shuffle for ourselves (it comes with a charger) and now we have two. :) i think they are going to be great for jogging. jogging with the big ipod strapped to my arm is not so fun. i am really looking forward to using it.

other than that, i have talked with a bunch of professors to find out which classes to take in the summer and fall. I have decided to take a teaching practicum for the summer. so i will be working with a professor helping her to teach her summer course. I will actually get to teach part of the class, help with grading and develop new lesson plans while she helps me all along the way. this is a requirement if you want to teach during your phd work. i think it will be so helpful to actually get to practice teaching with a professor before being on my own. once i finish this course, I will be able to teach bachelors level courses on my own. During the fall, i plan to take my first statistics course and a gender and society course in the sociology department. we have to take 2 courses outside the school of social work during the program, so this will be my first.

Micheal is heading to amarillo on sunday to go backpacking with his brother. I am going to spend all day sunday studying. the end of the semester is just so much fun. anyway, i am off. i will write more soon.

2008-03-25T18:34:00.013-05:00

We're back...

And we have been back for a week now and I am just getting around to blogging. I am a pretty pathetic blog updater compared to some of my blog buddies, but here it is. I am going to try to put some pics on here for the first time, so wish me luck. :)

So, the trip was good and not so good all at the same time. The drive out there was fine. We listened to some audio cd's like "I am America and So Can You" by Robert Colbert. It was pretty funny. I really enjoy his comedy. Our visit with Michael's Grandmother was tons of fun. We really enjoyed her company and her cooking. My two favorite things were her homemade bread and her delicious chicken soup. Mmmmm. Then, we headed onto Cosby, Tennessee where our trail began. We got all our gear together and started our journey up the mountain. Many hours later, we get up to the top of the mountain and begin the last part of trail for the day (1.5 miles) down to our first campsite. So, during most of our hike up, it was raining. I mean really raining. We stopped for a quick lunch and ate some delicious sandwiches that Michael's grandmother made for us. so, on our way down the 1.5 miles to our site, it stopped raining for a bit and it was a nice break. then, we got to our site and the rain started again. we put up a tarp and cooked some soup in order to get something warm in our stomachs. Then, we set up the tent (on a slope, might I add). so, it is cold and rainy and we decide the best place for us is in our tent. So, we get in our tent to get out of the rain and we notice that the tent is on a slope and we are having a very hard time sleeping without sliding to the bottom of the tent. so, we spend the entire night basically pulling our bodies upward as not to lean on the tent so as not to get wet, since it rained all night long. so, we make it through the night and get all packed up in the morning and make a decision to go back down the mountain instead of to our next campsite due to the rain and our tired legs (from hiking and sleeping on a slope). :) we hike down the mountain and basically as we get closer to the car, we are basically willing our legs to keep walking. we were both so sore, it was crazy. overall, we hiked about 13 miles. we made it to the car, got all cleaned up and started our drive home. we stopped for the night a bit outside of little rock and then drove home the next day. Michael actually drove the entire trip. He is so great. we made it home a day early which was actually kind of nice. we had an extra day to clean all the gear and let our tired sore muscles rest up. The trip sounds like it might not have been so much fun, but regardless, I am so glad we went. It was nice to spend some time in nature with Michael.

we had to finish out the work week, but we did get to spend our evenings with michael's sister, becs and her family. it was really nice to see them and hang out. good times. Their little boy, john aiden, is so freakin adorable. he was sick the last day they were in town and it was so sad to see him so sick.

This past weekend, we celebrated my mom's birthday and easter on saturday with my parents and sister. we went to a new sushi place in plano for my mom's birthday. it was quite delicious. also, we colored the easter eggs and michael won the egg breaking tradition. also, we closed the evening with a great game of poker, which michael won also. What a lucky guy.

Also, on saturday, my mom, sis, and I went shopping for a new dress for me. I actually found 2 new dresses that looked great on me, if i do say so myself. it was a good time all around.

Here are the pics as promised.

Michael and his grandmother, Kathy

Us after our night in the sloping tent

The Smoky Moutains

Me at the beginning of the trailMichael is all his rain gear

Our frosty trip down the mountain

2008-03-04T16:20:00.002-06:00

We are going backpacking!!

I know it is still a week away, but we are both so excited. I can't wait to have some time hanging out in nature, just michael and I. I am also really looking forward to seeing how my weight loss will affect how well i can hack it on the trails. :) so, some big news in my world is that i bought some new tops this weekend. I actually bought several "smalls" and even 2 "extra small" tops. I can't even believe it. It was so exciting. I never thought in the whole wide world that I would ever have an extra small that would fit. YEAH!! thanks, mom, for going shopping with me.

what else...well, we had some dinner events last week. we went to pf chang's with my parents to celebrate my dad's birthday. It was a really nice time. I haven't been to pf chang's in a very, very long time, so i forgot how great their food is. I really liked what my dad ordered. He got eggplant in this delicious sauce. It was so freaking good. they also have these cute little shot glass deserts. You can each pick your own kind of desert and they bring it in this little shot glass, so it saves on calories and everyone gets their own choice.

Also, michael and i tried this indian restaurant last week in arlington. everyone says it is supposed to be so delicious, so we thought we would check it out. it was actually really good. there were several items i really enjoyed. the chicken tikki masala (which chef gordon ramsey says is the most ordered take out item in britain) was delicious!! also, the raita, which is a yogurt type soup and the naan (bread) with garlic were so good. overall, it was quite a great experience. we will definitely go back there.

Also, I got a call this weekend from my cousin, bassam, who has recently moved to saudia arabia from lebanon for a job with a lebanese bank there. It was so great to hear from him. he sounds like he is doing very well and is enjoying his time in saudi.

other than that, school is still going well and work is still work. I think this backpacking trip and a visit with michael's grandmother are much needed at this time. i can really handle a vacation. good times ahead.

2008-02-21T11:08:00.002-06:00

My first meetup...

and it was a blast!! I attended my first meetup with the Girls Night Out Social Meetup Group at the Times Ten Wine Cellar in Dallas yesterday and I had great time. It was so nice to meet young women with similar interests and ideas. I had a really great time meeting everyone and talking. The wine there was also really great. It was really great to get to know the girls and what they are doing in life. Also, one of the girls and her husband have started a couples meetup that I joined. I am looking forward to getting out with Michael and making some new couples friends. One thing I will say is that I was a bit nervous before meeting everyone, but I am so glad that I took this step and went. It was a really great time and I am looking forward to the next meetup. Anyway, that is all for now.

2008-02-13T15:42:00.002-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day...

a day early. :) Well, I havent posted in quite some time. I guess things just get away from me with school and work...and life. I want to start by wishing you all a very Happy Valentine's Day. I know they say Valentine's Day is a day to show your love to your significant other, but I think it is a day to show your love for all those important people in your lives. I think life gets away from me sometimes, so I don't really tell the important people in my life how important they really are. So, I hope you all have a great Valentine's Day. Know that someone really cares about you...me. :)

So, we made a decision about school for Michael. We are going to do it!! Yeah. I am so proud of him. It is a big accomplishment to get into the program and I am sure he will do so great. It will definitley be a very challenging couple of years, but what can I say, we lived in Morocco as newlyweds, so this can't be that bad. :)

News...let's see...Michael's brother and cousins came to stay with us a few weeks ago for a concert in Dallas. We didnt get to spend tons of time with them since we had to work, but it was nice to have them over. What else...Oh yeah, i hit my 25 pound weight loss goal. I have actually lost 28. 6 pounds thus far. It feels so great. I am hoping to have lost 35 pounds by the time we go on our backpacking trip in March. I think I can really do it. Wish me luck.

so, Michael and I are planning our March trip. We are going to stay with his grandmother in Tennessee for a few days and then head over the Smoky Mountains National Park for some backpacking fun. I can't wait to spend some time just hiking and chatting and sleeping under the stars. I think it will be even more fun this time since i am in much better shape.

School...well, school is going well. My classes are interesting, but I am not feeling quite motivated yet, which is not so good since i am a good chunk into the semester. I have some serious studying to do this weekend. I feel like no matter what I do, I am always behind on something in class. Oh well... yesterday in class, we talked about how we would set up the world if we could do whatever we wanted, but we didnt know who we would be in the world. for example, we wouldnt know if we would be male or female, fat or skinny, abled or a person with disabilites, old or young, homeless or not, criminal or not, rich or poor. so, we had to make a decision about what kinds of services and divisions we would want, but we didnt know where we would fall when it came to those services and divisions. It was really interesting. As a class of PhD social work students, we, of course, came up with an equal division of just about everything, which was not surprising. anyway, it was an interesting discussion that got me thinking, so that is good.

Well, since Michael will be moving away in a year or so and I havent made many new friends since moving home from Morocco. I joined a website called meetup.com where you can find other people in your area who are interested in similar things and "meetup". I joined a girls night out group and they have a ton of events scheduled. I am going to a wine tasting meetup next week and then michael and i are going to the glass cactus for a group meetup next saturday. I am really excited about meeting other professional women in the area and hopefully making some new friends. :) there is also a board game meetup and i think michael and i are going to join that one. it sounds like some good times.

well, this weekend, we have dinner plans with gabe and his girlfriend, natalie, at (take a guess), yeah Pirahna. then, Michael and I are celebrating Valentine's Day on Saturday by heading up to Zorba's for some delicious greek food and then to a movie (with my free movie tickets!!). michael has already decided what he is eating at zorba's. That is how much we miss it. Next weekend, we are going to the glass cactus on saturday and the W hotel to hit the Ghost Bar with my parents for my dad's birthday. Good times ahead.

I do want to send a shout out to my hard working husband. He has worked 9 days out of the past 10. Now, that might not sound too bad, but he works 12 hour shifts. My goodness...he is such a hard worker. We are trying to save some money to pay for an extra apartment while he is in school. :) just teasing, we are really actually just trying to save for school in general, since we will only have my salary to support us. oh the salary of a social worker, but like people tell me, I dont need to get paid the big bucks because i get to feel good everyday as a social worker. :) blah, blah, blah. sometime the big bucks help me feel good too. just teasing again. anyway, i am just rambling. talk to you all soon.

2008-01-29T19:57:00.000-06:00

January is almost over

I can't believe that it is already the end of January. This month has flown by. Well, classes are off to a running start. I have already been busy reading, collecting articles, and studying. For my qualitative class, we met at the suicide and crisis center in the area because we are doing a project with them this semester. It was such a great non-profit organization. They have over 150 volunteers and and an excellent 24 hour/7 day a week crisis line. I worked at a non-profit for 3 years that I loved and I will say this place really impressed me as far as non-profits go. I guess there is funding out there for crisis centers. I always found that it was much more challenging to get funding for a rape crisis center. anyway, hopefully that will change someday.

In other news, Michael got into one of the programs he applied to. He was put on the alternate list for a Fort Worth clinical placement in the other program. It was a very bitter sweet acceptance. His clinical site is in Alexandria, Louisiana. So, what that means is that he will do his first 2 semesters of classes starting this August in Fort Worth, then he will have to move to Alexandria and work at the hospital there for the next 1.5 years for his clinical rotations. So, that means we will be in a long distance relationship for that 1.5 years. I would move out there also, but since i am in school and we have a house here, that is not an option. at first, i was pretty against this whole idea, but if this is what we really want for the future, this is the time to do it. So, we are still discussing it. We have until next week to make a decision, so any advice would be helpful.

in other great news, a few things at work are going well. First off, I will have a printer in my office by next month. YEAH!!! As of now, anytime i want to print something, I have to go upstairs to the big social service office or print it on one of my floors. Now, I will have my very own printer in my very own office. it doesn't get better than that. also, i met with the OB docs this week and through much persuasion, we have come to a great decision regarding drug screens on pregnant women. I cant go into too much here, but if you want to know more, email me. :) all that to say, things are not perfect at work, i still have a lot of adult patients, but there are some other things going well.

Well, I will write more soon. I am off.

2008-01-16T13:05:00.000-06:00

Back to school, back to school

well, classes started this week. After attending my classes this week, I am actually looking forward to what is to come. One of my classes is a qualitative research course taught by a new professor who has had her phd for 3 years, so she is very motivated and energetic. the course seems very interesting and very hands on. we are going to be doing a qualitative research project as a class with a suicide crisis center in the area. i think it will be a great learning experience. I think i might even do some of my dissertation qualitatively. my other class is a social policy class. The professor is a seasoned professor, but policy seems to be her passion, so i am looking forward to learning a lot from her. I don't know as much about policy as i would like, so I am hoping to get a good knowledge base about how policy really affects my area of interest. all that to say, hopefully this semester will go well.

michael and I really enjoyed our 3 days off together. it was a nice mix of relaxation, fun times and some productivity. we slept in, watched a lot of movies, cooked some good food, bought a new board game, played the new board game, lounged around and spent a good deal of time organizing all the closets in our house. it seems that over this past year, we have just put stuff in closets when we didn't know where it should go. so, now we know what is in each closet and we have a ton of stuff we are ready to give away. :) we also organized and set up michael's new tool chest in the garage. it looks pretty great. so, new year's cleaning went very well.

michael had both his interviews for the CRNA programs over the past 2 weeks. he thinks they both went well, so keep your fingers crossed. we should find out in February sometime. I might also add he bought a TCU purple tie for his TCU interview and he looked quite smashing with his purple tie and black suit. Looking that good, I cant imagine they wont accept him. :) Good times.

Well, to continue to keep you posted on my weight loss, I worked out really hard this week and wrote down every single thing I ate and i lost 4.6 pounds. that is the most i have ever lost in one week. it was so exciting and fulfilling to know that if i just work at, i can really lose the weight. michael and i are planning a trip to visit his grandmother in Tennessee in march and then continue on to the smoky mountains national park for some backpacking fun. my goal is to have lost 20 more pounds by then so that i can keep up with my athletic, energetic husband. :)

well, overall life is good. i am sad to say the holidays are over, which means much less time with family and friends. but i am also glad to be in the swing of things again with a regular schedule. this friday, we are going to my parents for dinner after work since my brother and his wife will be in town. then, saturday, i am meeting up with jen to head to the texas sculpture garden in frisco. i really enjoy sculptures, so hopefully this exhibit will be good. anyway, hope you are all well and getting back into the swing of things yourselves.

2008-01-04T15:49:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year!!

Ok, I know it has been way too long since my last post, but here I am now to tell you all about how the holidays went. Well, Christmas was tons of fun. Our new menu this year was delicious and we had a great time hanging out with my sis and parents. We did miss my brother and his wife, but my parents and sis got to go to austin this past weekend and celebrate with them. I got many wonderful gifts this year. Some examples are 2 beautiful dress watches (I didnt have any and now I have 2, yeah!!), a nice new coat (I only had one before that was too big and had been to morocco and back, so i am glad to have a nice new fashionable one now), The biggest loser workout dvd's (i started using them this week and I love them even more than the first one), and many more great things.

We got to see many good friends and family over the holidays. my good friend, will, who lives in germany stayed with us for a few days and we had a great time. also, michael's sister and her family stayed with us for a few days and we spent 2 full days playing some wonderful board games. we had a blast. Also, miriam and larry (a good friend and her husband from UTA) stayed with us one night. We went out to piranha for some killer sushi!! We also got to spend some good times with my sister and parents. Overall the holidays were great!!

We actually stayed in this new years eve. We had a very relaxing and perfect new years eve. I felt kind of boring for not going out, but neither one of us wanted to, so it was exactly right for us. We had some champagne, watched a movie, talked, and just had a nice relaxing evening to ring in the new year. Good times.

well, things are getting back to normal after the holidays. I gained a little under 3 pounds over the holidays, so I am back on track now. I am watching what i eat again and working out daily, so I can start losing again. I still have quite a bit of weight I want to lose. :)

Michael and I are both taking off monday for some R& R. We havent had 3 days off together in a very long time. We were going to take a short vacation, but we decided to stay home and just relax and take it easy for a few days. I am very excited.

Michael has his interviews at the 2 schools he applied at for the CRNA program this week and next. One was this past thursday and he thinks it went really well. I am not surprised at all. :) his next one is next thursday, so send good thoughts his way. my classes start back up on january 14, so i plan to enjoy my last few weeks with no classwork. well, i am off. i will try and post more often. hope you all had great holidays.

2007-12-19T19:10:00.000-06:00

Yeah for Christmas time!!!

well, we are less than a week away from christmas and I can't wait. I have 2 more days of work and then a 4 day weekend full of christmas fun, catching up with old friends, and hopefully some relaxing. This week at work hasn't been that bad. There were some big changes that took place on monday, but i am rolling with it and hoping for the best. the prospect of 4 days off is making it much easier to roll with it. :)

I have enjoyed my break from school thus far. I have been able to get some major things done around the house and also get my x-mas shopping taken care of. It has been nice to have some time to take care of things besides school. :) speaking of school, i will officially get my grades tomorrow, but my professors emailed me and they said that I got A's in both classes. I will confirm that tomorrow morning. :)

Well, I lost 1.8 pounds last week, so I am at my lowest weight yet since starting weight watchers. it is a great feeling right before the holidays. I am hoping to keep paying attention and maintain during the next 2 holiday weeks.

Well, i am at home now waiting to pick up Will at the train station. He is taking it in from plano. I am so excited to get to hang out with him this week. he is going to spend tonight and tomorrow night and I cant wait to catch up. we haven't seen him in 1 year. that is a long time. :) also, miriam and chris are going to be in town for christmas, so we are going to get to hang out with them also. best of all, my sis is going to be in town for a few weeks also, so we will get to catch up. I cant wait to hang out with everyone. Good times ahead!!

we are also planning a new christmas meal menu this year. thus far, it includes a crown of lamb (which looks pretty great), a stuffed roast, some vegetable sides (like roasted brussel sprouts or broccoli with garlic butter and cashews), some corn casserole, stuffing, a pumpkin roll, the buche de noel and much more. my parents are going to cook some of the meal and michael and I are going to cook part also. I think it will be tons of fun. I am really looking forward to it. christmas time is so much fun!!

anyway, i am just rambling now. hope you are all well. thank you all for the christmas cards. I love them all. I look forward to getting the mail every day so that i can see the cards. :) merry christmas everyone.

2007-12-06T11:39:00.000-06:00

1 semester down...

and a whole lot to go. :) well, my last day of class for my first semester in PhD school was on Tuesday. I turned in my last paper and filled out my last evaluation for this semester. It feels so great not to have class anymore. It feels like I don't have ten thousand things that i should be working on. I do have some projects I want to work on during this month break, but if I don't get them done, it wont be like not finishing a paper. :) anyway, i think and hope i did ok this semester. I will let you know when i get my grades.

work is still work. still making major changes. One of my coworkers who has worked at the hospital for 20 years has given her 2 weeks notice. crazy. lots of changes, but we will see how it all plays out.

michael and i got our christmas cards made last weekend. they look really great and I am starting to work on getting the envelopes addressed and sent out. wish me luck. we also have started our christmas shopping. I am not sure what i am getting everyone yet, but at least i have started looking.

michael and I both have this weekend off, which has not happened in a very long time. we are looking forward to some relaxing time together and hope to get a lot of shopping done at the same time. :)

other than all that, all is well. i am looking forward to having a four days off at christmas time. i am also looking forward to christmas, i really love this time of year. i am glad to be back in the states for christmas. we got our christmas tree up and put up some lights in front of the house and it looks so festive. i am off.

2007-11-29T14:53:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving fun!!

sorry for the delay on posting, I think the end of the semester has got me quite busy. :) well, thanksgiving was a lot of fun. It was so nice to spend some time with family and friends. The company was great and the food was delicious. It was really great to spend some time with Najwa and the kids. They helped us decorate our Christmas tree, which was tons of fun. Our house looks all cute and christmassy. :)

well, i took a final this monday and did great (94%), so I just have 2 more papers left and then I am done with my first semester of PhD school. I am almost finished with one of the papers and plan to finish the other one on sunday. I am hoping to be able to work on them a bit tonight, while michael watches the cowboys game. Hopefully, I have enough energy. I find it is very challenging to get home from work and then begin working on papers and such. I am determined to stay motivated because if i can get part of the papers done tonight, that will give me some time to go shopping on sunday. :)

well, michael got some great news. He received an interview for the nurse anesthetist program at TCU (the one he wants to go to). The interviews are for early january, so he has started studying a bit so he will be ready. I am so excited for him. This is a big step in the interview process. Other than that, life is good. Work is ok, but what more can i say about that. i am looking forward to christmas. It is so nice to be home in the states and in our own home for christmas. We drew names this year from christmas and i drew my sister's name and michael drew elizabeth's (my brother's wife) name. I think it will be fun to shop for them and not to have to shop for a ton of people. we are trying to find some time to take a picture for our holiday cards, so hopefully we will be able to do that this weekend.

well, nothing really new to report. I am really excited about having a month off between semesters. I don't start class again until january 14. thank goodness for that. Also, my sis will be home for part of that break, so we will be able to hang out and have some fun. maybe she can help me go shopping, she is really good at finding cool clothes. well, i am off. hope you are all well and that your thanksgivings were great.

2007-11-16T16:42:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday!!

I just wanted to wish everyone a very happy Friday. This has been a long week, but no matter how bad a week is, Friday at 5 can never be beat. What a great feeling? :) Have a great weekend everyone.

2007-11-13T16:11:00.000-06:00

It is almost Turkey Day!!

I can't believe that Thanksgiving is next week. I am so excited to get a day off from work and spend some relaxing time with family. Also, i can't stop thinking about all the delicious food we are going to have. I am going to make the sweet potato casserole this year. I found a recipe in one of my Cooking Light magazines and it sounds quite good. unfortunately, michael is working on thanksgiving, but he will join us after work. On a better note, he is off for christmas, which will be nice.

well, life at work is going ok. After a week full of meetings, we have some new added responsibilities. I guess things aren't always fair, but you go with the flow until you just can't handle the flow anymore. i hope that makes sense.

School is kicking my butt. I guess I just never thought it would be quite this hard. I have been doing well thus far, but I did just get an 80 on a paper. But, it was a type of paper i had not written before. We have one similar due in a few weeks and I think I have learned more about what she is looking for, so hopefully i will do better on the next one. I think it just makes for very long days and weeks with both work and school. I feel like there is constantly something i can be working on. I have been trying to find some time to have fun and relax. We are going to six flags this weekend because our work is giving us free tickets. That should be a fun day full of no thoughts of work or school. :)

Other than that, michael and I decided we are going to take a short vacation at the beginning of january between semesters. we dont want to do anything crazy, just something small and low key to get some time to relax away from all of life's business. :)

On another bright note, I bought some new pants this weekend and they are 2 sizes smaller than what i was wearing before i started weight watchers. YEAH!! anyway, i am off.

2007-11-02T10:32:00.000-05:00

Well, there is a first for everything

I have a tough patient at work today. To make a very long story short, she is refusing to have a c-section based on her faith. It is not for sure that a c-section will be necessary, but her baby is
very high risk, so it is a possibility. This is the first time in my hospital social work career that an order has been written in the chart stating that there cannot be a social worker in her room until after delivery. I guess I really made her angry (or she is a bit crazy), (I think it is the latter), so she asked the doctor to not let a social worker talk to her until after the baby is born. :) How crazy is that? anyway, since i am not here over the weekend, i am going to have to pass this case along to the ER social worker. I am not happy about this because I would really like to finish talking with her to ensure the safety of that baby. Anyway, that is life. No one ever told me being a social worker would be easy or fun all the time.

Well, Halloween came and went. We had a few trick or treaters at our house, but not that many. we have a ton of candy left over for our party this weekend. we did carve a very cute pumpkin. it is ghost and beneath the ghost it says, Boo!. it is very cute. well, i have mixed feelings about this weekend. I am really excited about our housewarming party on saturday, but i am definitely not looking forward to all the class work i have to do. I have a research proposal paper due in my monday class. This is turning out to be much more challenging than i thought it would be. I have never really written this kind of paper, so i am having to start from scratch and learn how to do it. In my tuesday class, we have a panel presentation on a theory of our choice that applies to our area. I have chosen social cognitive theory because it is very applicable for prevention programming. well, we have to put together a powerpoint and a nice, detailed presentation. I also have a meeting with my professor on monday before class to go over an outline (that i have not written yet) for my paper that is due in a couple of weeks. Oh my goodness. even typing this all out makes me feel overwhelmed. anyway, i have started on the powerpoint and the research proposal, but i definitely have a lot of work that still needs to be done. I plan on working on it tonight, saturday during the day (before the party) and then all day sunday. wish me luck. I think the middle of the semester is always the toughest time.

there are also tons of changes happening at work right now. It has been decided by our new president that the social workers and case managers are going to integrate. we are not merging departments, but we are integrating. it is still to be decided exactly what that means, but i am certain it cannot be good. case managers are nurses that do chart reviews and such to determine if a patient should be in the hospital. we have meetings from 8-5 tuesday through friday of next week to learn all the new stuff we will be doing. i am not sure how we are going to get all our work done, while we are meetings all day, but i have been told that the hospital staff on our floors are supposed to take care of it. we will see how all that goes. another big change is that the pediatric floor is being closed. so, i am also not sure what that means as far as my job duties. I might be asked to take on an adult floor which i really don't want to do. anyway, all this to say, there are some major changes going on at work. I plan to wait and see how it all goes and make a decision about whether to stay or go when everything is all said and done. the benefits here are just so great in so many ways. i will just wait and see.

anyway, i hope you are all well. have a great weekend.

2007-10-24T21:07:00.000-05:00

25 out of 25, baby!!!

I am writing this blog from my brand new, beautiful, red laptop while watching tv and sitting on the couch. Life doesn't get better than this. :) Also, i just got an email from my professor and I got a 100% on my mid term from monday. This is crazy. I guess I am doing something right in this PhD program. Anyway, I am off to relax a bit before hitting the sack and starting another day.

P.S.-Please comment. I love hearing what you all think. Miss you all.

2007-10-24T15:55:00.000-05:00

Let's play catch up

So, we spent last week celebrating Michael's amazing accomplishment. I am still so very proud of him. We went out to dinner on Wednesday to celebrate and we also met up with my parents on Friday to celebrate. My parents took us to dinner at this really great Asian fusion place in Dallas. It was very delicious. They had sushi, asian, and thai food all mixed together. It was wonderful. Well, I spent a good chunk of saturday studying for my midterm and then we spent some time shopping for some more stuff to decorate the house. We also went to a friend's birthday party on Saturday night. It was a nice time. It is one of the Repiratory Therapist's at work. We had a good time hanging out and chatting it up with some new friends. Sunday, I did a bit more studying, but we spent most of the day decorating the house, which might I say looks quite great. I am very happy with the way it is all turning out. Michael and Gabe worked really hard putting up shelves and wall hangings from the ceiling. It looked like very hard work. Thanks so much, guys.

I had my midterm on Monday and I think it went well. I should get the grade back in a few days. I just found out today that I don't have either of my classes next week, since both my professors are out of town at conferences. Also, my paper that was due on monday is not due the following monday. Yeah for that. I still plan to get it done this weekend because I have an assignment due in my other class that I have to work on next weekend. Anyway, all that to say, the PhD program is still going well. Keeping me busy, but going well. I also got to buy my first new computer. We bought a Dell laptop. The computer and the mouse are red. How cute is that? :) It came in the mail today and I cant wait to get home to open it. I think this will be so helpful to be able to take to class and stuff. I am really looking forward to using it.

Well, we are planning a party for the weekend of Nov. 3 and 4. since we have been able to spend some time decorating the house, we are ready to throw a housewarming party. I think it will be tons of fun. other than that, all is good over here.

One more thing, I just wanted to send a shout out to Michael for getting the oil changed in my car for me. He had to wait almost an hour and half. I can definitley do this myself, but it is so nice to have such a wonderful husband who will help me out with that kind of stuff. Thanks so much, hon.

2007-10-18T08:27:00.001-05:00

Yeah for Michael

Well, I get on here and brag about myself, now I get to brag about my husband. :) Michael passed his CCRN test yesterday. Not only did he pass, but he passed with flying colors. He is officially a Certified Critical Care Nurse. He has been working really hard to prepare for this test and his hard work has definitely paid off. Now, he has to finish is PALS certification this week, which is not quite as challenging, then turn in his apps and wait. He won't hear anything about CRNA school until February, but the hard part is definitely over. Anyway, just wanted to let you all know how crazy smart my husband is. :)

2007-10-14T18:53:00.000-05:00

oh, the weekend, how I love thee...

well, it is sunday evening and I have had a nice weekend. It feels as if anytime that is not dedicated to studying is good time. no matter what it is i am doing, such as cooking, cleaning, organizing the house, laundry, etc. is great as long as it is not studying. well, being in phd school definitely puts the rest of life in perspective. :)

anyway, I spent most of the morning cleaning and putting away all the new dishes and other extras we bought at ikea, cooking some jambalaya in our new crock pot, doing laundry, and picking up the house. then, i spent the rest of the day studying. from what i can smell, i think the jambalaya is going to taste quite good. we bought some great spices when we were in new orleans, so hopefully that will add a nice kick. as for the studying, well i got a lot done, but i still haven't really studied from my midterm or started my next paper. now, the midterm is not until next monday and the paper is not due until the week after that, but i should definitely get started on those. I have decided on what theory i will be using for my paper and I have also put together all my study materials for the midterm. I got an agenda ready for my meeting with Dr. Black on tuesday. she is the professor that has very similar interests as me, so I am hoping the meeting goes well. anyway, all in all, i got a lot done. I think i need to make sure and spend some time not studying so i don't get burnt out too quick. :)

friday, michael and i went to piranha for a nice dinner. it was tons of fun. it was so nice just to be able to sit and talk together without worrying about getting something else done. then, we met up with gabe and talked research for a few hours. it was pretty cool to get other people's opinions about my research ideas. yesterday, michael, gabe, and i went to ikea which was a good time. i really love that place. we bought some fabric panels that we are going to hang behind our tv as decoration. i think it is going to look way cool. then, we went to the angelica and saw the darjeeling limited. i really enjoyed it. it is a movie about 3 brothers and their journey of reuniting and letting go of the past. I thought it was really thought provoking.

This week, michael has is CCRN test and his PALS certification class, so send him smart thoughts, so he will do well. He has been working hard on getting his applications together and studying. we are just a crazy studying couple. I wonder if we will ever be done with school. anyway, only time will tell.

well, i am not really looking forward to another week starting, but that is the way the world works. you just keep going. I already feel like i need another vacation. how sad is that? i think our next short trip should be a camping trip so we can just get away from it all. what do you think? well, i hope you all had great weekends. here's to another week.

2007-10-09T15:39:00.000-05:00

I got a 15

I cant write much, i am super busy at work today, but i wanted to say that i got a 15 out of 15 on my first phd paper. YEAH!! how exciting? anyway, i just wanted to get on here and brag a bit. thanks for all the support.

2007-10-08T11:38:00.000-05:00

Pampering is oh so nice

Well, this weekend wasn't that bad at all. Now, I did miss Michael a lot, but it was nice to have some "me " time and definitely to catch up on some studying. so, the massage was great. It was very relaxing and it felt really good to have her work on my shoulders and neck, which is where i keep most of my stress. Also, the pedicure/manicure was great. I got a nice red on my toes and a french manicure. how cute is that?

The rest of the weekend was pretty good also. I got dinner with mom and dad on Friday night, which was a lot of fun. we met at the galleria and had dinner at cafe de lux. the galleria was packed even on friday night. it was a lot of fun to catch up with them. i spend most of saturday pampering myself, which was great. i spent most of sunday studying and cleaning house. It was a very relaxing, stress free weekend, which was great.

well, back to the grind today. michael gets home soon. From what he said, it sounds like mary's wedding and reception were great. He didnt get to go camping since the canyon was closed due to bad weather, but it sounds like he had a great time catching up on some family time.

Well, i have class tonight and i am hoping that we get our paper back so i can see how i am doing before my midterm next week. also, I had a meeting with a professor last week and it seems we have very similar interests. She said that maybe we can revamp her master's thesis and publish it together. She did a program evaluation on a sexual assault prevention program on a college campus. She said it was a very amateur paper, so hopefully we can make it better together. Also, there is a new sexual assault response and prevention program being started at UTA, so I am hoping to become more involved in that in the hopes that it will lead to my dissertation. I have already spoken with the director of that program (who is also a PhD) and she said she would love to collaborate. I might even ask her to be on my dissertation committee since you have to have someone from outside the school of social work also. Anyway, things seem to be falling into place. I know I am adding more work on myself early in the game, but i think it will pay off in the future if i can get things set up now. well, i am off. have a great week, everyone.

2007-10-04T11:31:00.000-05:00

10 %, baby

So, as some of you know, I have been a part of Weight Watchers for a while now. This past tuesday, I hit my 10% goal. That means I have lost 10% of my starting weight. YEAH!! It has been quite a process, but I am so happy. i have been working so hard at it, especially now that school has started and i have been so busy. I feel much healthier and am ready to continue losing weight until i get to a healthy weight again. Weight Watchers even gives you this cool key chain when you get your 10% goal. I love it. Also, one of my coworkers is going to join the meetings at work with me. I am so excited.

well, i wanted to reward myself for such an accomplishment, so i decided to schedule my first real massage ever. I got a massage once when i worked as a camp counselor for being counselor of the month, but it was by a girl who was working on becoming a massage therapist, so it was just ok. I scheduled my massage for this saturday, i think i might also get a pedicure. i am already feeling overwhelmed with the pampering. as most of you know, I dont pamper myself often. I am really looking forward to it. I will let you know how the massage goes.

Ok, michael left this morning for amarillo. I feel so silly for saying that i am going to miss him. he is only going to be gone until monday, but i think this is the longest we have been apart since we got married. :( awww, dont you feel sad for me. :) just teasing. I am definitely going to miss him, but i think it will be very helpful to have some "me" time and to catch up on some studying and things around the house. anyway, i do wish that i could've have gone to amarillo to spend some time with his family, enjoy his sis's wedding, and go camping, but it just didn't work out this time. but, since we have decided to spend the rest of our lives together :), i am sure we will plan another trip. anyway, i am off.

2007-10-02T16:14:00.000-05:00

A Marathon

So, last week after work and definitely this past weekend were full of fun paper writing activities. I spent most of the weekend working on my literature review. It was a challenging and time consuming paper, but I think I did alright. we will find out when i get the grade. :) anyway, my parents also came to visit on Sunday. it was really nice to see them and to get a short break from paper writing. they also brought us some amazingly delicious homemade food. thanks mom and dad.

well, tonight in class, we have a debate presentation. I don't think it will be that bad. It will actually be nice to just listen to other students talk and hopefully we can get out early. I feel ready for my part of the presentation. i don't want this to sound arrogant or anything, but some of the students in my phd class are way behind the curve. some of them turned in 8 page papers (mine was 23 pages) and a few didn't even have their papers done on time. that is crazy to me. how are you going to turn in the first paper assignment in a phd program late? Crazy stuff. anyway, our professors keep saying that this is a phd program, so we should expect it to be quite challenging. I tend to agree with them. if getting a phd was easy, then everyone would do it. anyway, all this to say, I hope i am doing ok. It is definitely a lot of work and time, but i think it will work out.

Michael is heading to Amarillo for his sister's wedding this weekend. he is leaving on Thursday and wont be back until monday. he and dustin are going to do some backpacking also. I am jealous, i wish i could go. I would love to see his family, but i just don't have enough time off at work and i have way to much to do as far as studying goes.

well, i don't really have much else to say. I think my brain is a bit fried from this weekend. :) anyway, hope you are all well. i will post more soon.

2007-09-27T15:39:00.000-05:00

Too long

I was looking at the calendar today and it seems it has been over 2 weeks since my last post. Well, that is way too long and I have 2 excuses for this. 1: we went on vacation. YEAH! 2: I have been crazy busy with school.

Excuse #1: New Orleans vacation

We went to New Orleans (our first time) for chris and dana's wedding. new orleans is a very, very crazy city. the dj at the wedding said, you know how people say "what happens in vegas stays in vegas", well "what happens in new orleans, no one remembers". it is pretty true. everywhere you look, people are drinking, no matter what time of the day it is. you can drink on the street there, so everywhere you go all day, you can see people drinking. There were tons of bars that had signs saying "drinks to go". how crazy is that? well, we had a chance to hang out with some old childhood friends and it was great. i actually joined the boys for the bachlor party since i have known chris (the groom) since we were young kids. it was pretty fun, they didnt do anything too disgusting. on friday, we went for a bbq dinner at chris and dana's new home. they bought it after katrina and it was basically totally gutted out. so, they have rebuilt it from scrach and it looks amazing. Congrats you two!! the wedding on saturday was tons of fun. the ceremony was beautiful and chris cried like a baby. how sweet is that? there was great dancing, excellent food, tons of drinks and great friends and family. all that makes for a damn good wedding. now, the best part of this story (one that will be told for many, many, many years to come). so, chris and dana decide to leave their wedding reception in a 72 pontiac lemans that chris has been restoring over the years. the engine sounds beautiful. well, they get to the hotel and it seems that chris burned some rubber in front of the hotel and got arrested. they took him to jail in his tux and all in front of his bride (still in wedding dress). it was insane!! well, after a lot of drama, he finally got back to the hotel around 4 in the am. it seems that they couldnt even charge him with anything. he wasnt drunk or anything. they just gave him a ticket for reckless driving. I think it was so wrong of them to take him to jail on his wedding night when he didnt even do anything they can charge him for. anyway, all is well that ends well. chris and dana are now happily off on their honeymoon. we had a blast guys and we wish you both the best.
the rest of our time in new orleans was spent sight seeing and eating some soul food. it was quite delicious food. we got to see a bunch of art galleries and lots of street performers. it is a very old city with a lot of great history. we bought some spices and some art. overall it was a fantastic trip.

Excuse #2: phd school

so, i knew phd school would be challenging, but i guess i really underestimated the challenge. if you know me well, you know that i can handle a lot of things, but one thing that is quite hard for me is that feeling of being overwhelmed. well that is how i have felt the past few weeks. i am only taking 2 classes on monday and tuesday nights after work, but i am still working full time and attempting to make time for some fun (ie: vacation and musicals and stuff). well i have a 20 page literature review due on monday and a debate project due on tuesday. i also am way behind in my readings since i have been working on these projects. i am certain that this entire weekend will be spent studying, but i am ok with that as long as i can get it all done. i have been working hard each night after work so hopefully this weekend will be enough time to finish it all up. anyway, the classes are going well. i just think i need to readjust my expectations as to how much time i need to spend studying each day. i am sure it will work out, but i guess becoming a dr. is much harder than i originally thought. :) anyway, send smart and efficient thoughts my way this weekend.

what else can i tell you all about? oh yeah, we went to see the lion king on sunday after returning from new orleans. we went with my parents and gabe and a friend of his. it was a good time. i really enjoyed the show. they had some amazing costumes for all the animals and the songs were great too. good times. well, i am off to continue working. i will attempt to post more often.

2007-09-11T16:41:00.000-05:00

PhD 101

Yesterday in class, we learned about a gazillion things in a 3 hour time period. It was quite a whirlwind. Basically our professor went over a ton of information in an outline format and told us to figure out the information to detail the outline from our book. It was definitely overwhelming, but that is OK. I am sure i will figure this out, shwiya bi shwiya (as they would say in Morocco, which means little by little in English). One thing that really interested me in yesterday's class was this idea of evidence based social work practice. Social work is a fairly young profession. It is just recently that there has been more research done on the effectiveness of social work interventions. so, the new idea in social work follows the medical model of requiring evidence of effectiveness before implementing an intervention. for instance, if a social worker has a new patient who is a young child suffering from PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) due to being abused, then the social worker must search the evidence available for the best treatment option for such a client. in the past, social workers just did what they were taught in school. But, now with the new evidence and research base, there is the opportunity to truly see which interventions are most effective and then implement those with clients. I definitely don't think this is a new idea, but i like that it is being so widely discussed now in the field of social work. I think that ethically, it is crucial for social workers to practice interventions that have been proven to be effective. well, that is phd 101 for today. :)

this weekend was great. We went to austin for matt and hayley's wedding at the salt lick. the bbq food was delicious and the wedding was tons of fun. we danced, caught up with some old friends, spent some good time with family. it was good fun. It was a short, but very fun trip. it was really nice to catch up with some old friends from high school. we are all getting married now. it is quite crazy how we are all grown up. :) when we got home sunday afternoon, we basically spent the rest of the evening studying. not so fun, but necessary, i guess. :)

This week at work is looking to be pretty busy, but that is ok. It makes the time go by faster. I am looking forward to next weekend. We don't have any big plans, but I have a ton of studying to be doing before we head to New Orleans the next weekend. :) yeah for new orleans!! I cant wait. I am also hoping to get some decorations on our walls this weekend. keep your fingers crossed on that one, we have been trying for some time now.

well, i am off to class again. i will let you know how it goes.

2007-09-05T10:12:00.000-05:00

Is there an absolute truth?

In class yesterday, we had many different discussions, but the one that I enjoyed the most was the question, is there an absolute truth? I do not think there is an absolute truth in most cases. One example where this is an absolute truth in my opinion is if i see a child actually get hit or abused, then I can say with all certainty that they were abused if i was asked to testify in court. But, i do believe that theories and ideas change so often and easily that is very hard to state in most circumstances that there is an absolute truth. One woman in class stated that she believes the existence of god is an absolute truth. I do not agree with her because some people do not believe in god, so who is to say for sure that this is an absolute truth. she said that all of mankind will know one day (i am guessing the day the world ends) that there is a god and this is an absolute truth. anyway, it was quite an interesting conversation. The PhD program is definitely quite a bit of work, but i am really enjoying the class discussions. it is stimulating my mind in way that i have not felt for some time and i like that.

well, this weekend was tons of fun. 3 days off, you can never go wrong with that. i got some studying done, which was great. Michael and I also finished watching the first season of Heroes, since we missed it while we were in Morocco. It was a really great show. It really makes you think about all the possibilities in this world. I also think they did a really good job of getting the audience involved and concerned for the characters. I am looking forward to the second season starting soon. Sunday night, we got some dinner with Marla. it was a great time. it was nice to talk about the uncertainties in life. Michael, Marla, and I are all uncertain about what we want to do career wise. she is currently looking for a new job and both Michael and i are constantly talking about what the future holds for us. anyway, it was nice to hear someone else's point of view. then, we crashed at my parents house and enjoyed a full day of swimming and eating on Monday. Gabe, Lucy and Raymond (my parent's friends) came over and we had a great day. we also got to take home some of the delicious leftovers. thanks mom and dad. :) it was a great weekend and it was quite hard to come back to work yesterday. but, i will say at least it is a 4 day work week. :)

this weekend, we are heading to Austin for Matt and Hayley's wedding. It will be fun to catch up with some old friends. i also have some serious studying to continue doing, but i have a feeling that is going to be true from this point forward. :) well, I will post again soon. see you later.

2007-08-30T14:52:00.000-05:00

Back in class

Classes started this week and it was quite a whirlwind. Originally, I had spoken with the new PhD director and he said that I had to take the 2-5 stats course on Mondays. Well, during my night class on Monday, I met a second year student who said that he was taking all his classes at night because he works full time. He recommended that I contact the old PhD director. So I did and she said I could take both 6-9 courses on Monday and Tuesday. So, Tuesday morning, i got online and swapped the classes, then attended class on Tuesday night. Yesterday, I had to go return the books from the old class and buy the ones from the new class. So, after much research and hard work :), I am now in the correct courses. Anyway, they both went well. My Monday night class is advanced research methods. There is quite a bit of work, but the professor seems really cool. The Tuesday night class is science and social work practice. It also sounds like quite a bit of work, but it also sounds very interesting. It is about theory and the practice of social work in today's society. I am not looking forward to the time and work that this program entails, but I am excited about the prospect of learning new things again. I am also excited about meeting some new people. I met this one girl, Nila, who seems really great. She is my age, has 3 kids and is a full time mom. I am excited to get to know her better and work with her in our classes. So, i am off to start another journey.

Michael is now feeling better and i think i caught his cold. I am looking forward to some good homemade chicken soup tonight. We had put some I made earlier in the freezer, but I took it out last night to defrost for me tonight. I am still feeling OK, but the cold is definitely here.

I am really looking forward to labor day weekend. 3 full days of no work, yeah for that!! We are also going to have a BBQ with my parents on Monday. Good times. Anyway, I am off. Talk to you all later.

2007-08-26T18:13:00.000-05:00

Classes start tomorrow

So, it is Sunday evening and I am almost done with another weekend. The weeks just seem to creep by and the weekends seem to fly. I guess that is how it goes. Well, I just finished making some chicken noodle soup. Michael has not been feeling well (I think it is a cold), so I decided to make him some good old fashioned chicken noodle soup to soothe his cold since he still has a full week of work ahead of him. What a hard worker he is. :) I made chicken noodle soup several times when we lived in Morocco, but Michael always took care of the chicken when it was raw. He used to say that there was this slimy clear covering on the chicken that he didn't remember from the states. Well, I cleaned a whole chicken today and I am here to say that the slimy clear covering exists here also. I guess I have never bought a raw whole chicken before. You have to take out all the giblets and clean it before you can cook it. I actually gagged several times while i was doing it. So, since I have the fortunate opportunity to be married to someone who does not mind handling raw meat, i think i am going to leave that to Michael in the future. I will handle the veggie side of things. :) Anyway, other than the raw chicken, the chicken noodle soup was not that hard to make. I am also trying this new side dish from this magazine, Eating Well, that my mom gave me. The recipe is for roasted broccoli with grape tomatoes and garlic. It sounds delicious. We will see how it turns out tonight.

This week at work was very, very hectic. I had a lot of "special" (that is nice word for crazy) people to work with this week. Usually at work, I have many "special" people to work with, but they always seem to be outweighed by the patients that actually appreciate and are thankful for what I do for them. This week, it was mostly very non appreciative people who have this sense of entitlement. I had this mom who needed this pretty rare medication for her new born baby. She says she can't pay for it. So, I work my butt off to get her this medicine, but since it is so rare for newborns, the pharmacy said it will not be ready until 4 pm. I go in the room to tell this mom the good news that I found someone who has the medicine and she doesn't even have to pay for it. She starts yelling, I mean really yelling, at me because she doesn't want to wait at the hospital until 4 pm. Anyway, all that to say there are some real crazies out there that just don't seem to get how the world really works. Sometimes, I wish we could just say, "Sorry, if you can't pay for that, then you can't have it." But, I always try to remember that what I do is mostly for the newborn babies that can't help themselves. It is not for their parents.

I start my classes tomorrow. I am pretty excited, but I am also very nervous. From the syllabi, it seems like quite a bit of work. I am also a bit worried about how I am going to leave work at 1:30 on Mondays. Mondays are usually very busy since we are not fully staffed over the weekend, so leaving at 1:30 is going to be quite challenging. But, I am sure it will all work itself out.

Michael and I went to see Superbad on Wednesday night. We had our date night on Wednesday this week since Michael was working all weekend. It was hilarious. Laugh out loud funny. I loved it. There was one scene where I was almost crying, I was laughing so hard. We also had another round of Puerto Rico this week. Michael kicked my butt. He won by 10 points or so. It was still a great game. Playing games is something fun to do in the evenings instead of watching TV. Well, I guess that evening fun is going out the window now, since i will probably be studying every night. wish me luck.

I went up to visit my mom and dad yesterday. It was a great time. We caught up on our lives and ate some sushi. mmmmmm. my mom and i ran some errands and talked. it was really nice to see them. we made some plans for a BBQ on labor day since Michael and i have 3 full days off of work together. How much fun will that be? Hopefully we can spend some time decorating our walls in the house. we still have yet to put anything up.

Well, I am off to relax a bit before Michael gets home. I am all ready to start class tomorrow. Send smart thoughts my way from 2-5 and 6-9 tomorrow. Thanks.

2007-08-20T11:18:00.000-05:00

Another weekend is over :(

Well, another work week has started, but at least this weekend was a good one. We had a great time hanging out with Chris, Quack (aka: Chris Quackenbush), Matt and Hayley on Friday night. We went to Piranha for some delicious sushi. God, I love that place. Then, we headed back to our place and spent the evening hanging out in the pool. It was a great evening. Chris and Quack stayed the night and we basically just lounged around the next day, which was also great times. We are all so busy that we never get a chance to just lounge about. It was really great to catch up with these guys. I hadn't seen them since our wedding. How crazy is that? Anyway, we are really looking forward to heading to New Orleans for Chris's wedding next month. I am sure it is going to be a blast.

Michael worked on Sunday, so I had a day at home to be very productive and very productive I was. I got so much stuff done, I still can't believe it. I cleaned house, worked out, took care of the finances, set up a budget (since we need to start saving for school and all :), went to half price books and best buy and bought some new workout DVDs that I love. I bought the Biggest Loser workout video and it is really great. I also took care of the groceries and cooked some beef broccoli for dinner. I got a chance to set up my facebook and myspace accounts. Those websites are addictive. I am going to have to set a limit on how often I can be online for those sites. :) All in all a very productive day. I was really needing a day to catch up on things at home, so it worked out well.

More board game news, Saturday night, Michael and I played our new board game (we just got it in the mail on Friday). It is called Puerto Rico. We played it when Almond and Paul were in town and we loved it, so we bought our own. It was tons of fun. It was different playing it with only 2 people, but I actually enjoyed it a lot. I think it was extra fun since I won, but I only won by 1 doubloon. It was a close game. Don't you love the word doubloon. :)

Well, this is my last free week before classes start. I start classes on Monday. I am really looking forward to it. Oh, one more bit of good news. My cousin Myrna in Lebanon just had a beautiful baby girl, Luna Marie. Congrats Myrna and Jose!!

Well, on that happy note, I am off.

2007-08-17T10:50:00.000-05:00

Yeah for Sabra!!

I know it is not quite right to start a post talking about a TV show, but what can I say? So You Think You Can Dance was awesome. I was never really into reality TV before, but this show really grew on me. It was like getting to watch a dance performance every time it was on. And to top it all off, my favorite dancer won. Go Sabra!!

Well, I went to my PhD orientation yesterday and it was quite informative. One thing that really stuck out for me is when Dean Hernandez was talking about what it will take to make it through your doctorate. He said that you have to have some major motivation. He said just wanting to be called "doctor" or wanting the initials of "PhD" behind your name is not enough. He said you have to have some other kind of motivation that will help you continue when the program gets touch. I think that I have that because the reason i want to get my PhD is to be able to teach, first and foremost. I have always been pulled in the direction of education. I love passing along information that I think is valuable. I feel that I have the skills to motivate and teach others. Second, I also want to do research. I want to be able to contribute to the already massive body of knowledge out there. I know that the above makes me sound quite amazing, :) but all that to say I think i have the motivation necessary to complete this program. It is quite an intensive program with several hurdles that I have to pass to continue with the program, but I am sure I can do it.

All right, let's move on. Michael and I have been playing Odin's Raven each night and he has redeemed himself. I am still the big winner, but he has won several games now. It is a great game. The best thing about it is that it is made for 2 players, which is great, since those games are so hard to come by. Also, it can be played in about 40 minutes, so you don't have to spend a whole evening playing. Good times.

Chris and Quack (2 of my buds from high school) are coming to hang out in A town tonight. I am really looking forward to seeing them. It has been a long time. I am not quite sure what we are going to do, but I am sure we will have a great time.

Well, that is all I have for now. Have a great weekend, folks. Happy Friday!!

2007-08-15T10:11:00.000-05:00

Fun times!

Michael and I were both off work this weekend (which doesn't happen as often as I would like), and we had a great time. Michael's sister, Almond, and her family came into town for a Rush concert. We hung out together eating, talking, and playing a really cool board game called Puerto Rico. It was tons of fun. We hung out with their boys on Saturday night while Almond and Paul went to the Rush concert. We took the boys to see Harry Potter in 3D on the IMAX. They loved it. On Sunday, Gabe came over and we did some celebrating since he got a teaching job. I am so happy for him. I think this is the beginning of great things for him. We also made a trip to Costco this weekend. I know that shouldn't be eventful enough to write about in my blog, but it really is. We always go there with a short list and we end up leaving with half the store. They just have such great deals and really cool stuff. Anyway, all in all, it was a fabulous weekend.

What I have to look forward to this week is my PhD orientation tomorrow afternoon. I am hoping to meet all my co students and get some great information about this program. Also, my 10 year high school reunion is this weekend. We are not going to the reunion, but some great friends of mine from high school are coming into town and we are going to have our own party. I am sure it will be a blast.

Last night, Michael and I played this game that Almond and Paul gave us. It is called Odin's Raven. It was so much fun. I think it was especially fun since I won both times. :) Well, on that uplifting note, I am going to sign off.

2007-08-08T15:16:00.000-05:00

I'm Back!!

Well, it has been almost 2 years since my last post. wow, that is quite a break. :) so, let me explain, no it is too much, let me sum up (where is that quote from :)? Michael and I moved to Morocco with the Peace Corps. We had some serious trials and tribulations mixed with some amazing experiences. We did some great things, saw some amazing sights and met some wonderful people. Now, we are back in the good ol' US of A. We have bought our first home. It was quite a big step, but we did and are very happy with it. We are living in Arlington, Texas again. I am working as the Women's and Children's Social Worker at Arlington Memorial Hospital and will start work on my PhD in Social Work on a part time basis this Fall. Michael is working as an RN in the ICU at Arlington Memorial Hospital. He is beginning the process to start working on a Masters in Nursing to become a Nurse Anesthetist. It seems like we hit the ground running since we returned back home.

We have also had the chance to catch up with all our good buds and do some traveling since we returned home. We got to head up to Amarillo and spend some great times with Michael's family. We also got to go to Bucerias, Mexico for Miriam's (a good friend of ours) wedding. We also had a Lambert family reunion in our new home a few weeks back. We got to head out to California to spend some time with my dad's family and my good bud from college, May-Ling and her boyfriend, Leith. We have been so lucky to get some great traveling times in since we got home. We both really enjoy traveling and spending great times with friends and family. We also have a few weddings in September we are planning to go to. One in Austin and one in New Orleans. Good times ahead. Well, that is a quick sum up of what we have been up to. I plan to post as often as I can, so check back when you get a free second to find out what we are up to.

2005-08-17T13:10:00.000-05:00

Did I mention...

that we are moving to Morocco in less than a month? :) How exciting is that?!! I am super excited about this journey we are getting ready to start. We are super busy right now between packing up our apartment for storage and going through everything we are going to donate or sell in the garage sale to stopping services like cable and electricity in our apartment to figuring out our finances and who will help with those before we go to changing my name on every document ever to still filling out forms for the Peace Corps. Need less to say, we are way busy. I would say we are actually busier than we were before the wedding. Anyway, we have received our departure ticket. We are heading to Philadelphia at 6:45 in the am on Saturday, September 10. We will meet up with all the other Morocco volunteers there and have a day and half orientation and get all our required immunizations. I believe at that point we will all start the trip to Morocco together. It is so exciting. I have done a lot of things in my life, but this is one of the biggest and most challenging, yet also most exciting and wonderful things all at the same time. Anyway, we are also trying to make enough time to see everyone before we go. We are taking a trip starting next Friday, August 26, to go to Austin, Oklahoma City, and Amarillo to see our families before we go. Then, when we get back from that trip, we will have about 4 days to move all our stuff to my parents house, do all our final packing and head out. Well, enough rambling. I miss you all already and we will definitely keep in touch.

2005-08-07T15:29:00.000-05:00

Making the move to Morocco

Well, we are almost done with the wedding thank you cards, which was quite a task might i add. :) Now, we are getting ready to begin the process of packing up our apartment in order to move to Morocco. We need to start packing and we also have to begin getting everything else in order. We talked with my parents about any advice they might have to help us out. They had some really good information. We need to change all our addresses and close out all our accounts with different service providers. It is quite a task, but I am certain it will be totally worth it as we live it up in Morocco for the next few years.

Well, other than packing and getting ready to go. We are trying to spend as much time with Gabe since his crazy fiance called off their wedding. He is still pretty down, but we are trying to be supportive. We are also trying to make sure we are able to see everyone before we go. Anyway, it is definitley the busiest time in my life, which means we are damn busy. :)

I also told everyone at work that we are joining the Peace Corps. Everyone is so excited and very supportive. I am so excited about his opportunity. Sometimes, I feel like I can't even contain myself. :) Anyway, I am off to do something productive. Take care.

2005-07-31T13:06:00.000-05:00

Wedding planning finishes, Peace Corps planning begins...

Sorry it has been forever since my last post, but the wedding fun and family times took over. The wedding was a blast. It was so much fun and it was so great to see so much family all together and having so much fun. The bachlorette party was a great time. We all went to eat at Simply Fondue. It was a 4 hour meal full of great conversation and good times. Then, we headed back to the hotel and hooked up with the guys. It was a great time. We played some board games and had some more great conversation. The rehearsal dinner at Fadi's went great. The food was delicious and the service was great. Everyone seemed to be having a great time and the dancing was so much fun. It was a great way to start the festivities. And the wedding was beautiful. The ceremony went very well. Our vows came out great. The only little glitch was that the bridal march did not come on, but all our guests hummed the bridal march as my dad and I walked down the aisle. It was so great. The reception was a blast. It was full of dancing, more great food, great conversation and many wishes of congrats and good luck on your journey. There was such an outpouring of love, it was amazing. It was so great to see everyone together. Then, we spent some time with Michael's family before they left and then with my family. Then, we headed off to the Ozark mountains for our honeymoon. It was short, but very sweet. We thought of it as a short breather between the wedding and getting ready to move to Morocco. :) We head a great time. The views were amazing and the little town of Eureka Springs was much fun. We took a canoe down the river and saw our cabin from the canoe. It was a very nice time.

When we got back, we had to go back to work. but we headed up to plano every night to spend more time with my family who was still here from lebanon. we had a lot of fun spending time with them. I am so glad they were able to come. Michael and I both cannot wait to go to Lebanon to see everyone. Yesterday, we headed up to Plano to help take all our family to the airport so they can head back to Lebanon. We also had some champagne and ate the top part of our wedding cake, since we will not be here for our one year anniversary. :) It was a great time. Then, we say my family off at the airport and finally spent some time just hanging out together. We saw Wedding Crashers and just played around at the mall. It was a nice time.

So, now we are working on thank you notes, still getting stuff taken care of for the Peace Corps, and packing up our apartment. Planning to leave the country is not an easy task. We are working on getting everything done. We are also planning a trip at the end of august and early september to go see some family before we head out. We are going to austin, then oklahoma, then amarillo, then michael is heading up to dubuque to see his younger brother. Then, we will be off on our way to morocco. Anyway, i am off to work on some thank you notes. Talk to you soon.

2005-07-04T22:49:00.000-05:00

It's my Birthday!!!!

Yeah for my birthday. Even though I had to work today, it has still been a fantastic birthday. Friday, Michael took me out to a super fancy dinner and a movie at the Magnolia. It was a great time. dinner was delicious and we saw Mad Hot Ballroom, which was so great. It was about these 10-11 year old kids in new york learning to ball room dance at their schools. It was very fun to watch. Saturday, we hung out with the family in plano and got a bunch of wedding stuff taken care of. It was a great day also. Yesterday, we hung out with my sis and a few of her friends and then met up with some other good buds for dinner. It has been a fun filled, yet also very productive weekend. Yeah. Thank you to all for the birthday wishes. See you all soon.

2005-06-21T15:46:00.000-05:00

yes, I am still alive...

well, it has been a blur of Peace Corps work and wedding planning since my last post. When we got invited for our Peace Corps placement, we also got a flood of paperwork and stuff we had to take care of. Even though I already have a passport, I had to also get a no fee passport since I will be working with the US government. Anyway, I am very excited about the Peace Corps experience, but I am not very impressed with the organization in general. They are very unorganized and none of the different Peace Corps offices seem to communicate with each other. Anyway, enough about that. We are both very excited and have already started reading up about Morocco.

The wedding is getting closer (25 days to go per theknot.com). :) I think things are going well. We do wedding stuff ALL the time. Every evening after work, we work on the wedding. Every weekend, we work on the wedding. I feel like I am always on the phone with someone regarding the wedding or thinking about needed to call someone regarding the wedding. Anyway, I am sure it will all be totally worth it. I cant wait to see everyone. I cant wait to celebrate. It is going to be a blast!!

Two of my aunts have already come in from Lebanon, so it has been great to see them. My mom is very happy to have her sisters around. Amist all the wedding craziness, we did manage to celebrate Father's day this weekend. It was a nice day. We grilled some steaks and just relaxed a bit while still talking about the wedding. :)

This next thought will help explain how much this wedding has taken over my life. It is my birthday in two weeks and I havent even thought about it or what i want to do to celebrate. I feel like I dont have it in me to plan anything else, so I think Michael and I are going to get some dinner or something. Anyway, I am sure it will be a great. Well, i have to run, but i wanted to keep you all posted. I cant wait to see everyone at the wedding.

2005-05-28T12:19:00.000-05:00

We're going to Morocco!!!!

Michael and I just got some great news. After a very long, rigorous, and expensive application process, we have just been invited to serve as Peace Corps Volunteers in Morocco. We have been working towards this goal for a year now and this is a much anticipated result. Our departure date is September 10, 2005 and we will be serving through December 2, 2007. We will both be serving as Youth Developers where our main functions will be teaching English to Moroccan youth and developing programs and activities to promote and support local youth. A main focus of this project is developing programs and activities to help foster education among Moroccan young women, which is very exciting for me. I love teaching and presenting educational information and I love working with youth. This project seems perfect for me. I am so very excited about this opportunity. And what makes it even more perfect is that Michael and I get to do this together. I can't imagine a more perfect way to start a marriage and life together. :) We are both extremely excited and cannot wait to begin this journey together. I do want to thank all of you who have supported us through this process. I really appreciate it.

2005-05-22T13:26:00.000-05:00

I've been a blog slacker...

Busy, but fun...That sums up my life lately. I don't even remember what was going on during my last post, so I will tell you all that has been going on. Michael and I went to Amarillo last week and then headed to New Mexico with his family to go camping at Lake Conchos for 3 days. It was so much fun. We played horseshoes, croquet, shot pellet guns, went jumping off big rocks/cliffs into the lake, kayaking, cooked out, slept in tents, played texas hold 'em. It was such a great time. I also got a chance to meet the newest addition to the Lambert family. 3 month old Kylia Jade is Michael's niece. She is adorable and she is a professional projectile vomiter. It was nice to spend some quality fun time with Michael's family. I also got to ride behind his dad on a motorcycle on the highway. That was very exhilarating. I did get a pretty major sunburn that I am still dealing with right now, but it was totally worth it.

My sister's high school graduation party was last night. The party was fantastic. we had such a great time. There was good food, good company, great dancing, much hookah smoking. My sister and her friends all had a great time. The food was catered by Fadi's and it was delicious. I have leftovers to last at least a week. :)

I also got my tooth implant taken care of a few weeks ago. It went very smoothly. The dentist pulled my baby tooth and replaced it with a metal rod. I was under twilight anesthesia and I don't remember a thing. There was also very little pain during the day following the implant. I didn't have to take a single pain pill. YEAH!! I have an appointment with my dentist this friday to get fitted for a crown. The whole ordeal has been quite pricey, but it is worth it if we get to go to Morocco.

Speaking of Morocco, we got an email from our peace corps placement officer this week stating that she is just waiting to hear back from the officials in our country to say they have a job for both of us and then we get the official invitation. she said she should know by the end of this week. The waiting is almost over. YEAH!!!

The wedding plans are still coming along. We got our wedding bands. After a few visits to the jeweler, my band looks amazing and it is a perfect fit with my engagement ring. Michael's ring looks great, but it is a little bit too big, so we need to get it resized. We are also trying to get ourselves registered, so people that don't want to give us money (since we are going to the peace corps, we don't want a lot of stuff to have to store), can have something to get us if they would like to get a gift. Registering when you really don't want anything is quite a tough process. We are trying to decide what things would be good to register for at this time even though we don't plan to use them for a few years. Anyway, I am sure we will figure it out. My aunt came in from Lebanon last week and she is staying through the wedding. It is so great to see her. She brought along with her some samples of the wedding favors. They look so great. My dress alterations are coming along and Michael is working on getting his tux stuff all figured out. We still have a lot to do, but things are coming together well. We have already received many RSVP's for the wedding, which is great. I am so excited.

Well, work is going well. I am still learning some stuff, but it definitely seems like something to just pay the bills until we head out to the peace corps. I cant wait to start this wonderful journey. well, I am sure there is a lot more to fill everyone in on, but that is all I have the energy for right now. I have a cold and a cough and I have lost my voice. I think it was just that I being way too hard on my body right now. Camping, flying, traveling, working, planning the wedding, driving all over the metroplex, and very little sleep. anyway, I am off to rest for a bit. Have a good sunday.

2005-05-03T10:48:00.000-05:00

And the waiting continues...

Well, we still haven't heard anything more in regards to our peace corps assignment. We have to wait till the end of the second week in May and then we can call our placement officer again. :)

The wedding plans are still going. We met with my parents and Dr. Cobb (our officiant and professor from UTA) on Saturday and had a great conversation. My parents really liked him, which is a very good thing. Also, my parents read over the ceremony Michael and I came up with and they both loved it. Another great thing. :) Also, we stuffed the invitations on Saturday, so hopefully we can get those all sent out this week.

On to the not so good things about the wedding planning. We picked up my dress on Saturday and we need to get it altered a bit. It looks great, but there are a few changes that need to be made. I found this lady who does alterations in one of those community wedding books. So, we met with her on saturday at her apartment where she works from. at best, it was a really crappy meeting. :) Her apartment was very small and super cluttered with all kinds of dresses and random crap. She was very rude and abrupt. She kept grabbing my shoulders and turning me around. I was not impressed at all. Then, she quoted us a pretty outrageos price. So, we are meeting with a friend of my mom's this afternoon who owns an alteration shop in Lewisville. She said she has done bridal alterations in the past and her prices seem much more reasonable. Wish me luck. I would really like to get this alterations process underway. Other than that, all the wedding stuff is really falling into place. There is still a lot to do, but Michael and i are both very excited.

Another not so good piece of news is that my cousins, Maria and Myrna, from Lebabnon were not able to get their Visas. My mom is looking into contacting someone here who can help us out. It really sucks. They were asked all kinds of crappy questions when they tried to get their visas. This is not new information at all, but i am not impressed with america's foreign affairs. Anyway, we are going to do our best from here to see if we can help.

In other news, my sister is gearing up for her high school graduation. My mom and dad are throwing her a big party. I am so excited. I am also so very proud of her. She is going to UT at Austin next year. Go Longhorns!!

2005-04-24T15:49:00.000-05:00

Where do I begin? :)

Well, sorry i missed last week's post, time just seems to get away from me sometimes. So, the last few weeks have been very, very busy. My sister had her prom last weekend. She had a great time. Michael and I went up there before she left, so I could help her get ready. Her dress was beautiful and she looked great. I felt like a real adult as we all snapped a million pictures of her and her date. It was very fun. Then, michael and I ate at Zorba's (delicious Greek food) before heading over to Denton to visit with William, who is in town from Germany for a few weeks and Jay, who was in town from Charleston for a few days. It was great to see both of them. It is definitley a long drive to Denton, but it is worth it to spend some good times with good friends.

On sunday, I had a preemie graduation party to attend at work. This is a party they hold once a year where all the babies that went to the NICU and their families get to come back and have a big ol' party. it was so good to see so many healthy babies.

Natalie and Jen are throwing Michael and I a couples Luau Shower. I am so excited, it is going to be so much fun. I cant really remember the last time someone threw me a party, i am usually the planner of things. We are all going to get together by the pool and gril some burgers and chicken and party it down. Yeah!!!

Last wednesday, we hung out with Gabe (michael's cousin) and his fiance, Mallary. we hung out at their place and played some Texas Hold Em. They had cooked a delicious dinner. I kicked ass in the poker, i was the evening's poker winner. :)

Thursday night, will, michael, jenn and I attended a candlelight vigil that the Turning Point (the rape crisis center i used to work at) was holding. They had a suvivor share her story. it seems she is a national celebrity, she has even been on Oprah sharing her story. It was very moving. Of course, it was no Take Back the Night Rally, but it did feel good to hear someone's amazing story of recovery. I was glad that will, jenn and michael were able to be there with me.

Friday, i was actually not working because i am working today and worked yesterday. Well, I was supposed to get my wedding dress fitted. That didnt work out as planned. My dress didnt come in on time, so i had to cancel the fitting . I have rescheduled it with a different lady for this coming saturday. My dress better be in on wednesday as promised. So instead of dress fitting, i ran some other wedding related errands and spent the afternoon hanging out with jenn and just bitching and moaning about wedding related stuff. That was a much needed vent fest. :) Thanks, Jenn.

This week, the wedding planning continues. We are working on getting michael's wedding band and tux and we are also trying to get the final details of the amarillo lake trip in may planned out. What busy lives we lead. Well, as bon jovi says, i'll sleep when i'm dead. Peace out.

2005-04-11T10:23:00.000-05:00

Late again :)

The weekend was a blast. We headed down to Austin Saturday morning to see Kim and Chris. It was a great time. Of course we drove straight into Trudy's and met everyone there. The food and drink and company was all wonderful. It was nice to spend some time with Chris and see Matthew and Stacey. It was a lot of fun. Then, we spent the rest of the weekend haning out with Kim. It was such a blast. Kim was such a great hostess. We ate some more and spent some time hiking and swimming at the Green Belt. We talked a lot and just enjoyed the company. It was a nice relaxing weekend. We didnt get home till yesterday evening, but it was worth it.

On a different note, I love my IPod. We bought an adapter that you can use to play your ipod in the car. So, michael and i spent friday night setting up all kinds of playlists and downloading more cd's onto my ipod. We were able to listen to all kinds of great music on the road. I am also getting a sports armband for the ipod, so i can use it to workout with. Good times. I love technology.

We are also moving along quite well with the wedding planning. We finished the ceremony and met with the officiant again last week. The meeting went very well. I think the ceremony sounds great and is very personal, which i really like.

Anyway, today starts another week. I hope it flys by. Have a good one.

2005-04-04T10:14:00.000-05:00

Sorry, I'm late on the post this week

Well, this weekend was very busy with Michael's parents in town. It was very fun and I had a really good time getting to know his parents better. Well, his mom and her fiance flew in on friday, so i picked them up at noon and dropped them off at the galleria and headed back to work. I was able to get out of work at 3:30 since i came in so early and then i headed back to the galleria to pick them up. We found a hotel and got them all checked in and then when michael got home from work, we all headed out to dinner. Saturday, we hit the wax museum and ripleys believe it or not museum. It was a very fun and educational time. :) There were some really crazy, wierd things on display there. Then, we headed up to meet my folks and that went over very well. The food and company was all great. Sunday, we took them to the airport and then caught up with michael's dad who was passing through town. we watched a few movies and enjoyed the afternoon. It was a great weekend full of family fun (my new extended family is really great) :)

I had my consultation for my tooth implant last week and it went well, so i have an appointment for may 6 to get my tooth extracted and a new one put in. I have to be on an IV and all. It is quite nerve racking, but i am sure it will go well. Michael is going to be there with me, so that will help ease my nerves.

We are still waiting to hear from the peace corps as far as an invitation. I am getting very impatient, but we will keep waiting to hear since that is all we can do. Anyway, i have to get back to work. Talk to you all soon.

Oh yeah, one more thing, i am really looking forward to next weekend. we are heading down to austin to visit kim and see chris. That will be tons of fun. Yeah for getting out of town for the weekend. :)

2005-03-27T13:26:00.000-06:00

yeah for lazy Sundays

Well, this week has been quite eventful and productive. the biggest news is that Michael and I found out we are both medically cleared to join the Peace Corps. Now, we just wait for our invitation which will tell us when and where we are going to serve. It is a great weight lifted off our shoulders. It is so exciting. This means we are definitely going to serve in the Peace Corps, we just don't know where or when yet. YEAH for that!!!

This week at work was very tough. There were a few days in there that were very emotionally draining. One baby was very very sick on Wednesday and I spent several hours with the mom and dad providing support. it was a very draining day. also, the NICU translator (who is the best most amazing sweetest woman I know) went to the hospital with chest pains this week. She is ok now, but it was tough for a few days there. That was also very tough emotionally. Anyway, I made it through and i am to my full emotional level today. :)

Yesterday, Michael and I went to my parents house to celebrate an early Easter. It was so much fun. We only planned on staying for a little while and we actually stayed the whole day. We got there around 11 am and stayed till a bit after midnight. It was wonderful. We colored eggs and ate great food. I did some shoe shopping with my mom and sister, while michael and the men stayed home and watched tv. Then, in the evening, I wanted to get some more shopping done since my mom and May (a good friend of the family) were both there. So, the men went to the movies and we hit the mall. Overall, it was an excellent shopping day, thanks to my mom and May. I was able to find my wedding shoe (which is totally beautiful), a wedding slipper just in case the shoes become too uncomfortable, three other pairs of shoes to go with all the amazing clothes we found at Macy's. I feel like I have a whole new wardrobe and it was all so reasonably priced. They were having an amazing sale. :) I have outfits for the rehearsal dinner, for the shower, for my sister's graduation party, my sister's graduation, and for many other events that haven't even been put in the books yet. i hate shopping, but it was such a fun time shopping with my mom and May. It made it so much easier. It is like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders because i was really dreading shopping for all that stuff. Oh yeah, i also was able to find the undergarment i needed to go with my dress. That was also a big concern. Anyway, overall it was a wonderful day. After the shopping and the movie, we all played some texas hold em. I won $1. YEAH!! Anyway, it was a great day full of family fun and good times.

Well, today has been a lazy day, which is something i really needed. I woke up late and have just been taking care of things around the house, replying to emails and i am going to hit the grocery store pretty soon. peace out.

2005-03-25T17:23:00.000-06:00

Great News!!!

I know this post is unusual since it is not Sunday, but this was such good news, I wanted everyone to know. Michael and I are getting married...Oh wait, you guys already know that. :) Here it goes...Michael and I have both been medically cleared for Peace Corps service. Now, we just wait to reiceve our invitiation which states when and where we are going to serve. Yeah!!! I believe this deserves a celebration, so Pirahna, here we come. :)

2005-03-20T22:24:00.000-06:00

Since I promised, here I am

Well, this week has been a busy one as usual. Monday night, we hung out in the hot tub, eating spiced meats (for those of you who know Will Ferrell, you will understand the spiced meats :) with Michael's cousin, Gabe and his fiance and some of her friends. It was a fun time. we even took the hookah down to the hot tub. Good times.

Thursday, we celebrated St. Patty's Day at the Fox and Hound with some of Michael's coworkers. It was also a very fun time. I had to turn in early in order to make it to work on friday, but it was nice to meet some of Michael's co workers.

Saturday, we headed up to my parent's house to celebrate Michael and my mom's birthdays since they are both in March. We ate a fancy smancy steak at the III Forks. I didnt eat steak, but my dinner was also delicious. It was fun times. Then, we headed back to my parents house to finish up the evening with some Texas Hold Em. It was so much fun even though we lost almost all of our money. :)

Today, i tried to do some wedding shopping for shoes and stuff, but i had no luck. I think out of all the wedding stuff, the toughest part for me is going to be all the shopping for clothes and accessories. Anyway, i am sure i will make it through. well, i am off to bed to start another week. see you all later.

2005-03-13T12:28:00.000-06:00

Back for week #2

What a weekend it has been? Full of fun times with good company. Well, Michael and I both took Friday off of work to celebrate Michael's birthday. We did some shopping in the morning and ate lunch at La Madelene's and enjoyed each other's company. We began the major celebrations with dinner at First Chinese BBQ with some good friends and then finished up with a party at the apartment. We talked, drank, played some Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) and poker and just had a jolly good time. We also hooked up the hookahs with some new shisha we bought that was quite delicious. We even sang happy birthday and had Michael blow out some candles. Our good friend, Miriam, was in town from Albuquerque and it was so good to see her. I really hate how all of the good friends I have made over the years seem to be scattered all over. I miss you all very much.

Saturday, Michael and I had another day off together. Imagine that two days off in a row. That never happens for us. Anyway, we went to the Dallas Aboretum and it was a beautiful day to be there. The spring flowers are blooming and it was wonderful to see. We ate at Fadi's and then went to catch the Merchant of Venice at the Anglika. dinner was great, the movie was ok. overall, it was a fabulous weekend. I am so glad that Michael had so much fun at his birthday party. I believe birthdays should be full of fun and good times with friends and family.

Well, the wedding planning is still coming along. I am definitely feelings overwhelmed with stuff to do right now, but i am sure it will all get done. we are trying to figure out where we want to go for a honeymoon. We want to rent a log cabin somewhere in the moutains and do some hiking and rafting and outdoorsy stuff like that. we are leaning towards a few places in the Arkansas Ozark Mountains that look very beautiful. I will keep you all posted and if you have any ideas of beautiful places, please let me know. :)

Still havent heard back from the Peace Corps. I have heard back that they want me to get a baby molar i still have pulled and replaced before we can leave. It seems that to get a tooth implant, it costs several thousands of dollars and most insurance companies dont cover that yet. Anyway, i am going to look into a few options on monday and i will let you all know what i find out.

Well, I am off to finish up my weekend with a workout and some grocery shopping. See you in a week.

2005-03-06T09:43:00.000-06:00

First week back :)

As promised, here I am. Well, this past week has been as crazy as usual. Work has been going well, the days and weeks at work seem to be flying by. I have met and worked with a lot of interesting families since I started working at Parkland Hospital. This past week, I lead a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Parent Support group for the parents of the babies in the NICU. It was amazing. It went so well. There were veteran moms there whose babies had been in the NICU for 3-6 months and there were also very new moms whose babies had just come to the NICU about a week ago. The new moms were so sad and were crying and were asking for advice on how to make it through this tough time. I gave them some support, but since I am not a mom and my baby is not in the NICU, it is not the best support they can get. Fortunately, the veteran moms started giving support to the new moms. It was amazing to see. Anyway, it was a good Friday at work because a few of my veteran moms were getting to go home with their babies. It was a good feeling to see that. Also, in the support group, a few of the veteran moms thanked me for all my support. That was also a good feeling since this job can be very thankless at times.

Life outside of work is also going very well. The wedding planning is coming along great. All the vendors such as DJ, cake baker, florist, photographer, have all been picked out and contracts have been signed for the big day. The invitations are all done. My mom has so very kindly addressed all the envelopes and all we have left to do is stuff, stamp, and seal them. Michael and I have met with Dr. Cobb, the officiant and one of our old professors at UTA. We are currently working on how we want the ceremony to go and what we want Dr. Cobb to say. We have also spoken with Rabih, the manager at the Fadi's in Frisco, and we have the date set for the rehearsal dinner. He is going to close the whole restaurant and just have it for us. It is going to be quite a fun evening. So, there is still a LOT left to do for the wedding, but most of the major things have been taken care of. My mom has been a life saver when it comes to help with the planning.

I am taking my first official Paid Time Off (PTO) day at work this week. I am taking Friday off to celebrate Michael's birthday. I am so excited. Miriam is coming into town and Marla is going to join us to party it down. I can't wait, it is going to be a blast.

Friday night, Michael and I checked out this new sushi place, Lava Asian Grill, that one of Michael's coworkers recommended. It was very delicious. I think I still like Pirhana more, but this place wasn't bad at all. Then, we headed up to the Inwood theatre and had a few drinks at their bar and then caught The Shining at the midnight showing. It was as scary as the first time I saw it. Jack Nicholson can be a very crazy, scary looking man. It was all good times.

Yesterday, Michael and I did a bunch of shopping. We went to Custom Jewelers because we are custom making my wedding band to match my engagement ring. Did any of you ever think you would hear words like that come out of my mouth? "custom made wedding band to match my custom made engagement ring" Crazy stuff, I tell you. :) We did some looking at wedding bands last weekend and it is actually cheaper to custom make it. How crazy is that? Anyway, we are still looking to see what ring Michael wants. We are thinking a ring made of Tungsten would be great since it is the most scratch resistant metal they have. And with Michael being a nurse and all, he needs a scratch resistant ring. :) We also went to REI and I bought a pair of much needed running shoes. My running shoes are so freakin old I cant even remember what year I bought them. :) Then, we hit Target for a couple of items I needed. Then, we went up to Plano to hang out with my cousins from Houston, they are in town for their spring break. It was a great time. We all went to eat at Fadi's and then went back home and played cards all night. It was a lot of fun to spend some time with family. My family and Michael are really getting along well and that is a great thing. They really love him so much. Anyway, it has been good times all around lately. Well, today, I am going to work out, work on the ceremony some more, run some errands, and head up to Plano to hang out with my cousins some more. Anyway, hope you are all well and I will talk to you in a week. :)

Oh yeah, one more thing. The peace corps process is still in the works. Michael and I have both sent in our medical packets, so now we are just waiting to hear back from them. Michael is also taking an accelerated French class this semester because you have to have either 2 semesters of French or Arabic to go to Morocco and that is where we are hoping to go now. They have told us there is a couples placement in Morocco in September of this year. We are both really interested in that placement, so please keep your fingers crosses for us. :)

2005-03-02T19:05:00.000-06:00

I'm Back!!!

Ok, so hear's the deal. My goal (so as not to be overzealous) is to write a blog every Sunday with updates of my week. I am really going to set my mind to this, so hopefully i can really do this. Things have been way crazy busy with applying for the Peace Corps and planning this wedding, but that is not excuse for my lack of blogging. Well, I'll be back on Sunday. Wish me luck.

2004-11-28T21:24:00.000-06:00

Yeah for family fun

Thanksgiving was so much fun. I did have to work Thanksgiving day, but I was in Plano around 5:15 and eating my mom's delicious food at about 5:30. it was so great. My aunt and cousins came up from Houston so we could spend the holiday together. My little cousins and my sis helped Michael and I decorate my apartment for Christmas. They helped put up the tree and strung popcorn and made chains for the tree. It was a jolly good time. I also got to see Jason this weekend up in Denton. Michael and I went up there on Friday night and hung out with the gang and did some karaokeing. It was a fun time. May-Ling was also in town this weekend, so Michael and I got some lunch with May-Ling, her mom and her sister. It was so great to see her and catch up on things. I am really hoping we can get together when I am in California for Christmas. Saturday night, Michael and I went back up to plano to hang with my cousins. We were going to take them to Fun Fest, but then we ended up all playing cards and hanging out. It was a great time full of laughter and holiday cheer. It was so nice to see my cousins having a good time. They have definitley had a tough time lately. They are in my thoughts.

Well, my new job is going very well. I have been staying very busy there, which is great. I get into work around 7:45 and leave around 4:15 and I am busy all day. The day seems to fly by. I really like the people I am working with. They are all very supportive and helpful. They all seemed very impressed with how quickly I have picked up the job. I think my past experiences in many different agencies have been very helpful in picking this job up quickly. I think this is going to be a good fit for me right now.

The wedding plans are still going well. I am getting a bit better at delegating, so that is good. The invitations are well on their way. I think we should have a final copy by the end of the week. Many of my family members from Lebanon have said they are going to try to make it, so that is super exciting. I would love it if they could all come.

Well, I am off to finish my sunday evening and get ready for another week of work. Have a good one.

2004-11-20T15:58:00.000-06:00

The first week

The first week at work went very well. It was very exhausting, but it was also very interesting and challenging. The woman who is in the current NICU social worker will be staying till this coming Friday, so I feel very fortunate to have two weeks to shadow her and really learn about the job. It is a job with many responsiblities and i am certain I will always stay busy. I am really excited about it. There are already a few parts of the job I am not too excited about, but most of it seems to fit me pretty well right now. I have met a lot of cool people. The social workers at Parkland are all a pretty unique bunch and I really like that. I have taken the DART train twice and plan to continue taking it everyday. It is very convenient and easy and saves on gas. I think this job is definitley going to keep me busy and quite exhausted, but I think that is a good thing for me right now.

Well, the wedding planning is going well. We have signed the contract with Gleneagles, so everything is set to go on that end for July 16, 2004. Many of my family members in Lebanon are really trying to come for the wedding. I am so very excited about that. I am working on the inviations right now. We bought the supplies last week and we are going to make them ourselves. I have already started on one part that really interests me, where to put the roses on the invitation. :) Anyway, all is well in this area. I think we are doing pretty well as far as the planning goes.

We saw the Incredibles last night and really liked it. I thought it was quite entertaining and very funny. I am also looking forward to thanksgiving this week. I am actually going to be working on thanksgiving, but i will be off by 4:30 or so and can head up to plano from work. I cant wait to hang with the fam and have some good food. My family from houston is coming to celebrate with us and i am going to take my cousins and sis to arlington on friday, so we can all make tree trimmings and decorate the tree together. it should be a fun time for them since they will not be decorating at their home this year due to their father's recent passing. anyway, i hope it is a good time for them. The holidays can be hard sometimes. Well, I am off.

2004-11-15T17:54:00.000-06:00

Yeah for new jobs!!!

Well, I just got home from my new job at Parkland and overall the day went very well. It was basically just hospital orientation all day. We talked about everything from benefits to parking to safety procedures to infectious disease prevention. Since I have never worked in a hospital before, most of it was very interesting to me. Then, I spent a few minutes at the end of the day meeting people in the social services department. I have another half day of orientation tomorrow and then I spend the afternoon in the social services department. I am really hoping this job is a good fit. No matter what, I plan on sticking this one out for a while.

even though I can't post from work anymore since I am going to be so busy, I am still going to try to keep up with my blog. I am not sure if I will be able to post everyday, but I am going to do my best to keep up with it.

Well, this weekend was quite eventful. Michael and I went on a date on Friday night. We had sushi and quite a bit to drink. It was a blast!! Saturday, I spent the day in Plano with my mom and sis. My mom and I did some serious wedding shopping and ended up buying the wedding invitations and the program paper. We are going to make both of them. I think I am about to start some serious delegating. :) Saturday evening, Michael and I went to dinner with Will and then hit The Round Up for some gay country dancing. It really was a great day.

Sunday, Michael got canceled in the morning, so he did not have to go to work. We got to hang out and just lounge around all day. It was so nice. we haven't had a day together like that in quite some time. I also tried playing some Halo 2. I am not so good at it yet because it is super hard, but I am going to work on it. Whoever thought of having two joysticks to move one person is a bit crazy in my opinion. Anyway, it was a very nice, rejuvenating weekend that got me ready to start a new job. Well, I am off to lounge a bit before the drive up to plano for monday night football at mark and nat's.

2004-11-12T09:46:00.000-06:00

The date is set!!!

Well, the date for our wedding has finally been set. The date is going to be Saturday, July 16, 2005. It is going to be at Gleneagles Country Club in Plano, TX. I would like to send out a big thanks to my mom who spent so much time and energy meeting with people at all the different locations, so we could finally find one we liked. I am very excited that we have a date and a location, so now we can get to planning this crazy wedding. Now, for those of you who have never been to a Lebanese-American wedding and would like to know more about what it will be like. Please take the time to watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding. That movie is basically a perfect replica of what the wedding will be like. :) Anyway, I am off to enjoy my last day at work before a nice evening full of sushi and romance with my love.

2004-11-11T13:40:00.000-06:00

Much to say

I just got back from a meeting with my supervisor's supervisor. I told my supervisor exactly why I was leaving when I gave her my notice, but I also wanted to let her supervisor know what is wrong, so there is more chance that a change will be made. The meeting went very well. I had everything I wanted to say written down so I would make sure not to forget anything. He listened very intently and took many notes. I think he was very receptive to the discussion. He was very appreciative that I talked to him because he said there was no other way for him to know what is going on and what needs to change to make things better. Well, I feel good about having the talk with him, but I really do hope it makes a difference for future social workers in this position.

Well, sorry this is so late, but it has actually been a busy week at work (trying to get ready to leave and all). The weekend went very well. It was so much fun having Michael's family in town. The meeting of his dad and my parents went very well. My parents were very polite and Michael's dad really enjoyed my mom and dad's cooking. Overall, it was a great meeting. We all went to Six Flags on Sunday and that was a blast. Michael, my sister, and I rode that crazy swing thing that flies over the whole park. It was so crazy. we just kept going higher and higher while staring at the cement below us. I had to close my eyes, it was so scary. Some people said it was scarier than skydiving because you can see the ground. Anyway, it was definitely an adrenaline filled fun time. Parts of the weekend were a bit stressful just because there were so many people, but it was definitely worth it to spend some time with Michael's family.

This week has been crazy. I took my drug test and got some vaccinations at Parkland on Tuesday. My right arm still hurts a lot because of the tetanus vaccination. I have been packing up my office, cleaning off my computer, and closing out my clients. It has been a good week. I am really looking forward to tomorrow. I have a few notes to write up in the morning, then we have a quarterly staff meeting at the administration building (lunch will be provided). I am hoping to turn in my keys and head out of here shortly after that meeting. We'll see how it all goes.

Well, Michael and I have been trying to save for our future (Peace Corps, wedding, rings, honeymoom, etc.), so we have cut back a lot on going out. But, we have decided to go to Pirahna this friday to celebrate my new job and increased paycheck. I am really looking forward to it. Michael is working on saturday and sunday and my dad is out of town this weekend, so I am going to head up to Plano and hang with my sis and mom. There is a partylite show that I think I am going to take my mom to so we can stock up on half price candles. I also hope to get some stuff cleaned out of my apartment, like some books and old files and stuff I dont really need any more. Half Price, here I come. Anyway, I think it will be a nice, relaxing weekend. I am looking forward to it. Then, I start work at Parkland monday morning at 8:00. I am looking forward to this job for so many reasons. I think it will be an exciting change where I will have the opportunity to gain some great experience. Wish me luck.

2004-11-09T14:00:00.000-06:00

Got to love this country...

Check out this page. It is quite entertaining and very educational. It really helps to understand why Bush won this election. This country and its citizens continue to amaze me.

2004-11-08T10:58:00.000-06:00

I got it!!!

The wait is over. I just found out that I got the Parkland job. I am so excited about this. I think this job is going to be a really great fit for me. I will be working in the NICU unit with very sick babies and their families. It seems like a very supportive environment and social workers are definitely treated with respect, which is something I am really looking forward to. It is very fast paced so the day flies by and I can actually feel like I am helping other people again, which is the reason I got this degree in the first place. I am also going to be making a good chunk of change more than I am making right now, which is a nice added bonus. I am going to start this coming Monday, November 15. I know it is not quite right not to give 2 weeks notice, but I do not plan on using my current job as a reference and I only have 5 clients, who I can terminate with this week. They want me to start on Monday and I really just can't stand this job anymore. So, I'm out. I am going to have a meeting with my supervisor this afternoon to let her know that I am leaving. Wish me luck. I will post again later telling you all about my fabulous weekend.

2004-11-05T13:20:00.000-06:00

Waiting...

Well, it is about 12:30 and I am still waiting to hear from Parkland. I really do hope I get this job, but if not, I think I will also be happy at SAFY. Anyway, today has been ok. I have done some reading and some playing online. I am really looking forward to this afternoon. I am leaving work early today because I had two hours of comp time for staying late two days last week. I plan to go to Grapevine Mills Mall to exchange an engagement gift I got last week. It is a very nice nightgown and robe, but it just doesn't fit right, so I am going to try to find some thing else. This gift was from one of my mom's good friends who works at Neiman Marcus, so she got the gift at Last Call (that is why I have to go to Grapevine Mills Mall). Anyway, she was really great about it, she actually gave me the gift receipt in case it didn't fit right. How sweet is that? After that, I plan to go home and curl up under a blanket and watch Gilmore Girls and ER from this week. Then, when Michael gets home from work, we are going to set up our places to have Michael's family crash there. we just need to set up the air mattress and get out the blankets and stuff. Then, we just chill and wait for them to arrive. They said they are hoping to be in town around 10 or 11. I am so excited, I think this is going to be a great weekend. Well, I am off to continue waiting for the call from Parkland. Wish me luck. :) Hopefully, there will be another post later this afternoon letting you all know which job it is going to be. :)

2004-11-03T10:37:00.000-06:00

I am NOT impressed with America

Michael and I went to Scott's place to watch the election results roll in. It was nice to be surrounded by like minded people while watching the shitty, shitty election results. It seems that almost half of Americans are ignorant and crazy. I don't want to offend anyone, but I am pretty upset right now regarding our elections results. I know it is not completely tallied yet, but it seems that Kerry called Bush and conceded earlier this morning. I cant believe Bush got re-elected. The closeness of this election shows us how divided this country truly is. Well, with the idea of Bush in office for 4 more years, I am now certainly ready to head out for the peace corps. I wish I could think of more to say, but I think I am still in shock. I really did think Kerry could win this election.

Well, on to other news so I don't have to think about the election anymore. I got the job offer from SAFY earlier this week and I am postponing giving them an answer till I hear back from Parkland. Parkland said they should get back to me by Friday. I am definitely taking the Parkland job if I am offered it. If not, I will accept the SAFY position. I guess the best thing is that no matter what, I am only in my current job for 2 more weeks. Yeah for that.

It seems that the wedding is going to be July 16, 2005. This date is not set in stone, but it should be by this weekend. It is either going to be at Gleneagles or The Castle at Canyon Creek. The hotel is still an option, but I think it is not our favorite place. Keep your fingers crossed that we get this date set by the weekend.

Well, Micheal's dad and several of his brothers and sisters are coming into town this weekend. I am really looking forward to that. Michael, his dad, and I are going to have lunch with my parents on Saturday. This will be the first time they meet. I am sure it will go well. On Sunday, we are all going to Six Flags for discounted prices. Michael's work has reserved the park and is giving tickets for half price, so I am sure that will be a good time.

I am feeling more tired every day. Last night, I couldn't keep my eyes open while we were at Scott's. As soon as my head hits the pillow nowadays, I am fast asleep. Anyway, I guess that is what happens when things are non stop all the time. anyway, I am off to try and find something to do here at work.

2004-11-01T14:32:00.000-06:00

And the fun continues

So, it seems that everything does always happen at one time. on the job front, I have been offered the position at SAFY (the treatment foster care agency). I told them I would like to wait till Friday to get back to them with an answer in the hopes that Parkland will offer me their position. I would much rather the Parkland position for many reasons. I am not even sure I want to take the SAFY position. It is basically the same salary and it does involve a lot of driving, but the schedule is much more flexible and I will at least feel like I am working. Anyway, I guess I have a lot to think about this week.

On to the wedding. Well, we saw another location, The Castle at Canyon Creek, on Saturday and we all really liked it. I think it is our best bet now. My mom is going to meet with Gleneagles Country Club to get some prices and such. Then, we have a meeting with the Hotel Intercontinental on Saturday to get some prices and then we can hopefully make a decision from those three places. It seems that depending on which place we go with, the date will either be June 18, July 9, or July 16. I cant wait to get this part of the wedding process over with. Well, my mom is being so great. It took her a bit to come around, as usual, but now that she is all on board, she has become her good old planning self. She has been a great help and I foresee much more help in the future with this wedding.

Well, the weekend was nice. this past week was a bit stressful for both Michael and I, so that means that our time together was also very stressful. So, we decided to catch a movie together on Saturday night to destress. We saw I heart Huckabees. It was quite funny. I really enjoyed it. It helped to lighten the mood, which was nice. I think we need to make sure and have at least one date a week that does not involve wedding talk. :) Last night, we went to the Boneyard Haunted House in Arlington. It was very scary and I jumped and screamed quite a bit. It was a good time, though. It is always fun to get the crap scared out of you every now and then. well, keep your fingers crossed for the Parkland position and that we can settle on a place for the wedding this weekend. I'm out.

2004-10-29T10:31:00.000-05:00

My brain is going to explode

Sometimes, it really does feel like my brain is going to explode because there is so much going on. So, I was at work on Wednesday and I got a call from Parkland Hospital regarding my resume. They wanted to set up an interview for Friday morning at 8:30, so we did and I just arrived at work after the interview. So, the position at Parkland is for a social worker in the NICU department working with very sick babies and their families. It sounds like a great job in a very fast paced environment which really interests me. They said they have 4 candidates including me and that they hope to make a decision this time next week (so next Friday). I think that I will take this job over the one at SAFY if I am offered both. The one at Parkland seems a lot more interesting and pays a bunch more, which sounds very appealing. So, either way, I am hoping to be able to give my two weeks at this current job at the end of next week. One thing I was worried about for the Parkland job is the commute with all the traffic, but it seems that you can take the train from Arlington straight to Parkland. I think that would be so great, save time, gas, the environment, and the heartache of sitting in rush hour traffic.

Ok, on to wedding stuff. All I have to say is if you have the money to hire someone to take care of your wedding for you, YOU SHOULD. So, we have an appointment with another location tomorrow at noon in Richardson. Then, I am driving back up to Plano on Sunday to go to a bridal show with my mom at the Hotel Intercontinental. That hotel is our best bet right now as far as a location because they have June 18 available and can hold all the people we want to invite. Anyway, next Saturday, we have an appointment scheduled with them at 3:30 after my parents meet Michael's dad. I feel like I am driving to plano more often than I am driving to work. :) anyway, hopefully we should have a freakin date for this wedding soon and I can start taking care of some of the other stuff related to the wedding from the privacy of my own home instead of driving all over the world.

Well, last night, I got that silly overwhelming feeling that I hate. I guess thinking about these job interviews and how much I hate my current job and the wedding and constantly driving to plano and trying to get my apartment cleaned this weekend since Michael's family will be staying there next weekend and trying to be supportive to my sister since she has her Homecoming dance tomorrow night has all really gotten to be too much. I really just need some down time. All I am asking for is one day with nothing major scheduled. Anyway, I guess I can't complain too much, but since this is my blog, I am going to. :)

Well, I am looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow before we have to head up to plano. Also, I did get a chance to vote this week. It was super easy, I just went to an Elementary school right by my house. I really think Kerry has a good chance of winning. Anyway, I am off to get some paperwork done.

2004-10-26T14:50:00.000-05:00

The Presidential Horror Show

If you HAVE seen The Rocky Horror Picture Show, you MUST check out The Presidential Horror Show. If you have NOT seen The Rocky Horror Picture Show, you SHOULD and you SHOULD ALSO watch The Presidential Horror Show. It is damn funny!!!

2004-10-26T14:27:00.000-05:00

Thoughts on change...

This weekend went pretty well. I went to Houston with my parents and my sis to visit my aunt and cousins. It was a nice trip, but it was also very hard. I really do miss my uncle and that is always harder when there is something happy to celebrate like an engagement. My aunt and the kids were very happy for Michael and I, but it was so hard not to be sad that my uncle was not there also. My aunt gave Michael and I some money for our engagement and I told her that was very unnecessary, but she insisted that my uncle would have wanted us to have it. She told me that life is short and we need to enjoy every minute of it. It was definitely a hard trip full of many tears. Even though, it was still nice to see them and offer whatever support we can. They are going to come up for Thanksgiving, so I am looking forward to that.

About the job...I am still waiting to hear from the agency I interviewed with on Thursday. They said they would get back to me either way by Tuesday, so I should be hearing from them any time now. I really do hope I get this position.

On the Peace Corps...We talked to our recruiter last night and we got some not so good news. Basically, they have decided that they would like newly married couples to be living together and married for at least 6 months, so they will not consider us for placement until January 2006. At first, I was really pissed off about this because I have already completed part of my medical packet which is a very intensive, time consuming process. I also had to put in a bit of money to get all the medical stuff done. anyway, it seems that the process is now on hold. I am still pretty pissed off for the delay, but I also think it will be helpful to have several more months in the states after we get married. This extra time will allow us to recoup after the wedding, take a honeymoon if we would like, and still save for the Peace Corps. It also allows us to spend another holiday season in the states before we head off. We have so much planned in the next year that I think it will be good to have a few more months to take care of everything. That being said, I am still pissed off at the way the Peace Corps process has gone. It seems that we have tried to do everything they ask and yet still we are getting the short end of the deal. So, we are going to ask our recruiter how we can make sure this does not happen the next time around, so we can be sure and head out in Jan of 2006.

Well, with the extended time we have here, I am really hoping I get this new job since I am certain I will not be able to stand the job I am in for another year and 2 months. Anyway, I can only hope for the best. I think this delay has been especially hard for Michael because this is something he has wanted for so long. At first he was planning on leaving this coming January, then we pushed it back to July and now we are pushing it back to next January. It kind of feels like things are on hold. Anyway, I guess a wedding and getting married and living together are all things we have to look forward to in the coming year. I am certain we will make this year the best ever. Anyway, I am off to continue staring at my phone in the hopes that it will ring and I will get offered this new job. :)

2004-10-19T14:57:00.000-05:00

It's been a few days...

Things have been busy, but good. Let me fill you all in. Well,the talk with my parents went well on Saturday. Michael and I visited with them from noon till almost 7 in the pm. We did some talking about how we all wanted the wedding to go and discussed the guest list and ceremony and stuff. We agreed on most things. There were a few things we disagreed on, but we compromised a bit and worked it out. We spent some time driving around the area looking at sites for the ceremony/reception. We have narrowed it down to three places right now. I am in the process of contacting them to see if the date we want is available, June 11, 2005. Well, my parents did say a few things that didn't make Michael and I so happy, but all in all, the meeting went very well.

Yesterday, Michael and I went over to Mark and Nat's to watch Monday Night Football. We had a great time, as usual. I cant remember a single time I have gone over to Mark and Nat's and didn't have a blast. Anyway, it was a lot of fun and it was great to catch up with everyone. I feel like I haven't seen them in so long. Scott was there too and it was great to see him also.

Well, I am still looking for a new job. I have an interview on Thursday morning with a treatment foster care agency in Arlington. It doesn't pay much more than my current job, so I will see how the interview goes. I would like to learn more about my specific job duties and how the company operates and much more before I switch positions. I am also holding out for Dallas ISD and Parkland Hospital because both those jobs pay more than I am making now and sound very interesting.

On the wedding front, we are looking to have the wedding on June 11, 2005, but it all depends on what location we can find that is available that day. It seems that everyone and their dog and cat want to have their wedding in June. So, we will see how that goes. For some reason, I feel sort of stressed out. I think it is just constantly waiting for people to call me back. Like, I am waiting for the wedding coordinators from these specific locations to call me back and I am also waiting to hear from these job opportunities. Anyway, I think part of it is also that I really need some down time. I still have the same cough I had two weeks ago. :) This weekend, I am waking up at 7 in the am on Saturday to drive to Plano, so I can join my family in Houston. We are going to visit my aunt and cousins there. I am not looking forward to the trip because we wont get back till Sunday night, but I am looking forward to spending some time with my cousins. It is the least I can do after all they have been through with their dad passing away. Anyway, I guess I will have to wait till next weekend for some down time. I cant wait to just lay in bed all day, maybe get up to eat and watch TV, that is what I would like to do next weekend. Anyway, I am off to counsel some kids.

Please don't forget to vote. Early voting started this week. Let's make a change.