well hello there 2010

Have I really not posted since November 12th of last year??

I suppose there's a bit to update on.

I had surgery on November 19th that put me seriously out of commission for a month. I'd had a cyst on my tailbone for ten years and since September '09 it was constantly getting infected. I had one ER visit and 3 different antibiotic prescriptions in three months, so my doctor recommended having it surgically removed. He said it would be really painful but I honestly was not expecting it to be as bad as it was. The first week was hell on earth - I have never been in so much pain in my entire life. The intensity of the pain kept me awake for over 48 hours and made me feel so incredibly nauseous. I think I cried myself through those first 48 hours, it was really that bad. Luckily my surgeon was able to prescribe me a much stronger narcotic that took the edge off and I was able to get some sleep. Still, it was very uncomfortable for the first week...I needed help walking and going from laying down to standing up and vice versa. I couldn't sit down for well over a week and couldn't lay on my back for three weeks. Now that is has been two months I am glad I had the surgery, but I would not wish that pain on anyone.

About a week after surgery - that donut pillow came in handy.

December brought my very last weeks of college. I graduated with a 3.52 GPA and got a 3.8 for that semester. Considering I missed so much school due to surgery and ER visits, I am really proud of that GPA. 3.8! I also got an A on my senior Thesis on the Holocaust. Yes, an A. I never in a million years thought I could get an A on a 35 page thesis, but I did. I don't know what to do with myself now that school is over. I admit that I'm a little afraid that my brain is going to become dumb. Ohh, but I won't miss homework or papers or exams. Is it terribly selfish of me that I am a little bummed that no one is throwing me a graduation party? My university eliminated December graduation ceremonies so I don't really feel that I graduated or got an recognition for graduating, as childish as that sounds. I am proud of myself though!

Christmas was low-key, we didn't really have the money for gifts this year. We had the usual Christmas Eve with the Swedes and John's family came this year, so that was nice. We saw my parents on Christmas morning and went to his sister's house for Christmas dinner which was delicious. The kids (and John) all got remote helicopters and they kept everyone busy that afternoon. We didn't do much on New Year's Eve, went to dinner and watched the ball drop on TV. Well, John watched. I was asleep before it dropped.

Cooper and his new bone on Christmas morning

Then, of course, we headed off to the land of sun, fun and magic...Disney World! This year was a lot different because it was SO COLD. We had record low temperatures and spent a couple hundred dollars on sweatshirts and jackets because we were not expecting 30 degree temperatures. It was still fun - it was our first trip using our Vacation Club so that was exciting. We also got to visit the Wedding Pavilion and the Grand Floridian where we will be HAVING OUR WEDDING! Yes, we have changed our plans. This will have to be another post because there is lots to talk about. The trip was fun, albeit cold, but the drive home was not so fun. John got the flu and was sick the whole way home, leaving me at the wheel. Remind me to never drive again!

Now we are home and settling into a routine. Life should calm down, with me being done with school and the holidays having passed. Tomorrow my pre-wedding diet begins with the goal of losing 20 lbs. I should be able to do that in one year...if John stops bringing me chocolate once a week!

if they can't see you...

I wish I had more time in the day to eat better and exercise more. I have had so much homework recently that has to get done - take home exams, lit review, two research papers, and tons of reading - that I barely have time to shower and do laundry. My newest thing is that I want a recumbent bike so I can multi-task: read and bike at the same time. They only cost about $200 on amazon.com, so maybe my parents will feel generous on my birthday? =) Which, by the way, is in 48 days!

This week went by quickly - it's already almost Friday! The Portland Fair is this weekend and hopefully the weather is nice so John and I can go one night...if only for the hot apple cider and silly midway games. My brother is coming home tonight until Sunday, so hopefully we can do something with him too.

This made me laugh tonight:



...because Milo now recognizes the flea-spray bottle and runs like a mad-kitty when he sees John take it out ;)

a little bit of this

I am too mentally exhausted to write anything substantial tonight. All I'll say is that today was really sad, and going to my Death and Dying class after eight hours of non-stop sadness, I'm sadnessed out today. So here's a happy survey, yay =)

1. You wake up in the morning. What time is it probably?
On a work/school day - between 6:30 and 7:00. I try to get up around 6:30 but that hardly ever happens.

2. You get yourself some breakfast. What do you make?
Sometimes a bowl of cereal with coffee, sometimes a bagel & peanut butter with coffee. If I'm feeling ambitious, I'll make oatmeal.

3. Someone calls you on the phone. Who do you want it to be?
No one ever calls me early in the morning!

4. You turn on the TV for a bit. What channel do you put it on?
If I watch TV in the morning, it would be the weather or the news. But I rarely, rarely watch TV.

5. You have some time to kill before you leave. What do you do?
Go online and check my email.

6. You go and have a shower. How long does it take you?
In the morning they are quick, I just wash my face and stuff. At night, I alternate one night with washing my hair and the other with shaving. Around 20 minutes though, probably.

7. You decide to get yourself ready for your day. How long does it take?
15 minutes? Not very long. Unless I dont know what I'm going to wear, that takes the longest.

8. You put on some makeup. What do you put on?
Mascara. Sometimes mineral foundation and eyeshadow if I've got time.

9. You’re ready to leave. What do you take out with you?
For work, I just take my purse and lunch. For school I take my backpack, purse, and some snacks.

10. How long does it take you to get to work?
Less than five minutes, walking or driving =)

11. What is the first thing you do when you get to work?
Punch in, check my desk and try to make a schedule for the day, and find out which residents were admitted/discharged/sent to the hospital.

12. Do you take part in office gossip/water cooler talk?
I listen to it, but I generally don't add to it.

13. Anything particularly annoying about each work day?
When I have meetings all the time.

14. What’s the best part of the day?
It's a tie between going home and listening to coversations some of my resident's have with each other. 'Cause they are funny =)

15. Do you usually leave on time or stay late? Take any work home with you?
I leave on time unless I have extra things to do. I don't take work home, because I wouldn't be able to do any of it away from work unless I took my sixty five residents with me.

16. The boss calls to tell you that don’t have to work, and you’re free for a whole day. What do you do?
Stay at home, in pjs, and get ahead on homework. Haha, no, I'd probably watch girly movies all day. Why do homework when I don't have to?

17. With whom would you want to spend the day?
John, but he works and hardly ever has days off.

18. You go to the store to get some snackage, but it turns out you can only buy one thing there. What do you buy?
Dark chocolate or a vitamin water.

19. You’re walking down the street and you find a magic lamp that grants you 3 wishes. What do you wish for?
Neverending supply of money, good health for myself and the people i love, and homes for all the abandoned kitties in the world.

20. You meet a man who says he will give you your dream job, what is it?
Full time mom =) but I wouldn't want that for several years anyway. And it's not like I'll ever be able to do that financially.

21. You can choose any concert of any singer/band in the world; whose do you go to?
Lifehouse, obviously.

22. You get home & there’s a check for $50,000 in the mail for you. On what would you spend it?
I'd put half of it in a savings account and use the other half towards a down payment for a house.

23. You get to bring back anyone from the dead, famous or not. Who would it be?
Heath Ledger, because he had many great movies ahead of him. And my great-grandfather, because he loved the fact that I am named after his mother.

24. You get to interview your favorite celebrity. Who is it, and what would you ask him/her?
Jason Wade, and I'd ask him all sorts of things about the music he writes.

25. You get to see into the future but you can only find out one thing about your future life. What would you want to find out?
If I'm happy at the end.

26. At the end of your perfect day, you go on a perfect date; describe it.
Well it's a surprise, because I love surprises. All of it would be a surprise, that's what would make it so perfect.

And...this makes me smile: