Time Flies When You're Having Fun......

I was reminded this past weekend by my sorority sister, Sommer Vaughn, that I had not blogged in 2008. It got me thinking that I must get started back. So much has already happened in this new year to get to me where I am now on May 6, 2008........

- I went part-time in my job in order to meet the overwhelming demands of FNP school; however, now I am working nights. ;(

- I am tutoring 2 girls for undergraduate nursing courses every week

- I have finished this semester of FNP classes and start the VERY HARD portion of my FNP schema on June 3.

- Jon and I are better than we have ever been and growing more and more everyday. He graduated on May 16 and then moves back to Huntsville.

- I went to Hilton Head with my amazing parents for Spring Break

- I've been getting ready and celebrating Elizabeth's upcoming wedding!

- I'm Enjoying spending time with my roomates and close friends

- Working out had become one of my favorite hobbies

- Still loving The Hills

- Reading books in my spare time is my other favotrie hobby

"HERE I GO AGAIN....

....ON MY OWN."

As the song goes, I have been spending alot of this holiday (since Christmas) alone. I have been working and 'paying my dues', as the saying goes. It is so different to be in my apartment with no one here. I had to work Christmas, so come back to an empty apartment on Christmas night we one of the saddest, most lonely feelings ever felt! I opened my presents and ended up just going to bed. It really didn't feel like Christmas! I have a new Respect for anyone who must spend Christmas alone!

I also had to work this weekend, which was extremely difficult. I had very hard patients and knowing my family was in Hilton Head made things even harder. Whom ever said growing up was fun must be crazy! haha In all seriousness, it has been a different holiday season for me. I have been very lonely and cried alot; however, I have realized how blessed I truly am to have such a wonderful support system. Most of my girlfriends sent me text messages or called me on Christmas, knowing it was a hard day for me. Brittany and Andin cooked me dinner Saturday and Dana and I went to dinner Friday. They both knew I needed a close friend. My amazing roomates left me a stocking for me to have on Christmas, knowing I would need something to cheer me up. And, me parents, cousin, and brother and sister-in-law sent me presents to open so I wouldn't be so sad on Christmas night.

I am one amazingly blessed person and i know that every Christmas from here on out with be different because I will appreciate my time with family soooo much more. This has been an amazing time of growth for me and I am greatful for some time alone.....

My First Christmas away from home....

After being in Knoxville for a week, I drove back to Alabama on Chistmas Eve because I have to work on Christmas day... I knew this was coming, but it is still sad. Everyone count your blessings you get to be home for Christmas morning with your families.
But, I am blessed because I get to be in Huntsville tonight (the 2nd best place on earth). haha . I am thankful Jon is sharing his amazing family with me for Christmas eve. They are making me feel so at home. I told Mrs. Frazier a while ago the my family always opens PJ's the night before Christmas. So, guess what they did? We all got PJ's after Christmas Eve Dinner!! The Hills and Fraziers practically are family, so if I can't be in Knoxville, this is where I would choose to be.
5am will come early in the morning, but I have to remember that I will be helping people and I'm sure that will bring me great joy. I am already missing my family and our Christmas traditions, but it's like my dad said... "Only Angels work on Christmas."

O Christmas Tree....

... O Christmas Tree, how lovely are your branches. Yes, you guessed it- last night, we put up our first Christmas Tree! Hayden's parents brough it back for us and we decorated it last night. It was so fun talking about our own family traditions as we decorated the tree-for example, Megan always does the lights from top to bottom, and Hayden and me always do the lights from bottom to top at our houses. It is amazing to be how we all form our own traditions as we move along through life. Forming out own traditions as roomates is exciting and shows me just how much I treasure the traditions my family has at Christmas and throughout the year!

Our apartment now feels like Christmas to me, which is ever so comforting! It has that smell and the lights just make things so much happier and brighter! So, the coundown begins... 22 days till Christmas!

Rocky Top will ALWAYS be HOME SWEET HOME to me!

A sad thing has happened in Atlanta, GA today.. Tennessee lost the SEC championship. We have the worst luck in the championship, but then again, it was a miracle we made it there with the season we had... losing to both of our rivals (bama and fla). Oh, well.. ya win some and lose some.

Jon and I had tickets for the game, but decided to stay and run in a 5K race we had registered for a while back. We had an absolute blast! We had to walk some because Jon is not in the best of shape, but ended up finishing in 36 minutes. In the three and 1/2 years we have dated, we've never done anything like that together, so it was a first.

GiViNg ThAnKs.......

I made it home last night for the thanksgiving holiday. Since I have to work on Christmas, I was completely and totally blessed that I am off until next Monday and got to come home for THanksgiving! This really is my favorite holiday because I just love the traditions my family has. We always get up and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and then get ready and go to Tazewell, where both of my grandmothers are. WE spend the day there, having lunch and dinner with my amazing aunts, uncles and cousins. At my mom's mother's, the ORIGINAL Lenore ;), everyone goes around and write what they are thankful for on this big poster board and we refelect on the events of each person in the fam for that year. I love doing this b/c we pull out the ones from the years past and see how much we have changed or grown up.
So, in preparation for tomorrow, this is what I AM THANKFUL FOR...........

• THe amazing love of Christ Jesus
• My wonderful parents, Ryan and Jenny and my amazing grandmothers
• The close group of friends I walked away from college with.. I couldn't live w/o these girls
• My Jonathan
• The educational opporunities I have been afforded
• My job, which I am starting to love
• Getting to come HoMe SwEeT HoMe
• Drinking coffee and watching the today show
• Long afternoon walks and dinner dates with my roomates
• Watching the Hills and getting take out with Hay and Meg... LOVE IT!
• Grey's nights with the girls
• Starbucks at Christmas time and Weigel's cappucino

SOme are more lighthearted than others, but I have so very much to be thankful for..... Remember to count your blessings tomorrow and don't forget to eat ALOT!... :) Happy Thanksgiving 2007

Cooking time with Lindsay

Tonight I hosted a thanksgiving dinner at my apartment for my RN supper club. These are girls that I graduated from nursing school with these girls and each month we get together for dinner. I love my time spent with them because we get to talk about the joys and difficulties of nursing. These girls are dear to my heart.
Preparing everything for dinner was most enjoyable to me! I felt like my mom, who cooks like no one else can. I see more and more everyday how she impacts the way I do things. For example, I went to get some gerbera daises for the dinner, just because she makes sure to have fresh flowers when having guests. While I don't think I will ever be able to do things as good as she does, I certainly will try to... I sure do have a long way to go! As my roomate taught me tonight, don't make a dish without the recipe!