Social Butterfly

Today I had a wonderful lunch with the ladies at work.  It was one of the best so far.  I'm so thankful for social workers at CHW that are easy to get along with and fun to chat with at work.  I'm looking forward to more times like this; when I feel more like part of a cohesive staff and less like I'm living in someone else's shadow (I am covering for another person's position, afterall).

I hope you all had a great day.

....I'm definitely looking forward to the weekend....

BUT am WAY more excited for next weekend when Bert comes to visit!

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w.e.d.d.i.n.g

This weekend was whirlwind.

I took a plane to Columbus, OH.

To then hop into my brother's car and

drive 2 hours south to Cincinnati, OH.

Then, I traveled to the rehearsal dinner.

Back to the hotel.

Woke up early to eat breakfast.

To then hop into my brother's car and drive 

to Newport, KY.

We walked between Kentucky and Ohio.

Then had lunch.

Went back to the hotel to change for the wedding.

Prepared for my scripture reading during the ceremony.

Attending the wedding...and then the reception.

Danced the night away with good friends.

Woke up early the next morning 

(after springing ahead an hour).

Ate breakfast at the hotel again.

Hopped into Trevor's car and drove 7

hours back to WI.

Here are some pictures from the weekend:

View of downtown Cincinnati from Kentucky

The beautiful bride, Corey, and I

The wedding party with confetti at the reception

My brother, TJ, and I

Two of the girls I met at Corey's bachelorette party (Jessica in the middle and Jalie to the right)

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So it's been awhile....

Story of my blog.  It's been a while since I wrote last.  And part of me feels really bad about it, but all this means is that life has taken over and I've been too busy to sit down and publish my thoughts.

Between the last post and this, I have started my job back at Children's Hospital and really love it!  I've gotten a good blend of consults that I have handled in the past, and new ones that I had no first-hand experience with.  It's been a great experience falling back into the swing of things.  And the staff I work with has been nothing but encouraging and wonderful.  I said, on Tuesday, that the people you work with can make or break a job - and the people I work with at Children's definitely make the job more enjoyable.  :)

I still hope for full-time employment at Children's, but am trusting that (when the timing is right), God will provide the perfect opportunity.

Per usual, I have been spending a lot of time with friends lately.  Some of the girls I graduated from high school with are still in my area.  We planned to have a Girl's Night every Wednesday to reconnect and make sure we always make time for each other.  Besides that, I am fully taking advantage of not having classes, or homework, or exams to eat up my time.  It's fantastic!

Sadly, however, this means that I end up doing too much during any given week, and am usually left feeling like I need to catch up on sleep and time alone.  Given the choice, though, I'd still rather invest my time in other people and just sleep in a little bit on a Saturday (as I plan to do tomorrow).

So, life for me right now is pretty mellow.  My days consist of work, spending time with friends and my parents, and sleeping.  I can't really complain.  One thing I need to make more time for, however, is spending quiet time with the Lord.  I do have a pretty active prayer life these days, but I have exhausted myself so much that by the time I think about opening up the Bible, I just want to sleep.  My new goal for the month:  develop a schedule that allows me quality time with the Lord each day.  Key word being quality.  I never want to feel "obligated" to spend time with God, but I also know the importance of discipline and dedication to His Word.  Please pray for me as I pursue God during this time.  When things go well in my life, I tend to forget that God orchestrated it all.  When things go poorly, I cling to Christ.  It shouldn't be like that.

Well, I will leave you with that.  And I do hope to write more often (as I always say).  I think that writing in a blog is a good way to express oneself and can be a great way to track life as it happens.  I hope you all have a wonderful night!  I'm going to spend it with my friend, Michelle.  We're going to Panera, to the movie The Adjustment Bureau, and then to The Melting Pot for dessert.  :)  It should be wonderful!

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The Past Few Weeks

I've been gone for a while again.

So, let me recap the past few weeks:

On Saturday, December 18th, I participated in a pinning ceremony at UWM.  The ceremony was for graduates of the criminal justice or social work department.  Being from the social work department, I thought it would be fun to get pinned by the Dean of the college.

Sunday, December 19th was my graduation day.  Finally...after four semesters, I am done with Graduate School!  :)  All the hard work paid off.  I ended up just shy of a 3.9 GPA.  Not too shabby!  I'm so so so thankful that it is done.  Granted, at some point in my life, I'm sure I will miss school, but I'm ready to leave my future work at work and enjoy some much needed free time.

In addition to graduation, the Outreach Center has asked me to join their staff full-time.  They are currently working to approve my salary and are deciding exactly what my position will look like.  I feel so blessed to be in the position I am currently (out of school, employed, living at home, and ready for the future).

Okay, so back to the past few weeks...

On Monday, December 20th (at 5:30am mind you), I went to West Allis Memorial Hospital to have my tonsillectomy.  It was my first surgery EVER and I was definitely anxious the day of.  The anesthesiologist, who put in my IV, had to try to get the vein twice (which was a bit traumatizing for me...with a fear of needles and all).  But after that, all I remember is waking up in the recovery room and then eating some popsicles afterward.

Days 1 through 6 were the worst.  I was able to eat soft foods (mashed potatoes, soggy cereal, popsicles, pudding, hard-boiled eggs) and drink lots of fluids, but my ears, tongue, and throat were in pain.  My tongue swelled up to about twice its size.  It is still a bit numb and sore, but is definitely getting better.  My throat is finally feeling only mildly uncomfortable.  No more pain meds for me.

I go to see the doctor tomorrow for my post-op appointment, and I'm hoping I get good news to start back on a general diet.  I did have a "normal" meal tonight, which went well.  Here's to feeling completely back to normal.

Since I did practically nothing for the past two weeks (or so), I still feel a bit loopy and out of sorts (hence my not writing in this blog).

December 25th was Christmas.  Merry (late) Christmas blog readers!  It was a wonderful time with family.  Other than having to cut my food into TINY pieces, Christmas was great this year.  :)

December 26th was my graduation party.  This was another great time with friends and family.  I was so fortunate to get generous gifts that allowed me to send in my social work certification application and fees!  Now, it's just a waiting game to see if I'm approved to take my State and National exams to become an APSW (Advanced Practice Social Worker).

So, that's my update.  I'll be sure to post more as the new year comes.

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Not quite busy

It's funny how even though my school schedule has been pretty relaxed lately, I still feel busy and haven't posted to this blog.  So many things have happened in this past week that I want to post about, but I haven't found the time to upload pictures and actually write.

Last weekend, our church held an event called Love4Haiti.  We recruited 1,000 volunteers to come and pack 285,000 meals for people in Haiti.  It was an amazing event and very powerful.  Our church partnered with Impact Lives to put on the event.  One of the Impact Lives staff explained to everyone at the event that the food that we send is a matter of life and death.  If the people of Haiti don't get food soon, they will die.  Yikes...what a reality check.  So often, I take for granted the fact that I have a roof over my head and food to eat.

Since the event recruited individuals from all over the community, this was also a neat outreach to people who may not belong to a church or know who Jesus is.  It was great to be part of this awesome event.  I'll post pictures a little later.

On a different note, I called a hospice around here yesterday to inquire about volunteering.  I'm taking a death&dying class (if you've read my blog previously you might have noted that) and I'm interested in seeing what hospice care is like.  To be honest, I'm both excited and terrified.  People in hospice have a prognosis of 6 months or less to live.  On the positive side, I am looking forward to developing relationships with the individuals in hospice and spending time with them.  But, I'm a bit apprehensive of what to say to someone who is dying.  I've never been around a person who is actively dying before and the thought scares me a bit.

My mom asked me why I'm even going to volunteer if I'm scared about what it might entail.  I responded by saying that if I never volunteer and find out what it's actually like for myself, how will I ever know if it is actually a passion of mine?  If I never try to volunteer with people who are dying, the thought will always scare me because I've never had exposure to it.  So, I'm willing to give it a shot with the hope that I'll love it and that I will learn a lot about myself and the people who are at the hospice.

I'll keep you all posted on how that goes.  I have to call the volunteer coordinator back today to find out more information about the program.

I hope you have a wonderful Thursday!  :)  I'm having dinner with a few friends after class tonight and am really excited to see them!  I'll post more later.

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RE: 10/10/10

Finally, I have some pictures from our 10/10/10 Apple Holler trip.  Lisa took most of the pictures, so I had to wait until she posted them to update the blog site.

A few unfortunate details about our trip:

1.  It cost $58 per bag to go into the apple orchard and actually pick our own apples....so, we didn't actually pick apples.

2.  It ended up costing more overall to get into Apple Holler and buy food and drinks.

3.  The entire park was definitely tailored to young children, which made the whole day fun, but corny.

So here are some pictures!  :)

From left to right:  Emily, Elizabeth, me, Kelly, and Lisa

With our pumpkins.

Elizabeth, Kelly, me, and Emily

In the Apple Holler cutout.

Elizabeth, Alex (on top), Corey (under Alex), me, Lisa (on top), Kelly (under Lisa) and Emily.

Lisa got this awesome picture of the Alpaca.

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Holler for Apple Holler!

Today marks another Fall milestone...the trip to the apple orchard and pumpkin patch!

Several friends and I are going to Apple Holler to have an adventure.

I am so excited.

Pictures to come after we go.

Hope you're all enjoying this beautiful Fall day!

It's 10/10/10.  :)

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Friends

I had an interesting experience recently that reminded me of how blessed I am to have wonderful friends in my life.

I have friends who:

a.  Laugh at my lame jokes.

b.  Enjoy relaxing chats over a bottle of wine or chocolate cake.

c.  Encourage, support, and challenge me to be a better "me".

d.  Who pray with me when times get tough and who have a heart for the Lord.

e.  Make great memories and take crazy pictures to document.

f.  Never put each other down, but are also genuine with each other.

g.  Are inspirations to me and strive to do their best in everything.

h.  Call just to say "hello" and see how my day is going.

i.  Know when something is wrong and ask what they can do to help.

j.  Don't gossip about others, but focus on the positives in their lives.

k.  Hold me accountable.

I am so blessed by my wonderful friends, especially the fantastic women in my life.

I have great friends from elementary, middle, high school, and college.

I have wonderful friends from youth groups and church.

I have made friends in my workplace.

To all the amazing friends I know, thank you so much for being you.

I love you so much and appreciate your friendship.

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Tagged by a Friend

I just got tagged in a post by my wonderful friend, Alana.  I believe that I would answer the same eight little questions she did, so here I go:

Flower.

Gerbera Daisies.

Color Combination.

Pale Turquoise and White

Celebrity Couple.

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson

Theme Song.

"Keep Holding On" sung by the Cast of Glee

"I had a Terrible Day" Food.

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

Lipstick, Lipgloss, or Both.

Mary Kay Nourishine Lip Gloss in Pink Diamonds

(especially great after Mary Kay's Satin Lip mask and balm)

Magazines.

 People Magazine

Everyday with Rachael Ray

Favorite Things about Fall.

Fall Trees

Pumpkins and Pumpkin Patches

Caramel Apple Cider from Starbucks

My Birthday 

(I'll be 24 on the 17th of October *hint hint*)

My favorite shows are back on.

Including CHUCK and GLEE.

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Amandine

My dear friend Amanda has recently flown to Spain to teach for the next year (or so).  She arrived safely, thank God, and is now adjusting to life in Spain.

Amanda and I have been good friends for the past 5+ years now.  We took a chance on each other and lived together our first year of college-which turned out WAY better than I think either of us imagined.  Amanda is hilarious, intelligent, beautiful, thoughtful, creative, and kind.  I am going to miss her so much while she's away.  Luckily, we now have things like Wi-Fi, iPhones, Skype, Facebook, and E-mail so we can at least keep in touch from different parts of the World.

Dear Amanda,

I hope your trip is everything you hope for and more.

I hope you learn a lot about the culture, the language, and yourself while you are away.

Cherish every moment and take many pictures.

Use your talents for a good cause and make an impact in Spain.

I miss you and am looking forward to talking soon.

Love you,

Anne

In our dorm room freshman year of college (2005-2006)

Halloween at a friend's house at UWW

Amanda and Katie at State Fair this summer

Us girls at Tommy and Derek's for a game night

The Tosa girls at UWW for a weekend visit

Lisa's graduation party last December (2009)

Amanda being "sexy" at the Art Bar with the Tosa Girls

Amanda, you crack me up.  :)

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Last First Day

Today is my last first day of school...ever!
Well, unless I am blessed with children and take them to their first days.
Or if I become a professor and have a first day of school-teaching.

But, I am still very excited about the prospect of graduating and starting my life as a social worker!  All the hard work, time reading, working on papers, interning at various social service agencies, and time stressing out will pay off in December when I will get my Master's Degree.

To start off my last-first-day-of-school morning, I made myself an egg-white omelet with ham, one piece of bacon, a small amount of cheddar cheese, mushrooms, and tomatoes.  I also ate a banana and had a small glass of apple-cranberry juice.

This morning meal was created with the help of Bethenny Frankel's book "Naturally Thin".  This recipe idea wasn't in the book exactly, but Bethenny does talk about your "diet bank account".  This bank account, much like one you have to manage your finances, also manages what you eat each day.  So, if I eat a healthy breakfast and a small lunch, I can have a larger dinner and more sweets later.  It's all about checks and balances.  I like this concept a lot.  So, in an effort to live out a "Naturally Thin Lifestyle", I attempted to eat a (mostly) healthy breakfast and have nutritious snacks throughout the day so I don't feel guilty when I eat a piece of cake later.  :)  I'll keep you posted on my journey through Bethenny's book-afterall, this is the first day I'm trying out this "diet bank account" concept.

Now, I'm off to make my healthy lunch/snack pack for the rest of the day.  I have class from noon until 8pm (plus driving home), so I have a long day ahead of me.  I hope your day is absolutely fantastic!

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Ryan&Meghan

Yesterday was yet another summer wedding.

This time, for my dear friends Meghan and Ryan.

They have been together since high school and were made to be together.

I honestly believe that God created them to be the perfect complement for one another.  It isn't often that I genuinely feel that way about a couple.  I feel that way about my friends, Alana and Jordan, and I feel that way with Meghan and Ryan.  It is such a blessing to be part of a wedding where you can hear, experience, believe, and witness the love that the couple has for each other...a love that only God can create and perfect in us.

Here are some pictures from the wedding/reception:

The beautiful bride-to-be getting ready before the ceremony.

The husband&wife's first dance as a married couple!

The father-daughter dance.

The bride and I at the reception.

I caught/grabbed the bouquet (in my right hand) and am holding my bridesmaid's bouquet (in my left hand).  I guess I'm getting married soon....

So, as Meghan and Ryan begin their lives together, I pray that God blesses them in their marriage.  They are an absolutely beautiful couple and I am so excited to see where God leads them in their relationship with each other.  Love you both!  :)  Love&Blessings.

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State Fair 2010: Day 2

I went to State Fair again today.

This adventure was a little more *intense* than the first day.

For instance, there was a deal where, with a Goodwill receipt, if you bought a ticket between 8am-2pm, you could get "buy one, get one free" admission.  So, instead of paying $9 each, you get two for that price...a great deal!  So, my friend Rosie came over at about 1:40pm and we rushed over to State Fair.  We found a parking spot at 1:52 and then ran down the street to get in by 2pm.  

It was hard to figure out when the block we parked on would cut to the street State Fair was on, so Rosie and I started looking for a sidewalk or backyard to run through.  Rosie found a perfect place to cut through- a sidewalk going past a house towards an alley that then cut to the State Fair street.  Perfect!  So, we keep running.  And then the guy living at the house we cut next to started yelling "Hey girls, stop, come back here!".  So, being naive, I stopped running and shouted back asking what he wanted.  "You can't just run through someone's yard!!".  I answered back, "Sorry sir, we're on a deadline".  He shouted "Sorry doesn't cut it".  And I shouted sorry again while Rosie and I ran away.  

He didn't follow us, but it did catch me off guard.

Firstly, we were running on a sidewalk towards the alley, not on his grass.

Secondly, he was letting people park cars on his lawn, so it's not like he was super anal about his yard anyways.

Thirdly, there was no gate or entrance we had to go through-it was just a thorough-way.

We did make it to the ticket booth on time and got our 1/2 price tickets.

These are some pictures from the afternoon at the fair.

Rosie in an Alpaca hat

Me with an Alpaca finger puppet we named "Leopold" (he's in many of the next pictures)

Leopold and Rosie with a camel

Leopold attacking Jay

Leopold posing with the sheep during a competition

Leopold posing with a pig

Leopold, Rosie, and Angie posing with a cut-out of a Llama and Alpaca

Rosie and I as a cow-farmer and sun

Angie, Joe, and Jay making goofy faces with the Cream Puffs

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State Fair 2010

Katie and I at State Fair

Tony Rocker and the Comeback Special

Part of the Comeback Special, including Tom (Katie's boyfriend) playing Saxophone

Oh baby! 

Another picture of Tony Rocker ;)

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