Book Review: Confessions of a Counterfeit Farm Girl

I bought this book one day this semester during retail therapy. It was on one of the center displays at Barnes and Noble, and the cover is what really caught my eye! I saw the duck boots and the heels and thought it looked like something I would like. I read the back and was sold!

This book is a true story about a woman and her family who move from the suburbs of New Jersey to the sticks in Virginia to live on a farm. If you have ever lived in the sticks or been or worked on a farm, you will relate to and understand this book. She has a tough time changing from her Manolo's and pencil skirts to overalls and mud boots, and the 'city girl stuck in a farm girl's body' makes for interesting reading! I found her writing style very entertaining. She formerly worked as a marketing director for Family Circle magazine, so her writing is witty and a bit sarcastic at times, which I loved.

If you are looking for a book with a defined plot, this may not be the best choice. To me, it was more of a memoir than a novel with a plot. Each chapter details a different story or experience that the author has, and I laughed my way through most of them. If you're looking for something light-hearted and funny, pick this one up and give it a try. She has a sequel of sorts scheduled to be released in 2011.

I give the book an A! Has anyone else read it?

Merry Christmas!

I am happy to say that we have a white Christmas, the first in our small little town in over 40 years! The last time a white Christmas happened here, both my parents were kids! I have always wanted a white Christmas, and this year it finally happened! The southeast is seeing a pretty nasty storm right now. We are expecting up to three inches of snow overnight, and maybe some more throughout the day tomorrow. It is beautiful! I am having trouble with the photo uploader on here right now, so I will try again tomorrow to post the pictures that I have taken of the snow! Church services throughout the area have been cancelled for tomorrow, and from the weather forecast, it looks like we will be stuck in the house for a few days because of freezing and dangerous roads and such. Fine by me! More hot chocolate, gas logs, another book, and the company of my family will make for a great time.

Well, another Christmas has come and (almost) gone, and Santa was good to me this year. Again, the pictures would make this part of the post much more interesting, but for now I will include a short list, and hopefully I will be able to put some pictures up tomorrow:

• new clothes and jeans
• new boots
• new books
• now programmable coffee maker
• mini crock-pot
• new perfume

These are a few things that Santa brought to me, and I am thankful for all that he did bring to me and my family.

Over the last few years, I have learned that Christmas isn't so much about getting and giving presents as it is the time with the people who mean so much to me. This really hit me hard last year.

Last fall, I studied abroad for the entire semester in Costa Rica and was unable to spend Thanksgiving at home with my family. I arrived home just 2 weeks before Christmas, and after being away from my family and friends for several months, I was ecstatic to just see them and spend time with them. I realized in a way I never had before the importance of love and family and being together. That experience taught me to never take the time with those you love for granted, a lesson I wish I had learned much sooner in life. That has truly become my favorite part of Christmas - seeing friends and family and being with them and laughing with them and making memories together.

Of course, the importance of loving relationships is shown to us through Jesus, the foundation for the Christmas season:

Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

God sent Jesus to earth to save us all and to give us all hope. And that really is what Christmas is all about. Sure, the traditions of Christmas make this time of year memorable, but it is the Lord and his example of love that allows us to experience all of the joys of Christmas that make it so memorable to each one of us.

1 John 3:16-18
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

My prayer is that we all realize fully the love that Jesus Christ has shown to us, and that we let that consume our hearts and allow us to love others in the way that he loved us.

Isaiah 9:6

For to us a child is born,
   to us a son is given,
   and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
   Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

Favorite holiday recipes, part 1

Several years ago, my mom's side of the family started a new Christmas tradition. Instead of my grandmother preparing all of the food and desserts for Christmas, all of the children and grandchildren would bring one or two dishes so that my grandmother would only have to take care of the basics, taking a lot of stress and work off of her! 

This year, my mother and I decided that she would make meatballs and I would make cheese dip and punch. I absolutely LOVE each of these, so I am including the recipes in this post! 

"Green Punch"

I know I have had this punch at many weddings before, and a few years ago, my mom found the recipe in an old cookbook. I love making this punch! It's so easy to make, and it is great for any kind of gathering or party, and is especially refreshing and tasty on those hot summer days!

Ingredients: 

• 2 packages of lemon-lime Kool-Aid mix
• 2 cups of sugar
• 40 oz can of pineapple juice (the cans I use usually contain 46 ounces, which works just as well)
• 2 quarts of water
• 1 quart of ginger ale (you can find a bottle of ginger ale that measures right at a quart at the grocery store)

Directions:

1. Place Kool-Aid mix and sugar into a pitcher. 
2. Add the two quarts of (hot) water to the mix and sugar and stir.
3. Add in the 40 ounces of pineapple juice. 
4. Allow to chill prior to serving.
5. Just before serving add ginger ale and stir. 
6. Serve on ice and enjoy! 

Cheese Dip

Ingredients:

• 2 packages of cream cheese (the larger ones)
• 2 bags of shredded cheese
• 1 pound of hamburger meat
• 1 package of taco seasoning
• 1 jar of salsa 
• 1+ bags of Scoops Tostitos chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Set the cream cheese out so that it can soften while you prepare the meat.
3. Cook the meat as usual (brown, drain fat, etc.)
4. Add the taco seasoning per package instructions to the cooked meat. 
5. Allow the meat to simmer while you put the cream cheese in the cooking pan.
6. Spread the cream cheese across the bottom of the pan.
7. Add the meat on top of the cream cheese.
8. Add the salsa on top of the meat.
9. Spread the 2 packages of shredded cheese on top.
10. Place pan in the oven and allow to cook for 30 minutes. It may require more or less time. Just watch the cheese on top and let it cook to your liking!
11. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. It is best to eat the dip with Scoops chips so that you can scoop it up!

What are your favorite holiday dishes? 

SOLD

Lilly Pulitzer has been sold:

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2010/12/21/prep-stays-hot-as-lilly-pulitzer-is-sold-for-60-million/

Thoughts??

BR wish list

I wish it wasn't too late for Santa to add these items to my Christmas list!!!

Goldfish wrap in Cerise

Ruffle placket stripe shirt in Blue Stripe

Stripe Jane puff sleeve tee

 

 Scotty essential flat in Navy

Silk belted ruffle shell

Please, Santa?!

getting closer to Christmas

Yesterday morning, my dad and I went to the high school where he used to work (and just retired from last year) for the Christmas concert. The different choirs and bands and ensembles performed different arrangements of Christmas carols. I love going to Christmas performances and hearing the different songs, so I really enjoyed it.

After that, I went to my mom's work to see "The Polar Express" - NOT the movie. So what does this mean, you ask? The first grade teachers there got together a few years ago and decided to bring the movie to life. Son the last Friday before Christmas break, the children (and teachers) come to school in their pajamas, and the fun begins. A man dresses up like a conductor and blares music from the movie's soundtrack down the halls. The music sounds like a train, and the kids rush out of their classrooms, waving their tickets (little yellow pieces of paper) and move from classroom to classroom. Each room has a different activity - one has hot chocolate, others have crafts, and one room even has Santa! The children also have a chance to go outside and ride a real little choo choo train around the playground! They get so excited, and it is the cutest little thing!

I spent the rest of the morning wrapping Christmas presents and watching old game shows on TV with my sister and dad.

Yesterday evening, I had the opportunity to go to my first ever professional basketball game. My boyfriend bought tickets to go see the Atlanta Hawks play, so off to Atlanta we went! We got stuck in traffic as we got farther into the city, but we made it in plenty of time, parked right across the street from the Philips Arena, and went in to enjoy some food before the game started. I really enjoyed the game and the crowd and the fun things they did during breaks. There were even some celebrities there! Nene from the Real Housewives of Atlanta was on the front row, and another famous rapper was introduced as well. I've been told that the likes of Jay-Z, Young Joc, Usher, even T.I. have been seen at these games. Too bad that T.I. is in jail, or else he may have been there.

We got home last night around 12:30 am, and I went straight to bed and slept in this morning. I think we may do some Christmas shopping later today, but the rainy weather, may just keep us inside the rest of the day.

Happy Saturday!

The Sing Off

No words are necessary. This is my favorite group on The Sing Off!

A note to the teacher

Dear Dr. ------------,

I understand that Christmas is a busy time of year, and that the end of the semester brings exams and things that must be graded. On that note, I must inquire as to why you have not yet posted the only two final grades that have yet to be posted? Forgive me, but we took the exam over a week ago, and the professors who gave tests Saturday and Monday had their grades in two days ago. I respect you as a professor and a pharmacist, but would love it if you would put my mind at ease and allow me to completely enjoy my break by letting me know what grades I have. I appreciate your concern and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
TCS 

There's no place like home for the holidays!

I am glad to say....

....that I am HOME for the holidays!!!

I have survived my first semester of pharmacy school!!! I can hardly believe it. It really flew by! All that time studying and in the library really did make the time pass so quickly.

I came home yesterday afternoon as quickly as I could. I took my last final (of eight) at 9 am yesterday morning. My first final was the Monday after Thanksgiving. We had one that Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. The others started last Wednesday, and then we had one a day (Thursday-Saturday, Monday) through yesterday. Most of my grades are back, but I am still waiting on a few. I never have understood why it takes so long to get scan tron tests graded and back? But for some professors it takes nearly a week.

I am glad to say that with the Lord's help I passed all of my classes with A/B+! I remember after the first couple of days of school at the beginning of the semester, particularly after my first biochemistry class, feeling completely overwhelmed and in over my head. I am not a science person at all. I love English and Math, but Chemistry and Biology have never really been my thing. The thought of making a good grade in Biochemistry was not even in my head when I started out this semester. I actually remember going home and calling my dad in tears after that first class, thinking there was no way I would be able to do it! The professor jumped right into the material in the first class and explained in detail the mechanisms for how two different drugs work, and I remember our entire class sitting there stunned and completely lost. I am so thankful that the Lord has helped me to persevere and study, not just for Biochemistry, but for all of the other courses as well, and achieve good grades. I know that he has made some miracles happen.

One of the biggest 'miracles' happened just today. Our most difficult (well, my most difficult exam - Biochem) was last Wednesday, so after that exam, I was so burned out! It was difficult to find the WTS (will to study) as me and some of my classmates like to call it, and studying for my Saturday morning exam was no exception. An EXAM?! On Saturday MORNING?! Whoever heard of such a thing? I went into the exam feeling a bit unprepared, and walked out thinking I had bombed the test and wouldn't be able to keep the A that I had in the class. I looked through my notes and found 6 or 7 questions that I thought I had missed. At 2 points a piece, that put me too close to the grade I needed to make, so I honestly thought that I had hurt my grade. I was really hard on myself for a couple of reasons: 1. The test wasn't too difficult and I should have known the material better. 2. I made good test grades all semester and was aggravated that I didn't apply myself the way that I had in studying for those tests. So I've been a bit nervous over the last few days about the grade, especially since it is the heaviest weighted class this semester. Well...this afternoon, the professor sent out an e-mail notifying us that the grades had been posted, as well as our final grades, so I pulled up the site nervously. I was with my dad when I checked, and was shocked to find that I made a 96 on the test. I have NO IDEA how that happened, and I kept saying that to dad over and over. "This makes no sense, dad. How did that happen? I thought I had at least 10 points lower than that." And he chuckled and said, "It's funny how God works sometimes!" And it was so true. I have no idea how that happened, because I was certain that I had missed 6 questions. I still can't believe it, but am glad that things turned out the way they did! Thank you, Lord!!

I enjoyed my first full day at home today. I spent some time with dad running errands and just being buddies! And I hung out with my sister and mom and watched a movie, and also got to spend some time with my boyfriend and his family. It was a very relaxed day. It is so nice to be at home and not have to be concerned about what I need to be studying!

I have no plans for tomorrow, other than some online Christmas shopping! I got really behind on gifts this year because I was so caught up in studying for finals for the last few weeks. I love Christmas time!

Can't wait to see what I am able to do with the rest of my free time tomorrow!

10.17.2010

“The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.”
- Psalm 25:14-15


"The way fruit remains firm is through prayer."

"However God may engineer your circumstances, your duty is to pray."

"Wherever God has placed you and whatever your circumstances, you should pray, continually offering up prayers to Him."


"When you labor at prayer, from God's perspective, there are always results."


-MUFHH

10.16.2010

 The law of the LORD is perfect,
       reviving the soul.
       The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
       making wise the simple.

The precepts of the LORD are right,
       giving joy to the heart.
       The commands of the LORD are radiant,
       giving light to the eyes.

 The fear of the LORD is pure,
       enduring forever.
       The ordinances of the LORD are sure
       and altogether righteous.

 They are more precious than gold,
       than much pure gold;
       they are sweeter than honey,
       than honey from the comb.

 By them is your servant warned;
       in keeping them there is great reward.

 Who can discern his errors?
       Forgive my hidden faults.

 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
       may they not rule over me.
       Then will I be blameless,
       innocent of great transgression.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
       be pleasing in your sight,
       O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:7-14

back!!!

After some debating, I have decided to keep up with the blog since a few of the most important people in my life enjoy reading what I put on here. :)

The past several weeks have been quite a whirlwind. I can hardly believe that it is OCTOBER (in a day or two!). My days consist of going to class and studying, and it has made the time pass so quickly. I have not been home in a little less than a month, though it seems like it's been longer than that! I will be venturing home this weekend for a much-needed break from school.

It has been monsooning in Charleston this week! It rained ALL day Monday and most of the day today. The roads have been flooding. If it was not dark outside and if I knew my car could handle it, I would go drive and take pictures. It is crazy how quickly the roads become covered with water, especially when the tide is in.

School is going fairly well. My grades are okay, some better than others. I survived the first round of tests and the next round is starting up now! I have had 4 quizzes and 2 tests this week, and it has been quite stressful! I am learning how to manage my stress and prepare far enough in advance and get enough sleep so that I am not so stressed out. Thank you, Lord, for helping me survive!

It has been by God's grace that I have made it through these first few weeks. The adjustment to living in Charleston and being in an intense program has not been easy, but it has helped me to see how much God is there - not just when I need him, but ALL the time to give me strength and to just keep going!

I have made a lot of friends. It's funny how going through the same things brings people together. I am so thankful that I have met so many great people at pharmacy school who have been nothing but wonderful!!!

I am going to bed soon. The rain makes me want to sleep and sleep some more!

I am going to try to be better about posting - every day, I hope! I know that while I was in Costa Rica it helped me to de-stress at the end of the day and reflect on all that happened to me, and it also helped me to see God in every little thing that happened throughout the day!

Have a great night!

Looooooong week

Wow. What a whirlwind of a week it has been! I had orientation all day Tuesday and Wednesday. It was kind of overwhelming - we were given so much information and had to sit a lot and listen a lot. You know, that information that kind of makes sense but you have to/need to hear it anyway? That's what orientation consisted of. It wasn't too bad.

So then came Thursday - the first day of classes. Roomie and I biked to school and arrived way too early to save ourselves some good seats and we were successful. I made it through 3 classes from 8:00 to 12:00 pm in the same seat, in the same room. That's going to be challenging. Luckily, I have coffee to help me endure that stretch of time. It's not too bad, since it's pharmacy-related and more specific material than what you're used to in undergrad courses. Our first professor emphasized that we are now professionals and that he would treat us as real pharmacists, that he would always address us as "Ms. Smith" or "Mr. Jones," and that we should never say "I am just a pharmacist," because we are trained professionals who deserve respect. I think he is going to be a great professor. He is also teaching our compounding lab. I had Introduction to Pharmacy Practice, Microbiology/Immunology, and Pharmaceutics. On Friday, I had Biochemisty/Biotechnology I and Clinical Applications I. The biochem professor jumped right in to some material (most of the professors did) that just threw us all off! It was crazy. I think that course will be challenging for me, but I am up for it! Rite Aid gave us free pizza and drinks and cake for lunch on Thursday so we ate that and then headed home. I went back to school a little later to pick up my course handouts. Then I went back and took a shower and got ready to head to the Back to School party. One of the student organizations hosted the party at some sort of shelter on Folly Beach. It was out in the open and a lot of fun, but terribly hot and humid (as it is most of the time in Charleston). There were grilled hot dogs and hamburgers and drinks and music. It was a lot of fun to mingle with our classmates as well as some of the older pharmacy students. There was a DJ upstairs and so a lot of people danced (me included). All around it was a great time. We then went home and went straight to bed.

We, the P1s, had to be at school at 8 AM on Friday, dressed in our white coats and lab attire, which basically means business casual and closed-toe shoes. We then had to sit through a presentation discussing what we would be covering in lab and what the expectations our. Then the community lab professors (we will have that lab next semester) came in and did a presentation about how to counsel patients and how that would be integrated into our lab this semester. We got out early and had some time to kill before class at eleven, so we went down to the cafeteria in the hospital to get some food. I got some Starbucks and some chicken nuggets from Chick-Fil-A. We then went back to our room and had classes - Pharmaceutics and Biochem. We got out around 2 and I darted home because I just wanted to rest for a bit. I was at home and it started raining horribly so Roomie and I hung out for a while before the P1/P2 party started. The roads flooded very quickly. I actually saw a small car stuck in water that was all the way up to the trunk. Crazy, right? We eventually made it to the party and a lot of our classmates showed up. It was nice to have the small parties to break the ice and see each other outside of a classroom setting. My boyfriend came into town for the weekend, so we hung out with some of his friends for a little bit, and then we met up with some of my pharmacy school friends for a while. We all had a great time together.

I slept in late Saturday morning. I was exhausted from the whole week so I didn't feel guilty at all sleeping. My boyfriend and I hung out all day, watched the Braves, ate supper in Mt. Pleasant, and did a teeny bit of shopping. I have missed him a lot and it was so wonderful to spend time with him and hold his hand! We met up with some of his friends later and then ended up hanging out with a couple of my friends from school. It was fun to just hang out and chat.

I spent most of the day Sunday hanging out with my boyfriend. We watched the Braves kill the Cubs. When it was time for him to leave, we both cried! True story! This is our first go at a long-distance relationship and it is not easy. Thank goodness we have Skype and can "see" each other regularly.

Well, another week ahead, starting with class at 8am tomorrow morning. Here we go!

Getting behind already....

......and school hasn't even started (officially).

Okay, so I'm really just behind on blogging and not on actual school work or anything. I didn't realize that I haven't posted since SATURDAY (gasp). I have got to stay on top of this!

So...quick recap of the last few days....

SUNDAY: Went to a 9am church service about 30 minutes away. It was quite a trek. I drove that same distance to go to church while I as at Clemson, but this seemed much farther. The church service was great and the people were really welcoming. It was a good mix of traditional and contemporary which I really like! They had a little mingle room for visitors after the service and I met the sweetest little old couple there! They were so wonderful and made me want to go back! I am looking for a church to attend regularly and get involved with while I am in Charleston and this one is going on the list of possible churches! There are one or two more I want to visit and then I will decide. I don't want to spend too long looking! I seriously did nothing else on Sunday. It was rainy and stormy and I laid on my bed most of the day. Don't judge...once school starts, that will never happen. I watched The Princess Diaries 2 and a lot of HGTV.

MONDAY: Woke up around 8am and went to the grocery store with my roommate. We had invited a few people over for dinner that night and had to get pork and other ingredients for mac and cheese and cobbler. Our other guests were asked to bring a dish - salad, baked beans, drinks, plastic silverware, dessert - so that everyone would have their fair share and contribute equally. We came back and my roommate who happens to be a great cook began preparing the pork in the crock pot. It had to sit for ten hours! We hung around the apartment for a while and then decided to run our errands together. Roomie had a meeting at school, so I went with her. BACK UP - I forgot to mention that we noticed early Monday morning that the air didn't seem to be working. It was cloudy and cool outside and the apartment was so much hotter than it should have been. So we called our landlord and he said he would send someone to look at it. Okay, back to real time now. She had to go to school for a meeting, so since there was air there, I went too and just hung out and played on the computer while she was busy. Afterwards, we walked to the bookstore so that I could get a clicker for class and then we went to the other part of Charleston to her home. We needed the mac and cheese recipe, and while we were there, we shared a frozen pizza and watched What I Like About You. Then we went to Mt. Pleasant because I wanted to go to Old Navy, and while we were there, we stopped at the grocery store to get a few other items that we needed. By the time we got back, we had just enough time to clean up, finish our food, and freshen up before the guests began to arrive. We had 15 or so people, mostly roomie's friends who are second-year pharmacy students, and then I invited a friend from my hometown who is also starting pharmacy school. We got to know a lot of Katie's friends and had such a wonderful time talking to them and getting to know them and hearing all of their best advice for P1s (first-year pharmacy students). Overall, it was a success and a great night! We both took showers and headed to bed.

TUESDAY: Alarm goes off at 5:30 am. Out of bed at 5:50 am. BOO. Roomie had to be at school by 7 to help set up (since a lot of the P2s were helping to pass things out for our first day of orientation today), so we decided to bike to school together. It was a pleasant ride, but again, the humidity got the best of me and I was pouring sweat before we ever entered the building. Other P1s started arriving around 7:30 am, so we all had breakfast and then sat awkwardly in a "cafeteria." Think about starting college ALL over again. That is kind of what this whole day felt like. The people who were at my table in the lounge were pretty talkative and fun, but there was a lot of staring and general awkwardness in the room since many people don't know anyone else coming in to their first year. We listened to a lot of lectures - you know, the info. you really need to hear but really don't want to hear anyone talk about? We had about three hours of that with a break or two. Our College of Pharmacy uses Distance Education courses between the USC and MUSC campus (Columbia and Charleston, respectively). THAT was an experience. Other than watching online lectures for online classes at Clemson, I have never seen anything like it! There are microphones hooked into the ceiling and flat screen TVs and a big screen up front that show the PowerPoint being presented and the professor who is talking, be he at USC or MUSC. Half of our courses will be "live" (MUSC professor teaches), and the other half will be watched. Basically both campuses learn together from the same professor. Kind of neat that they can do things like that with technology, but it will take some getting used to!

We had Sticky Fingers cater lunch and it was great (second time eating BBQ in 24 hours). I met some more new people and then some of us decided to walk to Public Safety to get our student IDs made. Apparently, several other students had that idea as well, so we all waited patiently while the not-so-patient-nor-kind ID-maker-people made our IDs. They wouldn't even give the IDs to us, even though they printed them right there, because they said they would "distribute everyone's ID at the same time later today." Yeah....that didn't happen. I am sure we will get them tomorrow. Then we went to the "open house" on the second floor of the pharmacy building where a few organizations had tables set up with some fun things for sale, like t-shirts, nice MUSC drinking glasses, koozies, totes, etc. Then roomie and I biked home. I relaxed for a few moments before freshening up for the White Coat Ceremony. What is the White Coat Ceremony? I'm glad that you asked. This ceremony is performed by most schools of pharmacy and serves as a rite of passage into the profession. The Code of Ethics of our profession is explained as well as the importance and role of pharmacists in today's world. As part of this, we receive a white coat (complete with SCCP embroidery) which we are required to wear for labs and rotations. The white coat is placed on each student individually. It is a special ceremony. Mom and Dad came down to witness the ceremony, and I was so glad to see them! I have missed them very much and was glad they were able to be a part of the ceremony. We have a good picture of us on mom's camera, but she will have to send it to me so I can post it, which I will! We had supper at one of our favorite BBQ spots (3rd time in 24 hours), but I got some chicken tenders instead so that I didn't overload my little belly on southern BBQ! I enjoyed the time with them and it passed all too quickly. They just drove down for the ceremony and then had to go back since they both work during the day. I have been cleaning my room and getting things ready for tomorrow since they left. Another early day ahead!

After my first official day as a pharmacy school student, I am so excited for things to get started. We have a really diverse class of 80 on our campus and I look forward to getting to know 79 new people!!!! The classes we will be taking seem interested and since they are more applied now, I think they will be enjoyable! I can't wait for things to get underway. I am so blessed and am so thankful that God has been gracious enough to me to make my dream of being here come true. Cheesy as it was, I wanted to cry when I received my white coat, because I realized that this really is happening. All that I have worked for since high school has come to this and I am so thankful that God has made all of this possible! "We have all benefited from the rich blessings he brought to us---one gracious blessing after another." -John 1:16

Mi amiga

For the last few days, I have had the pleasure of the company of my closest friend from my study abroad group in Costa Rica. Kelsey is from California and we were instant friends! Before this past Wednesday, I had never seen her in the United States!

Wednesday night around 11:30 pm her flight landed at the Charleston International Airport, so I went to pick her up there! It was strange to see her at first because the last time we saw each other was the night before she left Costa Rica! Isn't that crazy?! I picked her up and we went back to my casa and spent a couple of hours just talking and catching up. Then we went to sleep and slept in on Thursday morning. She loves to run so I took her for a walk across the Ravenel (Cooper River) Bridge!

There are places to park below the bridge and there is a cute little park there too! We walked across the bridge around midday, and much to my surprise, it wasn't all that hot! The ocean breeze kept us cool (but didn't keep us from sweating!). There is a lovely view of Charleston from the Bridge and we had a great time!

After walking (most of the) Bridge and back, I took her to one of my favorite restaurants - Bessinger's BBQ. I love some good BBQ and some sweet tea! Kelsey had chicken and macaroni and cheese - southern staples - and enjoyed them very much! After lunch we got in touch with a couple of other guys from our study abroad program who live in the city and they invited us to the beach where they were life guarding. So we went to the beach and found them and talked for a while! They invited us to go to a concert with them that night, so we agreed to the mini-road trip. We headed back to my place to shower and get cleaned up and ready, and the boys came to pick us up around 7. We then drove up to Myrtle Beach and made good time! We went in to the concert, and it was fun to be with friends! The band isn't a group I would ever go to hear again, but I appreciated the time with my amigos!

We spent the night at one of our friend's sister's place near the beach and had a good night of rest. In the morning when we woke up they fixed a delicious breakfast of pancakes for us. We went to the ocean for a few minutes, and then came back and got ready to head back to Charleston. On the way out of town, the boys wanted some HOT DOUGHNUTS NOW, so we stopped at Krispy Kreme and they split a dozen. We enjoyed the ride back, singing random songs that came to our minds and laughing and reminiscing about Costa Rica.

When we had arrived back in Charleston and were coming across the bridge, K's car started acting up (actually it's his dad's). It wouldn't accelerate and we started to get worried, and then what looked like windshield washer fluid started coming out onto the windows. We got off the bridge and into the first gas station we could find and then a little smoke started coming from under the hood! We of limited car knowledge assumed it was probably radiator fluid and that the car was overheated. K called his dad and helped him figure out what to do. In the meantime, E called his dad who just happened to be downtown somewhere to come get us and take the rest of us home. While we were waiting, we found a wallet on the ground. I used my handy dandy BlackBerry to look up his phone number on the internet and got in touch with him eventually to explain what happened. We were afraid to give the wallet to the gas station people because we thought they might take all of the cash out of it before returning it. You never know! So he sent someone to come get it for him, and we returned it. He gave us a $20 bill to split, so we each got $5. E's dad arrived and took me and Kelsey back to my house.

We (K and I) decided to go walk around downtown so that she could see more of the city. I took her to the swings and by the pineapple fountain, and then we made our way down East Bay, to the Market, to an ice cream shop (the peach ice cream was DELICIOUS and very refreshing), and then down King Street. As we were finishing our stroll, I noticed that it was getting very cloudy and stormy looking outside. We drove around town a while longer and the sky really started looking bad! We went back to take showers and get ready for dinner, and by the time we made it back, it had started raining! This is the first time it has rained since I have been in Charleston (unless it rained while I was at home last weekend). The thunder was loud and the lightning was scary, but I love thunderstorms. I do NOT, however, love the humidity that accompanies them! But that's Charleston for you!

For supper, we went to a restaurant recommended by E at the Charleston Marina called the Marina Variety Store Restaurant. The view looking out over the harbor at sunset was GORGEOUS! The restaurant wasn't crowded and the inside was decorated with lanterns and other nautical paraphernalia. I had shrimp and grits, one of my favorite southern dishes, and Kelsey had some kind of fish platter that looked wonderful! We enjoyed the meal, and I will definitely be going back there soon!

After dinner, we went home to watch a movie. Her flight left at 6:30 this morning, so we knew we had to get up early and decided to stay in and rest that night! We watched Across the Universe, and what I saw of it was great...before I fell asleep. I will have to finish it! I woke up at 4:30 am and we got ready to go. Needless to say, there was no real traffic anywhere. It's always strange going to bed when it's dark and waking up again when it's dark. I dropped her off and said good-bye. It was tough to say good-bye again to one of my best friends, some one who knows me better than most people and was there during one of the most incredible experiences of my life, knowing that I will not see her again for a while.

I came back to my place and went back to bed. I slept again till 10:30 am and woke up and read for a little bit. Then I cleaned my room because I have just kind of thrown things around all week. I then showered and got ready to head into town to run some errands. I went to the Tanger Outlets to take something back to Old Navy. I drove through and got some greasy fast food (oops!) and then braved the crowd to go into Wal-Mart. I got everything I needed, except for thumb tacks - they didn't have big ones. I thought that was shocking! I got back in my little car and headed back.

I've been relaxing and hanging out all evening. The last few days have worn me out so the rest has been nice. I plan to rest more tomorrow after going to church in the morning.

Buenas noches!

shopping day

My roomie had the day off of work today so she asked if I wanted to go shopping with her to look for some things she needed. I agreed with hesitating and so off we went!

We went to the mall first to Dillards. They had a good selection of items on sale. She and I bought the same dress because it was so stinkin' cute! And they were the last two there! She got another dress that will be Clemson gameday-worthy. She got a few other things in the mall, and we ended the mall trip with a delectable lunch at Sesame Grill. I had a southwestern grilled chicken salad that was to die for (since the lady wouldn't let me order mini-burgers off the kids menu). On we continued to downtown...

We parked and then walked up and down King Street. She took me in to a few places I had never been into before, and we found this one particular shop that had cute dresses at really good prices. I'll have to remember that one! I went in to the Apple Store and got a keyboard cover to protect my keys from dirt and such (and now I can eat and type at the same time without worrying about grease getting on the keys). She got a couple of other things, and then we headed back to our place.

It has been a rather lazy afternoon. I finished reading my book and made some Bagel Bites for supper. Almost time now for Jeopardy!!!

Also, my friend from San Diego arrives tonight. She was probably my closest friend in my study abroad group in Costa Rica and is coming to visit for a few days. Pray that we have a safe and happy time while she is here!

Good day

I went to bed late last night so I slept in late today - 9:30 am! Ahh!!! I slept GREAT though, in spite of how warm it is at night in my room. I decided to go to the beach a little earlier than I have been going and was out the door by 11:45. I was craving Zaxby's and really didn't have anything at home to eat for lunch so that was an easy decision. I got some and ate it in the parking lot, and I must say that it was one of the best Big Zax Snacks I have ever had! I then went in the Piggly Wiggly gas station, and after waiting in line for almost ten minutes behind locals buying and scratching lottery tickets and buying cigarettes, it was my turn! I got a liter of Aquafina water (one of my favorite bottled water brands) and drank the whole thing during my time at the beach. I went to the same beach I've been going to (I only chose that one today because Zaxby's was right on the way to it) and went the same direction, looking for a parking spot in the same area I've been parking it. But I guess everyone decided to get my spots today and I couldn't find anywhere to park! So I drove a completely different part of the beach and had no problem finding a spot to park. In fact, it wasn't crowded at all! It was so nice. The closest people were 50 yards away! Then a cute little family with a year-old baby girl came out to the beach. She was completely naked and then the mother  (probably 26 or so) put the swim bottoms on the little girl and she took off toward the water! The mom had to chase her. It was so cute! And then she tried to chase the birds flying and walking around and she would wave at them. It made me laugh. I stayed out there for a couple of hours and read most of the time. It was very enjoyable. I then headed back for my place.

I showered and got ready with intentions of running some errands. I wasn't going to, but I stopped at a Maxx/Marshalls and only came out with one (well, two) things. I found some coffee mugs I liked with polka dots (I only have one mug and I wanted another one) and the pack of two was $7. Not a bad deal, but I wasn't sold. So I went to my favorite section of the store - the CLEARANCE section - and found the same mugs with RED polka dots (TO MATCH MY KITCHEN!!!!!) for only $3!!! Thank you Lord!

I then continued on to the mall/Target. I wasn't really impressed by anything at the mall. So I went on in to Target with a few things I needed, including lots of groceries! I spent a while in that section and got my other things too. When I left the store, I realized that I was parked so far away! So I began the trek to my car. I was about halfway there when my buggy got stuck on something on the sidewalk! It was a nightmare! It wouldn't budge. I still have no clue what happened. I saw two gentlemen in their 30s or so sitting outside of a restaurant in the mall just hanging out, so I walked over and explained the situation and asked if they would watch my buggy till I got back with the car. They agreed, so I hurried and made it back, and when I arrived, they were standing with the buggy and then proceeded to put all of my stuff in my car! Talk about some southern hospitality! I then offered to give them some money to pay for their food or whatever, but they refused and asked that I instead check out their new restaurant opening in the mall later this week. They were extremely nice and helpful!

I then drove home and unpacked and put away the groceries and decided to go for a bike ride to the Battery!!! I pulled over to a bench and leaned my bike on the ground, and just after I sat down, a minivan pulled up right in front of the bench and an older couple got out. They came straight to the bench I was at because it was closest to them and easier for them to sit down. They asked if I would mind some company, and of course I said that I wouldn't mind at all! They sat down and then pulled out a bottle of wine and two wine glasses and drank a whole bottle of wine (open container?). We chatted - Faye, Bill, and I - and I learned that they were from Mount Pleasant (her husband died three years ago and I think Bill is her boyfriend), she liked to run on Sullivan's Island, she is Methodist and is very involved in her church, she has a grandson starting Clemson in a week, and she just read South of Broad by Pat Conroy. It was a pleasant conversation. The sunset was gorgeous (so many colors!), the palm trees lining the street, and the ocean breeze....I thought I had died and gone to heaven. No, seriously. It was such an incredible experience.

I had an incredible day. Yesterday I talked about how I missed home so much, and today I think that the Lord showed me that He hasn't forgotten about me and that He is going to take care of me while I'm here and give me so many amazing unbelievable experiences.

I asked my dad earlier today why I was having such a hard time being alone and not having anything to do, and he gave me such an awesome answer:

"It's a lesson. Your feelings define the value of what you are about to achieve."

Wow! What a smart dad I have. I just have to trust that God is going to do great things and appreciate the calmness of life right now in these last few days before school starts.

Peace and blessings.

I don't like driving.

I don't mind driving that much if I someone else is in the car with me. I also don't mind driving short distances. But if I am being perfectly honest, I must say that I just do not like to drive. My boyfriend has probably spoiled me a bit. He refuses to let me drive anywhere: He is always such a gentleman and insists on driving (and opening all the doors for me!). I never had to drive far to school - less than ten minutes in high school, less than 45 minutes to Clemson. Now I have to drive three and a half hours to get back to school. It's a long lonely time! So to pass the time for my drive today, I loaded three sermons on my iPod. I got through one and a half and listened to a good bit of music too. One of the sermons really stuck out to me...I'll get to why in just a minute.


Let me just say that it was difficult to leave today. Since school doesn't start for another week and a half, I really don't have that much going on down in Charleston yet. My roommate works a good bit, though we do get to hang out when she isn't working. Having a lot of down time makes me miss being at home. It really does. It was tough to say goodbye to mom and dad this morning, but I held it in and went on my merry little way.


I've been thinking all summer, especially since I moved to Charleston, about whether or not I am "where God wants me to be." In fact, before I chose to attend MUSC, I had already sent in my deposit after being accepted at Presbyterian College in the Upstate, closer to home. I really didn't want to be far away from home, to be completely honest. I am incredibly close with my family, and laugh if you want, but even at 22 years old, they are my rock, the glue that holds me together, [insert other cliches here], and I never like being apart from them. But then I got accepted to MUSC, and it had always been a dream of mine to be accepted there and to live in Charleston. Then my dream came true and before I knew it, it was time to move. I've been wondering this past week while I have been here why God would allow me to be here but be far away (4 hours is far away to me) from those who mean the most to me. I have been wrestling with God and with those thoughts all summer, wondering how I'm going to be able to make it without them being here. Today I got my answers.


Yesterday at church, the Pastor spoke about worrying (GUILTY). In one of his points, he mentioned that when we worry, we tend to pray to God, tell him what's wrong, and then ask him to fix it and to make us feel better (GUILTY). He went on to say that we should instead ask God to show us what is going on, that we should listen to him instead of telling him so much, and to let him give us a fresh perspective on what is going on. Wow. He got me good! So today when I was sulking after I had just gotten on the road, I remembered what the Pastor said (and I may or may not have pulled out my Bible and outline with said notes while driving....sorry Mom, but it was important). I read that and so then I decided to tell God what was wrong with me and the situation, but instead decided to just shut up and listen. So I did, and it didn't take long. (Note: This in itself was a huge lesson for me today. God will always show us just what we need when we need it if we listen!) I remembered a verse that I had read in Psalm while I was in Costa Rica:

"LISTEN, O DAUGHTER, CONSIDER AND GIVE EAR:

FORGET YOUR PEOPLE AND YOUR FATHER'S HOUSE.

THE KING IS ENTHRALLED BY YOUR BEAUTY;

HONOR HIM, FOR HE IS YOUR LORD."

-PSALM 45:10-11-

I also began to think about the parable that Jesus tells in the New Testament about the young ruler and how he asked him to give up everything to follow him and he wouldn't. So then I started looking for that story and was looking around in Matthew and found something interesting in chapter twenty, starting at verse 27:

Then Peter said to him, "We've given up everything to follow you. What will we get out of it?"

And Jesus replied, "I assure you that when I, the Son of Man, sit upon my glorious throne in the Kingdom, you who have been my followers will also sit on the twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will have eternal life." 

I also thought about these verses:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life.  -Matthew 16:24-25

And then, as if God had not reminded me of enough already, the first sermon I listened to was about Esther. The sermon was about how Esther was put into a special place to fulfill God's purpose and save thousands of people, but she had to surrender to that and risk her life in order for it to happen. The Pastor reiterated that Esther was more focused on GOD'S KINGDOM than HER COMFORT. And then I realized that that was what I needed to accept. 

All day I have been thinking about this, that my focus needs to not be on what I don't have here with me, and focus on God's kingdom rather than my own comfort, and realize that as a part of God's will I will have to be away from my family for a while. And I want God to fulfill his purpose for my life. 

The house - part 2

Our "quaint" red kitchen

Cute rug for the kitchen - $7.50 on clearance at the Maxx

Cute set of bowls I found at Ross ranging from $1.99 to $7.99 - Total = <$27

Up close - red, yellow and turquoise bowls

Turquoise dinner plates and red salad plates!

Small bathroom with our cute shower curtain from Bed Bath & Beyond

And....my bed with the new blue rug I got at BBB! I got this rug because I have containers beneath my bed that I slide out on daily basis and didn't want to scratch the floor. It works great!

Underneath - beware of monsters!!!

My NEW computer (THANK YOU LORD!) on my desk; still waiting to find the perfect bookshelf

Wednesday - Saturday

Wednesday morning I woke up rather early and completed some "training" we have to finish prior to orientation in a couple of weeks. My roomie got home around lunch time and we decided to head to the beach! It was H-O-T, but still nice to be at the beach. We left after a couple of hours because we needed some cold water to drink! We then went to the grocery store to get food to make supper. Roommate had found a recipe for a veggie tart (looked like a veggie pizza....kind of) that she wanted to try, so we got the ingredients for that as well as for a yummy peach cobbler she wanted to make! Back at home, we both took showers and prepared the meal. We had to chop up a bunch of veggies - eggplant, red peppers, tomatoes, zucchini - and added oil and garlic and salt and pepper. We mixed that all and then had to bake them in the oven for half an hour or so. We then formed the crust and put the veggies in and let that cook for another half hour. In the meantime, she made the cobbler. It all turned out so well and was so delicious! We enjoyed it very much and decided to put it in the "make this again" file!

That night, a couple of roomie's friends from school came to hang out with us. It was fun getting to know them and hearing them talk about pharmacy school. It made me even more excited!

Thursday morning we got up and headed to her house. Her family lives in another part of Charleston on the river, so we went there. Her dad was home. We made breakfast - yummy scrambled cheese eggs and toast with black raspberry jam and grape juice. It was splendid! Then her dad took us out on the boat. He rode around for a while, showing us some of the elaborate homes that line the riverbanks. And then the fun began..... We took turns tubing. At first, her dad went easy on us, but then he turned up the heat! Somehow I didn't get thrown off, but I was worn out when I finished! Roomie unfortunately got thrown from the tube. We had to wear goggles to keep the salt water from stinging and getting into our eyes. It was fun. After that, we docked the boat and sat outside in the shade for a while. It would be so nice to have a home on the river! Her dad then treated us to lunch at Zaxby's! Delicious as usual! Then we headed back to the house. I was pretty much packed to go home, but then I remembered that my rent was due. I had explained to the realtor that I had just opened a new account and had no card or checks with me, so he said I could get cash from an ATM, go to a bank, get a cashier's check, and then turn that in. So I was expecting this to be an easy process and that it wouldn't take more than an hour. Ha, was I wrong!

Lessons learned:
1. Do not expect to easily access an ATM in downtown Charleston.
2. Do not expect to drive around easily in downtown Charleston.
3. Do not expect to take out a large amount of money, such as the money needed to pay one month's rent, in one day's time. Most banks have limits.
4. Do not expect to be able to get a cashier's check in a bank that you do not have an account with.
5. Do not expect girls your age to be nice to you when you are in a pickle and need help. Unfortunately, do expect them to judge you and be rude. I could do a whole separate post on this, and maybe will...... (NOTE: This is NOT a nock to all the girls out there my age. Just the ones who worked at the bank I went to and at another office who rolled their eyes at me and spoke to me like a 12-year-old.)
6. Do not ever move to a place without forgetting your new banking info.

My mother was a lifesaver to me during this times and encouraged me and helped me through it, just like she does with everything. Thanks, Mommy!

After all was said and done, I ended up having a little over half of what the rent was in cash, so he took that and asked that I bring the rest in a personal check on Monday. I cried as I walked back to my car, thankful that I had been spared, but so distressed from all that had happened in so short a time. I started driving home after that, and couldn't have been happier to get home! I unpacked and my boyfriend came to visit for a while. We watched a special on Shark Week about shark bites that was pretty awesome.

On Friday, I woke up early with my graduation present on my mind. My dad promised me a new computer, and I chose the 13 inch MacBook Pro. I would have gotten it earlier, but we decided to get it on tax-free weekend to save the extra money! My mom was kind enough to take off from work for a few hours to go with me, so off to the Apple store we went! I expected a line, and sure enough, there was one. We only had to wait 15 minutes. Now, let me preface this next part by saying that if you have never been to an Apple store to buy something or to talk to someone, you may be shocked by the quality of service you will receive. When it was time for Mom and I to enter the store, an employee came outside to meet us, introduced himself and found out our names, and guided us inside. I told him that I knew exactly what I wanted, and he answered all our questions and was extremely helpful. Below are a few highlights of the trip:

1. He went on a random MacBook in the store, got online and typed in a website, and then proceeded to "order" the products I needed, submitted the request, which then went to the back of the store, and within five minutes an employee brought out everything we wanted!
2. He scanned the credit card and printed the receipt from some kind of specialized iPod touch. I then had to sign it using only a finger!
3. I got a free* iPod touch (8 GB) and HP printer because I was buying the computer for school!
*I have to send a rebate in to get a Visa card back worth the amount of those items. 
4. I got a discount on the computer and on the protection plan because the computer is for school.

All in all, I walked out of the store happy! I have been playing with the new toys a lot the last couple of days and I LOVE them!

Friday afternoon, I took my sister to get matched for some new mineral makeup (like the kind I have been using for several months now), and then had to go get my hair highlighted and cut. That evening, I went to hang out with my boyfriend's family and had some of his dad's delicious cheeseburgers! I enjoyed my time with them, watching the Braves induct Tom Glavine into the hall of fame, watching Say Yes to the Dress, and just spending time with them before I go off to school for a while. I was sad when it was time to leave!

Saturday I woke up pretty early and talked to dad for a while. I then made scrambled cheese eggs and toast while he made grits and ham, and then we fed mom and Sissy too. I spent a good bit of time in the morning trying to get iTunes and some other things on my computer set up. I was also able to successfully download Microsoft Office '08 and get that set up. I still have a lot to learn with this computer, but luckily it is very user-friendly and there are a lot of helpful resources out there. In the afternoon, we all showered and got ready to brave the crowd to look for a few things that Sissy and I need for school. Some good finds from today:

1. New bowls and matching plates for my kitchen at school - turquoise, yellow, red, and white are the colors and I think they will match my new red kitchen very well! (Ross)
2. Ice cube trays - not your average ice cube trays, these are frozen in long thin cylinders so that they can easily be dropped into water bottles! (Bed Bath & Beyond)
3. Vanilla Lime Yankee Candle - my FAVORITE Yankee Candle scent! (Bed Bath & Beyond)
4. Casablanca special edition set for only $6.99 - have never seen the movie but have heard good things and can't wait to open this special set! I can't believe it was so cheap! (Ross)
5. Silicone cases for my new iPod touch - in teal and purple, these are good to keep the new toy safe! (Best Buy)

It has been a great day. Tomorrow we move Sissy back to school. I hope that I won't blubber like a baby after we leave her this time! It will be hard to see her go, but I know she must! Leaving mom and dad is always hard too, but they are so supportive and encouraging, even from hours away!

My humble abode

I will now give a brief tour of my quaint new living quarters...

We enter through the front door right into the living room. The couch isn't ours - we are getting a new one. On the wall opposite from the couch is an entertainment hutch with a TV and all of our DVDs. Through the living room you can see the dining room.

Our dining room - still under construction. To the left is a weird green bike that I had when I was a teenager, but thought I might need to ride to class occasionally. Let's hope no one makes fun of it. Or me!

I don't have a good picture of the kitchen, but if I did I would put it

HERE.

Now let us go upstairs......

If you walk right up the stairs, you run into the bathroom. I will try to take a picture of it so you can see it too.

On to MY ROOM!

My princess bed, as I am calling it: I have an antique iron bed that belonged to a sweet lady in the church my dad pastored years ago. She left it to our family, and now I use it! If the mattresses weren't so tall you could see it better.

I have a pillow-top mattress (which sleeps oh-so-well) which adds a few inches of heighth to my bed. I also have risers beneath the bed legs to allow for storage underneath, which I am VERY thankful for since storage space is rare here. I have to use a stool to climb onto my bed, but it's kind of fun!

This is one corner of my room. The bookshelf is not the one I plan to use. I am currently looking for a much larger one so that I can put picture frames, all my reading books, and notebooks and textbooks on it. This will be replaced soon (I hope!). I love my writing desk. My dad got it for me. It has a beautiful mahogany finish. I have a small storage drawer set to the left of my desk for notepads, cards, electronics, and basically any other supply item I may need.

To the left of the storage drawers I have my dresser with my TV on top. The door is to my closet (which I also need to take a picture or two of). To the left of the closet is a cute little storage drawer set I found at Ross. I keep toiletries, makeup, and some jewelry in there as well. It has come in handy so far!

View of the other side of the room from my (princess) bed

I love my room. It feels like a real home instead of just a temporary space for a grad student. I need to take a few more pictures of my room and of the house which I will post later.

Oh, the joy of relaxation.

This is basically what my day consisted of. Tough life, right?

I woke up early this morning and read for a while and then had to endure the landlord's walk-through of the property. Now I'll be honest, I was dreading this. I mean, dreading it...mainly because I moved in on Saturday/Sunday and still had not signed the lease yet. My new roommate has been living here for over a year and the weekend was the only time that my (working) parents could do it, so I didn't think it would be a big deal. Then I got to thinking...what if he is angry because I just moved in and have been living here? Well, after he showed up thirty minutes late, he was nice about the whole thing and said that it wasn't a problem at all! Thank you, Lord!

After the walk-through, my roomie and I had lunch at East Bay Deli. So legit. I had a honey turkey croissant. I will definitely be making it back there just for that croissant. We stopped by Harris Teeter to grab some groceries and then came back to the apartment. She had to work today so I decided to go back to the beach today! Whew, was it H-O-T! I think I got a little bit of sun, though, which my little white body desperately needed! I came back home and showered and tidied up a bit, and have been completely and unashamedly lazy. I know that when school begins, these lazy days will be 'few and far between' so I am trying to not feel guilty about not doing a thing!

Well, I did find something during this lazy time: Southern Weddings. I won't even try to explain this myself. Just go have a peek. Lots of inspiration for the future. The distant future.

I may turn in early. What is it about doing nothing that makes me so tired?