PT School

So wow, its been forever! I am almost finished with my first semester of Physical Therapy school. It has been very hard... one of the hardest things I've ever done. At the same time, I love it. I am having a blast. The other 35 students in my class are really becoming like family out here. Its sweet.

Fun things so far:
- Taking wheel chairs, walkers, crutches, and canes out into the community. We had to pretend we had a disability or impairment and use our assistive device around town.
- Learning out to pop a wheelie in a wheel chair and to fall correctly in a wheel chair... yeah...no body got hurt.
- Stretching lab
- Exercise with the elderly... we went to an elderly activity center... I took a yoga class and it was awesome... them ladies were in great shape!

Not so fun things:
- Researching for laws in PT and comparing/contrasting them to different states
- Measuring body fat percentage
- Too much stuff too do all the time!

Also, I found a really amazing church...its associated with HPC, its called East Bay Church. I love it! Its really small like 30 was there the Sunday that I went and like 7 on the Wednesday night service... I haven't been that much because I've been home a lot on the weekends... My grandmother (dad's mother) has stage 4 pancreatic cancer. She's been suffering for 3 months. It's really hard on my family and I know its tough for her. She is ready to leave, but her body just won't let her yet. I know God is going to use this situation in someway one day.

Well, that's about enough postponing of my paper on Athletic trainers and Exercise physiologists vs. PTs... talk to you guys later.

The Exchange

This is my Life Group, The Exchange! We are reading a book called Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell and it is awesome. It challenges me so much to read the Word fiercely and develop God given interpretations to share with community. Because that is how the Bible is designed, to create community with people and with God. Its a good read.

Last night we all seemed over whelmed with the intensity of Chapter 2 and Amanda felt the need to have a quiet time with God and then we prayed for each other. It was so refreshing and inspiring! I found this verse as I was reading more about the message I heard Sunday from Pastor Stoval from Celebration Church in Jacksonville, FL. He spoke on Marriage Makeovers and how we should continue the act of pursuit forever...That's how God designed every relationship. Draw near to me and I'll draw near to you. As time continues and we continue this active pursuit of one another we become closer and even more attracted to one another. Well, in my quiet time I was focusing on this "active pursuit"... the whole ask, seek, knock verse in Luke 11... God wants us to RUN to Him and in return He cannot wait to RUN this race with us! This continued to Philippians where I found probably my favorite verse right now Phil 3:12-1412...

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

I love this. Its so fitting for the topic of active pursuit...how can you pursue something with your whole heart if you are looking backwards...no progress can be made. We have to forget where we have fallen and get up right where we left off and press on, pursuing, and unveiling.

Weird Eight

This is all for you, Morning Song, because you are my only active blogging friend. :) It's going to be interesting:

1. I get colored snoballs only so my mouth will turn bright colors! Blue is my favorite color to turn my mouth...and I don't even like blue flavors.

2. Being an only child has taught me ways to entertain myself. If I'm bored, you may find me blowing spit bubbles off my tounge...gross...but its fun.

3. I can eat all shellfish except crawfish...I'm allergic...I think it has to do with the higher levels of sulfur.

4. I have half a toenail on my right foot big toe...I broke it last semester in my exercise training class by dropping a 10 lb. weight on it and it is slowly, but surely on its way back.

5. Anytime I change my sheets on my bed, I have to be clean, washed hair, shave, etc. before I get in them for the first time.

6. In August, I'm moving to Alabama to go to Physical Therapy school. I absolutely cannot wait for the cadaver lab. The thought of going through the human body is thrilling to me. I cannot wait to slice somebody open! Yet, I'm dreadfully frightened by the sight of a gecko.

7. After I drink coffee in the mornings, sometimes my pee smells like java.

8. I like the smell of my mocha urine.

Summer Life

Graduation Party was Slammin'... Thanks MOM!

This was the best cake ever!!!

I can't believe its already June! Summer is flying by...and life has been just as crazy, if not more, than when school was going on. I am working at the daycare where I grew up in...its a joy. I love it. I mostly work 3-6 in the afternoon at the front desk and occasionally I will be a floater in the morning, in which I gracefully float from class to class and see if anybody needs anything...then spend my last 30 minutes cleaning the kitchen and eating leftovers! Its a blessing...I love being around children...even when they are bad or smell bad!

This weekend was the first ever Missionette's Lil' Chick Retreat! It was amazing...there were around 25 girls there and majority were Prims (my class!!!). We had worship, sermons, games, lots of pool time, crafts, and great times of building lasting relationships! I do have to admit, I was so tired before I even left and didn't even want to go! I was exhausted and in tears on my way to the church. I even snapped a little at camp (Sorry Mrs. Tammy.) I know now that all this was just an attack...to make me edgey and unwilling to share with my girls and everyone. I pushed so hard to be sweet even though I was tired and I had a great time. More importantly I think the girls had a great time. God really showed me how to put myself aside so He can shine through me. It was such a blessing to pray for them, dance crazy with them, and sit down and teach them a little seed of God's word.

Well thats all for now!

Happy Birthday to all the men in my life!!!
-Paw Paw - June 6th

-Dad - June 7th

-Justin - June 11th

I love you boys!

This is it!

Well, its the morning of my last day of school here at LSU. My plans:

1. Make some breakfast
2. Go to the Library and buy some coffee with my Tiger Cash (I've got $2.33 left and if I don't use it...I lose it!!!)
3. Take my last final ever! (NeuroAnatomy...but its only on 2 days of lecture notes!)
4. Maybe tear up a little as I turn the final in
5. Bust out the doors of Huey P. Long and say, "I did it!"
6. Go to Alabama with Justin to find an Apartment and visit the beach!

I'm excited. Everything went by so fast!

The end is near!!!

With only 11 days of school left here at LSU, I find myself becoming a little sentimental. Well besides the fact that I am supposed to be making my NeuroAnatomy final study guide, I figure there is always time to reminisce. My mom took some 'Senior Pictures' of which she is so proud of about a month ago. I love this campus and I am really going to miss being here everyday. It's the most beautiful place in Baton Rouge. I have my favorite places all over campus, some that has already changed (the bowling alley in the union and the bench in the enchanted forest), and some that I can hopefully revisit later in life and someday bring my children to and say, "Look, that's where mommy used to study or take a break when she was stressed or eat awesome chicken Parmesan wraps..." I've had the most amazing time here. 2003 National Championship on my birthday while I was on a ski trip with the BCM, winner of the catapult war in my one and only engineering class, late night delirious study groups for Chemistry 1201 and 1202, for everyday one semester Hanna and I would pool our money and see what we could snack on from Foster's cafe, my Calculus teacher took me to eat at the cafeteria (nothing funny, we were both Walker High School graduates), sandwiches from the French House, on game days me and my dorm mate, Tara, would dress like twins and paint our faces, some friends and I had a pic nic in the quad once between classes, Spring Break 2005 I went to Gulf Shores with my current roommate, Denon, and other friends Jenny and Derek...we roughed it for 3 days in a tent on a camping grounds (cold showers, bugs, sleeping uncomfortably under the stars...we played twister in a tent...until our ex-convict neighbor told us to quiet down, then offered us alcohol), breakfast at Louie's with Morgan and the gang, my internship at the NeuroMedical Center, Highland coffee's flavored brewed coffee, 3 hour break on Thursdays last semester when Justin and I started hanging out, the most amazing...WICKED bus trip!, $3 lemonade on the parade grounds, ballroom dancing....so obviously I could go on and on. I have had so much fun here...and I have met wonderful people. Teachers that make me love what I'm learning and inspire me (and others that make me hate life!) I wouldn't trade any moment of my time here!

Well I'm going back to studying and learning the Alma Mater so I can sing it at Graduation.

Home Sweet Home

Is home where your heart is?...or where you make it? I know when I'm wrapped in Justin's arms I feel at ease, safe, cozy, happy...at home. Its a place of acceptance. Where you can be exactly who you are and that's just perfect. You can say whats on your mind even its mean or silly and it recepted. You are heard, you matter, and you are loved deeply.

It's a wonderful thing to come home. Today I came home from LSU and a drive that normally takes about 30 minutes took an hour, due to traffic and what not. But, when I finally took that Walker exit and made the final stretch to my home sweet home, nothing felt...I don't know...more cozier. At home, at peace, welcomed, safe...happy. Greeted by "Hey booger!" my dad, sitting under the carport and a "Hey Mal!" from my mom upstairs in the kitchen, I just love it here. I have the best parents in the world...their love and acceptance and guidance has and will be a true gift from God. The past 4 years I've lived 30 minutes away...and in August I'll be in a different state. Sweet home Alabama....we'll see. I don't think I am as excited as I should be. Maybe because I know where my home is, and its sad to move away? I don't know. Maybe I'm just concentrating on enjoying the moment that I am to the fullest I can before its gone.

After what happened this past Monday, my perspective has...well, not really has changed, but maybe intensified is the right word. Life is short...wait...life here on earth is short. We get one shot with this life...it blows my mind. Really, when you stop and think about the whole picture, you can't. I can't anyways. Eternity...it's forever....but for me, I know it's going to be as sweet as taking that Walker exit...I'm excited to spend time with my Father at home, at peace, welcomed, safe, and happy.

But while I'm here, I'll listen for my "Hey booger", "Hey Mal", and "You're my girl"...the words from the people that I love and make me feel at home. So, I guess no...home isn't where you make it...its where your heart is...although this house off the Walker exit was made, its just a house...its home because my mom and dad are here with hugs and kisses. Justin's embrace is home because he has my heart...and heaven will soon be home because Jesus lives in my heart and thats where He is...and we are going to party forever together!

Live

I'm listening to a podcast from a church called Mosaics in Los Angles...so good. Its a message from New Year's Eve and the pastor, Erwin, is challenging the congregation to make crazy friends this coming year...because Jesus was called crazy for making friends with the people who were least like Him. Thats what He was about...not remaining in the comfort of those who have the same beliefs and convictions, but living a life of craziness (not chaotic...but amazingly abundant). He wants to expand us...step out the box...reach our potential...fully live and love and learn more and more. Excitement.