Tape

Christmas: Spending so much money on gifts that you can't afford the tape to wrap them. Oops.

Merry Humbug to all!! :-D

Karma

Anoles are one of my favorites species. They are so cute and quick. I've often kept them as temporary pets throughout the years before putting them back outside again. One of my favorite things to do with these gentle little guys is scare the bejeezus out of skiddish friends, classmates, and the occasional boss. All I have to do is walk in a room with one on my shoulder and some people will just freak right out. It's hilarious to see how quickly someone will jump into a chair upon seeing a reptile. The funny thing is, the chair becomes Much more dangerous to the person standing in it than the anole is. Yes, I'm cruel. I've come to accept this fact.

After many, many years of my tricks, karma finally caught up with me. I was laying in bed reading Ahab's Wife (a fantastic book by the way) when every time I moved I felt something odd move with me. I really didn't think much of it until it moved and I didn't. I threw back the covers and saw this little brown-grey blur running around on my bed. In my haste, it looked just like a mouse. It Was a mouse in my mind. So I jumped out of bed and squealed like a stuck pig. You would think I had seen a ghost. I think I even did a little dance for good measure.

And then I looked in my bed to see this very large, but ever so docile anole looking at me like I was a madwoman. Karma. In my bed.

The anole was promptly taken outside to find his own bed.

Warmies

It's too damn hot outside. I'm wearing a sleeveless shirt right now. I have a sinus infection. The windows are open. And yet I have Christmas lights hanging in the windows and a Santa on the kitchen table. Where is my winter??

I'm not a big fan of the global warming theory, but today is one to test my beliefs. It's just too damn hot outside! 80 degrees? Are you kidding me?! Gah.

As for global warming; here's my take. Everything in this universe goes in cycles or circles. The moon around the earth, the earth around the sun, the menstrual cycle, life-death, seasons... I could go on and on. Why shouldn't the climate do the same? As much of a bleeding heart democrat as I can be, I just can't get on the bandwagon about this. It's a great cause but a lame battle cry. If we are going to change our polluting ways, we need to not only start at the bottom with grass roots efforts but start at the top with the big corporations (betcha thought I was going to say government). The change needs to happen, but it's not going to happen because the global warmies are pointing fingers. Everybody knows that scientific data can say anything you want it to say. In order for people to stop using such damaging products like petrol, plastics, et al and et cetera, you've got to give them alternatives. Give us more electric cars, cars that can run on air or water, better and cheaper solar power. Instead of whining Mr. and Mrs. Scientist of the world, give us an alternative. Rallies don't change the world. Inventions do.

On the mend

The worst thing about surgery? The waiting. I'm ready to be back 100% again. The drugs are good though. Hooray for Percocets keeping me out of pain and out of my mind. My roommates thought I was bad about telling stories twice Before! HA! I'm twice as bad now. I'm twice as bad now. Heh.

I've had this irksome ovarian cyst for about a year now. It was painful and annoying and pushed on my bladder, and elevated my cancer antigen markers slightly so we finally decided to take it out. It was supposed to be a simple operation and my doctor made me feel like I would be doing cartwheels the day after surgery. It was not to be so. A week later and I still can't stand up for too long and have to sleep on my back (which is a bummer).

Everything went well for the most part. Wesley took care of me all week, with some help from his mom, dad, and stepmom. He did a fantastic job and kept me comfortable, well-fed, and rested. He also showered me with sweet kisses- known to make any girl on the mend feel better.

Today was our first day back in class. My friend Jenni picked me up so I wouldn't have to drive. She also brought me homemade chicken noodle soup after my surgery. It's really great to have true friends who will take care of me. I have a lot to be thankful for this year.

Oh Happy Day!

Wesley proposed!!

We were in New Orleans this weekend for the Voodoo Music Festival. Friday night we saw Rage Against the Machine, which was phenomenal. The band was rocking out, the weather was perfect, and I didn't think I could be having any better of a time. Then Saturday morning we got up and went to the French Quarter. We walked along the river walk and made our way down to the St. Louis Basilica and Jackson Square. After sitting in the grass for a while Wesley asked if I was ready to go get some lunch. I stood up and he started fiddling in the backpack.


He got down on one knee and asked 'Mrs. McClintock, will you marry me?' and brought out this pretty blue jewelry box. I get a little light headed and the rest of the world disappeared. All of the sounds of the busy French Quarter faded away. He opened the box and at first all I could think about was how gorgeous the ring was. It sparkled as if there was a light coming from underneath it. I finally got my bearings again after many giggles and gave Wesley a big hug. At this point, I remembered that I had not said yes yet. Ha! I told him yes and he put the ring on my finger. Once we got moving, he practically had to steer me by both arms to keep me moving because I was so busy staring at this big, sparkling, elegant, significant ring on my finger. I Still can't stop staring at it!




I am such a lucky girl to have found such a wonderful, loving man. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him!

Amazing little creatures

Oh man! So! The end of another semester. I have finals on Monday and Tuesday. I feel like I have been walking on hot coals for ten weeks trying to keep these two professors happy with my progress. It worked in Pediatrics, but I never felt like I satisfied my OB professor. Oh well. As long as I pass the final on Tuesday, I pass the class. Which is actually a little scary. I've never had to pass a final to pass a class before, my grades have always been higher than that. I have been studying diligently the past two weeks and hopefully I'll be ok.

I can't say the semester has lacked excitement. The highlights would have to be seeing the vaginal birth and the c-section. They were both very cool to watch... once. I have no intention of being a labor and delivery nurse, but it has been an educational experience for sure.

Pediatrics on the other hand, I could really see myself spending a lifetime doing. I've always loved kids. I understand them better than I do most adults. I think it is their honesty and curiosity that makes me love them so much. I wish adults were better at holding onto that. It's almost as if there is this unsaid rule that adults are required to be dishonest and jaded. Kids are so much better at telling the truth and accepting the truth. Amazing little creatures, I think.

Dreams

I had not one, but TWO, wedding dreams last night. Ok, I confess, one was during my afternoon nap. Gimme a break, I was sick Monday.

In the first dream DJ from Full House was getting married. Her wedding was being televised as this 'dream wedding makeover' type deal. I remember that I wanted her dress, but the dress kept changing every time I saw it so it did not help me get any closer to choosing 'the one.' I also remember looking at her napkins like they were paint chips. She had plum, wine, copper, and deep teal. I looked at them for a long time in this dream and decided that I wanted those colors. Once awake I decided that the first three were pretty colors but I'm not so sure how they would look together.

The second dream was a little bit more traumatic. I dreamed that I went to the hairdresser for my final hairdo on the day of the wedding. The stylist chopped off all of my hair like they do in those overly dramatic makeover shows. It was cute but it wasn't my hair. I was SO upset! Anybody know what 'hair dreams' mean?

Bragging

Wesley has been updating his photography website. He has been working with both digital and film these days. I've gotta say... The man has an eye for beautiful things. Don't you agree??

Oy!

I had my second test in Obstetrics today. I made a 79.2. Bleh!! Anything below a 77.0 is failing. I haven't made a test score below a B (83) in nursing yet. I guess I should be happy to have done this well so far. But OB is kicking my butt and I'm ready to be done with it.

I know one thing, dealing with vah-jay-jays all day is not for me. The primary goal of Labor and Delivery nursing is to make sure the woman isn't bleeding to death through her vagina. Not my idea of a fun time. I think I would rather assist with an amputation. Don't you agree?

Cutesy Couple Shots