The Past Six Months

The past 6 months have been...busy. So much has happened since May and despite no longer being a full time student I've found finding moments to blog few and far between. From finishing clinicals to graduating, studying for boards, moving and starting a full time job, I've found myself most often sitting on the couch at the end of the day and struggling to stay awake until 9:00 while reading buzzfeed. Going from full time student to full time adult is a big transition and I'm still learning and figuring it out one day at a time. I'll spare you the less exciting details and simply share the past 6 months in my favorite pictures...

 I got to see these guys twice- pure awesome. 

Sweet friends got married (and engaged)! 

My brother finished grad school and...

 We took weird pictures. 

We had a July 4th party- hilarity ensued. 

 I spent months with this sweet girl. 

I got to spend a week here before graduating- can't complain. 

We celebrated being done with school forever! 

 I finished grad school on one very hot day. 

 This guy joined the family. 

 He's already so photogenic.

 I got a big girl job in one of my favorite places. 

I studied and passed boards while watching a whole lot of this. 

 U-Haul gave us an "upgrade." 26 ft. later...

 We went to the zoo during the move (and I waited a record 6 straight hours for the cable guy!) 

 

 My dad and I rode 32 miles on a beautiful and chilly morning in VA. 

Went to my first polo match. 

 I wore a hat and had no idea what was going on. 

 3rd Furman Homecoming

Hopefully the next 6 months will bring more than one blog post but just as many adventures! 

Adventures in Zoology

A few months ago my parents got a birdfeeder for the backyard. Of course this wasn't the labrador puppy I have tentatively named Moses but birds aren't loud and I've only ever been bitten by our neighbors cockatoo so I figured it was safe. Birds we got, sure, but we also got squirrels and lots of 'em. Apparently our backyard is training ground for the squirrel Olympics because all the ones we have are lightning fast and climbing superstars. But there was one squirrel who really became the star of the show- Niedermeyer.

We know him, we loathe him, our dog recognizes his name. Niedermeyer is of course named after one Douglas C. Niedermeyer, the "sneaky little bad word here" from the classic movie Animal House. Seeing as its my mom's favorite movie of all time, his name made perfect sense and he has lived up to it. While Niedermeyer is head squirrel in charge, there's also second banana Greg Marmalard, the one with a wonky tail. Go watch the movie and this will all make sense (and we can offically be friends). Niedermeyer is the ringleader of the whole operation demonstrating amazing feats of agility and risk all in the name of some bird seed. Naturally we fought this battle against our squirrel nemisis with a supersoaker. It worked just about as well as you would think.

Beginning to show his skills

Serious agility

Niedermeyer was undetered and becoming bolder than ever so we swung into action just like the Delta Tau Chi's to rain on Niedermeyer's parade. Apparently there is a rather lucrative business in making squirrel-proof birdfeeders that shut the feeder if there's too much weight, closing the buffet for squirrels (and obese birds). As I type Niedermeyer is staring at this new feeder, no doubt contemplating how he can outsmart us- he's a determined one that one. And while he appears to be slightly depressed I think we all know that were we to be truly rid of Niedermeyer we'd miss our sneaky little guy. So until our friend figures out how to get into this feeder do yourself a favor and make sure you watch this.

We're waiting...

525,600 minutes

...since I was on Ugandan soil. Or there about since I have no idea how to work out the time difference. Can it really have been a year already? The memories are still so fresh and vivid that it seems impossible to have been that long ago. The other week I had the opportunity to speak to my parents' small group about the trip and about the overall mission of PMI (www.palmettomedical.org). Having the chance to talk to anyone about the trip brings back a flood of memories and looking through the pictures and journal entries were a bittersweet journey. I felt overwhelmed with sadness seeing little Davis who is now looking down on us from heaven. Or the pictures of mothers whose desperation for their family seeps from their very being. Its the looks on the faces of children who didnt know to smile for a picture and sat hungrily on the sides of streets. It was the hundreds of sick people we saw, many suffering from diseases that could easily be treated or cured. But for every sad memory there were happy ones. I was reminded of the sweetness of our translator Isaac who laughed at the blatant difference of our skin tones. Or the kindness and indescirable friendships of Mr. Jimmy, Joel and Fred. Its the sweet faces of Danny and Precious at the orphange and the opportunity to simply shower them with love for a few hours. Its darling little Ivan and getting to "treat" him for 2 hours. It was seeing a lady walk upright after having a stroke or the joy of giving a woman the shoes off my feet.

In rememering that journey a year ago, I am reminded of a saying from the blog of the mother of one of the little girls I had the blessing to meet in Masindi. She calls her blog Every Bitter Thing Is Sweet and it is that saying that I think is sometimes the best way to describe the trip. Even in the bitterest moments, the sickness that just seems so unfair, the swollen, hungry bellies of children on the street, I am reminded still of the sweet memories I had there and the way that they still impact me even today. I am more aware even now how God uses these bitter moments to show us His sweet plan for our lives and how He is orchestrating it all for His glory. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to meet some of the people of Uganda who forever changed my life and my perspective on everything. Still my heart aches to be back, to ride in a 12 passenger van on dirt roads to different villages, to shower orphans with love and hugs, to give medical care to those desperately in need. And though I know it isnt right now, I can't wait until my feet touch Ugandan soil once again. 

On Good Friday

Pastor Scotty Smith on Good Friday...

“Lord Jesus, it’s the day in Holy Week we call “Good Friday.” I’ve always felt conflicted about calling the day of your crucifixion “good.” That there had to be a day when you, the God who made us for yourself, would be made sin for us is not good at all.On the other hand, that you so freely and fully gave yourself for us on the cross is never-to-be surpassed goodness. It is quintessential goodness, for out of the same heart came these two cries from the cross: “Father forgive them…”, and “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The first required the second. The second secured the first. Together they buckle my knees in wonder, still my heart with peace, and loose my tongue for praise…………….No one could ever take your life from you and we could never find life apart from you. Because you were fully forsaken, we are forever forgiven. Because you exhausted God’s judgment against our foul sin, we now live by the gift of your perfect righteousness. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! So very Amen, we pray, in your all glorious, all gracious name.”

Little Smiles

41. Chaco Weather

42. A week of long runs

43. This Hat

44. Being back in Nashville to celebrate friends

45. Diving into new books

46. Coffee Dates and Burma Valley Smoothies at The Forest

47. New Sushi Places

48. Days off with the labradoodle

49. Vintage finds for $2

50. Front porch quiet times

A Random and Spontaneous Weekend

As I am coming towards a close on my time in Greenville I find myself attempting to fit everything I want to do in not a whole lot of time and trying to take in every little moment. Despite my type A+ personality, I do sometimes attempt to be spontaneous so when my friend called me and asked if I wanted to go to Atlanta and see a Hawks game I said sure. It was 3 and the game was at 7:30 so I figured we had enough time. We drove to Clemson and met up with friends I had never met and drove to Atlanta. This would be an issue if I were not able to talk to a brick wall but since I can, I was cool with it. We made it to outside of Atlanta when the all powerful ATL traffic hit for no reason whatsoever other than that it was a Friday. A man also wordlessly offered us beer while we were stopped on a 5 lane highway for 20 straight minutes. Welcome to Atlanta where the players play indeed.

We met up with some others and had dinner after deciding that really missing the first part of the game wasn't such a big deal. I mean time with friends is priceless right? Cut to us driving around for 30 minutes looking for a place to park at the game. Did you know that the interstate cuts RIGHT through downtown and that you have to drive for 20 minutes to get around it? A man totally designed 85. We finally found a place to park and it was already halftime- so not looking good. We decided to be good citizens and pay to park at the least sketchy of the sketchy parking lots. Look when there is only one car in your parking lot, a rickety ticket booth, and some chains I ain't parking there. The parking lot was $10 and in my effort to contribute I may or may not have put in a dollar that was in fact taped together. And the machine may or may not have started freaking out and stopped working for a few minutes. Yeah, my bad. About the time the machine was spitting out my taped together dollar the other car called to say that the ticket booths were now closed. Soooo I guess we weren't going to see the game. Good thing there was Taco Mac where you can sit for 2 hours and eat some tacos while watching the basketball game happening in the arena beside you on TV. And then we got into the thankfully not broken into cars and drove back to Greenville. I wish I could say we have photographic evidence of such an epic adventure but we dont. Too bad because I really wanted to take a picture of that parking lot.

The next day I adventured into downtown Greer and discovered the coolest store in the entire world- Acme Hardware. They have ice cream and bulk candy, Chacos, a mini climbing wall, AND a Nerf gun on steriods arena complete with awesome helmets. Basically it is the coolest store ever and if I were a child in Greer I would insist on living there. Actually I would be ok living there now if they would let me sleep in one of their ENO hammocks and let me live off of Pixie Sticks and Birthday Cake Ice Cream.

Take no prisoners.

So not kidding about the helmets.

Also a giant metal chicken. Greatet. Store. Ever.

Rapunzel was there too.

Pinwheels for the less adventurous children.

Climbing wall yo.

Chacos Chacos Chacos.

They also had giant Tootsie Rolls. You know for your average giant.

Apparently Greer also has a city park with a fountain and playground that was too crowded to allow us to play on it to our hearts desire. Although the Greer po po will give you a nasty glare if your friend tries to jump into the fountain, just sayin. And I'm convinced will sick Kudzu bugs on you as punishment.

Who knew?

Fountain in which you are not allowed.

And the best way to end such an adventure? Irashiai Sushi in G-vegas. Trust me, your taste buds will thank you.

So until the next time I randomly decide to go to Atlanta, here's to more adventures.