Adventures in Charleston: Disaster Dress Edition

Even though I don't miss the insane humidity of Charleston, I do miss the people there so I was pretty excited to head down for the weekend for the annual wine tasting at the SC Aquarium. Because really is my natural habit not at an aquarium? So after driving through the monsoon that conviently located itself over my entire route I arrived and got ready in a record 11 minutes. Considering that work with kids all day, I feel like this is an accomplishment. Being both a girl and a micromanger I, of course, sent multiple outfit options to my friend to decide what the perfect outfit for a wine tasting with an albino alligator and jelly fish is.

Totally not kidding about the alligator.

Fast forward and we're in the car on the way to hang out with said alligator when I feel something pop on my dress. Yeah, that's not going to be good. Apparently the zipper on my dress just decided not to work anymore and I was left yelling at my friend to pull the car over and figure something out right.this.minute. And quick. To be fair this sort of thing has happened before but it was at a sorority function where the safety pins from a guy's suspenders saved the day. Unfortunately we had neither safety pins nor a MacGuyver in suspenders so back home we flew. Naturally the over planner in me had failed to see such a predictable event in my future and I hadn't packed another dress to wear. Because, you know, dont you always pack just in case your dress breaks? Well now I will...

Sad, broken dress

My dear friend Katie saved the day with a dress left over from her college days. Apparently I can wear a junior's dress still- if you finagle the straps up with a bow hair clip and in the words of the darling Tim Gunn, Make it Work. Of course this event did allow me to tell the story to anyone who told me they liked my dress and wear rhinestones for the first time since 8th grade. It also allowed me to pretend to be Katie for the entire evening in photos- I'm practicing for Halloween.

And best yet the weekend ended up being a blast filled with an incredible Mission's Conference, walks on the Cooper River Bridge, delicious food and time with friends! Apparently weekends that begin with a dress falling apart can end up being pretty wonderful.

At dinner with our friend George- the guy beside us wearing running clothes, sitting at a bar, and drinking Martinis. You know, the usual.

Little Smiles

Little Smiles:

31. Being back at Leopard Forest

32. Bike Rides with Daddy

33. Days of Long Runs

34. "Barton Hollow" The Civil Wars

35. Having a special needs Valentine

36. Starting a new journal

37. Holding week-old labrador puppies

38. Birthday flowers

39. "Come Away" by Jesus Culture

40. Phone Dates with some of the best friends a girl can have

So December and January were pretty fun.

Take a minute and breathe. Being incredibly type A and always going, going, going, I have to remind myself often to take a minute, be still, and breathe. Nothing helps me realize how beautiful this crazy life is more than looking back at pictures and realizing just how beautiful it all is. Reminding myself of God's goodness and blessings, of sweet friends, of our own utter ridiculousness, of memories in the making. So here are my breaths of stillness and happiness from the past 2 months.

December: A blur of taking final exams, moving, getting to see friends, Christmas festivities, and lots of laughter.

Med School Prom- and getting to hang out with this lovely lady and all of our awkward faces

The sweetest Bible Study girls who make me laugh and my life happy

Finishing classes for OT school with some amazing friends

Being reunited with this beutiful lady in Nashvegas!

Orpyland lights!

Finally meeting the one and only Chewie Bear

Silly Gifts

Getting to be home for Christmas

Christmas morning with a sweet Scarley dog

The hilarity that is our family at Christmas

January: A New Year spent on Shem Creek, moving (again), starting step 1 to the real world, MCO Winter Retreat turning 24, and rediscovering Greenville.

Walks on Sullivan's Island

Holy City Sunset from Pitt St. Bridge

Being back in Charleston, even for a few days

New Years on Shem Creek with Oysters

Hiking with my amazing, beautiful friends

Getting to be with my ridiculous friends at retreat

Birthdays with my momma

Having the best daddy in the world who makes me hilarious birthday songs.

Being reunited with sweet friends (while baking!)

A Year in Review

What on earth have I been doing with my life?

Case it point, I started writing this blog December 31st- you know, like a month ago. Isn't that terrible? I thought that surely with classes ending and rotations starting I would have all of this time to be crafty, sew clothes, write blogs, help plan friends' weddings, pintrest excessively, etc. etc. But the truth is I got thrown into the real world head first and I'm still reeling. Of course rotations are wonderful and I am in love with all the sweet special littles I get to see and not having homework for the first time in my 24 years is the best.thing.ever. No, what gets me is the schedule. I get up at 6:15 or 6:30 (ok who am I kidding, its 6:35 now), go to work all day, come home and force myself to run so I don't go insane, watch Jeopardy, eat and pass out in my bed. I am regular par-tay animal. Seeing as I went straight from college to graduate school I have never actually had a real job apart from being a camp counselor. After my first full day, I called my mom to apologize for all the times I made fun of her for falling asleep during "Project Runway" because I get it now. At 9:30 I want nothing more than to curl up in my bed and sleep.

Of course I am getting to do all of this in Greenville so I can't really complain. I can't even explain what it's like to be back. Sure I miss Charleston because I adore the beach and of course adore my friends there even more. But nothing can compare to the fresh mountain air here, being in my favorite coffee shop without homework to do, finding a new incredible church and getting to do what I love. Basically, God knows what He's doing- which is a good thing because if we'd followed the plan I came up with when I was 16 I'd be married and living in Ireland. 2011 was a rollercoaster of a year. There were tears and triumphs, times I just wanted to curl up and crawl and times where my heart broke for the world around me. But I also got to make some truly amazing friends and learn more about myself than I ever thought possible while living in a place that only God could make so beautiful. And I finally fulfilled the dream of my 10 year old self and visit the continent that has called to my heart for so long. I made friends thousands of miles away in East Africa and friends down the street. 2011 was pretty stinkin good but so far 2012 looks bright.

But because I'm incredibly cheesy and love things like this... here's my year in review.

Flights taken: 6

Continents visited: 2

Days in Uganda: 10

Times I played the entire "The Reckoning" album from Needtobreathe: 20 and counting

New bands discovered and subsequently can't stop listening to: 10

Diet Cokes had: let's just not say and say that we did

Seasons of Arrested Development watched (for the 3rd time): 3

Times my childhood ended: 1- I'm looking at you Harry Potter.

Books read for fun: 15 (including the Hunger Games which if you haven't read you need to right.this.minute)

Harry Potter books read over Christmas: 4

Times bathroom flooded: only once but it was incredibly traumatic

Times "Super Bass" played: shameful

Times moved: 2

Times then vowed to move never again if I could help it: Countless

Classes taken: 15 (ish)- I think I might have blocked some of them out.

Blogs read: Also shameful

Hours spent on Pintrest: Let's not go there.

Awesome years: 1

Grad Life

You know you're in grad school when...

1. You open up "Catching Fire" and your bookmark is a notecard of muscle grading scores.

2. You only know what day of the week it is based on what class you have.

3. The med student in the elevator laughs at your 24 case of diet coke.

4. Caffeine makes sense as a food group.

5. Facebook seems like the most appropriate form of communication with other people.

6. You washed your hair with water from your Brita filter (and were totally ok with it)

Apparently I have less than 2 weeks of class left (ever!) including final exams. If anyone would like to tell me where the past 18 months have gone I would must appreciate it. Also, if you really want to move the giant 300-lb couch in my living room....come on down! My dad wants to throw it over the balcony but that seems like maybe not a good idea.

Little Smiles

Its very nearly Thanksgiving which means its very nearly exam time which means stress levels are increasing exponentially. Little reminders of happiness and joy in life are even more needed now. Here are my little smiles from this week...

21. Diet Sunkist

22. A week full of long runs

23. Playing wii with sweet little ones

24. Taking engagement pictures of friends

25. A trip to Furman, no matter how short

26. Changing fall leaves and Krispy Kreme runs

27. Cherry flavored Candy Canes

28. Bon Iver and "Skinny Love"

29. Answers to prayers for rotations

30. Some much needed perspective