Did I ever tell you how happy this makes me?

[feeding Annie some well deserved carrots after my lesson]

What is Christmas?

It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace.

Christmas break is coming and I could not be more ready. Stop day is this week and christmas break is so close yet so far! I can't wait to be home with my family and enjoy the christmas holiday. It is my favorite time of year. With most people in such a wonderful mood, lights every where, and christmas songs on every radio station. I hope all of you are enjoying this season as much as I am. Happy Holidays!

Happy 4th Birthday Logan!

You are loved more than you will ever know.

11.30.09

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire,

If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something

For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.

During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations

Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge

Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes

They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary

Because it means you made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also

thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles and they

can become your blessings.

...Fulton...Columbia...St. Louis...Fulton...Columbia...

Going, going, going. That is all I have been doing here lately. To be honest, in the past three weeks I have probably stayed at my own place about three times. I have been driving back and forth from Columbia to Fulton and then back again. It feels like the closest thing I have to home while I am away at school and I feel safe there. Colin's parents have graciously let me stay at their house the past couple of weeks because without going in to details. I flat out don't feel safe where I live. My roommates, some in particular, do not have the same life style as I do (are dishes that hard to at least rinse out) and to add on top of it, I have learned rather quickly that the neighborhood leaves something to be desired. So rather than feel uncomfortable I just pack a small bag and head to Fulton. I don't get frustrated there and can actually get some studying done. Here, at my place, all I want to do is clean up. Though on the other hand, I refuse to clean up after other people especially wash their dishes. At some point in time they need to take some responsibility for themselves and I am not going to step in the way of that.

Speaking of Fulton and Colin, things are rather confusing. About two months ago, Colin and I broke up for very necessary reasons. That right there could be its own blog so I won't go in to that. Well, in the time that Colin and I were broken up Adam decided that he missed me and wanted to be with me. I fell for it and believed him and then randomly I did not hear from him for four weeks. In that time, Colin and I went to dinner, began to hang out again, and worked through things. I felt that if Adam truly cared he would have found it in him to say something. Anything. But he didn't and now I have moved past all of that. I am truly happy with Colin and am very much looking forward to what the future has in store for us. They always say that you have found the right guy when you see qualities of your dad within them. I can't agree with this more. Colin treats me just how my dad would want me to be treated and if you know me at all you know that means more to me than anything. My daddy is my #1 guy. If he doesn't approve then there is no other option.

There is more with Colin. We are looking for a house for him and maybe one day me too. It has been very hard. There is a certain budget that Colin can't go over and since I have no permanent job and am not going to put anything in to a house until I am married to whomever that will be, I can't help with the finance part. The only part I can help out with is looking for houses, going on visitis with him, and ultimately giving him my approval. That also raises another issue. When Colin moves out and is in his own house, will I be able to stay with him? Yes, I am nineteen years old and can make my own decisions but I hate doing things my parents don't approve of and to be honest I have no clue how they would feel about it. No, I would not move in but I would like to stay there. I suppose I will worry about that when the time comes. So far there are two houses we are looking in to. Both are in Tebbetts, MO and are right next to our best friends Josh and Lauren. The best part about looking for houses there is Lauren and I could car pool to Columbia since we both work at Landmark Bank. On the days I go to school, I would drop her off at work or vice versa. Plus, the four of us spend so much time together any way that I think it could be a lot of fun. So we'll see. I try not to get my hopes up.

Some of you may be wondering where Tebbetts, MO is. Well lets just say this, it is a town of grain elevators, a population of 762, where the main road is a two lane highway that is rarely traveled and some times floods when the river gets too high, it sits right between Jefferson City and Mokane, and if you want more than a drink at the local bar or a gallon of milk, you have to travel to Jefferson City or to Fulton. To me, it is heaven. Growing up in St. Louis, I didn't know exactly what "country" was. Part of my family lived in Sullivan so I kind of knew but nothing like this. It is a place where "going out" means having a bonfire or just hanging out at a friends house. That is just the thing I love to do. Tebbetts along with Mokane and Hams Prairie have some what become home to me. It is where many of my friends are and where I like to spend a lot of my time.

I think that pretty much catches my blog up to where I am in life. I wish I had pictures to share but I just have not been taking any. Thanksgiving is coming up in three short days and I will be sure to take some pictures of family and friends. Have a happy holiday and enjoy some delicious food!

Hugs!

Well hello again my blogging friends. It has been quite a long time since I have been on here to ramble on about my life as a college student. Not much has changed since the last time I was on here. My last blog talked about how I am now registered in the national bone marrow bank. When I got my cotten swabs in the mail my hands were shaking. I knew I was making a great decision by joining but it was such a big decision. I've been wanting to do it for so long and just in the time I put that package in the mail and sent off and processed. Since then, nothing has happened. I got an email saying that they had recieved my cheek swabs and that they would be going through processing. Now, I wait.

School is kicking my butt. To say the very least. How did something that use to come so easily to me is now all of a sudden feeling impossible? I started my first ultrasound class a few weeks ago and so far I have enjoyed it. I have gone to observe the present ultrasound students in lab as they practice ultrasound. It is actually kind of neat how the class works. First, the instructor shows them where and how to find the image and how many pictures you need on that specific organ. For example, the pancreas and the gall bladder are two of the hardest organs to get an image of in the human body, for ultrasound anyway. First, you must find the pancreas and take one image of the head, another of the body, a transverse image, one of the tail, and so on and so forth. Once the instructor shows you all of this, you split up in to two groups and practice on one another. Sounds a little funny doesn't it? I was a little shocked as well but how else are you supposed to practice ultrasound? At this point, I am just hoping that 1. I get in to the program when I apply in February and 2. that I will like it because if I don't, I am going to hate myself for taking all these ridiculous hard classes!

Something that I am very excited to talk about is the fact that on this past Tuesday, November 2nd I had my very first horseback riding lesson. That's right. Me. I am taking lessons every week and maybe even jumping it up to twice a week if my schedule can allow. Since I was a little girl I have begged to have lessons but with dance and school there just was not enough time. Plus, I'm from St. Louis. Needless to say, there aren't a whole lot of opportunities to ride a horse. I am taking lessons from a place here in Columbia called Glendale Stables. Kent Swalla is giving me my lessons and he was awesome. He was patient and when he saw me getting frusterated he was quick on giving the compliments. The horse I rode, her name was Annie. She was also patient with me thankfully. I've never been on a horse before so when Kent took his rope off and it was just me and her, I'm glad she was understanding. I go back next Wednesday and am more than ready. I was to get back on and practice more and more. I just love being around horses. They are such beautiful animals. I am hoping that once I am comfortable with riding, Kent will also show me how to take care of them. That way, one day I will be able to have my own :)

[the stables]

I think I've talked enough. For now anyway. There is plently more drama going on in my life, but why bother all of you with that. Until next time.

"The greatest things in life can not be seen or even touched. They must be felt by the heart."

A few days ago, I did something that I always said I was going to do but never fully got around to it. Ever since my beloved French teacher, Rachel Mueller, was diagnosed with leukemia I knew I just had to do something. Mrs. Mueller lost the fight to leukemia and passed away on Halloween night almost two years ago. The moment Devon, her daughter, called me I knew what had happened and ever since that day I have been trying to figure something out to help others like Mrs. Mueller. To give others a chance to survive.


A big part of surviving leukemia for many people is getting a bone marrow transplant. Donating bone marrow is a whole lot different than donating blood. To donate bone marrow you have to be between the ages of 18 and 60 and in good health. For many people, donating bone marrow sounds too painful so they don't even bother. If only they knew how many lives they could save if they took the time to learn more about it. For the procedure you are completely knocked out and only experience some soreness a few days following. To become a part of the National Bone Marrow bank all you need to do is go to http://www.marrow.org/ and sign up. The cost is about $100 for all the tests they do to acquire your DNA but because people choose to donate, most of that cost is covered. For instance when I signed up, I didn't have to pay anything. Once you have filled all your information out, they send you a kit in the mail. You get a cheek swab and send it back to them in the mail in a pre-paid envelope. Then that is it. You just wait. If someone needs you to donate bone marrow, they will contact you. You may never get a call or you may get one in the first month. It just all depends. Finding a match for bone marrow is really difficult so the more that are willing to donate, the more lives that can be saved. So please go to http://www.marrow.org/ to take the time and learn more about it.





Another thing that is important to me is adoption. As most of you all know, my best friend, Emily, gave birth to a beautiful baby boy on November 30, 2005. She knew that she couldn't provide for him like she wanted, so she gave him up for adoption to an amazing couple, Mike and Janet. Logan is loved by so many people and has had a great life so far because of how unselfish my best friend was.






Jockey is doing a fundraiser right now for adoptive families. You buy a little bear and the proceeds go to adoptive families. You can check it out at http://www.jockeybeingfamily.com/.



I have a feeling I won't be blogging for a while. My week coming up is going to be a crazy one. Four tests in the first three days of the week. whew....lots of studying is going on here! Have a great week and weekend everyone. GO MIZZOU!