November 30

Winter has definitely arrived! The high today was 35 or some such nonsense. And to think, it only gets colder until May! When I left for prayer band, my car registered only 27. So, it was no surprise when Jen came out to the car looking like Nanook of the North...



Gotta love the crazy tree branch lights in the background!

November 29

I love living in Chicago... I really, really do! On my way from work, I picked up Amanda Sue so we could go to TBP #2 before the prayer meeting. As we slowly worked our way through downtown, we passed the Merchandise Mart. It was so beautiful, all lit up for Christmas...

Oh, the wonderful city we live in!

November 28

At the last Graham School seminar I went to, there was a lady who decided to make me her project. I don't so much mind; she has a lot of connections in the science/medicine realm. Today there was a surgical ethics lecture she thought would be beneficial for me. The title was "Ethical, Theological, and Philosophical Considerations in Embryonic Stem Cell Research". It was very interesting.

November 27

I tried to go to work today, even though I wasn't feeling 100%. Cathleen took one look at me and told me to go home. Before I left, she gave me a Wal-born tablet; it's Walgreen's version of air-born. You drop the little tablet in a glass of water and it effervesces. (I like that word.) Then you drink it. It looks pretty gross, but it really didn't taste bad at all. By time I got home, I could already tell a difference! PTL! Hopefully by morning I'll be completely better...

(Okay, so technically I didn't take this picture, but I really don't think anyone would have wanted to see anything I would have taken a picture of today. And besides, I did "take it" off the Walgreens website!)

November 26

So I'm sick. I woke up Thursday morning with a sore throat and stuffy head. I'm not getting sick, I'm not getting sick... Yeah right! Everyday I got a little worse. That did not, however, keep me from midnight shopping or frigid putt-putt! It is, or was rather, just the kind of head cold that irritates you with all the snot and inability to breathe, but you don't feel too bad to go about normal life... until Sunday. I woke up with blisters in my mouth, my snot was so bountiful I had to leave church, I was alternating between chills and sweat. Beautiful. And I was driving home. I called my boss somewhere in Indiana and told her I wouldn't be in today.

So, my day has consisted of oj, chicken soup, cough drop, sleep, repeat...

November 25

I had to head back to Chicago today. I love going home to TN. Seems like I don't get home for ages (but thankfully mama & daddy come up to visit often) and then I'm home every other week. Well, not quite, but I was just home six weeks ago and I'll be back in a month.

Leaving the Menagerie...

Left to right: Belle (the matriarch), Daddy, Me & Macy, Mama & Leo

Sorry the picture isn't so great; we took it on my phone.

I have pictures... they're just stuck in my camera right now!

November 20

We went out to visit Jasmine and Josiah tonight. Amanda made a wonderful dinner for us - Cod with creamy leek sauce, sweet potato casserole, and roasted vegetable salad. It was so yummy!

Amanda, Shelly, Jasmine, Me, and Ashley in Josiah's nursery.

Amanda took Jasmine the hat she has been making for Josiah. Shelly modeled it for us...

November 19

Well, today wasn't too spectacular. I came home from work and started cleaning and packing in preparation for going home on Wednesday.

The fruits of my labor...

November 18

I didn't realize I didn't post today... oops!

Well, we had a tailgate at church tonight. I went with Ashley and Amanda when they went for choir and instead of singing, I watched football. It was a lot of fun. I got to spend some time talking with Idara and Pastor Armand. Unfortunately, even though I had my camera, I did not take any pictures.

The bears lost...

And the Skins lost, to Dallas no less!
We didn't actually watch either of these games. I'm not sure what we did watch... hmmm

November 17

I missed the prayer band retreat this weekend because I had to become certified in phlebotomy. So, I spent the entire day in a hotel conference room with fake arms full of fake blood...



I'm proud to say, I passed each practical on the first attempt. I am now a certified phlebotomy technician... whoopee

November 16

This evening Tiffany came over to hang out with us. We had pizza & gyros & chocolate chip cake. Then we watched the movie The Ultimate Gift. It's a really good (clean) movie.

The gift of friendship...

To-Do List

I came across this blog the other day - http://www.todolistblog.com/. Apparently this woman has nothing better to do than analyze people's to-do lists and compile them into a book. Some of the lists are quite interesting. There's one from a Christian guy "110 things to do before I die". A woman's list from when she was 12 of what she wanted in a husband - that one was pretty funny. Got me thinking...

I'm a list maker. I make lists of things I need to do, should do, would like to do. I even make lists of lists (that makes sense in my head, promise!). I prefer my lists to be on post-its so I can stick them everywhere. I also like that the walls of my cube are that stuff you can thumb tack onto, so I have lists tacked all over the walls of my cube. It's much more exciting and efficient than when I had real walls!

Most of my lists are rather mundane - errands to run, patients to contact, work stuff to follow-up on, groceries I would like to buy but probably won't make it to the store for, you know - everyday life stuff. Here lately though I've been making a mental list that I decided to write down after looking at this blog.

Things to do before I get married (if not before marriage, definitely before kids):

• Tour Italy with Mama
• Memorize Proverbs 31 and Psalm 119
• Learn to sew
• Make a quilt or afghan (or both!)
• Spend a year in another country
• Learn another language (see above)
• Publish something
• Compete in some sort of race
• Learn to make a fabulous flaky pie crust from scratch, even if I only do it once
• Learn to bake bread from scratch, even if I only do it once
• Go fishing, maybe deep sea fishing
• Parasail
• Grow a garden

I guess we'll see how far I get. At the looks of things, I'll have time to get through quite a few of these...

November 15

Tonight Amanda introduced me to Taco Burrito #2, the best taco burrito joint in town. It was lovely. Then we went to prayer meeting, reeking of taco burrito of course, which was also lovely.


Us, happy as clams, after our chorizo and prayer!

November 14

I missed the last bus to the hospital, so I had to walk over, but I saw this beautiful tree and couldn't believe the sky behind it. Amanda said it looked like I messed with the colors, but all I did was crop it a little... the metra tracks kinda seemed out of place.

It reminded me of that old hymn...

For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies,

for the love which from our birth over and around us lies;

Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the beauty of each hour of the day and of the night,

hill and vale, and tree and flower, sun and moon, and stars of light;

Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of ear and eye, for the heart and mind's delight,

for the mystic harmony, linking sense to sound and sight;

Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child,

friends on earth and friends above, for all gentle thoughts and mild;

Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

For thy church, that evermore lifteth holy hands above,

offering up on every shore her pure sacrifice of love;

Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

For thyself, best Gift Divine, to the world so freely given,

for that great, great love of thine, peace on earth, and joy in heaven:

Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.

November 13

Every woman loves a new pair of shoes. My car is no exception...

I went to buy tires for the first time in my life today. The man was super nice and I got a great deal! If anyone needs tires, check out Discount Tire Co. http://discounttire.com/.

Then I drove my new tires over to see Jasmine and Josiah again. He's my new buddy!

November 12

There's a mouse in that bag!



He's been living in our kitchen, but today he landed on a sticky trap so out to the dumpster he went. Hallelujah, the mouse is gone!!!

November 11

We went for a family jog tonight before the girls had to go to choir.

I look a little crazy in the eyes...

November 10

We bought toilet paper today!

November 9

I discovered my calling in life today...

Yes, I want to be a cranberry bog person!

Ocean Spray had a model of a cranberry bog set up on the plaza outside the Tribune building as I was leaving my seminar. It was actually really pretty. You can't tell from this picture, but the bog-man was pretty too.

November 8

This week I am taking classes at the U of C Gleacher center downtown. It's right on the river by the NBC and Tribune buildings. I really like going down there for classes; it's a nice change of pace from everyday work. Well this morning, this is what greeted me as I crossed the street...



Seriously?!?! I am a lover of Christmas, for sure, but it is barely November, nowhere near Thanksgiving yet, and already they have huge wreaths and bows? (Those little specks near the bottom right are two men - that's how huge this thing is!) It is certainly lovely and will be especially nice mid December when we have a little snow, but really, isn't it a little early? Well, I guess you could argue that it's never too early to celebrate the birth of our Savior... Joy to the World, y'all!

November 7

Tonight I went to visit Jasmine and got to meet Josiah for the first time. Jasmine wasn't up to taking a picture, so you're stuck with me...

He wasn't too happy about the flash interrupting his sleep...

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

Well, it has been quite a day! One of the most eventful birthdays I have had in quite a while...

(Turning 24 at 9:29 am)

It actually started yesterday. I am really blessed with some wonderful coworkers. At our office meeting, they brought a colossal chocolate cake and a card, signed by Rod of course!

(What's left of the Colossal Chocolate Cake)


Then this morning, at the other office I work in, they brought me a birthday bear and balloon ~ I do love a good mylar balloon...

(Linda with Bob the Birthday Bear. You can't see it, but the balloon is attached to Bob's head!)

Tonight, Ashley and Amanda took me to dinner at Artopolis in Greektown...

And they gave me the most exciting present - a gift certificate to do one of those cooking class/demonstration things and an apron to wear when I go! Oh, and another balloon! They did a really great job.

Of course there were the wonderful cards (and checks!), emails, e-cards, phone calls, texts, and facebook messages from people I couldn't be with. I felt especially loved and blessed today. Thank you to everyone!

Happy birthday to me!

Today's the day...

The big day has finally arrived... I am starting my picture a day blog today!