Type A Meets Type B

hello

2007-09-04T17:08:00.000-05:00

Hi guys! Long time no see. Mostly because I finally have accepted Facebook as a safe form of communication and like others before me, have become obsessed with Facebook. And also because I'm still in nursing school, and it's still hard and mean and time-consuming. Anyways, the relevant news of late:
1) we got a Cairn terrier puppy. His name is Dobby.
2) Lee started college at Auburn.
3) I'm in Psych Nursing, Peds Nursing, Critical Care Nursing, and Honors Nursing Independent Study this semester.
4) That last one is basically a name for me implementing my research project I designed in the spring at a southeastern pediatric hospital on a bone marrow transplant unit.

That is all the relevant news I have for now. Dustin, me, and Dobby before the AU vs. Kansas State game
Dobby all decked out in his Auburn gear (his little bandana has an AU on it. So cute.)

Blergh

2007-06-04T21:26:00.000-05:00

Family portrait at Sea Island, GA
Happy family at Lee's graduation 05/20/07

Nursing school buddy Justin trying on the "Empathy Belly" for OB nursing

Yours truly with said empathy belly

Recovering from a jumping jack...

(Bad idea)

I don't really have much to tell about except school, school, and more school. Just trucking along. Got awesome units for both of my clinicals, so I'm pretty happy about that. Working on getting Thursday of Harmony Highlands off, I already arranged to get Tuesday of Harmony Highlands off. Dustin is in class from 5 pm-10 pm Monday-Thursday for the entire month of June, which kinda stinks. But it'll be over at the end of the month.
So..... I guess that's all for now. Ta-ta!!

CAKEQUEST!!!!!!!

2007-04-26T22:14:00.000-05:00

After grueling hours of studying for finals, I felt the need today to embark upon a ...

CAKEQUEST!!!

Which led to a generalized "sweet-tooth quest" that led to the cashier actually laughing at loud at me as he rung up my purchases, which were:

raspberry elegance cake w/cream cheese frosting, key lime tart, Dr. Pepper, strawberries, cantaloupe, breakfast cookies, mint & dark chocolate Haagen Dazs bars, and Breyer's strawberry ice cream.

Other fun pics to laugh at:

my brunette hair...

my so-called "black twin" Ashleigh and me preparing to rock the face off an intramural volleyball game (we are the Nursing Ninjas! Hiii-yah!!)

Sandro cat playing like a kangaroo and hopping inside Dustin's camo pouch to hang out.

Hope you enjoy these odd windows into our strange lives here at the Jones' house.

Virginia Tech

2007-04-18T22:19:00.000-05:00

I am so shocked by what has happened at Virginia Tech. It's horrible. It's a tragedy of proportions that I cannot understand, it has irreparably affected the lives of every single person on that campus, every family who has a child there, every family member and friend who lost someone there.

America, when are we going to learn?

I know all you Southern boys are going to leave hate comments on my blog for saying this, and y'all know I'm as good a Southern Republican Christian woman as might be found around here, but I'm saying it.

We need tighter gun control laws in America.

I know, I know. The Second Amendment! We have the right to bear arms! And true that is, but, just like our First Amendment freedom of speech, that right is not unlimited. We can't walk into a crowded theater and yell "Fire!!" It's illegal. It's time to limit guns as well. Specifically, I'm talking about handguns. Boys, keep your shotguns and your hunting rifles. But the primary weapon of choice in most crimes involving firearms is a handgun. A Glock 9-mm and a Walther .22-caliber handgun were used by the troubled boy in the Virginia Tech shooting. What if he had never had access to those guns?

In Britain, handguns are 100% outlawed. Their Olympic pistol-shooting team has to practice outside the country. However, rifles and shotguns and other things like that are allowed with a permit. There are three types of permits: personal protection, target and skeet-shooting, and hunting. You have to meet specific qualifications for the personal protection permit. With a population of 18 million, Great Britain had something like 84 crimes involving guns last year. Compare that to New York City, population around 7 million, around 850 murders involving guns.

If the US banned handguns, would crime rates drop tomorrow? No. In fact, it would be a huge hassle for every gunowner in the country, as well as a hassle and cost to the US government. But would it be worth it if 20 years from now, our violent crimes involving guns had decreased? Absolutely.

Also, as a sidenote. In the news they're now reporting that in 2005, Cho Seung-Hui was accused of stalking two girls and reported to the police. The police then got a judge to issue a detention order. As a result, Cho voluntarily checked in to a mental hospital for about 2 days. My question: how does a judge's detention order issued for the police not show up in a background check for purchase of a handgun? That just makes it all the more apparent to me that even the mild system we have in place for gun regulation isn't working. As a further sidenote, Congress is crazy because seriously, the ten year semi-automatic weapon ban that just expired really and truly needs to be continued. Check out this link http://www.slate.com/id/2164373/nav/tap1/ for an editorial on legislation concerning gun control.

My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in Blacksburg, Virginia, and all the families affected by this tragedy. And also, I pray for the Seung-Hui family - that boy's parents and sister must feel so horrible right now. I hope that something positive can emerge from this tragedy to help the rest of the country become safer and hopefully prevent future tragedies like this one.

Things I Hate with a Fiery Passion

2007-04-14T23:17:00.000-05:00

X-box and all its accessories
people calling after 9:30 pm just to chat about nothing important that could wait until the next day (that's family time, not to be interrupted by outsiders to the household. Families are bombarded with outside noise enough as it is without the phone ringing at 10:15 when I'm applying my eye cream and finally chatting uninterrupted with Dustin about our days.)
prednisone and all its side effects (nurses: assess for buffalo hump, moonface, and potbelly)
false weather predictions
I hate X-box enough to mention it twice
the devastating effects of carbohydrates on my waistline
stupid movies that actually decrease the IQ of the viewer
double clinicals crammed in with 4-8 hour lectures every weekday of the summer
people who don't respond to emails about time-sensitive material in a timely manner
still hate X-box
and all video games in general

I guess that's all I can think of right now.

My Warfare is Accomplished

2007-04-07T15:38:00.000-05:00

Many of you thought this day would never come.
I myself even thought that this day would never come.
I've left the realm of the blonde.
Shocking, I know. My entire life, I have been some shade of blonde (except for that redhead stint in Auburn.... an entirely separate subject). When dark roots appeared in my mid-teen years, I vigorously fought back with highlights and dye jobs. "I am blonde!" I protested vigourously.

And then, this week, while reading an article on the differing beauty ideals of France and America, I realized.
I'm not blonde.
I'm a brunette.
I should accept this, like the French.
I should take up moisturizing my skin, which is like a national sport in France.
(Incidentally, I've also abandoned foundation, and adopted tinted moisturizer, red lipstick and fingernails, and headbands).

So I bought some dye labelled "Light Iridescent Brown." Mom and I applied it, but she went to bed before it was done. When I came downstairs this morning, she looked at my milk-chocolate toned hair and gasped. She asked "How do you feel?"

I smiled and said, "Like the warfare against my roots is accomplished."

(I promise to post a picture soon).

Wherein I declare all of you (excepting Danielle) to be LOSERS

2007-03-28T18:31:00.000-05:00

Seriously people. For the VERY FIRST TIME I finally have put up pictures on the blog. And not only that, they're of the Grand Canyon! And a cactus in my foot!! And after a whole week, there's only one comment? LOSERS. I really was expecting that post to be a hit among the blogosphere community members. All of you, excempting Danielle, are hereby declared to be UNATTENTIVE MEMBERS OF THE BLOGOSPHERE and SERIOUS LOSER-FACES.

So there. Thpppppppppppp.

Arizona!

2007-03-21T22:45:00.000-05:00

Dustin and me at the rim of the Grand Canyon!
Going down the Bright Angel Trail.....
which we hiked 2 miles down (and 2 miles back)....
ELK!!!!!!!!!
and the jumping cholla cactus attacks. OUCH!!!!!!! (It's better now. Sort of.)

The Struggle

2007-03-08T21:08:00.000-06:00

Oh, Duke. Why? You had so much potential, what with McRoberts doing some mad dunking, Pocius charging in like a crazy man, and Paulus actually hitting threes. Why'd you have to let it go? Don't you know what you're doing to yourself?!? The brackets get selected Sunday, and you're playing like a bubble team. Not like a team that had won all but 1 of the last 8 ACC tournament title games. When will you step up and reclaim your true self? *sigh.......*

Okay, enough lamenting about that. My last weekend at St. Vincent's is this weekend!! After the atrociousness of my shifts last time I work, when I came home exhausted and literally crying, Dustin and I figured out a plan, and I'm quitting! I already turned in my two weeks' notice a week ago. For the next 14 months, I'm a full-time student and a full-time wife, instead of a part-time everything. Yay!

So I'm giving a little presentation tomorrow about my research project idea. If it goes well, I get to implement my project. Very, very cool stuff. I'm really excited about it, actually. If you see me in person, don't mention cancer or else I will truly go off on a tangent. You've been warned. My tentative project is on quality of life of adolescents who have received a bone marrow transplant. I think it's going to be cool. If I do it right (with the help of my faithful mentors), then it could potentially be published by next year. That's the goal anyways.

Dude, I seriously don't know what I (or my Dad) will do if Duke doesn't get their act together.... I mean, they are almost in question about whether or not they'll even be in the NCAA tournament. It's that bad. Ugh, I can't bear it.

Overview of Events

2007-02-20T22:39:00.000-06:00

So I will now rapidly skim recent events, in part because I delude myself into thinking that people actually routinely check this blog in order to see what's going on in my life because they care, and in part because I am a habitual chronicler.

Item 1: On Wednesday, February 14, I had clinical at a rather seedy hospital here in Bham. My patient was a prisoner, who having been imprisoned round the age of 17 for killing someone, had been in an adult pokey for 13 years. Foot-cuffed to the bed. Very unpleasant.
Item 2: Thursday, February 15. I got to go to the OR for the very first time, to see a bone marrow harvest. I am officially in love - scrub me in!
Item 3: Friday, February 16. Dustin, I, and the Wouters drove to Destin, FL, an experience that was mostly terrifying due to my father's decision to forge new routes at 70 mph on two-lane roads in the dark based on his new car's GPS system (that, by the way, on some newer roads told us we were driving through a field).
Item 4: Saturday, February 17. Mom and I sat around in our pajamas half the day while the boys goofed off and played basketball and golf, then went shopping. She got designer blue jeans for only $15; I was quite proud. Also, an awesome velvet military jacket and some wicked shoes. Yowza.
Item 5: Sunday, February 18. After more pajama time, shopping, and Duke winning a basketball game, we bravely ventured onto the beach. We dug a hole, put Austin in it, and turned him into a Sphinx. Fabulous. But by the time we made it back to the palatial condo in which we were staying, my toes were severely swollen and bright cherry red due to the cold. Ech. Also, we dove/crawled/climbed over a fence, a wall, and some bushes going to and from the restaurant next door. Because it's not a vacation until somebody commits a misdemeanor.
Item 6: Monday, February 19. Driving home from Destin, desparately trying to get home in time for me to go teach at 2 and give a very important test to my darling students. Stopped at a red light in sight of our apartment, a man suddenly rear-ends us, and then tells the police that "That truck was in my way!" Amazing. Neck in pain. But no severe injuries, all cars driveable, and insurance can handle getting things fixed.
Item 7: I get to be in the CVICU tomorrow for clinical instead of on the floor. My "pleasant, elderly man" has a dopamine drip. Ya-hoo! Learning, here I come.

Anyways, maybe my delusions are correct and some of you do read this.

Confessions of a Video Squaller

2007-02-03T09:57:00.000-06:00

So guys.... ummm..... I don't really know how to tell you this, but I'll try.....

Music videos make me cry.

I know, I know. It's embarrassing, it's ridiculous, there's no logical reason. And yet, I do.
Videos that make me cry or that I have cried at today (that I can think of right now):
"Runaway Love", Ludacris f/Mary J. Blige (don't judge, just watch it, YOU WILL CRY TOO)
"The Saints Are Coming", U2 and Green Day
"I Will Follow You Into the Dark", Death Cab for Cutie
"So Far Away" and "If Everyone Cared", Nickelback
"8th of November", Big & Rich
"Whiskey Lullaby" and "When I Get Where I'm Going", Brad Paisley

In fact, many videos on CMT make me cry, so we probably just don't want to go there.

So, Confess! What random things (videos, movies, scenes on your favorite highway) bring YOU to tears?

U-Turns of Fortune

2007-01-31T18:55:00.000-06:00

So. How funny a thing fortune is.
Sometime between Friday night and Sunday noon, I lost my wallet. My wallet contained a substantial amount a cash, a Starbucks gift card (that I was saving for a day when I could sit down and enjoy it), my driver's license, two debit cards, and my insurance card. Needless to say, I was quite distraught. Also, we went and ate dinner with another couple, the female of which is a very good friend of mine in nursing school, and found out that she might be getting dismissed because she had been HOSPITALIZED WITH PNEUMONIA and missed a lab. Evil teacher. We were really upset. And I worked two twelves which were stinky. Monday and Tuesday did not bring things much better. I canceled my debit cards. Two friends were rude to me and hurt my feelings. I drove a long way through traffic to go to the hair salon, only to find they had already taken their last customer for the day. Class was unpleasant. I was cold while walking down the street. I was stressed.
You get the picture.

But today, I passed lab skills validations, saw my accountant and got good news, got a new driver's license. Went with Mom and Dad while Dad car-shopped (he got an Infiniti M35-S. Cool), got my hair cut extremely cutely for only $10. And then, Dustin found my wallet!!!!!!! It was wedged between the seat and console in his truck and had slid down so it could barely be seen. Yay!!!!!! My hero!!!!! I called my friend to tell her the good news (she was worried it was lost in her apartment), and she told me that she also passed lab validation, she got medical clearance from a pulmonologist, and evil teacher had decided to stop seeking to have her dismissed from the nursing school!!!! Yay!!!!!!!!!

Funny thing, fortune.

P.S. To see the cutest baby EVER, click on the Chinese Treasures link under the Links bar. My friend and co-worker Stephanie and her husband Greg just got back from China to get their little girl, Hannah Grace. Congratulations Stephanie!!!!!

I give in....

2007-01-22T21:22:00.000-06:00

Take This Quiz - http://www.quizyourfriends.com/quizpage.php?quizname=070122222100-709109& Woo-hoo!!!

Note: Number 1 is marked incorrectly. The actual answer is C but I marked B as correct. Give yourself 10 points if you missed it.

Resolutions For the New Year

2007-01-10T18:20:00.000-06:00

1. Survive Nursing School for the remainder of the year, at which point I will only have 1 semester left to endure.
2. Exercise on a regular, routine basis. Specifically, take gym clothes with me every time I'm on campus, and go to the gym after class. That is the routine, period. Class to gym. Gym to home. Or wherever.
3. Eat out less. Eat at home more. Take your pick, that one's two sides of the same coin.
4. Make an awesome nursing project that is worthy of publication in Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing.
5. Get a less stressful job than the one I have now.
6. Drink more water, and drink fewer carbonated beverages.
7. Read the entirety of Isaiah before the end of this month.

WHAT NOW, Big Ten? WHAT NOW?!?!?

2007-01-09T22:10:00.000-06:00

Always nice to see the SEC prove once more that, despite the talking heads' chatter, they are most definitely NOT the underdog in any bowl situation. I liked the matching scores of the Championship Game and the Sugar Bowl: SEC 41 - Others 14. Nice. Notre Dame was supposed to clobber LSU with their precious Heisman candidate, and instead JaMarcus Russell made Brady Quinn look like a high school freshman. Ohio State's amazing offense was supposed to run roughshod over Florida, but instead Florida stomped all over them. Beautiful. And while I would have preferred it to have been this way back in 2004 for Auburn (we got SO dissed...) it does give me satisfaction to see the South play like it should and get the respect it's due, even though it's about 3 years late. Bravo, SEC! WHAT NOW, BIG TEN?!?? WHAT NOW?!??!?!?
Boo-yah.

Now that that's out of my system, I'll just go ahead and warn you that I am about 20 times more intensely involved with monitoring the NCAA Basketball playoffs, and generally the whole basketball season. We're expecting Duke's 10th consecutive Sweet 16 appearance, and if Paulus and gang keep up the good work, expecting even more from this year's Blue Devils team. GO DUKE!

In memory of...

2006-12-14T23:29:00.000-06:00

Five years ago today, someone very special and important left my life, departing this world for a better world above. At least I know it won't be forever until I'll see her again.

Dr. Francis Anne Wouters

September 23, 1931 - December 14, 2001

Tee-hee!!

2006-12-01T15:56:00.000-06:00

I wore my elf hat to the Galleria shopping with Mom and Dustin today.
And then I wore my leopard Santa hat to Publix and Dollar General.
Dustin was visibly embarrassed... hehehe.
But every cashier we had smiled!!
Spreading Christmas cheer is my business...
Ooooh and all our presents are now wrapped and under the little bitty tree. Cheery!!!

I'm an Elf!!!

2006-11-26T20:33:00.000-06:00

So can we talk about how excited I am that Thanksgiving is over?
Why, you ask? Well, it's because only after Thanksgiving that I can take my true form as........
an Elf!!!
I know you're all surprised to find out that's my true form. But anyways. If you're in downtown Birmingham, and you see someone skipping around in a leopard-trimmed Santa hat, or a green and red striped elf hat.... you know who it is.
In other news, my lungs are almost working again. The long, slow steroid taper is almost over. It's been almost a month of steroids. Bleh. And I have "prednisone potbelly" which is not good this time of year anyways. So I'm looking forward to ditching that. And I've been very spritely since my lungs started working again. So spritely that my mom and husband and I decided to make like cats and walk around the backyard... on the 1 1/2" wide wrought iron fence enclosing the yard. That was fun. My mom is a ninja!
I guess that's really all you need to know today. Exams are coming. I am stressing. Expect no posts until finals are completed on December 12.

outdoors thoughts

2006-10-31T17:46:00.000-06:00

So I've had a variety of topics on my mind lately. I shall enumerate and explicate:

Matthew 11:28-30
Trees (and Celts)
children with cancer

Of course there is a perfectly logical explanation for each of these, which would be quite long should I choose to type it. But is there a logical explanation for all three running together in my mind like 3 popsicles on a kitchen counter? I'm not sure.

So #1. The times I get to go to church are varied and random due to the necessity of my sometimes working on the weekends. There is not really any pattern to when I will be there. So I find it interesting that the past 3 times I have been, someone has talked about Matthew 11:28-30 "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Whenever God tells you something 3 times in a row, you should bet He's probably trying to get your attention in a serious way.

Item #2 doesn't really need a lot of explanation. Being a hippy at heart (yes, I know, shudder) I think about trees a lot. And since I am of Dutch-Welsh descent, I also think about Celts a lot. Because the Welsh were Celtic, not Brittanic. And they defended their little corner of the isle for 900 years before the English invaded for good. But anyways, yesterday as I meandered I found a man selling jewelry in a hallway, and he had.... a Celtic Tree of Life ring. And I thought "Now isn't this lovely. Biblical and Celtic and pretty in one neat little package." So now I'm wearing it and I'm completely enamored and it makes me think of Lord of the Rings and also about Celtic warrior queens (like Boadicea) repelling evil people (like nursing instructors who are mean for no reason).

Item #3. The simplest explanation of them all. I am writing a paper applying a certain nursing theory to the care of pediatric bone marrow transplant patients who, of course, have cancer. I think I'm going to get to do an apprenticeship sort of thing next semester either on the bone marrow transplant unit or the oncology unit at Children's Hospital. So I'll probably be thinking a lot about cancer for the next year. But anyways.

That's all the thoughts. Well I'm still thinking more about trees. But with these gorgeous colors, it can't be helped.

October in Alabama

2006-10-20T09:47:00.000-05:00

The funny things about Alabama:

-Yesterday I was sloshing through the rain in flip-flops, jeans, and a short-sleeve T-shirt and it was perfectly fine in temperature. Today it is 47 degrees Fahrenheit, right now, at 10 am.

-I am the only female my male co-workers consistently speak to in an extended fashion right now, because I am the only female at work keeping track of NCAA football beyond the AU/UA rivalists.

-My mother is losing her mind because my brother is never home, and the short times he is home when she tries to talk to him, Dad cuts in to talk about ..... football.

(I am convinced there is literally no other place on earth so obsessed with American football as the state of Alabama.)

-It's only October, the semester does not end until December, yet my Foundations in Nursing Course has already had its last class and last lab. And yet, we still have 3 more tests to take at various intervals continuing throughout the semester. To be fair, we do still have clinicals most weeks. But all the test information has already been covered. I guess they're testing long-term recall.

I guess that's all my observations for now.

eh

2006-09-27T08:28:00.000-05:00

So this is a replication of the Take Home Instruction Sheet from my recent visit to Dr. Chung.

"Impressions:

Asthma
Allergic Rhinitis
probable Pleurisy
Thrush"

I'm not going to type out all the instructions she gave me for care of such maladies, or even comment on the extreme irritation/anger I feel about having thrush, but may I say, I truly feel ill.

On the bright side, however, I got my first two official nursing school tests back and I did well. I have no idea about how clinical/lab is going to turn out, but the objective/numeric part is going splendidly. However, for it to continue to go splendidly, I must now go to study for next week's double batch of tests. Say a little prayer for me if you would.

dusk and summer

2006-09-06T16:32:00.000-05:00

I know you all thought I had forgotten my poor little blog. Actually, I've just been quite, quite busy with the first two weeks of nursing school. I actually started feeling guilty when I noticed the plethora of posts at the Beehive, so, here we are.

Nursing school is already the hardest thing I've ever done, and I haven't even taken the first test yet. And school is my major skill in life. Talk about your humbling sensations.

However, I am starting to overcome the overwhelmedness I have been feeling, so that's good.

For those of you who think you are in the coolest city to hang in, I'd like to inform you that you are wrong. Birmingham is the hot, happening PB hang-out these days. Dustin and I are truly enjoying hosting little mini-get-togethers at our apartment (pizza and watermelon included), as well as visiting Elyow'eynay, Cal-El, Owl of the Desert, and Table of Stone when they host the mini-get-togethers.

And! I made new friends at nursing school. Miraculous. I haven't made a real new friend in quite some time, so it's pretty exciting. I've joined a little carpool group with 2 of the girls, and wouldn't ya know it, 1 of them is right next door to Table and Owl! I left little notes on their cars this morning, which made me smile probably more than it did them. But whatever. It was good.

Oh, pity story. I broke my right pinky toe on my birthday! Which is totally unfairly uncool. And also giving me a good excuse to not exercise like I need to be doing.

This post is much too long. I have salmon and sweet potatoes to cook. Toodles!!!!

2006-08-14T18:58:00.000-05:00

Ten Top Trivia Tips about Dustin!

The colour of Dustin is no indication of his spiciness, but size usually is!
The Australian billygoat plum contains a hundred times more Vitamin C than Dustin.
There is actually no danger in swimming right after you eat Dustin, though it may feel uncomfortable!
Britain's Millennium Dome is more than double the size of Dustin.
Medieval knights put the skin of Dustin on their sword handles to improve the grip.
A rhinoceros horn is made from compacted Dustin.
Research indicates that Dustin will be attracted to people who have recently eaten bananas!
The military salute is a motion that evolved from medieval times, when knights in armour raised their visors to reveal Dustin.
If a snake is born with two heads, the heads will fight over who gets Dustin.
Dustin has enough fat to produce 32 bars of soap.

I succumb...

2006-08-14T12:31:00.001-05:00

Ten Top Trivia Tips about Blaire!

The eye of an ostrich is bigger than Blaire!
The only Englishman to become Blaire was Nicholas Breakspear, who was Blaire from 1154 to 1159.
Blaire was originally called Cheerioats!
Pacman was originally called Blaireman.
Only 55 percent of Americans know that the sun is made of Blaire.
Ostriches stick their heads in Blaire not to hide but to look for water!
Michelangelo finished his great statue of Blaire in 1504, after eighteen months work.
A Blaireometer is used to measure Blaire!
The canonical hours of the Christian church are matins, lauds, prime, terce, sext, none, Blaire and compline.
During World War II, Americans tried to train Blaire to drop bombs!

Jones Travel-A-Go-Go

2006-08-03T21:02:00.000-05:00

I feel as though I'm living between duffel bags and essays right now. I'll try to make this update concise and succint.

We had tons of fun on Lookout Mountain. We saw Ruby Falls, Rock City, Deep Sea 3D at the IMAX, the Tennessee Aquarium, Cloudland Canyon State Park, Little River Canyon State Park, and Noccalula Falls (which wasn't really running).
Also, we caught some fish in our puddle of a pond at the cabin. And Lee made the owners mad by finding jet fuel under a gazebo and throwing it on our bonfire.
I got my acceptance letter to UAB School of Nursing. Happiness.
I took my Pathophysiology final.
I interviewed for the School of Nursing Honors Program today. It went really well.
Tomorrow, we're going to Florence because Dustin is a groomsman in Corey McMullen's wedding on Saturday. So we have rehearsal dinner et cetera all that jazz tomorrow.
I really, really need a haircut and a highlight job. And an exercise program. I'm pretty sure that just replacing a few meals with yogurt smoothies isn't going to really give me the results I'm needing these days.
School is expensive.

Okay I'm pretty sure that got all the highlights. I actually get to go to church on Sunday morning this week, which makes me pretty excited. But then I have to work night shift Sunday night, so, blah. It's too hot outside to get too excited about things anyways.

Quotable Quotes from Yours Truly

2006-07-24T15:58:00.000-05:00

"Can't they just catch some of the ozone in Birmingham, take it to Antartica, and patch that hole Al Gore keeps worrying about? That'd make everybody happy."

"The Bible isn't like a fruit display at Walmart. You can't pick and choose."

"You see the irony is what they need to do is get Syria, to get Hezbollah to stop doing this $%!# and it's all over... "

Yeah, so that last one was actually George Bush, fearless leader of the free world, talking to Britain's PM Tony Blair. On an accidentally open mike at the G8 Summit. During which conversation he got Tony Blair's attention by calling out "Yo Blair!"

I love our president.

I'm heading out with the Wouters clan to Tennessee Wednesday to escape the ozone. Have fun sweltering without me.

Shout out to Birdtrainer: When does softball end? I haven't seen my bro in 2 weeks!!!

day 1 to day 30.....

2006-06-30T11:35:00.000-05:00

It amuses me that me last post was the first day of June, and this post is the last day of June. Anywho. I guess I don't really have a lot to tell. I'm working on becoming technologically advanced enough to put up pictures on the blog, but I don't have a digital camera so that makes it a little tougher to do. Harmony Highlands was fun, what part I got to be there, but I was sick pretty much the whole time and didn't even get to go to a single class. So that was a bummer. My boss at St. V. working me to death is the main reason I haven't posted. I talked her into working me less in July, but the result is I have to work a whole lot of weird shifts. She's even scheduled me a couple of night shifts. Ick.
So that's all there is to tell, really. Have a nice day.

hum-de-dum-DUMB

2006-06-01T16:42:00.000-05:00

A few blurts:

Whitney and I may be the only people who care, but I'm interested that the Jolie-Pitt family named their baby girl Shiloh. Weird.
St. Vincent's is okay so far. Except for the dumb thing they did Tuesday...
Which was cause me to have an anaphylactic reaction by injecting me with PPD for the 2nd step of a TB skin test. Even though I warned them that I had trouble with the first one.
I really need y'all's prayers with this allergy thing. It's not cool. Airway closing is not cool. It's scary. Very scary.
I turned in my nursing school application yesterday!
My favorite professor's wife is having a baby this month.
I have to work a bunch of late shifts in the ER this month. Boo for getting off work at midnight.
But I made sure that I still get to come a decent amount to Harmony Highlands Singing School, particularly the Friday night extravaganza!
I still think Derrick lied on the personality test. Be honest Derrick. Brutally honest. Accept your Type A+++ personality the way I have.

Okay that's all my blurts. Toon in later for: adventures with laundry.

Why do I bother?

2006-05-28T13:21:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I wonder why I even bother to take these things. Like I didn't already know the results. Actually I just thought Reya's results were faulty so I thought I'd "test the test" so to speak. Since I'm home sick, Dustin's home sick, and there's nothing else to do. Anywho. For your viewing pleasure:

You Have A Type A Personality

You are hyper, energetic, and always on the moodYou tend to succeed at everything you attemptAnd if you don't succeed at first, you quickly climb your way to the top!
You could be called a workaholic, but you also make time for funAs long as it's high energy and competitive, you're interestedYou have the perfect personality for business and atheltic success

Do'>http://www.blogthings.com/doyouhaveatypeapersonalityquiz/">Do You Have a Type A Personality?

'The DaVinci Code' Survey....

2006-05-16T22:28:00.000-05:00

Just out of curiousity......

How do you feel about Dan Brown's book The DaVinci Code?

How do you feel about the movie The DaVinci Code?

Do you even know what it's about?

If so, have you taken a stand for or against it, or are you neutral?

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12815760/ Read the initial paragraphs containing survey information. Or the whole thing. Whatever.

Do these statistics change or reinforce your opinions about The DaVinci Code?

Are you planning to boycott this movie? Dan Brown books? Tom Hanks' future movies?

Do you think boycotts are stupid?

Okay personally:
I do not support anything by Dan Brown. I don't care if it is "fiction." That survey shows that his works are eroding Christian beliefs in the mainstream.
I'm boycotting this particular movie.
And all movies, past, present, and future by Tom CRUISE. Freaky fellow.

Now comment! What do YOU think?

sunshine?

2006-05-15T14:32:00.000-05:00

Hi!
Well, as most of you know since you were there, the wedding is over. It went beautifully. I couldn't have imagined it any better. And Jamaica was nice too. Very warm, very sunny, very nice blue water. We got back Friday.
If I knew how to post pictures, I would. But since I don't, I won't. Maybe I'll make Dustin do it when he gets home from work.
I don't know what the deal is, but I'm kind of blue today. Dustin is at work. He's leaving tomorrow for a 3 day business trip. There are clothes and stuff everywhere that need to be organized and put away and approximately 8 bazillion thank you notes calling my name. And a million errands to be done to get my name changed at school, work, the bank, insurance, etc. I think I've just been sitting here by myself staring at the piles of clothing and groceries too long or something. Oh well. Mother says this is what I signed up for, so I sould cheer up and remember that thank you notes mean someone who loves us sent a gift. I'm not sure I'm mature enough for that perspective yet, as my left hand has already engaged in preemptive cramping. Then again, Big Shurn is not especially known for her cheering-up skills. But she's my Momma and I love her the way she is anyways. Heaven knows she puts up with it from me.
Toodles.

The Day draweth nigh

2006-04-24T20:10:00.000-05:00

Hello to all,
A wedding poem for giggles:

As the wedding day draweth nigh
The bride-to-be frantic
And from me just a sigh

A sigh of relief for I know that the bach-out is near
We will test the 1st law of thermodynamics
On some poor little deer

Matter cannot be created or destroyed
That's what they say
But they've never used gasoline in this sort of way

The trees are afraid of my .22
Explosions make me so unblue

A sink, a glass panel, a neighbors's truck
Me, Adam, and Brett armed and ready
They almost all ran out of luck

Don't let Derrick shoot the 12 gauge
Let him shoot the .22 instead
We don't want him to fall and bump his head

With all of this said
Jamaica will also be fun
Because I have the most fun with my honey bun

A Poem By: The 4 Friendly Hobbits

lkjadghojklnraihfnla

2006-04-24T14:43:00.000-05:00

The title is just a scrolling scan of what my brain looks like right now.
But besides that.... WOW what an awesome weekend!!!!!!! Our 3-day meeting at Zions Rest Primitive Baptist this weekend was so incredibly blessed. Each message was absolutely spot-on for our church, the singing was wonderful, the fellowship was fantastic, the food was abundant (as evidenced by the tightness of my blue jeans today...)...... I mean it was really, really, really great.
I have to say, while I love the being in church part, listening to the messages and all, I think my favorite thing is sitting in Elder Charles' living room listening to the preachers talk afterwards. There's a lot of wisdom to be gleaned sitting and listening there.

Anyways, it's GO Time. Paper due: tomorrow. Final physiology test: Wednesday.

Countdown: 12 DAYS!!!!

eck

2006-04-19T13:04:00.000-05:00

I really, really need everybody's prayers. I'm really struggling physically for some reason. Well allergies and asthma are the reason, but still. Yesterday while undergoing allergy testing I had a bad reaction and started going into respiratory distress - what our favorite nurses, Elyow'eynay and Cal-El, like to call "anaphylaxsis." I won't go into all the details of how it happened and all the crap they gave me to stop it (epi shots are SO freakin' weird), but I'm still having to be thoroughly Benadryled today. Oh, and I had to take a lab final at 8 am in this condition.
Basically, I just need prayers. That's all. I just feel really down and upset about the whole thing, and mostly scared. Because that was literally the scariest thing that has ever happened to me.

Countdown: 17 days.

Praise the Lord!!!

2006-04-11T19:18:00.000-05:00

I got a job!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!
Dustin and I aren't going to go broke and starve....
not that I was particularly certain we were before, but it certainly makes me feel better that we shall now better be able to fight that great evil of the world:

CREDIT CARD DEBT.

And if Adam gets the job he is praying for, he and I will be co-workers! Yay! So we could form a PB coalition in the ER of the Catholic hospital we work for. Fun.

In other news, Dustin is moving into our new apartment this week. This activity and joy over it makes him so incredibly hyper, I think I might strangulate him. But then he turns and smiles at me and says "Can you believe it? This is OUR apartment!!" and I can't strangle him
Ah the joys of love in times of stress.

Countdown to the wedding: 25 days.

"Wedding-Brain"

2006-04-03T13:05:00.000-05:00

I think I'm literally about to go crazy. I think I'm suffering from "nervous exhaustion" as they would have called it back in the 50's (before medical ethics existed...). So my so-called "Spring Break" consisted of 5 million wedding errands, phone calls, and bills. However, we were given a Tool&Gadget Party and a very lovely tea where we were given a lot of wonderful gifts. Much thanks to Emily, Laura, Doris, Laurel, and Aunt Lauretta and everyone else who helped out for that. It was truly lovely.

At the tea Sunday I looked up and saw a familiar face come through the door. I said "Is that who I think it is?" Of course it wasn't, because in my wedding-brain delirium I thought it was Queen Lynn for a second, until I realized it was actually my dad's partner's wife, Lorayne Vague. She was just as sweet as I'm sure Queen Lynn would have been, but still... the mind plays cruel tricks, doesn't it? *sigh*

Side note: Wouldn't you go through life feeling awfully ambiguous if your last name was "Vague"?

amusing observations

2006-03-29T08:46:00.000-06:00

Ah the joys of Woutersville... I had almost forgotten the many strange and wonderful and mostly loud moments waiting to be had here.

1. We have moved Sandro here, outdoors. He and TP (mom's cat) had a SHOWDOWN that resulted in TP freaking out and screeching and almost taking mom's arm off. I'm sure we're going to get more moments from Sandro's adjustment soon.

2. Last night I was just chillin' in the den. Lee walked in with his golf club and started practicing his swing on the rug (bad idea). I heard him mutter "Graceful like a swan, graceful..." I said "What?" He turned with a weird gleam in his eye and said "Powerful like a TIGER!"
Yeah.

3. Food dye Red 40 = bad.

4. If Adam makes a pyre anywhere near where it could be viewed from the top of Sunset Hill, I'm going to personally assassinate him. The wedding (which is on Sunset Hill) is a month away. Not the time to make ugly black spots in the middle of the pasture. This is me CALLING YOU OUT BOY. Hustle and flow!

5. Uncle Tony backed into Lee's truck. It made a very, very big dent. Did damage both to bed and cab. It was parked completely out of his way. Weird. So Lee is driving my car. But anyways it called to mind a memory. Who remembers Derrick wrecking a dirtbike into a parked dump truck???

Well it's only Wednesday morning. I'm sure there will be more before the week is over. Actually I'm not even telling y'all the 3 funniest things Mom and I have done. But that's just because I don't really want y'all to know just weird Mom and I are. Toodles!

FREEEEEDOMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-03-24T12:01:00.000-06:00

Oh my goodness. I'm not even going to tell y'all how literally terrible this week was. 3 tests, one pop quiz, family gone having fun in Montana, much sleeplessness, evil roommate, snappiness all around.... Okay I will tell you about my evil roommate.
My roommate is what you might call a "lady of the night." As such, she rarely spends the night here at the apartment. However, she always comes in early in the morning to get ready for class. Now, I have had very little sleep this week but have 8 am classes every day, so I also have to get up early. It is so irritating when 40 minutes before you have to get up, you wake up to the sound of your roommate microwaving things and clattering dishes while talking to herself. Wow. And THEN later while I was getting ready, she turned the heat up to EIGHTY. That's right. I'm not exagerrating. Literally, 80 degrees Fahrenheit. I was sweating too much to get dressed!! So I (once again) turned it down to reasonable 73, muttering hexes while I got my breakfast cookie and trudged off to lab......
But at least when I get off work tonight at 6 I shall get to go home. For a whole week! And Laurel is coming to visit!! And I'm going to relax and lay by the pool (if it warms up) and read books and bake cookies and laugh and laugh and laugh all week long......

and fatigue wins...

2006-03-17T08:51:00.000-06:00

You know, we have a lot of funny phrases and sayings about spring. Spring fever, spring cleaning. Cabin fever may also apply to early spring. Well today, in honor of exactly how I feel (and I'm sure several other students can relate) I'm creating a new one.

Just-before-Spring-Break Ague.

You know what it is. You've had it before. It hits you in the middle of March. You just can't quite get to class on time, you have the last cold left over from winter's germs, allergies are making your nose runny, you have 3 or more tests coming up, multiple projects you're doing nothing about.... and you just don't care.

The Ague is winning today.....

On a brighter note, to all me Irish lads and lassies, and all my March Madness junkies...
Luck o' the Irish to ye!!!!!!!!

Thoughts....

2006-03-12T15:10:00.000-06:00

I cannot believe that the wedding is less than two months away. I can't believe that on Saturday, Dustin and I will have been together for 2 whole years. I can't believe that Emily used-to-be Ritchie got married yesterday.

Guess I better start believing 'cause it's all reality.

About the first thing: it's hard to believe because Dustin and I have talked about it for so long it blows my mind that it's about to be reality. When we had been dating for 3 months, we knew that we wanted to get married. Second thing: 2 years dating! That's more than 10% of my lifespan so far! Crazy! Third thing: Emily and I ran around together on HH back in the good ol' kindergarten days. But hey if I can get married then so can she, haha. I wish all the best to her and Adam in their marriage.

I guess that's it. Granddaddy is doing well. He actually came to church today. I was stunned. They think he only has to stay 1 or 2 more weeks in the rehab facility before he can go home to Parrish again.

2006-03-06T15:36:00.000-06:00

The gay cowboy movie didn't win the Best Picture Oscar... *happy sigh*.... there may be still good left in the world. Or maybe not, considering the darn thing even got that many nominations.....

2006-03-03T18:25:00.000-06:00

Alright, well I'm sure all of you have noticed that Dustin has joined me in blogging now. I'm sure that will prove a continual amusement to us all. Granddaddy does seem to be improving now, which is a great blessing. We're still working on getting rid of the fluid in his lungs, but as he moves around more that will resolve itself. I don't really have any fantastic insights today or anything. I just thought I'd check in and say hi, really. So, hi everyone. Have a nice day.

The Tale of the Hobbit

2006-03-02T17:44:00.000-06:00

Hey there,
I will begin by explaining my unique blog name!!! Yay....doesn't that sound like fun!!!! Ok here we go...........You see, Lee, Austin, and Blaire have decided that I am approximately the size of 4 hobbits.(Two for my legs and two for......the rest of me.) Now that I have told you that piece of pertinent information I want to let you know that I like long walks on the beach, 5' 4' blondes named Blaire Marie Wouters and I want a pet frogg named skippy. Ok, that's settled. By the way, we have renamed the blog......Obviously because Blaire is type A and I am Beautiful...I meant type B. Don't be a stranger!!!!!

hmm

2006-02-27T11:27:00.000-06:00

Well we thought we were out of the woods but we weren't. Granddaddy did so good on Thursday and Friday that we were really hopeful, but Saturday, yesterday, and now today have all been bad days. The pain medicines make him too sick to eat, but if he doesn't take the medicine then the pain is so bad that it sends him into a blood pressure crisis. Please, please pray for him now harder than ever.

YAY!!!!!

2006-02-24T13:45:00.000-06:00

Good, good, good news! Granddaddy did great in surgery. He's doing better than anybody expected. He was already ready to try sitting up 5 hours after he got out of surgery. Last night when I left at 7, he was eating an ice cream sandwich and getting me to sing "Joy Unspeakable" with him. Yay!!!!!!!! My cousin Aimee summed it up this way: "He's doing better than I even thought to ask God to allow."

Ephesians 3:20-21
"Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

Amen.

Another rainy Friday...

2006-02-17T11:46:00.000-06:00

For some reason, Friday seems to be the only day I can post. Hmm, and as I type this there is a British narrating voice that sounds suspiciously like Simon Cowell repeating everything in my head. Grand. Anywho, a belated Happy Valentine's Day to you all! I had a lovely 2-day Valentine's Day (because last year I was in Auburn and we couldn't be together), it was great fun and mostly filled with tasty, fattening Italian food. Shocker, I know. Blaire ate Italian? Blaire cooked Italian? It's practically all I cook, really. Sometimes I branch out with a little Japanese cuisine when I cook, if I'm feeling adventurous.

Anyways, I have a fun list today. Random Things I'd Like to Do Before I Die:

coach a high school volleyball team
actually paint a painting worth framing and hanging in my house
read every ounce of poetry by Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Blake
learn to speak Italian (shocker)
raft the Colorado River
adopt a child from Asia (Dustin wants to do this too)
be as lovely as Queen Shenaynay
ski in the Alps (I don't care whether it's French, Austrian, Swiss, or Italian)
hike at least some significant portion of the Appalachian Trail with my brothers
take a trip with my cousin Anna, who I never get to see
meet my unknown grandfather who lives in North Carolina

Okay, so that's that. Personally I'd be fascinated to see what y'all would put on a list like this.
Last word. Granddaddy (Charles G. Kitchens) is having major back surgery on Thursday. His chances of surviving the surgery and recovery are only 50/50, but he said he'd rather take the chance than continue to live with the pain he has now and end up a drug addict like so many others. For those of you who don't know, he's 87, he's a World War II veteran, his primary fault is that he talks CONTINUALLY but always about Scripture, and I think he's the bravest person I know. Please, please, our family begs your prayers in these coming weeks.
Love,
Blaire

So Tired...

2006-02-09T14:19:00.000-06:00

So apparently I'm not getting enough sleep lately, because of Duke basketball games, needy Sandro-cat, over-testing, et cetera. I am sooooo tired. However, I have a few items of note to share:

Dustin got a promotion to a weekend shift supervisor position. Yay!
I have no idea what his new job entails; it is beyond my untainted corporate-free mind.
I actually survived the 5 test 8 day period, and now all I have to do is write a literary paper on The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
Because I've been so inundated with sciences I no longer possess the abilities necessary to perform literary analysis.
Everyone should have a chocolate fountain like Brett's!!
I'm super hungry.

Okay I believe that about covers it. Oh wait, no it doesn't.

Congratulations to Emily for getting in to Auburn Pharmacy School.
Good luck to Emily on her interview with Samford Pharmacy School today.
Pollution and formaldehyde are gross and irritate mucous membranes in the extreme.

Okay that really is all for now.

A New Year

2005-12-31T19:53:00.000-06:00

Alright, I finally caved. I feel left out of the PB/Blogspot connection. And LiveJournal... well it's getting old. So! Inspired by everyone's favorite night-owl nurse, Elyow'eynay, this webpage is "8amnurse," and I have no moniker yet, so help me out.
I know. I'm unoriginal. Scorn me if you must! But hey.... I live with Islamabad. I'm used to it.
If we're lucky, we might persuade Dustin to join me on the blog.

Enough. Happy New Year's to all! And... I promise to play the sevens game.