Craig's list

My sister forwarded to me a link for some furniture, and that started me on the search for some cheap or free furniture for when Austin and I are married. There is some cool cheap stuff on that there craigslist.com... a lot of junk, kinda like a huge garage sale. But still, I think that we will be able to find some good deals eventually, if we keep our eyes open.

We had a great Thanksgiving break with Melanie, Andrew, and Samuel in Iowa. It was chilly there, as Austin and I predicted, but we were kept warm by delicious food, leftovers, lots of cake, and birthday celebrations as Samuel turned 1 on Sunday. It was a lot of fun to play Settlers, watch movies, take walks and pictures, and play with Sam. He's getting so big!

Now it's time for the last stretch of school before the end of the semester! Only 2 1/2 weeks left. HOORAY!

Brrrr.

It has become cold, once and for all winter, I am guessing. The other day I was trying to remember what it was like to walk around without sleeves (you know, what they call summer clothes... tank tops, shorts, swim suits.) This coming week, Austin and I are going to Iowa to visit his family. We are trying to decide how much colder it will be there than here in Indiana.
In other news, there are only 3 weeks, give or take, left to this semester at school. I am so excited. One more day of clinicals on the Peds floor, and then I move on up to Critical Care nursing. It should be quite a ride. I think I have decided that I really like Med-Surg, because you get to see such a variety of disorders and do a great number of different treatments, and then you know about a whole lot. I think Critical Care will be kinda like that. We'll see.

Attitude is everything.

I have noticed that the people that don't like school or professors are the ones who have bad attitudes about everything, and they are the ones who make big dramatic deals about dumb things. I can get in the habit occasionally of having a bad attitude about things, and that totally taints my view of reality. The end.

P.S. This was not directed to anyone I love... I had a strange conversation with a girl after a class about our prof. YEP.

Friends.

I was sitting at lunch today, with a bunch of friends around me laughing, thinking that this is what college is all about.

Research. Check!

Hooray, my stress level has decreased 100%. This week was nonstop working, and thankfully is over. The main thing that was stressful was completing a research paper on Socialization of Healthcare. There is never a good time to just sit down and write a research paper. I don't know how some people do it, planning to perfection, getting everything done early. There are some students who have their huge assignments done a week ahead of time. I'm lucky to go to bed on time the night before something huge is due. Anyway, this week is done, and I am breathing a whole lot easier. Studying for tests this coming week will seem simple.

Uhh...Pippi Longstocking

For Halloween each year, the school puts on a Harvest Party in the intramural gym for the kids in the community. I think it's really fun! and this year (partially because I was required to attend) I went, dressed as Pippi Longstocking. No one could quite figure out how my hair was sticking straight out. Here are some pics.

Pippi Longstocking is coming into your world.

And for kicks, here is my cute fiance playing "intramural" football in the Backyard Brawl against Taylor...

Girl's Weekend.

Today, my mom and sister are traveling from Ohio to visit me here at school! I cannot wait to see them. So far, I don't have many plans for our big weekend together, but to go see "No Reservations" at the theater on campus. Pretty-girly sounding, so very appropriate. Michelle has been conniving with my girlfriends... planning something I think, which is another reason for her visit. She doesn't mind that I know that she is planning something, but she won't tell me when or where or what exactly. But that is okay because I love surprises.
I think we shall make some banana or pumpkin bread. I made some earlier this week, and they were DEVOURED.
Maybe we'll do some Christmas Shopping. Santa Claus is coming to town... soon... so I better save my pennies. It is officially Christmas Music Season, or at least one of the girls in the dorm said so. No complaints here, I love to listen to the jingling bells and carols.

Earthquake!

Right now, I am sitting at my desk while the walls are shaking intermittently. Sounds like an earthquake. Well it's the most profound earthquake that I have felt, ever, but not produced by shifting plates in the earth's crust, but rather a very large machine (I believe the Indian-ers call it a back-hoe) pounding down onto the concrete sidewalk just outside my living room window. I sat and stared at this process, mildly annoyed, but fascinated that this huge shovel can move large amounts of earth, or concrete in this case, with such delicacy. It is, however, creating a loud reverberation that I can feel, and might upset my plans for a nap this morning. Oh well.

Cleaning...

I love to clean. It's de-stressing... is that a word? Well cleaning definately takes a load off my shoulders. Today I cleaned out the fridge. Or threw away a lot of old food that was collecting dust and other microrganisms. It was a freeing experience. I can breath a little easier knowing the fridge is not being overgrown by mold.
Today is mi madre's birthday! Hooray... Happy Birthday Momma.

(Michelle posted a cute picture of Mom, so I thought I would, too!)

Baby, baby...

Today I was thrilled to watch the delivery of a baby boy during my clinicals in OB. I got choked up just afterward. It is such a neat experience, one that I hope I am able to have someday.

A few things I seem to lose a lot...

Chapstick. The plain kind with the black wrapper and red lines around it is my favorite. It is a staple that I must have or my lips will dry up like the desert sand. Yuck. And I usually lose it. So then I walk around with alligator lips for a while, when I am rescued by finding one in a purse I haven't used in a long time. If that doesn't happen, I love to buy a new one when it doesn't have that hole in the middle yet. Love it.

Sunglasses. I usually lose them or break them. It doesn't matter if they are new or old, I leave them on a table in a restaurant, sit on them in the bus, stretch one side until it breaks, and still use them with one wing on my ear because I don't like the thought of the sunshine burning away my vision. My mom has not usually liked the shape of the glasses I buy, until recently! I found a pair that she favors! And so do I. But I haven't lost them yet.

Nalgenes. I have lost two. One 1000 mL, and a mini one. I don't really know where they disappeared to. I dropped my big green one off a tall overhang onto the concrete to see if it would break, during my spring break trip of freshman year, and it didn't break. It left a mark on the concrete. I have it on video. It has been the subject of a portrait photo session. I did love this Nalgene, my first Nalgene, and I lost it this summer, or last Christmas, I don't remember.


I replaced it yesterday. I had gone long enough without a motivator to consume large amounts of water per day. I bought a grayish black one from my nearby coffee shop. I feel like a real outdoors-woman with this one. It's no fluffy green Nalgene. It's black. It's rugged. It's simple. I think I shall like this new Nalgene very much. And I hope it sticks around for a long time.

Hot, Hot, Hot...

I thought fall was coming a few weeks ago... no, no. Right now, weather.com is reporting 90 degrees here. I don't think I've ever experienced any day October in the midwest with a temperature of 90!

It was good weather for camping though. Austin, Ashton, Kat, Dave, and I went Saturday night. What fun we had. At first, I was nervous to go because of the work that I need to get done before some tests, but once I got there, sitting around the campfire, eating s'mores, drinking cider... I felt like fall could be there, and I relaxed. Oh the magic of the outdoors. Here's Ashton toasting her marshmallows...




In other news, Jess and Blake got engaged this Saturday night! Congrats to them!!! I don't have any pictures, but imagine a pretty ring on a happy girl with a beaming boy holding her hand. That's the picture to remember. She was walking around today with a little hop in her step.

Austin and I are happily engaged, planning our wedding, and a fun trip afterwards. We're thinking the west coast somewhere north: Oregon maybe? Neither of us have been there, so it will be fun to see a new part of the country. Got any good suggestions of where on the Oregon Coast to stay? We're still looking for a good price and pretty scenery.

End of September Review

I have two things to write about today... both happened in September.

First: One Friday night this past month, I went to Walmart and purchased some fabric for one dollar a yard... What a deal! My roommates and I excitedly searched for a sewing machine. With the fabric we made a lovely curtain and tapestry thing for our living room, we are going to add a creative painting to the middle of the arrangement. It's kinda fun... adds some dimension to the wall. We stole the idea from some other girls in the dormitories.



And a curtain for my room with Libby. You can see here a sillhouette of my healthy looking bonsai. The curtain covers the whole length of the window.


Second: This past weekend, Mom and Gram came to Indiana to drop Gram off so she could return to Florida with the rest of her family who was visiting in Illinois.

We ate at a restaurant in Amish country, and then stayed at an inn at Pokagon State Park. It was beautiful! When we got to the inn, we heard there was to be a hoe-down that night. Curious to find out what was going on, or at least listen to some good music, we followed directions down to where there was quite a showing of Indiana-ers... hoe-ing down... or Square Dancing. Mom and I kicked up our heels to the music and stomped away with the other folks. It was so fun, and my legs were quite sore the next day from all the hopping around. HAH!

Mom wanted to take a picture of us by the corn stocks and the fall arrangement. I especially like the straw horses.

Going Green

I think that the new craze in America is "Go Green." This trend I do not mind. I think since coming to school as a freshman, I have become concerned with bigger issues. This may seem scary to some at times when I get involved in passionate discussion about one of those issues. What I'm trying to figure out now, is how to actually act on those passionate ideas.

For instance, my parents and I had a long discussion about missions on the way home from GA. I started to get a little excited with the ideas I have about missions, and my hopes for my future in missions. But this week, I have become aware that I might talk a whole lot about some things, but what have I really done to get something accomplished? I guess going to nursing school is one thing, getting me ready for a career in helping people. I just get disappointed at times when I hear about all kinds of missions trips and opportunities, yet I seem to find an excuse not to go. No time, too much money, too complicated... I know I have passions for a reason, just wondering what to act on.

So this "Go Green" idea for America is great. How can we tangibly do something to preserve the precious land and resources we've been so generously given from our Creator? Hmmm... Recycle? Turn our lights off? Buy a Hybrid? Don't use aerosol sprays? Eat organically?

It can be hard remember to think about all these ideas floating around up there.

Pediatric and OB Nursing

I am so thankful that I like my textbooks so far! I get to read about all kinds of interesting stuff... Read, read, read... that's all I do lately.

Ch-ch-ch-changes...

It's crisp out there. Besides the fact that allergies accompany this lovely weather, I love that fall is coming! I think this is my favorite time of year. And then after that, snow and Christmas!!!!!! OH my... I'm getting excited. Don't worry, I won't start listening to Christmas music for another couple months, at least until October sometime.

Good Lookin' Grandpa

Since school has started, I have not stopped to think about what to write on here... partially because school is busy, but also because this past weekend, I went home for a celebration of my Grandfather, Ralph Milford Richardson's life. He died last Wednesday. I loved being home with my family, and loving on my step-grandmother who has never been more vulnerable with us. She soaks up the love and attention that we all gave to Grandpa in the last years of his life. He had struggled with his health for several years, since being hit by a car. It seemed to all go downhill since then. But thankfully, he can now see again, walk briskly, hear the birds chirping... those things sound so good, but he's probably just enjoying being in the presence of his Lord Jesus.

If I learned one thing from Grandpa, it was to save what you have, and be thankful for what you've been given. He was quite the penny pincher, and taught me to be practical (through my dad's example), but enjoy life. Every year, while he still could, we went to Cedar Point: America's Rockin' Roller Coast... He was a thrill seeker, even at 80 years old. He was diving into the pool with his glasses on, riding the Milleneum Force- he was born in 1920, bowling up until the week he died with no eyesight. I hope I am that vivacious at 80.

Fresh Meat

Being at school early, I have been able to watch people move in. This weekend, freshmen arrive for the first weekend of their college experience. It's kinda fun to watch them and speculate about what is going on in their minds at this point in time, thinking back to what I thought during those first days at school as a freshman. Those poor kids, I remember it being a time where I was so self-conscious and nervous about meeting strangers and being forced into friendships with other kids just as ackward as I was. Austin and I walked through a hoard of them getting ready for dessert at a professor's house, and we commented on how they could be meeting their future spouses- crazy! Austin and I met the very first weekend at school.

Switching gears... I am quite proud of myself for this morning I installed a new CD-ROM drive into my computer...

All By Myself.

I know, old school CD-ROM drive in my hunky-chunk of a desktop-- for which I am very thankful. But you may be saying, "C'mon Elise, welcome yourself into the 21st century." Hey it does the job, and has for 3 years, I hope it lasts another year, at least.

Those freshmen get to look forward to great accomplishments of life on their own, such as my leap into tech-saviness... as an independent adult woman (well kinda independent).

Have I mentioned I love to sing?

I am back at school participating in RA training. At the beginning of each day of the formal training, we get together to eat breakfast as a staff and then gather with the rest of the dorm staffs for a time of praise and worship. Well today, I just loved singing with the rest of the RAs and staff members. I get so excited for heaven when we all sing loud to our Creator. The beautiful harmonies I hear as I sing with such a group make me smile so big, as I think about God's incredibe creativity manifested in His people. And then to turn it around and give it back to Him as an offering, it's so neat. I love it. When people are so captivated by the beauty of acting as one voice in praise to our Maker, I get shivers. It's probably one of my favorite things about the Body of Christ.

Because my sister did...

Michelle is quite the trend setter since she has been married. She seems to find the best clothes and deals everywhere. And when she buys new clothes, I notice that I am getting behind the times. She's pretty much my personal shopper. I hardly shop for myself anymore. She is also my event planner. I don't know what I would do without her and my mom for this big party we are throwing next August (a.k.a. Austin and my wedding). Anywho, a while back when I met my family in Charlotte for my cousin's wedding, Michelle showed up with popular girl bangs, as I call them. I thought to myself that I wanted her popular girl bangs too, so I cut some for myself a few minutes before we were to leave for the wedding. Well, today they needed a trim, since I need to keep up this look, not to compete with my sis, but because the bangs make me feel cool like my sister. She is quite cool.

I am now back at school early for training to be an RA of 15 other girls. It should be a rip-roaring year. I'm hoping.