I'm Like a Bird

Sick, sick, sick. I'm so sick of school. I absolutely LOVE physically being in a classroom and listening to a professor explain the deep intellectual aspects of literature in a profound and life altering way, but I absolutely HATE studying, doing homework, and taking tests! If I were a truly smart person, I would have looked into taking a study abroad for my final section of Spanish, but apparently I'm not! Right this very minute I could be taking in all the beautiful scenery of Spain or Costa Rica and actually being graded on sightseeing! Don't get me wrong, I am so thankful that my final classes at UGA are going well (so far), but I am also dying to travel! I haven't been anywhere I couldn't drive to in such a long time. Last summer, Lance and I drove down to Key West with some friends. Although we had the time of our lives, I want to go somewhere farther. If you can believe it, Lance has never actually flown on a big commercial airline. The first time he flew on a plane was about two years ago for forty-five minutes on one of Sonny's friend's private planes. He needs to go somewhere far far away! Hopefully this time next year I will be touring Europe and having the time of my life, but for now, it looks like I'm stuck in Athens for just a little longer!

No Me Gusta Hablar Espanol!

Even though I participated in the UGA 2009 graduation in May, I don’t technically graduate from college until I have passed my final two classes. I had one last English elective to fill and that gave me the freedom to choose which genre I’m interested in opposed to being forced to fill a pre 1800 requirement! No Beowulf or Chaucer for me this summer! Thank goodness! Instead, I choose a class focusing on the writing of Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller, taught by one of my favorite professors at UGA. Dr. Vance’s classes focus more on the small details of the works and then tests rather than numerous papers! Even though this class starts at 9 am four days (it’s supposed to be five days per week but he informed us today he doesn’t want to meet 5 days a week) a week, I’m still really really excited about taking this class!
Anyone who knows me is aware that I am petrified of taking foreign language classes at UGA. My first Spanish class was a combination of level 1 and level 2 that I had four days a week Spring ’08. Fortunately, I had a great experience with my professor and other class members and passed it with a B+. Spanish 3 gave me even more anxiety! Once again, I was so fortunate to have one of the most AMAZING professors I have ever had for any area in college courses. Having a great professor makes a class so much more enjoyable and I was able to get a B+ in this course also. When signing up for Spanish 4, I didn’t get so lucky! I stupidly thought that because I was taking the fourth class immediately after taking Spanish 3, I would be absolutely fine! Boy was I WRONG! Technology provides us with so much information but unfortunately I didn’t use that to my advantage the first time I signed up for Spanish 4. Instead of checking my professor grading scale online and looking up other students comments on him, I just walked blindly into a classroom with the worst professor ever. Trying to be brave, I stuck it out in that Spanish for about a month. Slowly slipping behind, I just gritted my teeth and tried to keep my head above water. The breaking point came when I took my first test for the course. Normally I’m a pretty speedy test taker (if I don’t know it the first time I read the question, then I’m probably not going to know the answer if I stare at it for another 20 minutes) but on that day I ended up staying 10 minutes after class was supposed to be over. I hesitantly handed my test to my professor, made it to my car, waited all the way until I got back to my apartment and then I burst into tears! The entire weekend I was anxious and upset just waiting for my professor to post the grades like he promised he would do before Monday’s class. Being the horrible teacher he was though, he failed to post the grades and waited until we were all in class together before letting me know that my intuition was correct in assuming I had failed the test. Never in my life have I made below a C- on a test, but I managed to make a 69 on this test. Once again I went home and burst into tears and then sent my professor an email basically begging him to let me drop his class with a W instead of a WF (withdraw/ withdraw failing). The only kind and helpful thing he did for me the entire class was allow me to drop his class while I was considered passing!
All of that debacle left me extremely nervous about signing up yet again for Spanish; however, I went at 1 o’clock today for my first class and was relieved to discover that my teacher seems to be a very nice man AND I was actually able to understand almost everything he said (you’ll know that this is an extremely huge deal if you’ve ever taking a foreign language)! Whew! What a stressful day of anticipation! I’m so thankful today is Friday and I don’t have to go back to classes for another 3 days!

Surprises!

Today has been an extremely exciting and tiring day for me. It started about seven this morning when I woke up and decided to make blueberry pancakes for my last breakfast in Mom's house before going back to lonely Athens! After Mom and I finished our delicious breakfast we got ready and loaded down our cars with stuff! Our family got some VERY exciting news yesterday! Lauren and Eddie found out their baby is a BOY and our family couldn't be more excited! Mom and I decided we just HAD to go see Lauren. We picked out some cute baby boy items that represented our favorite things and gave them to her today. Mom is always wearing a robe and slippers around our house and felt it would be fitting to give the baby something she loves to wear in a miniature size. Anyone who knows me knows that I absolutely love blankets. I have special blankets that I sleep with every night in my bed up in Athens and some for my bed at Mom's house. I found an extremely soft blue baby blanket and decided it would be the first of many I would give to the new baby!

After giving our fun presents to the baby we decided to go for lunch at Mellow Mushroom. Eddie met the three of us there and we had the most delicious pizza! Unfortunately, I had to be back up in Athens before five in order to extend my parking permit. I had no desire to be back up here so early, but you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes. Fortunately, one of my very good friends, Anna Chestnutwood, invited me over to her house to keep me company. Her roommate Lauren is hysterical and I always get a kick out of hanging out with the two of them! They always know how to cheer me up when I'm sad about leaving Lance and my family to come back to school! Lauren's boyfriend, Chance, works at Long Horn in Athens and he invited us to come down and keep him company tonight while he worked! Hanging out with old friends is always a hoot!

Wish me luck on my first day of classes tomorrow! My first one starts at 9:15 and the second one starts at 1. I'm so nervous about taking Spanish 4 but Lance was so wonderful and encouraging before I left. He always knows how to calm me down! The plan is for him to bring Finn up to Athens tomorrow so we can spend the weekend together up here, but his truck has been acting up! Hopefully they won't break down on the side of the road!

Growing, Growing, Growing

Our baby boy is growing up SO fast! Finn turned six months old last weekend and he's growing like a weed! He can wipe out a forty pound bag of food in about 2 months! His adult teeth have come all the way in and although he does still have a nasty habit of bitting our hands, he has gotten tremendously more obedient. He knows how to fetch a ball and drop it at our feet afer bringing it back. We are working on teaching him to shake (sometimes he puts his hand up immediately and other times he's just more interested in getting a treat). Much like his aunt Dixie; Finn LOVES to be brushed!

Recently Finn's best friend, a boxer named Bama, moved back to Alabama with his mom, Jen (one of Lance's co-workers). We were all so sad to see them go because the puppies played so well together. Bama is about 5 months older than Finn and when they were together they would wrestle and chase each other for hours!

In other news, Mom and I are leaving on Thursday morning and driving to Lauren's house to see her baby video! After we spend some time with her, I have to drive back to Athens. I am extremely nervous about starting Spanish 4 considering it has been exactly one year since I took Spanish 3! Hopefully everything will turn out well and then I will officially be a college graduate!

I'm so excited about being an aunt to a new baby boy! I can't wait to meet him in October!

Getting Healthy

Every Tuesday night from 8 until 10 I have been obsessed with watching The Biggest Loser! It started in January and the finale was tonight! I have never watched a single episode of the show before this season, but I have a feeling this one was the best. This season they had couples (some husband/wives, some mother/daughters, best friends, an engaged couple, and cousins) and along with that they also had the youngest contestant, the oldest, the heaviest female and male in the shows history! These people were in the worst shape of their lives and they were able to turn it all around and not only that, they all actually became really great friends who supported one another. It was so inspiring to watch these people of all ages get motivated to lose weight and restart their lives.

I have also been somewhat obsessed with reading the book Skinny Bitch (I know it sounds a little crude) and honestly, the women who wrote the book are extremely straight forward about their approach to weight loss. I have always wanted to eat healthier, but it was not until reading this book that I actually lost my appetite for some of the foods I have always loved to eat! I never never never want to drink another diet coke again and I have started to really love having a cup of coffee to get me going...not anymore! If you are having trouble breaking those nasty junk food habits...READ THIS BOOK IMMEDIATELY! I'm not kidding, it has really changed my thinking!

I really want to get healthy and start exercising more! Due to the stress of school and traveling so much, I have really started to feel horrible! Why feel bad if all you have to do is eat healthy and exercise a little each day to feel fabulous?!? I'm turning over a new leaf!

Graduations

Thursday May 7th, Lance graduated from Darton College in Albany with an Associates Degree in Cardiovascular Technology. He participated in two ceremonies. The first was a pinning for the Allied Health students and Lance also received an award for the outstanding student during his clinical rotations.

This is after the ceremony! Lance is holding up his award! We are so proud of him!

Lance and his step-dad, Mr. Michael, after the ceremony!

Lance and I after graduation. Lance's graduation hat was too little and mine was too big! I wish we had the same colors and then we could have traded!

We got one night of rest after Lance's graduation and then we had to pack and head up to Athens the next morning. I graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in English from The University of Georgia. We also had two separate graduation ceremonies and the first of mine was on Friday. It was only for the English Department and it was held in the Chapel on campus. Although it was extremely hot outside, we did have some wonderful speakers. One of the best professors that I have taken at UGA gave a humorous speech on what an English major should look forward to in the years to come! Apparently, I moved too quickly when I was walking across the stage to receive my diploma and the pictures all turned out blurry, but you get the idea!

My diploma from the English department!

My Daddy, my step-mom, Laura, and I after graduation.

My Mom, my step-dad, Sonny, and I after graduation!

Lance and I outside the Chapel after graduation.

On Saturday morning, Lance walked me to Sanford Stadium for the graduation ceremony of all the 2009 graduates! It was just like a game day with almost the entire stadium filled! I got to sit with one of my best friends and old roommate, Alisabeth. Fortunately, the weather cooperated and although it looked like it might rain any momen, it was not the least bit sunny or extremely hot! Thank goodness!


One of my English friends, Natalie, and I before graduation! Our hats were so heavy and floppy! Haha!

This guys hat was my favorite! He put a Where's Waldo picture on top so his family could find him in the swarm of other graduates! It felt like we were playing Where's Waldo all day! Daddy would call my phone and tell me what he was wearing and then we would try to find each other. We actually did a pretty good job of locating one another considering how many people were there that day!

For the last few months so many people have asked me if I would do this big graduation. It is known for being extremely hot and long, but I am so glad I did it! I think it just cements the graduation process and really makes you realize the bitter sweetness of graduation. Before this I really regretted that I hadn't really finished college and would still have two classes to take in the summer, but now I feel so happy that this isn't all over just yet! I still get to hold on to college and being a kid for one last summer!

I am so thankful for my family and friends who have helped me get to this very special occassion! Everyone that ever encouraged me or just gave me advice has made a huge impact on the person I have become! I feel so fortunate to have been able to attend college and I feel that keeping the HOPE scholarship for the last five years has been a huge achievement! Thanks for coming and watching me walk!

Finally Finals are Finished

April 30 marked the last day of Spring classes at the good ole UGA. It was supposed to be Lance's weekend to come up and visit me, but after wrapping up my classes I realized that I didn't really have a reason to be in Athens until May 5th. I only had to physically be in class to take three finals and the first two were on May 5th and the last one was on May 6th. So instead of moping around Athens and waiting until Friday night for Lance and Finn to arrive, I decided (spur of the moment) to go home for the weekend.

It ended up being a great weekend to venture home! Lauren and Eddie also came into town and the Love Affair was held in the park. In years past, the Love Affair has been a major event. Lauren and I have done ballet recitals several times in the park and normally the entire park is filled with beautiful art and tons of wonderful food. This year, they were forced to scale back a bit but it was still really fun. Lance and I decided to take Finn with us and boy was that an adventure. This is the first time he has ever been in a large crowd and he actually got several comments about his wonderful behavior (especially because he's only five months old).

Finn is absolutely the perfect dog for us! I have never met another Golden Retreiver that was so lazy! The boy will just sit perfectly still and let people of all ages come up and pet him! Sadly, the older he gets, the more energy he gets too! He got some type of rash this week and when Lance took him to the vet they prescribed an antibiotic and benadryl. We were thrilled because we are both graduating this weekend and we knew someone else would have to watch him during the time we were gone. Apparently benadryl has an adverse affect on a dog because he is far from drowsy! Hopefully he'll be a good boy while we are gone!