Sailing

Spring Break 2009!

For Spring Break this year Matt and I decided that we would do something that we had talked about since I lived in San Diego--we would take sailing lessons!

So, we headed down to the Galveston Bay to Lakeside Sailing School.

We stayed aboard a small sailboat for the week and all of our adventures started there.

The first couple of days were the ASA 101 class with some sailing time but unfortuatly the weather was awful! Cold, rain, wind--yuck!--no fun!

Luckily the weather cleared up and we were able to enjoy over 60 hours of sailing in our ASA 103 & 104 classes! We also met some great people and buddied up with them for the remainer of the week.

Our week was packed full of activity. We visited the Houston Space Center, Kemah Board Walk, Galveston beaches, a few local restaurants & bars and even cooked Fish Tacos at the Thrift's condo one night. We enjoyed a lakeside picnic and a big St. Patrick's Day party too!

The "Marianda" our home for the week.

The Thrift Family
(together we called ourselves "The Thrillers")

Do you see what I see?
I have been a nurse for almost 6 years but I probably couldn't tell you much about the above picture except the fact that it is a knee MRI.


The following is the radiology report:

Findings of post arthroscopic surgery linear fibrosis demonstrated in the infrapatellar fat.

There is evidence for post surgical foreshortening of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus with moderate high-signal throughout the remainder of the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus which might be compatible with recurrent or residual tear.

A small amount of subchondral sclerosis demonstrated along the posterior most aspect of the posterior lateral joint space femoral articular cartilage and chronic sprain without disruption of the lateral collateral ligament and anterior cruciate ligament is demonstrated.

Grade I-II chondromalacia patella is demonstrated.

A small amount of chronic suprapatellar and infrapatellar bursitis is demonstrated.


Well, what does that mean??
Over the past couple of weeks, I have talked with a sports medicine doctor and two orthopedic surgeons who agree that I need knee surgery. (Again)

So, today I was scheduled for a knee arthroscopy on April 9th. The plan is to remove the torn meniscus and evaluate the surface of the joint to determine if a more extensive surgery will be needed. I will have the entire Easter weekend to recover at home. I will be on crutches for a few days, but recovery should be quick. Maybe the Easter Bunny will bring me some extra chocolate!

Happy Birthday Sweet Caraline!

WOW - our niece turns 5 today!

Although these pictures are almost 2 years old, she will always be our little flowergirl.

Happy Birthday Sweet Caraline!

Sunday Song

Have you ever had a song that you can't get out of your head?
This is the one that I have been singing all day
and it has been on my heart to share it with you.
I hope it gets stuck in your head too!

Hosanna by Hillsong

Read

Hosanna Lyrics

here.

Hosanna by Hillsong

I see the King of Glory
Coming on the clouds of fire
The whole earth shakes
The whole earth shakes

I see His love and mercy
Washing over all our sin
The people sing
The people sing

Hosanna, Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna, Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest

I see a generation
Rising up to take their place
With selfless faith
With selfless faith

I see a near revival
Stirring as we pray and seek
We're on our knees
We're on our knees

Hosanna, Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna, Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your kingdom's cause
As I walk from Earth into eternity.

Hosanna, Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna, Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest

TCU Campus

Well, my Christmas break is almost over so I will be spending much of my time on campus again. Here are a few of the pictures of the campus architecture that I took last semester. I have made prints of these to put upstairs in my "study sanctuary".

Bass Building

where all of my undergrad nursing classes and

my current graduate classes are held

Brown Lupton University Union Building (BLUU)

One of the newest buildings on campus

Robert Carr Chapel

Where Matt & I were married.

Frog Fountain

a TCU icon

Frog Fountain with

the BLUU in the background

Tag You're It!

A fun tag!
Tag you are it if you look at my blog.
To participate, just copy and paste in your own blog, and bold all of the things you have done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Ran a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
101. Learned to play an instrument

I would love to check more of those things off my list in the coming years.
Life is short--Have Fun and do something memorable in 2009!

Christmas in Palm Desert

Saturday, December 20, 2008

DFW to Palm Desert, CA

Lunch at The Club with Peggy, Cameron & Bob Bob

Checked into our rental house

Peter, PJ, Charley & Kristen arrived

Bob & Alice visit at Lulu & Bob Bob's house

Pizza delivery for dinner

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Shopping at Costco

Lunch pick up at Sherman's
Bought & decorated our Christmas tree

Lynn & Kristen got manicures and pedicures

Monday, December 22, 2008

Skiing in Big Bear at Snow Summit
Steaks on the grill

Hot tub

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Tour around Loma Linda area

TCU vs Boise State Poinsetta Bowl Game watching party

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Kristen's Bridal Shower - Ladies Luncheon

Matt & Charley golf

Chinese food

White elephant/Chinese gift exchange

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Stockings

Breakfast

Gifts

Bob & Alice's house for Christmas Dinner

Friday, December 26, 2008

Visited with Helen

Kristen's wedding dress shopping

Drinks at the Marriot

Dinner at The Club

Saturday, December 27, 2008

PJ, Peter, Charley & Kristen to the airport

Peggy, Cameron, Lynn & Matt to The Club for lunch

Peggy, Cameron and Bob Bob took us to the airport

TCU Nurse Anesthesia - Class of 2010

Well, I did it! One semester down, two years to go. I know that there is a lot of hard work ahead of me, but I know that I can do it. I am looking forward to learning more and can't wait to start clinicals in August.


Our class representatives Bethany and Sarah finally got us all together to take our class picture. I set up my camera and tripod in front of Frog Fountain where Kent & Kim took the pictures for us.


After some editing by Matt we have our final photo.

P.S. I am on the far right.

New post, new blog for the New Year

Sorry I haven't checked in here in a while. It's not that I haven't had things to write about, just no time to write! One of my New Year's resolutions is to post more often!
I am hoping to turn this years blog into a book on blurb.com. It's kind of like my 2008 Journal.

Then, for the new year, I want to start a new blog--my 2009 journal. And I already have some ideas for it. I may even get some help with the new blog design. A fellow blogger at The White House is starting a blog design business and is giving away a free makeover! Click the link, check it out and enter to win!

Well, finals start tomorrow. Keep me in your prayers.

The Twins!

My friend Ron and his beautiful wife Rachel just had their twin boys, Ryan & Logan. I feel so lucky that we were able to see them the day after they were born. They are perfect!