Vertigo

NEW BLOG

2007-03-26T09:04:00.001-06:00

I'm sad to say this is my last post....well, on here anyway! I now have a new blog hosted by www.casadeblundell.com.

It's still Vertigo but it looks a little different and has a new address. My new blog is www.casadeblundell.com/laurie.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Work Day

2007-03-25T00:33:00.000-06:00

Today was a workday at the Treadaway's (the pastor of Encounter where Jonathan and I go). And boy was it a work day! I have sore muscles that I didn't even know I had....I'm sore from my big toe to my fingertips. I spent the majority of the morning and afternoon laying tile in the living room and kitchen, with the help of others of course (Amber and Shari). The outside of the house was also repainted by Miguel, and it looks excellent! Shane took on the job of building all new kitchen drawers, Jonathan and Josh were in charge of all the tile work and cutting tile to custom fit in certain areas. None of the tile work would be done without much help from the "scrapers" who spent all day on their hands and knees scraping up old adhesive..and that was a task. Dennise and others were out in the yard cutting down an old, big tree and cleaning up ivey throughout the yard while Marni, beth, Shalyn and others were busy in the house cleaning up bathrooms and vaccuming. Sarah and Marni brought all the helpings and goodies for lunch and Sally, Jose and Mr. and Mrs. Perez (jose's parents) cooked us some wonderful fajitas, rice and beans for dinner. Overall it was a very productive day and I was excited to be a part of it. This whole project started out as an idea in a small community group as a way to help Brian and his family and repay him for all his hard work and dedication to the church. It's amazing to see God's handywork in this and see how He brings the community together. There were probably a total of 30 people that came out to help and the majority of them were not in the small group that took on this project. The love of friends is evident in this group and everone has such a big heart for serving our Lord and others. Of course I have pictures to show for the day but due to wanting to keep the hosue a suprise until the Treadaway's see it, your going to have to wait until Tuesday to see them...come back for more later.

Fun Times

2007-03-22T21:57:00.000-06:00

So, i'm working on putting together a slide show to show at our rehersal dinner and wedding reception. I got a bunch of pictures of jonathan growing up from his mom the other day and since he posted some pictures of me, it's my turn to post them of him. These are two of my favorites and the third one--well, I just couldn't resist.

YUMMY

2007-03-15T21:01:00.000-06:00

This close to their wedding, most brides would be watching everything that goes into their mouths and working out probably everyday. Well, not this bride--I just had some delicious chedder fries and a juicy hamburger from Snuffers and then went and had some cookies at my parents house. I'll watch everything that goes into my mouth just like other soon to be brides...then I feel it go into my tummy! And tomorrow i'm gonna eat cake! Fitting into a dress is highly overrated.

Finalizing

2007-03-15T06:35:00.001-06:00

Last night my mom, Jennifer (my sister-in-law) and myself sat around my
parents kitchen table and addressed about 90 to 95 wedding invitations.
And when I say "we" addressed them, I really mean Jennifer--I wasn't
allowed to write on them....apparently "I have the medical brain so I
write like a doctor--which means it's not readable". I would agree with
this statement, my handwriting isn't that great but it's just because I
write so fast...my brain thinks so fast and if I don't write it as fast
as I think it, I'll forget it. Anyway--we did make a dent in the number
of invitations we have to address...I think we are about * way done,
Maybe.

We are also putting the finishing touches on things and making sure
they are all in order. We (my mom) met with the caterer last week and
got all that settled and we met with the florist a couple of weeks ago
and got all the flowers picked out and ordered. Let me tell you, I'm
tired of making decisions....I'm to the point now that I don't want to
make another decision. My poor mom, I told her that she can make all
the decisions from this point on...If she likes it, I will like
it--let's hope! I went out to the Arboretum about a week or two ago and
did my bridal portraits. It was a very windy day and a little on the
cool side. Although we have done a lot, there is still a lot to be done!
Let the planning continue. 44 more Days!!

New Photos

2007-03-14T12:29:00.001-06:00

I just uploaded about 200 pictures yesterday to my flickr account. It's a bunch of pictures from Jake's 6th birthday party, Jake's gymnastics meet, Brad and Tami's Birthday bash and some pictures of a couple of showers for me and Jonathan.

Check them out here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/20595264@N00/

ALL DONE!

2007-03-08T19:48:00.000-06:00

I just completed re-finishing Jonathan's dresser to match the rest of my furniture. Here are some pictures I took along the way....I think it looks pretty good if you don't mind me saying so myself!

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

Christmas came early this year!!

2007-03-07T08:46:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I received mine and Jonathan's wedding present to each other. I went to my parents house after work, and with much anticipation there it was, the wonderful box filled with goodies. We both love photography and thought it would be a great investment to buy a nice camera. So we said, why not just make the camera a wedding present and we can both enjoy it. Now, when I say "our" camera, I really mean "my" camera that he can borrow! I'm totally kidding, but he will have to pry it out of my hands to use it, I'm not gonna lie, I can be a camera hog...as long as Im the one taking the pictures and not in the picture.

So I opened up the box and there was the beautiful Nikon D50 with 2 lenses, an HD wide angle lens, a tripod, filters and carrying case. I had some fun last night taking pictures...one lens gets you so close to your subject you can get an up the nose photo--don't worry I won't do that to you. Of course Presley was the main subject of my pictures last night, but I did get some other shots as well. I love figuring out all the cool little tricks to photography. I'm sure you'll get to see plenty of our pictures we take on here.

There is just something about capturing a moment and keeping it as a memory forever. I love having pictures of occasions or just everyday randomness (if that's even a word) that you can pull out whenever you want to and reminisce. I have pictures of ski trips and mission trips to Mexico and Honduras from high school and I love looking at them and remembering the fun times we had back then. I've taken many pictures of my niece and nephew over the last couple of years, its fun to see them as they get older and see how much they change.

I'm warning all of you right now--I'm about to go picture CRAZY!!

Yikes!

2007-02-28T22:29:00.000-06:00

This picture pretty much sums up yesterday for me--just substitute the cigarettes for chocolate and the prozac for a massage and it will all be okay!

I never believed in the phrase "Bridezilla" until yesterday. I can honestly say that yesterday was one of the worst days I have had in a very, very long time (I'm talking years). It started out at 4:45am when my alarm went off, I woke up just as tired as I was when I went to sleep...work was pretty bad, by 10:00 I had 2 nurses gripe me out for no apparent reason-I though I was being very nice and considerate. (I'm assuming they just let their frustration out on me for something else that was going on). Among other things, It was just a bad day at work overall. Next we had a "miss-communication" about living arrangements when Jonathan and I get married (long story). I basically just feel like I have lived out of boxes since last May when I moved out of my old apartment and haven't had a true "home". I'm ready to feel at home again somewhere! Anyway, back to the story...lastly, I was just frustrated with my heart problems...I hadn't felt good for a couple of days and it finally just caught up with me yesterday and felt REALLY bad. But I'm going to see my cardiologist on Friday morning to pray it goes well and we might get this thing finally figured out and under control. I know a lot of people who have more things to be stressed out about than me so I know I will be ok and--this too will pass! Now, I wouldn't say that I was a bridezilla by any means, just stressed out and probably griped out a few people who are closest to me. So I'm sorry if I did get testy with anyone yesterday, I truly didn't mean it and my frustration just happened to be aimed at you at that moment. PLEASE forgive me!!

Never Alone

2007-02-27T17:48:00.000-06:00

I was listening to a CD on my way to work this morning and one of my favorite songs came on...Never Alone by Barlow Girl. If you haven't heard it before I suggest you try to find it and listen to it. Here are the lyrics to the song:

I waited for you today
But you didn't show
No no.
I needed you today
So where did you go?
You told me to call
Said you'd be there
And though I haven't seen you
Are you still there?

Chorus
I cried out with no reply
And I can't feel you by my side
So I'll hold tight to what I know
You're here and I'm never alone

And though I cannot see you
And I can't explain why
Such a deep reassurance
You've placed in my life.
We cannot separate
'Cause you're part of me.
And though you're invisible
I'll trust the unseen.

Chorus

I love this song because it is a reminder of how much Christ loves us and will always be there for us. It basically says that when we talk to Christ and don't hear him reply it's because our walk with Him isn't as close as it should be. He is always there and will always hear us, we just may not hear Him...that's when we need to strengthen our relationship. On the flip side, at times, He may be silent in our lives, and it isn't necessarily because we aren't close enough with Him. I heard someone say something a while back at a conference... he said, "When Christ is silent, He is not still." Just because Christ isn't talking to you He is still showing you things and working in your life. Anyway, back to the song above...the part that I love the most is when it says "And though you're invisible, I'll trust the unseen." So even though you can't hear Him, He's there and just trust the unseen! Simply put--Have Faith!

WOW

2007-02-27T17:47:00.000-06:00

I never thought the day would come where I would have to ask "Permission" from someone else to spend my money...well, okay so it's not entirely ALL my money. Jonathan and I just made a pretty good sized purchase and before I could buy it I had to ask him if it was okay--Wow, I can feel my independence slipping away. I am a pretty independent person and always have been, but it just dawned on me the other day that in about 2 months, I'm about to lose some of that. I guess that comes with the territory huh. But I would rather be married with less independence than single with all the independence in the world. I'm sure there's a lot more that I'm going to have to get use to though.

Check It Out!

2007-02-19T10:35:00.001-06:00

Jonathan and I just went live with our wedding website. Check it out
sometime - www.casadeblundell.com

We also both have new email addreses through this domain.
laurie@casadeblundell.com
jonathan@casadeblundell.com

Jonathan's blog has already moved to this location and mine will be
soon
www.casadeblundell.com/jonathan

Service

2007-02-13T17:31:00.000-06:00

I got this in an email today and couldn't help but share it. It is hilarious and I can just picture this happening at church...

One Sunday morning, the pastor noticed little Alex standing in the
foyer of the church staring up at a large plaque. It was covered with
names with small American flags mounted on either side of it.

The seven year old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so
the pastor walked up, stood beside the little boy, and said quietly,
"Good morning Alex."

"Good morning Pastor," he replied, still focused
on the plaque. "Pastor, what is this?" he asked.

The pastor said, "Well, son, it's a memorial to all the young men and
women who died in the service."

Soberly, they just stood together, staring at the large plaque.

Finally, little Alex's voice, barely audible and trembling with fear,
asked, "Which service, the 9:45 or the 11:15 ?"

Engagement Pictures

2007-02-12T22:25:00.000-06:00

Jonathan and I went to Las Colinas yesterday and took some engagement pictures. These are two of my favorites but you can check out Jonathans Flickr page to see the rest of them. Enjoy! Jonathan's Flickr page

Old to New

2007-02-08T08:33:00.000-06:00

As some of you know, I love to re-do old furniture and make it look all
pretty again. I have re-finished a lot of my furniture and I decided to
re-finish a dresser that Jonathan had so it would match the rest of the
furniture. Well, I started on it yesterday and forgot how much work you
have to put into it. I just got the drawers sanded and that took a lot
of work. Granted it probably took more work than necessary because the
type A personality and perfectionist in me was coming out. That and I
had a dog circling me and barking at the sander the whole time. But I
still love to do it...there's just something about taking something that
has been beat up or is just old and making it look new again. I'll show
you pictures when I'm all finished with it.

Simon Says

2007-02-08T08:24:00.000-06:00

Okay I'm not normally the one to like put downs or anything like that
but when you're watching American Idol you can't help but laugh at some
of the things Simon says to the contestants. Here are just a few of the
funnies from this season so far. To make them even funnier you have to
say them with a British accent.

"We could have had breakfast, lunch, dinner, flew back to LA, come back
again and you'd have still been singing that song, it's like
never-ending."

"Sandie, I didn't understand a word of that ... literally [it was] like
some language I've never heard in my life."

Simon: "What normally happens when you sing in public, Deborah?"
Deborah: "I've had a few people cry."
Simon: "I can believe that."

"You sounded like Cher after she's been to the dentist."

"You are fabulous but it was the singing that was slightly
off-putting."

"Unfortunately, not a note is in tune."

"I have got no idea what this show is any more. I'm serious. I've got
you standing in front of me looking like some Easter Bunny nightmare
experiment."

"You look like one of those creatures that live in the jungle with
those massive eyes."

"What I wanted was apple pie on its own. Instead I've got apple pie and
a gallon of cream on top."

"I'm not sure I would have chosen a song saying 'I want to go home
tonight,' Elliott, not the smartest lyric in the world."

"It's like you've gone to Dolly Parton School the way you look
tonight."

But he can also dish out compliments:

"You walk in here with no confidence and no attitude and yet you are a
brilliant singer. . . . You are in the top 2% of good singers this
year."

"Alaina, I thought that was really, really, really great. I like you a
lot."

"I thought it was very good, excellent choice of song. Reminded me of
early Dionne Warwick, I thought."

2007-02-07T10:25:00.000-06:00

My Wife at Jiffy Lube

I always hate driving into the garages when I get my oil changed because of the big whole in the ground. Now I understand why the employees always offer to drive it in for you. Hopefully this never happens to you!

Alterations

2007-02-07T09:44:00.000-06:00

So my dress came in about a month ago and when I tried it on I couldn't
zip it up all the way....because I'm a McFatty! Just kidding, somehow my
dress was made a little too small. So I went and had my alterations
done yesterday and hopefully I'll be able to breathe when I zip the
dress up. Actually, I'm just thankful that I will be able to zip it up
all the way. Let me tell you, alterations aren't cheap either! But then
again, nothing about a wedding is cheap. Now let's just hope my dress
is finished in time for my bridal portraits, and it fits!

Moving

2007-02-05T09:36:00.000-06:00

I think I have, or will have, the record for moving the most in one
year. Let's see, From this time last year, I moved from my apartment
with Jen to a house with two other friends, from that house to a new
house my friend bought. Then this weekend I just moved in with my
brother in Forney for a coule of months before the wedding. Then in 3
months I will be moving to Waxahachie then 3 months later when the lease
is up on Jonathan's loft we will be moving again! That will make 5 moves
in 1 year, wow. The good part about that is that with each move I get
rid of more and more stuff. I will say that it comes to a point where
you are tired of living with half of your stuff in storage or at least
not with you. My brother has been gracisously storing a lot of my
things at his house and now I finally get to live where all of my
belongings are...but they are still all in boxes and will remain that
way until May. Ok, I feel like I'm talking in circles so the point to
this is that I am sick of moving and I'm ready to just buy a house and
stay there for a REALLY REALLY long time! Oh and we (Jonathan and me)
calculated it and it's going to cost us roughly $15 in gas every time we
want to see eachother. So by the time we get to eachothers place we've
already spent the money we were going to when we went out. GEEZE...but I
guess it doesn't help that neither one of us have a car that gets good
gas mileage Have I ever mentioned how much I dislike traffic and that I
think the majority of American's spend probably a total of 10-15 hours
in traffic a week. That's just wrong I tell you, wrong. I took me over
an hour to get to work this morning--too long!

What To Do

2007-02-02T11:58:00.000-06:00

Have you ever felt like your life was stuck in a rut, you just do the
same thing day in and day out. Well, mine is anything but that right
now. But I have felt like that before and thought to myself, "What is
the one thing, or maybe two things, that I could do and be the
happiest?" Not necessarily for a job or pay or anything - money or time
is no object.
Jonathan and I have talked about this before and besides the obvious of
being a spouse and parent I would have to say that if I could do
anything at all and it would make me the happiest in life, I would work
in a childrens home and just love the kids who don't have parents. I
have a huge passion to go to Russia and work in an orphanage (short-term
of course). But there are just as many parentless kids in America.
Every child needs to feel the love of a parent or a parent figure. They
simply need to feel loved! I would also work for Habbitat For Humanity
building houses. I love the fact that I can use my hands and my
abilities to help build someone else a house. What would you do, what
would make you the absolute happiest in life?

WINTER

2007-01-31T10:04:00.000-06:00

It's snowing!!! I can't believe we actually had a winter this year.
Normally it's warm during our winter so I am very excited that we are
truly having a winter! I could just sit by the window and watch the snow
fall but unfortunately I have to work....can't we just tell the patients
that we are busy watching these white pieces of heaven fall from the
sky. Oh well, back to work.

My Life @ Work

2007-01-30T11:26:00.000-06:00

I was just told yesterday that I have to do a short lecture on Friday
morning at work over complicated exercise testing. All four of us have
a different aspect of testing that we are covering. I get the pleasure
of covering CO2 production and minute ventilation.
Some people have wondered what I do now in my new position at
Children's so you can have some kind of clue as to what I do in the
pulmonary physiology lab (a recent name change of the lab) here is part
of what I will be talking about on Friday:

CO2 output (VCO2) during exercise is determined by factors similar to
those that govern O2 uptake: cardiac output, CO2-carrying capacity of
the blood, and tissue exchange are major determinants. However, because
CO2 is much more soluble in tissues and blood, CO2 output measured at
the mouth is more strongly dependant on ventilation that on VO2 (oxygen
consumption). In addition to this, because dissolved CO2 is a weak acid,
the body uses CO2 regulation to compensate for acute metabolic acidosis,
which affects the pattern of VCO2 as work intensity increases above the
point of anaerobic metabolism.......During progressive exercise VO2
increases nearly as much as does VO2 over the lower work rate range,
with an average VCO2-VO2 relationship of slightly less than 1.0. It
should be recognized that the slope of the VCO2-versus VO2 relationship
is not equal to the respiratory exchange ratio, as the relationship
usually has a small positive intercept on the VO2 axis.....VE has been
demonstrated to be closely proportionally coupled to VCO2 during
exercise, it is useful to analyze Ve in relation to VCO2......

So what are your thoughts on this?

Rambling

2007-01-26T10:49:00.000-06:00

Many people I talk to say that I am a closed book, or atleast
not an open book. I will agree with this, but mainly because I'm not just
going to spill my life to someone. If anyone wants to know anything
about me they can ask, I don't mind answering anything at all! All this
to say it's just not me to open up to people a lot. Recently I've had a
lot of people tell me that they know me but they don't KNOW me. Well, I
don't know how to help you but this might be a good start:

I'm a city girl and love living in the big city, but I'm a country girl at heart! (I'm a big Texan) I love country music but secretely like some
Rap music (sshhh, it's our secret), I love Ice Cream and brownies, I
like the smell of rain but love the smell of snow. I like the smell of
exhaust from cars in the winter because it reminds me of the cold and
snow. One of my favorite songs is The Way You Look Tonight. I believe in forgiveness. I would live in the mountains with snow if I could, but at the same time I would live in NYC. I like to walk anywhere I go but people
look at you funny so I end up driving. I love animals and will always
miss my beloved Rat Terrier Annie, but I love my new doggy Presley too.
I like Elvis Presley, don't ask why because I can't tell you. I love Dr.
Pepper but can't drink it, potato casserole is my favorite food, I like
cherry cordials and maraschino cherries. My favorite color is
orange (burnt not neon), I'm a hopeless romantic at heart, I wish I had
a voice to sing or the talent to play the piano, I love to sing in my
car (you'll never hear me sing out loud)... I bust out in song like the
best of them. I love the smell of fresh cut grass. I love the feel of sand on my bare feet. My niece and nephew are my two most favorite kids in the
whole world. I want to adopt a kid from Russia, I want four kids (i
might change my mind after the 1st one). My fingernails are always blue--don't let that freak you out. I am engaged. I'm marrying a 6 foot 5 inch guy, yes that's 13 inches taller than me! I love to be the photographer. I
like chick flicks but also action movies, I don't like scary movies, I
think they are stupid. I like to watch Disney channel, there's just
something about nice clean family shows. But I also LOVE Grey's Anatomy and ER. Friends is my most favorite show ever. I like to go shopping
but don't over spend (most of the time), I like root beer floats, I hate
working out. I like riding my bike and roller blading. I love to
snowboard, even after breaking my tailbone doing so. I don't know how
to snow ski, I can't get up on the wake board when I go out on the lake.
I love to drive but hate paying for gas. I like to go to the dog park
and watch all the dogs. I love to people watch and listen to their
conversations. I will just sit there and add my own monologue to
peoples hand gestures when I can't hear what they are saying. I will do
the same thing to dogs in a backyard or at the dog park (I've told you
I'm crazy). I love Christ and live for Him everyday. My favorite trip
I've ever gone on is a missions trip to Mexico the summer before my
senior year of high school (long live the 3 amigas!) I will forever
remember my high school group at church. I don't like it when people
look at me or blow in my face or basically in my general direction. But
I have to have a fan blowing on my face at night--go figure. I love to
have my back scratched. I love the sound of rain on the window. I'm scared to
death of fires and tornadoes--so scared I should probably seek counseling. I don't like thunderstorms. I hate to
stay by myself at night. I'm not afraid of death, but I am afraid of
leaving people I love behind. My family is the best (Medlins included)
and my new soon to be family is also the best (Lehmanns included) ;)
I'm a grouch if I don't get my sleep..a girl needs her beauty sleep. I
don't like to bother people, if I feel bad I probably won't say
anything--why should my problems be put on someone else. If I pass out
I'll just get back up and get back to what I was doing...even if I'm at
work. I'm scared to death that I'm gonna pass out at my wedding-haha.
When I'm mad I like to be by myself---it's not that often though. I
hate conflict or arguments. I'm a people pleaser and that gets you into
trouble sometimes. I have to have a night of doing nothing at all once
a week. I don't like to be too busy you don't have enough time for
loved ones. I love science and physics. I hate math. I work to live,
not live to work. I HATE mushrooms and am allergic to seafood. I don't
like tomatoes but like tomato paste, I don't like peaches but I like
peach flavor. it irritates me when people smack, if I ever do please
smack me! I have 3 brothers and 1 sister (technically 2 brothers). I miss my grandparents and wished I got to
know them better. I'm a goofball when you really get to know me. I wish
I didn't have to take medication everyday. I like giving hugs but
probably won't initiate one. I'm a woman of few words--if you could
only see inside my brain soo many thoughts. I laugh at myself- A LOT. I love to re-finish furniture. If I could, i would quit my job and volunteer for Habitat
For Humanity helping with the houses. I want to open a doggy daycare
someday (doubt it will ever happen). I'm not a morning person but once
I take my shower I'm usually okay. I like to dance to music but you will
never see that. I love to observe things and watch peoples behaviors.

pheww...did you get all that. There's more where that came from but I think this is all you can handle now. I told you it was a rambling!!

smells

2007-01-26T07:38:00.000-06:00

So why is it that when you smell certain things it brings back a memory.
I can smell this certain smell and it brings back memories a christmas
morning like 20 or 21 years ago. I can't describe this smell, but it is
very specific and I know when I smell it. I was driving to work this
morning and there it was, this smell, and all of a sudden I thought of
Christmas when I was like 4. Well if you are wondering why this happens,
here's the reason. Although I'm sure it's more scientific than most of
you would like...sorry!

Inside your nose about the level of your eyes, is a small patch of
tissue containing millions of nerve cells. The odor receptors (sensors)
lie on these nerve cells. Each of the receptors recognizes several
odors, and likewise a single odor could be recognized by several
receptors. So, similar to codes, what happens is that different
combinations of the 1,000 receptors result in our ability to identify
10,000 different odors. The process that takes place is pretty complex.
After an odor molecule enters the nose and are recognized by the
olfactory sensors, the signals are eventually sent to the olfactory bulb
that is located right above the eyes. The signals only go to two areas
in the olfactory bulb, and signals from different sensors are targeted
to different spots that then form a sensory map. From there the signals
reach the olfactory area of the cortex (smell sensory cortex). An
important quality of the olfactory system is that information travels
both to the limbic system and cortex. The limbic system is the primitive
part of the brain that include areas that control emotions, memory and
behavior. In comparison the cortex is the outer part of the brain that
has to do with conscious thought. In addition to these two areas,
information also travels to the taste sensory cortex to create the sense
of flavor. Because olfactory information goes to both the primitive and
complex part of the brain it effects our actions in more ways than we
think.
Many people wonder how certain smells able to trigger memories of
events taking place several years ago despite the fact that sensory
neurons in the epithelium survive for about only 60 days. The answer is
that the neurons in the epithelium actually have successors. As the
olfactory neurons die, new olfactory neurons generated by the layer of
stem cells beneath them, which eventually takes the role of the old
neuron as it dies. The key point to the answer is that "memories survive
because the axons of neurons that express the same receptor always go to
the same place". The memories are stored in the hippocampus, and through
relational memory certain smells trigger memories.

Well, I hope you didn't fall asleep reading that...I know what you're
thining, your a NERD. And to that I say, I've told you I was a science
nerd before. Live with it.

Most Depressing Day Of The Year

2007-01-22T13:12:00.000-06:00

Today has been declared the most depressing day of the year. This year, make it your call.

The superstitious have long worried about courting bad luck on Friday the 13th and stayed beware the Ides of March. But for the past couple of years there has been another day to mark in black on the calendar: The most depressing day of the year.

In 2005, a psychologist named Cliff Arnall (who was, at the time, a part-time lecturer at the University of Cardiff Centre for Lifelong Learning in Wales), declared that he had devised a formula to calculate the worst day. That year, it was Monday, Jan. 24; last year, Monday, Jan. 23. So watch out, because today may well be 2007s most miserable day.

Arnalls so-called formula looks like this: [W + (D-d)] x TQM x NA.

All of the letters and symbols apparently represent a sort of mathematical code to track the following:
W: How bad the weather is at this time of year.
D: Amount of debt accumulated over the holidays minus how much is paid off.
T: The time since the holidays.
Q: Amount of time passed since New Years resolutions have gone south.
M: Our general motivation levels.
NA: The need to take action.

Some of the factors that affect our mood are:

The weather*and in particular, the lack of daylight*is an issue in January and February, especially in the northern latitudes. And thats the primary cause of seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Another universal dilemma around this time of year is debt.. Buyers remorse is a core part of the post-holiday blues, acknowledges Ellen McGrath, Ph.D., president and founder of Bridge Coaching Institute in New York City. Love is defined as buying a great gift, but when the bills come due in January it can lead to depression.

Late January is also time to confront reality, say psychologists. Difficult decisions about jobs, family and relationships are often put off until after the holidays. So while we may wake up feeling very positive on Jan. 1, life may look a lot less shiny a few weeks later.

While Arnalls equation has received its fair share of criticism, most experts agree that if this day of doom prediction helps raise awareness about the serious issues of depression and seasonal affective disorder, then, overall thats a good thing and not harmful. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that almost 18.8 million American adults suffer from depression and nearly six percent of the population is affected by SAD.

Still, plenty of people take offense at such a specific most depressing day pronouncement. It essentially vacates any concept of free will or self-determinism, putting the focus on external events rather than whats within us, says Susan C. Vaughn, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry at Columbia University.

So the moral of the story is even if you have maxed out your credit cards, failed at your New Years resolutions, and the weather is lousy, not everyone will succumb to depression*especially not all of us on the same day. In fact, some psychologists and life coaches argue that January can be a time of focus and motivation. The frenzy of the holidays is past, and there is time to concentrate on accomplishing new goals.

Sick Days

2007-01-18T11:26:00.000-06:00

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has called in sick when you were in
fact, not sick! If you haven't, you need to try it sometime...just for a
simple day of relaxation. Not that I do it often, maybe once or twice a
year (usually on my birthday). Anyway, here is a list of excuses that
employers have heard from employees calling in sick.

1. Employee was poisoned by his mother-in-law.
2. A buffalo escaped from the game reserve and kept charging the
employee every time she tried to go to her car from her house.
3. Employee was feeling all the symptoms of his expecting wife.
4. Employee called from his cell phone, saying that he was accidentally
locked in a restroom stall and that no one was around to let him out.
5. Employee broke his leg snowboarding off his roof while drunk.
6. Employee's wife said he couldn't come into work because he had a lot
of chores to do around the house.
7. One of the walls in the employee's home fell off the night before.
8. Employee's mother was in jail.
9. A skunk got into the employee's house and sprayed all of his
uniforms.
10. Employee had a bad case of hiccups.
11. Employee blew his nose so hard, his back went out.
12. Employee's horses got loose and were running down the highway.
13. Employee was hit by a bus while walking.
14. Employee's dog swallowed her bus pass.
15. Employee was sad.

COLD COLD COLD

2007-01-17T16:30:00.000-06:00

Man is it cold outside! This is a picture from my drive in from work this morning. I awoke to the sound of sleet pelting my window and thought "Oh no-it's gonna take me forever to get to work!" So I hurried to get ready and left for work. I knew it was bad when I backed out of my driveway and couldn't drive up the alley because my tires kept spinning. This one just kind of snuck up on all of us. The forcasters made such a big deal the last few days that everyone was tired of listening to it and I'm assuming they just stopped listening. TX DOT spent the last 3 days sanding bridges, overpasses, and streets and then when it actually hit, they didn't sand anything!! That's Texas for ya! Hope everyone stayed safe and stays warm!

I'M A GIRL BUT I KNOW ABOUT CARS

2007-01-15T08:15:00.000-06:00

Okay, first off let me say that yes, I am a girl but I also know a
little something about cars. Mainly through experience, but isn't that
the best way to learn something!! For example, I have learned that it's
ALWAYS good to keep water in your engine, or you'll have to replace it.
Also, keep your oil changed every 3,000 miles and air filter changed
frequently. Don't wait until you are on empty to fill up your gas
tank...you might get stranded somewhere. Last, learn how to change your
own tires, daddy isn't always going to be around. All this to say that I
know enough not to pour steaming hot water on my iced over windshield!!
I saw a lady do that this morning and felt like yelling out the
window..."do you want to replace your windshield-cause if you keep doing
that you will" Also, I know that you should never put make-up on in the
car when you are on a bridge that is completely iced over. People are
nuts!!

Funnies

2007-01-13T20:02:00.000-06:00

So once again, The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its yearly neologism contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words.
The winners are:

1. Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs.
2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.
3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
4. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.
5. Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent.
6. Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightgown.
7. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.
8. Gargoyle (n.), olive-flavored mouthwash.
9. Flatulence (n.) emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.
10. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.
11. Testicle (n.), a humorous question on an exam.
12. Rectitude (n.), the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.
13. Pokemon (n), a Rastafarian proctologist.
14. Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.
15. Frisbeetarianism (n.), (back by popular demand): The belief that, when you die, your Soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.
16. Circumvent (n.), an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.

NOW ACCEPTING DONATIONS!!

2007-01-05T23:32:00.000-06:00

Okay, so we don't have a florist, decorations, invitation, or tux's but we did just book our Honeymoon! It's called priorities people! Well, we do kind of have all of those, just not officially. I mean come on, we have 4 MONTHS to plan...but according to my mom and everyone else that's not enough time. Anyway, we are going to spend 6 days, 5 nights in Pagosa Springs, CO right outside of Durango. I think this has been the most expensive day in my entire life!!! Let's count...$500 medical bill, $??? new medical bill from this morning, $too much on plane tickets, and $even more on hotel...yep that sounds about right, the most expensive day of my life.....by the way did we mention we are now excepting donations!

Bored!!

2007-01-04T22:08:00.000-06:00

I was in traffic the other day on my way to Waxahachie and I was only going about 5 mph at the most. Needless to say I got a little bored so I had to entertain myself. This is a little glimpse into how I went about doing that. Enjoy!

Way Too Early!

2007-01-04T20:54:00.000-06:00

So if you ever wondered just how early I get to work in the morning take a look at this...not that you would ever wonder that, but I thought I'd share anyway! This picture should show how early I get there by the lack of sun or other cars in the parking lot!!!

Happy New Year!!

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

This is the first picture of Jonathan and I in 2007.
The time is here...the clock has rolled over from 2006 to 2007 and it's time to start a new year. I can remember when everyone thought the world was going to end when the clock struck midnight on the first day of 2000. Boy where they wrong! I was thinking back to 2000 and a lot has happened since then including: Graduating college, started working at Children's Medical Center, moved out on my own, Changed churches, had a few different cars, got a new CRAZY dog, Became an aunt-then became an aunt again, Changed positions at children's, gained some incredible new friends, Got engaged to my best friend who I will marry in 4 months. Oh and how can I forget this one--had surgery and then another surgery because my Dr. tried to kill me and play it off as a "little knick". This upcoming year is going to be a great one, some of the highlights that I am looking forward to are:

1) Turning 26 on April 16 (I'm getting old--YIKES) Oh wait, I'm turning 25 again!!
2) Getting married on April 28
3) Becoming a Blundell (I'm moving up in the alphabet)
4) Gaining a wonderful new sister-in-law
5) Moving to Waxahachie (Never imagined I would live there--I'm a city girl)
6) I will have worked at Children's for 5 years
7) Presley will turn 4--believe it or not, she will be older than me (for those who don't know, Presley is my dog)

This New Year's day was a blast. Like always the Turner's and Medlin's have their annual New Year's Day lunch. My dad and my "other dad" Bob both have birthdays on NYDay. We went and ate some great food and spent time with family! I hope everyone has a happy and blessed New Year!

No longer a Blundell

2007-01-01T21:12:00.000-06:00

After much anticipation, Tim and Kara (or should I say Kim and Tara) finally tied the knot on Saturday, Dec 30. The wedding was great and she looked beautiful in her gown. While at their reception, Jonathan and I heard many comments regarding our upcoming wedding. The top 5 comments we heard were:

5) Just imagine, in 4 months that will be ya'll
4) Are you excited
3) Now, when is it again?
2) Are you ready?

The # 1 comment was....Drum roll please.......
1) It will be here before you know it!

These are some of my favorite pictures from Kara and Tim's wedding
Jonathan and Amelia (one of the flower girls at our wedding)
Laurie and Kara
Kara in her dress

pictures

2006-12-27T12:03:00.000-06:00

To see the Christmas fun we had check out my Flickr page

http://flickr.com/photos/33065412@N00

Holiday

2006-12-27T07:57:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, or Hanukkah, Kwanza, whatever you
celebrate. I will say that trying to fit in 2 families in one day is
CRAZY and I think Jonathan and I have come up with a solution. When we
buy a house, we are going to buy one big enough where every holiday we
can just have both sides of the family over and we won't have to go
anywhere! (And yes, that includes the Lehman's and Medlin's)
I had a wonderful Christmas, celebrating with both mine and Jonathan's
family. It felt like a very fast pace two days (Christmas Eve and Day).
Sunday morning I went out to Jonathan's church, Encounter, in
Waxahachie and enjoyed a great Christmas service with him. Then we went
down to Austin St. shelter with a group to pass out hygiene bags we made
for the men and women in the shelter, and hung around just talking to
them. Some of those men have fascinating stories if you just take the
time to listen. One guy we met is from New Jersey and was making his
way to Arizona. I think he likes Texas because he came here in 1991 and
hasn't left yet! As much fun as it was, it was also a little cold and
wet...we were out in the rain without any umbrellas so you can imagine
how wet we got. All in the name of love I guess. After we left Austin
St. we ran home and changed (well, of course I had to wash my hair
again) and then went to our parents church for the candle light service.
Lastly we went to Kara (Jonathan's sister) and Tim's place for a
Christmas Eve party. We had a great time and I do believe some Bingo
was played. What kind of Christmas party would it be without Bingo!
Christmas day it started all over again...I went to his parents house
for breakfast and spent some time with them, then we headed back to my
parents to open presents and eat lunch with my family...then we headed
to Sulphur Springs to spend the evening with the rest of his family.
Crazy two days, but it was fun and I had a great time with all the
family! This is the time of year I look forward to all year long...I
just like spending time with all the family and watching my niece and
nephew open up their presents with anticipation of what might be in that
package. The joy on a childs face when they open up something they have
been wanting or asked Santa for is amazing! I think my nephew got every
Ben10 action doll there is. And of course it wouldn't be a family
gathering unless my 2 year old niece went streaking across the house
with nothing but a smile on. Oh the memories!

Joys of my job

2006-12-20T08:37:00.000-06:00

Working in healthcare, some days you can get caught up in the fast pace
world of medicine where your days are stressed and non-stop. I remember
working in the Cardiovascular ICU and there were some days that we
didn't sit down, just going from patient to patient. When your days are
like this you never really get to enjoy your job or, in my case, enjoy
the kids I work with. Anyway, the point to my story is the other day I
was at work and in walks this boy who looks healthy and full of life.
If you didn't know his story you would think he was a healthy young man.
But I remember the day he almost met his maker. It was a while back
when I was working in the ICU and all of a sudden his heart went into a
very lethal rhythm so we ended up "coding" him (doing CPR) for about 45
minutes until we could get his heart back to a normalized rhythm. He
had heart problems all his life and as a kid had many surgeries to
repair them. After he coded, the doctors told his parents that the only
way he would walk out of this hospital is to get a new heart. Little
did they know this would mean he would have to stay in the hospital and just wait
until he got one. As he put it, "I'm just waiting here for someone else
to die." It's a sad way to look at it, but in reality that was the case.
Well, about a month later, he did receive a new heart and did
beautifully. So here he is 5 or 6 months later walking back into the
hospital after we was free to live the rest of his life. All this to
say, I guess I would take all the stressful and crazy days if it means
that I get to experience the joy of seeing someone who was on deaths
door and now full of life!

Snakes

2006-12-18T10:04:00.000-06:00

This is why I've never had a desire to be around snakes and I will never understand why people want them as their pets.

CINCINNATI - A 13-foot boa constrictor wrapped itself around its owner’s neck and killed the man in his home, authorities said.
An acquaintance found Ted Dres, 48, inside the snake’s cage Saturday and called police, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s office said.
The snake was still strangling Dres when deputies arrived, and the officers had to work with members of an animal protection group to remove the reptile, the sheriff’s office said. Dres’ snake will be kept at an animal shelter awaiting instructions from police or Dres’ family, said Andy Mahlman, spokesman for the Cincinnati Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. “People who keep these type of animals as pets should know exactly what they’re doing and what they’re capable of,” Mahlman said. He said he has seen photographs of reptile owners posing with snakes coiled around their necks. “They don’t realize they could be a few seconds away from death,” he said.

Question

2006-12-12T15:42:00.000-06:00

So I was talking with some friends about Austin Street shelter and just
the homeless in general. I think that it's great what the group from
Encounter are doing by going down there and giving out blankets,
clothes, cookies, and in a couple of weeks hygiene kits. I have been a
couple of times and had a good time. And, if you take the time, you can
actually get to know some of the people. Anyway, someone posed this
question. If we, as in anyone, go to the shelters and give out the
stuff that people need to get by (clothes, blankets, hygiene, etc) why
would they have to work and are we in a way enabling them to just get by
and be lazy? Maybe not lazy, but are we enabling them to live their life
as they please and not have to work because they have the necessities?
What do you think? I'm not saying in anyway I agree with this comment,
it just came up in conversation and I wondered what other people
thought.

"Encounter Effect"

2006-12-11T10:26:00.000-06:00

So, I had been going to Jonathan's church, Encounter, for a couple of
weeks and then went back to Northwest Bible where I've gone for a couple
of years. I had always liked the worship team and service at
Northwest...I have boasted about how good they were to many people.
Well, I have to say that when I went back to Northwest after being at
Encounter for a couple of weeks, I was kind of shocked. I realized how
good the worship team was at Encounter and how much I liked the music
and service. Bryan, the pastor at Encounter, termed this the "Encounter
Effect", so if any of you want to experience this effect, please visit
this church which meets in Waxahachie, I know it's a drive for some of
you, but it's well worth it! You can check out the church's website at
www.encounterthis.com and the worship band at
http://www.encounterthis.com/pages/band.html

It's Cold Outside...just some ramblings

2006-12-02T12:26:00.000-06:00

For any of those who know me, you know that I was in absolute heaven a couple of days ago when it was snowing...Okay, so I wouldn't techincally call it snow, it was more like little white dots, but either way they were little drops of heaven. I LOVE snow and cold weather. We were walking to our cars after work on Thrusday and we were on the skybridge with glass windows and I felt like I was in a snow globe. We were completely surrounded by snow flakes and it was really cool. You should have been there! Another thing, why is it that when there is a chance for a little drop of sleet to hit the ground, even though the ground is like 90 degrees because the weather has been too warm the 2 previous weeks, the news freaks out. They stayed on the air ALL day Thursday and Friday morning. It's ridiculous. Texans make a big deal about cold weather! It's just cold. I think when the coldness sweeps into town, it affects peoples ability to drive too. It's like they turn on a stupid switch or something and forget how to drive. I'll never figure it out. I hope everyone stayed safe!

Cool Tricks

2006-11-28T22:36:00.000-06:00

I found some of these first aid remedies that you can do at home to be
pretty good ideas...now if they work, that's another story.

You Have a First-Degree Burn

The trick: Smother it with onions. Icing cuts circulation, and you need
healthy blood cells for healing, says Martin Ehrlich, M.D., of Beth
Israel Medical Center, in New York City. Instead, expel excess heat by
running cool water over the burn for several minutes, then cut an onion
in half and let it rest on the wound. Onions contain a mild analgesic,
says Dr. Ehrlich.

Your Hand Is Full of Thorns

The trick: Coax them out with candle wax or duct tape. Light a candle
and pour melted wax on the hand, let the wax harden, then peel it off,
says Dr. Tallman. This should free the more stubborn spines. Then use
the sticky side of duct tape or roll a lint brush over the area to pick
up the stragglers. Gently, of course.

Your Tooth Is Killing You

The trick: First, make an appointment with your dentist. Then suck on a
clove near the throbbing chopper. The oil in the clove acts as a mild
local anesthetic, says oral surgeon Richard Crinzi, D.D.S. Plus, it will
freshen that dragon mouth.

And the best one, which I will definitely try....

You Feel Like Puking

The trick: Make a golf-ball bracelet. Sailors swear by ginger to
suppress seasickness and general nausea. But there's an acupuncture
trick that works just as well if you're feeling queasy, says Dr.
Ehrlich. Find the pressure point "pericardium number six": From the heel
of your palm, measure three finger widths toward your elbow. In the
center of the wrist area, tape a golf ball snug against that point, and
your stomach should calm down.

Stained Glass Masquerade

2006-11-28T21:40:00.000-06:00

Stained Glass Masquerade
by: Casting Crowns

Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin’ so small

Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they’ll soon discover
That I don’t belong

So I tuck it all away, like everything’s okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I’ll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the heart again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them

Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation’s open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who’s been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who’s traded
In the altar for a stage

The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart

But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be

Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay

I was listening to this song today on the way to work and I always sing along with it but never really listened to the lyrics. It's a powerful message and all too real. I don't know about you, but there are many times that I've felt like this, just wanting to hide how I feel and putting on a good face for everyone. Putting on this act is just what the song says a "masquerade", you put on a mask to cover your true feelings and in doing that you never really let anyone in. On the flip side, we are so used to people asking how we are out of a basic courtesy but not truly meaning it so we just say "good" and both go on our way...this has taught us to keep our feelings inside and hide them. We think to ourselves, "They don't want to actually know how we feel, so why tell them. We might scare them off." For me, it's not that, okay maybe sometimes, but mainly its just the fact that I don't want to burden anyone. But that's why we have family, friends, and brothers and sisters in Christ. They are there for us no matter what and let us know we can be ourself and take off the mask. Are you the type of friend whose friends know they don't need to wear a mask around you? I think I am and I hope my friends know they don't need any kind of mask around me, ever! We need to get off the stage, put up the masks and just be ourselves.

This is Awesome

2006-11-28T21:38:00.000-06:00

Okay, the science nerd in me is coming out here. I wish I knew how to
do this growing up, it would have been an awesome science project. I
just need to teach Jr. High science, that would be awesome.

Ever looked up in the sky and wondered just how clouds are made? Bill
Nye explains the science of clouds and how you can make one at home.

Get a clear plastic water bottle or soda bottle. Most
sizes--half-liter, one-liter, or two-liter--will work fine. Put just a
few drops of water inside. If you started with a full water bottle, the
water drops left over as you finish drinking will do the trick. Have the
bottle cap ready; set it on a nearby table, for example. Light a couple
matches; the kind from a regular matchbook will work. Blow the matches
out. While they're still smoking, drop the matches into the bottle.
Immediately screw the cap on tightly.

Now for your cloud: Squeeze the bottle, right in the middle. You can
squeeze pretty hard; then let go. A thin cloud will form inside. When
you squeeze it again, the cloud will disappear. Let go again, and the
cloud will re-form. It will work for several cycles. After a while,
though, the bottle leaks, and the smoke particles stick to the inner
wall. The cloud will no longer form. But while it's working, the effect
is quite striking.

How this happens: The droplets of liquid water in the plastic bottle
ensure that the bottle's enclosed atmosphere carries water vapor, as
well. The smoke from the matches provides thousands of particles for
nucleation. In order for the water vapor to become a liquid, it has to
be cooled. Molecules at any temperature above absolute zero are always
in motion, jostling into one another. When you squeeze the bottle, you
compress the air inside; the energy of the moving molecules is squeezed
into a smaller space, and they warm ever so slightly. When you let go,
they cool. And in this demonstration, they usually cool enough to change
to a liquid.

You might wonder why the cloud doesn't form the moment the match smoke
is introduced. It almost does, but the atmosphere in the bottle is too
warm--by just a little bit--to allow this to happen. That slight, slight
cooling does the trick. And you may notice that the trick doesn't last.
After you form the cloud the first time, the heat of the molecules
spreads out again from the smoke particles to the droplets to the
surrounding air, and the liquid water goes back "into solution," as it
is said. The cloud goes away.

Isn't that cool!

OOOPS!

2006-11-22T13:50:00.000-06:00

I'm so sorry but someone just reminded me of these activites that I forgot to add to the 10 activities to do during the holiday season.

"ice skating, Bethleham Revisited, the Candlelight Home Tour and more in beautiful, historic Waxahachie"

I can't imagine who would have told me that! ;)

I Wonder About Some People

2006-11-22T11:17:00.000-06:00

Seriously....

CANBERRA, Australia - A bus driver who was 13 times over the legal
alcohol limit while driving a bus load of schoolchildren had a simple
request for police who arrested him for drunken driving, an Australian
court heard on Wednesday.

"Can I finish my run, at least to drop these kids off?"

Top 10 Things To Do This Holiday

2006-11-22T11:16:00.000-06:00

For some of you who aren't sure what to do this holiday season, let me
help you out. Here are 10 activities to do in the Dallas area:

1. Christmas Celebration
Multiple Dates --Meyerson Symphony Center
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra and friends play holiday favorites.

2. Holiday at the Arboretum
Multiple Dates-- Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
Dallas Arboretum celebrates the holidays with a Christmas tree maze and
500 nativity scenes.

3. Christmas in the Stockyards
Dec 3, 2006 --Stockyards National Historic District
The sound of spurs at the Stockyards is drowned out by the sound of
sleigh bells.

4. Dallas Metropolitan Ballet Presents: The Night Before Christmas
Dec 17, 2006 2:00 pm --McFarlin Auditorium
The Dallas Metropolitan Ballet presents the classic tale about a visit
from Santa.

5. Stephan Pyles Holiday Cooking Class: Holiday Entertaining
Multiple Dates-- Stephan Pyles
Chef Stephan Pyles shares recipe techniques and demonstrations,
including a four-course meal or holiday buffet with matching wines and
beverages.

6. The Holiday Market
Multiple Dates --Market Hall
A Holiday arts and crafts bazaar featuring over 200 vendors offering
hand-crafted gifts, jewelry, food, clothing and home decor.

7. 37th Annual Candlelight
Multiple Dates --Dallas Heritage Village at Old City Park
Hundreds of gently glowing candles line historic Heritage Village, with
live entertainment, food and a visit from St. Nicholas.

8. Ice skating at the Galleria
Skate around a giant Christmas tree and try not to fall on your bum.

9. The West End Marketplace
Take a carriage ride through Downtown, okay mainly the west end but
it's still downtown.

Okay, I know I said there were 10 in the Dallas area but who can forget
this one: the BEST thing to do but I have never been able to go at
Christmas is..........DRUM ROLL
PLEASE...................................

10. Go see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
New York, N.Y.

Now did you really think it would be anywhere but NEW YORK!!

On Friday we can officially start playing Christmas music and put up
decorations...not a second before that. YEAH!!!

Passion

2006-11-21T22:38:00.000-06:00

When you think about your passions, what do you think about? Is it spending time with your family or doing something you love?

This past Sunday I had another opportunity to go down to Austin Street shelter to pass out clothes and blankets to the homeless. We were so blessed to get the amount of clothes and blankets to pass out...there were about 20 full boxes. Not only were we blessed with the amount of donations that were received but with the amount of people that showed up to help. This is such a great opportunity to minister to the people of Dallas. They are so gracious for anything we give to them and just taking the time to talk to them. I like listening to their stories and some of these guys have amazing stories but you would never know it unless you took the time to talk to them. Some of the people that went down there with us on Sunday go almost every Sunday. They are so passionate about it and have a heart for this ministery. I have to be honest when I say that I really do like going down there and talking with the people and getting to know them, but it's not my passion...I'm not that passionate about it. The things I am passionate about and love to spend my time doing are building/painting houses for Habitat for Humanity or organizations like that and doing things with kids in children's homes. I have a passion for kids who don't have families. Every child should feel the love of a parent, it's hard to think of someone growing up without that. I would love to be a foster parent but then I would probably end up getting too attached and wanting to adopt like 10 kids. I would love to adopt a child at some point. My passion has been to go to a children's home in Russia and some day I WILL go! I might bring a child back, but I will go. Anytime you have a passion, you should follow through with it, I think if you don't, you'll regret it later down the line.

Today's Funny

2006-11-20T19:39:00.000-06:00

I got these from my mom and they are HILARIOUS...These sentences actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:

1. Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa, will be speaking tonight at Calvary Methodist. Come hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.

2. "Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don't forget your husbands.

3. The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.

4. Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.

5. For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

6. Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.

7. Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October! 24th in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.

8. Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.

9. Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 p.m. - prayer and medication to follow.

10. The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new tithing campaign slogan last Sunday: "I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours."

And my absolute favorites:

11. Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 p.m.. Please use the back door.

12. Weight Watchers will meet at 7 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.

2006-11-16T22:50:00.000-06:00

security at home

I sure with my dog was this smart!! I love this kind of stuff...anything where animals talk or act like humans is great!

Today's Funny

2006-11-15T19:30:00.000-06:00

I have started to get bills from my recent hospital stay and my Dr. has been telling me to avoid stress so I think this cartoon fits very well!!

My Ramblings

2006-11-13T17:00:00.000-06:00

The Church across the Street
Words and music by Timothy Mark

She put the phone back in its cradle and she leaned against the wall
Devastating silence from a long awaited call
“Congratulations” had confirmed her deepest fear
As she gave herself the label Unwed Mother, 18 years

And at the church across the street the band played on
And the choir sang another verse of another lovely song
But her world was crashing in apartment thirty-three
And she wondered if she would ever meet
Someone from the church across the street

She left her apartment at a quarter after eight
Drove the mile to the clinic and walked inside the iron gate
She was greeted warmly with reassurance in his voice
A simple safe procedure but had she made the proper choice

And at the church across the street the band played on
And the choir sang another verse of another lovely song
But her world was crashing as she paid the Doctor’s fee
And she wondered if she would ever meet
Someone from the church across the street

Aching recollections she tries to forget
But the room where she had lived alone she shares with her regret
She sits by her window and longs for something more
As she listens to a baby cry in apartment thirty-four

And at the church across the street the band played on
And the choir sang another verse of another lovely song
But her world was crashing in apartment thirty-three
And she wondered if she would ever meet
Someone from the church across the street

And she wondered if she would ever meet
Someone who could help her with her need
Maybe someone from the church across the street

I was at church yesterday and our music minister sang this song because it went along with the message. I posted the lyrics above for you to read. While I was listening to this song, I really felt convicted and my heart just dropped. These lyrics, this story, is what goes on everyday with young unwed, pregnant women. We (myself included) as Christians should be the ones to open our arms, hearts, and lives to these women or anyone else who is sufferng. To many neighborhoods, our church is "The church across the street" and if we don't reach out to those in need, who will. We are called by God to share His love, His story and Grace to our neighbors. While most of us do this, there are people who judge others and judge their lifestyle or choices they made instead of helping them. Christ says in Acts 10 "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." He shows us that we should not call any man impure or unclean, yet we still judge people and deam them "unclean" because of choices they have made. In Luke 14 Jesus tells the parable of the great feast and it's about a certain man that prepared a great banquet and invited many guests but they all made excuses as to why they couldn't come. He then told his servant to go out and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame so his house would be full. This story is an application of God's word that insitsts that all people, in all walks of life will be invited to His table and His house. The moral of these ramblings are that as a church we should not be simply, "The church across the street" that people hear or pass by, but we should be a safe haven for people and a place they feel like they can come to and talk to someone. We need to do outreach in in the community and get involved with the unchurched. It's sad to think that an abortion clinic is more open and friendly than a church.

A little fun

2006-11-12T15:15:00.000-06:00

I've still got it! I might be a has been of gymnastics, but I can still go upside down like the best of them. ;)
Jonathan and I went to Las Colinas yesterday and had a little fun!

Last Update

2006-11-12T01:00:00.000-06:00

I went back to see the vascular surgeon yesterday for my follow up apointment after I got out of the hospital. I got another sonogram done and he said that everything looked great and gave me a clean bill of health. The aneurysm is healing nicely and there shouldn't be much scar tissue, if any. Overall I am feeling good, a little sore still but nothing I can't handle. Thanks again for all the prayers!

Soldier

2006-11-12T00:48:00.000-06:00

Soldier
Originally uploaded by lturner416.

Being Veteran's Day and all, I thought this was a very appropriate photo. This little Iraqi girl was a victim of an attempted execution, one in which both parents and other siblings were executed. She was shot in the head and lived...but she was very agitated and could not be comforted except for when this American soldier held her. So for 4 nights in a row he sat in a chair next to her bed and held her while they both went to sleep. I don't care if you are for the war in Iraq or against it, either way we still need to support our troops and the job they have been called to do. Continue to pray for all the troops overseas, and at home, that God will bless them, keep them in His arms and away from harm.

ramblings

2006-11-09T22:08:00.000-06:00

A while back I went with Jonathan and some friends from his church to the Austin Street homeless shelter. Ever since that day there has been an image stuck in my mind. There was a woman there with her son who was probably all of 2 years old. The little boy obviously did not feel good and was burning up with a fever. With all the medical knowledge that I have and the ability to help people, I felt so useless because there was nothing I could do. I hate to see kids sick and feeling miserable. Yes, I know what you're thinking..."you work in a hospital where there are sick kids" It's different when you are in the hospital because the kids are there for help and you CAN help them. But when you are at a homeless shelter, there is nothing you can do. I would give anything to be able to provide free healthcre for children who can't afford or can't get to a hospital. I just want to be able to help them!

Darwin Awards

2006-11-09T21:19:00.000-06:00

I got this from a friend and some of them are pretty good:

It's that magical time of the year again when the Darwin Awards are bestowed, honoring the least evolved among us. Here then, are the glorious winners:

1. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat-cutting machine! and, after a little shopping around, submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company expecting negligence sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried the machine and he also lost a finger. The chef's claim was approved.

2. An American teenager was in the hospital recovering from serious head wounds received from an oncoming train. When asked how he received the injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.

3. A man walked into a Louisiana Circle-K, put a $20 bill on the counter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer, he man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he got from the drawer...$15. (If someone points a gun at you and gives you money, is a crime committed?)

4. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on a Seattle street, he got much more than he bargained for. Police arrived at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near spilled sewage. A police spokesman said that the man admitted to trying to steal gasoline and plugged his siphon hose into the motor home's sewage tank by mistake. The owner of the vehicle declined to press charges, saying that it was the best laugh he'd ever had.

5. As a female shopper exited a New York convenience store, a man grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911 immediately, and the woman was able to give them a detailed description of the snatcher. Within minutes, the police apprehended the snatcher. They put him in the car and drove back to the store. The thief was then taken out of the car and told to stand there for a positive ID. To which he replied, "Yes, officer, that's her. That's the lady I stole the purse from.

I love this time of year

2006-11-04T19:51:00.000-06:00

It's beginning to be the best time of year...the air is colder and it's getting closer and closer to the holidays. I stepped out of bed this morning, half expecting to be frozen, and the heat was on! Aaahh, the smell of the heater being turned on for the first time of the season. I love this time of year!!! So I jumped (well stumbled) out of bed, got Presley (my dog) out of her crate and then jumped back in bed and the two of us cuddled up and enjoyed a warm bed while the air was nice and cool outside. Have I mentioned that I love this time of year.

My Week

2006-11-03T16:30:00.000-06:00

This has been a week! I ventured out into the world a couple of times this week and they even let me drive!! I think that was because I wasn't taking any perscription strength pain killers at the time. I had planned on going back to work this past Monday but then Sunday came around and I was nowhere near ready to go back to work. I couldn't even stand up straight or walk without being in severe pain. I said I'd go back on Wednesday or Thursday, ya that didn't happen. So I'm going back to work on Monday and I think I'm ready now. I'm able to walk without much pain, but it's still there some and I almost stand upright now. I go to the vascular surgeon this next week for another sonogram to make sure the aneurysm is gone or atleast going away. Everything is on the uphill slope now so let the wedding planning begin! I go tomorrow to look at dresses, YEAH! On a side note, not only did I get engaged but my "sister" got engaged the same day as me and our weddings are 5 weeks apart, so it's going to be crazy.

2006-10-31T19:39:00.000-06:00

How To Humiliate Your Dog

These poor animals!! Presley sure is lucky...I would never do that to her.

Jonathan and Laurie

2006-10-30T14:36:00.000-06:00

DSC_0106.JPG
Originally uploaded by Jdblundell.

The proposal, or a re-enactment

Jens and Me

2006-10-30T14:30:00.000-06:00

DSC_0101.JPG
Originally uploaded by Jdblundell.

A photo op with the ring

Laurie and Jonathan

2006-10-30T14:28:00.000-06:00

Laurie and Jonathan
Originally uploaded by Jdblundell.

A picture after the engagement

The engagement couple and team

2006-10-30T14:25:00.000-06:00

The engagement couple and team
Originally uploaded by Jdblundell.

Aaron, Jen (future maid of honor), Laurie, Jonathan, Matt (future best man) snap a shot after the adventurous morning.

Just A Thought

2006-10-30T14:10:00.000-06:00

I'm not one that typically journals, I will maybe once or twice a year. A little while after Jonathan and I started dating I wrote a little in my journal and this is just a little blurb of something I wrote. It's basically about love and relationships in general.

"I think falling in love isn't some grand experience. Maybe it's as simple as being breathless in someone's prescence. Once you get passed the whole 'dating' time and you get to the true heart of the person, that's when there's nothing left but to stand back and let yourself be completely blown away. I think you fall in love with the llittle things. Forget the big, well-planned evenings, granted they are great but it's eating at McDonald's with ketchup on your face, while looking across the table and just thinking to yourself that you've never had a more romantic dinner. And, no matter how much you know it will hurt if you ever lose this person in your life, you still take the risk because experiencing this feeling is completely worth it. Maybe that's what's wrong with people these days, we're too chicken to take risks, too proud to be vulnerable to someone else, too analytical to just be breathless..."

The engagement

2006-10-30T13:49:00.000-06:00

Jonathan was sure lucky that I wasn't fully on my game Saturday! For the past two weeks until Saturday morning, there had been so much planning and secrets behind my back it blows my mind. If it weren't for pain pills, I would have picked up on every little thing that was going on. My best friend wouldn't even talk to me that much because she thought she would spill the beans. I can honestly say that I was totally suprised, even up to the second me proposed. Here is how it went down: On our first date we went to Cafe Brazil for coffee, so Saturday morning we went there for breakfast and then we were going to go to the White Rock Lake to watch the sailboats or just people watch. So we pulled up and went over to this bench at Winfrey's Point which overlooks the lake and you can see the Dallas skyline. On the bench were red roses and a card with a letter in it. Even up to this point I thought "well maybe he's just giving me flowers so say 'I'm glad you are feeling better' or just because." We sat down and I read the letter and then he got down on his knee and asked me to marry him. I was completely shocked! During this whole time my best friend, Jennifer (soon the be maid of honor) and his best friend, Matt (soon to be best man) and another friend of mine, Aaron were all hiding behind a house that was by us taking pictures and recording the whole thing. They said that right before we got there, a big group of people (which they think was a wedding rehersal) was there with a big tent and people were sitting on the bench that we were supposed to go to. So Matt went up to them and asked, "Are ya'll almost done?" "Here's the deal, my friend is about to propose in this spot in about 2 minutes so ya'll have to leave." They asked if they could stay and cheer for us. That part made the whole story hilarious! Overall, it was a GREAT day and I couldn't have imagined it differently.

I'm The Lucky One!

2006-10-30T13:37:00.000-06:00

I can honestly say that I am a lucky girl. I have totally consumed Jonathan's time for the past week. He was at the hospital with me for three days and didn't take his eyes off me and did anything he could for me. Even when I got home and haven't felt great, he has been there everyday to take care of me. He had plenty of chances to just turn and walk away, I proved just how high maintanence I could be :) But instead he proposes! I couldn't be any happier or ask for anything more.

2006-10-30T12:39:00.000-06:00

I'm engaged!!!

This is a video from our engagement on Saturday, October 28th.

Update

2006-10-27T15:07:00.000-06:00

I've been home from the hospital a little over 24 hours and I think i'm in more pain now than I was in the hospital yesterday. The Dr. said it will take about 6 weeks to fully recover. I am so thankful for the prayers and support that I have received over the last couple of days. My family and friends have been amazing and then there's the "special someone" that didn't leave my side for 3 days. I can truly say that I am blessed! I love you all!

2006-10-27T15:05:00.000-06:00

Laurie Post Op Interviews

These are some great interviews of Jonathan and myself after my surgeries. I'm pretty sure I still had some pain pills on board during this!

2006-10-27T11:37:00.000-06:00

Cystic Fibrosis

Being a respiratory therapist I work with a lot of Kids who have CF and I want more people to be aware of this disease so we can find a cure!

2006-10-27T11:22:00.000-06:00

Michael J. Fox Talks To Katie Couric

More people need to take the time to learn about stem cell research and what the benefits of it could be.

What on earth am I doing!

2006-10-26T07:15:00.000-06:00

So I guess you can say I have joined the darkside. I've been influenced to blog. Now, I'm not one of many words so I have no earthly idea what I am going to talk about on here. I am sitting here at Baylor Hospital in Dallas after having 2 procedures for my heart; one was a scheduled one and the other one was a bonus thrown in there. So 48 hours, 2 nights, a couple of rude nurses, and an extra surgery later I will hopefully be able to go home today.