Baby Stellan

Pray for Baby Stellan and the whole Mckfamily!! (mycharmingkids.net)

Finals

They suck!! :(

Happiness

• Erin came to visit it was amazing!!
  
• We went to Canada and Niagara Falls!!
• We went to NYC.
• We saw the Rockettes, the American Girl Store, Chinatown, what was the WTC, the empire state building, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, had some amazing cheesecake and walked our feet to death!!

Overall it was a great time .. and I am sad  that she is leaving. Only 3 weeks left in NY till I can go home for a visit!! Finals start Wednesday, I need all A's on my finals!! Pray Pray Pray!! 

I am thankful for my family, friends, and life. I am even more thankful that I made it a semester here. Only 3 left .. I can do it!! 

Hope Thanksgiving was amazing!! 

Cold

Just a few little thought ..

My cute pumpkin I carved for Halloween.

• I didnt realize that New York would be this cold for soooo long in a year. They have cold about 8 months out of the year, where in Texas we have a milder type of cold for two months out of the year.
• Erin comes Thursday!! YAY!!!!!
• School is almost over!!! 
• Finals start in two week!! (Pray that I pass my Statistics class and that my grades are dynamic)
• I get to go home Dec 18!! YAY!!
• I can't wait to explore the not so good so far New York area with Erin at least it will be bareable with her!!
• Also, please pray that I get a good internship for the spring and for the summer!!

Hope everything is good with everyone!!

2 weeks!!

• First of all, Thank you Loren for my beautiful layout!! I love it!! :)
• Erin will be here in two weeks!! I cant contain my excitement!!
• Finals are almost here .. 3 weeks!! I am excited for this semester to be over and for new classes in the spring.
• I am also hoping that I get an internship for the spring!! It would be very beneficial to my bank account!!
• I get to go home soon and I get to go see all of my friends for a week!! I am super excited for that!!

I am thankful for life, friends, family, and just being able to live freely and make my own choices!! I am even more thankful that in 1 1/2 I will be out of NY!! Yay!!

Updates!!

• Tech kicked some butt last night!! Pretty much the most amazing football game I have EVER seen!!
• It's a new month!! YAY!! This means that only some number of months left until I am out of NY!!
• Erin comes in like .. 3 weeks!! I am so excited!! Someone who knows me!!
• 4 weeks of school and two weeks of finals until the semester is over!!

Apple Picking

Apparently apple picking is the thing to do in NY .. so I decided this weekend I would apple pick .. and boy did I apple pick .. it was actually fun!! Also, the cold weather is fast approaching .. I am starting to freeze!! Here are a few pics from apple picking ..

Other than that school is just going .. the semester is almost over and that is oooooh so exciting!! I am ready for a round of new classes and the awesome break that I will get after finals and before classes next semester. 1 more midterm and then my brain will be freeeeeee!!

So ..

I like lists .. so I am going to continue and do my posts in lists until I get bored.

1. I just got my ticket to go home for Christmas!! YAY!!
2. Life is life in NY .. and hopefully school is getting better!!
3. School is school .. and also hopefully getting better!!
4. It is cold!!
5. I would like some new sheets bc I am bored with my bed .. I have a sheet obsession!!
6. I also would like to see Celine January 5 if anyone would like to join me!!
7. I am also going to Lubbock in January!! YIPPEE!!!!!!!

That is all that I can think of for right now!! Things are going!!

I've been tagged!!

Loren tagged me so I have to give 6 random facts about me .. so here it goes!!

1. I HATE the color blue and all foods associated with it!! I just can't eat it .. I dont know why .. the only time I eat blue is in Bruster's birthday cake ice cream.
2. I love pink and zebra!! I am actually obsessed ask anyone .. everything I own is pink and zebra .. blankets, suitcases, frames, sheets, purses, wallets .. you name it I have it!!
3. I HATE CHOCOLATE!! Yuck!!
4. I love monkeys!! They are just so darn cute!!
5. My favorite saying is "live, laugh, love" and "well behaved women rarely made history."
6. I hate when people touch my food or stick their fingers in my cup!! Gag me!! That is so freaking gross .. germs germs!!

I have no one to tag .. sorry :(

School is okay .. I have families that I babysit for and I like them. Other than that I am just taking it day by day .. hanging in there!!

Random Ramblings

• So the school .. I do not think they are filled with the most intelligent individuals when it comes to making decisions regarding a whole student body .. but whatever I guess.
• First grad school midterm on Wednesday .. fortunately for me (not really) it is the class that I am not the biggest fan of!!
• I did some calling about internships in Texas .. Houston/Lubbock/Dallas??
• My laundry is on the floor in my room drying out bc I didnt want to spend another $1.50 for my laundry to not dry.
• Hopefully I will start working this week!! (cross your fingers, pray .. do what you have to do but I need to start working) I am not the type of individual who likes to have all this idle time to watch tv .. (not even good tv for that matter like Oprah)
• I dont get to go home for our like week long break .. instead I will be in NY .. bummer!!
• It cost like $10.50 to go to the movies!! SICK!!
• I did buy a cute zebra print jacket this weekend and some cute boots!!
• I am also almost ready to buy a mac!!
• I need a break .. need to see some friends I miss .. need Sonic!!
• I am also learning to accept that this is where I am and I better make the best out of it .. and that helped last week seem more bearable

So .. hopefully you enjoyed this little update!! Hopefully next time I write I will have kicked some test butt!!

Oh Albany

Albany is getting better .. I guess .. but school isnt. This program is not at all what I thought it was going to be and I feel like they brought us all here under false statements. Who would want to be in a program that is running a new class method for the first time and that you are being a guinea pig for? I don't like that idea at all and it just frustrates me. I wish I had gone to A&M. I know that I am being tested and this will only make me stronger .. but this is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I just really need a break from this place .. and I want to go to Texas for a while, but not until December. Approximately 15 weeks away!! Just pray that I haven't lost my mind by then because this place is surely making me crazy. I like school and I chose to come here .. but I am completely confident that I will be returning to Texas in 2 years. I think I might even go speak to my advisor next week about seeing what I need to do to graduate in 1 1/2 years. I think that it will be good to say that I lived here for a couple of years and I "experienced" New York .. but I think I will be even happier to be coming back to Texas!! My mind is just going crazy here!! (I am aware that I have stated that many times already .. but I feel like I cry about something at least once a day!!) Gaaah!!

I just keep thinking about Jeremiah 29:11 " ... I will give you hope and a good future." I am hanging in there!!

Albany ..

Albany stinks!! That is all!!

I've been slacking!!

I know I have been slacking all you readers out there are just dying to know what is going on in NY (if you are not dying to know please do not burst my bubble). So we had orientation .. BORING!! 3 LOOOONG days of talking basically about academic integrity!! I've met quite a good amount of people and have a couple of friends that we hang out with often and have the same classes. I started class on Monday, and some seem interesting. I think I am going to really like the class about insurance policy. I am ready to come back for a visit already, I miss everybody!! A few random things:

• I did go to Friendly's .. and they are not very good .. and they were not friendly!!
• Apparently cheating is a big deal in grad school bc that has come up A LOT!!
• The school is not very organized and neither is financial aid!! (I am STILL waiting for my refund check that I was told I would have on 8/15)
• I maybe have a job .. two more interviews!!
• I HATE buying textbooks
• I am pretty sure I am going to hate the fact that all my classes are "blended" for the first time meaning they are experimenting with half online half in person classes!!

SO .. I need a thought or a quote now .. let me think .. oh .. we might go to the city this weekend too and that excites me!!

Thought .. or Quote .. "In life God does not give you the people you want. He gives you the people you need ; to teach you, to hurt you, to love you, to make you laugh .. to make you exactly the person you should be!!"

There's not a Friendly's in Texas?

I thought I would start this post off with a trivia type question (now take the time to read it and you can leave me a comment with your answer if your heart so desires!!)

It is time to elect a new world leader, and your vote counts. Here are the facts about the three leading candidates:
Candidate A: Associates with crooked politicians, and consults with astrologists. He's had two mistresses. He also chain smokes and drinks eight to ten martinis a day.
Candidate B: He was kicked out of office twice, sleeps until noon, used opium in college, and drinks a quart of whisky every evening.
Candidate C: He is a decorated war hero. He's a vegetarian, doesn't smoke, drinks an occasional beer and hasn't had any extramarital affairs.

Which of these candidates would be your choice?

So .. its been a couple of weeks and I am getting used to this idea of living in New York a gazillion miles away from those that mean the most to me. I continue to spend my time building friendships with the television, but we have orientation on Wednesday, so hopefully by then I will be ready for human contact!! haha!! The job that I thought I was going to get didn't work out, and that really angered be, but what can you do .. apparently the state is having to decrease there fiscal spending .. yada yada yada .. so they cant hire any new interns. SO .. I have been on the quest to find a job .. and its a lot harder than one would think. I am kind of picky when it comes to finding a job so that poses a problem .. but o well .. I spoke to a woman yesterday who needs people to teach sign language to babies and the times she needs people are when I don't have class .. so I am thinking that this might just be what I am meant to do with my spare time. Plus I love babies, not really changing diapers all day, and I love sign language so when you combine the two you have quite the perfect combination for me!! My air conditioning is FINALLY fixed .. and I am so thankful bc I cannot sleep when it is hot and my fan just was not cutting it!! I am really excited for school and to be learning .. I'm such a nerd .. but whatever. So .. some things I have observed this week in my drives around town are that in downtown it cost a quarter to park for every 15 min .. and that blows!! There is like a dunkin donuts and a Friendly's restaurant on every corner!! I was told by someone that no wonder Texans aren't friendly bc they don't have a Friendly's .. hahahaha .. (I just rolled my eyes) it was pretty cute .. but I have yet to eat at this friendly establishment, but as soon as I do you will know how it ranks in fast food!! What else is going on .. OH .. I looked at textbook prices today .. and buying textbooks just chaps me beyond all belief at the beginning of every semester and people look at me funny when I talk about it, but I HATE spending HUNDREDS of dollars on books that I normally do not even open during the semester and that usually have to be purchased with the most recent edition!! GAAAHHH .. I only have to buy four textbooks this semester and its creeping towards 500 .. like are you serious?! These textbooks are interfering with my need to purchase a new computer .. (so .. you might ask what is wrong with the one I have now .. well .. it overheats .. so if you do not put it on the right type of surface it will overheat and shut off, my itunes is no longer .. so I can't update my phone (that aggravates me bc the rest of the world has updated phones except me, and they can listen to music from there itunes) , my cd drive doesn't work, and its just all around a piece .. it does the job .. but its about to go kaput .. in due time!!) hmmm .. what else can I say .. I am still craving a orange slush from Sonic .. there isn't one in NY .. sad day .. and I really need some good ice cream!! other than that I am really enjoying myself, I like going for walks bc its so nice outside at all times of the day and the people who walk all smile and wave!! I can only walk in straight lines bc I do not want to get lost .. but in time I will be making turns and such!! I miss all my friends and family!! Please call just to say hello!!

BTW .. Candidate A is Franklin D. Roosevelt, Candidate B is Winston Churchill, Candidate C is Adolph Hitler. So the lesson this proves is you cannot be too quick to judge someone bc you never know who someone is until you take the time to get to know them .. so this semester take the time to get to know someone new .. step outside of the box .. I know I am going to have to bc me and the tv can only hang for so long .. so you should try it .. you never know who you may come across!!

OH .. I have been reading some other blogs and doing some praying for precious babies so when you get the chance look at these blogs .. http://mycharmingkids.net, (her baby is sick and needs as much prayer as possible), audreycaroline.blogspot.com (her story is so sad, but worth the read if you have the time to start from the beginning), ethankrawiec.blogspot.com (baby Ethan has cancer and is in the hospital trying to fight it).

SO .. until next time .. take the time to notice the little things in life that make you and others happy .. and try doing something for someone else that might brighten their day .. or week!!

1 week down .. 52+52-1= 103 .. 103 weeks to go

SO .. instead of a quote to start this blog I thought I might start with some random thought ..

• Can you breathe out of your nose and mouth at the same time?
• What does a dyslexic cow say??? "Oom"
• Why can't we sneeze with our eyes open?
• When you snap your fingers, does the sound occur when your middle finger releases from your thumb, or when your middle finger hits the palm of your hand?

Well .. I made it a WHOLE week up here and I am still alive and kickin!! I have found quite a lot of places so that makes it better!! I was able to find both malls, cold stone, and a paint your own pottery place. So .. its been a pretty good week. I went to the school and met with a few people, and I was told of all the best places near by to go and visit, so I am excited to explore. The weather is quite different I am used to Texas weather of 100 but in New York the highest I have seen is like 80!! They have a beach nearby that I may visit, Niagra Falls, and also the Empire Plaza. I have been here a whole week by myself and met my roommate yesterday and I was excited about that. I am ready to be busy during the days and have something to keep my mind occupied .. because of right now its just me and the tv .. weve made quite the bond. I am hoping to get to Lubbock for a football game this fall .. but the plane tickets are soooo expensive!! I do pray that it works out though!! I miss my friends and all of the familiar faces I am used to seeing daily, and weekly. :( I started to question myself this week wondering what possessed me to come clear across the country to go to school instead of just going 2 1/2 hours away!! BUT new friends will come I just have to be patient (patience is a virtue, yes I know) I am just so social and I love to move around and be active and going shopping all week does more damage than good, and I am working on a job that I should know about by tomorrow, so I really dont need to be spending money unnecesarily, ESPECIALLY if I am going to get to Lubbock this semester.

Something to ponder .. if someone were to ask you have you attempted everything you've wanted to attempt regardless of if you would fail, what would you say. Time waits for no one and you only have one life to live, so live it to the fullest, BUT use some common sense while you are doing all that living!!

p.s. if you feel the need to send mail .. or come by for a visit I won't mind!!

The 30 Hour Drive

"There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth: a right time for birth and another for death, a right time to plant and another to reap, a right time to kill and another to heal, a right time to destroy and another to construct, a right time to cry and another to laugh, a right time to lament and another to cheer, a right time to make love and another to abstain, a right time to embrace and another to part, a right time to search and another to count your losses, a right time to hold on and another to let go, a right time to rip out and another to mend, a right time to shut up and another to speak up, a right time to love and another to hate, a right time to wage war and another to make peace." - Ecclesiastes 3

30 hours later and WE MADE IT!! The drive started Thursday morning at 3:30 am and we didn't stop until 11pm. By then we had crossed Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio. No problems with my car either!! (Jennifer and I were starting to question my cars abilities because right before we left Lubbock, my car stopped 2 times one day, 2 times the next, and 4 times the day we were leaving) Cincinnati was by far the prettiest city .. after Cincinnati we kind of got lost .. map quest was taking us back the opposite direction .. and we didnt figure out we were going the wrong way until we had travel about 120 miles at 55 mph. Needless to say we were extremely tired after that and decided to drive to Columbus and call it a night. It was about 12am by the time we were in bed. Then we woke up again at 3am to be back on the road by 3:30 .. we drove AND drove AND drove .. this part of the trip seemed like the longest!! We stopped in Pennsylvania and I saw a TEXAS ROADHOUSE .. so I figured that maybe my new food obsession would also be in New York. The road to New York was the longest we had to go without any turns .. like 5 hours!! YUCK!! By this time I had heard every song on the radio like a gazillion times, my legs hurt, and I was bored out of my mind. Sitting in a car for that long without any stops but for like gas was kind of like torture!! (I would NEVER do this drive again in two days .. maybe if we could split it up over the course of a week, but even that is pushing it). Time kept ticking and the road kept going, we drove through the New York toll, where you have to pay to get off and back on) and drove out of the toll ($15 later) to finally be 9 exits away from East Greenbush. We pulled into the apartment parking lot at 2 pm .. and it looked a lot DIFFERENT than my previous apartment, but Lubbock, Texas and East Greenbush, New York are two totally different places. The apartment complex has a lot of trees and kind of reminds me of a camp type setting. I was very nervous as to what to expect seeing that we had not been able to come look at apartments before we moved me in. It turned out to be a good deal. Its a pretty nice place. We moved in all of my stuff up a flight of stairs and then went on a search for the mattress that I had found on craigslist. Well .. I call the guy who has a mattress warehouse and he tells us to meet him their in about an hour and we go and look at the mattresses and he wants to sell us crap for more than crap is worth, so I tell him thanks for wasting our time and for misadvertising your mattresses, but I will not be purchasing your expensive crap. We then got to a furniture store that someone had reccommended and got a pretty good deal on a mattress, desk, and dresser. The desk took about 7 hours to put together .. gag!! After we had all that done we set about too go to walmart, bed bath and beyond, and just fill the apartment with all the necessities. FINALLY .. Sunday afternoon the apartment was finished. Monday we were able to go to the school (only a 7 minute drive), talk to them, go to the mall and find all the necessary places. SO NOW .. here I am sitting in my NY apartment watching tv, blogging and thinking about what I have gotten myself into. A few funny things that I have come across while here are that the pool closes September 1st, they call sacks bags, and the man laughed at me when I bought a fan from walmart. I guess I have put myself in this position for a reason .. if you are always comfortable with what you do then you will never grow and change. I don't know what possessed me to come clear across the country to go to school, but I know that God has a reason and a plan. (Jeremiah 29:11) This may be the hardest year of my life, or it could quite easily be the most fun .. but I am looking forward to the experience and what may come about this drastic change that I have made. I know that with time I will be more comfortable and may be a lot colder than I usually am .. but everything always works out for the best. By the way for all of you who know I have a sick obsession with zebra print .. I was able to continue that obsession and purchases some very sweet pink sheets and a brown zebra comforter. Well .. I need to go and make dinner and finish reading .. but keep in touch and I'll be back!!

Remember .. the better way to treat life is to treat it as a journey. It should not be a matter of who finishes the race first. It should not even be a matter whether the person finishes the race or not. It does not matter much who is good, better or best particularly if the person makes other people lose just to win. Treating life as journey should mean making a good difference in the lives of other people along the way towards the finish line.

Lubbock or Leave It

quote of the day: "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans. -- John Lennon"

Many time throughout my undergrad I have heard this phrase used and Lubbock surely isn't for everyone, but it was for me. I have enjoyed my time here and have loved all of the relationships that I have made. Four years sure goes by fast and I am thankful for the time I was able to spend in Lubbock with those years. I will be so sad to leave this town in just a few days but I am anticipating what New York will bring. Saying goodbye is always so hard especially when you have to say goodbye to people that have been your second family and friendships that have been years in the making. I hope to be able to stay in touch with all of my good friends and also to make many more. Sometimes it takes me a while to get to know people so please pray that I am able to meet many new people in New York, and that the winter doesn't throw me for a loop. I hardly went to class when it "snowed" in Lubbock, so boy am I in for a suprise when it starts to snow up there!!

The Future New Yorker

quote of the day: "everything happens for a reason, if you get a chance take it, and if it changes your life .. let it."

I think that this is a good way to share my grad school experience and my time living in New York with those who are important to me .. and those who may just come across this and find me interesting!! Right now .. we are in crunch time before the move to NY .. it feels like yesterday that I was having to make such a huge decision on which school to go to and now I am about to move away. Some days I am very excited about going away .. and other days I am soooooo nervous!! I have spent four years in Lubbock and become so comfortable that moving to an unfamiliar city sometimes .. well .. of recent is making me more and more nervous daily. I hope I made the right decision .. and I hope that New York is an experience. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers!!