Temporary Hiatus

I am on a temporary blogging hiatus while I study for the MCAT, fill out applications and do all stuff med school related. See y'all in a few! :)

Pray for me while you're at it!

Oprah was Amazing

So I am back from Chicago and my trip was amazing! I love going to the Oprah show and since my friend's aunt worked for Oprah we didnt have to wait in line. We were able to go right up to the offices and sit in the lobby until it was time to be seated. We go to meet one of the co producers, had reserved seats in the audience and had an overall good time.

I forgot that it was cold in Chicago, so I didnt dress appropriately. I have lots of pictures to share, but haven't uploaded them to my computer yet. Shania Twain was the guest and she spoke about her life. We won a trip to TN for the Country Music Awards Festival so that should be fun. The studio was freezing, Shania's people kept putting hair spray during commercial breaks, and the lady behind me fell asleep and was snoring! Haha!

I was able to go up in Sears Tower and sit in the skydeck boxes. They are clear plexi glass type boxes that go out on top of the city. It was kind of scary. We walked all around the city. Went to Millenium Park, The Field Museum, walked Michigan Avenue for shopping, tried some Chicago pizza, road the train, and shopped in the Oprah store. Ooh and I also got to pet Oprah's dog Sadie since she roams the halls.

Overall it was a great trip. Oh and I ended up wearing a purple shirt that is kind of mesh with a purple tank top underneath and a flower bow in my hair. It was cold.

What to Wear to the Oprah Show!!

In a couple of days I will be going to the Oprah show and I just don't know what to wear. I had an outfit sewn for me earlier this year that I havent worn that I thought about wearing .. but other than that I am at a loss.

I also cannot believe this is happening because I put it on my 101 in 1001 list a long time ago and never believed it would come true. I settled for going to the Live Your Best Life Weekend Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4. And added to my list see Oprah as well so I would be able to cross off either one. Any this week I will be able to have truly crossed it off!! Yay!!

I guess I'll go shopping tonight!! :)

Zoo 5K

So .. I Kristi just registered for my first 5K!! Woo hoo!! I have been putting it off for weeks because I was sooo nervous and afraid I couldn't do it. But its done and paid for now! So Saturday is the day! And did I mention its at the zoo!! :)

This weekend was pretty amazing! I love meeting new family and I feel like that's what I did all weekend. I met a cousin I never knew I had. I re-met cousins I had met while I lived in NY and didn't even realize it. My family is filled with very smart and good looking individuals!! haha

I love ..

1. Seeing my family (minus one brother) all dressed up

2. This dress. My favorite one yet!

3. My siblings (minus one brother)

What a fun night! Connecting with old relatives, meeting new relatives, dressing up. It couldn't get any better! :) And I got off work early today!!

On purpose

• I love that every moment, every breath, every step we take is already predestined.
• I love that God has placed certain people in my life during certain seasons for specific reasons.
• I love making new friends especially out of the blue.
• I love even more that we have an awesome Creator who knows what we need and when we need it. All of my daily steps have lead me up until now and just sitting and thinking and looking back tonight I don't think I would trade any of them. One trading of a day couple possibly impact my whole future and I wouldn't be who I am today or where I am today without the past.

This month I would love to run my first 5k, pull my big or small camera out of the bag and use it more, buy a new Bible, choose a book in the Bible and study it, lose 5 lbs, not complain as much, and be intentional in my relationships and actions.

For the first time EVER

For the first time ever .. in my life .. I ran/jogged two miles around the park without stopping!! Woo hoo!! I have run/jogged two miles with my coworker/friend, but I always have to stop. Tonight I didn't have to stop and I wanted to cry when I finished I was soooo excited!!

Reading this made my day!! http://www.mywesttexas.com/sports/article_05859a06-5985-584e-ac84-75ddcc0535c6.html#axzz1IBXCy9S2

"Have you ever watched rain fall on a lake? Each raindrop creates its own ripple.

When you combine the millions of raindrops and the millions of ripples that each singularly creates, you have a countless number of overlapping ripples that all have an effect on one another. The cool thing about this is that each raindrop ripple has an effect on the other ripples in the lake, even if it's just in a small way. This is how people operate on a daily basis. We are individual raindrops in a huge lake.

Of course each of us has our own ripple, but our lives are primarily made up of other peoples ripples crashing into our own. Many people like to think that our ripples crash randomly into each other without purpose or reason. Maybe that's true, but then again maybe it's not true at all. Perhaps I can help you decide. Maybe this story is the result of many ripples just coincidentally crashing into each other. Or maybe each ripple was ordered, measured, weighed, named, and timed perfectly to synchronize with the others to save a life."

That gave me goosebumps!

And this ..

"The easiest thing in the world to do is quit on something. Quitting takes zero effort. Quitting can even be justified with excuses and legitimate reasons at times. When someone quits at something they can even lie to themselves by saying that what they quit on wasn't that important. To those people with that mentality this is what I have to say. If it was important enough to start, it is important enough to finish. Don't quit. Hold on, cling to what is yours until your fingers cramp; and once your fingers cramp switch hands."

I need to apply to medical school and quit making excuses and feeling like its an impossible task.

101 Update

Pretty sad that on my 101 list was making my bed for a week straight. This is one of those things I started over and over again and two weeks ago I can say that I made my bed for a week straight! Now - it hasnt been made since then, but I completed the task!

I need ..

I'm in a funk and am not quite sure what I need. But I do know that I need to be studying for the MCAT, reading my Bible, folding the pile of laundry on my bed, working out more regularly (this week I have been off), and not eating as many sweets (again, this week I have been off).

I think I may just do some praise and worship and call it a night. I'm ever sooo glad that it is almost the weekend. And that I didn't kill over while running today.

To live you must first die

Everyone claims that they don't want to die, but the only thing that keeps them from dying they constantly push away.

Ooooh sucker punch straight to the gut. This is so true and so so so true in so many ways. My walk with Christ is a constantly growing think. I must constantly die to my flesh to live and that is a daily struggle.

Weight Loss Slump

Since I started Weight Watchers 6 weeks ago I have lost about 9 pounds and I have only lost the last two in about 3 of those weeks. It's like my body has hit a wall :/ I've been doing personal training too. Yuck! So my goal for the next 6 weeks is to lose another 10 lbs and drop a pant size. If I do that I will be about 5 lbs away from the weight I was when I moved back home last May.

My life is a lot more manageable when I set small goals for myself so that is what I am going to do.

• I want to be able to finish the 2 mile run with my friend from work without feeling like I am dying or yelling at her in my head.
• Lose 10 pounds.
• Drop a pant size.
• Workout 6 times in a week.
• Finish a 5K.
• Limit my sweet intake to one a week.
• A non weight related goal - balance my money and set a budget.

22 pounds and then ..

So I tried my Couch to 5K program today and it was a slightly epic failure! I ran all of the first 3 minute interval, 4 1/2 minutes of the 1st 5 minute interval, 1 minute of the second 3 minute interval, and 30 seconds of the last 5 minute interval. It was like my body had hit a brick wall! Yikes!!

After that unsuccessful running I went to my personal training session and got my butt kicked so I didn't feel so bad. My eating today was unsuccessful and the mass amount of WW points I used was ridiculous! Who knew donut holes had so many points! :) Good thing you get to start fresh tomorrow!

My first mini goal is 10 pounds and then my next not so mini goal is a total of 30 pounds. So once I reach that 30 pound goal (I have 22 pounds left as of this morning) I plan on getting my nose or cartilage pierced. No tattoos because they are so permanent.

Other than that .. work is work. We moved into a new office and I am excited. They are much more positive and happier than our old office mates. And I am supposed to go on a jog with one of my work friends Wednesday. Ha! We will see how that goes after today.

Workout Addiction

So recently I am just beyond obsessed with working out! I loooove to make it a part of my day. On my 101 list is running a 5K and a 1/2 marathon so if I keep up with my new jogging hobby I should be good. I'm kind of slow like I walk at a 3.0 and jog at a 3.8 but thats better than nothing. I have been doing the Couch to 5K program and I am noticing that I can go a lot longer. Today wasn't a Couch to 5K day, but I was able to jog for 10 minutes without stopping!! Yippee!!

My mom asked how much weight I had lost to day, woo hoo! That means there is a noticeable difference!! I was also able to wear this polo today that I bought a long time ago and couldn't wear because it didn't fit!! Things are looking good in this weight loss department!!

My short term goal is 30 lbs by the summer (May 1st) and I am 1/3 of the way there! :)

Updates to 101 in 1001 - 63

I have 63 things left on my 101 list and I have until September 30th to do them. Some of the things like working out for 24 days in a month, making my bed every day, and cooking 5 new recipes in a month will be next on my to conquer list :)

1. Read the Bible cover to cover

2. Live in Texas again

3. Milk a cow
4. Go to the Oprah show/see Oprah
5. Visit at least 10 of the 50 states (preferably with Erin :))
6. Buy a meal for a stranger behind me in a drive thru
7. Take at least 5 angels from the angel tree
8. Become involved in Children's/Young Adult Church Ministry
9. Lose 50 lbs
10. Register and finish a 5K
11. Run a 1/2 marathon
12. Take a picture a day for a month
13. Find a job I thoroughly enjoy
14. Apply to med school {eek}
15. Take the MCAT again
16. Take Physics II
17. Learn to sew (with clean lines)
18. Foster (put on hold)
19. Graduate with a Master's Degree
20. Go to top of Statue of Liberty/visit the State of Liberty
21. Susan G Komen 3 Day Walk for Breast Cancer
22. Watch Erin graduate from nursing school at Tech (She watched me graduate)
23. Sing in the church choir/praise and worship team
24. Get a new lens for my camera
25. Go through my closet and make a give away pile
26. Be on time to work
27. Buy a stranger a meal
28. Go back to Lubbock and visit the Hughes and the Jacksons

29. Do a devotional
30. Buy 10 crosses for my cross collection

31. Meet a blogger friend

32. Make Erin's dog Sissy a blanket

33. Go to a Texas Tech Football game

34. Go to a farm

35. Go to Six Flags

36. Bless someone without them knowing its from me

37. Work out 24 of the 30/31 days of a month

38. Buy new sheets

39. Grocery shop according to a list and not deviate

40. Take a multi-vitamin every day

41. Play tennis

42. Be truly happy with my body

43. Watch one movie a week at the movie theatre for a month

44. Eat the recommended value of fruits and vegetables for a day

45. Cook 5 new recipes in a month

46. Find a church small group

47. Take some pictures for a family

48. Go without ice cream for a year

49. Bake cupcakes from Martha Stewart's book and deliver to the daycare

50. Visit a Senior Citizen Center

51. Have a picnic

52. Go to the Dallas Zoo

53. Volunteer with an organization

54. Make my bed every day for a week

55. Actually do my reading for school

56. Take my winter coats to the dry cleaners

57. Get a pedicure

58. Keep a check register (i do online banking now - so no use)

59. Make a better quilt

60. Remake Jennifer pillow cases but nicer

61. Buy a sewing/embroidery machine

62. Get my car detailed

63. Replace the back window handle on my car from when someone busted the windows

64. Buy a new clicker for my car

65. Pick eggs from a chicken coop

66. Eat the eggs picked from the chicken coop

67. Buy some new jeans

68. Buy a new swim suit

69. Leave a large tip at a restaurant

70. Muddy Buddies

71. Go to a friends wedding

72. Be in a wedding

73. Be below 200 lbs

74. Be below 190 lbs

75. Be below 180 lbs

76. Do morning work outs for a week

77. Have morning quiet time with God

78. Pray before my meals

79. Go camping in a tent (with Erin)

80. Go hiking (with Erin)

81. Go white water rafting (with Erin)

82. Go without my cell phone for a day

83. Pay it forward

84. Workout with Tanna

85. Go to the beach with my brothers and sister

86. Help my sister redo her room

87. Go to one of my brothers football games

88. Help make my sister a mum or garder

89. Tithe over and above

90. Make all of the Christmas presents I give out

91. Paint pottery

92. Buy gerber daisies to put in a vase

93. Memorize new Bible verses

94. Not complain as much

95. Plant a flower garden

96. Plant a vegetable garden

97. Plant a fruit tree/plant

98. Find a new hobby

99. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge

100. Pack up apartment in New York

101. Love unconditionally

Iron Infusion

Today was a very important day for me, I finally got some work done on my blood. For as long as I can remember I have craved ice and been tired, but I just thought it was normal.

Back in July I had my blood taken before I started my job and they found out I was severely anemic. My doctor herself called me and said it was bad enough to need a transfusion. They immediately put me on medicine to see if it would help. For about 7 months I have been taking medicine and it didnt help.

So, I went to a hematologist per recommendation of my PCP. They said that I would need to get iron put in my body via IV. It was an experience. It took the lady two tries to get an iv, and on the second time I started gushing blood. But finally I was hooked up. I had to be flushed with IV fluid for about an hour and then I got some iron to make sure I didnt have an allergic reaction. Then I got flushed again and all was well. After that I did the rest of the iron I needed to take and then got another flush. A total of 5 hours to get the right amount in my body that needed to be there. The man who sat next to me was so nice and made me laugh the entire time. He got sick at the very beginning of his chemo and it made me cry. It was soo sad.

I got to have lunch with my friend Amanda to start off the day and then my friend Jennifer came and sat with me in the treatment room all day. So I had a good support team!

Thanks to everyone for there thoughts and prayers!! I should feel totally different and have more energy soon! :)

Preparation and Random Thought

I feel as if God is preparing me for some big things. I have this like {tingling} in my spirit and sometime I feel as if I am going to explode with joy :)

My thought process on life has changed ..

My thought process of life has changed ..

My thought process on relationships has changed ..

My desires for myself have changed ..

My passions for life have changed ..

My passion for ministry has changed ..

My ability to listen has changed ..

My ability to respond has changed ..

I'm just sooo excited.

Since this blog is for my memories I just thought I would write what someone told me the other day that blew (literally and figuratively) my mind ..

They said "Your parent's shouldn't have ever let you go to Tech" and "You need more friends who look like us."

Funny thing is I love my friends and I loooved the time I spent at Tech. My life has already been predetermined and my steps ordered. I know that I was at Tech for a reason and I know that I have my friends for a reason. Friendship is not about the color of your skin, but what's on the inside. I wouldn't mind a yellow best friend as long as we both shared something and loved the Lord.

I have lost 7 pounds (in 3 weeks) since starting Weight Watchers!! :) I would love to be down a total of 30 by the summer.

I have a iron infusion on Thursday and I am pretty nervous. I hope I don't have an allergic reaction and I pray for the hands of all the people who have to stick me with the IV, prepare the IV, and take care of me during this time. I have to sit for about 4 1/2 hours while it is dripped into my body, but I should feel better after.

I saw a mouse yesterday on a home visit .. interesting.

EVERYONE and there mother is getting married! I can't wait to get married and have kids!! :) All 6 or so that I want!

I started my garden! I will have to blog about that soon!

I am working on finishing some of my 101 in 1001 list!

Now, I am going to take a nap!! Happy Saturday! :)

Two Snow Days

Apparently Mother Nature wants us to stay home from work and school for two days or God is telling us to slow down and spend time with our families and with Him. Maybe God is telling me to slow down AND to do my physics homework. Tomorrow I will do that Physic homework and tonight I will finish watching tv and chatting on facebook and praying about the praying that I am supposed to do at church on Sunday. My biggest struggle with praying on Sunday, and this may sound weird, but the first thing that came to my mind is "I don't pray the way they do." But none the less I will be praying on Sunday and I have been praying that the Holy Spirit will be the one speaking and not myself. I have also been praying for the right words to say and to be effective in my prayer.

We started The Challenge yesterday and so far so good. I also started personal training yesterday, and today ouch!! But a good ouch! I've gotten my water in and avoided sweets! :)

Life is good, I can't complain. I am enjoying the season that God has me in and preparing for the next.

Maybe ..

Maybe one day I will blog more frequently .. but as for now I am just hanging out

Hanging out and enjoying life .. Working, working, working

Working on school, working on working out, working on loving, working on relationships

A relationship with my Creator, not a religion, a relationship

A relationship with the people around me and a relationship with myself .. just learning

Learning to accept things as they, learning to accepts things as they come, learning seasons

Seasons come and seasons go and in all of them we are able to experience something

Something exhilarating, something new, something sad, something to define our purpose

Purpose for living, purpose for sharing, purpose for our purpose driven life

Life .. well it's just about hanging out .. and one day I will blog more frequently

I prayed for an answer

I prayed for an answer and God sent someone to tell me to pray for wisdom. I prayed for wisdom and my eyes were opened.

It's funny that I was praying, praying, praying hard for God to just give me an answer and to show me a sign. And then I was talking to a friend at work about praying and she said why don't you pray for wisdom. It was like an "aha!" moment. I had never thought to pray for wisdom. I prayed for wisdom and my eyes have been continually opened since then. It's hard to accept change and new seasons no matter how dreary the past season has been. It's hard to do things that are uncomfortable, but when it's time to step out things start to fall into place. And my final "aha!" moment was when the pastor preached about joy today.

I am ready for this new season! I am ready for joy! Things are looking good!