Have I mentioned that I love being an aunt? Because I do!

My nieces and nephews make my world go round. Their laughs are contagious and their personalities are as different as each snowflake. I love spending time with them, rocking out songs, telling jokes and watching them grow up.

to harass or treat roughly with or as continual biting or tearing with the teeth*

I worry. A lot. About things that I can't even control just because it gives me something to do. For example, lately I have an ongoing inner dialogue of conversations that have yet to occur. Yes, it is good to think before you speak, but even I think this is overkill. Right now... I am worrying about work this week. I will be the lead person in the lab during a period of heavy activity. I already have everything set-up for tomorrow (of course) but I am worrying about mistakes and screw-ups that may or may not happen. I am worried that someone is going to want me to do a shipment and I won't be able to do it. I'm worried that the crap is going to hit the fan and I'll be the one that everyone looks to for an explanation. I'm worried about not being prepared enough to handle the volume of work in a short time frame. I worry because I think that if I don't then it seems like I don't care about my work. Maybe that is just what I perceive as what others think of me. (I should have taken that Behavioral Psych course in college)

* This is the first definition of worry listed in Webster's. Interesting.
** I plan on coming back to this and completing my thoughts/discussion; I'm just overwhelmed now and I drank too much sweet tea while typing this post.

It's okay to be green

Finally! I got my coffeecover today as a gift for my birthday from two friends. I couldn't wait to break it in.

Yes, it is on my sweet tea drink. What of it? This is a really great idea. Instead of using the cardboard coffee sleeves that come with your hot drink, get yourself one of these. Not only will you be reducing waste but you can wear your personality on your drink! Check out the website at www.coffeecover.net and order a few for yourself and friends. This baby is going to get a lot of use this week since I'll be living at work. For the sake of humanity Hubbards and Cravens better open on time this week.

Rach and Megs

My friend Rachel and I go back several years. Okay, all the way back to middle school art class when she asked me why I was painting polka dots on my dragon. We also went through Mrs. Murphy's "swivel" lecture in freshman English. We even shared a locker for two years and stuffed it full with peanut butter rice cakes and other munchies to chow on before the 7:15am bell.

Tonight, we went out tonight to celebrate our birthdays. Rachel was born one day before me and at the same hospital too! I'm surprised that we didn't get mixed up in the nursery. We went to Carolina Grill for a nice dinner and then we walked around the neighborhood.

Oh, and I bought my dream house!!

I'm really excited to move in over Labor Day weekend and start decorating!

*no, I didn't by this house or any other house for that matter. However, should this one ever go on the market, feel free to buy it for me :-)

Berry Pickin'

Dad and I went berry pickin' this afternoon. We were aiming for blueberries, but evidently they are out of season. Instead we picked and ate our way through the raspberry bushes. After almost an hour of picking in the hot, hot sun we ended up with 4 quarts of fresh raspberries.

Enjoying the fruits of our labor.

The Big Cheese came yesterday and told us who would be reallocated and who would be laid-off. All privately of course. I will be moving to "corporate" at the end of October. Before I go on let me say that I am grateful to have a job and I am thankful that there is room for me over at "corporate". So, yeah. I'm not sure of what to think of the whole situation. I've really enjoyed working in a clinical setting the past year and now I am moving to more of a "real" laboratory, sans patients. I'm sad that many of my co-workers won't be moving with me and the awkwardness that is in the air when we are together is something that I don't like much. In reality, I guess I feel that this didn't come as a surprise to me. For the past three weeks I have been pretty much at peace about this whole situation. I was okay with letting whatever happen happen, but I was prepared to lose my job and start over with a different company. Now, that isn't the case anymore. I'm looking for the pros in this new path: I have the opportunity to work closely with scientists. I will be able to learn new procedures and get a different perspective. I'll be working regular hours, no more nights and weekends or 2am calls. The cons: no more overtime, no more clinical setting, and having no clue about what I am supposed to be doing or how to do it.

I'm in between being mellow about this and not being o.k. with it. I should probably save my energy and just roll with it because I know that there is something bigger and better after this. I am supposed to learn new things and make the most of this opportunity because on the other side of the bridge is something that I was made to do, something that has been and is waiting just for me. I just wish I knew how long it is going to take to cross.

Eyes

I heard this song for the first time last night and it really struck a chord with me. Just thought I'd share it if you haven't heard or read the lyrics before. The song is called Give me your Eyes.

Looked down from a broken sky Traced out by the city lights My world from a mile high Best seat in the house tonight Touched down on the cold black tile Hold on for the sudden stop Breath in the familiar shock Of confusion and chaos Are those people going somewhere? Why have I never cared?

Chorus: Give me your eyes for just one second Give me your eyes so I can see Everything that I keep missing Give me your love for humanity Give me your arms for the broken hearted Wasn't it far beyond my reach? Give me your heart for the once forgotten Give me your eyes so I can see again again yeah yeah

Step out on a busy street See a girl and our eyes meet Does her best to smile at me To hide whats underneath Theres a man just to her right Black suit and a bright red tie Too ashamed to tell his wife Hes out of work Hes buying time Are those people going somewhere? Why have I never cared?

Chorus

I've Been there a million times A couple of million eyes Just moving past me by I swear I never thought that I was wrong Well I want a second glance So give me a second chance To see the way you see the people all alone

Chorus (x2)

Happy Birthday

to me!

Summer Lovin'

Driving home tonight I was reminded of all the things that I love about summer.

• the smell of fresh cut grass
• summer sunrises-the colors are so vivid
• how the sunlight hits the cornfields. It's even better in the fall when they look like fields of gold.
• cool breezes
• opening the house windows and blinds
• summer thunderstorms
• hiking/camping
• time in/on the water (still haven't gone canoeing at sunset at Eagle Creek yet)
• farmer's markets
• sitting on the patio
• flowers
• being outside with a good book or listening to some great music
• gardening
• long bike rides
• hanging out with friends
• outdoor movies
• taking naps in the hammock
• ice cream

What are some of your summer favorites?

North Carolina

I went on a weekend trip to North Carolina. Thursday night I drove to Cincinnati and stayed with my brother, sister-in-law, and niece/nephew. Friday morning I was on the road by 9 and started the 10hour journey to Greensboro, NC to visit Leigh Anne. The entire weekend was really nice and it just provided a great opportunity to decompress and relax. Saturday was packed full of hiking and climbing. Later we grabbed a late lunch and went shopping at the farmer's market and the local mall. By 7am Sunday I was on the road back home. One of the funniest moments was when we were on top of Hanging Rock Mountain and we were talking about how Rodney Yee-esque it was and how he should film a yoga video on the mountain. Well, I decided to help Rodney out a little. Obviously, I still I have to work on my tree pose.

Here are a few more pictures from the weekend.

I have accomplished taking 2 out of the 3 vacations that I wanted to this summer. The last trip is one to Colorado. I hope to go some time before November. Then, I will have accomplished the ultimate goal, no longer being the girl who has only been on break within a 100 mile radius of home.

Congratulations and Good Luck

* this is how I felt earlier today

August 6, 2008. A day that will forever be etched into my memory. As an extension to my rant post I continue on with the story here. Don't fear, this is not a rant.

August 6. Today is the one year anniversary of my current place of employment. It is also the day I found out that said place of employment was going to be shut down by the end of the year.

*Insert "Oh, crap" here


If you have any idea how the past few weeks have been going for me (bad) you can imagine what this news did for me in my already fragile state of mind. However, after the initial shock wore off I felt...free, at peace even. I've been laughing at the irony of it all (1 year anniversary and everything) I've come to the end. I've been angry, frustrated, and I've cried my eyes out to the point of dehydration. All that's left is to laugh, and the thing that makes me kick myself is this: I could have laughed sooner, I didn't have to go through everything else.

A friend offered this verse to me as a source of encouragement on Monday. "When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, you knew my path." -Psalm 142:3 He certainly must know my path, after all, He created it. I would have never thought that leaving or being removed from an item would lead to such a feeling. Oftentimes, I think that we as a society are stuck in the mindset of having more and we lose sight that often times less is more.

Fat Doctor wrote a great post today and says perfectly what I wish I could write. I too wish that I could have the faith needed to allow things to fall into place without feeling like I have to have some part in it happening. It would have saved me a lot of stress the past two weeks.

What happens now? Well, from what I figure (this might be premature to say) I'll be at my current job at least until the end of November. I've put in what seems like hundreds of applications, but really amounts to about 25. It may be even that I just move to another team within the company. I'm not worried. Yet. (see, there's that whole faith thing again) Besides, my path has already been paved out I'm just along for the ride.