1 Down and 1 to Go!

I miss Trae.
Ok! Interview 1 at University of Alabama at Birmingham went very well. It was yesterday. Got to meet current 1st year students as well as faculty and some staff. Everyone was soo laid back, relaxed and comfortable. I did not once get nervous or have butterflies, surprising and very good. I feel really good about that interview and now I am kinda bummed. I was pretty certain on going to University Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson if I get in whether I got in UAB or not. This is primarily due to financial issues, i.e: in-state tuition, living costs, etc. However, I felt so comfortable and like UAB so much it is going to be hard to say no if they offer me a position. So that is the thought of the day. This is all assuming I get in both, but of course if I only get into one, well that solves that doesn't it!? I would like to thank my dear friend Riley Buck Phillips and her husband Blake who let me crash at their house Monday night. If not for this, I would have had to spend the night alone in a hotel in downtown Birmingham, something so much better done with Trae Bane! Thanks guys. I will keep everyone updated on how interviews are going, any subsequent results!
Have I mentioned that I miss Trae? Well I do. Glad he has Bella to keep him company.

Back from Tahoe... On to Mississippi

Trae and I just got back from a few wonderful days in Tahoe. We stayed with Bill and Denise. On Tuesday we skied at Alpine Meadows for our first day of the skiing. It was a great day, wonderful weather and not very many people on the mountain. From 11-3ish, the snow was like butta (in the Boston accent). Great skiing. The temperature was warm, almost too hot. Tuesday night was filled with good food, great conversation, and some of my favorite people. Bill came in Tuesday night and asked Trae if he wanted to teach a lesson on Wednesday morning. Trae was hesitant but excited. So Trae went to work with Bill on Wednesday morning to jump back in the to adaptive ski world. I waited at the house to catch up with Grama and Frank. I headed towards the mountain around 11 to meet up with Trae and ski with him that afternoon. Well, low and behold, I forgot my ski boots at the house, which was too far to go back and get them. So I rented boots and skis from the mountain, not a bad pair of either. Trae has been wanting me to try some smaller skis to see how I liked them. Well I rented shorter skis and better fitting boots. Both worked great. With the smaller skis I had an athletic epiphany , a muscle/technique windfall. I love it when everything clicks, everything just comes together with ease and fluid motion. My turns started with ease and effective foot steering, and my 1st to 5th gear shift connected my turns like I had been skiing all winter long. It was great. If you don't understand these terms, this is how I remember proper technique when I am skiing, makes sense to me might not to others, but it works for me. Anyway, Trae had fun teaching and I had fun skiing. Bella had a wonderful time in the snow and was such a good dog. She minded and was very good playing with all the other dogs in the snow. I was like a proud mom watching a child interact appropriately with other children. It was funny, she was hilarious. We are back now. I am flying back to Brandon on Wednesday for one of two OT school interviews. Everyone please be thinking of me and send some prayers up. I am looking forward to seeing friends in Mississippi but I will miss Trae soooo much. I also hear he has been whining at work about how he will miss me too. Its good to know you are loved and appreciated.

Dressing Up

Trae is working his last night shift tonight. YAY!!!!! I hate the night shift, and thankfully, he is getting that way too. I am not going to talk about the Bama game. I was sad for a day and I don't want to talk about it. SO... that is all I am going to say about that. Today I went to the mall just to try on pretty dresses and shoes, knowing I was not going to buy a thing at all. That's right. I went to Macy's only to try stuff on for no good reason other than I wanted to look smoking hot if only in the dressing room for a few minutes. I figure this is a much cheaper habit than actually purchasing them. I painted my toes this morning and got ready. Then I drove to the mall and walked straight to the "Social Occasion" section, and found a dress I have been eyeing for some time and a few others that I wasn't sure about but were pretty. The only problem with this dress I have been eyeing is that I have absolutely no occasion or purpose for a dress like this one. But it is just sooo pretty and I think it looks ok on me. I feel really good in it. But anyway, why I did this you ask! Well other than just wanting to get out of the house so that Trae could have a quiet house to sleep in, there are just some days you just wish there was that special event to dress up and look hot for. Today was one of those days. Not too sure why, just wanted to get dressed up. So I did. Even if I don't get to bring the awesome dress home and show Trae, it satisfied the craving just being in the dressing room looking hot. Too bad the events that you get to dress up for are so expensive. So I encourage anyone who wants to get all dolled up for no reason at all just for yourself, go ahead. Don't look at price tags, just pick up things that are beautiful and maybe some things that you would never try on. It's dress up time. Enjoy it. (The picture is the dress I want!!)

Ahhh! Bowl Week!

Well it is NCAA Football Bowl Week. A week long celebration of incredible athletes, good match ups, and awesome football. I love football. This is the last good hurrah of college football till next fall. Trae and I get quality time with each other watching football, whether we are by ourselves or with a crowd. Too bad Trae is working like a slave this week. He hasn't really been able to enjoy the great games that I have this week. It is sad because I really really enjoy watching football with him. At least he will be available on Friday, because Friday might as well be the National Championship in our house. Alabama plays Utah on Friday. I will not go into what I see wrong with this picture. But at least I get to watch my beloved Crimson Tide throw down some serious football on the Utes. I will cheer on Mount Cody, a powerhouse on the dominant defensive line. He is an incredible athlete who can rally the team and fans like no other lineman, yet when I see him, he arouses feelings of a giant teddy bear, a really good guy. A guy you just want to run up to and hug because he is so friendly and loving. But I guess gazing at the 365 lb mountain of a man from across the line of scrimmage is a different vantage point than where I am. No matter, I will be cheering for him and the rest of the guys on Friday. I told Trae not too long ago that we have to go to a Bama home game soon. Other than Disneyland, a home game at Bryant-Denny Stadium is probably the most beloved fairytale land I have ever been. The tradition, fans, houndstooth, chants, shakers, elephants and of course The Bear, I love it all. Seeing it on television so many times this season has brought me to tears with pride and emotion. I want to be a part of that again. I want Trae to experience it because I could never give it the justice it really is with mere words. Needless to say, I am excited about the game. But, I am before every Bama game. Roll Tide Roll!

Happy New Year!

It is the last day of 2008. I think we all will welcome 2009 with open arms and a hope that this coming year will bring more peace and prosperity than 2008. Trae and I have found that the holidays are the most difficult time to be away from our family. We have met some truly wonderful people in our travels. And here in Oakdale, we have grown particularly close to several families. We appreciate how they have opened their homes and hearts to us to make us feel a little less removed from home. These special families range from young families with several kids to a middle aged couple with kids our age. I hope that these families know how much Trae and I enjoy spending time with them. But, even with the hospitality we have experienced on the West coast, there really is no place like home, especially during a holidays. I am not talking just Christmas and Thanksgiving. It hit us last year on Easter. Our families are crazy, unpredictable, unbelievable, insane, wonderful, perfect, frustrating, and all ours. We absolutely love our families. All the craziness and all the greatness they bring to our lives. I think we are home bodies. Home bodies who love vacations and traveling and adventures.
Well enough venting and wishing I was somewhere else. Something God has shown me this trip out here is that there are too many moments that I let slip by not doing what I should be and not loving and appreciating every moment, memorable or ordinary. That is my New Year's Resolution I guess (which I never really have gotten into), to be in each moment, with my whole self, and my whole heart. To be a positive light and personality to those I am fortunate enough to meet and be around.
Well, I do have good news, I got interviews at both UAB and UMC OT schools!!! YAY!!! Please remember me in January and February, this is when the interviews to my future take place. A special thanks and shout out goes to those in the application process: Darci, Ginger, Ginny, Peg, Denise and of course Trae and my family. Trae is working A LOT, even some night shifts. Which is "good" for us but sad that we don't get to travel as much as we did last year. Bella is doing great. She is loving getting to sleep at night with me and during the day with Trae. She misses the snow though!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all!
Well, it is Christmas time in California. No we don't have a snow, just rain. Where we are in the valley, fog is a very big deal. Fog will stay all day. There are weeks that we don't get much sun because of the fog. But it is cold and rainy and that is kinda like Christmas in Mississippi. We have a real Christmas tree in our house, complete with presents. The lights and ornaments are all borrowed. This being our second Christmas across country, we learned that as much as we want our own decorations and stockings, it does not make traveling any easier. So we came with no ornaments this year and our tree looks kinda blah and generic. But my resourceful husband has a hidden talent even I didn't know about fully until a couple of weeks ago. He can make the most beautiful snowflakes. I had to take pictures and send to my family so they also can be in awe of his nimble fingers. Last week, we took a trip to Tahoe just to see the snow. It was beautiful. Light, fluffy powder which would have made for incredible skiing conditions had there been a snow base beforehand. But there wasn't so we did not ski, just played in the perfect powder. Bella had a wonderful time. I think she was made to love the snow. The cold weather makes her feel frisky!! Just what we need: 130 pounds of friskiness. We also toured the Ritz-Carlton condos at Northstar while we were there. You know, just thought we would look and see for when we become wealthy. Mid mountain residences with 24/7 private personal concierge. Can't wait! Unfortunately, we had to come back. Trae has to work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I am making a Christmas spread for Christmas Day after he gets off. Turkey, dressing, macaroni and cheese, green beans, and of course, coconut cake. For all of you who love coconut cake, it may be impossible to make in California because they do not carry frozen coconut! I know, inconceivable! Apparently, according to other displaced Southerners, only Indian food markets carry it. No main stream grocery store carries it. Trae is out looking today for it! I will let you know if he is successful. In memory of last year's Christmas, the pictures posted above are those of last year's Tahoe snow. I have not had a camera until just a few days ago. So be on the lookout for more pictures. Merry Christmas and may everyone remember the reason we celebrate this wonderful time of year is not for coconut cake, presents, or snowflakes, but the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace and Savior of the world!

We made it!

Well, we are in California now. The first night of our trip we stayed in Omaha, NE, about 15 hours of driving. Needless to say we slept in the following morning, Sunday. We left Omaha around 12 pm and arrived in Cheyenne, WY at about 8 pm. We left Cheyenne on Monday morning around 8 am. We drove through Wyoming, Utah and made it to Elko, Nevada. We left Elko around 8 am and drove to Reno to visit with my grandmother for a bit. We left Reno and headed for Truckee, CA to have dinner and stay the night with my aunt and uncle. We took Jake and Bella for a long run along the Truckee River. Bella needed that run so badly after being in the Jeep for 4 days straight! We had a wonderful time in Truckee, as always. Trae and I commented that we felt so at home every time we visited the Truckee area. We left Truckee around 8:30 am and drove towards Sacramento. We stopped in Sacramento and Stockton at the REI stores. We love those stores. Everyone should visit their local REI. We made it to the metropolitan town of Oakdale around 3 pm Wednesday afternoon. We unloaded the Jeep and got everything in its proper room and sat down on the couch to relax. Trae said he felt like he needed to go to work for a vacation. That was a first. Anyway, sorry there are no pictures from our trip. I forgot to pack the camera!! Oops! It is always beautiful driving across the country.