Trying to keep up!

I am going to quit promising to post more often. I just can't seem to stay on top of it! I only have a few minutes each day to "play" on the internet, and I spend that time catching up with everyone else's blogs, and I don't ever get around to updating mine.

Anyway, school is moving right along. My first term as a dental student will officially be over November 21. My class president has worked with our professors and actually gotten everything moved up so that we have all of Thanksgiving week off, so I am looking forward to that!!! I am enjoying school a lot, but a break is much needed right now. I am enjoying Operative Dentistry especially. I get to play with all my toys, and practice doing procedures on mannequins! As far as grades, I already know that I have a B in histology. There is a good chance I will have an A in Biochemistry, as long as I can do well on the final, which shouldn't be a problem. My other classes do not end this quarter, so I will not have grades for those classes until the spring. I would be lying if I said it wasn't a little hard for me to get used to not having all A's or being nearly top in my class. Dental school has really taught me that being average is just fine. I have decided that I will do the best I can while still having a life. I am spending time with my husband, family and friends because I will never get this four years back and I want to enjoy it! Luckily, my husband doesn't mind having an "average" dental student for a wife! ;)

I am SO looking forward to the holidays. I am a BIG fool for this time of year. I have already been burning my holiday scented candles. I love Yankee Candles Autumn Wreath and Harvest (and Mistletoe for Christmas). We are going to be spending Thanksgiving with my family most likely, and visting my husband's family over that weekend. Then, back to school for three weeks and then out for Christmas! I am decorating my house the weekend BEFORE Thanksgiving, so I will have time to really enjoy it. See, I told you I was crazy about the holidays. We bought some of the old-fashioned, big ceramic lights (in red and green) to put outside along our front porch railing. I am really excited because we just bought this house in April, so this will be the first time I have decorated it.

Well, I guess that's about it for now. I have been keeping up with all of you. Crystal, Jenny, and Renee, Addison, Chloe and Mia are GORGEOUS! I love seeing the pics. Renee, congratulations on your raise! That's really something! Rusti, I always know you will have an interesting post, you never let me down. And Brittny, glad you are enjoying the weather right now, and I know you are looking forward to coming back to the States soon on your trip. Are you planning your usual trip to the Cheesecake Factory?

Hi!

I haven't updated in awhile (a long while!!) but needless to say, I have been extremely busy! School is going well (A's and B's), but I have to say that the most difficult thing is proving to be time management and being TIRED! I really love school, though, and I am enjoying my classes.

This is going to be a short post, as I have a test coming up. I hope everyone is doing well! I am going to spend the next few minutes checking up on all of you, and hopefully I can post again in a day or two.

Guess who made an A on her first test!

Well, the studying must have paid off, because I made an A on my first test! (Biochemistry). The girls I mentioned in my last post and I all met at one of their apartments on Friday afternoon to study. We made lasagna and salad, and had garlic bread with it. Also, my birthday was Thursday (I turned 29) and another girl's birthday was on Tuesday, so we had a WONDERFUL chocolate cake. We studied that night and then we all met at my house on Saturday. We got a lot of studying done, and two of the girls even spent the night (husband wasn't home this weekend).

I am really enjoying dental school so far, but I am so BUSY!

One Week Done

Hi! My first official week of dental school was completed Friday afternoon at 2:30. This week has been very hard, but very fun. I am slowly getting to know my classmates, and have a group of girls I have gotten to be good friends with. One of them is carpooling with me, so that is a big help not only with gas, but it is also nice to have someone to make the 20 mile one-way trip with!

The instructors started every class off with a full day of notes (which I expected), so I have had quite a lot of work to do this week at home. I can already see what is going to be my hardest task--time management! Cooking dinner (and eating it) really cut into the time I could have been studying, but at least it was time I got to spend with my husband. I think this weekend I am going to go ahead and try to prepare some spaghetti and a casserole that my husband can reheat so that we can eat as soon as I get home. That way I can eat and then get started straight away on the studying so that I am not falling asleep while trying to read!

This weekend will be spent mostly studying, but I am planning on trying to reserve most of Sunday for just spending time with my husband, so we will see how that works. We are planning on meeting my carpool buddy and her husband for dinner tomorrow. Mexican, yum!

Hope everyone has had a great week! I hope as I get more used to my schedule I will get to post more than once a week.

Busy

Hi, sorry I haven't updated in awhile. I have been so busy! I had school orientation on Wednesday. It was 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., then we had a reception afterwards given by a local bank. It was a lot of fun, and it was a good time to begin to get to know some of my classmates, who I will be spending the next four years with!

Yesterday (Thursday) we had to get our dental kits checked in. That is all of the instruments and tools we will be using in lab for the next year (and four years after that). I was completely shocked at how much there was! It took us over four hours to go through the list. It was fun and exciting to see everything, but also a little intimidating to know I will be expected to know the name of every instrument, its use, and how to use it!

We had the rest of the afternoon off, and I was exhausted! Getting up at 5:30 a.m. and going all day and just being anxious really took it out of me, I guess. So this morning, my husband and I slept in, which was nice, and we are going to run a few errands and just enjoy the last few days before I start classes on Monday. My schedule is four classes and one lab. I will be at school 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Wednesday classes are over at noon, but the school reserves that afternoon for any meetings or other things that need to be done, so I will not always actually have that afternoon free. Fridays classes are over at 3:00 p.m., so that is nice. Of course, I will be spending extra time at the lab outside of class time, I am sure.

My husband is finally doing better from his rash. I know it is hard to believe, but he had the measles. Evidently he is one of the small percentage of people for whom the vaccination does not work. He is finally better, but he was pretty sick. He is doing great in his classes, and is really enjoying them.

I hope all of you are doing great. I have been keeping up with you, I just haven't been posting any comments, since I have been so stretched for time.

Weekend-Not So Good

Well, we left on Thursday morning and headed to my grandparents. My husband had developed an unexplained rash on the previous Saturday. By Thursday, he was pretty bad off; the itching was severe enough to keep him up at night. He had gotten a prescription from his Dad (a physician) on Wednesday night, so we were hoping he would gradually improve. He didn't. By Friday morning, he was very sick (running a fever, etc.) and of course, I can't talk him into going to the doctor. (Is this a man thing, or just a my husband thing?) He is too sick to continue the trip, so we head home, which is four hours away. There were several traffic hang-ups, so it took us more like six hours, but we finally made it home. He got worse the next day (Saturday), but has been improving since then. Actually, the rash is only slightly better but he has none of the other symptoms, like fever, etc. We were planning to visit his dad/family on Friday anyway, so his Dad can actually look at the rash if it is still there (which I think it will be).

So, no visit with my friends, no lunch at my Grandmother's. But, at least my husband is getting better, finally. We still have no idea what the rash is. He has been taking Benadryl orally and topically, but neither is helping. Although, that has at least allowed him to sleep.

Hope everyone else had a great weekend. I am hoping our next one is a lot better!

This post brought to you by the comfort of my own couch...

Yes, I am officially unemployed. Friday was my last day at work. It was a little strange leaving at the end of the day knowing I will never be back, but it was even stranger knowing that the next time I work for a living (four years from now), I will be a DENTIST (holy crap!).

We had friends over this weekend, and we had a really good time. Monday, however, was another story. We are painting our bathroom. I am not a good painter. I'd go so far as to say I'm a bad painter. My husband would go so far as to say I don't need to be allowed near a paint brush. That doesn't stop him from making me help, unfortunately. I am good at removing wallpaper, so I actually did most of the work yesterday. Today, he must remove the toilet tank, sand down the walls, apply the primer and them the paint. When that is done, we will hang the new Roman window shade (love it!), the new light fixture, the new towel rack (bathroom did not have a single one, believe it or not), and then put the mirror back up. He thinks we will get this done today. Me, not so sure.

Thursday we are heading to my hometown to visit my family, and then Friday/Saturday to my college town about an hour from there to visit friends. One of my friends (a teacher) recently went to FIJI to study the coral reefs there. Yes, I am jealous. Can you believe that? FIJI!!! I actually know someone who has studied coral reefs in Fiji. So, naturally I am going to find out all about that. She also happens to be my best friend, and we have a lot of visiting to do before I start to school and her new school year starts.

Sunday we will head back to my hometown (grandmother is giving a huge Southern lunch--can't wait) and then back home.

Well, my paintbrush awaits, so I better get going. Hope everyone is having a great week!