Life, and...coffee pots.

I constantly have things running through my brain ( you shouldn't be surprised by this) that I think "Yeah! That should go on the blog!" And, since I nagged Amber (do you read her blog? You should.) about blogging, AND since I knew she'd rightfully call me out not blogging within the past month, I knew it was time for a post. I really should get better at this. Let's face it, I really should do a lot of things....!

I wanted to post my favorite speech crafts on here and silly things about my life like new glasses and the great pork chops I made for dinner tonight and the Jon McLaughin cd I haven't stopped listening to for weeks, but then I had a change of heart. A dear, dear friend of mine since middle school  lost his father to liver cancer Tuesday, and to top it off, my friend is getting married next Saturday. I know that my dear friend's heart is at peace, but I have to admit mine is not resting quite as easily. Its one of those crazy things that hits you out of nowhere, I guess, and makes you realize the superficial things in your life that you've let become big things. The seemingly mindless and trivial things that I let consume me, or that I complain about  that I should be beyond thankful for. I had dinner with a friend tonight, that was finished with too-big bowls of ice cream and discussion about behavior charts and group therapy (don't judge.) It was simple, it was beautiful, it was full of life.

Then the next day, my mother calls to tel me that her best friend of next to forever, and one of the most Godly women I know, has called to tell her that her breast cancer has returned yet again, even after her double masecotmy a few years ago. And my mother's friend isn't sure she wants to do treatment this time around, because she also suffers from Parkinson's disease, and would rather the cancer take her home to the Lord than the Parkinson's.

Yeah. Deep exhale.
But then I found this post-it note that I keep on my desktop that reads:

In all my life, in every season, You are still God, I have a reason to sing; I have a reason to worship...
(take from Hillsong's Desert Song)

So through all of these "seasons", in all of these things that seem to always happen at once, God is still God, and I do have a reason to sing. Because "God is my Victory, and He is here". What sweet, sacred promises.

In much MUCH lighter news, this little gem has come to call my kitchen home this week:

My forever old hand-me-down finally brewed its last, and since a Keruig just ISN'T just in my grad school budget, this nifty gadget will now start my mornings, and afternoons, and....evenings. But I like it! :)

It's Easter themed speech this week...and if you made it this far, you deserve to know that my next post will be much happier, and much more picture-full. So I'm headed to a quiet Friday night full of cutting out laminated bunnies and chicks, foam Easter eggs, and some quality Netflix time. I'll take it. 

Some girls buy purses...

....and some buy Little People.
My latest speech therapy toy obsession is Fisher Price Little People. I am proud to tell you that I am 23 years old (and ten days!) and proudly scour Craigslist, Ebay, Facebook, friends who have children's closets for these little dudes.


I could write a whole book on how useful these sweet faces are in speech, and my clients LOVE them. I'm proud to tell you that I am the owner of the barn, an ark, a racetrack, and the adventure village....they're a little salty for a grad student's budget to buy brand new, and everyone loves them and therefore very rarely want to get rid of them. Oh the dilemma.....but like I said. I think there could be worse things to be crazy about! (Although they may be a bit more age appropriate...)

My birthday/spring break were too beautiful to talk about, and school hit me head-on today. Welcome back.
This has to be a short and shallow post...my laptop is living on a single battery life until tomorrow. (No, I did NOT leave my charger cord at a Starbucks in Fort Wayne and I then had to have a friend pick it up for me and overnight it...see what I mean about hitting me head on?)

Hope that spring has sprung wherever you are! :-)

This is what you get after a long absence...

Well, here it is....the middle (almost) of February. And I have done nothing but an awful job of blogging. So to the 3 of you who read this, I'm sorry. I'd give you the excuse that I'm a grad student and this past month has been a complete whirlwind, however, while that is true, I feel like it's an easy answer. So do with it what you will.
So, here's a quick recap of the past month or so of my life:
-I've been making lots of fun therapy things like this gem made from a Pringle's can

 I sincerely apologize for the awful quality of this photo

And behavior charts and picture schedules like these

I wish I could take credit for the Superman coloring book page on my fridge (in the to left corner) but I can't. It was a gift from my favorite 3 year old, and is proudly displayed.

Legging-ed knee, how did you sneak into this photo?

This is what I do on Friday nights. Sit around and drink tea/coffee, watch Netflix (or Hulu all the shows I don't have time to watch during the week) and turn my living room into a wonderful mess of foam, scissors, scrap paper, hot glue, double stick tape, and lamination. And I love it.

On the same note, school is in full swing and I'm finding myself spending 7-10 hours in the basement of the same building on a daily basis, clinic or not. I have 3 sweet kiddos who give me wonderful reasons to craft and have avoidance behaviors that come in the form of putting too much effort into those crafts to no end. My heart is so happy.

-I've been obsessed with my Switchfoot station on Pandora .Moreso, this album in particular. (Ok, well these couple. Maybe I'm just years behind everyone else....but my music tastes switch a lot. I'll listen to nothing but showtunes for a month solid, and then something else will come up and will be played incessantly for a long time. Good thing I live by myself...)

   
okay, so this one doesn't match, but this is my blog! I put what I want!


-I've been cooking a lot, which is great because it means I'm eating real food, but I think I'll save that for a post of its own.

-If there's one thing I don't have, it's time to read anything that's not a SOAP note, test protocol, or an anatomy picture reference book, but this little gem is on its way to my house, and should come on Valentine's day( presents from myself still count as presents, right?), and I think I'm pretty excited.

I'd like to think that I'll tear through it and give you an insightful, deep review....but I can't make any promises.

-This has recently graced my refrigerator and morning coffee with it's presence, and it makes life just a little more bearable. (Yes, I saw a commercial and yes, it immediately made my grocery list. So what I'm a sucker for marketing and things that taste like ice cream?!)

it's even special enough to take a hipster-looking picture of.

Where I've been and where I'm going

In 2011...

• I graduated from college
• I moved...twice.
• I got accepted to grad school
• I turned 22
• I SURVIVED a semester of grad school
• I met some lovely ladies :-)
• I gained a sister-in-law

So now in 2012...

• I will finish the academic portion of grad. school
• I will move...again.
• I will gain a member of the family (and that's all I'm saying...for now...)
• I will turn 23
• I will be a working woman, yet again
• I will....

Day...oops.

Okay, okay. So I'm not passing blame, but the writing prompts was getting to me. Deeper than sitting on my to-do list saying "Hey! Look at me!" It was all about gifts. And frankly as much as I do (and don't) like gifts, I have a hard time thinking of posting all the way through December and talking only about gifts.  Although I suppose if I really tried I could turn each of them around and make each post revolve around The gift...I want t the few of you who visit to not have to read the same post only re-worded every day. That, and finals week was a killer. We're talking only 2.5 hours of sleep across 2 days killer. Will I pick up the "one a day" in January? Maybe. If I find a good enough prompt that actually has some kind of depth to it. Until then, I ramble.

• Christmas is in 3 days. Holy schmoley. Where did THAT come from?!
• Wanna know what I did today? Good, because I'm gonna tell you. I got to go to Science Central today with these sweet faces:

seriously, I get PAID to spend time with these wonderful children who so quickly worked their way into my heart. PAID. Can I pay them?I absolutely adore these 3. Melt.my.heart.

So I hung out with them, filled my belly with Panera, and am now sitting at a favorite coffee shop playing on Pinterest and drinking a white chocolate mocha until I don't want to. And when I'm done with that? I'm gonna read a REAL book. Not about speech therapy. This book to be exact:

photo credit

 I'd tell you why I'm obsessed with this author/story line/series, but that's for another post. But I'm reading books the rest of society reads, and I'm gonna read until I don't want to anymore. Moral of the story? Christmas break is my best friend. (Actually, it's been kinda nuts, and today is my first real "break-ish" day but I love it and am milking it for all its worth).

• My grades for the semester, nothing short of the grace of God Almighty, came back better than expected. As in, passing.  ( And as I type this, at table of 3 older  ladies at afore-mentioned coffee shop, 1 just said loud enough for the whole coffee shop to hear "But yes! Speech therapy works!" I'm tempted to go shake their hands. And listen to the rest of their conversation. Must....behave....) 
• I miss my grad school friends. If only seeing them all in one place again didn't mean having to start school again, and being back in Terre Haute...

when you're here, you're family.

I am sufficiently pleased with the number of pictures in this post.

Day 9

What gift do you regret breaking?

I wasn't exactly a graceful child, but I do remember being really upset when my toys would break. Mostly because I think I loved them each, and while I wasn't careful with them, I never liked breaking a toy. Do I remember one in particular? Nope. And it was a totally different story when someone else broke one of my toys. Devastation. Not so much in the obnoxious sense, but more...heartfelt. I just loved things fixed. It also came in really handy that both of my parents are quite creative/handy with and about broken things! (Probably because I got so upset when my things didn't work right.)
Is all of this telling of my personality traits now? Probably. But I think I turned out ok....so I'll take it!

I need to embrace this picture-less post. It's ok, right? I guess I'll just have to make up for it next week!

Day 8

What was your favourite thing you received below the age of 10?
 
She was my best friend, and came to me (thanks to a favorite uncle) right about 4th grade. I had (/have) her dresses, other clothes that weren't hers but I made her wear them anyway, I was in the American Girl Club (for the time that it existed), I read all the books at least 2 times, I own BINDERS full of their trading cardss....you name it. I made a couple trips to American Girl store....I BREATHED this company. And it was awesome.I also can't believe I just admitted that here.
Maybe someday I'll let my future daughter play with them and it will be sentimental, or maybe I'll just keep her in her carrying case. (I told you I was all about this.) Regardless, she made my childhood what it was, and I love it :)