Update

I have been real slack updating my blog. I have been so consumed with school and work. I pretty much put in 13 hours a day, every day. It is all worth it.

I have about a month left of academics. It just blows my mind how quickly school has gone by. After completing my academics I have about 3 weeks off of school, then I start my 9 week clinical rotation. There is a great chance that I will be going up to New York for my first rotation! I will be staying with relatives up there. I'm super excited, but also very nervous. I mean, over 900 miles away from home and for 9 weeks! It is an awesome opportunity that I can't pass up.

Spring break is next week and I'm definately ready for it! This semester has been very busy. I will spend my spring break doing what I normally do; homework, work, and working out. Although I will try to find some time to myself. I hope the weather will be nice so I can get a few afternoons out at my sister's pool.

I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the year so far.

Facebook | Message: Emily Lucia's First Birthday

Facebook Message: Emily Lucia's First Birthday

The Past Month

Wow. I guess I have been slack with updates. I've been pretty busy the past month. I finished my semester about a month ago. My grades were good, 3 A's and 2 B's. It has been a much needed break out of school. I have spent pretty much my whole at the gym. Between work and working out there isn't much time for anything else. I've also tried to spend more time with friends.

About a week before Christmas I was able to get together with some friends that I haven't seen since high school. We went downtown and had a great time reliving old stories and making new memories. It was awesome to catch up, like old times. I thank Facebook for this little reunion. :)

Christmas was great! It was just the four of us. Christmas Eve we had a nice dinner and opened up our presents from our stockings, Santa comes Christmas Eve at my house. We had a wonderful time together. Christmas morning we went to Kelly's house for breakfast. We had a feast! Afterwards we came back to our house and spent a great day together. We opened the presents under the tree, played games, laughed, and had a great time.

New Years Eve I was able to go to Kathi's for a little. It was wonderful to see everyone. I can't believe how much all the kids have grown! Luke and JP look like little men. After I went to Kathi's I met up with one of my friends, Pamela. We went to her cousin's house to ring in the new year.

This past Friday I went to Charlotte for the Lil Wayne and T Pain concert. I went with a couple friends. We had a blast. My throat hurt Saturday from screaming so much.

I go back to school on Monday. I'm excited but also nervous. I know this semester is going to be a lot more difficult than last semester. This is my last academic semester then I have 18 weeks of clinicals! It is so hard to believe that I'm graduating in 10 months. I remember saying that I had 2 years until I graduate. The time has flown by!

I call this week my last week of freedom. I'm spending it working, working out, and spending time with friends. I'm going to enjoy this week.

I hope that everyone had a safe and happy holiday season!

Christmas Memories

Tonight we decorated our Christmas tree. It is always so much fun reminiscing about our favorite past time. My favorite memory is when I was a child. Every year we would go to my grandparents house for Christmas. My Grampy always did a great job decorating the house, I think that's where I get it from. We would get to their house and go running in the house into Grammy's arms. The smell I remember is her homemade macoroni and cheese cooking. All my relatives would come over. The house was full of fun and laughter, never a dull moment. All of us cousins would go to the basement and play pool, atari, or the computer. The next day, Christmas Eve, I would always be so excited about Santa coming. We would go to church at night then come home and sing Christmas Carols. Grammy would play the piano and we would all sing. Before going to bed we would put out milk and cookies for Santa and carrots for his reindeer. The next morning Kelly and I would wake up so early. We whispered to each other whether Santa had come or not. We waited until we heard someone downstairs and we would run downstairs to our stockings. My parents and grandparents would let us open our gifts first, then we would watch them. Grammy always went last. After stockings we would get ready for everyone to come over. Once everyone came over we opened the presents under the tree, then would eat. Grammy always had so much food. Afterwards we would play games. Once again the house was filled with fun and laughter.

I treasure those Chrstmas'. As the years have passed, we now have new traditions, and the fact that we are over 900 miles away. Santa comes Christmas Eve at my house. On Christmas day Kelly comes over early afternoon. We spend the day playing games and enjoying each others company. We open the presents under the tree. We eat an amazing meal. It is so nice to have that special family time.

Take the time to remember your favorite Christmas past time and to remember the true meaning of Christmas! I hope everyone has a great holiday season!

Almost Done!

I have almost completed my first semester of OTA school. I'm pretty stressed right now with exams. I have 4 exams in 2 days, plus an online exam. I already took one of my exams, it was a take home exam! I love take home exams.

I have truely enjoyed this semester. I have learned so much! I also have met a lot of neat people. I know that I have gone into the right field. Everything I look at I look at from an OT perspective. I have chosen such an awesome field! I can't wait to graduate and get out in the field.

I hope everyone is doing well!

My life and random thoughts

I feel like I write the same things over and over. It's sad how my life is so routine, well maybe that's a good thing. It's good for me.

School is still going great! A couple more weeks left of the semester. The end of the semester is always crazy. I have lots of projects and tests to study for. Today I have tried to study for a test I have tomorrow but I find my mind wandering. I'm not thinking of anything in particular, just not able to focus on the material for the test. I will try again in a little while but my mind just isn't there.

I'm working at the gym again and loving it! I work a couple nights a week. I don't know who is more tired at the end of the night: me or them. When we play tag, all the kids go after me. They tackle me to the ground. We rough house. It's so much fun! I love being there and the kids, and parents, can tell.

Thursday night I went to Spartanburg to hang out with a friend. She is a friend that I have met through school. She is such an awesome person. I know I have made a friend for life. Friday night I went out with a different friend and had a blast. I love friendships that you know you have each others back and that either of you would do anything for each other. That is the kind of friend that he is. His friendship is one of those rare friendships. I was thinking the other day how sad it is that you can't find people that are loyal and truthful as much. It seems someone always has a lie to tell or "stabs" you in the back. I feel fortunate of the friends I have and the friends I have made. Friendship is such an important part of who we are. I treasure my friends.

It's hard to believe how fast 2008 has gone by. It has been an eventful year, to say the least. My mom started to decorate for Christmas yesterday. I looked at her and said "Already. It can't possibly be time to decorate." Those of you that know me well know how crazy I am with decorating. I don't know what it is this year, but I don't feel like going all out and decorating. It doesn't seem as important to me to have the garland and lights all over the house. I would rather be spending my time with family and friends. I don't know. Maybe in a few weeks I'll feel differently.

I've pretty much been the same. Just going to school, working, going to the gym, and trying to find time to spend with family and friends.

I hope everyone is doing well.

First Day of Clinicals

Today we started our level 1 fieldwork. I'm going to Pickens Middle School with ten other classmates. There is not an OT there so we get to come up with different activities for the children. There are 11 children in the classroom. They are all very sweet! They loved having us there and were sad to see us leave.

We brought the kids to the computer lab and they each were able to play educational games on the computer. We then went back to the classroom and did an activity with them. We had them make mailboxes out of styrofoam plates. They were to punch holes around the edge, string yarn, peel stickers off paper, put the stickers on the paper, and write their name. It was a great activity. After the activity we went outside for PE. The children are required to walk two laps around the track before they can play. I was working with a girl in a wheelchair. She propelled herself around the track twice independently. I was so proud of her! It took the whole time, but she did it by herself. She was proud of herself. We then brought the children in to eat lunch. After lunch we left.

Being in a public school setting was very different for me. I enjoyed it. There definately was different from what I am used to. It is going to be a fun and challenging week, but I'm very excited about it!

I hope everyone is doing well.