Physiology exam and class official finished today... although some surprise questions about the acidity and ml volume of semen ejaculation (might I ask, was that really neccesary Dr. Deleon? must you find the most minute sentence in the text book and test us on it?)

in celebration of thursday, tricia and i went to have lunch at the breezeway. only in Miami would we have a live mariachee band playing outside for us to eat lunch by. Of course I had to get up and dance a little bit. dance and let out some of this pent up energy of a week filled with 6 tests, 2 essays, and 1 oral final.

self encouragment: you're almost done girl only two more to go!

Physiology Jokes

About to take my last physiology exam tomorow. After more then 3 hours of studying everynight for the past 2 weeks, I needed some humor to lighten up the mood. What better to do then ready physiology jokes the night before the exam?

• when you breathe you inspire, when you do not breathe you expire.
• why did the person fail the cadaver lab? - she just couldn't cut it
• Why is physiology so hard? -because the professor is really "sternum:
• Why is the spinal cord so audacious? -because it's got nerve
• why is the eye like the moon? -they're both in orbit
• What squaking gland of the digestive system does long john silver have on his shoulder? - the parot-id gland
• what did the physiologist do to his cars? -rectum
• if you see an organ flying over head what is it? -a gull bladder
• how do muscles go up and down? -in levators
• why is physiology so hard? -because its subject matter is so vastus
• why was the endocrine student so upset? -he failed a teste
• which arterties have gender? -the male and femoral arteries
• why are these jokes like a body if you don't put it in formaldehyde? -they both go rotten

like i always say "laughter is the soul's release!" sorry if some of you don't get them, its a tad bit nerdy and requires knowledge of the human body.

Nursing Banter

You always learn interesting things in physiology:

Dr. Deleon: Intelligence is passed through mitocondrial DNA, and only women pass on mitocondrial DNA to the offspring. Therefore, ladies don't worry. You can fall in love with a dumb guy and your kids will be fine and still be smart. Now boys on the other hand, I know you are always looking at the dumb cheerleader types and think they're so hot. but oh boy, will your kids be dumb. So guys only use your pick up lines on the smart hot girls!

:)

The End of the Year Theme

check out the new computer background!

Just went for a run, in 70 degree florida weather, and now am just dancing around the apartment to relient k's new christmas CD, "sleigh ride." so florida lacks the snow, and the wind chill... it doesn't stop the season. time to bring out the giant seal light up christmas lawn art, buy some decorations, and somehow fashion a christmas wreathe for the door! Thoughts from this past weekend, the song "it is well with my soul" continues to play in my head (and yes em, i realize i stole that from you! imitation is the best form of flattery)

Friday's Highlights

Friday's Highlights of Thanksgiving break include working (or playing) for an 8 hour day with my kids from back home.

Alexix is almost 3! The best part was entering into her bedroom to wake her up in the morning,

and hearing her say "HEIDI YOU CAME BACK! YOU CAME BACK

FOR CHRISTMAS!" and opening her arms wide open for a hug, followed by our

traditional singing of the good morning song and a dance around the room.

I love that we have the same color eyes.

Zach is her brother and has Autism. But him and I are always eager

to act out Toy Story or play fort. I was so proud to see

him potty trained and reading sight words. HUGE STEPS FOR HIM!

I braided Alexis's hair, and put two big red ribbion bows in before our trip

to the book store. Her delight "heidi, I want you to wear a

red ribbon too, so you look pretty as a princess." She smiled

so big when I finally put it on!

Sweet Home Chicago

The number one thing that I am grateful for; family. That I can wake up early in the morning and hop in the car and go straight over to my aunt marcia and uncle jeffs house for breakfast. That I get to be close to each one of my cousins in their own special way, I can squeeze them and hug them and kiss them as much as I want. It's pratically like having 10 brothers and sisters. That at 8am on saturday, I'll be christmas tree hunting with 3 of my cousins, uncle mark, and aunt chris. That on any given night I can say "my mom and I are headed over to my aunt and uncles house." That each holiday is more that just a day in which we drive a few hours to get together with everyone. We all see eachother so often anyways that holidays are even more special. Everyone dresses up, we have a big feast, and lots of laughs. With each holiday comes its traditions. Thanksgiving for example: uncle dee standing with an apron on and cutter in hand over the turkey while each grandchild stands in line waiting for a piece of the turkey skin, matty burning the buns every year, all 20 of us saying our prayer and oma always adding a few extra lines, going around the table and saying what we are thankful for in the year. Hearing every single member say "that our family is so close."

I come from a unique family. Kinda Crazy and Cooky at times, but completely loveable! It's a blessing that they all live within 20 minutues and that we are all so close. That my uncles look at me and my sister as their little girls. That I can curl up on the couch with my auntie and watch Grey's Anatomy. That I can spend lots of time at my oma and opa's house. As much as I try I just can't summerize the relationships and bonds of my family. Its actually one of the gifts I look most foreward to sharing with my future guy one day. The laughter, joy, and special memories that come along with being a member in such a big, warm, close family.

Below captures are just a little snapshot of our thanksgiving feast today. to set the story up, i have to do a photography project on feet for one of my college classes. Suddenly the whole family wanted to get involved! Uncle Mark and his creative feet...

First Snow! Winter Collage

three little women making homemade ginger bread houses

from scratch for Saturday!

Icouldn't resist the first snowfall of the year! So glad was I home to enjoy it!

not that savy snowman pj pants!

Lauren and I looking up times for iceskating.. tomorow we SLED!

Apple Kuchen German Pancakes. Early morning breakfast at Aunt Marcia and Uncle Jeffs house. A little cousin piano / guitar session. Afternoon shopping with the auntie, mom, and sister. Homemade soup.


sigh, these are what good days are made of.

Thankful List

My Thankful UMiami List:

1. My Safe House. That I'm comfortable enough to watch a movie with tricia and fall asleep on the couch (2 nights in a row). Knowing when I come home I can completely be myself, and enter a safe haven. Being able to sing and dance all over the place, and play piano too! Letting my guard down. The warmness of the apt (curtians, pictures, decorations and all)

2. Tricia (laughter, friendship, and random moments) : the zoo, Heidi turns "punk" dress up nights, sunday family home cooked dinners, celebrations of internships, its not enough having a sleep over sleeping in the same room "i want to sleep in your bed tricia!" RENT, lizard hunting, wine corks and the 2nd floor boys, trish stomping home soaked from the rain, pumpkin carving and gunky fingers, protecting our blankets from unwanted users....ect :)

3. Nursing school (SAC-the board that I now sit on for the nursing school with the dean, that mom approves of the education i'm recieving, that i'm still excited to be a nurse and know its my calling)

4. Heidi's 20th Birthday weekend (pumpkin carving, and GREAT memories with friends both at school and far away) you all made me feel SO LOVED, i'm grateful!

5. Fall Weather (that it finally gets cold enough to wear a sweater, and dance in the 60 degree breeze) + the everlastin Florida sunshine + the week in sepetember when it rained for 8 days straight

6. My classes, professors (Dr. Foote and Dr. Deleon, for giving me an amazing education), the good grades I'm recieving, and that my advisor finally knows me by name

7. My bible study girls (it's an honor and a blessing to be able to lead them, pour into them, and watch them grow)

8. Church (that i'm constantly growing and being challenged in my home church, and the few people that I see every week that are starting to know who I am, their small hellos mean a lot), and how refreshing worship is

9. Traditions: thursday night gray's anatomy, tues/thur afternoon lunches at the food court, monday night study, tues BCM

10. 2 little boys named Christian and Nicky that I nanny for: painting pumpkins, little kid soccer, dressing up and acting as the queen of narnia, being told that I am "a pretty princess" everyday and that when I grow up I should become a queen, making squishy things out of play doh, playing the "hot/cold" game, throwing sticks and rocks into the lake, and making random wishes

11. Best friend visits and crazy "let's cut 12 inches of hair off" saturdays

12. My new venting mechanism, running. And that I was able to make my 3.5 mile run around campus before the end of the semester!

13. Alone time by the lake. and seeing the crocodile "jeffery" about 7 times this semester!

Half Full or Half Empty

The other day while I was nannying, the dad asked Christian how his day was at school. Christian started complaining and so the dad brought the little boy over to the sink and began explaining the old "half full or half empty" principle. It was cute. In the end, no matter how many times we've heard that saying, its still true. We can look at all the good things in our lives and say its half full, or we can look at all the things we are missing in our lives and say half empty.

I want to be a half full kind of girl.

Although, when the nerd in me starts coming out I might also pull one of these :)

Sweater Weather and Stripey Socks

Dear Self,

Next year when you start getting jealous in August and Sepetember that the weather is changing to fall in all your favorite places and you're not there, remember this: that now come November it's finally your turn to whip out your sweaters and socks! To many people's dismay, Florida does have a fall (its just a couple months late). And you get to play and spin in the cool breeze and the 60 degree days for the next couple months. Fall is coming! And to top that, the fall stays for the majority of the year (lucky duck). So don't lose hope. Those stripey socks will get some fresh air soon enough.

Much love for sweater weather,
Heidianne

there are so many things to celebrate!

• The 101% on my statistics exam
• The 100% (WOW) on my phsiology exam (esp. when the class average was an 80)
• the fact that I won the battle with the nursing school and am now able to take my only "final/exam3" early and fly back home on Dec. 6
• the 99% on my german exam
• Todays meeting with the executive school of nursing board that I sit on. It's an honor, and a priveledge. I get to leave an impact!
• that the dean of the school of nursing said that I was one of the top students in the whole graduating class of my year. or even for the fact that both deans know me by name and who I am.
• that i have a best friend to fight and laugh and spend 2 hours cleaning the entire house together with
• and, the best one for last, that I get to fly home in 4 DAYS!!!!

Learning so much. Growing so much more. But tonight, we're gonna focus on the victories and enjoy the eve. watching grays anatomy and curling up in my CHICAGO blanket.

The Lasted Addition to apt.34

I decided to spoil myself this week with the purchase

of a brand new keyboard.

You can just call me Mozart in training ;)

It's important to do things for yourself,

and taking piano lessons has always been one

of my dreams.

Theres yet another thing fufilled this year!

A little Birdy

Leaving piano this morning, a chill ran up my back. The ever cold AC buildings at Miami often leave my body temperature a little lower then normal. So, as I headed out to the library to get some work done before German, I spotted a picnic table and some benches down by the lake, sitting right in the middle of the sun. It looked so warm. With the extra time that I had I ventured down, plopped on a bench, and stretched myself out to soak up the sun.

I felt like one of the Ibis birds on campus. Reaching its neck up as high as it can go almost trying to touch the sun and allow the warmth to encapsulate it. Letting my soul rest and rejuvenated for a few minutes.

It made me think of how at different times during the day we need to give ourselves that space. That space to let our minds wander and focus on God. That space to take a breathe from the rush, and silence ourselves.

Thats one checked off the list

I did it tonight! That goal of running the entire campus loop of about 3.5 miles. I did it.

I wasn't planning on it. I didn't go out for my weekly run expecting to push myself to the limits and let it all go.

But about half way through that second mile, a voice inside of me said just push it. I felt an unresistable urge come on fufill that wild ambition of mine.

Leap for joy.
exhilaration. release. she did it!

accomplishment.

My Secret Friend

Every Tuesday, and thursday my path crosses with a young grad student on way to my 8am classes. While I am walking towards the south side of campus near the nursing school, she heads north on the brick path by the lake to the architecture building.

I started smiling at her when we first walked by eachother because she resembled one of my old biology TA's, only to realize a week later that while the both women looked the same they were not actually the same. But the smiling and hellos continued. Every tuesday and thursday, almost like clock work, we pass and exchange smiles and greetings under the early morning sunrise.

And while I don't know her name, I don't know where she's from, what her story is... I do know that she is an architecture student and I would consider us close friends. For a time never fails that when we see eachother the day becomes a little brighter with a smile from a stranger.

I'll miss seeing her next semester. But for now, I'm thankful for my secret friend. So much can be learned and felt without even the exchange or words.

My name... analyzed

While studying for german ran across this random program on the internet that "supposedly" analyzes your name, simply by having you type it in.... of course i couldn't resist

Helpful
Enchanting
Independent
Difficult
Influential

hmmmm, gotta break up the study sessions somehow!

You must not expect to live in a world where all is harmony.
It is your task to maintain your own heart peace in adverse circumstances by relying on me.

- God

We all want someone to listen to our days, care about our ups and downs of the past couple hours, lend helpful advice, and encourage us by simply telling us "hey, i'm thinking about you, and you are important enough for me to stop what I'm doing and hear whatever you feel like talking about. thats how much I care." We all want to be able to call someone after a tough exam, or to be able to share an exciting/ laughable moment of the day with.

and thinking about this all on my way to class today God just kinda nudged me and said, heidi... you don't need another person to call, i can take care of that desire right here for you. i want to be that person. okay then God, but I might be calling a lot ;)

He Was There

The last time I saw him he was passed out on the couch after a night out of drinking on the one evening I came to visit at the end of college last year. The last time I talked to him, before this, he was spiraling downward in a negative way.

and yesterday he happened to call at the exact moment my heart was hurting and my eyes were full of tears. He was there. For the first time in many years, he was there for me in a way that went beyond finacial abilities and functional resources. he listened to me cry, almost as if in some ways i was the little girl again able to run back into her daddy's arms. he let me cry out all of my tears, and then he said he loved me. and that it'd be okay. and he offered help and advice in the only way he could. while offering to help my find a psycologist wasn't exactly the right answer, it was sweet in its own way because it showed me that he cared and he wanted to do anything in his power to ease my heart. it made me laugh and endeared my heart. not a normal father and daughter interaction, but a precious moment. in that second my dad wanted to protect me from the heart ache and do anything in his power to stop it. he was my dad. and he was there. it was even sweeter then when he called my sister after we got off the phone and told her she should call me and make sure that i was okay. again, not typical, but endearing, he loves me so much he reached beyond the ways he could comfort me, and reigned in my family. in the end his motive was pure, he wanted/needed to make sure i'd be okay.

then he called tonight. he called to make sure i was doing better and to remind me that he loved me and was there for me. he called to make sure my sister talked to me. he told me that fear is really false evidence appearing real and that we put way to high expectations on ourselves. he told me that i was an exceptional girl, and was doing so well. he didn't have to write it out this time, in one of the only ways hes ever been able to express himself to me, he was able to tell me.

he was there.

Today's Currentlys

Currently reviewing: Sarah Groves new CD; track- song for my sons

"This is a song for my sons for when they understand it,
You know how life is full you know we couldn't plan it
your dad and I prayed for strength and understanding for things we couldn't see or comprehend This is a song for you, to carry in your pocket
take all our love with you in all the paths you walk in
I can't say your life will always go like it should but I can say that God is always good

and when the cold wind blows like I know it will
and when you feel alone like I know you will
Don't let your love grow cold

This is a song from my heart a small refrain to hold you
for times when we're apart and I cannot console you
Be honest with yourself and don't forget to pray and read your bible everyday"

I don't know why, but it kinda speaks to my heart.

Currently thinking about purchasing: a keyboard to practice my new piano skills on

Alone in My Own Little World

"I was a little girl, alone in my little world, who dreamed of a little home

for me. I played pretend between the trees, and fed by houseguests sparkly's, and

laughed in the pretty bed of green. I had a dream that I could fly from

the highest SWING, I had a dream."

Some Advice from an Oma

The family was in town to visit this past week and through that I was able to snatch some great advice from my dear oma

while climbing over a sign in the middle of a walking pathway that says "do not enter"
"not all of man's rules in life are neccesarily correct and need to be followed. It's okay to break some rules and bend the corner every once in a while."

when my cousin matty called to wish me a happy birthday
"i love to see how our family is a bunch of golden threads. Me and opa worked so hard for so many years to weave all these golden threads together, and now they stand on their own."

and who can leave out opa's advice
"no men until you are 30 Heidi. You get your PhD first before you can get a man." haha, opa wants all of his women to get their PhD's!

Some Changes

Nothing changes ones perspective more then a new haircut!

12 inches gone and donated to locks for love.

According to my oma and opa, it's a very "smart" older "20 something" do!

Have a birthday, turn 20, times are changing!