What a Quarter!

Well I just finished my 5th quarter at Loma Linda, and I only have 2 left to go!! I am so excited and so happy that someday I will be done. Someday I will get off work, and go home and read a book. Or watch tv. Or go cycling. But I will not do homework. I will no longer have to study for a POP from Mrs. Hurlbutt. I will be free. They will be paying ME not the other way around. Appointments won't take three hours because I have to be supervised and get clinic checks and have everything signed off.
So much has happened this quarter, I got a little niece (Well a cousin-niece, but a niece nonetheless), survived the dinosaur museum in Lehi - the largest in North America no less, watched Beethoven's 4th at the Hatch in Boston - as the sun set and the sailboats returned, visited Salt Lake City with my dear flight attendant friend Janelle, had my first picture taken with Wes (after only 4 years or so), gave an oral hygiene presentation to a group of 6th graders, and conducted my first research project. I went swing dancing with Bill Nye the Science Guy in Pasadena, and returned again on Halloween to go swing dancing dressed as Athena accompanied by a man in a red speedo. Indeed it has been a busy quarter. I even got some little pet chickens. Cute little buddies who keep the whole family entertained. It's the start of my last year at Loma Linda *WWOOOO* and it's going to be the first Christmas with 4 little kiddos to open presents on Christmas morning.
Overall, I would say this has been a great year, full of wonderful happy things. I am so grateful and happy to be part of such a fantastic family, and to be in the program that I wanted to badly to get into. I'm grateful that I get to come home everyday and live (and bike) in such a beautiful city. I love visiting my Auntie so close by and my mom's exaggerated enthusiasm over lights and her need to buy anything and everything for her grandchildren (as long as she saves some energy for my kids far off in the distance). I'm grateful for Skype so I can see my family, even when they are in Boston. I'm grateful for rain boots and car safety features. I love everything so much, and I am so glad that I get to be a part of everything.

Sometimes I Just Miss My Cousin

I wasn't raised with any sisters. I inherited sisters as my brothers grew up and married beautiful, wonderful women. But then I had married sisters, and it's just not quite the same. So the closest thing I had growing up was a cousin (two really, but one a little closer). Jacki and I went swimming and tanning together, ate regularly at Del Taco, had insanely different music preferences, took Calligraphy together, lived together at BYU, made a lot of cheese enchiladas, and we moved home at the same time so we saw each other all the time. I love Jacki. We spent a lot of time together growing up, and then a lot of time together in college. We even watched West Side Story together (I feel that especially bonds people). And when we were here this summer, and I somehow managed to get the lamest dates ever, Jacki made them into third wheel extravaganzas and we still had fun. She was the one who came to get me from Sundance, in the snow, having to get off work, when I tore my ACL. She drove me to my final, got me crutches and spent the night with me to make sure I was ok before going to the hospital the next day. I just love my dear cousin Jacki. The only problem is that she is now on a mission in El Salvador, and while I am so happy for my dear cousin and she deserves all the happiness ever, I miss her an insane amount.
Every time I see something funny, I immediately think, "Oh, I need to tell Jacki!". With every 'indubitably' and 'indeed' that escapes my mouth, I think of Jacki, and eating at the Cheesecake Factory, watching Pride and Prejudice, or celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving. Especially now, as I wait for my family to come for Christmas, I keep forgetting that I'm not waiting for Jacki. I keep trying to remind myself which day she is coming, and I keep forgetting that she's not. So I just wanted to dedicate this little blog to my FC. I love you Kacki and I wish you a happy Christmas and wonderful mission!!

Lexa

As we may or may not remember, I love bikes! I think they are so fun. And now with Jack deceased, I decided it was time. Time to finally embrace my love of bikes. So after months of debating, searching Craigslist, searching the newspaper, asking friends if they knew anything about bikes, looking mindlessly through eBay, I finally decided on a bike. The first time I went shopping, it was rainy and I couldn't ride the bikes around. But then finally, this Saturday I woke up and it was so beautiful outside! The sky was blue, the sun was shining, my little chickens were peeping around. And all I wanted to do was ride a bike. I wanted to ride all around. Happily. But I didn't have a bike. :(
So I bravely went to the bike store by myself (it was a big step) and purchased the bike I had been eying for the past month. A WSD Trek. The salesman was super nice, and waited for me while I debated everything, tried on every helmet in the store, biked around the block on a few different bikes (just to be sure), and he even tried on bike shorts with me. By the end I felt like we were friends. He was awestruck with just how "beginner" I was ( I didn't have a floor pump at home?!). So he walked me through the entire process, and told me everything I was going to need (yes to a little seat bag, no to the camel pack).
I don't get to pick it up until tomorrow (they don't carry my color preference), but I am so excited! Sure, I have two finals tomorrow, but afterwards!!! I get to bike around! YAY! Although I might hold off on those bike shorts for a while...