Therapy? Check!

As you can all see from the description of the blog, we nicknamed the family beach house "Therapy". And I needed some of that! So this past weekend I headed down there to get out of my over-booked home. Saturday was absolutely gorgeous and perfect weather to spend some time outside. Whew, did we ever spend time outside! There are about 10 palm trees on our property that do best if they are pruned, so they got pruned. I got to be outside in the awesome 70 degrees from 9am-3pm and even got to start on my 2011 tan!! Now I have the bug and can't wait to have the opportunity to tan some more.

In other fun family news, my sister-in-law got into nursing school! She was getting her undergrad degree when she and my brother got married and then they moved. Going back has been something she's wanted to do, so its pretty exciting to see it working out for her.

Okay, now that I've procrastinated a little, I must get back to my 20page research paper. God help me...please.

This pic is from a couple months ago not far from the house.

"Because Nothing Matters More"

The MIX 101.5 Duke Children's Radiothon started today. That means no need for much eye make up and be sure to have tissues because it is heart wrenching. My love for children/families in crisis, the "marriage and family" part of my masters, and the friends that have needed Duke Children's Hospital all mix together so that I can hardly tear myself away from the radio. Since you can listen online (www.wralfm.com), I listen on my computer all day at work. Each day I make a pledge in honor/memory of someone I love. Today, they dedicated an hour to the PICU/NICU/CICU. That gave me no option but to pledge $25 in honor of Ryder, the son of one of my dearest friends. He was born a few weeks early with a hole in his heart and an unknown amount of other complications. After several days of back and forth between work and the hospital I was lucky enough to be there when he was rolled out of delivery. I'm not sure I've ever been more excited and scared at the same time. Ryder spent several days in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. He is now a little over two months old and out of the hospital. Duke was great to him and his parents and my thankfulness came out in the form of a little money today.

The Radiothon will last until Thursday evening. Between now and then I'm sure I'll give more, maybe a 25x12 pledge to give $25/month for the next year? Then in March I'll attend the jazz dance show, Multiple Choices. Its done by the dance school I attended for 10 years as a kid. It too benefits Duke Children's Hospital. Part of the inspiration for that show was the fight against, and eventual death from, a brain tumor of my best friend at seven years old, Jennifer. Another inspiration is one of my brothers best friends who died from complications of a car accident in February of their senior year.

The same parts of me that want to listen to this event and give my money and attend Multiple Choices are the same things that make me want to be a Child Life Specialist. I've seen the hurt, confusion, grief and triumphs in my friends' and family's lives and I want to be a part. To "jump in the trench" with someone and help them find their way out? THAT is awesome. That is why I torture myself with grad school. I don't want to have money withdrawn once a month, I want to be their with them every day.

Not everyone is meant for that, but almost everyone could give something. So check out www.wralfm.com. Give $20 and skip an over-priced movie and popcorn this week and utilize the RedBox. Like the Radiothon slogan says "Because nothing matters more".

The Twilight Zone

I just wrapped up taking a two hour and 15 minute test, so this will be a short post. I'm ready to take my slightly fried brain to bed. But I wanted to take a minute to introduce everyone to my job. In an effort not to get myself in any trouble, we'll just say that I work at a "Christian" organization and we'll just call it Work.

When I started at Work it was as a temporary employee. I really liked the people in my division so when they offered full time, knowing I would have to leave within a year to do my internship, I jumped at the chance. This meant good insurance, a steady income, and I enjoy my coworkers. Outside of my division, but still in my office suite there is another division. I don't have much to do with their work, but I sit next to two of their employees. The office is hilarious and entertaining if nothing else. However, today as my pastor described everything that could make a home NOT be constructed under Christian principles, he basically listed everyone around the office. Work, the "Christian" organization, has people who claim no religion proudly and people who claim Christianity and I do not think it is possible. It saddened me on Friday to really survey the office and not be sure than ANY of my coworkers are truly Christians. This is the first job that I have really enjoyed going to because I genuinely enjoy my coworkers and the work is always interesting. But I must say that I'm glad my internship gives me an out, because I do not believe that it would be good for my walk to be in this position permanently. To my knowledge, nobody who I work with reads this blog (or anyone else for that matter), but if you do...know that I love you and I am not trying to offend you, but it just is not a place to grow in my faith no matter what the name over the door says.

Okay, enough ranting for tonight. Tomorrow is S.A.D and I must find a good all black outfit to wear!!

The Greatest Rivalry in College Sports

....that's the phrase we hear at least 10 times each year. Sometimes its said when the Two Blues are playing each other and other times its said when neither team is playing. College sports shows just cant get enough of UNC vs duke.
Last night UNC come into Durham for Round 1 of the basketball season with Carolina ranked #20 and duke ranked #5. If you know me, then this is old news, but for my new friends out there I feel like I should explain where my loyalties lie. Some people pick which team to be a fan of simply because they want to have an answer when someone asks the question that those of us who live in and around this rivalry always get, "So which team do you pull for?" Others are fans because they attended one of these schools. Some people are even fans just because their friends are. However, there is a group of us whose loyalties run a little deeper. One of Carolina's songs has these lyrics...

I'm a Tar Heel born I'm a Tar Heel bred
And when I die I'm a Tar Heel dead.
So it's RAH, RAH, Car'lina 'lina
RAH, RAH, Car'lina 'lina
RAH, RAH, Car'lina
Go to Hell duke!

Now that last line is not the official version, but we all know it's the real words. This song embodies why I am a UNC fan. I was born into it. Some argue that I should pull for the other school because I am from Durham, but I don't think you can draw a distinction of "local" between 10.8 and 18.8 miles from my house.

Last night's game didn't go quite as I had hoped, but it was basically what I expected. UNC did not win. What I NEVER expected was for us to be up by so much at the half. Our young team took on the blue devils with a lot of heart and skill. I'm proud of them and their effort. There is always room for improvement, but they did a great job! So let the dukies bask in their glory, because there is ALWAYS the next meeting (March 5th in our house)!! LETS GO HEELS!

My favorite addiction

I'm typing today's entry from one of the coolest places on Earth....Starbucks. I've always enjoyed coming into one, but lately these have been my safe haven from a houseFULL of family. Lindsay, a friend and fellow counselor-in-training-in-need-of-therapy is meeting me here a little later. So tonight I got to enjoy some bison pot roast at Ted's Montana Grill AND I get to see Lindsay and have SB. Really, this is almost better than therapy.

Now back to that houseFULL. Since I started my Masters it seem most financially responsible to bite the bullet and be an adult child living in my parents' home. This is NOT an adventure for the faint of heart. I've been back since the end of 2008...yup, thats more than 2 years. Certainly not where I thought I'd be at 27, but I'm looking forward to my Masters being finished and my bank account healthy enough to hopefully buy rather than rent. Anyway...this past summer, due to some secretive and pathetic lack of financial responsibility by my brother's employer, he was going to be leaving his job. He took the high road and did this because otherwise, he would have put a church in bankruptcy. Now as nice as that was, things had to change. My sister-in-law was offered her job back here in our hometown. It is a good-paying job with good health insurance. Since they have not only themselves to think about, but also my nephew who is now 2 years old, health insurance is good. Because Brother and SIL purchased a house there and the housing market SUCKS in that part of TN, their house just isn't selling. This means they don't have the funds to get something else here and pay mortgage there. SO, they (all 3 of them + their dog) moved into my parents house with Mom, Dad, me and my dog Berkeley. Tight squeeze. Most days I try to ignore the complete lack of privacy for any of us. But sometimes I just need the peace of a Starbucks and a tasty latte. So thank you Starbucks for providing me with therapy for less than $5, my family and I are all VERY grateful!


Because I love a blog with pictures...this is my nephew P, enjoying his cupcake at his 2nd bday party.

Melissa Lynn...the student

I don't know about y'all, but I am ready for Spring!! It is quite cold here and sniffles just keep on coming.

For those of you reading this that don't know me, this can be Part 1 of my introduction. For the last two years my life has revolved around school. I am getting my Masters in Marriage and Family and doing most if it as distance education. This means that there is typically a small assignment due in the middle of each week, a follow-up to that due at the end of the week, and always a big research paper/project due at the end of the course (which are 8 weeks long). Aside from a few weeks at Christmas, it is very possible to take courses every day of the year. And it is exhausting!

However, there is light at the end of this formal education tunnel!! I'm currently half way through my final 8-week course. I have two intensives in March; those are 1 week long courses at the campus that is two hours away. I'll stay there for two weeks going to school 8 hours every day. The end of March brings the end of my classes!!! There will be a few assignments due through April, a practicum in the summer, an internship in the fall and I'll graduate in December! As much as I love learning, that sounds SO good.

Hopefully I won't be crazy enough to go back for more.

Hello World

Hello Everyone! I often wish I had somewhere to jot down my day or my thoughts, but your traditional journal is not something I keep up with well. So I thought I would give blogging a try. I have good friends who blog and I stalk other blogs all of the time. Now its my turn to be stalked.

Right now I've got a full plate of craziness. My life is full of school, work, sickness (this week), and family and friends. So hopefully I'll get to tell you about all of that in time. Thanks for checking out the blog!