HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Seems fitting that I'm ringing in a new decade with friends that have been behind me for the entire 10 years (most of them for almost the last 2 decades!). I'm looking forward to all the laughs to be had this evening!

Pictures of my wonderful Christmas break are on their way!

D.O.N.E. done done done!

I finished my didactic year of PA school today. It feels like just yesterday we were in the triple digits of our countdown... I never thought the day would come! YAY!

The past 6 months...

It's been awhile since I've updated but here are a few highlights of the last 6 months of my life.

In August, Kara and headed to Atlanta for the Brett Dennon and OAR concert, quick trip to Six Flags, Big Ten Bar Crawl (where I caught up with Erica and Amanda, two of my fellow Spartan Athletic Trainers) and a Braves game. All in about 36 hours... it was a wonderful escape from reality.

The last weekend in August, Will joined me to meet up with Mike and Danielle and Mike and Heather for a weekend of camping and relaxing. It was wonderful to get together with some of my Michigan friends!

My family, including Aunt Jan and Corey and Jacob, came down for Labor day weekend and Boomsday. We had a lot of fun just relaxing around the pool, hanging out in Knoxville and, of course, watching the fireworks on the river.

After quarter 4, Kara and I hopped in the car and were Gainesville bound for the Tennessee v. Florida football game at "The Swamp". It was INCREDIBLY hot but, a great weekend. I was able to meet up with Tom and go to the game with him and his friends from UF. On Sunday, Kara and I continued our trek south to her hometown of Bonita Springs. We stayed with her grandparents, laid on the beach (and got incredibly sunburned one day. Her back. My front.), and hung around town until I boarded a plane back to Knoxville midweek. Then, I drove home for 10 relaxing days in Michigan. My dad and I attended our annual UM v. MSU football game in East Lansing. We tailgated with my fellow Hartland Spartans then made our way to the game. It poured for most of the game but the sun began to peak thru just as time ran out for another Spartan W. Dad and I have been going since 1990, when I was in kindergarten and we've only missed the game one year since then. Such a fun tradition. After such a WONDERFUL break, I headed back to Knoxville for my 5th, and FINAL, quarter of PA school.

 In October, Melissa and Paul were able to come down for a weekend. We were able to hang out with my PA school family one night and attended the Knoxville Brewer's Jam for the day on Saturday with a lot of my class also. It was a very fun, muddy, mess.

I spent Thanksgiving in North Carolina with Mike and Heather, Mike and Danielle, Steve and some of Heather's friends from college. It was amazing to be able to get away and relax for a few days with some of my best friends. Dinner was absolutely amazing and our non-traditional Thanksgiving evening beer pong in the garage was tons of fun.

On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, I got in the car with Nicki, my favorite Tar Heel, Rob and Will (our pseudo-fans) and we were on our way to Chapel Hill (about 5 hours) for the MSU v. UNC National Championship rematch. Though my Spartans didn't come out on top, (or barely at all for that matter) I had a blast exploring Nicki's old campus.

 

Now I'm 1 OSCE, 1 Ethics Quiz and class, 1 surgery class, and 3 finals away from being done with my didactic year of PA school (that's only 5 more days too!). Clinicals start January 4th and I can't wait!

My Heart Belongs in Michigan

Molly and Jeff got married June 27th. The weather was perfect, the reception was beautiful and even Jeff cried. My friends are the best around and I can't imagine my life without them. We had tons of fun the entire week I was home. Can't wait to be back in Michigan!

San Diego!

The AAPA national conference this year was held in San Diego. So, for memorial day weekend, Kara and I hopped on a plane with Shelly (another classmate) to attend a weekend of lectures and sunshine on the ocean. I had never been west of the Mississippi and I was itching to get out of Knoxville so this was perfect timing. It was perfect timing to remind us what our ultimate goal is and why we're doing it, and to relax and have some fun. We spent Friday exploring the city and going to a Padres game at Petco. We went to a place called "Extraordinary Desserts" - truly extraordinary. On Saturday we slept in because we didn't go to bed on Thursday night then went to the conference in the afternoon. Kara's sister met us on Saturday night at an Italian restaurant owned by the chef that was her instructer for her study abroad in Italy. Truly amazing. Sunday we went to the San Diego Zoo. I thought we'd spend a few hours because it would be like any other zoo, not at all. We spent 5 hours there and it was pretty amazing. Sunday night we met up with another classmate, Josh, and went out to a piano bar for a night out on the town. We went to the conference and laid by the pool with mojitos for a wonderful Monday and unfortunately had to fly home on Tuesday morning. One of our friends was able to get us an amazing discount at the Marriott on the bay and stayed on the 21st floor overlooking the ocean. It was amazing. Perfect script for some stressed out PA students.



The conference was incredibly rewarding. It reminded me of my purpose for spending countless hours with my nose in a book or my eyes glued to my computer screen. Kara and I have vowed to use the conference as a reason to get together each year, an excuse to have at least one reunion (though hopefully there will be more throughout the year).

2 1/2 quarters done and, 2 1/2 Quarters to go!

Yesterday marked the half way point of my didactic year of PA school. As far as classes go, I only have as much ahead of me as I've already put behind me. So exciting! Once I'm through this quarter I'll be 1/3 of the way through my entire 27 months of school. Graduation is only 588 days away.

With all that being said, it's absolutely incredible to me that I've been a resident of Knoxville, TN for almost 8 months now. I feel like just a few weeks ago Mary and Amy were helping me pack the trailer to move down here. Time flies when you're having fun... or just busy.

Nashville Half Marathon

Since January my roommates from 121 Center St. at MSU have been planning to get together to run a half marathon. It's was a weekend I've been looking forward to since Kristen planted the idea in our heads. Though the training was minimal, the mission was completed and we had an incredible time in the process. We arrived at our hotel on Friday afternoon and had been laughing since the moment we were all in the same car. I knew this was going to be just what I needed away from Knoxville and PA school. However, I kept letting the idea that I was running 13.1 miles the next morning slip my mind. We graced corral 10 about 6:50am, ready to go. At this point it was already 70 degress and the sun was just peaking over the Nashville skyline, it would gradually climb to about 85 and the sun would be out in full force.

The run was rough, probably one of my most challenging in my long running career but having 3 incredible friends running with me (and a little bit of stubborness) kept putting one foot in front of the other and Jessie and I crossed the finish line just 2 hours and 21 short minutes after we started. Once I streched the cramps out of my calves and hamstrings and replenshed my water, I started walking backwards down the course to meet up with a fellow classmate brave enough to face the full marathon on this beautifully miserable day. I ran what I could with her and was able to help carry the, self-proclaimed, Torr-nado across the finish line. The entire experience has motivated me to think about trying to complete another full. I'm so proud of Torrey for finding what it took inside to finish the race and not give up. Three of my other classmates also ran the half marathon and we all wore purple shirts in honor of a fellow classmates father who was recently diagnosed with multiple myeloma.



We went out to a dueling piano bar that night after a cold shower, Gigi's gourmet cupcakes and a good nap. (It was 85, sunny and we were on "vacation" in Nashville and we laid in our beds in the hotel for a good portion of the afternoon, lame). By about 11 we were all too tired to make a decision about whether or not to move on to the next bar and explore Nashville or go to bed so, we went to bed.



After a beautiful, sunny weekend, 13.1 miles, and a dozen jort's pictures with awkward poses the three other former girls of 121 center street boarded their planes and went back to their hometowns. It was an incredible weekend and we're already thinking about the next one.

Here's the breakdown of the dedications to the people most important to me for all 13 miles:
Mile 1: The 47 people I sit in class with everyday. This one's for you Lisa!! ;)
Mile 2: Chappell's Angels. My love for running was established and grew with these 12 girls and they're some of the best friend's I've ever had.
Mile 3: Chappell. Mrawwww.
Mile 4: The HHS Cross Country and Track teams. From volunteering to coach while I was in transition I met some inspiring teenagers and a great friend.
Mile 5: Grandma Grace. Breast Cancer Survivor.
Mile 6: My dad.
Mile 7: Everyone who got me out the door for a few miles since January, especially Torrey and Taylor
Mile 8: The end to my line segment. Kelly Genei.
Mile 9: Coach Danna. Every time I step out the door in my running shoes, I know you're with me.
Mile 10: My grandfather, who I never really got to know and wish that I had.
Mile 11: My family. Momma, Broheim and Club
Mile 12: Kirsten's dad, who's name I wore proudly on my back.
Mile 13: Kristen, Aly and Jessie
The final .1: Me