Christmas Pictures

Joyeux Noel!

Ever since I was a little girl, I hated for Christmas to be over. There was something sad about having unwrapped all the presents and taken the last picture in front of the Christmas tree. I think that at 24 I'm past crying about it, but I do still feel a little sad.

There is something special about Christmas time. I love the decorations and sparkling things and having nice greetings to say to each other. I love all the yummy food and the excuse to have parties and people over.

I know, I know, it comes quicker every year. But I hope everyone has had a chance to enjoy Christmas this year with your family and/or friends.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas Eve Eve

Yesterday I drove home just in time to join my cousins, Jenny and Jeremy, and Charles in playing Christmas Carols. It had been a little while since I played the violin, so I'm not sure how much beauty I added, but it was fun! I love the sound of stringed instraments together.

Today my mom and I baked things and got ready for the weekend. Tonight I am going to Heather's new house for dinner and a sleepover. It should be fun. I can't remember the last time we've had a real sleepover! I might have had to ask permission..... :)

I hope everyone is having a good time in your respective homes. One thing I appreciate about the holidays as I get older is just the time spent with friends and family. It's nice to have an excuse to get together, bake good food, and enjoy each others company.

A moment of Silence for Tennessee Christian

Today the news was finally announced. Tennessee Christian is being sold to HCA. The transaction should take place on Febuary 1 pending state approval.

So, I guess I have an end date on this rotation. I'm still not sure what my next job will be. But at least I have a time frame for this rotation.

It's a sad moment for Adventist Healthcare. Tennessee Christian is 100 years old and many Adventist have spend time here for various reasons: the nursing school, the school of anesthesia, working at the hospital, living in the community... My grandparents met here many years ago.

However, I think that given the circumstances, it is the best thing for the hospital and the community. It will be an interesting transition from a not-for-profit faith-based hospital to become a for-profit hospital.

For more information visit http://www.ahss.org/newsdisplay.asp?ID=6053

Ironic

Have you ever noticed that often the person that you love the most can also hurt and frustrate you the most? It's like an all access pass to your emotions, inspiring both excited and happy ones as well as deeply saddening and maddening ones. Funny how that works.

Most of you know that I am a big fan of the self-help book. I love reading books like "The Five Love Languages" and taking different personality assessments. It's interesting to me to understand how I am and how other people are that are different from me.

I believe that any marriage/relationship can benefit from reading a good book on the subject of relationships each year; however, I'm coming to the conclusion that it's %^$* hard to really love someone and make things work.

I used to be quite idealistic about love and marriage. And I know I still am to a degree. But just because some one is your "soulmate" doesn't mean you don't want to scream at them once in awhile or that you are always going to connect in a positive way.

I personally think that this sucks. I'm all for good feelings and not fighting and just being happy. But being emotional myself, I know that just doesn't always happen. Sometimes feelings get hurt. Sometimes people overreact. Sometimes we aren't nice to those we love.

How one deals with this is still a bit gray to me. I know there must be a better way then what I sometimes fall into. But I'm also learning that there is no perfect solution nor is there a perfect person. I guess the only thing you can do is keep trying and with God's grace, hopefully improving a bit every day.

One class down!

I just submitted my Marketing plan and now I am finished with my first MBA class! I'm quite excited about the break from homework. Now on to finishing my Christmas shopping :)

Defrosting

Yesterday it was some cold temperature resulting in frost on my car and a general cold all around. Today I'm happy to report that the high was in the 70's and it's not very cold at all :) I do love Florida in the winter time. Granted, a bit of cold is nice so that I can wear my coats and scarfs and such. But I don't need months and months of it. I rather like being able to run around in a sleeveless shirt in Februrary. Yay for Florida sunshine.

Such a great show!

Commander and Chief came on again tonight. It's such an inspiring show. Last week I went to a Leadership Retreat and one of the topics was "level 5" decision making. This is where a leader makes a decision that is difficult, and risky, but is the right decision for the good of society. For example, when the Washington Post published the Pentagon Papers, they didn't know if the Supreme Court would sanction them and cause them to be shut down. They received strong threats from the Nixon administration. But for the love of journalism, the leader made the decision to publish the papers. That's a "level 5" decision.

Mac makes these kinds of decisions in every episode. Today she choose to save a woman who was going to be stoned to death for adultary even though it had dangerous foreign policy implications.

Anyways, it's a good show if anyone has free time on Tuesday evening. :)

Snow village

Tonight I went to JoAnn's Fabrics in search of a wreath. I came a way with the beginning of a Victorian snow village for only $20! I got a cute little house, 4 sets of people, some street lamps and Christmas trees. I've always thought these little villages were cute so I'm rather excited about this addition to my Christmas collection.

Commander and Chief

"The right thing isn't always the opposite of the wrong thing."

This was spoken by the president's husband as she debated over a difficult decision. I thought it was a thought-provoking statement.

This is becoming one of my favorite shows. It comes on ABC Tuesday nights at 8:00 Central if anyone is interested. :)

Circles

I was recently reminded of a poem I wrote in in high school. I added a few lines.

You draw your circles
And I draw mine
No one dares reach over
To step across the line

Your circles shut me out
My circles shut me in
My friends cannot be yours
And I can't be your friend

Trapped within our circles
By what we won't look past
We lose potential memories
And friendships made to last

Only you can stop your tracing
Only you can let it clear
And let the water wash it clean
Till the circles disappear

Meeting the Family

Things have actually gone pretty well so far. Anitra and Tony are both very nice and have made us feel very comfortable in their house. Most of Kevin's family has been very friendly. His dad even made a point of welcoming me in front of everyone.

There have been a couple "moments" that I thought you would find amusing.

The first happened last night. Anitra and Tony invited two of their friends over to watch a movie with us. As we were waiting for Kevin to take a shower or something, we started watching TV. Of course, Malcom X came on. THAT was awkward. My personal favorite was in the beginning where he apparently tried to look white and was seduced by a blond white girl. Luckily Kevin came in around that point and we pressed play for the "Polar Express" Saved by an animation.

The next was today. Here is the conversation between Kevin's aunt and me.

Me: So where are you going to church tomorrow. (Huntsville is like Collegedale. There are a bunch of churches here.)

Aunt: We'll probably go to Oakwood.

Me: Is the Oakwood church kindof like the Collegedale church?

Aunt: Well, it's not really like the Collegedale church because most everyone is black.

Me: Really?!??? (Can you hear the sarcasm?!)

Kevin and I had a good laugh over that one.

So, I still don't know where we are going to church, but I did learn that the Oakwood church has a mostly black popluation. So surprising considering its location. :)

Happy Sabbath!

Reason number 3456 not to shop at Walmart

#3456- Terrible customer service.

I was on a mission to buy the Newlywed game for an office party. I called Walmart to ask if they carried the game.

Walmart Rep #1- Hello.

Me- I am looking for the BOARD game, The newlywed game. Do you have it?

I am transfered to electronics

Walmart Rep #2- Electronics

Me- I am looking for the BOARD game, The newlywed game. Do you have it?

Walmart Rep #2 - Uh, does it have anything to do with a computer?

Me- No. It's a board game

Walmart Rep #2- Uhhhh. Sorry, I can't help you.

Me- Can you transfer me to someone who can?!

I am transferred

Walmart Rep #3- Hello

Me- (Hoping I haven't been transfered to houseware) Who am I speaking with?

Walmart Rep #3- Bill

I say my speech for the third time, he disappears, and returns saying that they have the game.

So, I go to Walmart. No game. I ask to speak to a manager. 15 minutes, and 5 pages later, no manager.

I leave emptyhanded and very annoyed reminding myself to stay away from that horrid store as much as possible.

Take a quick vote

I'm trying to decide what to make for Thanksgiving. It has to be something that most people would like. So, here are the options. Pumpkin pie, strawberry trifle (strawberries, whipped cream, pudding...) fall decorated sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, or ginger cookies. Please respond with your pick. Thanks!

Thanksgiving suprise

I had a sudden change of plans this weekend when my parents suggested I go to Kevin's sisters place for Thanksgiving. I'm glad they suggested it and I think it will be a good thing as I have yet to meet any of his family. But...I'm a little nervous. Hopefully they like me and it doesn't like like a bad scene from Guess Who. At least they know about me! Anitra actually doesn't live very far away from me, only a couple hours. So that will be good. Hopefully I don't get lost in the middle of Alabama. Do cell phones work there? :)

Gabrielle and the M&Ms

There once was a girl named Gabrielle who liked M&Ms very much. She especially liked the yellow ones. Yellow was, after all, her favorite color. She tried to buy M&Ms that came in bags of only yellow ones, and when that wasn’t an option she would just throw out the rest. Oddly enough all of her friends and relatives were the same. They even had jokes about the phenomenon and would call each other names like “sunshine” and “banana.” One day she was having an M&M craving and bought a huge bag from Target to munch on during her trip home. She opened the bag with excitement, but she discovered that in the entire bag there were NO YELLOW M&Ms! What to do?! After much debate she decided to try a red one. She didn’t know what to expect, but as the taste sank it she discovered something. IT TASTED THE SAME! She was surprised at this revelation. How could it taste like a yellow M&M when it so obviously looked different? So she did some research on Google and discovered something. The only difference between yellow M&Ms and red one is food coloring. That’s it. No extra preservatives, no funny flavors. Just food coloring. What a relief! Now she could actually eat the entire bag of M&Ms. But will the rest of the yellow fans stop throwing away perfectly good M&Ms? That remains to be seen.

Commander and Chief

Wednesday nights at 9/8 there is a very interesting new show about the first female president. It's actually quite good. It gives you insight into what it is like to be a political public figure. The President is a very interesting and likeable character who you wish could actually be president. Kindof like Harrison Ford/

Christmas is coming!

Today I went shopping at this great mall. It had Cheesecake Factory and Pottery Barn and even a Lucky Jeans store. I didn't buy anything, but it was still fun. A few stores have brought out the Christmas decorations. I know it's still a month away, but for some reason I feel like Christmas. I'm even listening to my Christmas music. Happy Holiday Season Eve! :)

Yay for the weekend

Weekends should come much more often. I have had an interesting week. I got sick this weekend and went to the doctor on Tuesday. She said I had bronchitus and told me to stay home from work the next day. I had a career fair at Southern yesterday and was able to have lunch with Mike, my boss from Corporate. Today I worked from home. I'm hoping to get some good sleep this weekend and feel better. And hopefully enjoy the nice weather here. I love fall in Tennessee.

Hurricane Pictures

The surf just before the hurricane hit.A little building outside our shelter during the storm.
Same building after the storm Our shelter and the plywood that protected us from the winds!

I am alive!

Thank-you to everyone for your prayers for me this week. I finally made it home last night. For those of you that don't know, I was in Cancun on "vacation" last week. The plan was to spend from Wednesday through Sunday on the beach and relax. Sadly, this didn't work out. Thursday morning we had to evacuate the hotel and go to a school for a shelter because Hurricane Wilma was headed out way as a category 5 storm. We slept on a blanket on the concrete floor. The eye of the hurricane was supposed to hit Friday morning. Instead the hurricane sat over us until Sunday morning. It was the longest strongest storm ever recorded to hit the Caribbean. It literally sat over us and went from a strong category 4 to a tropical storm over us. During the worst part, the plywood that was separating us from the storm was creaking and bowing and even cracking. Needless to say, I was a bit scared. Thank God it held and we are okay. We made it onto the first Delta flight out yesterday and got home. The shower felt wonderful :)

Decisions: facts or feelings?

How do you fall in love
How do you say I do
When is the perfect time
To spend the rest of your life
Seasons may come and go
And sometimes it rains and snows
And there will be highs and lows
So only you will know
You never know just where it will find you
’cause it can come on you so fast
Seems like it takes forever
When you want it so bad
But don’t ever take it for granted
’cause it’s more than sowing some seeds
It takes sun and water
So give it what it needs
And that’s how you fall in love
That’s when you say I do
That’s when you know it’s time
To spend the rest of your life
Now seasons may come and go
And sometimes it rains and snows
There will be highs and lows
So only you will know
There will be highs and lows
So only you will know

I've always thought this song was beautiful. But it would bug me that the writers would never really answer the question "How do you know?" I have always been a combination of analytical and romantic. I like to sort things into collums and weigh pros and cons. But sometimes you can't explain why you know something. You just know it. Many people I have spoken with confirms this phenomenon. When it's right, you will know. This is often said with regard to marriage. And I think it is true. But I think it also applys to other matters in life. It's helpful to get all the facts, to gain understanding and perspective and above all to pray. But I think all these things come together in a sort of gut feeling. And in the end, you know the right decision to make.

Any thoughts on this?

The Great Divorce

I was invited by someone at work to attend a narration of "The Great Divorce" by C. S. Lewis. It was by an actor from England. He used different accents and voices for the characters. It was a very interesting story. It told of the narrator who was on a bus trip from hell to heaven and the people he meets along the way. A statement I thought was profound was this. For those from the earth who ended up in hell, it penetrated back to their whole life. The sinful pleasures they once had, held no further pleasure and it was as if their whole life was hell. Those who ended up in heaven where able to think back on the hard times in their life and still see God or his hand, and it was as if their whole life was heaven.

Another interesting part was when the "ghosts" or people between heaven and hell dialogued with the saved. (In this story, people from hell can sometimes still choose to be saved. It's a parable, not necessarily a doctrine.) One ghost was holding on to a sign from the past represented by a lizard on his shoulder. The angel said that he could kill the lizard for him, but he had to have permission first. Finally the ghost gave him permission. After he killed the lizard it turned into a stallion and the ghost became a "bright person" and was able to continue the journey to heaven.

This may not make sense if you haven't read the book or don't understand C.S. Lewis' imaginative style. I enjoyed the narration and encourage you guys to look at the book if you have time.

Do I really need an MBA?!

This online thing is about to push me over the edge. I can't sign on to the WebCt despite having spoken to IS earlier today and getting things "straightened out." I can't buy a book for my class because the online bookstore website isn't working and I can't match the ISBN number on Amazon. I found the right title and edition, but it has a different ISBN number. I don't understand that. It is so much easier to do some of this stuff in person. I like the online thing in theory, but right now it's about to drive me up the wall.

Yummy s'mores! 

The family 

Playing Football 

My Big Fat Family Camping Trip

This weekend I was supposed to go camping with my family. And by family I mean Carrie, Paul, Christopher, Jenny,Jeremy, Charles, Mom, Dad, Uncle Mearle, Aunt Bonnie, Aunt Marie, Uncle Dale, Uncle Ronnie and his adopted kids, and my grandparents. That's a lot of family! Sadly we were rained out. Uncle Mearle was nice enough to invite us to his house for the weekend. So we "camped" at his place. It was a lot of fun. We had a bonfire and made smores and even attempted a hike. I brushed up on my football skills, which it turns out are not so swell right now! It was nice to all be together and we had a good time :)

Insecurities

What is it about women and emotions? Perhapes I am the only one here, but sometimes I feel trapped in my own feelings. Something bothers me and I just can't let it go until it is resolved. The tiniest thing can become huge in my own mind. I think men are generally more able to logically let things go. If only I could learn to do that better.

Yes, I admit, I cried over a TV show

So, I watched the season premier of Alias tonight. Wow. That was the saddest show. I realize that on Alias, people don't always "die." But it was awfully real looking. Yes I'm idealistic. But I was rather looking forward to the show ending with a nice wedding. Seriously. How can you kill off one of the main characters? Sigh.

A French Brittany Spears

Today I volunteered to be a "victim" for our mass casualty drill at the hospital. The scenario was that a hurricane had hit Florida Hospital and they had to evacuate some patients to us. I had the card of "Brittany Spears" and I had some problem with my stomach that was causing internal bleeding. Other people had lacerations and things like that. We all lined up at the ER and then staff had to practice how they would react in case of an emergency like Katrina. It was very interesting. To add to the "fun" I pretended to be vacationing from Paris and speak French. It was interesting to see how the nurses responded to me. Some pointed to things and said "walk, sit, signature." One girl tried to use her high school French. I was told that should there be a real French person, they would get a translator service.

The interesting thing was, as we were debriefing from the drill we received word that several real patients had been evacuated to us from Texas and were actually sitting in the ER. SO, needless to say the meeting was adjourned rather quickly and the people involved with the patient care went to check on their respective areas.

Time for Fall

Today was hot. It seems to me like it should be time for fall soon. October in Tennessee is one of my favorite months. My Florida friends should come visit!

Picture Purrfect! 

Heather, Amanda, and I on Heather's birthday. 

Yay for Company

Today Carrie is coming up to see me. She is going to visit River Chambers tomorrow. Last I heard he is recovering very well at Vanderbilt. For more information on River visit http://www.ljfarrowpe.com/river.html

She vetoed Mexican food and I vetoed Indian so we are compromising on Panera. Which is generally always a good choice!

I'm fun to visit! More of you should come!

I AM loved!

This weekend I decided I simply couldn't drive to Chattanooga again. It's not that far, but after so many weekeds, the drive gets old. But I am happy to announce that I had three visitors this weekend. First my parents drove up and went hiking with me for Sabbath afternoon. We had a nice picnic. Then Heather came up and we hung out Saturday night. We saw "Just like Heaven." It was actually cute. I recommend it to anyone who can look past the "yes spirits don't REALLY leave the body" aspect. We're going to head to Opry Mills today and do some shopping. Yay for company. :)

Do I stink or something?

Seriously, I took a shower this morning. But something about me seems to be uninviting to my co-workers lately. The girls in my office have started going out to supper and they don't invite me. Now I realize that this is petty and childish. But a month ago, they would have. I'm not sure what happened. As far as I know, I haven't offended anyone. It's true that my office is away from everyone. But still, I'm within walking distance. And there is always email.

Anyways. I'm sure I'll find something exciting to do this evening. Perhapes I can take up knitting.

What is my purpose?

I have a lot to be thankful for. A nice house, cute cat, good friends and family and a job that I generally like. But sometimes I still feel lost. Mostly when I'm up here in Nashville. What do I do in the evenings? Clean a little, shop a little, watch some TV, and listen to Kevin talk about his school. Sometimes it just feels like I'm not doing a lot with my life. I miss being involved in things. I miss connecting with people. I'm like an island up here. I know I'm going to miss being close to home if and when I move. But I need to do something different. I need to do more with my life than just work and talk on the phone.

I miss hiking

When I used to live in Chattanooga we would go hiking quite a bit in the fall. Chattanooga is perfect for hiking; there are so many trails and rivers and waterfalls nearby. It's beautiful really. Now that I don't live here, I have to drive 2.5 hours just to get home. So I rarely feel like driving my car somewhere to hike after that. So on Sabbath, I eat and talk until well into the afternoon and than usually just end up walking the greenway. Nothing wrong with that. I just miss the days when we would all get together after lunch and go out in nature.

I wish I could find a place to live that had both an ocean and nice hiking trials with waterfalls.

Worship ideas

I am supposed to give a short talk for our Week of Prayer at TCMC. I was planning on talking about the power of words and the importance of affirming each other, but someone took that topic. So, I need to think of a 10 minute talk or find an article on either our relationshp with God or with ourselves. Does anybody know of a good devotion I could read or have any ideas for this?

Thanks!

This was the coolest waterfall! It was covered in soft green stuff that you could easily walk all over. 

Picnic fun on Sabbath with Amanda and Heather. 

What happened to my energy?

Is it just me or do you guys feel like somewhere between high school and college, you started losing energy? I usually get decent sleep, but some days I still feel exausted. It's annoying to always want a nap. I never used to take naps. I'm only 24. That's not that old! If only there was a vitamen I could to suddenly feel energetic all day. That would be great.

Left or RIght

I wrote this several years ago, but was thinking about it recently so I thought I would share it.

Where are we going?
I didn't choose this way.
I said left, we're going right
Don't you listen to what I say?

I've got things figured out you know
It all fits in my plan
If you'd only take a closer look
I'm sure you'd understand.

Oh, that's not how this faith thing works?
Well fine then, if you must
We'll go your way, we'll take your path
Just don't betray my trust.

Wow, what a pretty view
I didn't know this was here
I've never seen such grassy hills
Or viewed the sky so clear.

I'm so glad I didn't miss this
I guess my path was wrong
And to think while I was in the dark,
You knew it all along

Amanda's engagement party 

Dress shopping with the bride to be. Yes, I know my eyes are closed. 

Isn't this a great idea??!! Much better then shaving cream. 

At the beach with Kevin. Of course he has his water close at hand! :) 

Make it stop!!

So, somehow this program called "aura, part of the ABI network" got on my computer and is generating tons of pop ups. I have got a virus protection, but it's not getting rid of this. Does anyone have any suggestions for me, other than re loading my entire compter. I don't know how to do that!

Christian Radio Online

I brilliantly forgot my laptop at home this weekend. So I am without my normal music player. Zradio is the Orlando Christian music station and I like it. Here is the link if anyone is interested. http://www.zradio.org/ You can listen to their station via the internet.

Sad Kristen

Everyone say a little prayer for me. I had a hard weekend at home and I'm sad.

Steaming

Okay. So today I was supposed to have my internet installed. They were going to come between 12:00 and 4:00 and CALL to let me know. I specifically checked at 2:30 on the guy's progress and was told he would be there around 4:00. 4:00 rolls around and still NOTHING. Finally I go home and find a cute little "Sorry, we missed you" on the door! You WOULDN'T HAVE missed me if you would actually call me to let me know you were coming. How annoying.

Chocolate Lasagna

Our cafeteria makes a different sort of lasagna. It tastes like partially baked chocolate brownie mix. It's warm and gooy. Good, but very rich.

I think I am going home this weekend. My friend Katie is back from Korea so it will be great to see her after a year. It's funny how time can go by so quickly! I've already been in Nashville for almost 4 months. The really scary thing is I'm coming up on 6 years out of high school.

Anyways. Hope everyone is having a good week!

Cool breeze..

I had lunch with my friend Nikki today. We had a great time catching up. She is such a sweet person and always interesting to talk to. Tonight was very nice. We ate at Brio, which is a nice restaurant in Winter Park. It was the prefect temperature outside and the food was very good. If you get the chance to have their garlic mashed potatoes, I highly reccomend it! I am hoping the weather will be nice tomorrow for the beach. Happy Sabbath!

I'm going to the beach!

Okay, so it's not quite as exciting as Hawaii, but I'm very happy about the prospect of soaking up some sun and listening to crashing waves this weekend. :) Unfortunately Nashville doesn't have a beach, so I'lve had to go without for most of the summer. I look foward to seeing my sunshine state friends soon. Except Val, who will be in Hawaii. She is soooo disappointed to be missing me! :)

The Upside of Anger

Do not watch this movie. Unless you actually liked Legally Blonde 2 or Intolerable Cruelty. In which case, be my guest. It might be right up your ally. But if you would like to put 2 hours of your life to better use, just remember not to jump to conclusions or let anger consume you and make you a bitter person. Now you don't have to watch it.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

Why you should LOVE your HR Department!

A very not nice article was published with the title "Why we hate HR." In response to this I would like to list the top 5 reasons why the author is ignorant.

1. HR helps you stay out of court! Try defending yourself against an EEOC, ADA, or FLMA lawsuit without us or the appropriate polices that we put in place.
2. HR protects you from yourself. All to often managers or (gasp) high level directors want to "bend the rules a little" to get what they want. We help you know what risks you can take and what is just plain bad judgement.
3. HR is an invaluable strategic partner. We can help you save money by managing the most important (and expensive) resources the company has: HUMAN RESOURCES!
4. HR is an excellent mediator between management and employees. We help you resolve sticky situations.
5. We're nice people! I have been to multiple hospitals/conferences...ect and in general HR people are just plain nice good folks.

So, appreciate us! We make the world a better place. :)

Staring at the wall...

Okay so it's not really that bad. I think I'm actually doing quite well for having enertained myself all weekend. I'm so thankful for cell phones with free weekend minutes!

This morning I went for a nice walk at a nearby park. I realized that I don't feel completely at home somewhere until I find a nice park to go to. I like having somewhere to relax or walk around at outside.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend. I think I shall visit Opry Mills and do some shopping or just relax at the Barnes and Nobles there.

Feel free to call.... :)

Kristen

Candadian wedding bells

Congratulations Amanda and Charles! (You may have to click on the dot to see the picture!)

Cast your vote

Is it ever okay to give someone an ultamatum? What do you guys think? It could be something as small as "I won't go to the concert with you unless you watch this baseball game with me," to the huge "Unless you propose soon, we're over!" I'm sure we have all thought about giving an ultamatum at some point in our lives, but how many people actually do it?

Now you see me...

Sometimes it's tempting to just disappear. Hop a plane to Paris and teach English or something. Of course, the second or third day I would miss everyone and come right back. But it's still tempting sometimes. I guess we call that "running away!" Which rarely solves anything. Maybe I just need a vacation.

Kristen in Limbo

Do you ever feel like your life is stuck in limbo? Waiting on something to help you move from your precarious position? Don't get me wrong. I love many things about my life and my job. But sometimes the whole "be patient" "be flexible" thing gets tiring. Typical questions from well meaning people include. "So Kristen. When will you finish with your residency?" Good question. "Are you going back to Florida when you are done?" I hope so. Don't have a clear path yet though.

And that's just my professional life. I think I have exhausted my poor friends with all of my recent personal conversations. Thanks guys for listening!

Anyways. The good news is, I may feel like I'm in limbo. But at least I know God still has a plan. And it's going to be good. So, until I find out which way I'm supposed to move, I'll be here. In Nashville. Waiting.

The S word

Today's sermon was on submission. Specifically how the church family should submit to each other and each other's thoughts and opinions. I have a hard time with this. (I know you are all surprised!) I do think it is very important to have friends and family to share opinions with and recieve feedback from, and yes even be held accountable by. No one is perfect and many times people who care about us can shed some light on a situation that perhapes we didn't see. So, yes it's good to respect each other and listen humbly to each other.

However, just because someone in the church thinks I should do something doesn't mean I should do it. Or even someone close to me. People can have different opinions even from each other. I think every one has to be comfortable in their decisions with how it relates to God. How it affects their relationship with Him and fits His teachings and principles. Other people can help us understand this better. I will be the first to admit to soliciting opinions from you guys frequently. But, when it comes time to make a decision, I have to do what I think is right before God.

Any thoughts?

My new haircut! 

I love air conditioning!

Today I rode with one of my co-workers to pick up some food at Olive Garden. She informed me, as we were hopping in her car, that she didn't have air conditioning. Obviously I couldn't bail out at that point. Or even offer my car as an alternative since I didn't have my keys. So, I smiled and was reminded of how wonderful it is to press a knob and get a blast of cool air. And how much you miss that when it is gone. The positive side is I may have gotten a TINY bit of sun on my arm as it rested on the window. And, I am grateful to the brilliant person who discovered how to make hot air cold. Thank-you whoever you are.

What is Chez?

For all of my non French speaking friends. Chez (Pronouced Shay) Kristen means "Kristen's place." Yes. I could just say Kristen's place, but how fun is that?

Okay. I'm off to lunch. Hopefully our cafeteria has something good to eat.

Yes, it is snowing in June. 

Congratulations Jennifer! 

My cousin Carrie and I. 

I have a blog!

This is exciting news for me seeing as I have not even had a webpage before. This seems less...complicated to me.

Hi to all my friends and hope you enjoy reading my thoughts.