Happy Birthday, Mom

I don't do Birthday posts for just anyone. That being said, I have been planning to post a special birthday wish today for a while now. Today is my mom's birthday! I'm so bummed that I'm not home, unlike every single other member of my family, lame.

I'm going to tell you the 49 things that I love about my mom and Karl is contributing to this list (this should be interesting). Also, the number 49 isn't significant at all ;)

49. She is a great housekeeper. Our house always looks awesome. She's one of those people who always says, "oh I'm sorry the house is such a mess" when people come over. It never is.
48. She can fix clothes that you mess up (Karl)
47. She gave horrible spankings as a child, and I'm pretty sure she knew it. They were a total joke. Thanks, Mom!
46. She's a Pi Phi. Obviously I love this about her, even if she was the most uninvolved Pi Phi in history.
45. She never let my sister's and I wear store-bought Halloween costumes. The greatest gift a mother could give, homemade costumes.
44. She's nice to animals (Karl)
43. She is very, very intelligent
42. She has vowed to save my wedding dress in the event of a house fire. I mean, what a selfless person.
41. She has the most well-equipped purse. You name it, she's carrying it on her shoulder.
40. She trusts The Lord. She has shown my sisters and I how to trust Him with our family, decisions, jobs, and finances. A huge lesson for us to learn through her actions and words.
39. She's not afraid to dance when music comes on. In fact, I would venture to say she gets an adrenaline rush out of busting a move to a rap song every once and a while. There's video footage to prove it.
38. She is a brilliant gift giver. I can always count on my mom for the perfect Valentines, Halloween, Christmas, etc. gifts to brighten my day and week!
37. She is a people pleaser in the best way. She receives joy out of doing things for others and making others happy.
36. She's a great cook (Karl). There is nothing better than coming home from a college life of soup and frozen meals to my mom's food.
35. She has passed on some ideal likes and dislikes to yours truly, which I can't help but love her for. Her hatred of scary movies, late nights, foamy textures, and driving and love of baked potatoes, being polite, and pulp-free orange juice are commonalities between the two of us.
34. She takes care of us when we're sick. I know this seems like an obligations as a mother, but she does this in a way that makes my only heart's desire to be home when I am sick up here in Fayetteville.
33. She's thrifty. She can grocery shop and clothing shop more efficiently than most and knows how to get bang for her buck.
32. She has always praised my sister's and I for everything we do. Even the small things.
31. She is joyful, not just happy, but joyful! My mom can put a smile on the grouchiest person's face, even if it is through lame humor.
30. She picks up after our messes (Karl). hahaha, funny that he came up with this. Not funny that it's unfortunately true.
29. She was the best homeroom mom. I love nothing more than the fact that she served as homeroom mom for me so many years for me and all of my sisters.
28. She'll talk to me late at night when I'm walking in alone to my dark house or when I'm in an awkward situation and just want to be on the phone.
27. My mom was and is a stay-at-home mom. The biggest blessing. We have been so fortunate to have had her home throughout our childhood and even now. It is so great in so many ways!
26. My mom never uses bad language. In our house that includes but*, shu* up, cr*p. We used to hate not being able to say the word but*. BUT (no pun intended), I totally appreciate being sheltered from crass.
25. She has all the fruits of the spirit.
24. She has common sense and street smarts. Like, who would know to rip up your junk mail. Oh, thats right, my mom would.
23. She'll stay up late to dry my hair. I know, I'm 21 years old, but I hate drying my hair.
22. She's healthy. She has never been one to completely withhold all things pre-packaged, frozen, sweet, carbonated, and fattening from my sisters and I but she is health-conscious, and it makes us health-conscious too! Thanks, Mom for making none of us fat!
21. She balances all parts of her life very well between church responsibilities, my sisters and I, my dad, my dad's business, friends
20. She's stylish (Karl)
19. She's never been one to "live vicariously" through us, her children. Praise The Lord for that.
18. She will listen when you need to talk (Karl)
17. She doesn't do gross things, like put her feet on anyone, burp, or do anything that ladies shouldn't do.
16. She loves our dog, Billi and would protect her with her life.
15. She has nice teeth (Karl)
14. She's a great friend. I think all of her pals would agree that she is loyal, tried and true.
13. She loves Karl (Karl)
12. She has impeccable taste. Decorations, clothes, hair cuts...you name it. My mom is no Michelle Duggar.
11. She genuinely cares (Karl). My mom is the type of person who will lose sleep over the neighbor who she suspects has a broken air conditioner and will continue to do so until she ensures it gets fixed.
10. She can make something out of nothing (Karl). Although I didn't come up with idea #10, I do wholeheartedly agree! My mom makes the best of every situation. Karl's example of this was that she comes up with great ideas!
9. She never complains (Karl). This is true. Except over her "messy" house. See #49.
8. She serves the church selflessly.
7. She loves and treats our dad in a way that my sisters and I desire to emulate. I think this is so rare and such a blessing.
6. She is the world's most accommodating person (Karl). Try and walk into my house and not feel at home. I dare you.
5. She's always classy (Karl)
4. She says "yes" whenever it is humanly possible. I was never denied the opportunity to try any instrument, rush, sport, or pair of shoes that my heart ached for, no matter how fleeting she knew my desire would be.
3. She loves others like Jesus.
2. She gives the best advice. Anytime I'm upset, happy, excited, depressed, confused...I just want to call my mom. She always knows exactly what to say. Every single time, exactly.
1. She loves The Lord in a way that makes each of her daughters desire to seek after Him in a bigger and better way day in and day out. (Karl said it too)

So, basically I have the best mom ever. Happy Birthday, Mom! I can't wait till I get home on Tuesday so we can celebrate more!

Love,
your best daughter

Happy Birthday Courtney

I know this is safe because you admitted to reading my blog, so in that case...HAPPY BIRTHDAY, COURT!! I'm so bummed that I can't be home to celebrate your 22nd birthday with you. Instead, I'll reminisce about your 14th-19th that we have spent together! I miss you and can't wait to see you over the break! I hope your day has been fantastic, I love you!!

Please enjoy this picture of Court and I at her 16th birthday. I would appreciate not being made fun of. Just for kicks, I will add that I had braces brackets on both the front and backside of my bottom teeth...Court has been my best friend since we were in 7th grade at Boles Junior High, was the only thing "cool" about me through Martin High School, and has continued to be such a special friend to me through college, she always knows just what to say and do and is just perfect.

A short and slightly humiliating montage...






I could go on and on and on...Happy Birthday again, Court

overwhelmed

I'm about to go take my 5th of 7 finals but I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. I googled that word, overwhelmed, and this is the picture that came up. It perfectly describes what I'm feeling. A little stressed, also bowing at the feet of The Lord.
For the millionth time in this week of finals I feel overwhelmed, for the first time this week it's the joyful kind. I mentioned Karl's deployment in my last post. I've kind of been slowly thinking about this, trying to comprehend what it will be like to not text him throughout the day, to go more than 6 weeks at a time without seeing him, to not talk to him right before I go to bed, or Skype him while I eat dinner and study. With the date getting closer, I've been forced to think more and more about him being gone all next semester and about the logistics of him actually leaving. Turns out he will leave right after I go back to school. Convenient, huh? Not. So, I began the hunt to find out who my clinical instructor will be next semester so I could talk to her about the need to miss clinical one week, which, if you go to my nursing school you know is a task next to impossible. I went straight to the source, Dr. Smith-Blair gave it to me straight and gave me some great news...

a) I don't have clinicals on Fridays next semester!! This has NEVER happened to me and is SO great!!! WOO HOO!!
b) I got the Community Health clinical site that I wanted- Tyson!! Yes people, that's THE Tyson, as in Tyson chicken! FUN!
c) My clinical instructor for Community is Mrs. KVJ. At the time, this meant nothing. I only needed her name so that I could do some uark.edu research and find her email address. I was about to make a huge request. I would venture to say this request is virtually unheard of in my line of education...I'm going to ask to miss a week of clinical in order to see Karl off on his deployment.

So, yesterday I emailed KVJ my requests, being sure to include how responsible I am, how I will make up the days in the most convenient way for her, and how sorry I was for starting out the semester with these requests! I fell asleep praying last night, I'm sure each of you can imagine what my cry to The Lord was. It would absolutely crush me to not be able to see Karl off, for the last time we see each other to be when he leaves DFW after his Christmas break...

I woke up this morning to an email from KVJ. I called my mom and immediately started crying, which is kind of a big deal for me, but kind of not when it comes to stuff with Karl (flashback for all my Pi Phi '06 PC readers...picture me in upstairs center hall in my towel while Karl was at basic training...you know where I'm going with this.). Well, her email reads as follows...

"Hannah,

Buy your ticket, we can work with you. I can be available so you can make those two days up on Fridays the two weeks following your absences. I will check with your site but if they are unable to accommodate the Fridays I can find you another clinical site for excellent community experiences on those days if needed. We can deal with the details during clinical orientation or your first week. Happy Holidays and Best Wishes to you and your fiance. KVJ"

I am blown away. She doesn't even know me. She has no idea that I am a good student, that I am responsible, that I turn in all my work on time, that I have made all "A's" in clinical, that I don't like to ask for favors and rarely do. She is my new favorite person. What a huge blessing in my day, my week, my semester. Above all, what a fascinating and fun God I serve. I hate how blown away I am by this. God never fails to hear my hearts desire and go far above my requests, my God shouldn't shock me, He is very clear about who He is and what He desires to do for us and in our lives. I am overwhelmed at the mercy KVJ showed on me today, I feel blessed, happy, joyful, and so so pleased. I am overwhelmed at the God I serve and His ability to hear my heart and soften others. I am overwhelmed.

burned out.

I'll be home in a few short days. Until then, I hang on to thoughts of things to come, which prompts the following list of delights I'm looking forward to enjoying upon my return home and my respite from academia...

5. No School. I wish each of you, my utterly faithful readers, could truly grasp the significance of this for me. For those of you in and around my daily life or somehow associated with nursing school or the medical field in some way, shape, or form, you probably can. For the rest of you, allow me to paint you a picture...by the time I graduate I will have completed a staggering 1005 clinical hours. Come next Tuesday, I will have completed 143 tests thus far in my college career. I would say that I am not being dramatic with the guesstimate that I have completed 3600 hours of studying hours since freshman year. Nursing school is so stinkin' demanding for the outcome, in my humble opinion.

4. R&R...I'm slowly becoming a little bit more seasoned and picking up on more and more military lingo. R&R is affectionately known as "rest & relaxation" by our servant-hearted military personnel. R&R for me over the next month will lend to much needed sleep, TV watching, PLAYING WITH BILLI (one of the things I look forward to most about going home, even though she sends my allergies off the deep end), blog catch-ups, and eating my mother and father's home cooked food. Speaking of R&R, Karl's going to be getting some of that too! See #1 below...


3. WORK! I know. Call me crazy. Most people would groan and moan over the thought of working over their Christmas break, BUT, I have been graciously accepted back by Covenant Kids, a non-profit foster care and adoption agency that I work for over Summer and Christmas break. It is just the nicest place to spend a few weeks over Christmas, seriously. Great work, great people, great boost to my savings account.

2. I have my first dress fitting the first Saturday that I'm back. I am thrilled. Let me repeat myself, THRILLED, about this. I know we are a little premature for fittings because lets be real here, I'm hoping (like every other glass-half-full bride) to have hit the gym a few more times come August BUT, I'm having my bridal portraits done up here (by, ahem, my obsession) this Spring. So, better hop to with the alterations.


1. KARLLLLLLLLLL!!!! This requires a sublist...


A) I haven't seen this boy since the beginning of October. That is far too long, if you were wondering. Karl is being deployed to Iraq in January and I just am so desiring time with this boy before he goes. I feel blessed we get to spend Christmas with each other.

B) We will do wonderful things including but not limited to: REGISTER (which I clearly have been excited about for a while now), finalize wedding details with the venue, pick a wedding invitation, finalize our guest list, see a movie (because according to my calculations, we haven't seen one together in almost 18 months), celebrate the birth of our savior, relax.

C) Can't wait to relax with him. In reference to R&R, he needs some of that too. He's a hard worker, he actually ties for first place in the "hardest worker I have ever met" contest. My dad would be the other 1st place winner. I can't wait to serve Karl while he's home...sorry all you feminazi's who read my blog, but if your fiance's hands looked like this after work, you would want to serve him too.


D) Celebrate the start of 2010, which, if you were curious, is the year we are getting married, to each other.

So, may the ghost of finals passed (pun intended) be with you all as you embark upon this finals week and weekend (which, in my humble opinion is just downright sinful. That's right Gammy, we have finals on a Saturday! Throw be a bone Chancellor Gearhart!).

hannah

I dabble.

Finals are looming, as is my arrival back in the grand state of Texas. Naturally my days left in Arkansas are almost outnumbered by the tests I have remaining so, as one can assume, my life has been consumed by studying 20/7...because 2 hours a day for the past three days have been spent doing something I enjoy WAY MORE. That would be Christmas partying. The other 2 were spent photographing my dear friend Leah and her precious fiance, Michael (or "Mike," if you really know him well...like, well, me. Duh). And the last 3 editing their adorable images. Hope you enjoyed a breakdown of my Saturday.

So, as I prepare to (hopefully) successfully end the first semester of my Senior year of college, I am trying to muster up enough motivation to study for my remaining (ahem, 7) exams. Fortunately I have a fireplace to sit by that fuels my fire to stay on The Dean's List, which I'm not sure if my school has, which obviously means I've never been on it.

I digress. The purpose of this post: to share with you the joy of Mike and Leah's engagement shoot! I had so much fun taking their pictures yesterday and am so blessed to have gotten to do so. So, enjoy, because I enjoy dabbling as Madame Nikon every once in a while...

Define "Phantom"

What I love: The theory behind this mask.
What I don't love: The nasty man who dons it.

You know, I would like to give a short blog shout-out to all of my loyal readers who boldly proclaim the name of Dynasty Living by:
a) Commenting on my posts. Thank you, Noel, my one loyal commenter.
b) Publicly follow me. Hey, its cool that you have nothing to say but at least I know you're out there in cyber world following me
or
c) people like Gammy. She may not have mastered the technical art of the "following" or "commenting" that I speak of, but hey, her phone call to praise the name of my blog was more than sufficient.

To the rest of you, shall I say, phantom readers, please continue to enjoy my posts. I hope you secretly delight in each and every one of them. May you someday choose to brighten the day of this smug author and come out of your dark world-wide-web alley.