Christmas

Christmas was fabulous at my parent's house. Lots of people, lots of love, and lots of surprising gifts. I got a digital camera! Totally blown away on that one...and don't worry I'll post lots of pictures as soon as I find some time...which might be never....haahaa. I've still been working, life is grand. I have no really great stories, except an old man set me up with his grandson at JCP today. I asked him how old he was, and he said "well, I have one thats twenty, one thats nineteen, one thats eighteen..." and I said "Oh, well then I pick the twenty year old." and this other lady that was nearby started laughing, and I said "Well, if I'm selling the shoes, I should be able to pick my husband, right??!!!?!!" haahaa! The highlight of Christmas was my nieces and nephews getting a puppy, a yellow lab, that they have named Bailey...I think. Naming it was somewhat of a contention-causer. I am going to go to bed and try to get over my cold but merry christmas and a happy new year!~

The Break

So....its hard for me to keep up to date on everything internet-wise during the break because I have no computer, but between sneaking into my dad's office, using my roommate's laptop when she's around, and other various sources I have been able to catch up here and there. The break is going well---I have been sleeping in and having some CRAZY dreams. I don't usually dream, unless I sleep in, which I have been---I get up at around 7:00 instead of 5:30. Once morning I had these psycho I Am Legend dreams, and then another night I was at JCP with shoes and an employee was pregnant, that is definitely not pregnant. Haahaa!  I did have a dream come true though...I suppose though, I have never actually DREAMED it, but it was a idea-dream of mine----I played for an HOUR AND A HALF on a CONCERT GRAND piano yesterday!!! It was gorgeous, and beautiful, and lovely, and wonderful, and absolutely a dream come true. Someday, I will have a grand piano in my house. And I will play it. And I will be better than I am now. And it will sound stupendous. 

What else has been happening....I reread some books, but I have so few books at my apartment, its kinda lamesauce. I have shoveled some snow, and I have helped clean my sister's house who just had a baby and is remodeling. 

OH YEAH! I just have to add to my sister's Andrea's and Megan's praise that: MY SISTER-IN-LAW LINDSAY IS THE AWESOMEST SISTER-IN-LAW (that lives close by--thats my disclaimer Brooke :) ) EVER! We went to two Mary Kay thingy's lately, first a facial, and then a color. It was a blast both times. For some reason I categorize her with my older siblings in age, probably the fact that she has two kids, and I forget how close in age we are. But it was a fun two nights, and I'm super glad we got to spend some time together. She also converted me to green. I bought some green eye shadow. I don't even like green that much. But I actually like it. I really do. Surprising, I know. 

I work every day next week except for Christmas Day, but I am super excited to see some family and spend some time eating Christmas chocolate---although I should be spending time working OFF the sweets, but hey, I just had an 8-hr shift of running up and down stairs to get people their shoes. Maybe we should make them get their own shoes. Maybe they would be less annoyed when it takes a minute. Maybe not.

The Sevens Tag

7 Things I can do:

1-Read books

2-Ballroom Dance (kinda, but I used to)

3-Clean Teeth

4-Find shoes in JCP stockroom

5-Clean( my mom told me the other day that even if my husband never got fed, he'd at least have a clean house...hmph...I'm not sure how I feel about that)

6-Play the Piano (I got to play a Christmas solo on a concert grand the other night. I felt SO AWESOME!)

7-Speak in Public. I love public speaking for some odd reason.

7 Things I can't do:

1-Cook foods that require any delicacy at all

2-Run for a long time, or for a short time...I'm not a runner

3-Make myself go to bed when I'm in the middle of a good book

4-Chew my nails--my braces prevent that

5-Speak Spanish fluently (inspired by Megan's thought that she can't either) but I would really like to be able to someday. I talk to a Spanish guy Hubert, at work all the time.

6-Remember names (yet another one stolen from Megan, but it's really true--I'm terrible)

7-Act. I can't act. I get super embarrassed about it too when we play family games.

7 Things I always say:

1-Holy Hannah

2-Johnny!

3-Lamesauce

4-Super cool

5-Did you study that? Cause I sure didn't.

6-What are we doing?

7-Thanks you're a dove!

7 Things I can eat:

1-POTATOES!

2-CHOCOLATE!

3-POPCORN!

4-STRAWBERRIES!

5-strawberry frozen yogurt

6-porcupine meatballs

7-cheesy fries

7 Things I can't eat:

1-Big, slimy onions(I like the flavor, just not the feeling)

2-boughten sugar cookies

3-hot....

4-spicy.....

5-not a huge fan of really fishy fish

6-I got less picky since I moved to college

7-I love food

7 Things I love to do:

1- READ

2-play

3-play the piano

4-hike in the mountains

5-sing

6-sleep

7-ride my bike

7 People I tag:

1-Aleesha

2-Heather

3-they are the only blogs I read besides my family

COMPLETION!!!!!!

So, I am officially finished with finals for my first semester in the Dental Hygiene Program. YAY! YAY! YAY! I feel like the Carpenter's song: I'm on the, top of the world looking, down on creation....laalaalaala. I lOVE the Carpenter's ps. And I love not having to study. And I love waking up at 8am on my own to no alarm clock (that will change on Friday when I start work full-time, but at least I got two days off!!!!!) and I love eating Rice Chex, it just feels Christmas-y. I love braiding my hair and ignoring it for the rest of the day, I love spending an hour at Deseret book just browsing the new books and looking at pictures. I love the feeling that I COULD be doing something right now, but I don't exactly HAVE to be. I love my warm bed, and the fact that three of us roommates drove in the driveway last night at 12:00. (Yes, I had to work that late, and no, I am not a night person, and no, I was probably not that friendly to customers past about 10pm). And I LOVE the thought that I'm going home tomorrow, and I LOVE that my brother brought me dinner on Monday night when I thought I would starve, and I LOVE how beautiful the new/remodeled inside of the Ogden temple is, and I LOVE Butterfingers, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE LIFE!

Another One

My sister Andrea had a beautiful red-headed little boy yesterday (or so I've been told, I'm still anxiously awaiting an opportunity to go find out for myself). Instead of the name she had planned to name him the ENTIRE pregnancy, she switched and named him Eli. That is my name. She stole it from me. Ruff. Ruff. and ruff. His middle name is Winston. Thats what you get with a history buff sister. I have to go study for my last final now. I just got my braces changed and one tooth really hurts-but I'm almost done! And...MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Devotional and Snow

It is snowing, snowing, SNOWING!! I got up and put on some sweats and a hoodie to go study in...and then I looked out the window and added a slicky coat and rain boots. The snow is falling so beautifully, and it stuck on my nose and my lips---and I licked it off, and then I saw a Christmas tree in the Union Bldg window and I thought that life is wonderful, I only have one final left, it is snowing, AND it is ALMOST CHRISTMAS!!!!!! That brings such joy into my thoughts you have no idea. But...I am almost past my time-limit I gave myself before I have to go start studying.

So I'll just say that yesterday I got the incredible, last-minute opportunity to go the First Presidency Christmas Devotional at the Conference Center---with a parking ticket and everything. My friend Elizabeth came with, and we had a fabulous time. Our seats were super-close and the meeting was phenomenal. Random note, we sat down right next to James Swift, a kid that is my bro Wyatt's age and we were in the same ward when I was in junior high. Go figure. Okay, okay, I PROMISE I am going to study. For real.

Joyous Night Of Hilarity

Last night was crazy. I was crazy, people were crazy, and the coincidences were crazy. I took a final, had been studying all day, and decided that there was no way I was going to take a test and go right back to studying for my next test. (we'll see how that theory pans out when I have to take the next test today....cross your fingers!) and so, I called up my good friend Chantelle, and we headed to Provo--where I had told Aleesha I was coming, but I came earlier, and with Chantelle, so there was much rejoicing. We spent a good portion of the night trying to convince Aleesha to study and take a quiz that we were interupting. Chantelle and I spent a portion of that time on two bikes in the kitchen and I tried to whip up some pasta roni while balancing on a stationary bicycle. Let me tell ya, between laughing my head off until I was crying, and trying to balance on a stationary bike....there were some great moments. After that, we tried to pull ourselves together a little bit, and I wanted Aleesha to take a picture of me---a good one--which is pretty hard to do, I'm not very photogenic. So she starts. And for some reason I pick up a roll of paper towels and pose with them. That started us all off again. There are some crazy pictures. There were several almost-choking incidents because of the high rate of laughter. Haahaa. One of those nights where absolutely common-place actions and words just makes you laugh uncontrollably. Could've been the fact that I'd had four hours of sleep the night before---hey, its finals week! And I kept saying things backwards, and I can't think of any of the phrases right now, but I'd say something all wrong and they'd all start laughing again. Such good time.
We finally got in control and decided to go down to the lounge and play on the piano, and I was finishing my last bite, when my phone rang. It was an unknown number, but someone in the GIA committee had called me earlier and the number was unfamiliar, so I answered anyway. "Is this Lindsay Rasmussen?" "Yes" "Is this THE Lindsay Rasmussen?" "I suppose so." "This is Sister Richardson." "ALEESHA! IT"S SISTER RICHARDSON!" Then Aleesha screams "WHAT??!?!!!" and grabs the phone from my fingers. Now Aleesha and I have been friends since junior high, and then we both moved away for high school, and now we hang out but go to different universities. But clear back when in junior high, our young woman president was Sister Richardson. And we loved her. This was a most unexpected call.
Come to find out, she has two nephews in Provo that need a ride to Ogden---and she didn't dream in a million years that I was actually in Provo....on a random Thursday night...and WITH ALEESHA!!!!! There were way, way, WAY too many coincidences there. So...she gave us the number and we call up her RM nephew and tell him that she called us and we were heading back to Ogden and where to meet him. Crazily enough---he was about a block down the street at the time. So we pick up Spencer, and then Sis. Richardson calls me and I tell her that we picked him up and we were a little past Orem. Apparently, Spencer didn't even call and ask her or anything about who we were---he just believed we knew what we were talking about when we picked him up, and got in the car! Sis. Richardson thought that was pretty funny.
So we drop Chantelle off, and then I drop him off and go inside to chat with Sister Richardon. About an hour later, a much-tired Lindsay heads home. What a CRAZY night!?!!!
PS This morning I showered in the dark cause the light was too much for my eyes.

#27 Surprise!

So, my older bro Derek is supposed to be this all-intelligent dr.--- and because of many (more than weekly---I'm sure) ultrasounds, they have been positive for the last nine months that they are having a boy. SURPRISE! It's a girl! I don't know how it happened---maybe there had to be a last-minute change or something---but they are surprised enough they haven't even come up with a name yet. Born at 1am, 8lbs, 10oz, mom and baby both healthy. That makes grandchild number 27. Also, follows a trend. My three oldest siblings all have three girls, two boys now. Also, it makes 18 girls, and 9 boys. My sister Andrea is a little concerned now--haahaa---she is dead set on having a boy for Christmas! No mistakes for her please! haahaahaa. I laughed so hard. Definitely happy for a girl! Have a great day all!

FHE

Last night for FHE we bussed down to SLC (only I rode with Dave, thanks Dave) and ate at Buci di Beppo (or something like that). The food was pretty good, as good as mass-produced food can be, but I must've been hungry or something, cause I ate a TON!!!!

Then we walked to Temple Square and journeyed around for awhile. Chantelle and I had some great catching-up-on-eachother's-lives sort of talk, and I had a fabulous time. The highlight was singing Wicked with Nichole with her ipod backing us up. Love that music. Love it. Then I laid on Chantelle's lap the rest of the ride home and was considerably saddened by the thought of homework. So I went to bed instead. I'm hoping it doesn't kill me since I have to work a full shift today(because I wanted Thursday off so I could study). Wish me luck!

Today

We finished up Clinic yesterday--from now on its only REAL patients in the clinical chairs, I'm not sure I'm that excited for next semester. Anyone need their teeth cleaned??!!?!!?

I've got lots of finals and studying...I thought I could be completely finished by Friday, but one of my professors mother's passed away, and so her test won't be available until next week. But for sure I will be done on Tuesday! YAY! ONE MORE WEEK!

This semester has flown by. I have made some incredible friendships, learned a load of stuff, and had a lot of fun experiences. I'm still loving college life and enjoying the free food!! :)

Lotsa Sleep

I went home and enjoyed a marvelous, home-cooked, well-loved Thanksgiving dinner with several of the Rasmussen Family Clan members--and Kourtney..my little bro's girlfriend. It was delicious and fun. Then I drove home and woke up at 2:50 to be to work at 3:15. I don't think I've ever been awake that early in my life. I've stayed up that late reading before...but never actually gotten up and ready.

Work was absolutely insane all day. I worked a 10-hr shift instead of my regular 8-hr shift. It actually went really well though. Lots of employees, and the people were super nice and seemed really understanding, if hurried. Only one customer made me annoyed, really annoyed actually---and I know it was only cause I was on low sleep, but they were so irksome. I ended up calling a manager, and another girl walked by, looked at my face, and said "lindsay would you like me to take over ringing?" I said "I sure would!" and I left the matter up to her. As a whole though, it was a really good day and I didn't feel too tired.

I got home and watched a movie to rest my aching feet, and then decided I'd take a couple hour nap before I went to a party at a friend's house. Felt like I fun idea for Thanksgiving Break. At about 4:30 I fell asleep, and I woke up again at 9:30ish cause my sister and brother were both calling. I went to my bed and fell back asleep until 6:40am when I got up to go to work again. That is almost FOURTEEN HOURS!!! Pure divine-ness. Sleep is lovely. I didn't realize I was that tired, but I must've been. It was a well-spent fourteen hours though.

Now I am happily eating popcorn while my nieces and nephews watch Popeye downstairs in the fort we constructed. We live by the Mediterranean, we are bandits, and we plan on overthrowing King Herod in Jerusalem. Myles even instructed us on how there isn't any water on our planned route, so we will have to carry some with us. Smart kid. I think this all developed because of the National Geographics map my sister has on her counter. Sounds like fun though---so I guess I"ll join in!

Thankful Thoughts

Today is Thanksgiving. I am so thankful for:

-JCP being closed today, so I get to stay home at my parents house

-yesterday my familia that lives close came and we had Thanksgiving Dinner, it was divine

-My brother snorting marshmellows(for the full story, you can read my sister Andrea's blog) It was pretty much the highlight of the night, I was laughing so hard I was crying, and so was mom, so then we laughed even harder. I also discovered when your stomach is so full from the gluttony of eating Thanksgiving dinner, it really hurts to laugh that hard!

-Sleeping in this morning. I woke up at 6:30am which is very usual for me, and then decided to try going back to sleep and enjoying the late morning. I woke up again at 10:30am. I felt SO refreshed, and so sheepish for my laziness. But it felt oh so good!

-I am thankful that there is only one more week of the semester, one test per class (only two in radiology) and this semester has gone so greatly!

-beautiful weather so I can drive safely home for holidays so far this year

-a great apartment and great roommates and we have so much fun!

-food. my mom's food. glorious food.

-books, books, and books. I don't know how I would live without them.

-friends and parties, that make school life livable.

-warm blankets--to survive the freezing conditions mom keeps her house in

-the piano, and that mom got it newly tuned just for me to come home and play for her! So exciting and wonderful and glorious and stupendously happy!

-My family, who are the craziest, happiest, funniest, most wonderful people ever!

-My parents, my dad is making lunch right now, and my mom is making muffins(I"m helping) for me to eat. 

-My car that runs and is happy and has no issues so I can safely drive around

-gas prices so that I CAN drive my car around!

-my job so I can pay for my schooling

-schooling so I can learn so very very much and get a good job someday

-I think I could go on and on, so we'll end on contacts and lotion. I love  them both.

Happy Thanksgiving EVERYONE!

Sleep

There is one sure way to tell when college students are nearing the end of a semester and finals are looming in the distance. Let me explain with a story:

After a nice, big meal of Thanksgiving Dinner provided at FHE to the young single adults(which was actually not very tasty at all, but really, when you do fake potatoes for a Thanksgiving dinner? Come on guys) I headed home to study for an anatomy test. I really wasn't in studying mode quite yet, but I had gotten through the first column of cranial nerves and was somewhat focusing and then focusing on my roommates phone conversation, which was fairly interesting. The time is now 8:20ish.

11:45 I wake up and realize that I never got further than that in studying. So, I take out my contacts and move from couch to bed. Didn't even bother to take my clothes off. Thinking that I'd study in the morning for my test, instead of going to the gym, I fall quickly back to sleep. I wake up just in time to make it to my 7:00 class, and have about twenty minutes to study inbetween my two classes.

Good thing I remember so much from Pathophysiology and Biomed, or I would've been in big trouble--as it was I remembered the order of everything, and the quiz was a breeze. Unfortunately, as much sleep as I got, it was not very refreshing, so I'm still very much looking forward to Thanksgiving Break!!!

Final Patient Exam and $1.64

So...today was immensely stressful. Well, I was super stressed BEFORE, but when I actually got to the exam it wasn't so bad. I was so nervous though that I didn't eat lunch, and as soon as my patient walked out the door it just hit me, and I was HUNGRY!

My patient was my sister-in-law Lindsay Ann, which was only a little confusing. I had to double check everything on the computer statements to make sure it was the right Lindsay in every slot. Then when I was taking x-rays, Prof. M came over and said "Lindsay, you're supposed to put the patient's name on the x-ray, not yours." Haahaa, it was my patient's name!!!!

If you read my sister's blogs, you have read posts on the greatness of Lindsay Ann, now it is my turn to praise her eternal goodness! She was so calm through the entire exam, a great patient, her mouth was PERFECT! I felt just like a 6 mos. appt has been explained to me---localized marginal gingivitis, calculus on the lingual lower anteriors, healthy gingiva, and great oral hygiene habits---nothing that was out of whack or really scary to throw me off, but(since she hasn't been to a dentist in over 2 yrs) enough calculus and stuff that it was different than working on another DH student. So awesome. She was good at telling me when things hurt(I think...I hope she was always telling me) and really good at asking questions and being interested, so that I had lots and lots to write in my chart about OHI and feel like I covered an interesting basis(which is good, they hate it when its all normal stuff). I only finished her LL quad, but I feel like I was doing pretty good, cause I got everything else completed and I feel like I really covered it. Plus, probing felt 100% better than on my mock patient, and scaling wasn't too bad. Still feel like I can work on that one a bit, but at least I knew what I was all about.

So with that over, my other exciting news: I finally got a letter. It was posted on Oct. 28th. I hate Brazilian mail.

Other exciting news: With my 5 cent rewards at Smiths, I filled up today COMPLETELY FULL for TWENTY DOLLARS! Yes..that is $1.64. No joke. I am loving life. I will come visit you more often Leeshy, with prices like that!

Other exciting news: FHE tonight is Thanksgiving Dinner. No worries mom, I will be fed.

Other exciting news: Tomorrow is the last day of school before Thanksgiving Break, and THEN only a week of finals before CHRISTMAS! SO EXCITING!

That is all my news, thanks for listening.

Comical Computer Confusion

The very first day of dental hygiene clinic I discovered there were two Lindsay Rasmussen's in the computer. One had the address of my apartment, and one had the address of my parent's home in Hyrum. I was a little confused as to why there were two of me in the computer, but I've just been using the most current address throughout the semester.

Today after class I went into the clinic room to use a computer to set up the appointment with my very first patient on Monday. I just had to enter it in to the computer so that the instructors knew that I had a patient and whether or not they had a chart. My original patient was my roommate Kelsey, but another student had a patient that couldn't come and she couldn't find anyone, so I let her use Kelsey, and my lovely sister-in-law Lindsay Ann consented to be my patient.

A couple nights ago I took over the health history documents to her house and had her fill it out so that I didn't have to do it the day of her appointment, and I would feel more prepared for my exam. As she is filling it out, she comments that she has already been to the clinic. Hmmm...she should already have a chart then.

So I get permission to go through the charts, and lo and behold---Lindsay Ann already has a chart! YAY! This makes life much easier for me. Then I go to the computer to schedule her appointment...and lo and behold---that other Lindsay Rasmussen is not me, but it is her! She lived at my parent's house for a couple months last year while they were in between houses, and that was when she came in to the clinic. SO FUNNY! It doesn't sound as funny just reading it, because it was probably apparent to you early on what the mistake was, but it took me a lot longer to figure out in real life, and hence was a tad bit more funny. No worries though, I changed her address and a couple other things so that it will be easier to tell us apart on the scheduling list.

On another note, can I just say that today is an absolutely beautiful day, gas is down to 1.80 and tonight I plan on cleaning my tub and then using it???? Yay for good days!!!

Pink

Today I had an awful realization. I was walking along and realized every article of clothing I was wearing, I paid for myself. My books in my arms and my backpack-I paid for. My lunch box-I paid for(courtesy JCP special), the backpack and jacket I was carrying-I paid for. The necklace and hair scrunchis-I paid for. The phone-I paid for, the keys-belonged to something I'm paying for in both rent and transportation. Even the animal crackers and granola bar in my backpack-I paid for. The planner-I paid for. The fees for the student i.d. card-I paid for. The pens-I paid for. The binders and notebook paper-I paid for. I was starting to get REALLY worried that I am much too old and much too grown up and I never, ever wanted to grow up...and when in the world did this happen anyway???!!??!!?!

Then I heaved a great sigh of relief. My water bottle is from my parents. They gave it to me for Christmas last year chock full of red and green m&m's. So I'm not so grown up after all. Which is a really good thing. But maybe it was just my experience at the temple yesterday that made me so concerned at my increasing age. I walked in to do baptisms and the nice old lady getting my size looked at me and said "You aren't endowed yet?" Umm...no. But thank you for noticing! Hannah. I'M ONLY NINETEEN THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Glad I got that off my chest. I'll talk to you guys later. I gotta go put on some pink and play dolls or something...just to get down to my age-roots.

Warm November

It is a BEAUTIFUL warm, and sunny, and bright November day. I must say this morning was a tad too chilly--but then again, it is November. 

Today was a mock patient exam---getting us ready for our REAL patient exam next week. Lets see, I felt: hot, nervous, inadequate, frazzled, hot, incompetent, nervous, hot, stressed, lack of any real abilities, hot...did I say hot? I asked during clinic if anyone felt hot--and Kelsie said she was sweating bullets so at least I wasn't alone. 

It actually went really well. The time limit was A-OK, the charting was super-good(except I was a little slow starting it), the computer programming went totally great....I just felt like I didn't know how to do the dental hygiene skills I've been working on all semester! Granted, McKenna having absolutely no calculus so I felt like I was haphazardly scaling all over the place really didn't help...but I feel like I need to sit down and probe and scale for the next 72 hours until I REALLY feel like I know what I am doing. Unfortunately, that is not possible. Will I ever be a good DH? Once again, good ol' Lindsay can do all the book work and memorize whatever you want me to, but you put that actual skill in front of me...and I think I'm a LOT slower than the average girl. Hmph. I better get a letter tomorrow, I think its making me edgy!

President Packer

Root de toot, root de toot, we're the boys of the institute. We don't smoke, and we don't chew, and we don't go with girls that do. Some say that we don't have fun....we don't. 

HAAHAAAHAAAA That is one of the quotes from President Packer. He was telling us about their slogan/chant at WSU when it was Weber College. President Packer is next in line to the prophet, and he came and talked to about two-three thousand students at the Ogden LDS Institute of Religion on Sunday. I stood in line on Monday morning and got two tickets---for row P, which put us at about four rows behind the last bench of the chapel...pretty good I'd have to say. 

The whole fireside was pretty much phenomenal...the music was phenomenal, the spirit was phenomenal, the feeling I had and the content of his talk---it was all exceptional, so I thought I'd share some highlights(these are from my own personal notes, so if they are not word-for-word I apologize):

"You can do whatever you choose but you cannot avoid the consequences."

"Repentance can heal whatever Lucifer hurts" (he spent a long time on this concept) continuing with "The atonement of Christ can clean anything. I repeat: The atonement of Christ can clean anything" and then he repeated it a third time just a couple sentences later. WOW.

Satan wants to pollute marriage, so you need to treat your spouse with tenderness and love. 

The Family: A Proclamation to the World was actually generated and produced because the LDS leaders were invited to a marriage conference and were not impressed. They did not go to the next conference, but Pres. Packer read the minutes, and marriage was not mentioned ONCE. So when the conference asked if they could hold it in SLC, the church leaders produced The Family: A Proclamation to the World. He then said "The Family: A Proclamation to the World embodies ALL a person needs to know to live the gospel."

"Do not be critical of the Lord's church and priesthood."

"I give you a caution. My caution is to beware of the world 'tolerance'. This word does not stand alone-we are not required to tolerate anything that does not lead to happiness. Beware of tolerance, it does not lead to virtue."

When he was young and first married he said "We determined we'd live the gospel and tithing would be the basis of our finances."

He gave us all a little pep-talk, basically stating that the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was not worried about the economic crisis of the world, and we need not worry. "Don't be afraid, you'll be all right as long as you follow the Lord's way. We're not afraid, you need not be afraid." He then talked a little bit about Joseph in Carthage Jail and said "Trials are all calculated to give experience and be for thy good. Move forward in life and find happiness."

Then, this was probably my favorite part, he proclaimed a blessing upon all our heads, the young single adults in attendance, he said "This is your blessing, that you will understand the gospel, that your minds will be alert, you will find the way to be married and your family will be happy and fulfill the purpose of your creation." He discussed some more and made the statement "The Lord is no stranger to His prophets and apostles" and the way he said it made you wonder about all the wonderful experiences they must have. He then extended the blessing, "upon the parents, who are sustaining you."

It was a really remarkable experience, the spirit was incredibly strong, and I am so glad I was able to go. There were so many people! We were an hour early, and we parked four parking lots away, they filled up the chapel the gym, the lounge, the MPR room, and several other classrooms---it was so neat. 

In institute this morning we were talking about it and my institute teacher quoted that the "Proclamation to the Family deals with every single social issue of this time." and that is exactly how Pres. Packer's talk felt---he dealt with everything. I know we are truly led by a prophet of God who receives revelation from God to direct us here on earth. 

Patient

Today...I was a patient. It was fun actually. I got varnish again---which is my fav kind of fluoride. It was instructive though---I was so happy I was operator on Wed instead of today. McKenna did a fab job and there were no problems. I did find out though, my suspicious lesion has multiplied, and I have now been semi-diagnosed with TWO CAVITIES on the occlusal surfaces of 30 and 31. Ruff. And ruff again. Earlier today though, I had a fun blood incident. So I was donating plasma, and she pulled out the needle, and I don't know what she did different, but blood spurted everywhere, and pooled on the armrest of the chair, so there was blood all down my arm. It actually didn't hurt at all---it was probably the nicest needle pull I've ever experienced, so I couldn't be too annoyed. Thats my life. Two tests to study for tonight!!! AHHH!

My Best Friend

In my life there have been a lot of girls and women who have been very influential. My mom, for one, is the most amazing person I have ever met and has taught me how to be my very best in everything I do. Without my mother I would be a mere pittance of what you see today(in looks and brains, if you asked my dad). My older sisters, who are super examples of all aspects of personalities and talents and I learn from them and love them so much. But there is one woman who holds an especially tender spot in my heart because we shared the rough teenage years, all the ponderings of our hearts, and all the puzzles of our souls together---I don't think anybody has ever understood me as clearly or been at the exact same level of life so completely as my best friend Aleesha. Today is Aleesha's birthday--HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!---and I just wanted to review some of the great experiences in life that I have had with her:
*Stealing out of our dorms at Youth Conference past curfew to have a truly testimony-building and spiritual experience.(serious!)
*She gave me foot rubs when I thought my feet were so sore they were going to fall off. It was heavenly. I will never forget how grateful I was that she would touch my feet!
*many, many, MANY long walks around the mountains of Uintah while having long, long, LONG talks about LIFE
*driving through Seattle as two teenage girls who had never tried to use a map, never been to Seattle, and NEVER seen that many one-way roads!!!! (that constituted much screaming and extra driving!)
*Many good cries when life starts to filter in to the fantasy world of childhood
*ROAD TRIP to Zions Nat'l Park, which is probably ranked as one of the top weekends of my existence
*doubling on a bike. Need I say more?
*making shakes---we are connoisseurs, if you need a shake with anything in it from jello mix to jam, just let us know!
*moving in high school---thats an experience that spanned many long phone calls, and I'm glad that we shared the experience together(if 500 miles apart)
*becoming me. I think Aleesha was instrumental in me being completely satisfied with me.
*Driving--remember early mornings in driver's ed? and the first time we drove to Wendy's without parentals??
*Boys---dating, dating, and dating. The highlights, lowlights, and fun nights of high school and college.
*planning a Girls Camp together---it was AWESOME!
*Softball--we went undefeated!
*Anne of Green Gables and My Fair Lady (at 4AM) takes on a whole new meaning when referencing Aleesha
*singing at the piano (I love how much she appreciates music, its nice to have someone listen to your hard work--remember the night of note cards?!?!?!)
*Bus rides--Angels Among Us (we had a sweet bus driver who used to specifically play that song so we could sing along before I had to get off---the whole back of the bus would start singing!)
*Braids---thanks for all the times you've braided my hair girlie!
*Brothers--I definitely think there's a reason our brothers are the same age! :)
*OYA. There is so much jam-packed into those three letters.
*Issues-there is so much in the world right now that we have to be on top of, understand, vote about, and make decisions on what our views are-we have LONG discussions
*Aleesha's grandma gives me hugs when she sees me at JC Penney. That means something.
*There is much, much more---but Aleesha is definitely my hero!

*DON'T BIFF IT!

Aleesha is the most understanding person I know. She's a listener. I think it takes special talent to be a good listener, one that I am not blessed with, so I have learned to highly appreciate it(and hopefully it serves in reminding myself to be a little better). She is always accepting. New ideas, new people, new beliefs--she may not accept them for herself, but she will accept it as something to consider and never throws it out without careful thought. She is artistic--sometimes, there are things in life that I just know Aleesha will appreciate more than the average person, and that makes me appreciate it as well. Aleesha is strong and happy and determined--and I love her! Thanks for sharing the best times of my life!

PS Remember how I walked you smack into a pole??? Ya. Good times. :)

Turqouise

Okay, so that post I wanted to post, is going to take more than a while I think...and possibly until after this semester has wound down and is over...in THREE WEEKS! Yes, you read that correctly, just a mere three weeks and this semester will be over. Completed. Finale. No more. It won't be coming back. Sigh of relief. Not that this semester has been hard, or bad. In all actuality, I have loved every minute of this semester and felt that things have gone really nicely---its just nice to have a break. And I am so ready for a break. So ready.

It is now time for me to crack a book for my dental community health class. I wanted to take the test today, but now I'm thinking I will take it tomorrow morning. I just need to double check how early the testing center opens, because I have to be to work and a super saturday tomorrow---which I am SUPER excited about, by the way. I am going to make an apron, two Christmas cards(if you get one now you can feel extra special :) ) and a tile that says Count Your Many Blessings in red lettering. I am in love with that red tile. I was trying to explain it to my manager (who is not LDS, but is somewhat familiar with our beliefs) because she asked me why I wanted to switch shifts to the afternoon , which is a little baffling since I usually LOVE morning shifts, and I was telling her about this tile of Count Your Many Blessings that I really wanted. So Pam says "You want to switch shifts so you can make a PLATE?!?!?!" Ummm, yes. Very much. Haahaa. At least she still let me switch!

ALSO news of note, I stood in a long line dark and early on Monday morning and I have tickets to the President PACKER FIRESIDE!!!! YA! I am very excited to go on Sunday and be that close to someone so close to the Lord. It's going to be super great.

That is my life, you are currently up-to-date.

Rainy Day

Today is rainy---but it is A-OK because....drum roll...I bought rain boots. And I am in love. With the rain boots, of course. I walked across campus today, a full ten minutes, and my feet and the bottom of my pants were dry!!!! I'm going to try to take a picture of them with Sana's new camera tonight...we'll see if it happens.

Today in clinic we did lots of wrap-up stuff. I can't believe this semester is almost over! But I got another sealant, I did some air powder polishing, and I instrument sharpened. It was a good day, although I am STARVING! First item of business: food. Second: study for community health midterm. Third: sign up for next semesters classes. Then I get to go babysit Megan's kids and have a fun night!

sealant

I forgot to say that we also learned how to do sealants today. I have two shiny, new sealants in my mouth! It feels so slick and clean! Unfortunately, we only got to do two...could've done with a whole mouth full!

APP

Today we learned how to air powder polish---a machine particularly useful for those with braces...like me. Unfortunately IT STINGS!!! It's all right though, I got over it. I really didn't think the actual polisher was that hard to use...but that big ol' suction definitely caused some issues! Then I got some more fluoride. But today Pam found in my mouth, a SUSPICIOUS LESION!!!!!! AHHH!!!! Now, I have to go to the dentist. Hopefully, it isn't a cavity, but it was sticky. HOW? I don't know. Sigh.

The weekend was....eventful. I plan on posting a big long post, but it might not happen tonight. Actually it won't probably happen tomorrow night either. It will come though.

PS Heather you are awesome! Thanks for the piano-fun yesterday!

My Mother Loves Me

Today in the fridge at my dad's office there was:

-a bottle of homemade applesauce

-a bottle of home-canned raspberries

-a container with a baked potato, sausage and peas

-a container with homemade stew

-a plate of homemade caramel rice krispies 

-a loaf of homemade zucchini bread

and guess what?It was all for me!

I don't know about the rest of you, but I am spoiled rotten and it was absolutely delicious and I am SO HAPPY! THANK YOU MOTHER! 

Patient

Today...I was a patient. In more than one chair actually! Yesterday I had a molar bracket fall off so I made an appointment and got it glued back on. ....Later that night, while scarfing down 3 tacos (for 99cents at DelTaco!) it broke AGAIN! So annoyed. So I had about 1/2 in. of open wire in my mouth. So annoying. SO I was a patient for my pod partner, Shaylee, as a mock patient, and then the lovely WSU dentist also let me sit in his chair and he drilled off the end of the wire. How nice. Maybe I should just take them off FOREVER! That sounds good.

It was fun to be a patient. The only downside is she used Vanish Varnish on my teeth---and I can feel it creeping along and being all bumpy and it does NOT feel like I just got my teeth cleaned! Oh well. I also found out, because we used a disclosing agent, that I do not clean number 18 at all. It was covered in plaque. Funny too, because everything else was astonishingly clean. (Figures, since we cleaned each others teeth last week!) Haahaa, so I guess I need to focus on brushing that one tooth :)

Also, as a side note, I voted yesterday for the very first time in my life! It made me feel all grown up :)

Ode to Long Clinic Days

Bright and early in the predawn light,
Trudge up stairs, more than eight flights!
Sterilize instruments, change shoes and coat,
follow Professor McConnaughy to see what she wrote.
A Full mouth on Dexter, thats twenty films!
Only TWO retakes, I know the drill.
Those max'lary canines are too overlapped,
A little distal movement, and they'll show a gap.
On into clinic, its mock patient day!
When its all over, we'll all shout hurray!
Listen to instructions, and get so stressed out
Breathe in deeply, just follow the route.
Don't forget paperwork along the way-
and make sure its sanitized so it can stay.
Pass of PE's and sweat under the mask,
Pray that the time-limit continues to last.
Professor C. calls a pod-wrap and madly I dash
To write and to clean, it all seems a mash.
The sky is all dark, as I walk out the door
A good day in clinic--couldn't've loved it more!
Skills I am learning, so slowly-but TRUE
Soon I'll be registered, I'll never be blue!
The girls are the best, they'll help you out,
The dental hygiene department, thats what I"m all about!

Spanish

Today at work I learned a couple new words to add to my old repertoire.

No hay latalia(the Peruvian and the Latino said it different, so I have no idea how to spell it) which means: We don't have that size.

Zapatos chico. Which means: the smallest shoe

Recently I have also learned:
Incienas(gums)
anestesia(anesthesia)
sangray(blood)
mober la cabeza a la de recha (move your head to the right)
mober la cabeza a la izquierda (move your head to the left)

and a couple other ones that I can't remember. I ALSO learned to sing Happy Birthday in Portuguese,
Parabéns a você,
Nesta data querida.
Muitas felicidades,
Muitos anos de vida.

That looks really weird because when I learned it, I wrote it as I pronounced it, so the correct spelling is different. Anyway, I ALSO learned how to say I miss you in Portuguese. There are two ways: sinto falta OR sinto saudades. (which is a really misleading word because it sounds like "sow dodge")

Anyway, thats all folks for my awesome language skills! Chugging along!

Fast forward

You know the country song "living in fast-forward" ? Well, pretty sure he meant it in a different sense, and pretty sure I don't even like that song, but THAT IS HOW I FEEL! Sunday was a very nice, relaxing day. I felt like I got ready for the upcoming week and was really prepared. By yesterday I was so exhausted that I crashed on the couch for over two hours between school and work. Work was long. I think I have an eye infection so I have been reduced to wearing my glasses. Sigh. Doesn't help the feeling of tiredness. Not enough hours in a day! Someone at the institute building gave me this tidbit of wisdom yesterday "If a college student isn't tired, they're dead." I have to agree with my friend Heather, life is really going great though. Loving the weather, loving life, having a good time, just wondering where time is? My sleeping habits and eating habits are TERRIBLE as of late(good thing my mom doesn't read my blog) but I'm hoping this weekend I will be able to rejuvenate again, or maybe by tomorrow I'll have to crash on another couch.

Clinic today: We learned to prophy each other. I have done this previously as an assistant and so I felt really good about it. Granted, there were some things we had to re-learn, because as assistants, we don't always learn the 'correct' way. Haahaa. But it was really good. Katee worked on me and my teeth feel dazzlingly clean! We were commenting on how I probably have THE cleanest teeth for a person with braces, ever! Then we passed off the intra-oral camera PE which was pretty good once I watched Kelsie pass it off, and she knew what she was doing.

Oh, but in other good news, all I have left to take towards my bachelors degree is a statistics class and then one more elective---YAY! That means I'll just tack them on to other semesters and I won't have to take any classes this summer! YAY!

Happy Fall Days

This picture is of Jessica, Michelle, me and
Aleesha. (her roommates and me) I know Michelle because she came with us to Zions Nat'l Park over Labor Day, and we all got together this Friday in SLC and went to the Body Worlds Exhibit-go if you get the chance!



















Here you can see me....uh, sitting? Pondering the rest of my life? Actually, I think I was looking at the sunset and the beautiful leaves by the temple.













See, isn't it beautiful? I thought there should be some professional photographer around to take this exact picture and blow it up all big---but Aleesha did a WONDERFUL job, and I could probably just blow this one up all big!!!! Maybe I need to recruit her to come do an awesome one of the Ogden temple...one more reason to come visit me Leesh!







This is us walking...crunching leaves....eating apples....enjoying the day where we were earnestly AVOIDING homework and ENJOYING life. College life. Young, single adult girl life. Life in general, and life to the fullest







This is me...smelling the world and breathing in all of its wonderfulness! I LOVE the smell of fall.
















Here is Aleesha and I having a grand time sharing our dessert. It was really good too. Right about this time I realized my necklace was missing and had a panic attack---its a really special necklace. So I didn't even know where to start looking, we'd been all over! Then Aleesha, because she is a genius, thats why we're friends, looked through all the pictures on her camera and determined I still had it on in the picture where I was sitting and looking at the temple---about 20yards away. We ended up finding the charms, just not the chain. YAY!





This is the Body Worlds Exhibit. It was an asbolutely INCREDIBLE experience, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has a chance to go. I do not, however, recommend it for little kids. A little too...real. There was awesome stuff though like hearts and lungs and the digestive tract and camels sliced in three so you can see the insides and bodies and just all sorts of really interesting things. It was a great experience and I really enjoyed it.

Adaptation

In my life, I feel like I have learned to adapt really well. Moving 13 times by the time you are 16, having nine kids in your family, being in leadership positions---you kind of just have to learn to adapt and go with things, or you will never have fun and have good experiences!

But let me tell ya, 'adaptation' in the dental world is NO EASY BUSINESS! I am having the hardest time. Although, today I feel like I really improved and I feel like I learned a lot and I am getting better but JOHNNY! SOMEONE TEACH ME TO ADAPT! Sometimes, I dislike learning new things because you really just can't be good at them right off. Ruff.

Excitement

Aleesha, I PROMISE I am working really, really, REALLY hard so that I don't feel like I should be studying when I spend ALL afternoon with you! I haven't seen you in ages and I am SO EXCITED! I am also excited for the Body World exhibit!!!! 

Oh and PS I watched the movie Dear Frankie with my sister Kayli on Wednesday (prob the reason I feel so nervous about how much homework I have right now) and for anyone interested, it was really good. I really liked it. I think it's one you would love Aleesha. Heartbreaking though. Sometimes life's challenges just make me really sad that such horrible things can happen to people.

Clinic Dyslexia

Today was going...rough. We had a new instrument---the Barnhart---and between that and my typodont's cheeks life was just difficult. Prof. C came over and instructed me personally for about five minutes, and the mud seemed to clear a little. I was mostly having problems doing the first line angle of the tooth and fulcruming(my finger wouldn't stay straight for some odd reason, it felt like it was completely unconnected to my hand!) at the same time, once I turned the instrument to do the rest of the tooth I was fine. I did a lingual molar perfectly---then when she walked away I switched to another tooth. Bad idea, I couldn't figure it out again. So, Kiersten, one of the instructors, came over and instructed me individually again for about five minutes---suddenly a light clicked, and I was doing great. That is, as long as I remembered my posture, where my mirror was, how to fulcrum, not to hurt my patient---and I actually felt some CEJ on Pam! Yay!
Then Kelsie worked on me, because they are realizing how much poor Pam has had to work on my braces. Kelsie was completely opposite of me, she had had no problems on the typodont, but was having a few on the real teeth. Kiersten came over to lend a hand---and between the two hands their lateral pressure was a LITTLE heavy....I moved Kelsie's hand, she apologized, and when I opened my mouth again she exclaims "There's blood everywhere!" Yeah...thanks, I noticed. Haahaa. Not her fault, there were a LOT of hands in my mouth, and it's always awkward to place instruments when someone's hand is around yours. So then she was frustrated and I felt bad---I don't blame ya Kelsie!
Then, we had to pass off our instrument PE---knowing exactly what part of the instrument is called what, how to identify whether it is non-rigid or rigid, anterior or posterior, subgingival or supragingival. I thought I had this one down no problem. Until I was diagnosed with dyslexia from Prof C. I mixed up sub and supra and tip and toe EVERY SINGLE TIME I had to say them---so frustrating because I really did know what I was talking about! I didn't know whether to laugh at myself or cry. I thought Prof C wouldn't pass me off---but she DID! She wrote a note on the bottom saying 'we all have dyslexia days'. So sweet.
So all in all, not a terrible day, definitely a learning day...and now I have to go study for and take an anatomy test. Have a lovely day one and all.

Oh and PS I borrowed Prof C's loupes today and they are AWESOME! I would have to take out a student loan to buy some of my own, but when I was using them I had no posture problems, felt like I could see completely in the back of the mouth, and it wasn't so hard to get light where I needed it. I really really want some---I don't know how I'm gonna swing it though!

Previous Thoughts that I finally got around to Posting

I feel like I do not have time to appreciate how wonderfully beautiful previous moments of my life have been. And before I appreciate the magic of life, life has moved callously on and such sweet moments will never again be recaptured.

I suppose this is a melancholy mood-but I just wish to rejoice more fully in the sunshine. I think back to the quote I've found to be so true "beautiful hours move so quickly." In this particular moment of retrospection, I can feel my yearning for progression in life's 'seasons'---yet the pull of my childhood whispers the warning that once lost, this time will never be replaced. In a few years I will never be a young, single, college student again. Life will never be so solely focused upon me ever again. Completed assignments, looming tests, impossible clinical skills, late night parties with groups of friends---these will be all too quickly moments passed by. Will I be glad that I appreciated them and wish the hours hadn't move by quite so quickly?

What is so heart-breaking about life is that a moment once past can never be recaptured. Even a treasured moment passes and is only a memory. Are we supposed to continue so quickly with the changing moments so that we can appreciate each one? How can we focus on each moment when it is only a moment? Are some moments supposed to be disguised by sadness so that reflection on past treasured times can occur? Is that what wisdom is? And what makes it so foreboding? Is that why we fear the future? because the present is so great and we know we'll soon forget? The frailties of the human mind are certainly cruel---but maybe in the same regard they are are kind--so the past does not seem so sharp and only soft pain is felt in its passing. If perfect memory was retained, moving on might be too harsh of an experience.

Nothing is so constant as change--but teach me how then, to forget my love of the past sufficiently enough to embrace the future with no reservations. Can this be a wisdom taught---or is that something that can only be experienced with the bitter-sweet time of age? Loving life so completely is, like all loves, cruel. It causes a tear in the soul when you love the last moment as much as the future moment. Can life ever be truly joyful when it is built upon such a melancholy foundation? What was once a pleasantly-planned future has become all too suddenly an all-encompassing present. I'm too young for this transformation!

But I have been told that I cannot have roots and wings. The only requirement is courage.

Clinic today and football

Clinic today...a little stressful. Okay, a lot stressful. I didn't pass off my exploring PE the first go-round, so I was at it again today. I passed---but I still feel like I'm struggling. Kim said I wasn't perfect, but we are all brand-new at this stuff, and I was doing really well, but STILL. I just wish I was perfect at it, okay!
We also used some more disclosing agent so we could tell when we really were getting plaque/calculus off. That was fun because Prof. C came over to help Julie a little with my braces---and my teeth felt so nice afterwards! Julie did a great job with my braces by the way. And with putting up with my terrified self who couldn't seem to get anything right. Good thing people are forced to be my patients, or I don't think anyone would let me work on them!
Happier note, radiology clinic was AWESOME today! I didn't have to retake ANY of the conventional films that I took. YEEHAW!

On to the second subject of this post: football. So, I posted a pic of my little bro and the fam at his football game last Wednesday. BUT I didn't stress how amazingly awesome the game was, and how phenomenal my little bro played. They were down by two touchdowns at half-time, came back to tie it in the fourth, and won in overtime! It was the most exciting football game I've ever been to in my life. Adding to this was the fact that my little bro was astounding---they were calling his name over the loudspeaker just about every play. He had some great tackles and the COOLEST touchdown---caught a kick-off in the endzone and ran the ENTIRE field! So exciting. Here are some pics to keep things lively(The last one is him getting interviewed at the end of the game) and have a great day all!

Crazy Busy

So, life has been crazy busy, and not just with school work. This makes me MORE than a little nervous to go back to school tomorrow after having Friday off--because I feel like I did absolutely nothing over the weekend. AHH! But, it was a TON of fun. My ENTIRE family was home, all nine siblings and twenty-six nieces and nephews. This is us, at my little bro's football game.
He's really not that little. He's stuck in the middle of all of us if you can make him out. We had a great weekend with everyone. Poor Kayli was sick, it was sad to have her come all the way from Indiana and then to feel so poorly the entire time. The nieces and nephews were loads of fun. The last night of pictionary-drawing (some fun version of pictionary that we play) was hysterical and way too fun. There was lots of chocolate and treats involved, which is always a good thing. It was generally just a good time. I'm scared to think of school tomorrow though.

Clinic Oct. 15

Today we learned how to scale. It was a fun adventure! They had me switch partners so that someone else could work on my braces....poor, poor students that have to work on me :). Scaling was more fun than exploring, but I think that learning how to scale will help me with the explorer. Because the scaler is so much sharper, I was a lot more aware of my adaptation and where the sharp end was in the gums---I think that will help me explore better because of my awareness. Also, I had a hard time fulcruming on the lower canine---evil tooth! There is nowhere to put your fulcrum finger to keep you steady and then when you try to adapt your fulcrum finger comes off, so then you pop off the tooth. I got a bit better by the end, but that tooth will definitely take some practice!

Drowning

Today...I felt like I was drowning. Clinic started out great. Radiology went splendidly---at least, the conventional films did. I don't know what happened with the digital films...but I eventually got it right. At least you don't have to wait to get it processed on digital films. Then...we started dental hygiene clinic, and all things were deceptively nice. Then, my pod partner worked on my for 2/3 of the time---and by the time I got to work on exploring, I only had five minutes before I had to pass it off and be cleaning up. Definitely not enough time--and it was just sad. Actually, I felt really good about it, but Prof. C had to remind me about some stuff a few too many times. Sigh. Oh well. At least someday I know I will have it 'perfect'. Which, actually, means a lot. Life is crazy. Crazy. Crazy. All my bro's and sister's are home right now---which means there are TWENTY-SIX nieces and nephews at my parental's home. I spent all day there yesterday, it was complete...chaos. Loved every minute of it. Wish I didn't have to go to school. Have a whined enough? Life really is going splendidly right now. I have no complaints. Just...mom? How soon is dinner on? (I love going home:) ) My niece Little Megs wants to notify all of you that she was an absolute dove and used my keys and went outside and got my backpack for me, she said "You have the heaviest backpack ever!" 

Clinic 10-08-08

I just read Savannah's blog about clinic today---and can I just say ditto? Clinic was a whirlwind and a blur. I feel bad for Kelsie, who had to put up with my completely unknowledgeable self all morning long, AND my braces! Kudos to everyone who can probe me! Also, we did the disclosing agent again, but this time it was a different brand---and it dyed the glue on my braces. It was a dark pink, and I scrubbed at it, and it just went brighter. One of the TA's had the bright idea that brushing with hydrogen peroxide would make it go away----that is the GROSSEST stuff EVER! Plus, it didn't work. So then, I had an ortho appointment today (to finally fix that wire guys--no worries, I won't poke you anymore!) and my tongue was purple and my teeth were pink. They had a pretty good laugh about that. I got a sweet hat for my Halloween costume today! I'm excited. AND I have a million pages of homework, an anatomy test to take, and I have to be at a stake meeting by 6:45. Plus, I should probably shower and get myself decent looking by that time, so ciao!

Random pics

Okay, because I do not have a digital camera, or have access to my store of pictures at my parents house, I had to search through some pictures on my family's website to find the two pictures of my little brother I used on my last post. While searching for those pictures, I came across these two pictures, that I just had to post. They do, in fact, show an amazing amount of my family's character. :)

Trading Sessions and Compliments

While talking on the phone with my best friend Aleesha today, she brought up the subject of my family's trading sessions. This thought brought back a lot of endearing memories to me, and I thought about all the good ol' days. Dating back to the furthest reaches of my memory my family has 'traded'. Especially on Halloween, we would all go trick-or-treating, and the first thing we would do upon coming home was: dump out all of our candy, and trade it amongst ourselves. Sometimes you'd trade because you really wanted what someone else had, and sometimes you would just trade for fun. Trading sessions was what I looked forward to about Halloween. Dad and mom had trump cards and could get things without trading...but usually between siblings we drove a pretty hard bargain. Now, trading sessions did not just occur for Halloween, we had trading sessions multiple other times. I think primarily I had trading sessions with my little brother Ethan. At one point in time he looked like this (minus the crazy hair...I think that craziness was why the picture was taken). What a nice, little boy, and we had lots of good times together. We would take out the top drawer in our dressers, which was the designated "junk drawer" and put it all in a pile, go through what we wanted and didn't want, and then trade our 'junk' back and forth. Usually we had a really great time and it was lots of fun to get someone else's junk for awhile instead of your own. Novelty is an amazing thing:). Then, as we got older, it became a much more involved process. We got mom and dad to join us, and my older brother Wyatt, and we would wear crazy hats and bring out things that were of some actual value that we were just keeping around for a rainy day. We would spend a couple hours bickering back and forth and having a generally good time. Now my brother is big, and looks like this:
I feel old whenever I look at pictures of him now. He looks too old to be my little brother. Crazy world. Cockeyed.(Name that book all of you AP Eng peoples!)Anyway, that is my rendition of our 'trading sessions' in the Rasmussen household. I really enjoyed those sessions.

On to the second subject of this post: compliments. So, I actually spent some time in the bathroom this morning, getting ready. I wore something beside scrubs or basketball shorts and a t-shirt, and I didn't just pull my hair into a pony tail. It took me about ten minutes longer than usual to get ready, and that meant I didn't really get a breakfast today. But GUESS WHAT??? Just about every single person I met today commented on how cute I looked. One teacher even said "You look beautiful today compared to usual!" Umm....I think that was a compliment??? I realize I never take the time to get ready...but I don't even have time to sleep and eat, so really, is doing my hair a high priority? I always thought not, but today made me rethink it a little more. Is it SO surprising to see me dressed and groomed? I feel more than a little sheepish. Maybe a little less sleep would be beneficial...on the other hand, probably not. :)

Another day, another dollar.....oh wait, just another day

Clinic was fun today---we got to antagonize each other with two great purple drops of disclosing agent....it turned your entire mouth purple and showed everyone where their plaque build-up was. Ironically enough, the only places I HAD plaque was the places most people DON'T have plaque...my two front teeth, underneath my braces bracket. Upon brushing and thinking about this conundrum I realize that it is harder to brush underneath the wires of braces on front teeth than it is on posterior teeth. Go figure.

On a much happier note than this, the longest day of my life, I went home on Saturday and stayed and watched conference at my parentals. Happily enough, my Mongolian roommate Sana came along as well---we were hoping to get a chance to ride the noble steeds in the fields behind our house, unfortunately, the rain never stopped drizzling. It was cold enough that I certainly didn't want to go out, and at least Sana got to see them, right?

My mother is amazing and made roast beef, mashed potatoes, lemon pudding salad, gravy, and broccoli with cheese. I've forgotten how absolutely HEAVENLY broccoli is. Especially when dad cooks it. He doesn't make it all healthy like my mother does. Good ol' dads. :) My mother also played the piano and let me sing my little heart out for a good hour between conferences. What a good mother I have. Have I ever said that before? I think I might need to devote an entire post to that subject. Unfortunately, I should be studying for a dental anatomy exam. I was avoiding it by running with my old roommate Jennica. We had a blast, and did exactly what I was trying to do---avoid anatomy. But since I really do have a test tomorrow, and it really does require some memorization, I had better go. Maybe I should've gone grocery shopping with my roommates. :)

Good Lookin' BLUE Teeth and Fire Alarms

Well...last clinic was gums, today was teeth! We looked at each others teeth and I found out I had a filling I didn't even know I had! I also found out that I need to get some sealant put on tooth #14 pronto! Haahaa. But for the most part, everything was healthy, and normal. UNTIL.....I had BLUE TEETH! The occlusal surfaces on some of my back teeth were BLUE! We were trying to figure out if I had bitten anything that color, but I kept thinking "All I've eaten today is frosted flakes!" But then, we discovered what it was....the Listerine we rinse with before we work on each other. It was pretty funny.

Life is going well. This morning at 3AM our fire alarm went off. I remember getting up and walking to the top of the stairs and watching a bunch of roommates discuss downstairs, and then I went back to bed and they turned off. Annoying, and loud, so I don't really know what happened there. I'll talk to my roommates later. Also yesterday morning in anatomy Prof. Perry stopped the lecture and said "We're going to have a little break so that she (points directly at me) can wake up!" It might've been embarassing if I wasn't so happy to have a break! Haahaa. I munched on starbursts the rest of the lecture and managed a wakeful state. Oh wow. Life is...life.

Good Lookin' Gums

It has been verified by a knowledgeable source, I have good lookin' gums! Unfortunately, when the instructor came by she said it wasn't quite as top-notch as Pam did. Sigh. But...I did get an A---when they calculated my BFI, it was a 97% which, is an A right? Radiology was good, we finished the other half of our full-mouths. I had to retake four, but once I retook them I did really well. Clinic was just HOT and HOT and HOT, the AC wasn't working and it was stifling. Luckily, they didn't make us wear our lab coats. It was a lot of information today, just to remember to do, not anything necessarily that was difficult, and so it was really frustrating and confusing at the beginning. Slowly though, as we worked through clinic it all came together, and by the end I thought it went really well. Poor Pam, having to work on me and my braces----thank you!
Oh and thanks to Prof. Bossenberger for helping me find the combination to my lock! I have combo locks for work, my bike, and my locker here, and I remember them all as long as I'm not thinking about it....but unfortunately (embarassingly) I could not for the life of me remember my com today!

Life is busy, busy, busy. But tests went all right last week, not perfect, but definitely good enough to just be glad that they are over. Yesterday I went to Megan's, walked in the door, and the kids updated me(yelling over the top of each other) on their lives...it felt great. I am so glad that they were that excited to see me, and it was fun. After dinner, which was AMAZING (thank you so so so so much Megs!) I needed a nap, unfortunately the noise level didn't die down at all. But I had lots of fun watching everyone play with Halloween decorations. This is a snapshot of Megan's living room: Danica walking around with a witch hat and mask, Myles flapping a humongous bat wings', Lynnaea pressing a button over and over that opened a door and people would scream, Kiersten playing with a pumpkin like it was her baby doll, and Anders holding a plastic cat and making flying noises with it around the room. It was a roomful, but so much fun. Loved it. It has been a great start to a week...lets hope it continues!

Sept 24

Clinic was so much fun today. First, I whined to Kelsie and Pam C. about all my problems trying to give plasma this morning. They were SO AWESOME to listen to all my whininess. Thanks guys. Then...we got to poke marshmellows and candy corn! It was nice to practice on that, then also on the typodont so that by the time we actually got to real people I actually felt pretty comfortable. PROBING IS SO MUCH EASIER THAN EXPLORING! I was all worried for another frustrating day in clinic, but not so much! It was great! I like probing! Although, it does hurt a little more when the partner does mess up, but Pam was awesome, so it was not a big deal. Our instructors decided to switch pods, so we had a new face today, which was kinda fun, kinda not. It's just the whole getting used to a person's personality and exactly what they really make you do. But good day, all in all. I passed of my vital signs PE and my extra oral exam PE. YAY! Now, I will go and take my anatomy exam so that I can start studying for the radiology exam that I want to take tomorrow.

Spaceships and Blood

Today was a long day. It is gloomy and wet and rainy, and my alarm(set for 5:05 so I could get some homework done) was lovingly cradled in my arms when I woke up....and turned off. So yes, I woke up at about 7:24 and had to be in class at 7:50. I left the house at 7:35 and wasn't too late, just breathing REALLY hard.

Radiology was a blast...we got to make mistakes on purpose, to see what it would look like. I always feel like we are in a space ship in some future world when we are in the dark room, and the cylindrical door spins around. 

Dental hygiene clinic was...stressful. To say the least. We were learning how to use explorers. I poked my clinic partner twice (sorry!) and just felt really frustrated because I still don't understand the difference between using one end of the explorer or the other. And its really critical to know...I just don't get it. Grr. Also, I was all concerned about my Health History---rewrote it a couple times, in fact---and we didn't even get to it. Sigh. It's been a long day. I am going to go home, eat leftover goulash, and then spend the rest of the evening cramming like crazy for my anatomy lab quiz tomorrow and test. I REALLY wanted to take the test tomorrow, because then we have a radiology test Thursday, but because I work Tuesday night I might end up taking Anatomy Wednesday. Oh well though. Life will go on. 

Oh and PS I think i lost my radiology book and binder. It's making me more than a little frantic. 

FAQ's Gleaned Insofar From Fall Semester 2008

-It is possible to eat one entire box of Frosted Flakes in two days.
-It is also possible to eat three bowls of Frosted Flakes in two minutes.
-It takes 44 nickels to pay for one gallon of milk.
-Why is it that popsicles taste best when partially melted, so you have to eat them really fast so they don't fall off the stick, and then you get a head freeze?
-It is possible to eat one loaf of home-made zucchini bread in two meals.
-It is possible, when sitting on any sort of chair, to fall asleep midsentence.
-Is there a reason the apartment suddenly get noisiest at 11:30PM?
-You can fit 5 girls, one camping stove, one 8-man tent, and a cooler, with food and overnight bags in one Buick Century for three days.
-Library computers hate my password.
-Chocolate is good for you. (I realize this is a previously proven fact, I would just like to reiterate it)
-Riding your bike with 50+lbs of books on your back makes the seat a LOT harder.
-Ramen tastes better at 11:00PM
-The Lord made us fear death so that we wouldn't commit suicide.
-Professor's that really want you to learn are REALLY rare, but REALLY appreciated.
-How many types of food a day is nutritious, and do animal crackers fill all the requirements?
-No water in the morning really bites.
-Changing poopy diapers gets really old, really fast.
-My room goes in cycles. Clean. Not clean.
-Dishes don't do themselves... and neither does homework.
-I really need to get paid! (Money goes out faster than it comes in)
-Bikes were sent from heaven.
-After five years of not doing gymnastics, it really hurts.
-Sometimes good intentions don't last.
-Good shoes are essential.
-If you see someone with one pant leg rolled up, it means they have been riding a bike

*Thanks Aleesha for your great additions.
*Feel free for all college students, and graduated students to comment and add to my list of noted facts and questions. It could be interesting :)

UDHA

As a first-year student of WSU Dental Hygiene program, I was required, along with my fellow students, to attend the UDHA convention last Friday at Thanskgiving Point. In preparation for us going, the senior-students gave a presentation to pump us up about going, becoming a member when we graduate, but did not really explain a whole lot about it.
We get there, and there is a really WEIRD lady talking to us about how our heart is our son, and we need to release the emotions inside, become rooted like a tree, breathe deeply. A lot of mumbo-jumbo...no offense to those who liked it, I'm not a big lovely/feely kind of a person in that way.
Then we have a second presenter. He was coming to talk to us about ADHA (which by the way, I still don't know what that stands for, although it might have been mentioned---I do know it is the national organization for DH). He spent an hour telling us how poorly the dental hygiene association has been run in years previous and that it is going to change. He didn't tell us how it was going to change, he just pointed out what they had done wrong, and then simply stated that it would, eventually, change. After the longest hour of my life, he said he was going to show us WHY they were changing. My interests were sparked "yay! something new in your speech!" We spent the next hour watching videos of disgruntled DH's around the nation telling us why they thought it was a waste of time to join the association. That it helped them personally, none at all, actually. Then, I THOUGHT he was going to tell us why exactly it would be beneficial to be a member when we graduated (we were a class specifically designed for students, so he wanted to boost our morale, right??!?!) but NO! He spent the next hour telling us how we should recruit other people to come.
He did at one point say it was good to join because of benefits you can get, like discounts on loupes(although you can get better student discounts), small discounts in health insurance, and that at one point in the distant past this organization helped make it possible for DH's to administer anesthetic. That is all I gleaned from his pro-joining speech. And I was listening.
To top it all of, he was a terrible speaker, he had terrible skills: no dynamics, no enthusiasm, complete monotone voice, no gestures, he didn't relate anything to us, he used big words and no catch phrases. He was a dud, pretty much.
It was the longest convention of my life (although I did get some pretty sweet free toothbrushes) and I left completely against ever joining ADHA. Luckily, our ethics professor heard about it today, and in TWO MINUTES told us how she used to be a member, and also a member with a position of authority...she told us how she was one of the ones who pushed for DH's to be able to administer anesthetic, and what that means to us. She told us the importance of having an association to back us up in case of malpractice, in case we need an insurance break, in case we need to pass something new in the future because medicine is ever changing. She also said a few more things. In that TWO MINUTES I was more convinced to become a member than I have ever been. Certainly it reversed my absolutely negative attitude toward ADHA. Oh yeah, and its American Dental Hygiene Association. So there you go. I learned something today. Now I can become an activist, and NEXT time, there better be a better speaker, because that serious reflects poorly. Lamesauce.