All is well ?

Blair and I at the Coco Cohort Party

After the second week of clinic, I'm not sure how to answer the above stated question. Ha. It's been a reallllllly long and difficult week for us all, I presume. After having my first week of full clinic (which means two clients coming twice per week), I am worn out. Doing clinic isn't nearly as hard as planning for it--and we'll all attest to that!

Nevertheless, it's been a good week. I am still here, so that is one to list on the pros side. It was great to get out last night. Anna and I grabbed the most delicious Chinese food ever from the New China in Bluff Park (my old Hoover neighborhood). I've missed it too much since moving far, far from there midways through the summer. However, my new neighborhood has far too many perks for it to be a great concern, but I do have to make the trip to The China a few times a month! Dependency, you think? Today is going to be really exciting. Amanda and I are finally seeing the movie "The Women" and I deeply suspect that I will get some genuine enjoyment out of that one, if you know what I mean! Love it! Hopefully, we'll follow the movie with dinner..

On the subject of the debate last night: Go out there in November and "Barack the Vote!" Woot.

I got to thinking, it's almost time for a really spontaneous adventure. By planning to take a spontaneous adventure, one might suspect that takes the spontaneity out of it, but oh contrare...it can still be crazy. Fall break is coming up, after all...

Good things that happened this week:
1. Starbucks began serving their fall drinks (namely, the pumpkin spice latte)
2. The weather cooled off so much that I needed a light jacket to walk Abby at her routine 5:30 a.m. time slot
3. I got a sassy haircut, which would make any week go from okay to great
4. I think most of my cohort survived clinic
5. Ate at New China
6. Whatever happens today and tonight

"Whatever's out there waiting for me, I'm gonna face it will-ing-ly.."

Waiting for the weekend...I am so excited about the weekend. This first week of clinic has been entirely exhausting. For those of you who don't know what I mean by "the first week of clinic," I am referring to my first week of working as a graduate clinician in my graduate program at the university's speech and hearing center. Eeeek! It's crazy to think that I am actually working one-on-one with clients. It is such a pleasure (an exhausting and stressful pleasure, that is) to be working with children on their language skills. Good thing I am enjoying it so far...it is, indeed, what I plan to spend my life doing (if having children and being a mother doesn't work out so well, that is...which at this point, it appears that getting this master's is definitely in my favor..). Wonderful. I'm excited about the weekend, in part, because my family is coming down to visit. It's been long awaited for my dad to take a peep in my tool shed to see if the opossum is still residing there. I believe Abby and I saw it sneak out the back gate of the yard this afternoon, but I'm not sure that it was the opossum because we were standing in the kitchen looking out the glass doors. If it was the opossum, I fear for us all. Also, Friday will probably be a pretty sweet day. I don't have any clients to see, so I'll be doing homework at school all day and going to class. Late Friday afternoon, I am getting my haircut. That makes me pretty happy.

Abby turned one today. I surprised her with some presents--a couple of new toys, a blankie, a collar (as I'm transitioning her from a harness to a "big girl collar"), a new jacket, and some yummy little chewies. We're having a little party for her this weekend, as well. The dog is ruined. I know this.

Finally, I would just like to say how much I am looking forward to...well, everything! I am enjoying my master's program tremendously (that may change after next week's neurology test..), loving having so much time to spend with my friends, and really enjoying having this lovely house (minus mowing the grass every week and cleaning a bigger space). Things are working well for me. It's a good time...it's almost fall time...that's my favorite time.

If you don't know of Joss Stone's song "Right to be Wrong," you might ought to give it a listen:

"I've got a right to be wrong
My mistakes will make me strong
I'm stepping out into the great unknown
I'm feeling wings though I've never flown
Got a mind of my own
I'm flesh and blood to the bone
I'm not made of stone

Got a right to be wrong
So just leave me alone
I've got a right to be wrong
I've been held down too long
I've got to break
I can finally breathe
Got THE right to be wrong
Got to sing my own song
I might be singing out of key
But it sure feels good to me
Got a right to be wrong
So just leave me alone

You're entitled to your opinion
But it's really my decision
I can't turn back I'm on a mission
If you care don't you dare blur my vision
Let me be all that I can be
Don't smother me with negativity
Whatever's out there waiting for me
I'm going to face it willingly

I've got a right to be wrong
My mistakes will make me strong
I'm stepping out into the great unknown
I'm feeling wings though I've never flown
I've got a mind of my own
Flesh and blood to the bone
See, I'm not made of stone
I've got a right to be wrong
So just leave me alone"

Opossum..

I had a confrontation with a opossum. Things were going great with the whole having a house situation until yesterday when I went out to my tool shed to get out the mower, leaf blower, and broom to do my yard work. As I opened the door, something scrambled. I quickly closed the door, ran and jumped on my swing and screamed for my neighbor over the fence. After working up some courage, I re-opened the shed door and the critter was no where to be found. I guess it escaped when I wasn't watching. It was a giant opossum. I mean, about the size of Abby. My neighbors on either side have spotted it in their yards recently, as well. Is that not just concerning? Well, now I am afraid to let Abby out without me being out there, too. Eeeek! I have also recently had a chameleon run inside as I opened my glass door on the front of the house. I was going out to water the flower beds. The little lizard guy ran into the house and played a game of chase with Abby before heading straight up my full-length curtains. I had to pick the fella up with my hand and toss him outside. Ewww. I don't know what's going on around here. It's kind of becoming a jungle!

Aside from those happenings, graduate school is so busy! Clinic starts Monday. Everyone is overwhelmed with therapy planning. The weekend will be welcomed with a gathering of friends for movie night, a french themed Coco Channel party, and going to see The Women, which is premiering this weekend. We need the fun...let me tell ya..

Why things are really GrEaT right NOW:
1. Not to dwell on this, but...fall is coming. In fact, it's been in the high 60s when I walk Abby in the mornings.
2. Roll Tide! It's football season.
3. Spending more time with friends.
4. Graduate school is kind of fun...even the classes.
5. I love this neighborhood. And town.
6. I have been enjoying going to church with Amanda.
7. Abby is about to turn 1.

"It'll all get better with time.."

I am having so much fun these days. I am seizing the opportunity to travel and have more fun! How blessed am I! Oh, what a weekend. It was supreme. Abby, Katie, and I made the trek to Huntsville for the long weekend. It was wonderful! We watched the Tide win a game, spent a day on the lake, went shopping, had a cookout, and got free chicken from The Chicken. Could it have been more fun?! I was so happy with the Bama game. The win could have been, in part, due to Katie, my mom, and I all purchasing the same Bama t-shirt at Bama Fever early Saturday afternoon in preparation for the season kick-off. Clearly, we brought good luck to the game. My dad should be nominated as the best kabob maker ever--seriously. Friday evening we arrived to my house only to smell the scent of kabobs on the grill. They were stuffed with chicken, steak, shrimp, and veggies. Scrumptious! Saturday, after a morning of nothing but sleep and bacon eatin', we went shopping for fun things. I scored some great jewelry and the aforementioned Roll Tide shirt. Sunday was the best day at the lake since forever. We took Abby swimming and let her learn how to jump off of the dock by herself. It was adorable, really. We rode around in the boat for the afternoon, sunning and taking an occasional needed dip in the lake. Saturday night, we'd had a fish fry with the crappie I caught earlier in the spring. They were delicious. Today was free chicken day, so we swung by The Chicken on the way back and picked up our free chick-n-strips and an added treat: a vanilla milkshake. Yumm. So, the weekend was a success: lake, chicken, shopping, great company, a fish fry, and a win for the Tide. I'm just now cracking my neuroscience book to read for class..

On a side note, I am craving chinese from my old neighborhood of Bluff Park. Just puttin' this out there, but if anyone else feels the same way, let's get New China asap. I miss it soo much since the move to this far, far away land!