4 weeks old

sweet as sugar.

Lots to Learn

I haven't been awake in the 5's, as I like to call them, in quite sometime. This morning, however, I was up and at 'em at 5:15 and already on the road, blending precisely into the sunrise by 6. Today started one of my two week summer rotations to be completed for pharmacy school, and I've been dreading them for the entire summer. I was given the choice to complete them in May when finals were over, but being that I had to drive nearly an hour to the pharmacy where I'm stationed to work at 8am and the fact that the pharmacy falls in the eastern time zone, I figured they could wait. But, July 28th could wait no longer. Its early start finally arrived and there is nothing I can do about it.

One requirement of the rotations as an intern is that you wear your white coat. So, this morning, I waltz into the pharmacy wearing my white coat, realizing that by wearing it I might as well be wearing a sign that says "Ask me!" Customers see the whitecoat and I simultaneously see wheels churning. They have no idea that I've only completed one of my four years of pharmacy school. If they did, I'm almost certain they would hesitate to ask me anything. But, although the white coat is somewhat deceiving for an intern, I can't wait for the day when the white coat means assurance--assurance that, as a pharmacist, I will have the answer or at least be able to find it. Until that day, I'm stuck with being completely vulnerable to the pharmacy technicians who, for now, know more about the process than I do. It is inevitably intimidating, but I am so grateful for their willingness to answer my multitudinous questions all day. They are smart people.

I think this has been a pessimistic post thus far and that's not what I intended. The truth is, even though I was up before the chickens this morning and even though I had to swallow my pride countless times today to ask for help, the Lord reminded me that my work is not about me. Colossians 3:23-24 resounded like a broken record all day. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men... It is the Lord Christ you are serving. What an incredible opportunity I've been given. The Lord has carried me through what I like to call tribulations of studying and applying and shadowing and volunteering and studying and studying and more studying to where I am today. It is only by His grace that I have made it this far. Why would I not desire to serve him?

The Lord proved to me today that I really do desire to be a pharmacist, and that desire should not be used for my own honor, but for honoring the highest being who yearns for me to desire Him above all else. He desires for me to acknowledge His presence whether I'm asking one billion questions or whether I'm driving weary-eyed at 6am. I pray that my heart will be submersed in his goodness and joy enough to serve others for His glory as I work--or rather, as I learn. There's a lot I have yet to know. Trust me, white coats can be deceiving.

Tony Snow's Testimony

Incredible.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/july/25.30.html

"Ralph did it."

I came across this picture and couldn't pass up the opportunity to take you back to one of the most hysterical moments of college: November 2006 in the White House, not to be confused with George W.'s current residence. Although no first lady has ever darkened its doors, our White House was proud to be the home of Miss Auburn--same difference, right? For those of you who may not know, the White House is a huge, aging, terribly insulated, ten bedroom house where 9 of my friends and I lived junior and senior year of college. We not only shared the house with each other, but also with a host of rats, roaches, and even fleas (for a summer). The house forced us to sport flannel pj's in the winter and much of nothing in the summer. There was no happy medium-- we were either freezing or hot as blazes. Yet, despite its shortcomings, I thought the house had tremendous character. And although I did my share of complaining, I loved every minute of it.

Back to the picture. Well, one November Sunday morning we awoke to find an apple in the middle of the kitchen floor. It was not a whole apple. In fact, it had been bitten into several times. Maybe a rat took a bite? Maybe it just somehow mysteriously rolled out of the trash can onto the floor? We hadn't a clue. Shortly after that Julie, Mary Lindsey, and Lauren discovered what looked to be the business of a small dog. Yes, there was a mini stool sample lying on their bathroom floor. It was too large to belong to a rat and that sent us all into a whirlwind. Not only had this unwelcomed creature eaten our food, but it had also gained the nerve to use our bathroom and apparently spend the night. We left for church with an uneasy feeling and hoped we'd find this thing when we returned.

After lunch we called pest control and they agreed to come and check it out. We had all searched our rooms and were timid to turn a corner for fear of seeing something we wished we hadn't. In the meantime, Brittany came home from her weekend in Athens. As she unpacked her bags, she nonchalantly glanced over on her bookshelf and let out the loudest shriek I've ever heard. She bolted down the stairs, sobbing the entire way, and we immediately knew that the thing was in her room. In what seemed like a split second, Ben and John David came over with a sack and a golf club, caught the little fellow, and I'll leave you to figure out the rest.An opossum had been tucked away in our house for the entire weekend as if it were a bed and breakfast, and to this day we have no idea how he got there. Not sure if he was actually sleeping or just "playin' possum." If you look close enough in the dark bottom corner, you can see his tail. We were fearful for a while after this incident, but love to reminisce of Ralph, as he came to be called. From that day forward, "Ralph did it" was our answer to everything.

A Must Read

I love to read. This summer I've been blessed with enough free time to dig into several books, none of which are related to pharmacy practice- thank goodness. John Irving, Nicholas Sparks, Randy Alcorn, James Montgomery Boice, C.S. Lewis and my personal summer favorite, John Piper, have been unbelievably thought provoking. Well, maybe just the last four. Today I finally finished Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper and it's certainly a must read in my opinion. The chapter regarding missions really tugged at my heart, specifically these verses:

And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth." Revelation 5:9-10

After living in East Asia last summer, the concept of making disciples of all nations became real to me. In the short time I was there, I felt the Holy Spirit meet me in the most unexpected places and conversations, and saw him surpass language and cultural barriers that are humanly impossible. I am still overwhelmed to the point of tears when I'm taken back to that realization of how mighty and powerful our God is, and that is only a glimpse of his being. On this earth we are incapable of ever fully understanding it. I am so often guilty of confining God to a box, if you will, and placing limits on his work. Revelation 5 quickly humbles me.
We are called to be oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor (Isaiah 61:3), whether we are planted in a foreign land or at home. He desires our willingness to make him known in all the earth.

Swim, Bike, Run

Swim, Bike, Run: typical order of a triathlon. This afternoon we conquered the first two, except not in that order. It had been an unproductive day until Mary Lindsey and I decided to bike to the aquatics center, swim some laps and then bike home. I hopped on the mountain bike, Mary Lindsey hopped on the road bike and off we went. Picture this: ML's legs could barely reach the pedals and to top it off she was wearing her bright red L.L. Bean backpack with our towels in tow. We looked ridiculous at our absolute best. There is no bike lane until you reach Thach Avenue, so cars were dodging us left and right and we could barely pedal for laughing so hard.

We finally made it to the aquatics center, and yes we were out of breath.

James E. Martin Aquatics Center Rule #1: Must shower off before entering the water.

James E. Martin Aquatics Center Rule #2: No chewing gum.
James E. Martin Aquatics Center Rule #3: Pool closes at 4:45pm on Sundays.

Yep, you guessed it. We broke every rule. We arrived at 4:30pm and the lifeguards blountly reminded us that the pool would be closing in 15 minutes--they assumed this would keep us from swimming. To their dismay, we jumped in without ever showering off, and Mary Lindsey was chomping on her chewing gum.

After our swim we hopped back on our bikes, only this time I was wearing the bright red L.L. Bean backpack stuffed with our wet towels. We looked ridiculous, yet again, soaking wet as we made the trek back. We got home and collapsed on the floor. It was a mini adventure in itself, and a fun one at that. I'm still laughing. If you're wondering why we did this it's because Mary Lindsey is actually training for a triathlon. She's hardcore- goggles, one piece swimsuit, road bike and all.

Two weeks old..

Eyes are now open!

Happy Birthday Mom!

47 years ago today in Charleston, South Carolina, my grandparents celebrated the birth of the last of their three children. I talked with my mom this morning on her way to work and asked the typical birthday question, "Well, do you feel any older?" She chuckled and replied with a very honest "Yes."

Two of my favorite memories...
As a little girl, I always thought my mom was beautiful, and to this day I still think so. I remember asking if I could borrow her clothes all the time. This makes no sense because I was then 9 and she was 35- obviously her clothes wouldn't fit me, but it didn't keep me from asking over and over and over again. I wanted to be just like her.

One Sunday morning before church she washed my mouth out with a bar of soap for repeating a word that was inappropriate, especially for a 6 year old. She always threatened to do it when I talked back to her or said something that wasn't nice, and that Sunday morning I finally believed her. Strangely enough for me, the distinct taste of Dial soap is all too familiar.

Today I not only celebrate her life, but I celebrate her faith, her friendship, her guidance, her love, and the fact that she's put up with us for this long! Here's to you, mom. Happy birthday.

Here's a candid of my mom and brother at the beach a few weeks ago. Corey Michael wouldn't smile for my picture if his life depended on it. Go figure.

Summer weekends= living out of a suitcase

I've been in Auburn the entire summer and have yet to spend a full weekend here thanks to weddings, lake trips, beach trips, you name it. I am certainly not complaining -I've thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it! I don't think my suitcase has been fully unpacked since these traveling adventures began two months ago, and this past weekend was no different. There is still an unpacked suitcase in the middle of my bedroom floor.

The weekend was a weekend of hearty fellowship with some younger girls that I've gotten to know recently, and some of which I've known since a Bible study I led sophomore year. Last Friday I randomly decided to head down to Fort Morgan with them for some beach time, good food, and good company. Classifying us as professional beach bums would be an understatement. Over the course of the weekend we sat perched in the sand with good books, sailed with Haley's dad on the family catamaran, consumed more chocolate chip cookies than you could ever possibly imagine, and laughed hysterically. Everyone needs a weekend with these girls every now and then. They are a hoot to say the least.

If I had to choose a single word to define their friendships it would be sacrificial (Hebrews 13:16). The sacrificial love that they embody, although incomparable to the sacrificial love of God, is unmistakably apparent at all times. It radiates from them and they have absolutely no idea what a testament they were to me! My stomach still hurts from laughing--ok, well maybe just from all the chocolate chip cookies and scotcharoos (or scottish terriers or snickeroos as Jill would call them). It was a much needed enjoyable weekend, even if it was lived out of a suitcase.

Just call her gimp

Kristen Elizabeth Cofield: faithful friend, a real go-getter, Charlotte's most eligible bachelorette. She's the only girl I know who loves good music, peanut butter, and coffee more than me, and the only girl who would be brutally honest enough to tell you to rethink your Friday night attire. Did I mention she recently made the transition from college student to young professional? It has been a huge success thus far, thus far meaning until about 7am today.

It's astounding that we live miles away, yet I somehow know every detail of her life as if she still lived right across the hall--and she, too, knows mine. We have text messaging and email to thank for that, and it is nothing short of a blessing. This morning we exchanged the usual email and Kristen's reply was not so usual. She informed me that while coming down the stairs for work in her trendy little outfit, her high heel decided to pitch a fit. Needless to say, she was plunged down the entire flight of stairs, cereal bowl flying through the air and shattering into tiny little pieces, only to land at the bottom nearly knocked out with a sore ankle and knee.
A few hours and a couple of x-rays later, Kristen was sent home. With crutches. Now, Kristen Elizabeth Cofield: faithful friend, a real go-getter, Charlotte's most eligible bachelorette, gimp--you said it Kristen, not me. This post is not meant to poke fun at her morning catastrophe; I'd like to consider it a mere tribute. A tribute to a girl who stepped out in faith and moved to Charlotte, NC, on her very own, leaving behind comfort and familiarity. A tribute to a girl who would drop everything to do anything for you. A tribute to a girl who continuously strives to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord and encourages those around her to do the same.

Today, she reminded me of Psalm 84, the focus being on verse 11: "no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless." We all deserve a proverbial slap in the face sometimes, and Kristen is a champ at delivering that much needed slap in the face in the form of Scripture. I am challenged and inspired by her friendship and miss her dearly! I did not ask for permission to write this post and expose the fact that she is now a gimp, but I know she won't mind :)

One week old

Anne Marie brought the puppies to Wednesday night Bible study this past week. The pups are now one week old and still cute as ever. This is Dora. Kimi and I snuggled with her during the lesson, and everyone wanted to take them home!

Bon takes the MCAT

Today's the day! Hailee is conquering the MCAT. What an accomplishment to have reached this point after weeks and weeks of studying. My prayer is that the Lord would grant her wisdom and peace as her knowledge is put to the test. Despite the outcome, may His will be done.

I am still confident that Hailee will at least marry a doctor even if she decides not to become one herself. He will have the last name McNamara, of course. For those of you who are clueless, requirement number one for a shot at becoming Hailee's husband: must have the last name McNamara. Ace that MCAT, Bon, and you just might find him in medical school. Hailee Bonner McNamara has a nice ring to it :)

Meet Roxie.

Meet Roxie, Maltese belonging to Chris and Anne Marie Musgrove. If you're thinking she's a dog, think again. Roxie is indeed a human in Maltese form and AnneMarie has spoiled her rotten. I can't blame her--simply put, she's precious. We've all grown fond of her over the past few months since she joined us in Bible study every Sunday night at the Musgroves (shout out to Tommy Nelson..this one's for you Alley). You just can't NOT love her. As Anne would say, Roxie got "preggers" a few weeks ago and gave birth to 4 adorable puppies last night: Harry, Nala, Wilson, and Dora!

After Bible study tonight Kathryn, Emily, Alley, Mary Lindsey and I drove over to catch a glimpse of the newest additions. We doted over them and listened to details of the birth--some of which we'd rather not have heard. Props to Chris and Anne for handling the delivery like champs, and props to Roxie for being a nurturing mother already. I can't wait to watch them grow over the next few weeks!

Typical Monday night

Yesterday I got home from work to find Mary Lindsey sprawled out on the floor, eyes glued to our television. She watched one episode of Lost and proceeded to view all of season one without me--keep in mind this is suppose to be our summer show so that we'll be caught up next season. According to Chris and Robert Lost is the best television show EVER. ML, since yesterday, has adopted this phrase as her own. She's addicted. Thanks ML. I will now watch season one in its entirety- alone.

After our 3 mile power walk around Auburn, we were starving. It was ML's night to cook dinner and it took nearly a decade for her to prepare our meal because she was, once again, glued to the television. This time to The Bachelorette. I'll confess that for the past 3 weeks, our Monday nights have been spent watching this nonsense. Who will Deanna pick? Jesse or Jason? I'm not sure if it's so much that we actually enjoy the show or that we simply enjoy making fun of it.

Of course we cackle and patronize its cheesiness every week, but ML and I have decided that at the core, The Bachelorette is disheartening. The incentive is to give one more person a claim to fame, but what a skewed image it gives of the method of finding a mate. A multitude of physical and emotional attachments have been secured on national television and never once has God's sovereignty in any of these relationships been acknowledged. I, as any girl would, love the thought of fairy tale endings and the fantastical idea of romance is enough to entice anyone; however, romance, happiness, or satisfaction are not ultimate. Christ exalted is. You will most likely find us suckered into this nonsense again for the finale next Monday night, but I can assure you that my opinion will not waver. Until then I guess I have some Lost catching up to do.