home.

its been so fun being at home.

i still have not hooked up my camera to the comp... but here are some older pics to illustrate the last few days.

this is the 10yr old who brings the "joy and entertainment to everything"

those were her words not mine.

an OLD picture from christmas' ago of me and the little brothers.
prob high school which means 5 years ago...

MY FANTASTiC, BEAUtifUL SUPER FUN CAMMMERA!

(canon rebel xti... you know the one paula blogged about having TWO of!)

last but not least: providence canyon

or GA's Little Grand Canyon

photo courtesy of google.

like i said i haven't hooked my comp up...

although i did take like 100 at the canyon.

it was beautiful! the day was perfect. BRIGHT blue sky, the trees had no leaves so you could see so much better. mom, beth, ash, and i hiked a good 2 or so miles down into the canyon... which isn't a lot... but with a 10 year old was a lil work. we had to pulllll her out of the canyon. but it was highly entertaining and loads of fun. ash got to play in the dirt and mud and was filthy! covered head to toe in mud... and loved it. at one point she was splashing in the mud and said "this is all i have ever wanted to do"

it was amazing to see the JOY this child had in just splashing in puddles. it reminded mom and i- its really the little things in life that can add so much joy and happiness!

anywho- it was a fun adventure that ended with a trip to CiCis.

today mom and i are going to explore columbus and shop and hang out. im pretty excited.

thats all for now.

love and peace and happiness...

liars.

christmas was full of lies... but i ended up with an amazing digital rebel... SO ill forgive paula and mom for lying to me.

anyway. life is so crazy and fun right now. we did christmas saturday here... took 4 1/2 hours. ill explain later. sunday we went to gmas and played out in the country. SO fun. my 10 yr old cousin is staying with us the rest of the week (AH!) but fun. today we are going to the little grand canyon. me, mom, beth (godmom), and little cousin. should be highly entertaining.

im taking my sweet camera... so trust me i will have PLENTY of pics to post as soon as i get a chance.

also under my tree: wii fit, cosby season 1 on DVD, games, house decor, and more. a very fun sweet exciting christmas!!

off to the canyon-

love and peace. d

merry christmas!

so today is christmas for me... and it feeelllssss like it! food and games last night-
waking up early with my brothers waiting for my parents to let us go downstairs...
they keep up upstairs until everything is perfect downstairs.
this year we have two additions to the macminn christmas which just means more fun- and fewer places to sit.
im still excited though.

anyway... gotta go wait with the bro's to be let down into the madness!

love and peace and merrrryyy christmas! :)

george-uh

home to ga.
at the sniders... after a 5 1/2 hour drive. :(
BUT i got home on christmas so it was nice.

a huge dinner greeted me, with presents and fun to follow.
its so nice to be here... but my journey continues westward today as i drive across the state and head home to mom and dads!

we are having our big fun christmas tomorrow morning! yes... we are waking up early and opening presents and its going to be huge and fun and im pumped!!

so anyway- i am so happy to be here with family. is a wonderful feeling. so good to sit around in pj's and catch up on life.

off to relax a little more before i venture to c-town...

love and peace
d

turn that frown upside down!

.

so. after loads of encouragement from my amazing ryan...


who really is my superhero...

i turned my frown upside down and got a hold of myself. today turned out to be superb (im still mad they are stealing my PTO- well not stealing but still...) anyway it turned out to be a great day.

after watching the pilot episode of "gossip girls" (which ry suggested) i got on my blog... one of my friends had JUST blogged on her page (http://audieandjulia.blogspot.com/) One thing stuck out to me... she was in durham. alone with her hubby. i called her instanteously.
after chatting i was invited over to hang out- to have dinner- and go to church with her !
talk about the most exciting call ever... really i was pumped. no one wants to be alone on christmas eve and thank Jesus I was not either!!

so before going over to her house i did a few things:
1.packed
2. baked cookies
3. did a lil shopping
4. went to starbucks and got my new fav drink
venti- shaken iced passion tea (sweetened please). became my fav in ny and i still love it. plus the price is perfect. 2bucks! really... 2 bucks for a venti. it lasts me allll day (im a slow drinker) and i love it.

so yeah... it turned out to be a very different, but as katie said- memorable, christmas eve. i will probably forever remember this day. haha... it will make for a story...

so yes... after calling home and talking to everyone in my fam (from cousins to grandmas) im off to bed so i can work for SIX hours tomorrow. when i called and asked if i have to work tomorrow the response i got was: we dont know. we can't tell you until the morning. but probably. sooooo yeah. off to work i go. just til one and then its off for a very merry snider christmas!!


love and peace this christmas eve night- i truly hope you wake up to a wonderful day with family and friends!

worst case scenario....

... has just occurred.

i guess i better be careful and say... not "worst".
as ry reminds me often there is always something much worse that could happen....
but for now... worst case.

Its Christmas Eve. I am supposed to work.
Christmas day (tomorrow) I am supposed to work until 1.
::after work I am driving to the Sniders for a Christmas night Christmas::

6:18 AM- I get a phone call- saying they dont need me today. I dont need to go into work. Granted ANY OTHER DAY OF THE WHOLE YEAR id love to be called off. but today. i am canceled... but tomorrow (as of 6:18) I still have to work. The reason work is not so bad today is bc its CHRISTMAS EVE! at least if I went to work I would have CO WORKERS, there are not many patients... and it wouldn't be so bad! Now i have no one... flying solo...

now this worst case could turn into BEST case... which everyone out there needs to wish for. really. pray hard. im going to call in to work later today and see if they can cancel me for tomorrow also.... in that case i could leave today and go straight to the sniders!

im trying not to be hopeful.
oh well. ill be greatful for a day off work...
(that unfortunetly they will use my PTO for... which im trying to save for my guatemala trip)

anywho... im just gonna take it easy. maybe ill just watch every christmas movie that comes on TV today...


either way... i hope YOU are having a very merry, delightful christmas eve. enjoy your time with yoru family and friends!

love and peace

more from ny

this is me thinking... gosh i could live here.
actually... its me, reading a book, in starbucks, with a HUGE glass window looking out to see the world. i could have sat here forever...

inside st. patricks cathedral...

i love this time of year!

best japanese ive had outside of japan...
most authentic. best tasting. oh gosh. i loved it.

best hamburger in new york...
actually probably the world.
really. 6 bucks for a pound of meat, cheese, bacon, and all the pickles you could dream of.

the madness of times square...

best choc chip cookie a man could ever eat...
jacques torres

the city....

the city as we were flying in... my thoughts: oh my gosh. this is crazy...

broooklyn bridge... with the city behind us

love the sky.

first umc congregation in america...
yeah we hunted this down to find it. it is hidden within the skyscrapers...
but wouldnt every good methodist in nyc go find it?!?!
maybe we are over the top.
but it was exciting... built in the 1700's!

cranes at ground zero...
it was a very unique experience. when ry and i were in japan we took cranes and left at hiroshima.... and here were cranes that japan brought us. i dunno. it was amazing, beautiful. and so meaningful to me.

more coming... promise.

shepherds...

i know you all are dying to hear all about my trip to new york and to see pictures
and hear the amazing stories and hear my thoughts...
i know... i know.
dont worry... they are coming. basically for the next week i will post like crazy on my INCREDIBLE trip.

but for now a picture that is worth a million bucks...

Colin (on L) is ry's bro... he needed help at his internship place for the live nativity. just so happens they were in need of two shepherds... lucky for colin he had me and rhino...


it def took me back to the days of being a little kid in the christmas play at church...
always mary or the angel.
it was fun and precious...


ok. new york pics are coming.


ps- im going home in a week. ive never been more homesick so im so so sooooo excited to be at home with my family! to pick on / argue/ fight/ love on my brothers! stay up late with mom! and get good hugs and watch movies with dad! really..... im soooooo excited!!

peace and love.

sore...

goooood morning.
so. my body is acheing this monring realllly. my entire body is sore.
from what you ask? walking.

yesterday we walked miles. and miles. and miles.
(no exageration)

we started our day with some brunch- which is a sunday delight here in the city. and gosh it was so good. then we hopped on the subway (i mean got a taxi mom) and went to a starbucks before we headed into central park. where we spent several hours just walking and playing and looking at as much as possible. we headed down broadway and met up with colin (rys bro) and his gf. (yeah they are here too). then we just hung out more. had an amazing dinner at a lil diner (which was voted best burgers in nyc)- after filling up we headed to the brooklyn bridge.

so we crossed the bridge... which was UBBER cool.... then walked for another 2 hours looking for another starbucks. this part was long, and stressful, and exhausting. we were just walking... searching... hoping.... then we found a bucks and we were set.
:: side note- the reason for a starbucks is bc here its basically the ONLY place to go to the bathroom.. really::

anyway. afterwards we did a whole heck of a lot of other stuff.... times square, macy's (the big one) madison square gardens, flat iron building, and so many other things.. i just dont know.

anyway- we are having a BLAST! really. its been so so so much fun.. and we still have like 2 days left! (we leave tom. evening) anyway... today is looking exciting as well! plus today its suppose to be in the 50s.. so thats good too .

im out. love and peace-

last night:
- times square
- 123 burger shot beer (look it up)

fun night. reallll fun.
slept great.

now up for some excitement in central park... yay for nyc. i LOVE love LOVE it here!

new york city...

its 17*... so so so COLD! really. my legs have been NUMB AllLLLll day! but its ok. its amazing here! and weve only been here since 10 this AM!
so far we have seen/done:
staten island ferry, wall street, ground zero, churches (including first UMC church... st john street umc), tons of walking and looking and playing... and then amazing REAL japanese dinner... like felt like i was back in japan.

we'd be so lost without our dear nathan guiding us around... its been a blast... really. we shall see what tonight unfolds... and the next few days...

around...

@ ground zero... the blank space/ where the crains are... thats where the twin towers were

trama...

... so nothing will top my story from yesterday. really.
i wonder how often that happens... you would think often... but then how many people do you know that has stuck a needle THROUGH their finger on accident? jw.

anyway... thanks for your comments. highly entertaining... and made me smile. :)

luckily my finger feels great today. other than some soreness this morning i am good to go... i have a bandage on it from work... which keeps germies out. (essential when working in a hospital). anyway... other than the killer pain yesterday and the horrible dreams (you would have bad dreams too)... im good to go.

time to hop in bed so i can work one more day!! before my exciting friday and then my trip to new york WITH THE LOVE OF MY LIFE! (:

love and peace!

my 'holy' finger

warning. "graphic content" to follow...
(dont worry. its not that bad)


today... i was sewing... and just my luck... my damn sewing machine fought back.
yes i just cursed... but it is appropriate.

as i was working on christmas presents/projects on my sewing machine... just working away doing something I LOVE and listening to music... all of a sudden i realized the needle just went THROUGH my finger. like all the way through.
immedietly i scream. and start yelling.
if you know about the machine... the neeedle is attached to the machine... so i just pulled out my finger. it was terrible. after i got loose... i started hyperventilating and called mom.
still screaming and now crying.

i can't describe the pain that tiny little needle caused.
it doesnt' look bad- but the pain is ridiculous!
im just tylenol-ing it and using ice... and tonight i applied some 'new skin' so i can
'seal my hole' so i dont get germies in there tomorrow at work.
speaking of work... typing sucks (aka lots of stinging and pain)... so it should be interesting to see how the day goes tomorrow (since i type constantly at work)

ughhhhh so annoying! i just wanted to have a nice productive day working on christmas projects. i didn't even finish one!!!

oh well. enjoy the pic.
the two dots are the two holes...

i am sure you would love to hear more... but my finger is pounding.
so im getting in bed and being a baby...

love and peace

(:

its christmas time...
... im going to NEW YORK CITY this weekend

my rhino is finishing up his first semester of seminary...
... work was good today

... its 20 degrees outside!
my christmas tree looks awesome...

im going home in like TWO 1/2 weeks
(where ill get to see the fam and friends)...

... me and rhino's 4 year-aversary is THIS FRIDAY... holy cow... 4 years?!?!...

did i mention im going to NEW YORK CITY THIS WEEKEND!??!
and Guatemala in March!

life is so good right now.
God is so good to me.

and yes... im super stoked about nyc.... really. its all i think about.

love and peace and happy holiday wishes!

tis the season to be jolly!

at the christmas tree "farm"
(or lot in front of kroger... farm seems so much cooler)

so between the 3 of us girls in my house... we had about 5 ornaments.
heather though... was given a bag of oh say 50 shimmery gold fancy ornaments.
so we said heck yes! and so we have a very gold and shiny christmas tree!
its so beautiful though.. and smells delicous!

and to top off the pics... my fabulous family (-dad sadly)
but really. i love these folks and miss them so much!
can't wait to be home in 3 weeks!!

hope you are having as wonderful a holiday season as i am...
love and peace

weekend off!

here is my weekend:

- i like waking up around 9. love it.... if i go to bed around 12:30....

- i bought some new shoes... and there is another pair i reallllllllly want. nike. old school. loved them. but decided against the purchase.

- went to duke choir's concert of Handel's Messiah (talk about spectacular! wow. other than the fact it was a painful 3 hours... it was so beautiful)

- hung up a few christmas lights... and the roomies and i were going on a christmas tree adventure BUT it rained... so we postponed the hunt to today.

- i need to clean

- i need to send out support letters

- i need to sew

- ive spent a lot of time on the comp this am...

- my friend nic got engaged!! exciting for her!! :) she is fabulous... really.

- i love christmas music!! really... this is my favorite time of year by far... and this year im hoping it will be the best one yet!! i mean it does get better every year! :) hopefully this will be a spectacular one!! :) i mean i am going to new york THIS UPCOMING WEEKEND!!! whHHAHAA!!!!

ok so enough rambling about NOTHING... i need to get some work done!!
love and peace.

pukies...

today i puked.
i woke up... got in the shower... started feeling AWFUL.
then realized i had to puke.
so i did.

i proceeded to feel awful, but went to work despite.
after 15mins of being at work i realized this was not going to happen.
i could not stand up (which being a nurse is essential)

luckily we had someone who could take over for me.

so i left work... came home and slept... all day.

slept, watched tv, slept, ate bread and noodles, and slept.

luckily i puked only once... and i feel like a baby... but one time got me good and made me feel like garbage. yes trash. i felt horrible.

oh well. i slept well and feel fine now... much better. hopefully ill be able to fall asleep so i can wake up in the morning and go to work. lovely...

ps... anyone else excited that LOST comes on jan 21?!?! yeah... im pumped.

love and peace... and back to bed i go...

the word is out...

i am going to guatemala...
i am going to GUATEMALA...

I AM GOING TO GUATEMALA!!

it has not really sunk in yet- even though its been on my mind for a good month now!
remember my blog about living water international? (www.water.cc)
well i am going on one of their trips to Guatemala in March!
yeahhh MARCH! like 4 months from now!

so crazy. i can't even believe it.
but its true. God has really opened a door for me and I am excited to see where He leads me!

There are 3 things I am quite passionate about.
1. Jesus
2. Healthcare
3. traveling

I am excited that in March I get to combine my three passions for a week long adventure.
Ill be going solo- meeting up with a team of people from across the country in Texas- and then heading down for a week. I will be on the hygiene teaching team- so while half of our group builds a well for a village I will be teaching the women and children about healthcare and hygiene. YeaHHHhh i am pumped.

In case you didnt know I have been passionate about those three things for many years now... and have been blessed to go to several amazing places... including

India- 2004

Botswana- Africa 2006

I was looking through my Africa and India pictures today and my heart just melts... I get so excited- i just can't explain it. My heart pours out to these children! I love them so much! The poorest of the poor are the happiest, funniest, sweetest children I have been around! They truly are incredible. I am excited to go to Guatemala and share my love of Jesus and healthcare and pour out love on the kids!

Ill keep you posted as the trip gets closer... how you can help... pray particularly... etc.

so there it is... my exciting news! :)

hope you are all well and wonderful... im off to bed. work tomorrow... lovely.

love and peace-

christmas shopping...

i am excited because today... i am going christmas shopping. 

well- more like christmas supply shopping. i am going mostly homemade this year... 

*note mostly*

so off to walmart, marshalls, and jo anne's fabric stores i go.

i have to make a few purchases- then plan to come home and sew! 

im quite excited... 

well for all the girls in my life. 

not so much for the boys in my life... they are much more difficult. 

as for my brothers and will be one day brother- i am clueless. 

so while im out im also shopping for clothes! i need some "new trendy clothes" for nyc!! 

what that means... i dunno. but i have to be warm- but look great. we shall see what marshalls and tj max have for me! 

love and peace.

d