Tuesday, May 24, 2011

We're going to the Chapel and We're Gonna Get Maaaaarried!

Hi Friends and Family!

I am so excited to announce to you that Dave and I got engaged this past weekend! It was perfect, and we are soooooo excited!

Now, for a re-run of the days events according to Molly...

Well, it all started out one day when I was at work and Dave had emailed me and asked for my schedule for the next week. Note to self: Dave never asks my schedule unless he is trying to plan something, and he usually immediately follows up with something like, "Oh, well since your off this day, maybe we could go do x, y, z. Never heard back from him. I immediately become suspicious, but attempted to play it cool.

Fast forward to the next week and I make this gourmet (ok not really gourmet) but delicious spaghetti dinner for Dave for after he gets off work. We are finishing eating dinner and he says to me, "So, do we have plans on Sunday?" I say, "No, why?" The immediate suspicious piece pops up again in me. He responds very chill like, and says, "Oh, well I am planning a daytrip for us, but I really want it to be a surprise, so I'm not going to tell you anything about it." We are on like red alert by now, super suspicious of the "surprise daytrip," and getting a little bit (ok a lot of bit) excited! Also, let's not pretend that I didn't try to pry some details out. For example, I framed my questions very strategically and said something like, "Well, I should probably know what I should wear." He very quickly responded, "Yeah, I'll tell you right before you need to know." He was tough, I got nothing. Dave is patient. I am not. I'm working on it.

Sunday May 22, 2011 rolls around. We embark on this "daytrip." First stop was Lisa's Radial Cafe for a little breakfast. Of course I was basically crawling out of my skin at this point so I could barely eat let alone choke down my coffee! :)

This is where Dave informed of what my attire should be: Hiking clothes. Now, where in the heck are we going in Nebraska that I need hiking clothes? But, I trust, and attempt to play it cool (note: I did not play it cool very well). I change into my hiking clothes and head back over to Dave's house. He has packed a picnic, blanket, and a backpack. I thought about rummaging through the backpack, but kept my cool by not.

With puppy by our sides, we are off. But, to where? I have no idea. But, Dave is completely cool and calm about the whole thing. In fact, you would have thought it was just another day for him. I, on the other hand, am still crawling out of my skin so excited for the possibility! So, we're driving, and driving some more, and at some point I'm wondering if maybe he's leaving me for dead because there is not much around. But, he assured me that was hardly his plan. So, keep driving, and pretty soon signs for Nebraska City start popping up. There is an end in sight!

He pulls up to the Arbor State Park in Nebraska City. Really beautiful day. Blue sky, sunshine, pretty trees and landscaping. I am so excited at this point. Watching his every move. Like a hawk. :) We take the puppy on a walk around the park, we go look at the old historic spots. Really sweet.

At this point, I'm getting hungry. We all know that I love to eat. Good thing he packed a picnic. Also, there just happens to be this sweet little gazebo at the park, so we decide to park ourselves there. So, we bust out the picnic which consisted of turkey and cheese sandwiches, fruit snacks, strawberries, grapes, and water. We are enjoying our lunch, just chatting away. And, then we finish lunch. I say, "What's next?!" He says, "Hold on." I'm dying at this point. So excited. He's rummaging through his backpack, he comes back with the ring box, he gets down on one knee, and says, "There's a question that I've been wanting to ask you. Will you marry me?" My heart is pounding, I cry a little bit, I scream, "YES!" We hug. We kiss. We're so excited! We're going to the chapel and we're gonna get married! Ah, I can't wait!!! So, that's our sweet little story from my view.

Maybe Dave will do a guest blog and tell you all about the previous events, like asking my parents for permission :) But, for now we are so happy and so excited!









Sunday, May 15, 2011

How to Survive Grad School

Hi Faithful Readers,

It has been TOO long! Part of the reason why it has been too long is because this past semester I started my practicum part of grad school, and with that comes completing practicum hours.  I spent 75 hours with a family practice physician, in addition to holding down my full-time job at Bergan.

So, onto the title of the blog post.."How to Survive Grad School." I have a few tips for any of you who might be considering tackling grad school and maintaining your full time job.

1. Work Less. Figure out how few hours you can work while still being able to pay bills, keep your benefits,  be able to eat, and have a little fun.  For me, this meant cutting down from 36 hours to 32 hours. Just a 4 hour difference, but those 8 hour days make a HUGE difference. Work until 3:30 pm, and you still have a majority of the day left to get any errands run, homework done, or maybe slip in a  nap!

2. Get a massage. Find a Massage Therapist and treat yourself once a month to a relaxing one hour. I'm pretty sure it's good for your body, soul, and mind. When I got my tax return, I went to my massage therapist, Tree, who makes me fall asleep drooling, and asked her if I paid for 12 massages up front (1 for every month of the year), if she would give me a deal. And, she did. It is so relaxing, and a much needed break from the rush of school.

(Here is a link to Tree's website if you are interested: Dundee Massage ).

3. Invest in a Vera Bradley Planner. These planners are a bit large, but so helpful when you have to coordinate school, work, friends, dinners, events, birthdays, and the list goes on and on. They are also pretty adorable. I do have one suggestion that I got from Dave's Godmother, Connie, whic was to pick one color and use that for work, pick another color and used that for school, etc. It helps to color code things, makes things more clearer in my mind at least! 

(Here is a link to the A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E Vera Bradley Planner: Vera Bradley Planner ).

4. Hit the Gym. If I had a big test in undergrad, I would stress myself out so much that I would tell myself I would not have any time for anything but studying. I probably spent more time procrastinating just by telling myself that, and I definitely wouldn't have been able to make the gym a priority that week. Even with the busy schedule I had with school, clinic, and work this past semester though, I would look at the gym schedule for the classes (I love the classes), and I would find one that worked, pack my gym clothes the night before, and just throw it into the pile of bags that I took out the door with me. Worked like a charm.

5. Add supportive people to your life. This semester was trying and so, so busy that sometimes I got a bit overwhelmed. So, thank you to my love, Dave, for all the dinners you have cooked, quizzing me over my flashcards, the "good luck on your test" text messages,  the gas tanks you've filled, and the hugs at the end of the day when it seemed like I would never make it to May 4th. Thank you to my family for having us out to dinner, and to my mom for having breakfast with me sometimes before clinic! Thank you to my rooms, Ames, who did my laundry for me one week! Thank you to Connie who went and got me groceries when I pulled my back out. Thank you to my bestie, Gwenn, who makes the best breakfast, coffee, and provides the best girlfriend chats! I'm sure there is more, but know that I truly am grateful for the support throughout grad school, and I love you all!