And then we selected the hugest, orangest, perfectest ones.
And now I am watching Elf in October because John is gone and I am lonely and Elf is funny.
Happy Weekend, everyone!
-LJB-
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
October
This and that from this past week:
I spent most of this past week studying for my two exams: Internal Medicine and Surgery. Both have now been completed and passed!
Saturday we spent the day hiking at Starved Rock State Park. It was a bit crowded for our liking, but still nice to be outside on a lovely day!
This morning was Dad's 6th consecutive Chicago Marathon! It was another hot day (87 degrees!), but he persisted and finished with all body parts still intact.
Dad and Annette
Ruby and the vuvuzela
The faithful spectators.
It's a bro thing.
Aaron, Rae, Jody, and Me
Jody and goat.
Mom, Uncle Eddie, and some weirdo.
Trying to figure out why he just made his old body do that.
And off into another week. Have a good one.
LJ
Monday, October 4, 2010
3 down...
What a blur the past 6 weeks have been! I have been working in General Surgery at two nearby hospitals, and it has been wonderful! The days have been so long [and so EARLY], but somehow the weeks have flown by.
And I have fallen in love with surgery.
I will not miss the 4:30am wake-up call.
BUT, I am sad to know that I will not be in the OR again until...
Well, until who knows when. Maybe until I get a job as a surgery PA.
So, I have 3 rotations down and 5 to go...next, I'm off to the ER!
And I just found out that I will graduate on June 3rd...come quickly, June.
Other news:
I am wearing a sweater and I had hot chocolate today. Lovely.
John is growing his hair out. That just means his hairdresser has been busy.
We rode our bikes to the store today and I carried the oatmeal home on my rack and then it fell off. I ditched my bike and ran to its rescue just before it rolled onto Foster Avenue.
Two good, cool things:
1. My dad, Tim Hoekstra, is running the Chicago marathon on 10.10.10 [this Sunday]. Check out his fundraising website for the Hall Steps Running and Mentoring Club. It's exciting stuff, people. http://www.crowdrise.com/timhoekstrasteps
2. Our dear friends, Jim and Emily, are pursuing adoption from Ethiopia. Check out their adoption blog and fundraising projects! There are some really cool t-shirts that would look really good on you!! http://andiamyours.blogspot.com/
Enjoy the crunch of the leaves beneath your feet this week. Happy Fall.
LJ
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Pap
John's dear grandfather [Pap] has passed away. John left for Pittsburgh early Tuesday morning, and I have lost my gumption without him here [although I do get more work done]. The funeral will be Saturday, so I plan to fly out there Friday evening.
Although we are glad Pap doesn't have to live with dementia anymore, death is certainly never easy to swallow.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Clarke Hall
Today, as the freshmen of North Park University moved in, I reminisced about moving away to college. As I watched the dads carry endless armfuls of their daughter's clothing, I could picture my dad doing just the same 7 years ago. The number of times he climbed the 4 flights of stairs to the 3rd floor of Clarke Hall was certainly a testament to his love. As I observed the moms making sure all the details were in order, I remembered the way my mom made my XL twin bed with my oh-so-freshman-like turquoise and lime green striped bedding. She didn't hesitate for one moment to buy things for my room that would make it comfortable, fun, and like home.
One family drove their daughter to campus today with their car windows painted:
"Chicago, here I come!"
"North Park class of 2014!"
"HONK, I'm going to college!"
What an exciting time of life, full of transition right when you need it most. It's when you get to learn how to strike the balance between living life to the fullest and buckling down into reality. Lately, I've been yearning for the sense of adventure I had in college...I don't think it has left me, but it has quieted down. My little nose-pierced self stayed up regularly until 3 or 4am when I had class at 8am. Responsible? Maybe not. I figured that out by junior year. BUT, it is that carefree, go-with-the-wind attitude about life that allows us to experience the world outside our front door in a remarkable way.
[Some of you may be wondering what there is to do in Beaver Falls, PA until 4am, so I shall enlighten you: take a walk through college hill, eat dinner or breakfast at Eat 'n Park, have a shopping cart race in Wal-mart, pull sleds behind cars, just regular sledding (not quite as fun), climb the hill across the river and change the "G" into something else, paint your toenails with your roommate...the list ends shortly thereafter.]
There will always be a reason not to do something: it costs too much, it will take too much time, I can't take off work, it will be hard, next year will be a better time. While I realize I can't do it all, and there are times when saying "no" is necessary and wise, I refuse to become a crabby, old, shut-in who never did anything with her life. I refuse to always follow the rules. I refuse to limit myself to that which is safe and known. And I refuse to let student loans control my life!
This March I will spend 4 weeks in Ecuador for one of my clinical rotations. I am mostly excited, but also nervous and unsure of what to expect. I am not looking forward to leaving John for that long, and I am intimidated by the differences in culture and language. I am desperately trying to polish my Spanish so that I can communicate effectively with the people there. I will spend 2 weeks in Quito experiencing the urban side of medicine in South America; the following 2 weeks will be spent in Chone, a remote village of Ecuador, for the purpose of learning rural medicine. This is guaranteed to be an experience that will stretch me; I feel unprepared and inadequate, but ready for the adventure.
A tribute to college:
Goodnight.
LJ
One family drove their daughter to campus today with their car windows painted:
"Chicago, here I come!"
"North Park class of 2014!"
"HONK, I'm going to college!"
What an exciting time of life, full of transition right when you need it most. It's when you get to learn how to strike the balance between living life to the fullest and buckling down into reality. Lately, I've been yearning for the sense of adventure I had in college...I don't think it has left me, but it has quieted down. My little nose-pierced self stayed up regularly until 3 or 4am when I had class at 8am. Responsible? Maybe not. I figured that out by junior year. BUT, it is that carefree, go-with-the-wind attitude about life that allows us to experience the world outside our front door in a remarkable way.
[Some of you may be wondering what there is to do in Beaver Falls, PA until 4am, so I shall enlighten you: take a walk through college hill, eat dinner or breakfast at Eat 'n Park, have a shopping cart race in Wal-mart, pull sleds behind cars, just regular sledding (not quite as fun), climb the hill across the river and change the "G" into something else, paint your toenails with your roommate...the list ends shortly thereafter.]
There will always be a reason not to do something: it costs too much, it will take too much time, I can't take off work, it will be hard, next year will be a better time. While I realize I can't do it all, and there are times when saying "no" is necessary and wise, I refuse to become a crabby, old, shut-in who never did anything with her life. I refuse to always follow the rules. I refuse to limit myself to that which is safe and known. And I refuse to let student loans control my life!
This March I will spend 4 weeks in Ecuador for one of my clinical rotations. I am mostly excited, but also nervous and unsure of what to expect. I am not looking forward to leaving John for that long, and I am intimidated by the differences in culture and language. I am desperately trying to polish my Spanish so that I can communicate effectively with the people there. I will spend 2 weeks in Quito experiencing the urban side of medicine in South America; the following 2 weeks will be spent in Chone, a remote village of Ecuador, for the purpose of learning rural medicine. This is guaranteed to be an experience that will stretch me; I feel unprepared and inadequate, but ready for the adventure.
A tribute to college:
Just being my spectacular self.
My roomie Michelle. We love farm animals.
Late-night, carpet roller-blading. A true sport.
Fall. Football. Homemade t-shirts.
I love dorks.
Winter Wonderland...a true nightmare.
My little sis, Jessica.
Enter JOHN.
White trash night at the Canfield Demolition Derby.
Roomies Junior year.
Pirates game!
Just our usual attire.
A Political Science paper is seen in the background...I don't think I was very focused.
Doesn't everyone sit inside their luggage?
I do really love you. Will you love me back, even if I have spikey orange hair?
Our ARMS basement apartment. Scary and pretty.
We're ENGAGED!
I can't get my antlers off!
Senior roomies in Swanson House!
Our stockings.
My friends.
I love plaid.
Driving my car on the beach on Hatteras Island, NC!
Graduation, 2007.
LJ
Thursday, August 12, 2010
A Bit O' Flair
Note the lovely white and gold, hand-painted floral design against an off-white background. Note the ever-aging gold base.
Inspired by ugliness and HGTV (specifically, David Bromstad).
I guess I've had a bit too much medicine and not enough art in my life lately. Off to find other things to spray paint...
peace,
LJ
Inspired by ugliness and HGTV (specifically, David Bromstad).
I guess I've had a bit too much medicine and not enough art in my life lately. Off to find other things to spray paint...
peace,
LJ
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Rock 'n Roll
This has been one rockin' weekend.
1: ANDERSONVILLE SIDEWALK SALE! Amazing deal on a new entertainment center [see below] and a rug for the kitchen!
2: BBQ for a friend's 30th birthday...yum, yum.
3: Chicago Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon...successful completion despite lack of training. Had a great time running with my good friends from school [shout out to Katie, Ang, and Chels...you guys killed it].
Now I have a stuffy head, headache, and sore throat. Yuck.
Here are some pics of our new place!
Love from Albany Park, Chicago.
LJB
1: ANDERSONVILLE SIDEWALK SALE! Amazing deal on a new entertainment center [see below] and a rug for the kitchen!
2: BBQ for a friend's 30th birthday...yum, yum.
3: Chicago Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon...successful completion despite lack of training. Had a great time running with my good friends from school [shout out to Katie, Ang, and Chels...you guys killed it].
Now I have a stuffy head, headache, and sore throat. Yuck.
Here are some pics of our new place!
Love from Albany Park, Chicago.
LJB
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