no labor on labor day weekend...

i am so looking forward to a long weekend at home. thankfully i get this friday and next monday off...so i'm planning on travelling to m-town on thursday! i found out that 2 of my good high school friends are coming into town this weekend too, which i am very excited about. i'm anxiously thinking about looking at and buying a coffee table and kitchen table when i'm home. there's a place in collierville called sheffield's antiques that i want to go to. ironically, i've spent my whole life in memphis/collierville and have not been to this antique mall. my new obsession is antiques. there are also 2 shirts at ann taylor loft that i have on hold and did not rush into buying. i feel like i'm becoming a little more money conscious and trying to think of ways to save money...

this post is just kindof a gathering of thoughts since i haven't blogged in a while. my friend katie and i started a new blog called t-jol.blogspot.com. you should visit in your spare time.

last night i went to borders and was just browsing the Christian inspiration section...and didn't think i was going to get anything, and broke down and bought the compact bible commentary by Nelson and the Love Dare...haha. my mom and i went to see fireproof a long time ago and i actually really loved it, to the point where i was telling all of my friends they needed to see it. but anyway, i bought the book, and have already read the first chapter- which the dare says for the whole day to practice being only positive to your "spouse".

and lastly, i have to explain the picture at the beginning of this post. yesterday at work was pretty slow...so i went up to the front desk to talk to a lady who has mentioned a couple of times that she and her husband are moving to bham and they want to maybe sell their washer and dryer (which i need). so we were talking, and this beautiful celebrity-ish looking older man walks in with his daughter...and we both kindof looked at each other for a minute and he checked in his daughter and proceeded to sit down in the waiting room. as he was walking off, i turned to the girl and said- "he looks like a singer or something that just stepped out of a magazine!" haha. she looked at me and said, "that's troy gentry..." and i couldn't put the name together quick enough before she said, "from montgomery gentry". i FREAKED OUT. i think my whole face got red, i smiled from ear to ear...and went to tell ALL of my co-workers. they all were just not as tickled as i was...so of course, i the middle schoo young girl, wanted his autograph and i wanted to meet him. i mean, a celebrity is sitting in our waiting room? why WOULDN'T i freak out? this was my first celebrity sighting in nashville! so i made the most of the opportunity and told the dentist i was going to get his autograph if that was ok. she laughed at my star-struckness and i took a progress report (which we give to our patients) and went out to the waiting room and sat down near him and said- CAN I GET YOUR AUTOGRAPH?!? i'm pretty sure i was a nervous wreck. of course, he was doing homework with his like 9 year old daughter. and i talked to her to try to pass my nervousness and asked her when the homework was due...she just looked at me really confused. anyway, that was my celebrity sighting/meeting!!!! YAYAYAYAYA!

well that's all for now. and i have a new song everyone should download: hillsong united "always".

a continuation of fall weather :)

some things i am looking forward to in the coming weeks. i'm pretty sure everyone loves these aspects of fall in different ways, but as i was thinking about the seasons of life and how they change...i was thrilled to think about fall weather. and what is even cooler to think about is how God brings us seasons of change for His glory, yet He remains the same yesterday, today, and forever. His love never changes. so here are some things about fall i am super excited about. and i am even more excited i get to kick off september by being back in MTOWN.

1. Boots.

You can never own too many pairs of boots, and i love tucking them in jeans and wearing a big shirt.

2. Layering clothes.

3. Fall colors and decorations...the cordova arts and crafts festival is coming up. and the delta fair and germantown festival. i love these!

4. FOOTBALL SEASON! more importantly, auburn football- the only football that matters :)

5. I've already expressed my love for pumpkins... ANYTHING pumpkin.

6. The season---thanksgiving.

7. much cooler weather.

8. Bonfires!

i love this season and all of the fun changes!!

FALL WEATHER!!

so it's been a while since i last posted. my mom came in town last weekend and then my friend katie came! it was a perfect weekend...and now back to reality. and blogging.
my friend katie and i started a new blog called the joys of life: t-jol.blogspot.com. it is an ode to those moments that make you happy and make you say, "oh the joys of life!".
like this morning, when i walked outside my door---PERFECT weather...probably about 60ish degrees. it is definitely starting to feel like fall.
another reason i got excited about fall today was i glanced at the pioneer woman blog this morning and her post is CINNAMON BREAD. i could just smell the smell of fresh homemade bread as i scrolled down the page to read the recipe. yummy.
another reason for excitement: pumpkins. pumpkin everything---latte, candles, pie, cheesecake, etc. i love love love pumpkins. OH and pumpkin/choc chip bread. i'm sure someone before me has created this, but i like to take the credit for this special bread that is so yummy. so be looking forward to many blog posts to come filled with pumpkin.
this week has been pretty relaxed at work...our schedule hasn't been too full because of school starting back. not this weekend but the next weekend i will be going home! labor day weekend is going to be amazing---i am off of work friday AND monday, AMAZING. i can't wait. i'm not really sure the story behind labor day, but i'm thankful for whoever made it a holiday.

armor

http://www.prepaide.org/rbtbm/tga/Graphics/Armor.gif
ephesians 6:10-19 have hit me hard lately for several reasons...but i'm going to type them out and just think about the strong language and how we can apply these verses in our daily lives---work, school, friendships, etc.

- finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. in addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. and prayin the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. with this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. pray also for me, that whenever i open my mouth, words may be given me so that i will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which i am an ambassador in chains. pray that i may declare it fearlessly, as i should.-

kids say the darndest things...perfect job description for my job

so today was a typical "danielle" moment. i had the cutest little 6 1/2 year old, who i was getting frustrated with a little bit today during his cleaning, because he started gagging and purposely choking because he didn't like the water? i was confused by this, but during his coughing rage, i calmly asked, "Ben, can you just tell me why you don't like the water or what you don't like about the cleaning and i'll try to help you?" haha. i really wanted to get really frustrated and be like, "BEN, i cant handle your coughing and purposely gagging!!! just toughen up and be a man and let me use the water tip, because we have to get the toothpaste out!!!!" but i refrained. anyway, after i cleaned his teeth and did his fluoride treatment (which he also didn't like), we had to walk to the other hallway and take a panoramic x-ray. which for those who don't know what that is, it is a picture of your whole mouth basically. you bite down on a little plastic thing, and it goes around your whole head, you have to stand perfectly still and then it's done! well, i had put this heavy lead apron on ben and during putting it around him, i said "this is a big heavy apron! it will help protect you from radiation!" and he just responded "yes ma'am!" which might i add, he was a very polite 6 1/2 year old, seriously. he said yes ma'am after everything. anyway, i leave him for a minute to go finish setting up the machine, and i come back to finish getting him situated, and he looked at me and asks, "what is arrraciation?" and i think i looked at him REALLY confused and said, "WHAT????" and he asks again, and he said, "you just said that word...what does it mean?" and i said, "i don't think i did...are you sure i said it? when did i say it?" and he says, "just a minute ago!" and smiles at me toothlessly. (he had just lost his 2 front teeth). haha. well i started to smile really big, he smiled really big and i started laughing! and said, "OH!!! RADIATION?!" and he looked at me and said, "yeah! that's what i said!" haha. it was really cute. it makes me smile to think about. i see some of the cutest kids...but also some of the most difficult and challenging. i can go crazy one minute and be fine the next. it's like an emotional roller coaster.
anyway, it was a good day- busy but good. i like busy because it goes sooo quickly. and that is one of my "kids say the darndest things..."

a new place.

i'm sitting in my new apt...and watching juno/looking up the pioneer woman recipes and wishing i had $ and patience right now to bake or cook something. over the wkend, i bought window curtains for my living room and 2 pillows. i am so excited that it is slowly coming together. and by slowly, i mean i need a coffee table and kitchen table/chairs still :) and a washer and dryer... not to mention a shower curtain and pictures.

here are the curtains (from http://www.pier1.com/) and the pillows to go on my green couch.

I am really liking the colors in the curtains, even though it makes my apt look really dark! my new obsession is antique stores...i think i've always kindof liked antiques, but lately since i am decorating the apt, i have liked them more and more. i also like reds, yellows, and torquoisey blues for my room color scheme. i feel like i have a big imagination for decorating, but actually making it happen can be difficult time and money-wise.

this is a pic from google imgs of the factory (antique row) in franklin and historic downtown franklin...and a newly found restaurant that i like.

the factory---a mall of antique-ish stores :)

one of my new fav restaurants!

another one of my new fav restaurants/coffee shops!

Kairos (καιρός): ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment (the supreme moment)

(www.funtimesguide.com)

last night i went to a worship service at brentwood baptist church. i was debating at first whether or not to go, 1- because i was exhausted 2- i didn't know anyone and 3- i just figured i could go next wk. well i ended up going, and had texted one of my friends who used to go when she lived here. she told a couple of people to look out for me...but i didn't think it was going to work out to meet them at the service. i sensed from looking online that it was a rather large group!
i got there a few minutes early to find a seat...there was an OVERFLOW of people from the parking lot into the building. and when i got in there, i felt like i was at the fedex forum...there were so many people. the atmosphere reminded me of a hillsong concert (i've never been to one, but i can imagine this is what it would be like). i ended up finding the girls my friend knows and i was able to sit with them. i have been to worship services similar to this, especially at k-colorado...but after the service, it amazed me that so many people my age and younger gathered in this place to worship Jesus. i mean it was awesome. and at the end we sang a beautiful song (i can't remember the name) and the Lord's presence was so real.
today is a LONG day. and i have groceries to buy and a bed bath and beyond trip that involves finding a shower curtain, towels, and pillows maybe. pictures of the APT to come soon!

give me Jesus

new fav song is by jeremy camp. first read the lyrics, and then watch the youtube video of him singing it live. he is AMAZING. and when days get hard...remember these lyrics and say it in a prayer.

"In the morning, when I riseIn the morning, when I riseIn the morning, when I riseGive me Jesus.Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus.You can have all this world,Just give me Jesus.When I am alone,When I am alone, When I am alone,Give me Jesus.Give me Jesus.Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus.You can have all this world,Just give me Jesus.When I come to die,When I come to die,When I come to die,Give me Jesus.Give me Jesus.Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus.You can have all this world,Just give me Jesus.Give me Jesus.Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus.You can have all this world,You can have all this world, You can have all this world, Just give me Jesus."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmohv6yO7hE

nothing exciting really happened today. just same old work and walking. i need some new music...any suggestions?

i can't wait for FRIDAY! and it's only monday :(

"friends are friends forever, if the Lord's the Lord of them"

thank you, michael w smith for those amazing and true lyrics. haha. this past wkend i made a mini trip to auburn to see my friends. i feel truly blessed when we get together! it is a good reminder that friends can stay friends even with distance between them. there are about 6-7 of us that try to get together a couple of times a year. some times it doesn't happen, especially now that we have our separate lives and are not in auburn. but it is such a great time and we have our "usuals" we like to do together!

auburn has definitely changed...things are different and i just felt old when we were driving around campus and walking downtown. there's a gigi's cupcakes now! and a really cute store called MOXII. which i haven't been to auburn in a while, but this store just amazed me. it is so cute. and my brother and i actually know the owner and their fam! i was on the hunt for a shower curtain and thinking of things to decorate my room...i am definitely in that zone when i shop now. clothes sortof are on the backburner.

those are some shower curtains i liked at the store...not really the pink or orange... but i liked the green. and they also have white. they have an online site: www.moxii.com. look it up, SO CUTE. especially if you are in the decorating mode like me.

well after my short visit at auburn (which i got me some bagel chips...yummy!), i headed to bham to visit some friends. and i wish i could have stayed longer!!!!! and my plan was to get back last night pretty early and do laundry since i haven't in about 2 1/2 wks, but instead, i crashed and went to bed.

today i am visiting churches- in fact, i'm visiting steven curtis chapman's church! and then laundry and a grocery run.

i had a blast this wkend, and it made me miss my auburn friends. it kindof reminded me i don't like change either...but we all grow up. just remember- "friends are friends forever, if the Lord's the Lord of them".

strawberry tongue??

today at work turned out to be an ok day...and sortof depressing too, because it started POURING down rain, and it got dark around 3:30 which was weird. the weather was super eerie this afternoon...

i'm finding that i have alot of free time to blog at night now, so i try to think of things that come up at work that i can remember to share if i feel like they're worth sharing with the blogging world. well today one of my patients had an odd looking tongue, which freaked me out when she first opened her mouth. good thing i had my mask on, because i'm not sure what my face looked like under it when i first saw an image that looks similar to the picture posted above. i mean, i've never seen anything like it in real life...only in textbooks. i decided to keep quiet and not say anything about it to the patient (who was a 15 yr old girl). so instead, i waited til after i finished cleaning, and i asked dr. n. he said that it was most likely not "strawberry tongue"...which is what i thought it was. that is the first thing that came to mind, because it looked like a strawberry. he said that those were associated with bad systemic diseases...like scarlet fever. haha. the other thing that had come to mind was median glossitis or geographical tongue, but this didn't look like the normal kind of those to me! but he asked if i thought it could be geographical tongue, and i was like...umm, it looks weird to be that? well he took a look, and as i was writing her note for the dr., he asked the patient if her tongue had always been like that. to which she replied that it had been like that since birth and it was called "geographical tongue". haha. this patient was pretty smart...she even knew what it was called! i felt silly of course, but i said, "i wish it was strawberry tongue! because then i would have noticed something rare in a patient's mouth!!"

that's all that was interesting about today. and michael's (wiggins') last day as an intern at barnhart crane was today. he said everyone at work was saying he was the hardest working intern they'd seen, and they want him to come back when he graduates. they didn't for sure offer him a job, but it is sure looking in that direction!

auburn bound tomorrow...YAYAYAYAYAYA!

another wednesday...

i didn't really feel like posting today. it is one of those days where it passed pretty slowly and now i am pooped.
BUT exciting news in today's headlines: i got CABLE and internet! i am now watching kate plus 8, surprised? i'm flipping back and forth between that glorious show and "man vs food". two of my favs. adam amazes me every time.
today was a reminder that i am a CLUTZ, if that is even how you spell it. first of all, i think i drop about 5-10 things per day at work...which is not good in the environment that i am in. yesterday, i knocked over a cup of like 100 Q-tips. today, my co-worker refilled my hand sanitizer...and instead of lightly pushing down the dispenser, i PLUNGED my whole fist on it, and out splattered GOBS of hand sanitizer all over my scrubs. i also got a little firm with my patients this afternoon because i was so exhausted and they were running around screaming and sword fighting with their cool sword balloons. i was about to go bonkers. i said, "TIMMY, you need to go have a seat on the couch until dr. a is ready to check your teeth." (it was in a pretty harsh voice for me).
i'm slowly getting used to this job. as challenging as it is to see 14-15 kids a day, it is rewarding and fun. but at the end of the day (and beginning), i can't express how tired i am. my body aches when i even take a breath, it is really sad! i feel like i am finally getting used to the office, though, and everyone's system of doing things.
my co-workers have all been really great and helpful. one of them has invited me to a cookout this wkend (which i'll be out of town)...but she is so thoughtful and she is married with one little boy and a girl on the way. she gave me her number the other day to call her (because i didn't have cable) so i could watch the bachelorette. haha. they know i am that desperate i guess.
lastly, i am starting to get burned out on running...but i need to keep on track to run the 1/2 marathon in dec in mem! that race is ALWAYS super fun and super cold. i am really excited about it this yr.
my apartment is finally coming together...i'll post pics soon. i need some curtains for my living room, a dining room table (round), and a coffee table, and washer and dryer. if you know of anyone who is trying to get rid of a washer/dryer, let me know!!
happy wednesday---it is ALMOST friday, and i will be auburn bound for a day :) super excited about seeing my auburn friends.