"Work expands to fill the time allotted..."

I have officially been job-less now for 2 weeks, yet it does not feel that I have any more time on my hands than I did when I was working 40+ hours a week AND going to school. I thought that by just going to school, I would have that 40+ hours of time to accomplish some very specific goals. But now, 2 weeks later, I feel busier than ever and am stuggling to find my groove. Nevertheless, I would like to highlight my goals for this semester in hopes of accountability.

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Be a better wife.

In quitting my job, my biggest unspoken goal was to be a better wife. I would like to not only do my husband's laundry, but actually enjoy doing it as a service to him. I would like to keep the house cleaner, because it helps him relax after a long day at the hospital. As hard as it is for me to admit, serving him is not easy for me. "Lord, change ME" is my prayer. I just feel that there are some areas that I could really improve in, to make a really good marriage a GREAT one. One the reading list: The Power of a Praying Wife.

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Be healthy.

I am in a weight loss group with some people that I used to work with. My goal in doing this is to be healthier. Over the course of the last 1 1/2 year of marriage, both YLOH and I have put on a bit of weight. Nothing huge, but all the pounds here and there really add up. Instead of an entire plate of comfort foods, I am reducing our portions and filling half the plate with greens like salad instead. In addition, I have increased my activity level. I am working on running the Cowtown marathon 5k in late February.

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Be encouraging.

By not working, I would like to spend more time with friends and family. It looks like YLOH and I will move to a different state after we both graduate in May 2008, and I would like to spend as much time with friends, parents, and grandparents as I can while they live a short car ride away instead of an airplane ride away. I don't feel that I have put as much effort into some relationships as I should, and I would like to be more encouraging to my friends. In this category goes my trip to Indiana and Kentucky over Spring Break, where I hope to visit my great aunt and my best friend (By the way, Grace, can I still come visit you?!)

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Be studious.

I am trying to narrow my interest in the field of epidemiology so that I can find a thesis topic and research a school that offers a doctoral program I am interested in. I waiver daily between social aspects of health and gene-environment interactions. I am just not sure which is a better fit. In this category goes getting some research experience for me and planning YLOH's external rotations to places that offer both an Emergency Medicine residency program and a Ph.D. program in Epidemiology. My advisor told me yesterday that everything will work out- and I really appreciated her encouragement- but the planning part of all this feels overwhelming to me.

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So...that's my semester plan. Four areas of personal improvement that I would like to focus on for the next several months. Maybe my time will expand to hold the work allotted, instead of the other way around...nevertheless, I am excited about this semester and look forward to the joy of being a student. I am thankful for this opportunity to be job-less and I just want to make sure that I don't waste it!

Farewell to friends...

Patty, Natalie, me, Kendi, Suchitra, Cathy

Krista, Kimberly, Dr. Stoll (my boss).

My favorite girls: Kimberly, Kendi, (me), Krista, and Patty.

Most of the department (we are missing a few people).

These pictures were taken at my department Christmas party on December 15. This coming Friday is my last day at this job, and although I am excited to embark on a new stage in life, I feel a bit sad as well. My coworkers have become my close friends over the past year and a half. I can honestly say I have never worked with a better group of people and I will miss them dearly. Although I will still visit and go out to lunch with them as much as possible, I won't have the every-day, 8-to-5 time to spend with them. So, even though I don't like goodbyes, I feel that I must say it to some extent. Thank you, my dear friends, for encouraging me, laughing with me, being patient with me, helping me, and above all...for loving me. You are most special and I appreciate you more than you know.