4 less teeth

I finally got my wisdom teeth removed yesterday. Three years after they started coming in. I blame Blair for that because they didn't start hurting until we started dating. Haha. He's really great though. He took me to my appointment, but had to leave before it was over to get to work on time. I should have asked if he could come in with me at least until I was well under the anesthesia (which didn't take long) because I started to freak out a little (until I was under). When I came to, which is a little fuzzy, I vaguely remember hyperventilating and then crying because I didn't know where I was or anyone around me. But then my mama came into the recovery room and I felt better! We went to pick up my prescription (and one for Viki, our sickly doggie), and some KFC cuz I wanted macaroni and cheese, mashed taters and a biscuit. Mama got some grilled chicken, which I ate a little much later. Kentucky Grilled Chicken is great! Who knew?
Well, anywho, I'm sitting here on the couch, catching up on all my DVRed movies and shows with an ice pack on my face and oxycodone killing the pain, which there isn't much of... because of the ice and oxycodone, I think. My parents are leaving here soon for the BarnBustin outdoor camping party thing that we used to go to all the time. My bestest friend will be coming over in a few hours. I haven't seen her in a few weeks and I miss her tons. And then, I get to see my wonderful boyfriend this evening after he gets done cutting grass and doing yardwork (and making me some money! Hahaha). He didn't come see me last night because he didn't get off work until 9:15, so he wouldn't have gotten out here until 11 or so, which is when i went to bed anyway. He's still wonderful though.
I wish Michael Buble could come and sing at my wedding.
Hahaha. That has nothing to do with my wisdom teeth except for the fact that I just finished watching The Wedding Date (cute movie) in which it ends with Michael crooning over the stereo for the bride and groom. On to My Fake Fiance. I DVRed ABC Family's wedding weekend. I love weddings! I'm a dork. And I think it's time for a nap.

~Jordan

Little of this, little of that, it's 1:30am... It happens!

I could (should) be sleeping, or, at the very least, reading for my class tomorrow. Alas, I am here. It's been two weeks since I've been able to get on here because I can't set up a wireless network here (without it costing a $40 installation fee and an extra 10 bucks on the bill each month, not to mention the headache of dealing with Time Warner again). I randomly decided to try a network tonight and WAH-LAH, here I am!

So, I'm getting back into the swing of things at school (finally). I got my placement for my internship. I am in a 7th grade social studies and language arts class! This semester, my focus is on social studies, but my OSTE (on-site teacher educator) informed me today when I met her that she teaches both subjects this year. I'm really excited about it!! I'll be starting next week, going all day on Mondays and Wednesdays until I get a job (anybody know of any part-time jobs in the Greensboro areas??), so I'll get my required 100 hours done quickly, and having plenty over for extra points on my final grade (YES!). My communications class isn't as scary as I thought it would be when I first looked at the syllabus, and my sociology class is awesome (minus the fact that it gets a little depressing at times--Family violence tends to do that). One interesting fact (and yet, probably not quite surprising for those of you who really know me) about the soc class... it's my first one on Tuesdays and Thursdays and out of the six classes we've had so far, I've been late to six of them. I just can't seem to get out of the house and on the road when I need to. Next week will be better! (I say that every week)

I want to plug in a shout out of sorts (even though I know he'll never read this) to my fabulous, pain in the butt, boyfriend who had a birthday this past Monday. He got to experience having a birthday on a holiday, which meant that the banks were closed and he didn't have to work... something I'm quite used to :) So we went to Southpoint and did a little shopping and then went back to the house for relaxing (and probably napping). I took him out to dinner at Texas Roadhouse where one of my good friends from Tripp's now works. Happy birthday Blair!! I love you! By the way, he's 27 now, but don't make fun of him for being old cuz you'll be there one day too. Ha!

And I have permission to post a few of the engagement pictures of Cecilia and Bart, my best friend/sister and her fiance. So here are some of the favorites. Keep in mind that this was my first time doing anything like this, so any suggestions, critiques, comments would be greatly appreciated!

They do both have really pretty eyes! This was Cecilia's idea.She wanted to do something cool with the ring... This is what I came up with.
Beautiful moment captured forever!
This is one of her favorites. Mine too, but I can't decide if I like it better in monochrome or color.
Hands...Feet...Another moment caught...It was a great experience. I can't wait to do it again. Oh, and I have to credit Chad and Christy for letting me borrow their excellent camera. I have a digital camera, but not one for (semi)professional(ish) work. So a big thanks to them and a huge thanks to Cecilia and Bart for being my very first clients!

Back to the Boro

School started today! I only had one class, but even that wasn't a whole class... It was a welcome to the education program, a little sparkling cider and a huge group picture (that I'm definitely getting a copy of whenever it comes out). We divided into our respective groups. There was only one group for middle school teachers, and our leader wasn't there, so we met with the dean of the program and he told us as much as he knew, which wasn't much. He did say that our internship won't start for two weeks, so unless our leader gives us something else to do during those times, I'll keep my happy butt at home... no doubt, doing school work and working part time. My work load this semester is going to be horrendous, and I'll probably cry many days out of the week, but I will survive because I've got a great team of supporters behind me!
So, it's great to be back. Things are much different from the past four years... namely, my bestest friend isn't here with me. It's weird, but she's doing awesome things in her life. And I'll adjust to the changes... I learned from a recent trip to Slovakia how to be flexible!!
I wish I had a picture of me at school or looking somewhat scholarly... but I do not. So I stole one from the school's website of my favorite place on campus, the Elliot University Center.
(that's where the food court is...) hahaha

Hunter's Hope Medical and Family Symposium 2009

I just got back from the annual symposium that I've gone to since 11th grade with my best friend, Cecilia.

Back story: Cecilia's little brother, David Aaron, died in 1999 from a leukodystrophy called Krabbe (crab-A) Disease. It is an inherited neurodegenerative lysosomal enzyme disorder affecting the central and peripheral nervous systems. For more details about the disease, you can visit www.huntershope.org. They explain it way better than I can. Jim Kelly, former Buffalo Bill quarterback and Hall of Famer, and his wife, Jill, also had a child with the disease. Named for their son, Hunter, they started the Hunter's Hope organization to reach out to families to give them support and love, to doctors to encourage research and to the public to spread awareness. So, 12 years ago, they decided to bring everyone together for a symposium; to let the families meet other families, talk about their experiences and encourage each other, and to let the families and doctors all get to together to talk about the developments in Universal New Born Screening, and to just learn more about the medical side of leukodystrophies. So there's that.
Cecilia invited me to go with her so she wouldn't be lonely. I had been introduced to the world of Krabbe soon after we solidified our best friend status in 8th grade, so I already knew a little about it and had met a few families who had come into Durham for appointments at Duke. The kids dug a hole in my heart that has only grown since then.
The symposium is one of the ways that I have been able to get involved and lend my helping hand. For the past few years, Cecilia and I have collaborated and put together a slideshow of all the kids for the families to see. It's one simple way to remind everyone what they are there for. The parents, grandparents, and friends always appreciate it, though we can't rightly take credit for it. This year, one of the fathers asked us who did the most work on the project and Cecilia appropriately answered, "The kids." Because, again, they are who the symposium is all about. We just put pictures and names and dates and music together. I'm not sure if I would be able to post the slideshow on here, so if not, I'll add a link to google videos, where it will be posted shortly. I will, however, add some of the pictures that I took this past week.
This is our mandatory beginning-of-the-trip picture!

Here are the doctors in their meeting...Here they are, paying attention and taking notes.
The fabulous fireplace in the main lodge.
And one of the dining rooms...

Pretty flowers in the Butterfly Garden (but I never saw a butterfly...)


They have these swings placed all along the trails. On the other side of the hill is a beautiful view of the lake...
...which kind of looks like this.

The family room that Cecilia and I put together
The pictures are a little dark, but the Christmas lights wouldn't have the same effect the the overhead lights on...The 2009 Hunter's Hope bear, Beautiful and Baby Bella, sticking out of Cecilia's bagTwo super cute twins, sisters of a Krabbe boy who was unable to attend due to a bout of pneumonia.We had face painting... Two of the boys, John and Mikey, got green lizards on their faces.On Saturday, after families and friends wrote messages on the balloons for the kids who have gone before us, we released them and prayed that they reach them in Heaven.After the balloon release, we began our walk.Madison being pushed by her grandmother and followed by her mom.Dalton being helped by his step-dad and followed by his mom.Chance with his mom and grandmother.Sandrine being pushed by her mom.
Laura being helped by her dad, followed by her mom and sister.Laura coming down the finish line.Another view of the beautiful lake and the Lakeside Pavilion where we ate lunch and dinner.Villa de Cecilia e Jordan (I have no idea what language that is, or if it's even a language... it just sounds cool... I think)
It was a good week, indeed!

Why am I doing this again?

Oh yeah... Christy talked me into it... It may take me a while to get it going, so be patient.
I don't have too much going on right now... I'm being lazy today because I just got back from my New York trip, and I don't have to work until tomorrow. School starts next Monday... I'm a little sad that my summer is coming to a close, but very excited that I got into the Teacher's Academy!! I've been trying to get my stuff together so I can get in for two years now! I still don't know where I'm living yet, I'm shopping for my books, but I can't buy them until I get my refund check. It's a little stressful, but I'll make it!
I'm gonna put up a picture here, just to see if I know how to do it...
That's my beautiful baby niece and I sleeping on the living room floor... but it's supposed to be horizontal.
But this one is right...
I don't get it.. Help?