capitol hill--

just a few pictures from my cell phone.... crappy quality. but you can get the gist of my day!

me and the capitol!

fancy pass to get into the capitol...

"official business visitor"

the united methodist building in dc

(fun fact: its the ONLY non-government building in the entire perimeter of the capitol)

driving tour of DC at night thanks to a dear friend! 

matt! :) 

it was an amazing day.
im really proud to be a united methodist--- and if you are one--- you should be too.
the UMC is doing INCREDIBLE things for global health.
its awesome.

and im off---

to DC i go! 

im very excited about this opportunity! 

its going to be crazy cool!!

go here to read about what i'll be doing-- and what YOU can do!!

http://www.imaginenomalaria.org/2011/09/27/africa-needs-your-voice/

i'll post as much as i can while i'm gone!!

adios

october...

i always thought fall was 60's with a little bit of 50's at night. and well if it was 40's in the night occasionally that'd be okay. well... that was before i moved to the mountains.

this afternoon--- AFTERNOON. it 'felt' like 41.
currently... its in the 30's.

tonight i went to a local corn maze with some kids from church.
had a blast---
but. i had on ALL the winter clothes i own.
my biggest jacket. beanie. scarf...

i was pretty warm- but realized i don't have much to stay warm in!

we busted out our space heater for inside the house-- and we are sleeping in tons of clothes. mainly because we REFUSE to turn on the heat.


if its only october...
let's just say its gonna be a colllld winter!!


-- side note: im not complaining. i LOVE it. its just different. and a shock. and these two georgia kids are chilly up here in 'dese mountains!

snow....

and i quote... "It's also likely that the first snowflakes of the season will fall at higher elevations north and west of Asheville by Saturday morning!" !?!?!


thank you. im so excited about this. 
did i mention i live in higher elevations west of Asheville?!?


please. read my sarcasm. 
ryan and i have been planning a backpacking/camping trip this weekend for ages. 
and then we get that weather report. 


we are most likely still going. 
heck. 
ya only live once. 


so goodbye fall... hello winter?!!?
no. please no. 
come back fall!! i loveeeee you. 


if we actually get a few flurries (which im really doubting)
don't worry. 
i'll post pictures.

research = vomit

im in 2 painful classes this semester.
and by painful i mean painful.
they actually cause headaches. misery. annoyance. pain.

mainly due that they are both GROUP PROJECT classes.
both classes divide you into a group.
with that group you write all of your papers. do your research. "divide" the work.
oh. did i mention one of my groups is in like 4 different states!
its absurd.

so. i dread those two classes.
seriously over the weekend a "team mate" finished up a paper we had due today. i started to read through it--- i was astonished. it was awful. horrible grammer. sentences that made no sense. oh gosh. i thought i was in GRADUATE school at DUKE. well after 2 other people e-mailed the group and said 'looks great' i took matters into my own hands. edited the BEAST out of that paper. All i'm saying is we better get an A now. and my "group" better not be hating on all the editing i did.

dear me. im ready for christmas already!!!

thank goodness i have 2 some what enjoyable classes.... exercise interventions (how and why people should exercise) i love it. and then there is my rotation at the urgent care. of course i LOVE LOVE LOVE that.

well back to my group horribleness.
adios.

M-I-A

yeah- I don't even know where I have been & why I have not blogged.

but im around. lets see--- probably doing one of the following: sewing. crafting. school. clinicals. more school. cleaning. chatting.  even more school. grocery shopping. gym-ing. or reading.

life is good. the leaves are changing. fall candles are burning. pumpkin is on the porch. crisp mornings lead to beautiful fall days.

i'll post some pics sometime.

love & peace

DC-- here I come!

Over the weekend I was presented with a pretty exciting opportunity. 

I have never done any type of lobbying, advocating, or well- anything in DC (or well anywhere for that matter) 

Our DS (if you are methodist you know- the big guy in your district) suggested that I go with his wife to advocate for global health funding in DC. I will represent our district at a conference in DC and then go to Capitol Hill to chat with folks there. I have no idea what this means-- but I know that I am passionate about global health- and here is an amazing opportunity to do something BIG. 

I am hoping this will open doors for future opportunities to share the need of healthcare all over the world. 

Now- don't get me wrong. I know we need some drastic changes to OUR healthcare here in America. I have done a lot of studying on the mess that is "our healthcare" but here is the deal. 

we HAVE healthcare.

it may cost a fortune. 

you may go bankrupt. 

(none of those i support)

but we have it. 

people are dying- DYING- daily all around the world from curable, preventable diseases. they simply do NOT have the healthcare. the education. the option to stay healthy. 

I want to fight for those people. 

I want to educate people in our country. 

I want to encourage people to support organizations that help the sick, the dying, and the homeless.

so here is my opportunity. 

a trip to DC to learn more about what the UMC is doing for global health. 

what I can do for global health. 

and then off to capitol to do a little something. 

it will be an interesting and amazing experience... i hope. 

don't you worry. i'll keep you posted. 

i go in TWO weeks!!