2011 National Walk for Epilepsy

Epilepsy Foundation - 2011 National Walk for Epilepsy:

I really want to do this walk along with the rest of my family! As for many of you who know me this is very close and dear to my heart because I have epilepsy.

As a side note: One of the desires that the Lord has placed on my heart is that I want to further research in the development of new epilepsy drugs. Through opportunities such as working in an academic laboratory setting or in the R&D department of major Pharmaceutical companies. Through my trials and experiences with growing up with epilepsy adding together with my knowledge and love of chemistry I can use them for the Lord's glory in the medical research field. I specifically pray that this desire I have is a part of His plan for my life.

Even though I am not sure, I am continually praying that He shows me where He wants me to be. Teaching me, building my desire to serve Him with the blessings and trials He has presented and all the while guiding me through the process.

Anyways, hopefully I can find a way to go participate in this walk even though it seems impossible right now! Even if I can't make it I want everyone of you who read this blog follow the link and read about it. Read about the Epilepsy Foundation and epilepsy in particular (if you don't know very much).

Thank you!

favorite reliefs

Finally it is Saturday and this week is over! It has been one stressful week with two tests and tons of studying which means little sleep for me, lack of proper nourishment and grumpy moods.
Though Friday afternoon/evening and today have been good! A relaxing break. Friday afternoon, I had the privilege of having a Tate Street Coffee date with my friend Kristen :) Whenever we get together coffee is a must and the conversation never seems to end. Time just flies. This time, though, it was something we both needed. Then that evening I went home and made Thai peanut chicken for supper and my famous cinnamon cookies (for my sweet husband!).  Baking and cooking with music playing are my ways of de-stressing. I do it a lot, especially the baking....Cookies and cheesecake are my specialty! Ultimately though, I do a ton of baking because I love it! Seeing people happy when they bite into my cookies makes me warm and fuzzy inside :)

Today as of now, I went to lunch with Cathy and Mark....yummy First Carolina Delicatessen in Greensboro :) It was good hanging out with them! They have their own special way of always making me laugh!
Now since it is a gorgeous day outside, Jonathan and I are going for a walk in the park then to Tate Street to get ingredients for dinner....

These moments make me smile :)

Valentine Surprises

Valentine's Day is something that comes every year with the most dramatic scenery of red, pink and white in the stores with "Will you be my Valentine" heart shaped chocolates, teddy bears with hearts around their necks and huge bouquets of all flowers but with a common theme of gorgeous red roses. All of these things are for saying "I love you" to your special someone. But.....in this case it is Valentine's weekend because Valentine's Day is on a Monday and Mondays are not romantic. Everyone agrees with me on that one.
Anyways, I love my husband and his interesting techniques/tricks in order to surprise me on major holiday events such as my birthday, Christmas, and Valentine's Day. Let me make sure to emphasize he is really good at keeping secrets because I am great at finding things out.....even with the most vague of hints.

"uhhhmmmm.... it's Valentine's weekend?"

It all started last Tuesday when I hinted at what I might like as a Valentine's day gift.....nothing much was said from Jonathan about any plans. No hint or anything. Rien de plus.
So Friday rolls around and my mom is asking about coming over to dinner on Saturday night so I proceeded to ask Jonathan about Saturday night. He gave the typical excuse that he forgot about this weekend and he was really sorry so he would make it up to me by taking me out on Tuesday night.

So I just figured we were going to my family's house on Saturday but my mom called me back saying that my Dad had plans which she had just learned about.
WHAT, I mean come on, REALLY!??
I was bummed.

Though come the next day, Saturday, the hints and surprises started coming. First bringing me flowers while I was in the shower :)

 Then picking out a dress for me to wear that night, when he had told me on Friday that we would just order take-out since there were no reservations.

At that point I knew something was up! 

The night was perfect because he had reservations at Thai Pan in downtown Greensboro! I love Thai food SOOO much and haven't had it in a long time! Plus that was the same place he took me on our first "real" date. Very special :)
But the real surprise was that it was a double date with our friends, John and Angie, at Thai Pan. The men had everything planned a week ago at drill. All week Angie and I had no idea whatsoever!
All in all, it was a great night with lots of fun and laughs, good food, and a romantic evening for both of the couples. I know it is one surprise that I will never forget.
My husband's creativity for surprises astounds me every time.....I wonder what he will do for my birthday???!!!

Matthew 11:28-30

Insecurity: lack of confidence or assurance, self doubt; a weakness inside each one of us that Satan gets a hold of and attacks us with. 


Everyone has an insecurity that brings them down. The results are sometimes seen as trusting leads to distrusting and worry, keeping them from enduring through tough times or most often, the everyday moments. Sometimes the result is as simple as seeing the blessings that God has given to them. Finding the joy in every moment. Seeing themselves as being "good enough", accepted, having faith and confidence in themselves. 
For me I still struggle with insecurities. Mine come in various forms with the extremes being from thinking that I am not cut out for graduate school in chemistry to worrying that I am not a good wife to my husband . I loathe at thinking those thoughts because they are not of the Lord. So I continue to fight through the insecure thoughts in my head through the only way that I know will help me. 
Prayer.  


"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30


It is in my prayer time, I see how amazing it is the way the Lord speaks to my heart.  He continually shows me that I am fearfully and wonderfully made by Him, in His image, for a great purpose. If I am struggling with graduate school and feel like giving up, I am reminded that He gave me the mind to understand, learn and teach chemistry. Not only that, but He gave me a PASSION for it....Only God can stir that passion in me because it is rooted out of desire to serve Him. It is some way through chemistry that I may serve Him wherever He wants me to be. 


Though recently, I have been struggling with the worry that I am not a good wife to my husband. It is in this that He reminds me that our marriage is a sacred covenant. It shall not be broken. It is real. It is the unconditional love that He has blessed both me and my husband with. There is no need to worry because God is the leader of our marriage- He is continually changing me, teaching me, molding me to be the wife that He has called me to be with every passing day- the affects of this it is right in front of my eyes everyday: Jonathan not only loves me but is only growing more in love with me everyday. 
There is no need to doubt. 
I am not perfect, no one is perfect because we are sinners saved by grace through faith. Thus in the moments of my insecurities invading my thoughts I give them up to the Lord through prayer....that is where my insecurities are pushed away and faith, peace, confidence reside instead. 

Sister time = waffles, coffee and a cute wheelchair dog

Well it is another cold, rainy day outside and Jonathan is gone for the majority of today and tomorrow. Known as drill duty for the Navy. It is one weekend a month where he gets up at the crack of dawn to leave and returns around dinnertime. I don't like it because I miss him dearly during the day but on the other hand I do have time to clean house. Though today is extra special because I get to see my sister!!

Today consists of drinking coffee (as per usual), making chocolate chip waffles with my awesome waffle maker and watching "girly" romantic comedy movies.
Today's feature show is The Back-Up Plan. I must say it is pretty hilarious besides the fact that Jennifer Lopez's acting fails during the dramatic parts of the movie. Plus Cathy is obsessed with "the wheelchair dog".....she wants one of her own lol. No joke about it.

You can't help but love this dog! 

Sounds like a perfect plan to me for being stuck inside on a cold rainy day. Definitely better than studying synthesis reactions or group theory and character tables. That can always wait until tomorrow. 

Come on, everyone needs a break on the weekend :)

Motivation for the gym but not molecular symmetry? Not good.

So this semester, I have a new motivation to go back to the gym. After the holidays and the lovely, yummy, deliciousness food I realized that I need the gym again! Hahaha! It works out a lot better than last semester because my teaching schedule is not that bad.....such a nice break from all the grading EVERY week.
Anyways, since I am motivated and my husband does not have a hard-core workout schedule for me....I actually like going to the gym.
I never thought I would say that. EVER.
Though it does give me a great feeling when I can see the results from it, i.e less stress, more energy, muscle tone (again :) ), losing some weight, building up my core which means no back pain and just feeling good. I like it!

I like the motivation! Now I just need some of that directed toward molecular symmetry and group theory.....ewwww.....especially group theory. Character tables, trying to access 3D eyes of which I don't have, more calculations, I just don't get the point! Ugh. I just want to move onto some industrial catalysis.....that is so much more fun! Macro-scale synthesizing of drugs and agricultural chemicals, I mean how cool does that sound? So cool!
Hey I am trying to have motivation for group theory. I really am. Maybe I could try by teaching Jonathan, that should be fun for me:) or in actual reality I probably should have the mindset of:
"I will be more well-rounded chemist if I learn this to the greatest extent that I can with the resources given to me" maybe then motivation will be the result.
Well we shall see about that.

My little creativity revealed....

I must admit that I have a secret obsession.
It's not an obsession with coffee, for me that is a necessity, a love, a passion. Without coffee my day will not go go well. It's also not an obsession with baking, for me that is a stress reliever, a love to make people smile hobby, an infatuation for chocolate and something for me to enjoy alone. Enough with that. Let's get to the real obsession.
I have an obsession......with Picnik! It's the photo-editing website designed by Google and it is the one place where my creativity shines (the little that I have). I like to make photos better, especially the ones from my old digital camera. Though in all seriousness, my creativity shines in making memories out of the pictures. It's like my way of telling a story through the words I put in the picture or the collage that I make.

Here are a few of my photo creativity designs, I took all of the photos except for two of them....let me know what you think!