Must...come...up...for air...

Boy. I just can't seem to get into a routine with blogging again. It's seriously not a lack of desire; I'm aching to get back into it and have made sure to keep tabs on friends and family who share their blogs so faithfully. I've allowed myself to be daunted by the volume of news and happenings and the scarcity of time and resources I have right now to blog. So, until things calm down...until we have a computer at home (for which I'm keeping my fingers crossed)...I figured the Reader's Digest version is better than nothing. So, in 1000 words or less:

*We're finally moved into our new apartment. We love living with Melissa and her menagerie of beasts! The location is beautiful...on the eastern outskirts of Davis, right on a wheat field, with the Sacramento skyline in the distance. We are still living out of boxes, but we'll find our way out of the cardboard fort we've built once work calms down.

*Work...my job is going well. It's keeping me occupied 50 hours a week, but the work is fun, the people are easy to work with, and I already have a publication that we'll be sending out this winter. Whew! However, working my buns off, walking nearly 4 miles and climbing 20 flights of stairs a day, has given me a raging case of plantar fasciitis. I'm hobbling around like an old lady, but Paul is taking great care of me and keeping me rolling to work at the wee hours and rubbing me to sleep when I drag myself home. I couldn't have asked for a better husband and mate!

*Paul is still working in the library, but we're trying to get him out of there. He had an interview this past week at the Vet Med Teaching Hospital here at UCD. He interviewed for the position of Farm Animal Technician in the patient in-take area. They wanted someone who could lead, restrain, and control cows, swine, goats, etc. Paul got a ton of valuable experience working at the dairy, so we're hoping these folks see the light and give him a chance.

*With all of the changes and upheaval, I've decided to postpone pharmacy school applications this year. Too much was going on at once for me to really give it my all this fall. So, next spring and summer, I'll be an application wizard and put my pharmacy school applications in with University of the Pacific, U.C. San Diego, University of Wisconsin at Madison, and (Paul's favorite and mine...the one we're holding out for...the adventure for which we're both been waiting) University of Georgia!!! So, Sarah, we'll be knocking on your door the fall of 2010...for sure! Until then, I have one class to take and a Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) to pass. I'm taking the PCAT next weekend at U.C. Berkeley as a practice run. UGA doesn't penalize you for taking it more than once, so I decided not to cancel this test and take it anyway...cold turkey...we'll see how I do!

*We've not been hiking or camping in quite some time, and I think we both can feel it! Paul and I both need nature, fresh air, and green to put our heads right. This weekend, we're visiting Paul's folks in Marin. I'm sure we'll have a chance to steal over to the Marin Headlands, Samuel P. Taylor State Park, or somewhere equally crammed with redwood trees, ferns, and moss. I love Marin (can't way the same for the Marin-ites!).

Well...I think that's about all the time I have for today. I apologize for the brief nature of the blog. Like I said, I figured that it's better to be brief than to be absent. Thanks, Sarah and Kristen, for your support and sweet comments. Boy, I wish I lived near you ladies!!!

Thanks for your patience...I promise we'll get back into the swing of things soon!

We're still alive...I swear!

Hello, all! Things have been crazy the last few weeks in the Domer household. I've been settling into my new job (workin' more than 45 hours a week...whew!), Paul's been looking feverishly for a new job, we're moving to Davis on Labor Day, and I just started a class at Woodland Community College to get me eligible for University of Georgia School of Pharmacy admission next year. So, needless to say, we've been pretty busy. I really miss blogging and hope that I haven't lost the faithful friends and family who have been tuning in for our updates. As soon as we move to Davis and get settled, Paul and I are buying a new computer. This way, the blogs will come with a bit more regularity...I have so many pictures to post and stories to tell!!!

Until then, think good thoughts for us as we move our pack-rat household from the three bedroom house on the tomato field to our two bedroom apartment on a wheat field in Davis, accompanied by my sister and her wonderful menagerie of beasts!

I'll be in touch soon!

Back in the saddle again

Well, all of the good thoughts paid off, Uncle Phil! I got a new job, everyone!!!

Starting Thursday, I am the new laboratory manager for a new investigator in the UCD School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Molecular Biosciences. The lab's focus is on the link between energy utilization and its effects upon aging. They're are looking specifically at mitochondria and how the body metabolizes food. There will be some work with animals but nothing compared to what I used to do at the medical school. I won't be working with any infectious diseases, nothing that can cause cancer, and no public policy or human life rests on the results of my work. Whew! I'll be doing research part of the time as well as supervising some undergraduate students and being responsible for safety, training, and compliance issues.

I'm really looking forward to getting back into the lab. I've truly enjoyed being home, but I've also realized that I like using my scientific knowledge, making new discoveries, and being part of a team working towards a common goal. I also see this opportunity as a brand new start. These past few months have taught me an awful lot, about myself and the way I want to fit into the world. I'm looking forward to testing some of my new perspectives as well as being able to further use the gifts that God has bestowed upon me.

Wish me luck, and I'll update you all as the adventure unfolds!

When is it a weed?

Weed -noun

1.	a valueless plant growing wild, esp. one that grows on cultivated ground to the exclusion or injury of the desired crop.

I'm not exactly sure that I agree with that definition. I find many things have "grown upon" or horded in on those things that I've cultivated. Despite how the dictionary may define them or how I may initially view the changes in plan, many "weeds" have brought great beauty and purpose to my "crop."

Paul and I found this one in our backyard the other day. The blooms only last about 24 hours, but they are sweet and they make us smile. We've both been a bit too busy and wrapped in life to do much beautification around the house lately, so Mother Nature stepped in and did a little for us.

The simple stuff is best, don't you think?

To the beach!

Paul and I couldn't ignore the call of nature this past weekend and, after a full Friday and Saturday of visitation with a good friend from Monterey and adventures at the farmer's market in Roseville, we decided that we needed to get away from the people and cars and asphalt. So, we made our way to one of our favorite beaches, Dillon Beach, just west of Tomales, CA.

Paul used to camp and hang out at this beach and the neighboring Lawson's Landing during his high school days in Marin. I was introduced to the locale much later but have taken almost everyone I know on the hour and a half drive through the dairies and farms of Petaluma to this little private beach. The drive is relaxing and scenic and, often times, as enjoyable as hanging out at the beach itself!

Sunday we awakened before the rooster, jumped in the VW, grabbed a cup of coffee from our favorite joint in town, and made our way to the coast. We got to Dillon's Beach before the gates were even opened; it was just us and the fishermen heading for Lawson's Landing. So we turned around and drove back to Tomales for another cup of coffee. As we sipped our brew we began to smell the fire about which the gathered locals were chatting. Napa and a great portion of Solano County were burning (and still are, even as I type), and fire engines from Sonoma, Petaluma, and Tomales screamed past us, north to the burning wine country. After a bit more absorption of local gossip and happenings, Paul and I drove back out to Dillon Beach to find the gate open and the ocean waiting for us.

While our visit to the beach was seemingly random, it was timed beautifully. The recent full moon had given way to one of the lowest tides I had ever seen. As we walked down the beach, we were greeted by rock after boulder covered in sea stars in brilliants hues of red, orange, and purple. The regular tide line, at least eight feet above our heads, was made evident by the dense thicket of mussels and barnacles that clung to the exposed rocks. We saw snails of every size and color and crabs that poked their tiny, purple heads out of the barnacled rock crevaces. Paul even revisited his childhood days of crabbing at China Camp and gently over-turned rocks in an attempt to find the little, purple crustaceans.

It was a very good day! We retired to our car, wind beaten and freezing (oh, the cold sea air!), and headed for our little house on the tomato field (oh, the hot valley air!). One day, way down the road, when we win the lottery (keepin' the dream alive, Sarah), Paul and I would love to have a home on the coast of California or Washington. I spent a lot of time as a kid sitting on the granite beaches of California. The sea air sets my head right, and I find all of life's trials easier to deal with after a visit to the edge of our continent.

Here are a few pictures from our adventures:

He'll always be MY cowboy...

Well, we got the call from the dairy and things didn't go our way. In true university fashion, they selected a candidate that was half as qualified, one quarter as dedicated, and 100% undeserving of the position. We've been going through a lot of frustration and heartache over this, so I'm going to keep it brief here. A candidate showed up half-way through the quarter and was allowed to shadow a milker without ever enrolling in the class. They were never taught how to set up the parlor, clean the parlor, or to sanitize the milking equipment. They showed up a few hours every week (Paul pulled 14 hours every weekend and wound up working 7 days a week for two months). And, in the end, because someone owed someone else a favor within the department, this joker got hired over Paul. So, once again, the university (the animal science department in particular) has proven itself to be one giant, inbred cluster-_______ (thanks, Dad, for the terminology).

We're upset because we didn't solicit this job; we didn't seek it out. We shelled out a lot of money for the class, money we didn't have while I remain unemployed. And we were under false pretenses (and hope, I guess) that this was going to be a fair process conducted by fair and upstanding people. So, I guess we're disappointed in people as much as we're disappointed in Paul not being able to fulfill his desire to become a laborer and to get out of that library.

So, after a few days of crying and anger and frustration and resentment, we're done. We've known all along that this wasn't guaranteed, and we've always known that we were getting a lot out of the process without the job coming to fruition. For starters, Paul's stronger than he's ever been and he's lost quite a bit of weight. He now knows that he likes manual labor, so we're trying to find him a job within that realm. And, the biggest reward of the entire experience, Melissa and Paul are now not only in-laws...they're good friends! I love that two of my favorite people in the whole world are now buddies! It's cool to see Melissa and Paul driving off together to get coffee while I'm donating platelets or to see them "talk shop" while we're visiting the folks for dinner. We are all so very fortunate to have had this opportunity. And, once again, as hard as it may be to remember, someone else knows what's best. We're not in control...we're just along for the ride.

The good Lord has something in store for us.

We're ready!

P.S. Thank you to all of our wonderful family and friends for the prayers and well-wishes. In the end, it all worked out for the best!

Cowboy Paul got an interview

We got a phone call yesterday from the dairy manager at UCD, and Paul has an interview this Friday at 2:15PM for the milker position. Paul has spent the last few months milking and performing management duties at the dairy for 14 hours every weekend. He's also attended a weekly class that taught the practicalities and economics of dairy management. While the 2:30AM weekend wake-up calls have been difficult, he's really enjoyed the physical labor of the job. He's lost quite a bit of weight, gained quite a bit of muscle, and has found some well-deserved self-confidence along the way. We sure are hoping that his interview goes well and that, if it's in the Lord's plan for us, that he get this job and the wonderful opportunity to further the changes he's already made. If he gets the job, he'll be working Monday through Thursday, from 3:30AM-8:30AM and then again from 3:30PM-8:30PM (mmm, split shifts!). He'll have three-day weekends every week, and he'll finally find the change and challenge that he's needed for quite some time.

If our dear friends and family would be so kind as to remember Paul in their prayers this week, we would be so very appreciative. We are so very blessed to have so many wonderful people pulling for us! I promise to update you all when we hear the final verdict.

Thanks!!!

Sarah, I accept your tag!

My cousin, Sarah, had this "tag" up on her blog, and it looked like fun! I loved reading her blog and definitely learned a thing or two in the process (all good things...I think we'd make some serious trouble together!). So, here it goes:

What were you doing 10 years ago?

I was finishing up my time at American River College, studying for my American Chemical Society final, and getting ready to transfer to UCD. Boy, those were scary times! I was getting ready to move out of my parents' house and on my own for the very first time. I was getting ready to say "good bye" to all of the wonderful friends I had made in the cauldron that was the chemistry program at ARC. Good times, good times!

5 things on my to do list...

1. Take Paul out driving tonight. Yes, my husband (the Bay Area boy) is getting his driver's license. He's never had a need for one, but the time has come. He has a job on the horizon that requires it, and I told him that I'm not driving myself to the hospital when I go into labor!

2. Laundry. Isn't this one ALWAYS on the list?!

3. Start my new cross stitch project. I'm making a new cross stitch at my husband's request. He saw Lilo and Stitch (the Disney movie) for the first time the other day (it was time 245 for me...I love that movie!), and he requested that I put the word "ohana" and a saying about it's meaning into a cross stitch that we could keep on our wall, as a family, for years to come. I'm stoked because I've always loved that word and the rich and layered meaning that Hawaiian words seem to carry and that the English tends to negate. Like in the movie, I plan to cross stitch (along with several traditional Hawaiian quilt flower motifs that I've transcribed): "Ohana...means family...and family means that no one gets left behind...or forgotten." You've gotta see he movie - bring tissue.

4. Yard work...the recent winds have gleaned all the old growth from our 5 redwood trees and the fruitless mulberry in the front yard. Our yard appears to have been returned to nature! I should mow and rake before the neighbors complain!

5. Reserve a storage unit and moving truck for our move in September. Yep, Paul and I are moving back to Davis into an awesome apartment with Melissa and her animal menagerie. Very excited...more details to come.

5 Snacks...

1. mozzarella string cheese sticks

2. pretzels...almost any kind will do

3. pickles...the more sour the more better

4. nectarines and the rest of the stone fruit family

5. my husband's popcorn...he pops corn in a little oil over the stove...scrumptious!

If I were suddenly a millionaire...

Yes, Sarah, I've actually thought about this one before, too! I would pay off all of our debts and the debts of our family members. I'd put just enough away such that we could live off the annual interest. Paul would quit his job immediately...forget the two week notice. We'd buy a chunk of land (at least 100 acres) in Hawaii or Montana or the northern coast of California, build a modest house (one that I could clean from top to bottom in one day), and start a small dairy ranch where we would make artisan cheeses. I'd buy my sister the truck of her dreams, and then take our family on the most amazing tour of Italy. I'd probably buy a villa in the Tuscan hills while I was there - a summer home, you know? Yeah...I better start playing the lottery.

3 bad habits...

1. I am a worry wort, but with some very special grace that I have recently been bestowed, I am beating this ugly one.

2. I, too, hate to fold laundry and have a tendency to let the clean clothes sit in the basket until they are worn. Bad, bad, bad. I've switched to hanging darn-near everything to avoid the whole folding thing.

3. Procrastination. I thought it was just with school, but NOPE...I am a world class procrastinator.

5 places I have lived...

1. Bakersfield, California

2. Davis, California

3. Sacramento, California

4. Woodland, California

5. Carmichael, California

5 jobs I have had...

1. snack bar attendant at a skating rink

2. chemistry stockroom worker at a junior college

3. chemistry tutor at a junior college

4. medical researcher at UCD

5. housewife for my beautiful husband

5 things people don't know about me...

1. I love to eat cheddar cheese with pretzels. I take a bite of cheese and then nibble a pretzel...one heck of a combination. Definitely not the same as the cheese-filled pretzels you see on the market...gross!

2. I hate to see water pooled on counter tops. Bathroom or kitchen, I need to wipe it up. Compulsive, I know.

3. I pierced my nose when I was 23. My parents told me that I couldn't pierce or tattoo a thing until I was paying for my own health insurance. So, the day before college graduation and three days before the commencement of my first, full-time, health insurance paying job I pierced my nostril. If I had pictures, I'd prove it. There are times when I miss that thing.

4. When I was a kid, my dad planted several pine trees in our back yard. There were large trees, and he dug huge holes in the ground in which to plant them. Each night, he'd fill the hole with water in an attempt to soften the dirt for removal the next day. My sister and I wanted a pool so badly that we filled two of the holes with water one day and sat in each...like little organic jacuzzis. I was a filthy kid!

5. I have a photographic memory. I can look at a page of notes, a license plate, a photograph, or a scene and regurgitate every detail. In school, it came in handy for test cramming but didn't work so well for long-term storage of information.

Wow. I'm a strange bird!

Pharmacy school applications, Part III

Well, I just registered to take the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) for this fall's round of school applications. Pursuant to my previous post, I'm not planning on reapplying to UCSF. They had their chance, and I now know that we weren't meant to live in that city or to attend that school.

So, over the past month or so, I've been doing quite a bit of searching for schools that may better fit my educational goals, our finances, and our preferences of geographic location. Between testing fees, application fees, and secondary application fees, applying to professional school can be very expensive (I had a friend who once dumped $5000 in one year's application cycle...and she didn't get into a single school), so I've narrowed the choices down to the following three (all of which have had 100% or nearly 100% student passing rates for the national licensing exam):

I have one class (U.S. History...darn U.C. let me satisfy that requirement with Women's History...leave it to California!) that I need to take in order to be eligible for University of Georgia admission (here we come, Uncle Phil!!!). I'll be taking that this fall at Woodland Junior College. My PCAT test is scheduled for October 18, in Berkeley. I'm gonna be a busy bee over the next few months, but I'm truly looking forward to studying again (that was the biggest bummer about not getting into school this past year...not being able to throw myself into academia once more).

Wish me luck, folks, and I'll keep you updated on the progress!

Our 1st Anniversary Lake Tahoe Trip

Paul and I took a four-day weekend and made our way to Lake Tahoe in celebration of our first wedding anniversary. Fallen Leak Lake, just southwest of the big lake, was the site of our first, big out-of-town date. We hiked through Desolation Wilderness and had a picnic lunch (one I toiled over for days in an attempt to impress my then-boyfriend with my wife-worthy culinary skills). He did say that is was the best cold fried chicken he'd ever had! Anyway, Tahoe and the area have now become a bit a of an annual ritual for us. We chose our wedding date (May 19) while vacationing there, and we love the seclusion of Fallen Leaf Lake and the adjacent Stanford Sierra Camp.

This year, we drove up Saturday morning and spent the day hiking up to Lily Lake and Desolation Wilderness. The weather was cool and invigorating, quite a welcome change from the 100+ degree weather we left in Woodland. We gazed at waterfalls, watched birds of prey, and came to appreciate the effect of elevation upon one's breathing capacity (7200 feet at Tahoe is quite humbling to us flatlanders). Once we had tired ourselves, we retreated to our favorite little hotel, The Royal Valhalla Motorlodge. It doesn't sound terribly glamorous (though "Valhalla" is the Norwegian Viking heaven), but it's situated at the stateline, right across the street from the big lake. Each evening, Paul and I were able to sit out on our balcony or on the private beach across the street and watch the sun set. How magnificent!

Lily Lake, Desolation Wilderness, CA

Sunday, we decided to take a trip to Virginia City. Situated only about 40 miles east of Tahoe, Virginia City is an old mining town and was once home to Mark Twain. It is also the home of Saint Mary's of the Mountains, the oldest active Catholic church in Nevada. It was built in 1869 by Father Monague who later became the first bishop of Sacramento. It's a beautiful church that has survived fires, earthquakes, mad monks, and other perils. I had been to Virginia City before and was hoping to show Paul the church's interior. Low and behold, much to our delight, not only was the church open but we were just in time for the one and only Sunday mass. The congregation is so small at St. Mary's that the Reno diocese has a priest that covers St. Mary's as well as 18 other rural parishes in the state. The priest, from Nigeria, had the sweetest demeanor and gave quite a moving homily. Mass was the best part of our day!

St. Mary's in the Mountains

Sunday evening, Paul and I got dressed up and walked up the street, from California into Nevada, and spent the night on "the strip." Neither of us are big gamblers, but we had some awesome luck that night! To us, "gambling" is spending $40 on the nickel slots and enjoying the aspiring songstresses in the casino lounge acts. However, luck was on our side that night, and after winning some major moo-lah on the penny slots (sense the sarcasm!), we stumbled home just as the sun started to rise. Boy, we're getting too old for that kind of thing! We went to bed just as the birds were waking and slept-in to enjoy the beginning of our one year anniversary.

Oh! That morning, we opened a little goodie box that my sweet mom had sent for us. She had kept some of the items used on our wedding day, all of which she created. She took the "lunch box" from which our picnic lunch reception was served and filled it with our Save-the-Date card, wedding and reception invitations, wedding favor bubbles, and an anniversary card. It was a beautiful reminder of our special day and really helped to bring back some wonderful memories of the days and months of preparation leading up to May 19th. Thank you so much, Mom, for the sweet surprise!

Mementos from our wedding day...thanks, Mom!!!

May 19th proper was spent sleeping in, sitting on the beach, and watching bad cable. (Yep, we don't have cable television at home, so hotel cable programming is a treat when we travel). It was a lazy and relaxing day, one we both have needed for a while and one that allowed us to sit and be still with one another, marveling in the year that had been. We had a quiet dinner together at Chevy's (mmmm, fresh guacamole!) and then retired to our comfy bed with a pint of Haagen Daz cookie dough ice cream. Already an old married couple!

The view from our beach

We had a great trip! We took in some amazing sights, indulged our "wild side" (sense the sarcasm, once more), and truly enjoyed being on vacation with our best friend! Now, back to reality.

Wait, I can start planning our Kauai trip!!!

Our first anniversary

Wow! It's already been a year! The time has flown by, but Paul and I have definitely learned so very much in that short period of time. I have truly come to appreciate marriage as the greatest, most challenging, yet most rewarding vocation that I will ever undertake (that is, until we are blessed with children). We've had some incredible highs and a few difficult lows. But, through it all, we've been each other's best friend and we've never forgotten to make the other person, our God, and our love for one another our priority. My mom and grandmothers gave me some wonderful advice, years ago: Never go to bed angry. The words have served me well.

There is so much hype surrounding weddings and getting married today. It's become quite an industry (I can't even count the number of wedding movies out in theatres now and in recent months). Most people (brides in particular) LIVE for the wedding day. Months of time and preparation are put into every detail of, what you are told should be, the "greatest day of your life." I've seen some pretty horrendous bride and wedding moments at the nuptials of friends and coworkers. Somehow, people allowed themselves to be shoved into forgetting what the day and the commitment was really all about. Stress turned loving people about to pledge their lives to another into obsessed, self-indulged "bridezillas" (pardon me, I normally hate that term). People tried to tell me that I was "entitled" to my way...that I was the bride and it was MY day...and that mindless traditions should supersede meaningful ceremony and things being done in accordance with our personal beliefs and personalities.

I'm glad that I didn't listen and that other voices were louder.

Paul and I were quite fortunate to participate in a Catholic Engaged Encounter retreat in Sacramento, 7 months before our wedding. While mandated for a Catholic wedding, the retreat was fantastic, and I have ever since been incredibly impressed by the Catholic church's belief that marriage is a vocation. The point was made that a "wedding is a day...but a marriage is a lifetime." Those words really stuck in my head and made preparations of flowers and dresses and food and invitations secondary, always, to Paul and my spiritual preparation (as individuals and a couple) for our wedding.

Every day since my wedding, each one after the next, has been "the greatest day of my life." Over this past year, we have never forgotten that our marriage really has three partners: Paul, Keira, and God. He has been our strength and guidance from the very beginning, since our wedding day, when He and His blessings were the focus, not flowers and bride's maid dresses. Paul and I have also been incredibly blessed to have many examples of loving, committed, and hard-working couples, both close to home and far away. They have been people who exemplify love, patience, and temperance. Paul and I both have wonderful parents, close to home, and loving families near and far. I've especially loved reading the blogs of my cousins, Kristen and Sarah. One newly married with a new baby and the other long-married with two beautiful princesses and one on the way...these ladies have been distant examples of loving wives, partners, and pretty cool moms. I hope that I continue to have more in common with them as the years go by (and OH, how I wish that we lived closer to one another!).

Well, here's to another year! It's shaping up to be a pretty exciting one. We've decided that our second anniversary should be spent in Kauai (flowers and birds and hiking and beaches...oh, my!). We figured that, if we start saving now, we should be good to go by May of 2009! We'll keep you updated...

Cowboy Paul

Paul has been on the lookout for a new job these past few months. He's worked in the library for years and would really like a change of pace. When he was younger, he used to do quite a bit of outdoor maintenance for Saint Rita's church in Fairfax and loved being outside and going home physically exhausted after work. We both have been quite fortunate to have had pretty low-impact, white-collar jobs. However, the machine that is the university has a way of beating you up mentally, and we've both been looking for a respite.

Recently, the second milker position at the UCD dairy has opened up. Paul loves the cows and has long been in awe of Melissa and the work that she does. A while back, she mentioned to her boss that Paul might be interested in the soon-vacant milker position. A couple of weeks ago, Melissa's boss phoned her and asked if Paul was serious about applying for the job. HECK YES!!! So the last few weeks have been centered around the cow, the dairy, and getting Paul ready to apply for the job.

Paul has never worked with any animal larger than a German Shepherd (neither had Melissa before coming to the dairy), so he needed to get some hands-on cow experience. So, Paul is a part-time UCD student again, taking Animal Science 49C...Dairy Management Experience. The class meets once a week to discuss issues of dairy management, bovine health, and the science of bovine nutrition and milk quality. The second component of the class, a lab section, is done once a week from 5AM to 8AM, pairing the student with one of the milkers for one of their morning milking shifts. Luckily, by the time Paul registered for the class, the only section remaining open was a Saturday AM lab shift milking with Melissa. Yay!


Melissa has generously and emphatically offered to help show Paul the ropes, the "ins" and "outs" of milking, and how to operate the equipment in the milking parlor. She has gone above and beyond her job as instructor for the course and has taken Paul under her dairy wing. Instead of meeting for lab at 5AM on Saturday, Melissa has Paul meeting her Saturday AND Sunday, from 3AM to 8AM, in order to intensively learn how to run the series of pumps and valves and tanks that are involved in the milk collection process. He also spends Sunday morning, 9AM to noon, working on the dairy yard. He works alongside the dairy's assistant manager, learning how to drench cows, give IVs, chalk cow backsides, and a plethora of other management duties.

He's loving his time on the dairy, and I've seen a wonderful improvement in his mental and physical well-being since he started working there. This change of venue would be so good for him. He's happier when he's at his full-time job, he sleeps better, and he's getting some good, quality time in with my sister. Paul and Melissa are two of the most loyal, respectful, and hard-working people I know, and it's awesome to see them working together as a team.

The job listing was recently posted and the application is due May 16. Between now and then, Melissa hopes to get Paul (literally) running the parlor by himself so that, at the interview, he can confidently say that he can run the parlor without further training. If our wonderful friends and family would be so kind as to remember him and his desire for this new opportunity in their prayers, we would be most grateful (Thank you!).

We've discussed the possibility that he may not get the job, and while disappointing, I know that he was given this opportunity for more that just that reason alone. He really enjoys physical labor, and his body does as well. This may just be a springboard for us, and I'm sure excited to see where the current takes us

And, a finale...Paul in the parlor!

A weekend o' hiking

This past weekend, Paul and I made our way down Hwy 128 (West towards Napa) to a beautiful portion of the northern coast range known as Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve. The land is used for research as well as preservation of over 100 bird and nearly 300 plant species. I've never been to the reserve and Paul had only been once, years ago, for a UCD entomology class field trip. The entrance to the reserve isn't marked with any elegant or grandiose signs. It's simply a fire road, with a tube gate, located not-too-far from the Monticello Dam (itself, having a VERY interesting story) at Lake Berryessa. So we loaded up the VW and headed west to find the elusive entrance to Stebbins Cold Canyon.

We drove around, up and down the topsy turvy road that circumvents Lake Berryessa and found fifteen different tube gates. We pulled over a couple of times at a few trail heads only to be thwarted, mid path, by impassable poison oak. Call me weird but, for some odd reason, I would rather grapple with a mountain lion than endure a bout of itchy, weepy, contagious poison oak. That's one wicked plant!

So, Paul and I wound up at our old standby...Putah Creek. He took me to a little-used portion of this huge creek (it stretches 70 miles, from Lake County to Napa County), behind the UCD Raptor Center. We hiked for about three hours...boy, time flies out there! We saw a river otter, beaver, and plenty of hawks, kytes, and smaller song birds. We just love the greenery down by the creek. Every year, the thistle berry (that's what we call it...not sure of the real name) grows as high as we are tall.

We've watched squirrels climb this prickly, spiny plant and deftly remove the artichoke-like head. The thorns of the thistle pose little obstacle to the squirrels as they pull out the feathery flower parts and eat the little seeds. It's an awesome thing to watch! We've tried doing the same (pulling out the seeds, not eating them!)...OUCH!

Paul and I always have such an awesome time by the creek. It was integral to the early stages of our relationship. We spent countless weekends down there...sunrise...sunset...watching the birds and animals live a life that seemed hundreds of miles from the busy campus that was just feet away. It was sort of a metaphor for us, and it was here that we truly got to know one another.

Actually, it was at this creek that I realized that I could spend my entire life with Paul. It was sunset and we had just ridden our bikes over to the creek from my Davis apartment. As I was watching the birds and taking in the sights, Paul turned me around to face the setting sun (still, to this day, one of the most vibrant sunsets I've seen) and put his arms around me. Resting his head on my shoulder, we stood there until the sun had finished its descent to the horizon. I was blown away by his ability to "be still." He didn't have to fill the silence with words and he recognized the gift that we had just been given. I knew that he would be patient and thoughtful, insightful and a calming force on my raging heart and head.

I was right.

We've come a long way, baby...

Well, my little car and I hit a milestone the other day...100,000 miles together! We found one another in Stockton in June of 2003, after I lost my '89 Crown Victoria (was with her, too, when she turned 100,000 miles!) to the negligence of a UCD vet student with no back-up lights and even fewer driving skills. Old Contessa (yes, I've named all of my cars) has been a constant and faithful companion. We've traveled well together...from Washington to Fresno, the west coast to Lake Tahoe. She's needed very little maintenance (knock on wood!!!) and has saved my bum on multiple occasions, thanks to her awesome handling. I've moved an entire apartment three times in her little hatch-back trunk. She was the car that carried me to the bar where I met my Paul for the very first time. Then, two and a half years later, she was the fun wagon that shuttled the newlyweds to Monterey for their honeymoon! We've been through thick and thin...she's been hit at 65 mph on the freeway and smashed by a horse trailer (again, by a stinkin' UCD vet student)...

OUCH!

She's been a great car! An old friend razzed me and said that Tessa would never last. (The naysayer no longer owns their Toyota...what now?!). I don't care what people say, the Japanese DO NOT make a better engine than the Germans. I know that I am a VW fan for life. I grew up hearing stories of my parents' adventures in my Mom's old '68 bug, and now Paul and I have tales we can tell our little ones. I know Miss Tessa's got a lot of life left in her, but I know one day we will have to part ways. Hopefully, it's well after our kids have learned to drive a manual transmission and after I can post another blog at her 200,000th mile. When that final ride comes, I know that I'll be faced with a truly difficult decision (and hopefully a greater income)...

VW or Audi??!

The proof...

Thy will be done...

I have long-believed that we are given the same or similar hardship or growth opportunity, over and over, time and time again, until we finally learn the lesson. Though we may disagree, we are always given the tools to deal with those situations. It's usually an issue of our willingness to listen, to slow down and pay attention, or to have faith in something greater than ourselves that prevents us from learning those lessons. How many times have we looked around and found ourselves in a different geographic location or life stage only to hear the echo of familiar circumstances or problems all around us?

I left my job at the school of medicine, years ago, because the water was stale, I was stale, and I knew that I would do things a bit differently if given the chance. I would put up with less, expect more, and steel myself against the forces of the world (and workplace) that conspire against decent souls trying to do a decent job in indecent times. I learned much at the School of Medicine job and took those lessons with me to the School of Vet Medicine. And then, when I left there just months ago, I realized that (once again) I had been given the "opportunity" to finally learn some old lessons (and I did) and tackle some new ones (hopefully, on the first pass).

So, what then, am I to learn from the UCSF application process and the rejection letter I received from them this past week?

Well, unlike previous responses of "no" in my lifetime, the rejection didn't send me into a spiral of self-doubt or contemplation of my worthiness...finally conquered that "lesson!" I didn't question or berate my performance, on paper or in person...check that "opportunity" off the list! I haven't been discouraged from trying again, for fear of another "no" or of eventually being shown that I wasn't, in fact, enough...finally can scratch that "one" off, too!

So, what then, was the point of this all? Everything, for all intents and purposes, has pointed to this school and this opportunity being destined. It has been easy for us to save money for the move...quitting my job was timed well, perfectly, and we were able to get plenty of help from family to keep us afloat on one income...the interview was stellar (this coming from the worst critic of myself I've known...if it weren't me, I'd kick my own butt!)...Paul's job end date and the date we could get an apartment in the city were timed ideally as well. So, for one who believes in all things happening for a reason, I was quite confident and content in the path our lives were following.

I called UCSF thinking that they could give me some insight as to why I was rejected (again) and, in turn, how I could improve my next application. I was given no more information than I was last year. I was told that my application was the strongest that they had seen in the history of the program. The individual I spoke to said that they could see no critical remarks of my interview performance, and said that the interviewer stated that I was a competent and accomplished applicant. That was all they had.

Then it hit me one night.

I've always had a faith in God. I think that it has ebbed and flowed with the joys and tragedies in my life. I think that there was a time, a very dark and difficult time in my life, when I felt forgotten or left behind, but I never lost faith that He existed. As I've grown older, my blessings have multiplied and hindsight has allowed me to realize that my prayers and cries for help during that dark time WERE answered...because I survived. I've always known that God has a plan and intention for every single one of us, regardless of how worthy or unworthy we humans have believed ourselves or others. However, I've never fully surrendered myself to that promise.

Anyone who knows me well agrees that I'm fiercely independent and have been raised by two parents who instilled in me the confidence and drive to always be able to take care of myself, to work for what I want, and to firmly believe that there is nothing in this world that I can't do. I, too, was always a kid who knew EXACTLY what she wanted to be when she grew up. It may have changed from day to day, but I was always pursuing something with fervor and the confidence that I would get that thing if I worked hard enough. I was a bit of a fanatic and took that lovingly-instilled sense of responsibility and independence to the n-th (often pathological) degree. I finally came to a comforting and startling realization recently, one night as I watched the sun set...both upon the land and the newly-gained knowledge that I would not be pursuing MY plans and MY dreams on MY schedule at UCSF...

I'm not the one in control.

I am NOT the one in control.

Wow. That only took 30 years (and more self-imposed heartache than I could ever describe) to learn. And, boy, what a relief that knowledge is!

Over these past few days I've done a lot of thinking, a lot of searching, and a lot of praying. For a girl who's always working towards a goal, who's rarely been told "no", and who truly believes that she's in control of all the good and bad that befalls her, being aimless and lost and out of control has been crippling. I've hardly been able to get out of my own way until my realization that night.

We've been blessed, recently, with many gentle reminders that He is near us and taking care of us at every step of the way. The eve of my epiphany, I was given another such symbol as I gazed west at the setting sun:


A cloud shaped like a dove (I know, cliche) was perched in the sky. As the clouds moved across the sky, the wind stirred and scattered and swirled them all...except the dove formation. It remained firm in its shape, resolute, clear and unmistakable.

I knew that I had done the best I could have in my application to UCSF; I did the same thing last year. I was beating myself up for not having a defined direction anymore, and I felt powerless in my ability to attain what it was that I wanted and thought that I needed. I was my own worst enemy and, for years, had used language and regard reserved for our enemies to address myself in my perceived shortcomings. That night, I found myself on my knees, crying, and surrendering my will to His. I was not in control and I didn't want to be anymore. I did not necessarily know what was best for me and our future, and the responsibility I felt to know just that had left me with years of emotional battle scars. I have limitations...He does not.

Now, I find myself a bit ragged from the journey, a bit thread-bare. So, I chose to put my faith, not in my abilities and strengths, but in His love and in the knowledge that I have a purpose that, if I'm willing to listen and forget my own ego and will, He will reveal to me.

That rejection letter has been the catalyst for some amazing change. I'm happier with myself than I have been in a very long time. I still have some work to do and acclimation ahead to this new way of thinking (a 30-year habit is hell to break!), but I'm hopeful and definitely know that I am not the one who needs to know or control all the "why"s and "how"s. I'll leave that job to the one who can bare that responsibility without cracking...carry that load without buckling...and who will never lead me down a path without also giving me the tools to traverse it.

Paul and I are letting the dust settle a bit before we make any major decisions. A job in Virginia still looms as well as the potential for new research work in San Diego. I will apply to pharmacy school again next year, but UCSF will never have to send me another letter. I don't doubt my ability or perhaps the plan to be a pharmacist. I have learned, however, that we're not meant for that city, and I'll be applying next year to UC San Diego as well as a few other schools in California and nearby. If they all send me rejection letters, then I'll readdress (with a lot of help from above) how I'm supposed to make my life's contributions.

Until then, I'm going to enjoy this new en-lightenment (freedom) and know that this is only the tip of the iceberg...we have so much more life to live!

Happy birthday to me!

Not too bad for thirty years!

I've got all ten fingers and all ten toes...I've got the greatest mate and partner for this life journey...and I'm surrounded by some of the most loyal friends and loving family for which a girl could ever wish. It's been both a tumultuous and joyful thirty years, but they've all gotten me to where I am today...a place that I wouldn't trade for all the riches in the world!

It's sun tea time

It's that time of year, again! Time to put the jar of water and tea bags out on the patio and watch as it magically brews itself, with the sun's help, into my favorite summer beverage. Paul and I both have wonderful summer memories of sun tea and it's making. His grandma used to use old mayonnaise jars, multiple ones, and set them out in the summer's heat. My mom, too, always had a glass carafe set out in the sun during those long summer days.

Now, Paul and I carry on the tradition and, today, we made our very first sun tea of the season!

I hope you all are able to take part in those special family traditions, those seasonal rites of passage, and enjoy the blessings of the coming months!

Ladies' Spa Weekend!

This past weekend, I met a couple of wonderful girl friends (Jenn and Tanya) up at a spa in Calistoga to celebrate our 30th birthdays! Boy, did I have a blast!!!

When we got there, Tanya and I checked in for our bud and herbal baths. I had never had a mud bath before or been to a spa, for that matter, so this was a totally new experience. We were led into our own private room where we spent an hour submerged in Calistoga mud and hot spring water and then a jacuzzi tub full of herbal-scented spring water. The mud was awesome!!! They mix peat moss with the mud, effectively rendering your body weightless in the bath. You "float" in the mud as it's heated from the walls and floor of your Japanese-style concrete tub. Sooooo relaxing! While we were getting dirty, the attendant put clay masks on our faces and poured us generous glasses of lemon water. I felt like a queen!

After the mud and herbal baths, we were led to a second room where they placed cold towels over our faces and under our necks while our bodies were wrapped in hot, heavy blankets. They dimmed the lights in the room and allowed us to lay there where Tanya and I nearly dozed off to the hypnotic sounds of the waterfall and ambient flute music being piped into our room. After our "naps", we are escorted to a third room where we met up with Jenn. We all received hour-long facials and full-body massages. I don't remember much of this time. I think I DID fall asleep! The experience was magnificent, and it was a joy to share it with two truly awesome women!

After the spa festivities, Jenn and Tanya and I drove into downtown Calistoga and had lunch. We finally decided (with the advice of locals) to dine at this little Italian place on the main drag through town. There, I had the greatest Italian food I've had outside of Italy. (Side note: going to Italy truly does ruin you for future "Italian food"escapades in the U.S....the Olive Garden is just never the same again). We split a wonderful spinach and prosciutto salad and a bottle of chianti. I had a pesto cream linguine, and then we all split cheesecake and a chocolate confection for dessert! The dessert (arranged by Tanya) was brought to our table, aflame with birthday candles and a serenade by our waiter in celebration of Tanya and my 30th birthday!

L to R: me, Tanya, Jesus (our awesome waiter), and Jenn

The three of us ladies then returned to the inn and got ready for the real party to begin! Jenn, being the responsible oncology nurse she is, had to return to Oakland for work the next day. Tanya and I stayed on for the evening and took full advantage of the spa's facilities. We cracked open a bottle of wine and sat by the pool and jacuzzi for hours. We are both totally water babies, so we spent forever in the pool. Afterwards, we retired to our room and our own private jacuzzi for some more wine and great conversation. Both lasted into the wee hours of the morning. The next day, we awakened late (I love sleeping in!) and went for yet another swim! Afterwards, we reluctantly packed our bags and then drove back into Calistoga for a lovely brunch.

It's so great to have female friends who truly see life the way you do, who can share in your joys and comfort you in your sorrows, who know what it means to be a kind and gentle soul, and who value life in the same way that I do. I love being around Jenn and Tanya. They are a beautiful source of friendship and a wonderful link that I have, by-proxy, to Paul's youth. They took great care of my husband when he was going through high school and all the tumultuous years surrounding. I'm so very fortunate to call these ladies my own!

I also took a few photos on the drive home. The surroundings driving through Napa, St. Helena, and Calistoga are just breathtaking this time of year. The mustard is blooming, the hills are green, and everything is coming alive with spring. I couldn't have thought of a better way to ring in my 30th year!!!

Thanks, Jenn and Tanya, for a weekend that will go down in the record books!

The Napa Valley Wine Train...must go sometime!

The mustard was in full-bloom!

Obligate Simmons self-portrait...if you know my dad, it makes sense!

Weather watchin'

We've had some magnificent weather these past few weeks in Yolo County. As the seasons change, the leaves change, the birds get ready for their spring festivities, and the clouds do magnificent things in the sky. I looked out our back porch just the other day to see this magnificent display. I love clouds! As a kid, I would lay on our lawn and stare up at the sky, not to find shapes or figures within the puffy masses, but to identify the scientific cloud types (boy, I was a dork!). Now, I'm married to a dork whose favorite class at UCD was Severe and Unusual Weather. Together, we have spent many afternoons staring up at the sky, attempting to put the technical names (ever-fading from our aging brains) to the myriad of cloud formations to which we are treated in our little house on the tomato field!

Pancake breakfast at UCD

Last year, Melissa invited Paul and I to join her and some coworkers at the annual UCD Fire Department Pancake Breakfast fund raiser. We had a great time and didn't think twice about going again this year. We had a special treat this year...my dad joined us! Mom was off at the San Francisco flower show with her Red Hat Society group, so Dad decided to brave the Free-Republic-of-Davis and join us for breakfast!

We all enjoyed pancakes, hash browns, sausage, bacon, juice, and coffee with proceeds going to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. All proceeds went to benefit this wonderful organization, one very near to my heart, and patrons were in-turn treated to an insider's glance of the inner workings of the UCD fire station.

It was a beautiful morning in Davis, crisp and clear! After we finished our breakfast, we watched the little daughter of Melissa's coworker demo the trucks fire hose (yep, they had activities for the kids, too!) and then we waddled back to the dairy. It was a very good day!

Paul and I are so very blessed to have our families close and to be so very close to our families! What ever would we do without them?

The daffodils are here!

Last year, Melissa gave me a lovely little miniature daffodil for my birthday. I've never grown bulb flowers. They scare me, really. They seem so delicate and so fragile, and I have been known to kill silk plants. So, the lovely flowers made their showing last year (much to my excitement!) and then promptly went into dormancy (it was fun while it lasted!).

This year, I was out in the backyard, trimming some trees, when I noticed that the dormant bulbs were starting to shoot up little, green leaves. I wished that, at that point, I had started a "daffodil watch" and photo-chronicled the emergence of this year's flowers. So, with hindsight being 20/20, I decided to at least take a picture of the flowers in their glory and resolve to post a "daffodil watch" next year.

I was so excited to see that the bulbs had survived and that the plant had conceded to bloom for us once more. Daffodils really are the happiest flowers! So bright, so cheerful...have you ever seen a daffodil bloom that was deformed or never completely opened? Me neither. There's just something about them. My mom's dad, Pa, loved daffodils and always had rows of them growing in his yard. I use to love sitting in the front yard, outside their mobile home in Elk Grove...enjoying the yellow celebrities of spring!

It's been a while...

Hello, all! I'm sorry that it's been a while since I've posted a blog. I don't have regular access to a computer anymore, so the posts have been sparse. Hopefully, I'll change that and start posting weekly, on Mondays, when Mom let's me monopolize her computer.

I've been at home, busy cleaning and organizing and getting us ready for a move. There's no new news on the UCSF front. We're still waiting, anxiously, for that little letter. My old roommate and dear friend, Kaman, told me that her letter (three years ago) came about this time in March. Yikes! So, I continue to wait...

Paul is doing well, too. Things at his work are getting a little harried and the state's inadequate budget is going to be wreaking a bit o' havoc on the cataloging department this next year, but hopefully Paul will be long gone by the time the cuts take place. He's actually looking for a job now, in hopes of beating the hatchet and, perhaps, finding something a bit more personally satisfying. We're contemplating the possibility of a zero income, two student household this next year. If I do, in fact, get into pharmacy school, Paul is thinking about going back to school in the bay area and studying something fun. The loss of income will actually allow me more financial aid for my schooling, and in my first year when the aid will be scarce, any assistance will be most useful.

This coming weekend I will be going to a spa in Calistoga with some girlfriends, Jenn and Tanya. Both Tanya and I turn 30 years old this month, Tanya on the 14th and I on the 23rd. We decided that a girlfriends' spa getaway would be a lovely treat for us all. So, I'll be meeting the ladies Sunday morning for a mud bath, massages, facials, an evening's stay at the spa's hotel, and a wine tasting tour of the area the next day. I'll have pictures and details next week!

Alrighty, that's a quick and dirty catch-up on the Domer Family! I'll keep you posted as best I can and will definitely let you know when we FINALLY hear from UCSF.

Happy spring to you all!!!

Veni...vidi...vici. Ciao!

Well, today was my last day as the Safety and Surveillance Coordinator at the Center for Vectorborne Diseases at U.C Davis. While it's been challenging and often frustrating, I have enjoyed my time at CVEC. I have had the wonderful opportunity to work with graduate students from many disciplines. I've worked will cell biologists, virologists, entomologists, physicians, and veterinarians. I've worked with post-docs from Israel, France, Australia, and India. This job has presented me with many opportunities, and I am so very grateful for all that I have learned.

My last day was a very, very good one! I was surprised, early in the day, by my best friend Claire. She showed up at my office with a most beautiful bouquet of flowers and heart-felt congratulations on my "freedom." Claire and I go way-back to the the transfer student dorms at U.C.D. We met in 1998 and have been absolutely inseparable since. She's an amazing woman, so intuitive, with a big heart and the greatest hugs. You know, I'm so fortunate to be surrounded by some pretty amazing female friends! Anyway, Claire and I have the ability to go months without talking (and without hurt feelings), each of us engulfed in our own busy lives, and then popping into the other's life and catching up like no time has passed. I hope that I am always fortunate enough to have Claire in my life!

Later that day, my supervisor and some other coworkers planned a going-away luncheon for me. We went to The Davis Graduate (an appropriate farewell from my university employment) and had burgers, fries, and plenty of visitation! I was truly surprised by the turn-out and loved seeing all the folks that have made the last two years bearable!

The greatest among these are my dear friend, Maureen...

...and James (my right hand man...who presented me, that morning, with the awesome gift of a beer stein and miniature bottles of Bailey's, Kahlua, and Godiva liqueur...for my time off of work!) and Bborie (my other right hand, computer man).

So, now I'm unemployed. How surreal?! I've had a job since I was 16 years old, been in college since I was 15, and I'm not sure what to do with myself. It's the strangest, most liberating (and a bit disorienting) feeling to have complete control of your time. I'm going to spend a week doing nothing...eating bon-bons and watching Oprah. After that, I have a long list of things that I've been wanting to do for a very long time. I think I'll pick up reading again (for fun...not publication), and I look forward to picking up my old quilt project. And perhaps, finally, I can get back into the volunteer work I loved as a student. I also, last but not least, have a big move for which to prepare us.

I'll keep ya'll updated on the happenings of our family. With no computer at home and my mom's and sister's computers a drive away, the posts may be sparse. Despite the handicap, I'll keep you updated the best I can, and I'll let you know as soon as the pharmacy school letter rolls in!

Here's to unemployment...

Happy Valentine's Day!

I know that I've said it before, but I really am married to one of the greatest men in the world! He treats me with so much kindness, so much respect, and goes above and beyond to try and make me realize how very loved I am.

In previous years, Paul has presented me with some very creative, well-thought-out Valentine's Day surprises. The most memorable, thus far, was a poem that he wrote and framed for me. It hangs on our bedroom wall and stands as the most meaningful gift I have ever been given. And, every year, Paul also takes me out to see the newest girl-y, romantic movie in the theaters.

Flowers are not usually part of his repertoire. I think I told Paul, years ago, that (because of previous experience) flowers were given when someone screwed up, broke a promise, or were otherwise attempting to make-up for a deficit. As a result, I've never really wanted flowers or felt an absence when they weren't given. Paul has a very good memory and did remember that, despite the previous viewpoint, I had always wanted to be surprised with flowers sent to my work. So, given that the day after Valentine's Day was my last day of work, he arranged (four weeks ahead of time!!!) to have a Valentine's Day bouquet sent to my work on the day-o-cupid!

I was busy training my fellow coworkers when the beautiful flowers arrived. Paul knows me so well! He included two Calla lilies (my favorite) and snapdragons (my second favorite). He included one red rose, symbolic of the single red rose he gave me during our Catholic Engaged Encounter retreat. Little white daisies were thrown in because I told him that I loved that my mom had daisies in her wedding bouquet. And he asked the ladies at the flower store to fill-in the rest with pink and purple, my favorite flower color scheme. Boy, that boy is thoughtful!

When I got home that night, in keeping with our most wonderful tradition, Paul gathered us up and took me to see 27 Dresses, the new Catherine Heigl movie. Oh, so girl-y!!! We had a dinner of popcorn and coke (mmm!) and had a wonderful time!

I hope that you all were able to spend the day with those that you love, doing the things that you enjoy most. I never understood why people had a hard time with Valentine's Day. In it's purest form, when you strip away the obligations and flowers and candy, it's a day in celebration of love. It doesn't have to be the love of a partner...it's the love of a daughter, a friend, a sister, or a neighbor.

Love really is all around us!

Interview day

This past Friday, Mom and I saddled up and rode to San Francisco for my official UCSF School of Pharmacy interview. After sleeping-in that morning (oh, what a luxury!), I awakened to find that my sweet husband had made me breakfast and a snack for the rigorous day ahead of me. He topped it all off with a little inspirational love note for the day. I tucked that sweet note safely into my purse, donned my new pin-stripe suit and red Mary Jane heels (ya gotta be different!), and headed for Davis to meet up with my mom. Mom and I met up at Melissa's house and then drove together to the city. The gruesome threesome would have been but Missy had work...and the cows wait for no one. Instead, she played photographer and caught some great pictures of mom and me shortly before our departure (boy, I look professional...a professional what?).

We had a great drive to the city and made our way over the Bay Bridge in some of the thickest fog the city has seen in a while. As we drove over the bridge, Mom gasped as she caught the first glimpses of the city...Coit Tower, the Transamerica Building, etc. She just loves San Francisco and always tells me how much Pa (her dad) loved the city. Pa loved the city because nowhere else in the world could you walk down the street, ask ten people for directions, and get those directions in ten different languages. Pretty cool! Along with the excitement of going to school and the coolness inherent to living in such a city, I am also really excited about being a base camp for friends and family visiting San Francisco!

Once we got to the campus, we procured a cherry parking spot that overlooked Golden Gate Park and the bridge, and mom spent most of her time here (quilting and reading) as I navigated my interview day's activities.

Mom and I were graced with a real surprise in the form of a visit from my old roommate and dear, dear friend, Kaman. Kaman is in her third year of pharmacy school at UCSF and will soon be moving to Fresno to complete her clinical training. Boy, I'm gonna miss her!

She sure turned a stressful day into a joyous one! She met up with us shortly after our arrival and presented us with a beautiful, little care package. She had baked a myriad of delectable treats (she's so creative in the kitchen!) including buckwheat cookies and peanut brittle spiced with Indian seeds and spices. She also gave me one of her pharmacy class' t-shirts and the most beautiful necklace made of amber. (She knows that I really love amber!)

As if that weren't enough, Kaman took Mom and I to lunch at a great Indian place on Irving, walked me over to my interview, sequestered me away in a quite classroom away from the hub-bub of the registering interviewees as I awaited my interview time, and then met up with me after the day was over and handed me a cold lemonade! Kaman is a truly awesome friend, and I'm blessed to have her in my life! (I'm going to have to write a blog one day entirely about Kaman...she's been a very big and continuous part of my life...one of the most beautiful, thoughtful people I've ever met...definitely the kindest soul!)

All in all, it was a very good day! I was surrounded by some of the most wonderful and supportive women I know, I gave a good interview that was representative of the person I am and the skills I have to offer, and I really enjoyed myself! Now, we wait. They are interviewing a total of 370 people and expect to send invitations to 122 people. Letters could come as early as the end of this month and as late as April 1. If I don't get in this year, I may try again, but I will definitely take this as an opportunity/sign to explore other avenues..."we are never done when we think we are" (thank you, Alice Walker!).

Until then, please keep your fingers crossed for us as the next chapter of our lives unfolds.

Thank you to everyone who e-mailed me well-wishes, who offered up silent prayers, and who have been examples and support throughout the years leading up to this day!

I am so very grateful...

Food for thought

A while back, in the midst of some truly difficult personal times, my old coworker sent me the following short story. It has, in hard times, proven to be a respite and has since helped to remind me where to focus my energy and how to allot my time. It has been a wonderful guide and a reminder that we choose what to feel and we choose what NOT to feel.

Thank you, Maureen, for being one of the wisest and gentlest souls I have ever had the pleasure of knowing!

Here it is...

Cherokee Story

An elder Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life.

He said to them, "A fight is going on inside me...It is a terrible fight, and it is between two wolves. One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, pride and superiority.

The other wolf stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. This same fight is going on inside of you and every other person too."

They thought about it for a minute and then one child asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied..."The one I feed."