Oh, hey!

Hey everyone! Long time no see...

Ok, so the past few months have been pretty crazy. In the ideal world I would write a post about each of my 101 goals individually and as I complete them. However, as evidenced by the repeated extreme heat advisories this lovely Arizona summer contonutes to bring, this world is far from ideal. SO I am going to kill two five birds with one post...just go with the metaphor people. Since my last post I have complete the following goals: 

#1 - take the MCAT
#3 - apply to medical school
#7 - move out on my own
#30 - read Crazy Love
#43 - Go to Sushi Broker with Dad and Jon when he’s home for the summer.

I just got my MCAT scores back on Tuesday and I am so incredibly happy/relieved/excited to report that I scored within the accepted range for med school admission so I APPLIED TO MEDICAL SCHOOL. No big deal. ;-) 

No, but really. The entire test-prep and test-taking and test-waiting (notice a pattern here?...) was very stressful/scary/frustrating and I am so thankful to all my family and friends who stuck by me and continued to encourage and support me. You all are the best! And I honestly could not have successfully re-taken that stupid, dumb, good-for-nothing test without you all. So thanks. :-) 

While I was waiting for my MCAT results and working on apps, I made the move across our beloved valley of the sun. That's right folks, I am now officially a West Sider (cue slick backed Alley Cats and finger snaps). While the move was tough on me, make sure to keep Shannon and Greg in your thoughts and prayers. Now that I have vacated their residence, there will be no one there to forget to turn off the AC and eat their scrumptious leftovers. Also, their guest bathroom will be abnormally clean and hair-free. Like I said, be praying for them. To keep their minds off of my absence, they've been painting pottery and rearranging furniture. Needless to say, it has been ROUGH. ;-) But, in all seriousness, I loved living with them and while I'm super happy and excited to officially start acting like a grown-up (read as start paying for things like rent, electricity and cable) it will be weird living 50 miles away.

Goal #43 was of course a good time. My dad, Jon and I have a long history with Sushi Broker and it was fun being able to hang out there together and eat some really awesome food. Jon isn't home nearly enough anymore, so when he is, we try and make it count! 

Reading Crazy Love is something that has been on my list of things to do for a while. Now that I've read it, I am so grateful for What Francis Chan says with it. He truly challenges his readers and it is definitely something that will be worth re-reading. 

So, that is what I have been up to for the past month and a half! I promise not to take another blogging hiatus. Now that some major stressors have been alleviated, but more importantly, I finally remembered which email and password I need to to log into my blogger account, I will be back to my regular bloggity self. 

#31 - Check!

This one is pretty self-explanatory. I had never read The Hobbit. While I'd tried reading it twice, once in junior high and then one more time in high school, for some reason I was simply unable to get through the first hundred pages. Looking back now, I'm not sure what failed to click because this time around I absolutely LOVED it! Tolkien's writing style was old fashioned but still very entertaining. The entire novel has the feel of listening to your grandparents tell stories from their childhood. If your grandparents were from Middle Earth. And kept company with wizards and dwarves and elves. And also, if they were hobbits.

My favorite thing about this book was that Tolkien allows breaks in his narrative to speak directly to the audience. I also loved the characters. Bilbo has me convinced that hobbits are about the funniest, most peculiar fictional creatures, second only to house elves, of course. Now, onto goal #32! This one might take me awhile...

101 in 1001 Days

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My 101 in 1001

Completion Date: January 20, 2015

Alright, so I'm officially jumping on the 101 in 1001 Bandwagon and making my own list. For those of you unaware of what a 101 in 1001 list is exactly, it is pretty easy. Basically, its a list of 101 things. I have to complete these 101 things in 1001 days. Or else the earth will self destruct, the sky will fall and you'll all have me to blame. Like I was saying, this is a list of 101 random and not-so-random goals I have set for myself that I am going to do my best to complete 1001 days from now. Some of them might not be possible and, depending on what these next 2.73 years hold, I might have to make some slight amendments to my original list. But, without further ado, I give you my list...

1.   Take the MCAT. - 7/6/12

2.   Have a Spa Day with Izzy and Lauren after our tests.

3.   Apply to Medical school. - 8/8/12

4.   Figure out where you’re going to grad school! - 5/4/12

5.   Complete my one year master’s/post-bac program.

6.   Complete my FAFSA form. - 4/28/12

7.   Move out on my own. - 8/1/12

8.   MEET Baby Suiter and introduce myself as the world’s GREATEST Aunt!!!!

9.   Babysit Baby Suiter!!!

10. Get into medical school.

11. ROCK the first year of medical school. (Read as do NOT fail out).

12. Buy a new camera. (A REAL camera. iPhone does not count.)

13. Go to California.

14. Visit the Atlantic Ocean – state side this time.

15. Get my ears pierced again.

16. Get another tattoo.

17. Go to New York City!

18. Do my taxes by myself.

19. Visit Jon again at West Point. (This time, sans the flu.)

20. Finish watching ALL of Scrubs.

21. Read Anthem.

22. Figure out how to cook tofu. (It’s tasty and I like it! No judgement.)

23. Go camping with Dad.

24. Go to a Switchfoot concert. (It’s been WAY too long.)

25. Go to a concert. (ANY concert.)

26. See a show at Gammage.

27. Go to Postino’s with Aunt Betsy.

28. Go hiking in Sedona with Beth. (Fingers crossed this time our chosen trail won’t be flooded!)

29. Visit the Grand Canyon again.

30. Read Crazy Love. - June '12

31. Read TheHobbit.- 5/22/12

32. Read Lord of the Rings.

33. Hike Camel Back Mountain with Jon.

34. Hike Camel Back Mountain with Izzy.

35. Hike Picacho Peak.

36. Read an Emily Bronte novel.

37. Bake Mother’s Day dinner for mom. - 5/13/12

38. Read The Fountainhead.

39. Go to the Kaibab. (My favorite spot in AZ!)

40. Take a spinning class. (And live to tell about it.)

41. Run a 5K. (Nothing too scary about that!)

42. Learn how to change a tire.

43. Goto Sushi Broker with Dad and Jon when he’s home for the summer. - June '12

44. Re-read the Heart of the Lion Series.

45. Make a craft you’ve pinned on Pinterest.

46. Make a recipe you’ve pinned on Pinterest.

47. Take a fun road trip with Shannon.

48. Go to the shooting range with dad.

49. Watch ten movies on AFI’s top 100 list.

50. Grill Father’s Day dinner for dad.

51. Get a new computer!

52. Go on a girl’s trip with mom.

53. Go to the Phoenix Art Museum.

54. Go to Vegas and see Cirque de Soleil.

55. Take the girls to a Diamondbacks game.

56. Go with Dad and Jon to a Diamondbacks Game.

57. Take a day trip to Payson with Terrie.

58. Read Anna Karenina.

59. Go to Niagara Falls again.

60. Do a double feature at the movies with Shannon.

61. Take a wine class. (I am not a lush!)

62. Take a beer class. (I repeat, I am NOT a lush!)

63. Spend an ENTIRE day with Jon.

64. Go to the Arizona Science Center with Lauren.

65. Take a ballet fitness class. (WHAT?!)

66. Take mom to see “The Hunger Games.” - 5/13/12

67. Read Crime and Punishment.

68. Finish the Vintage Jesus sermon series.

69. Have a pedicure date with Lauren.

70. Go on a trapeze.

71. Re-read Harry Potter.

72. Watch the sun rise.

73. Get a new bike.

74. Take said new bike out on a fun mountain trail. (Avoid cliffs.)

75. Go on another medical mission trip.

76. Read Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian.

77. Go back to Europe!

78. Go to a Cardinal’s football game.

79. Take a Spanish class.

80. Go to a Phoenix Suns Game.

81. Go snorkeling. (Steer clear of ALL fish bigger than me.)

82. Get certified to scuba dive. (See parenthetical directions for No. 81.)

83. Run a 10k.

84. Hike the Grand Canyon.

85. Read The Old Testament.

86. Read The New Testament.

87. Learn the basics of how to play guitar.

88. Listen to the Peasant Princess Sermon Series.

89. Do a mini –triathlon. (Emphasis on the MINI.)

90. Get a massage.

91. Have a pedicure date with Libby.

92. Go on another cruise.

93. Take a kickboxing class. (Reach official B.A. status.)

94. TRY to learn how to ski/snowboard. (Whichever is easiest!)

95. TRY trail running.

96. Cook a TASTY vegan desert. (Emphasis on “tasty.”)

97. Do a HEALTHY detox/cleanse. (One Jillian Michaels would approve of.)

98. Have a pedicure date with Izzy.

99. Have a girl’s night with Rebekah and Beth. (It has been absolutely FOREVER!)

100.  Meet Baby Maxwell! - 6/2/12

101.  Run a half marathon. (Just. Do. It.)