Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day!! I thought I would share the pretty cute Google Decorations in celebration of our Earth. 

The more exposure I have to cancers, illnesses, and ailments, I am reminded over and over again of how much we have polluted our beautiful planet.  Our industrialization, greed, and thoughtless actions have led to a sick planet and lots of sick people.  So what do we do now?

Well, we change.  "Be the change you wish to see in the world".  So, stop buying highly processed foods.  For example, pink slime, which is in most ground chuck, fast food meat, etc, is waste meat sterilized with AMMONIA.  Yeah, that's a known carcinogen.  So don't eat it.  Use your consumer power and put your money where your mouth is.

Grow your own food.  Help and support the initiatives of others to grow their own food.  Buy local, organic produce. 

A nutritionist once told me to only eat foods that are either organic or have less than 5 ingredients.  It's hard.  Try it. 

Consider your carbon footprint.  How do you get from a to b?  Who do you take with you? How can you be more environmentally friendly to protect the futures of your children and mine?

#225: The beauty that is spring time.  Blooming flowers, more sunshine, bright skies.

#226: The realization that I have so much to be grateful for.

#227: Being done with my first year of grad school.

#228: ALMOST done with my first semester of students.  Here's to hoping the grade whiners fizzle out. 

#229: Lots of relaxation time with family. 

#230: Two naps in one day.

#231: Getting closer to seeing the man I love.  Three weeks is simply too long.

#232: Clean laundry after six + plus weeks of not doing laundry.

#233: Puppy Cuddles

#234: Yoga

#235: Doing downward dog with Scarlet.  For reals.

#236: Great breakfasts with friends.  Saying goodbye isn't my fortay...but saying good luck is :)

#237: Music to match my mood.  Country music can put words to my feelings and emotions much better than I can.

#238: Baby smiles, baby giggles, baby cuddles, and simply baby time.

#239: Knowing that my words do not suffice in my expressions of love.

#240: Days off to sleep in, cuddle, relax, shop, and eat.

#241: Chocolate.  And LOTS of it.

#242: Bright Spring/Summer clothes!

#243: Bikini Season.  It's so dreaded for lots of (superficial) reasons.  But I am excited.  It means boating season. 

#244: Growth. 

#245: Love. Hugs.

Celebrate Earth Day however you want.  But think critically about how you treat your home.  And how you treat all of our futures. 

Students Teaching!

I complain about my students a lot.  Like all of the time, really.  But truth be told, I do really enjoy the thoughts, vigor, and passion that some of them have.  What causes me to complain so much is only the few that really do not own their education, and put the least amount of effort possible into this course.  The majority of my students, however, put lots of effort into their education, and into this course.

I have been grading final papers like a machine these past weeks, and I have found some absolutely awful papers and some phenomenal papers.  I have learned about sex trafficking, alcoholism, childbirth practices, drug use, postpartum depression, and lots more.  It has been insightful to see how these students are processing their environment, and the information they have been presented.

That being said..I can't wait to be DONE!!!
#223: I'm almost done grading papers.
#224: Monday mornings spent with Ellen.

Yoga

Since Colleen is peacing out to do Peace Corp things oh so soon, she has been doing some cool Ann Arbor bucket list things, including Yoga.  She looked up some different yoga places in town, and A2Yoga is awesome and lets you test out the center for a week before signing up for anything!!!  It's really great because we are getting to try several different types of yoga and learn lots before investing in a package!

We started with Vinyasa and did Anasura today.  I am doing Vinyasa again tomorrow, and on Tuesday we are hitting up a Nia class.  A2Yoga also has three FREE classes every week no matter what...SO cool.  I am really enjoying it thus far.  It's an incredible work out yet is also so calming at the same time.  I love it! 

I am also hoping that some Yoga classes at the Club will work with my schedule so I can keep reaping the benefits of free yoga classes, of course!

#218: Quiet weekends.
#219: Puppy cuddles, baby brother wrestling, and lazy saturdays.
#220: Sunday shopping trips for summer clothes, followed by warm sunshine.
#221: The winding down of the semester.  Every day seems closer to warm, long days full of shining sun and summer dresses.
#222: Grading will be done by the end of this week.  Countdown.

Easter Ache

I was able to spend a full Easter Weekend with this cutey...

Part of our weekend was spent in Dublin just chillin like villains, part was spent concert-ing in the cold outside, and part was spent with his family in Lebanon. 

What did we do during all parts of the weekend?  Eat.  In mass quantities.  It was gross.  And delicious.  So now I am feeling sluggish, icky, sick, full, and gross.  So what did I do today?  I ate more candy.  By the way...I never really eat candy, so it kills my body.  But anyways, yes.  Food. Lots of it. 

I am back on my workout regimine though and I am realizing more and more each day that I am expected to be in a bikini in less than three weeks.  WTF friends.  Maybe I should work out again.

#211: GSI offer came in today!  Yay for funding my education!
#212: My semester of craziness (not even comparable to the craziness I'll feel next year btw) is almost over! Yay for having a year of grad school and a semester of teaching under my belt!
#213: Facebook is creepy...but kinda cool sometimes.
#214: Moments of true connection with children.  Before school today, Anthony and I had quite the hugs, kisses and "i love you more" session.  It was beautiful.
#215: Incredible moments when I want to pinch myself to really believe that my life is my life.  I am blessed.  And grateful.
#216: Hope for warm weather this summer.
#217: Love. 

School of Social Work: A Year of Gratitude

If there is one thing I have learned in this beautiful building from some very smart people, it's that nothing can be taken for granted; information, people, what you read, what you see...none of it.  Everything has the potential to influence, and that influence can fall anywhere on the spectrum from good to bad.  I am learning about how everything can be a catalyst, and I choose how to handle that catalyst, and what to do with it.  And so do you. 

I am grateful for so many things about this year...and I want to share them with you...despite the fact that I still have a little less than 2 weeks to go in the semester (but all graded work is in....soooo it feels like it's over....)

#206: The people! Some of my colleagues have taught me more about my profession than I could have ever gotten from a book.  Not only that, but they have supported, encouraged, and challenged me in so many ways.  And they've been there for a beer when I really needed it..
#207: The professors!  Never have I encountered such a supportive teaching staff.  My professors have intelligence and clinical know-how like I had not encountered before....and yet they are also more available to their students than you could believe.  I am so grateful for their assistance in my education!
#208: The classes!  In undergrad, even if I enjoyed my classes, I still had to force myself to go.  So many people, so many classes, and so little impact on what I felt I wanted to do in the future.  Now, I like my classes (relative, of course).  I like my classmates.  And I like what I'm learning.  It is not only based in research/scientific evidence, but it is also practical and clinically minded. 
#209: The environment! I simply love the environment in which I learn.  The small classes, the comfy basement, and definitely the fact that I don't have classes all over campus.
#210: My placement! I can't communicate how much I have learned from my placement this year.  It has been rewarding, challenging, difficult, frustrating, and incredibly eye opening.  My supervisors have been great, and what I have learned from this experience has been indescribable. 

Brackets Dude

My interest (which I was VERY interested, actually) in March Madness completely disappeared on Saturday around 11 pm.  Why you may ask, well that is because my Buckeyes let a 13 point lead disappear.  But, alas, I still love them and am just glad I didn't go to New Orleans.  Because I would have been that much more disappointed!

So, no, I did not watch the championship game.  Well that's not actually completely true, because I was really pulling for Kentucky of course, I mean if my bucks are gone, better cheer for my houseboat neighbors' team.  But I wasn't watching it intently.  And I didn't really care.

Anyways, my bracket struggled all along, but really struggled after Saturday.  There's always next March, though! 

#201: Craft "pfft'ed" at the thought of leaving OSU for the pro's.  I love that we get him another year.
#202: OSU got recognition from several sports teams this weekend for being an always strong academic and athletic presence.
#203: By the way, I attend the number one social work school in the United States.  (brushing my shoulders off as I type).
#204: Clients making visible and obvious progress in treatment.  And the feeling of accomplishment at the sight of their joy and social engagement. 
#205: Puppies.  I love my scarlet doodle and my boom-dog.  And I love that they're always so excited to see me, no matter what. 

Autism Awareness Day

Just last week a report came out that found that 1/88 children is affected with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders).  Researchers postulate that the dramatic increase is a result of better diagnostic tools, and our ever changing environment. 

My current internship has me working so closely with those with Autism and their families, and it is such a difficult disorder to treat.  Not because of the disorder, because I assure you that these kids are incredibly easy to love...but educating parents, peers, and the public about the disorder is so hard!  People are resistant to accommodating others.  Our culture is incredibly resistant to broadening the scope of "normal".  We refuse to normalize, for example, handicaps, mental impairments, mental health, homosexuality, and the list goes on.  Why?

With my students, the most important thing I tell them every week is to question everything you see, read, hear, and experience.  Question the status quo, question the way things are, and never take the tried and true phrase of "well that's just the way it is...." as a good enough explanation.  We decide our culture and societies' future.  And our generation can use this power for good, or we can choose to not take advantage of this power at all. 

So on this day, April 2, 2012, wear blue.  Celebrate the children with ASD.  Love on them.  And teach and educate the public about how we can widen our scope of normalcy to accommodate more people and children.

Anthony, my favorite 7 year old, taught me about how motivating the ever so popular fun. song can be.  He told me how proud he is of being young after belting out this song one morning.  Let's be proud of who we are in efforts of giving others the opportunity to be proud, as well.


In support of Autism Awareness, please support Judson Center Autism Connections by eating at Pizza House in Ann Arbor between 10:30 am Wednesday and 4 am Thursday.  Proceeds will help those with Autism attend summer camps and social skills groups. 

#191: Weekends with this really great man I know. 
#192: Cuddling with the cutest puppy around.
#193: The look on the boys' faces this morning when I walked in to their house.  Between dogs and kids, I always feel loved!
#194: Music to match my mood at any moment.
#195: Really good doctors, advanced medicine, and the ability to treat our loved ones.
#196: Gluten free, dairy free, corn free, egg free, nut free FOOD.  When it actually tastes good.
#197: This semester, and my entire first year of grad school, is almost over!  All graded work is turned in, just riding out the rest of classes
#198: Almost done with my students this round!  Ready for them to move on...not that I don't love (some of) them
#199: Comfy beds, warm blankets, warm sunshine, cuddles and lovin's
#200: Lots of things to look forward to this year.  I am excited for everyday.