Summer in West Lala Land

First of all, I am still a Purdue DVM Class of 2015 alternate. My guess is I will be finishing my undergrad work, rather than starting my vet school career.  I am perfectly fine with this. I knew all along that either way, I would be at Purdue. Boiler up! Nothing wrong with that. I have already started my second application for vet school and this time around, I intend on applying to Purdue again, as well as Iowa and Michigan. Iowa and Michigan both look like really good schools and the more I research them, the more I am drawn to them. The only problem really is out of state tuition. Yuck. I guess we will just have to wait and see where I get in and where I don't. I can already tell I am not stressing as much this time around about the application Which is good. I put together a binder to keep everything organized (since I am applying to more than one school this time) and have made many checklists. I would say it's overwhelming, but it's really not. I've done this once before, I can do it!

Summer at Purdue has been a good experience. When I got back from Romania, I stayed here and began working.  I wasn't exactly sure what that would look like the first week, but I quickly slipped into a "schedule." Quotations because, well, every week is different! Between the Homestead 120 calf study, the SIPAC calves and our new lactating cow study at the Purdue Dairy plus working with mice, biomed pigs and sheep in Animal House, I keep busy.  Lucky for me, life here hasn't been only work. There are a lot of my friends (and some new ones!) around and that's been good. There is usually someone to hang out with when I find the time, if that's a whole group cooking dinner or one on one at Greyhouse Coffee... Oh! And my favorite midweek activity is the Wednesday night Bible study at Campus House.

Still contemplating what my Romania page is going to look like....

Been playing my guitar a lot. Just by myself pretty much, but I have another friend now hooked on trying to learn with me. It's been quite entertaining! I think I'm getting better? :)

Summer Reading List
-Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen - great book! haven't seen the movie yet
-Fated by somone... - not recommended at all. not sure how I finished it
-Running with the Demon by Terry Brooks - always like this author. I predicted the ending though
In the works...
-Bonjour Blanc: A Journey Through Haiti
-Lineage of Grace
-The Remarkable Story of Job
-A Knight of the Word

That's all for now. Off to church!

Yup... Still waiting

April 15th has come and gone.  Some people I know have received phone calls and gotten accepted into vet school.  I am not one of them.  I keep reminding myself that it could still happen, I could still get that phone call.  I mean, the summer has only just begun.  Plus, I will be at Purdue either way next fall.  I can always apply again, right? Right.

But man, do I just want an answer NOW!  But that is the total opposite of the mentality I need to have.  There's a reason I am being made to wait.  Perhaps it's because this is simply not my year.  Maybe it's something more.  What am I supposed to see through the smoke? Hmm...

In the meantime, I'm preparing to leave the country. Physically and mentally checking out of America for a while.  I will be spending 3 weeks in Romania, starting Monday, learning all I can soak up about the culture, life and agriculture over there.  This is promising to be a very cool and worthwhile experience.  Both from the perspective as a Purdue student, but also as an aspiring production veterinarian with an interest in international agriculture and advocacy.  Wow.  I don't think I've put those words together in that way before, but it does pretty well sum up me at this point in time with my academic career.

When contemplating things like my career path, I can't help but pray about it and ask God, "Is this Your path for me?"  Finding, acting and living for Him is my number one priority.  Using my talents, gifts, interests and passion for Him wherever that may lead me. Romania? Ok Haiti again? Hmm...

Oh yea, I do have another opportunity to travel to Haiti.  I've been on the fence about this decision for quite some time and I can not pinpoint a reason as to way. How about a pro-con list.

Pros:  another opportunity to serve in this devastated country, opportunity to love people, opportunity to educated about agriculture, chance to make a difference with projects that will be a continual tie with Purdue, academic credit

Cons:  chunk out of my Christmas break, financial cost (although airfare will be paid for)

Hmm, that's all I have for now.  Writing it out really helps.  Maybe if I come back in a few days, I can think over it again.

Thanks for reading if you have made it this far!

Destruction of Post-it notes

My method for getting things done is largely comprised of making lists and writing post-it notes.  Sometimes, the wall here in front of my computer may as well be wall papered with the amount of sticky notes up there.  Anyway, lately I have been awesome-ly efficient at getting things accomplished and throwing those suckers away.  Today alone, I took down 4 post-its, each with a task written on it!  I get the same sense of enjoyment whenever I mark tasks of my list, which resides next to my computer (it is also a Post-it, only with lines).  Call me a nerd, oh well

I have just added a tab, as you can see above.  "Romania Maymester 2011."  I am pretty excited about this trip, the opportunity itself and the team of people I get to go with.  Look forward to reading more about it after wards!

In vet school news, I am still waiting, but I will reiterate that that is okay.  The deadline for acceptances is coming up (April 15th) and I assume the will beginning filling spots from the alternate list after that point.  Could I get a call next week?  It's a possibility.  Could I get a call in August?  That is possible too.  Guess we will just have to wait and see! :)

Uncertain Position

"You have been placed on our list of alternatives for the DVM Class of 2015. We realize this puts you in an uncertain position with us."

Yes, this means I am on the waiting list.  Honestly though, I'm getting pretty good at waiting. It's almost been a full year since the beginning of the VMCAS application itself.  So much work for such little pay! At least so far.

But I am not worried.  I know I will get were God wants me to be as long as I give up the troubles of this life to Him.  I only live day to day by His grace!  I don't know what my future looks like, but I know I can trust in Him with it.  I mean, he created me, after all.

Some verses that have really spoken into my life this week:

"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." ~Proverbs 16:9

"For I know the plans for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11


"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."  ~Proverbs 3:5-6

And above all else...

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." ~2 Cornithians 12:9

And lastly, some pictures from spring break. Jacksonville, FL. Clear blue skies, 70's everyday. Isn't Creation wonderful?

Breath... Breath....

This is what I'm having to tell myself lately. Been waiting on the vet school decision to happen. Some people I know have already received calls from the dean to let them know about their acceptance to the Class of 2015. But just some people! They are dragging this process out across several days! If you want to kill a Type A personality pre-veter, that's how you do it.

Something I keep reminding myself about is this. I am a junior. I have a senior year in ANSC if I don't get into vet school. God has bigger plans for me than anything I can imagine.  Maybe admittance to vet school this year isn't in that plan. Whatever He has in order for me is better.

It's still very difficult. I just want to know something.

In the meantime, here is a picture of my Jack-jack and her cat friend.

Sigh of Relief

The vet interview is complete!

And I feel good about it.  It sucks that one conversation has so much pressure on it.  They really just want to get to know you!  My interview was fairly short, which surprised me.  Fairly generic questions, nothing overly challenging about veterinary medicine (after all, I'm not a doctor yet!). 

And now we wait! Should hear back sometime in March??

Focus

I've heard of people choosing a "one word" as their New Years Resolution. So why not? My word is FOCUS.

It feels like a fresh start. Clean slate. New year, new semester. Of course, I still have my wonderful Purdue friends, housemates and great boyfriend. They are the support system I desperately need sometimes (neigh, most of the time). Most of all though, I need to focus on relying on God. This is going to be a big thing for my this year, especially as I wait for that veterinary decision letter. I think I have a plan, but it would be very naive of me to expect things to happen that way. God's plan is the only plan for me and sometimes I forget.

I'm feeling quite optimistic about this semester. As of the first day! I think that I will be able to be more motivated in my classes because, thus far, I like them (except Physics!). But who knows, maybe my optimism in Genetics, Biochemistry and Meat Science will make me enjoy Physics too (what a stretch, but hey, I said I'm feeling optimistic!).

In 403 news, we are reading through the entire Word over the course of the year. I know I will need focus and dedication to keep up with this. I have already fallen behind...

In veterinary news, my interview is in less than 2 weeks!  Today, I have a mock interview to practice questions. I have also talked with people in veterinary medicine about the interview process searching for tips and words of encouragement. I'm staying positive about the whole ordeal. No need really to freak out, that would be stupid. I'm simply trying to prepare myself as much as I can between now and then. It's still very exciting though!

Stalking the Mailman

For the entire month of December, I checked our mailbox religiously to see if I had received anything from the Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine.  Nothing.

The last Friday of finals week, I came back from my Ochem exam (passed the class, yes!!) and of course I checked the mail again, even though I had watched the mailman walk pass my house earlier that day (terrible, right?) I open up my computer to check my email and what do I see, Purdue Veterinary School Admissions Interview Offer. YES! That is exactly what I had been waiting on and apparently I didn't need to check the snail mail. Ever.

So I have passed the first cut for admission into veterinary school. My interview is in January and we will still where I am led from there!

Submit

"Congratulations!

You have successfully e-submitted your application to VMCAS."

You know what that means. That means I was up until 3 am last night staring at my computer screen trying to decided if I was finished with my veterinary application. I'd read all of the instructions, twice. I'd rechecked my courses work, probably five times. I'd read, edited, reread and edited my personal statement possibly a hundred times.

So there I sat.  Almost confident that I was done. Earlier in the night I was feeling so overwhelmed and stressed about the whole ordeal. But by 3 am, I was calm and I slowly looked through everything a last time, said a prayer and hit 'Submit.'

Out of my hands now! As someone once told me (yesterday), if I'm meant to get in this year, it will happen. Guess we will just wait and see (and try not to stalk the mailman).

Gymnast is to Veterinarian as...

"I stand off of the mat, awaiting the judge’s signal.  The sun coming through a window illuminates the uneven parallel bars and you can see chalk floating in the air. Level 8 gymnastics state championships. My heart is pounding.  The judge raises her hand, signaling me to go."

In retrospect, it is really cool to see how gymnastics has shaped me.  At this point in my life, 50% has been spent participating and 75% total time spent associated with the sport (I have coached for going on 5 years now).  It doesn't just teach you strength, endurance, flexibility and cool physics-defying skills. No. It is so much more than that. Just a few things I know I have taken from gymnastics include: teamwork, goal-setting, mental strength, determination, dedication... the list goes on and on.

When thinking about my personal statement for vet school, I realized how applicable and important this non-veterinary interest was to me.  The paragraph above is actually the first paragraph of my personal statement, which I plan to submit to VMCAS next week.  I decided to weave gymnastics into my statement, starting with that true story from my last competitive year. 

Veterinary medicine requires basically all the skills I outlined above that gymnastics helped develop in me.  I am not saying I am at an advantage, just that I am grateful for the opportunities I had as a kid. I always find myself telling my girls that I coach that they will learn SO much more after they are out of the sport. And it's true!

Gymnastics is a big part of who I am. I know it has and will pay off for my future in veterinary medicine.

I thought I would share some of my old gymnastics pictures as well :-)

Level 4 competition (wonder how many points I lost for that toe point!)

 I met Olympic gymnast Amanda Borden at a gymnastics camp!

My first Level 7 floor routine was to Ricky Martin's "The Dub of Life"

Level 7 Beam

Level 8 Floor

Helping Haiti

Ever since being in Haiti in May, I have almost constantly been looking for ways to help. I came across this article in the Purdue Agriculture Connections recently and found it very uplifting.

http://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/connections/summer2010/02_mission_of_hope_continues_in_Haiti.shtml

So uplifting that I took time to email the guy and thank him for his article and tell him briefly about our trip. He was thrilled to hear from me and insisted on meeting with me. So that's what we did! I met Branly Eugene last Friday and we had a good discussion about Haiti and what we are doing to help.

It was interesting for me to hear about how he grew up in Cap-Haitien and has been living in the States for some time. He expressed to me how he as always felt an obligation to help Haiti through his blessings of education and opportunity. He plans to use his education (now working on his PhD in Agronomy!) to go back to Haiti and work on a long term solution. Sounds familiar. I would love to make a difference in Haiti with my agriculture/animal sciences background. So much so that a professor here at Purdue has offered to take me with him to Haiti this December. He is planning a service learning trip (hopefully with Heifer International) for next December, so this would be an "exploratory trip." Very cool!

I may be going to Romania next May too. I will officially be a world traveler at that point, should it happen (you aren't a world traveler until you have been across an ocean.) It is also a Heifer International Animal Sciences Service Learning trip. It would be 3 weeks and formatted very similarly to the 2011 Haiti trip. Love it.

I will be praying about all of this for sure. We will just now have to see how that cards fall. What are you up to God?? :-)

Deep Breath

Vet School Checkpoint #2?

Had a mini panic attack when I realized that it is almost September. I need to seriously get my butt in gear with this vet school admissions stuff.

The admissions office tells me they have not yet gotten my GRE scores. I still need two references submitted. I still need to start my personal statement.

Deep breath.

Oh yea, school and extracurriculars have started in full swing. That involves classes, Ansc Mentor Program, Western Equestrian Team, Campus House stuff... Maybe I should give up sleeping for a while.

Deep breath!

By the way, I am completely obsessed with our new puppy. And now I don't get to see her :-(

Baby Jackie

Jackie when I left for school. So big!

Big dog, little dog. Patch and Jackie <3

Everyday Sunsets

Whenever you are somewhere other than home, do you sometimes make a point to sit and watch in awe of the sunset? Somehow those sunsets are just more beautiful it seems when seen across the ocean or in the mountains. Right?

An article I read recently talked about this and it did resonate in. I like to think that I take time out of every day to soak in Creation. The beauty that is around me all the time because God made it that way. But in the hustle of the usual life, this doesn't always happen, does it?

My point is that every day is a blessing. Every sunset is beautiful. Just have to realize it and be thankful. :-)

If I Die Young (The Band Perry)

Climbing Fences

Vet School Checkpoint #1

Every new obstacle in life could be compared to climbing over a fence. You see it. You take it one step at a time to the top and eventually make it over. If you take it too fast, you could fall. If you are scared, you won't make it at all.

My biggest fence of the coming year is going to be veterinary school. The application has officially begun for me. I am considering my first checkpoint towards admission to be the GRE. I finished it last week. Pwhoooh!

Purdue's deadline is October 1st. I hope it doesn't come too fast! There is a lot to get done between now and then! I will keep posting about my journey towards vet school.

Here are 5 blogs by 4th year Purdue students about their fences in vet school. I have found them really interesting and they certainly get me excited about vet med!

I have been climbing fences for a long time...

The Country Life

My mother recently asked me if I wished I would have grown up differently. Like, in a city or somewhere more urban. I think it was joking statement coming out of my DC/NYC trip, but it did make me think. Do I wish that? Of course not. A) Because I don't know any different and B) because my roots mean the world to me. And here's why.

I know how I have grown up is unique. Not many people my age can say the grew up on a farm. Not many people my age can even say they have never moved before. I have had the same bedroom since I was born. I can look back on childhood pictures and say, wow, that tree was sure small back then, comparing it to today. I have been all over nearly every inch of this property (almost 200 acres), probably more than once.

Let's see what memories I can't scrounge up about this place.
1) Playing in the cow pasture/woods with my sister. We usually ended up soaking wet from getting in the creek bottom!
2) Chasing fireflies in June. I love the way they glitter over the bean fields.
3) Sitting in the front yard swing listening to the crickets and frogs.
4) Laying outside (anywhere) looking at the crystal clear stars. Can't see that stuff in a town.
5) A trench had to be dug by the house back in the early 2000's. My sister and I filled it with water and played in the massive mud hole.
6) Playing in the sprinkler/hose.
7) Getting dad to build us forts out of straw bales and then crawling around inside with flashlights.
8) Of course, the tree "house". I had a whole mess of twine strung up there that we would drape beach towels over to make a fort. Sister and I would eat lunch up there and do all sorts of random stuff.
9) In 1997, our dog had 13 puppies in the lower barn.
10) Sledding in the back hay field.
11) When sledding wasn't good enough, we attached a tractor inner tube behind the pick up truck and drove around the pastures (frozen cow pies hurt!)
12) Tumbling in the front yard.
13) When old enough, lots of truck and tractor driving.
14) One time, I helped with a hay delivery and the lady tipped me 5 dollars more than the other guy helping us. Said she was impressed by me and that "we ladies have got to stick together."
15) Helping dad with whatever project in the barn/garage/house etc and listening to either classic rock or country. 
16) The animals! Cattle, hogs, dogs, cats, a horse... and don't forget the porch toad!

Ok, I could seriously do this all night and I don't think I even hit the highest points.  The point is, though, that there is nothing I would do to change my childhood. I love my this life, down on the farm. I love the way it smells, sounds, tastes (fresh produce from the garden which I am spoiled on!). I think you get the picture. The country life what I am about. I intend to raise my kids this way, to gain an appreciation for nature and simplicity. That's kind of what this blog is based around. Literally laying down in green pastures? Yea, I've done it. But metaphorically also. It's so easy to just overlook the small things in life and that is just what I am trying not to do!

There's a wild wild whisper

Can't lie. I can be a music junkie. When I get one song that I really like, I can listen to it over and over and over again.

One song I really like right now is Lee Brice's "Love Like Crazy." The chorus is so simple. Just a list of things like, "be a best friend, tell the truth, overuse I love you..." But, in my opinion, it has a powerful message. I like that about country music. They get to points and messages that you rarely find in pop music.
 Lee Brice - Love Like Crazy

The next song on my addict list is from Boyce Avenue, called "Every Breath." Boyce Avenue is a rising group out of Miami, FL.  They have been coming up through videos on YouTube and recently signed their first record deal (I bought the cd on iTunes last month, the day it came out!) Boyce has a fantastic sound and I really really hope they don't lose it as they hit the music scene! I like "Every Breath" a lot, especially the line "When I needed a place to hang my heart, you were there to wear it from the start." I can't really explain why I love this song so much. I suppose I like the idea of having that "someone."
 Boyce Avenue - Every Breath

Lady Antebellum is my absolute favorite country artist, and that probably won't change (you know how you go through phases). I've followed Lady A since the beginning and it's so cool to see them explode in country music! Got to see them live for the first time in June (with headliner Tim McGraw). Lady A was great, I was definitely not disappointed by the performance. "American Honey" is one of my favorites by them because I easily see myself in the song, being a country girl and all. Reminds me to not forget who I am and where my roots are.
Lady Antebellum - American Honey

My last song of the day is Sanctus Real's "Lead Me." Again, a song with a message (sense a trend??). I like this one because it is a "model" of the God-centered man I look forward to having in my life someday as a husband and father. The ending of the song is my favorite because it is a great reminder that I can't do this life thing alone! Only by the guiding hand of God.

Sanctus Real - Lead Me

A Suitable Title

This is my first shot at blogging. I have tried journaling in the past in multiple ways. Not to say that nothing has ever kept my interest, but the fact of the matter is that the only constant in life is change! So this is me changing things up a bit.

The title I chose for my blog is "As I lay in green pastures."  This was inspired from Psalm 23. It's a psalm close to my heart and one that I refer to, well, a lot.  What a comfort and what a joy to know that the Lord is my shepherd and I shall not be in want.

Someone once told me I need to "lie down in green pastures." He was indeed referring to this passage and what he meant was this.  That I simply need to slow down! Stop and smell the roses. I get into flurries and my life becomes quick and chaotic as I try to spread myself too thin, between academics, extracurriculars, social life ect ect. This list goes on and on for the amount of things I try to involve myself in.

So this is my stopping, reflecting, and lying down in green pastures.

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

 ¹ The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.   
² He makes me lie down in green pastures,
       he leads me beside quiet waters,
 ³ he restores my soul.
       He guides me in paths of righteousness
       for his name's sake.
 ⁴ Even though I walk
       through the valley of the shadow of death, ^[a]
       I will fear no evil,
       for you are with me;
       your rod and your staff,
       they comfort me.
 ⁵ You prepare a table before me
       in the presence of my enemies.
       You anoint my head with oil;
       my cup overflows.
 ⁶ Surely goodness and love will follow me
       all the days of my life,
       and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
       forever.