Quick update....

• did a 2 day training called ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) all day Friday and Saturday, although I'm tired I think I picked up some useful tools.....now I don't want to be using them any time soon though, got that kids :)
• am trying to avoid pinkeye, it's going around right now....ahhhhhhh
• am really looking forward to going home
• heard someone actually use "I reckon" the other day in a serious moment....I almost died
• hmmmm what else...OH YA CANADA WON GOLD IN MEN'S HOCKEY!!!!!! What a delightful moment....I was at Trevor's with he and Zac....they were determined we were going to loose....I didn't need to say a thing when Crosby scored :)
• Canada rocked it out in the Olympics...although I didn't get to watch all of it it's been fun catching up online with the highlights....going to be sad it's over
• looking forward to going home in 5 more days!!!!!!
• Jason and I will be trying to catch up on 24 when I'm home, we didn't want to watch it without each other ...so this has been the plan, it's been hard not to watch it though
• am really tired....please be praying that I get all the work done I need to this week, it's so important to me that I come home and only have to do one thing school related that I can't do down here....I can do this.....I can do this!
• hoping for some good news tomorrow that I will definitely be posting so stay tuned.....

Week 7....

1. registered for a workshop called "Dissociative Identity Disorder: Diagnosing and Treating" ... it's in April and I can't wait....and it begins :)
2. heard a presentation on eating disorders, man oh man that was hard to watch
3. led the class in a discussion on adolescent deviance....can't think of a better person to lead that discussion than yours truly...ha ha ha
4. got two new tires, still can't believe I did that
5. met with some potential clients since I was interviewing for my adult children of alcoholics group....I've got 5 participants already and still 2 more interviews...cool huh?
6. had my first client....2 thoughts: wow, I'm really doing this and good thing I have liability insurance ha ha ha
7. have training all weekend
8. had a mexican potluck at school and it was yummy....I decided to make Quinoa Salad (thanks for the recipe Mandi) and lots of people loved it, not too mexican....but I was craving it and it is a grain from South America so I went with it
9. have been spending a lot of time by myself but it's necessary because I'm just too busy
10. had a strong realization in counseling....that sucked
11. am ready to be back home
12. am ready for a vacation....and I may be having one sooner than I thought....more on that later
13. Disney has a freaking special night time parade that they are doing just for the summer and fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom....I swear they hate me :)
14. needing a good God fix, speaking of God He and I have been quite the buddies this week... I've been relying on Him BIG TIME
15. am having a really hard time in my group counseling group.....it's hard being in a group with 8 other people who are all learning to be counselors and know how group should be operating....so far I have left there with intense emotions every freaking week....how is this helpful? grrrrrrr
16. need to get my butt in gear and secure some rides to the airport and back...California is heading back to California so this is screwing me up....
17. the semester will soon be half done, wow....
18. my little boy will be 1 soon :(
19. 9 more sleeps until fun, friends, and ASIAN GARDEN!!!!!

FYI....

hey faithful blog readers....

I'm busting my butt right now with school stuff so the posts may be getting fewer and fewer. We have mandatory ASSIST training (basically how to help a suicidal person) all day Friday and Saturday this week on top of everything else....so it's getting a little bit insane to say the least. Oh and did I mention...I'M COMING HOME IN 10 days!!!!!!!!!! So I'm trying to get as much work done as possible so that I can spend time with all of you and not need to do too much school work. I can do this......

So bare with me...love to you all....

Oh what a night....

We partied it up in Staunton (it's about 30 minutes from here) to celebrate two of our classmate's birthdays last night. So since they live close to Staunton we decided to go to them. Everything was going well, except poor Erica got pink eye and couldn't come :( I picked up these two gals (Erin and Margaret)....

....and we were on our way. We drove around downtown for a bit trying to find a parking spot, then we spotted the parking garage and apparently I was a little to eager to get into this parking garage. I caught the curb on the right side and instantly blew one tire and put a hole in the other.
People this was the first time that I wanted to hit my knees and just start crying because my husband wasn't here to help me. I've been quite strong all along, but this really sucked! If it was one, no big deal put the donut on and away we go. However, we could hear the air coming out of back one while I was taking this picture.

So we went to the restaurant. I'm feeling super embarrassed and ready to cry at any second. I was introduced to a few spouses/significant others that I had never met. Erin then looks at me and says "are you okay". I choke back the tears and say "I'll be right back". On my way through the crowd though I run into the Haase boys, Christian gives me a hug and I'm done. I'm saying things like "I'm so stupid", "I wish Jason was here", "What am I going to do". Yup, it was a good little cry let me tell you, now he's got some more counseling experience under his belt :) By the time I got back out to the crowd, word had spread on what happened and Stosh (one of the birthday boys) and his wife Jo-anna were on the phone with AAA. So I got a free tow!!!!Rick (seen below in the gray shirt on the left...that's the best pic I got of him) then became my next hero of the night. He got on the phone trying to find somewhere open, so that we could get it fixed tonight. At this point it's about 8:00pm. Thankfully Rick grew up in Staunton and so his cousin owns a mechanic shop about 10 minutes from where we were. His cousin went back into work to fix my tires!!!! How wonderful eh??? (in this picture starting with man on left: Rick, Ellen- in my class, Kristee behind a menu- in my class, Victoria- K's daughter, Allen, and Jean- in my class)

So we met the tow truck, got the car on it (both tires are now flat at this point), and it was on it's merry way. Rick knew the tow truck driver too who was supposed to charge me 4 dollars a mile outside of Staunton for the tow and legally we were supposed to follow him or go with, but Rick talked him out of both of those things.

That granite curb was the murderer of my tires :)

Then it was back to the restaurant to await Rick's cousin's phone call. I was so thankful and feeling like life was doable again in that moment. When I got back in the restaurant everyone clapped and cheered...kind of embarrassing but it felt good. So then the fun for me began. I rewarded myself with a nice filet mignon, it was sooooo good! Everyone had already ate, but Christian waited for me so I didn't have to eat alone. I'm telling you people, I am one lucky girl. I've got people looking out for me down here like you wouldn't believe and that was SO obvious last night. Makes me smile just typing that! I feel VERY blessed!

So I got my car back around 10:30 with two new tires, thankfully no more damage than that. Ellen and Rick drove me since they were on their way home. Poor Jason had a teary wife call him. I freaked him out :( I was crying so hard when he answered that he thought for sure I was in some major trouble. By the time I got the words out that I had popped two tires he was really relieved. He said "dear, I don't care, it's two tires". So thankful for that guy! I don't know why I always worry that he's going to be really mad in those moments, it's never the case.

Anyways, more pics from the rest of the night.

Left to right: Danny, Tara-in my class, Jennifer- in my class, Adrian- I think that's his name Jen's boyfriend, Stosh- in my class, Jo-anna, Erin- in my class, Margaret-in my class, Christian- who you should know by now is in my class, and Trevor

Nobody wanted me taking pictures because the flash was so bright (hence Christian's face in a lot of these pics). So these lovely ladies decided to give me the finger. I just had to post this pic. Kristee, on the left who is in my class, is a single mom of Victoria on the right. V's dad left when she was born because he couldn't handle that his daughter was born without hands and she also has a prosthetic foot. Nice eh? Ya not so much. Anyways, I wanted to post this to show you just how amazing V is. She is only 16 but she is so comfortable with who she his. She's always up for a challenge and doesn't let anything stop her. It's been so wonderful hearing her story and even listening to her mom talk about their life. This picture is just so them to me. V thought it was cool that she couldn't give the finger like the rest of them....great kid!

David- the other birthday boy.

This was a few minutes before Trevor went home. He was so drunk that he was needing to hang onto the table so he wouldn't fall. He was a bit mad at me here because I had just got done taking a video of him that he didn't want me to take :) Most left at this point but 6 of us stayed and went to the back where there was a band playing. You're still allowed to smoke in bars in VA so I'm feeling a little yucky today from that. The band was great....we danced some and then Erin and I drove back to Harrisonburg praying that we didn't pop the other two tires on the way back.

I think that was enough procrastinating....I need to get some work done!

Finally....

So I am now able to express my excitement about something that I knew in this picture from new year's eve but have had to keep quiet about all along (Jason didn't do so hot with that once he had a few too many drinks though)...

MANDI IS GOING TO BE LOOKING LIKE THIS AGAIN!!!!!!(sorry can't enlarge that pic any more because it gets too blurry)

That's right my good buddies are having another baby. She's currently 12.5 weeks, so that means she's due on September 2. That also means that I will be secretly praying that this baby comes a little bit early so that I can meet him or her before I go back to school :)

Can't wait to pig out with you all summer long buddy....that's the kind of supportive friend I am folks. Bring on the sympathy pounds!

CONGRATULATIONS FRIEND!

The ugly truth, unfortunately.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAuNL_ucx7M

***used this as a closing to my presentation on sexual assault....didn't realize how much I connected with it personally....

Week 6....

• aka sixth week in a row that I haven't seen my husband
• started my group for young gay men....think it got off to a good start, only time will tell... regardless I have made history at EMU people and the passion that is ever present within me (give a voice to the voiceless) is feeling fulfilled and excited about this new opportunity
• I'm having some people excitedly signing up for my adult children of alcoholics group
• went to see the play Vagina Monologues with some classmates/friends the other night... it is highly recommended....has a good balance of humor and social activism/woman's rights... best scene was when a woman was acting out different types of orgasms women can have... I have no idea how she kept a straight face to pull that one off....learned about women in DR Congo who are being severely victimized right now...had some good laughs and choked back some tears at times as well
• got to do my 60 minute presentation on sexual assault and I think it went pretty good, ther'es not really a light way to present that.....thanks to a close buddy for lots of help
• had a nice break from all the reading I've been needing to do, felt weird though
• CANADA GOT TWO GOLD MEDALS ON OUR TURF!!!!!
• ate at Taste of Thai, like Saigon Thai....but cheaper, more options, and way bigger portions
• read way too much on LGBTQ stuff, I'm getting ready to write a paper on why some people "come out" in their early adulthood and why some in their late....also involved in that will be what we as counselors needs to do to assist our clients, I'm learning loads of interesting goodies....think God's prepping me for some LGBTQ clients in the future? I sure hope so!!!
• have been freezing...no matter what I do I can't get warm...I'm diagnosing myself with hypothyroidism....now who's going to diagnose me with a factitious disorder :) Yutzky?..oh I've also been waking up tired...another symptom...ha ha ha
• am needing some Asian Garden goodness!!!!
• can't wait to see Troop, Jason, Kitty, Alpine, family, and friends soon.....2 more weeks!!!
• Trooper was being mouthy one day (barking and growling at Jason for no reason) and I was on the phone with him...so he put me on speaker phone and I said "Troo" in my slow, stern voice...that's what I call him when he's in trouble...guess what he did? Stopped and laid down....too cute! Someone's missing his Mama I think!