Best male singer, dead: Dean Martin

So I know I watched Return to Me for like the 17th time (and I'm trying not to exaggerate), but watching it with someone who has never watched it is like watching it for the first time (only I don't get quite as sad as the real first time). I knew Rachelle was going to like it when she said at the beginning, "Is there a lot of dancing in this movie, because that's going to make me sad." It meant we were on the same page...no one to dance with. That's okay, great movie, especially the dancing! (Or is what I feel the real McCoy?) But I decided, amidst the many peals of laughter, that basically I want to marry someone exactly like Bob Rueland (except perhaps a bit younger, because I'd like to get married soon).

Consider the following:
"You look tall." -Dan the Man, about Bob. Tall is always good.
"I'm going to build Sydney's new home, with or without the money." -showing he's hard working, dedicated, and cares about his wife
"I promise we'll take a trip to Italy." -his wife...I SO want to go to Italy
"I'll take a cup of coffee, no straw." -very funny, very, very funny (I'll stick with just one quote on that subject), and also nice to waitresses (you can tell a lot about a person by the way they treat those who serve them)
"I wasn't looking!" -not after women just for looks
"Come on, you can stand on my shoes." -likes to dance, and doesn't care if I don't know how to dance
"We were thinking of going to one of those water-theme parks for the weekend." -Okay, I know I said I was done with funny, but it deserved another mention. Also, doesn't buy in to all that ritzy life-style better-than-everyone-else crap (but remember, still wants to go to Italy)
"This one had your name all over it." thoughtful, observant, and spontaneous (see also, "I got you some hot chocolate. I thought you might be cold."
"I'll have that." any man that likes ravioli specials is good in my book
"I didn't know Bob bowled." "He doesn't." It's better if I can beat him at something
"I'm a dog person." enough said
Plus, to top it off, he put up with all the crazy Catholics in the movie. I'm sure I could come up with more, but I have to study for my test or something.

So, if you or someone you know fits the above criteria, just know that I'm looking. And if you haven't seen this movie, for the love, just see it. Now! And try to enjoy it a few dozen times until you start overanalyzing it like I do.

Cuddle, cuddle

I met the cutest boy yesterday. Don't get too excited; he's 3. His name is Frankie, and he has autism. Curly brown hair past his chin, big bright eyes, and clutching a pillow shaped like an eight, he had no qualms at meeting a stranger, and was surprisingly outgoing. Nonetheless, he freaked out when he walked into the interview room with 20 people watching. "People go away! People go away!" Big tears sprang to his eyes, which were now even wider than they were before. Mom pulled him up on her lap and sang the "Cuddle, cuddle" song, after which he was calm enough to say "Sit in purple chair" (I think all three year olds sound the same when they say "puh-puhl"). Then he turned to me and said "Hi, Lowa" so nonchalantly, and I wanted to scoop him up then and take him home. I think you have to have some knowledge of how difficult it is for kids with autism to respond in social interaction to get an idea of how remarkable the whole thing was. In the middle of the interview with his mom, Frankie was drawing on the dry erase board, getting rather close to the wall, and I said loudly, "Frankie." And he looked at me and moved his marker back to the board. "Thank you." When his mom said, "Frankie, time to leave" after an hour of her talking and him playing, he responded, "Two more minutes," mimicking her words from earlier when he was getting into the cupboards. He laughed and laughed, unusually pleased to be the center of attention. "Bye, Frankie" I said as I was leaving. "Bye, Frankie," he mimed back as kids with autism do. "That's not my name," I said with a smile. "Bye, Lowa" he smiled back, again a huge accomplishment. I just melted. I was on a cloud the rest of the day. I don't know if I'm being drawn to a specialty involving developmental disabilities, but I know I am grateful for my exposure to kids with autism over the past 7 months and am excited for any chance to meet more in my future clinical experiences. Our lectures this morning made it painfully aware how big of a problem autism spectrum disorders still are, and I'm glad for my exposure thus far and whatever gains I can make because of it. If you ever get a chance to work with kids on the spectrum, do it. They're incredible, and they never stop surprising you.

You're supposed to be the leading lady in your own life

I feel like I was this summer. It was perfect, for all practical purposes. I had tons of fun, did all the things I always feel like I should do but never make a priority, saw lots of friends, etc, etc. And although I suppose I like school, I rather regret the way it makes me feel, all apathetic and despairing that I'll ever learn it all, so why even try to do anything but cram because it's worked in the past. And then I get mad at myself for giving in, and it's just downhill from there. I guess I feel a little less in control when I'm in school. Not in a good "God is in control" way, but in a way that makes me wonder every day if this is really what I'm supposed to be doing, because who in their right mind becomes a doctor, and who am I to think that I'll ever be good enough to do it? Except it's what my heart yearns for, and I just have to trust that if it is right, I'll be able to do it. Course I also can't just wait for them to figure out learning by osmosis, so I suppose I should get back to the books, or the websites, or whatever learning methods the higher-ups have decided to shoulder us with.

Also, The Holiday was highly enjoyable the second time around.

Also, happy Feast of the Assumption (tomorrow)

Summer Highlights

Well, summer is winding down, and since this is my last summer, I know I’ll be looking back on it fondly and longingly. Thought it might be nice to have a written record to help my memory.

Top Ten Summer 2007 Highlights, in no particular order

10. The top of the world…I’ve always lamented that I never took advantage of the mountains growing up, a mistake I more than made up for this summer. I knocked 4 more 14ers off the list (Grays, Torreys, Quandary, and Sherman), bringing my grand total to 7 so far. There’s still nothing like the summit, and the hikes up aren’t too shabby either. We even saw several mountain goats on our way up Quandary. And we were joined on two occasions by family from Indiana, which made the hike all the more special.

9. Going to the chapel…by the end of this week, I will have attended 4 weddings this summer (and had another invite that I was out of town for). The first one had me standing up as Maid of Honor for a good high school friend, which was an incredible experience—fun, moving, stressful, fulfilling, etc. My cousin, former roommate, and two good friends also tied the knot. Marriage is an amazing gift and to see two people embark on such a journey is inspiring. Plus, I’m always up for good food and good dancing. Still having trouble meeting all those single guys for which weddings are so famous.
   

8. Back to the lab…One of my jobs this summer had me back to the anatomy lab to serve as a TA for the physical therapy and PA students. It wasn’t as hard as I thought to return to cadavers, although I had forgotten far more than I’d hoped from when I did anatomy. The students were awesome and grateful for any help we offered, and it gave me a great chance to brush up on all those nerves, etc. Of course, coming in to set up for exams at 6 am was a little challenging, but at least our instructor provided the bagels. It proved to be a great way to spend my time away from classes.

7. Indiana, my Indiana…the annual trip back to Indy was exactly what I needed this summer. After hitting up my cousin’s wedding, we had 2 days out on the lake, boating, tubing, swimming, jet-skiing, and lounging. And of course plenty of family time, a game of Euchre (not the first time I’ve lost 10-0), lots of reading, and lunches out. We also had an afternoon of nostalgia going through boxes and boxes of pictures and memorabilia of my grandparents and my mom’s whole family growing up. My mom dubbed herself “valedictorian dorkhead” looking at the pictures of her 8th grade graduation, so you can see where I get it from.

6. Harry Potter…well, you knew it had to come up sooner or later. With the 5^th movie and the 7^th and final book coming out this summer, I had plenty to look forward to from the wizarding world. Neither disappointed. Kelly, Dad, and I hit up the midnight showing at the IMAX in 3-D. We got there 4 hours early and marveled at all the costumes and hype. Dad and Kelly were even interviewed for the news. I smiled through the whole movie, which seemed way too short. Come July 21^st, Kelly and I were busting at the seams for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. We sat up in the living room until 1:30 in the morning, each with our own copy, devouring the hundreds of pages. I won’t spoil anything (but seriously, what are you waiting for?), but I will say that I loved every page, and am halfway through reading it again (I’d finish if Dad would give me the book back). It was awesome!

5. In addition to the hiking mentioned earlier, I got to spend 3 weekends enjoying the mountains on trips to Vail, Estes Park, and camping. I was joined on my first 2-night campout by three friends and we had a blast. The weekend was made complete by 4 s’mores, 2 deer sightings, and some mad lumberjacking action to get firewood. In Estes Park, we stopped by Laura’s Homemade Ice Cream and Candies to get dessert, which capped off a weekend full of awesome food and family time as we celebrated mom and dad’s 30^th anniversary. And my trip to Vail showed me the charm of mountain towns as I ate at the Route 6 Café, hit up the farmer’s market, and shopped in a consignment shop called Holy Toledo.

4. Riding…and riding…and riding…Dad and I trained for several weeks before embarking on the MS150, a 2-day, 158-mile bike tour in Colorado to raise money for the National MS Society. We were riding in support of some very good friends with MS, and were supported by so many wonderful people, both financially and with prayers. I won’t pretend it wasn’t exhausting and challenging and that I wished for the finish line many times, but I’m so glad I did it for many reasons—the time spent with my dad, the physical challenge and being able to say I completed it, and knowing that we were riding for a great cause. Thanks to everyone who supported us!

3. Definitely not Rain Man…I’ve continued my autism research this summer, running two of our therapy groups to treat anxiety in kids with autism. It’s been a joy and a challenge again to work with them, as they are creative, funny, smart, and off-the-wall behaviorally. I’ve also gotten to participate in some autism training regarding diagnosis and intervention in kids with autism, which was very helpful and interesting from a clinical standpoint. And yes, we did get to watch a clip of Rain Man. Having worked with kids with autism for several months now, I have a huge appreciation for how brilliant Dustin Hoffman was. Definitely…definitely deserved the Oscar.

2. Ole, ole, ole, ole…Professional soccer hit the limelight in Colorado this year as the Rapids moved to a brand new state-of-the-art stadium, donned new uniforms, and hosted the All-Star game. I’ve been fortunate enough to hit up two games so far, with another planned next week. There are no words to express how much I love watching good soccer (and this soccer has been good!) and how focused I get during the games. I went to one game with a friend of mine who had our whole sideline chanting “Ugo!” everytime defender Ugo Ihemelu touched the ball. It was a blast!

1. Touchdown!...I have to throw in flag football as my final highlight. Last spring I joined a co-ed team in Denver that I heard about from a friend of mine, and we have continued playing in the summer league. First of all, the team is mostly Notre Dame grads, so they’re super nice people. And secondly, I live for flag football; even a broken toe didn’t sideline me. It’s actually a fairly competitive league, and our team is pretty good, so I love it. Of course it always adds to the enjoyment that I’m the go-to girl and get to score one or two touchdowns a game, but whatever.

So that’s it guys, my summer in a nutshell. I’ve also moved to a new apartment, which I really like, although I haven’t seen my roommate much since we’ve been trading vacation time. I’m nervous about school starting, since I know it will once again swallow up all my free time. Your prayers are always appreciated, especially this semester for discipline and perseverance in my studies. Don’t know when the next update will be, so until then….Adios!

Father, may they be one just as We are one

On Friday, I attended the most beautiful wedding. I can't say specifically what touched me so deeply, besides that it was everything the Sacrament of Marriage should be. Being there, I truly felt God's presence. Jamila was just radiant, the perfect bride, and how cute was it that Josh was the one wiping his tears away after her vows. Psalm 23 was sung beautifully and hauntingly in Arabic, which made me wish I was Arabic, just so I could do that at my wedding. I didn't realize how perfectly the readings fit the sacrament until Fr. Michael's homily, but they were just that...perfect. All of this isn't even counting the crazy fun of the reception where the dancing began even before dinner. The whole thing made me so happy for Jamila and Josh, excited for my friends who are married or who are getting married, and also made me impatient for my own wedding, whenever that blessed day might finally arrive. I tell myself that I'm content, and I truly am being more patient with God's timing than I thought I would be able to, but if I met someone tomorrow, it sure wouldn't be too soon. I guess ultimately it comes down to the fact that marriage is a foretaste of heaven, the closest we get here on earth to the great wedding feast, and I just get so excited about that, whether it's me or someone else.

On a side note (seems I can't write an entry without a side note), I just finished a book called Dear and Glorious Physician, about the tumultuous life of St. Luke before he wrote his gospel. Not only was the medical part of it well-researched and fascinating, the personal relationships touching, but the desperate search for God reminded me how much God desires each of us and showers us with gifts beyond our recognition. If you get a chance to read it, do. It's worth it.