Christmas 2008

She drew a picture of Betty Boop for me!





posing for a pic for Jina


Chris, trying to play the girls' WiiFit

Christmas with Chris's Fam

new bed and new bone
(it almost made up for the mean Christmas pictures, shown below)

Old Man Sweater

Rock Star Tee

Vernell & Me

out of Christmas cheer

make it stop!

and some Nashville pics from the weekend

life is like paella....

Chris and I made paella Tuesday night, for the first time ever. It is one of our favorite dishes. It was difficult. There is no way I could have made it by myself. We didn't follow the recipe exactly. We used what they had at the grocery store. Publix was out of mussels and clams, so we used extra shrimp and scallops. And I didn't cook an entire chicken, I just roasted some tenderloins in the oven. We cut the recipe in half, but we still could have fed about eight people. The hard work was worth it. It was DELICIOUS! Chris said that paella is like life, you just gotta use whatever ya got.

graduation pics, finally

Here is a link to some graduation pics, I think. I still don't really like Picasa.

I'm noticing a pattern...It always takes me way too long to post pics. I will work on that.

What if I want to play Scrabble?

Chris has been coaching me about my "career development." I wasn't planning on having a career (I don't plan, remember?) but apparently I was supposed to do that sometime in the last four and a half years. Hmm. Anyway, Husband Chris Shubert* said that I SHOULD NOT apply to jobs in the classified ads. What??? He said to apply where I want to work. I guess that does make sense. He also said that I need to take a few weeks and write a personal statement to find out what I want to do, and that will help me decide about graduate school and what I want to do. Oh, okay. I wanted to get a part-time job and study for the GRE, but Husband Chris Shubert said that is a bad idea. He doesn't think I should make a move that isn't going to further improve my career.

So now that you know what Chris thinks, I will tell you what I think. I don't think I will look back on my life when I am eighty and think, "Wow, I sure am glad that I went to grad school so I could make $30,000 more a year," or "I had a great career!" My life goals are not at all centered around a career. I want a JOB, not a CAREER. For now, anyway. I want to work so we can do fun things, like travel and buy shoes. I don't know what I want to do for the rest of my life! How can a twenty-three year old decide what to do FOREVER? Nah, that is not my style. Right now my approach for developing my career is trial-and-error. I don't know what I want to do, so I am going to try some things before I make a commitment. Chris said that approach is much like my approach at checkers. I stink at checkers because I don't evaluate all possible moves. I told him that I like playing checkers, but one day I might change my mind and want to play Scrabble. (I rock at Scrabble.) He didn't care much for my response to his checkers analogy.

Chris and I have different perspectives (ya think?). It must be hard for him, because he has been called into a field that requires much planning and commitment (fourteen years of school). I know he just wants me to be happy and reach my full potential. And he worries about what I would do if something happens to him. I reassured him that I am going to grad school, and reminded him that there aren't any babies in our plans for at least five years. I think this comforted him somewhat, but I know it still drives him crazy that I don't have a plan. And I know this post will grind his nerves. At least he will have clean socks until I make a decision.

*Husband Chris Shubert is the way Chris is listed in my crackberry. I entered his name, and under title I entered "husband" so the crackberry dubbed him Husband Chris Shubert. So that is what I usually call him. Because it sounds so official.

to-do lists are a waste of potential time

Here is my to-do list today:

Laundry (Chris didn't have any of the socks he likes to wear, or any white undershirts.)

Put away clothes (There is a clothes basket that has been in the bedroom for three weeks now.)

Dishes (Dishwasher hasn't been unloaded in five days or so.)

Vacuum

Swiffer

Clean out garage-take stuff to consignment and Goodwill

Change sheets

Upload graduation pics to Picasa so my fan club can admire my greatness (pics are on facebook and myspace)

Wrap some presents

Pick up the various mail/paper clutter scattered around the house

Here is my to-do list that I can actually do:

I updated my facebook and myspace profile (Priorities!)

I ordered some Christmas presents on the internet this morning (around 1am, that still counts, doesn't it?)

Toasted a bagel and fixed a to-go cup of coffee for husband

Drank some coffee

Had an IM conversation with Megan

Gathered clothes hangers

Eat

Play with the dog

Wash some clothes

Cook dinner

Put off my real to-do list to watch What Not To Wear

Put away/wrap some of my weekend purchases

Fold towels

Clorox counter tops

Clean bathrooms

Forget to floss

Skip working out

Read for fun

it's a deal, my dearest friend

My dear friend Megan ask me to make a deal with her. To find out what it is, click here and read.

Last night, Chris and I were laying on the couch together for the first time in months (maybe even since last Christmas break, no kidding). I asked him if he thought of me as a grown-up since I am finished with school for a while (and officially a housewife for a while) and he said not really. I guess in our minds we are just two goofy teenagers that fell in love. (Is that too corny to say out loud? Nah.) Anyway, I told Chris that we can attain many degrees, have a lot of kids, and maybe even grandkids, and still probably won't feel like grown-ups. I mean, there are things that we deal with that are different than they used to be, like my mom having cancer, we have a mortgage, fewer (but better quality) friends, and of course we're married. But tell me, when do you become a grown-up? Beaner (from the Beaner and Ken radio show a long time ago) said , "You know your an adult when you have to clean the gunk of of the kitchen sink drain." I guess that does add a few years to one's maturity level, but I still don't know if that makes someone a "responsible adult." I was talking to my friend Beth earlier this week, and we had a conversation about how it seems like we should still be in 7th grade...

Maybe becoming a grown-up means that you realize how fast life occurs, but you still hold on to that child-like perspective. So yes, dear Megan, I accept your deal, let's never completely grow up, and remember to pause every now and then to enjoy the journey. We both are beginning to experience how fast life really happens.

I did it!

I took my last undergraduate final today...Wow. I don't think reality has hit me yet. I guess it will next week when I don't know what to do without papers to write or articles to read.

You can come see me in my gumby-green cap and gown...

The graduation ceremony will take place Saturday, December 13th at 2pm at Bartow Arena.

We are going to eat at The Cheesecake Factory after to celebrate. You all are invited.

sugar & spice makes everything nice

Here is the link to the cake I made for our Sunday School Party...Yum!

happy (almost) birthday to me!

birthday sushidave as a walrus

Keetons&Shuberts

self-timer being used
cake

*the lighting in these pics are really weird and the green blog background doesn't help but I'm tired of messing with it. Oh well.

let's talk numbers-a look at my week so far

0-number of Christmas gifts I have purchased

1-number of finals I have left

2-number of toilets I've cleaned

3-number of bowls of ice cream I've eaten (what can I say, I've turned into a stress-eater)

4-number of stamps I've used. Also the number of graded papers I received Tuesday-all As.

5-number of papers I have completed

6-number of meals I cooked

7-number of days that Brooks has been hilarious. He has been funnier than usual because Chris and I have been home all week.

8-number of Rob&Big episodes watched (I am the biggest procrastinator ever)

9-number of cups of coffee (I don't know if that one is exactly true, but I needed a number 9, and I have drank a lot of coffee)

10-number of pages of my Partlow paper. My journal was around 23 pages...

sick at my stomach

When Chris and I got home this afternoon, there was this girl in our neighbor Josh's driveway. We had never seen her before. We had an entire conversation about how that was not his girlfriend. We asked her about Josh, and she said he was fine. (Actually, she revealed a detail that suggests that she knew Josh better than we did.) I let Brooks out of the garage and she jumped in her car, afraid of him. We assured her that he wouldn't bite, and she got back out of the car. It was weird, but we went in the house and didn't think anything of it. I assumed it was someone cleaning his house because she was carrying a Rubbermaid tote to the door.....I should have asked more questions.....

A few minutes ago, Josh rang our doorbell. He asked if we saw anyone at his house today. I knew instantly that something was wrong...We told him we saw a lady and described her car and her appearance. He said that someone had broken into his house and taken his stuff, even his clothes!!! I cannot believe that we talked to that lady WHILE SHE WAS ROBBING HIS HOUSE! It was 2:30 in the afternoon for goodness sake! She was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, and her car wasn't old or anything. She didn't panic when we drove up. She acted really cool. She did not seem that out of place by her appearance, I just didn't know who she was.
***
The Brookwood police came by and we gave a statement. We told the officer that we could identify her if they caught her. We went over to Josh's after that to see if we could get him some dinner or if Chris needed to go to the mall to buy him some clothes. The police officer said that she was careful not to leave fingerprints, but she was not wearing gloves when I saw her. They didn't take his flat screen, but she tried to move it. It scratched his floor. They also didn't take his guns. I feel terrible that I didn't ask the lady more questions. I am at home every day, so I know who is out of place in the neighborhood. The police officer told us we should get an alarm system. He also said that I should take pictures of people, or tag numbers that seem out of place (as long as I am in my yard when I make the pictures). I never thought about that. I hope that they catch the lady that did it...I told Josh from now on I am going to make a picture of every person that is in his driveway and call him...I still can't believe that happened in our neighborhood...

anomie

My anomie is coming from a lack of direction. I am starting to stress about finishing the semester, finding a job that pays well, establishing a career, and grad school. Oh, I am also stressing about other everyday things, too. I don't really have anything else to say. I am just so overwhelmed.

thanksgiving review

TheShubertFam is home and unpacked. Whew. Brooks is snoozing on the couch. He has had an especially busy week.

Wednesday we got up, and Brooks and I drove Chris to UAB to take a mid-term. I packed the car the night before. Brooks and I sat in the car and read while Chris took his test. He made an A. Of course. After that we were on our way to Curry. Chris, Mom, and I met Margie, Courtney, and Mason at Cujo's for lunch. We met up with my dad and Brooks. We rode to Burton Bend (Chris's river property) because my mom wanted to see the ducks. We probably saw around a thousand ducks. Incredible. After that, it was back to my parents' to work on Thanksgiving prep. I worked so hard to get everything ready. You know all those cookies I made? It took FOREVER!!! I got in bed around 11:30. But the cookies were delicious.

Thursday we got up and finished preparing everything. Chris and Dave fried two turkeys, successfully. Family started arriving around 11:30. Glenda, Richard, Richie, Vernell, Don, Bryan, Lori, Anna, and Abby. Chris was not finished carving the turkey, so we went in the yard and made some pics.

After we ate, we cleaned the kitchen. Chris loaded up all of our stuff so we could make our way to Sipsey. Brad came by to visit, but we only got to see him a few minutes before we had to leave. Paul was at Chris's mom's hunting. He ate with us at Mawmaw's house. My desserts were a hit, of course.

Yesterday, Chris, Paul, and Patrick got up early to go duck hunting. Brooks and I were tired, so we skipped out. I got up a little later and got ready and went to my parents to visit for a while. My head was hurting so I took some Tylenol and laid down on the couch. I woke up two hours later. Oh well. I stayed a little longer and then went back to Sipsey to get Chris and Brooks. Chris informed me that Brooks treed a squirrel, Chris shot it, and they cooked it on the grill. Chris and Brooks proceeded to eat the grilled squirrel. I am not even a little bit sad that I missed this. Brooks was super-tired when I arrived at Connie's house. Chris loaded the car and we were on our way. I unpacked EVERYTHING when we got home. I even did a few loads of laundry. Now I am going to start on some work so I can finish my last week of undergrad!

the shakers

I forgot to check the mail yesterday, so when I got home from church I went to the mailbox. It was just junk, but I actually glanced at the one of the envelopes, and it was addressed to "Christopher Shaker." For some reason, we thought that was really funny and we decided if we ever have to change our name (you know, for the witness protection program or something) then we will be The Shakers. Chris, Amanda, and Brooks Shaker. Nice, huh? We are so silly. This is what too much school does to people. Oh well.

After church we went to O'Charley's. Chris hates chain restaurants. My throat is getting sore (the sinus drainage is also messing with my vertigo a little, yuck), and I wanted some potato soup. It was good. Next we went to the dreaded Walmart. I am in charge of desserts for Thanksgiving. For my family, I am making pumpkin cheesecake cupcakes, chocolate peanut butter fudge, chocolate chip cookies, and maybe chocolate pizza. Mom wanted finger-food desserts because most of the time people are too full for several slices of pie/cake/cookies. Bite-size is good if you want to try one of everything. We are eating lunch with my family. Thanksgiving afternoon we will head to Sipsey-ville for dinner. The leftover desserts will likely come with us. I am making a buttercream spice cake to take to Mawmaw's house. I will post a picture later because it is going to be beautiful!!!

Some prayer requests:

Chris's mom is having surgery tomorrow in Jasper.

My Nana is having lung surgery Tuesday in Jacksonville, Florida.

My Pawpaw (dad's dad) is having surgery Wednesday.

Wednesday Chris has a test.

A closing thought:

What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving? ~Erma Bombeck, "No One Diets on Thanksgiving," 26 November 1981

And confidential to my good friend pregomego: I hope that you can enjoy Thanksgiving without getting sick just thinking about it.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

My Demdaco Nativity-This is what Christmas is about

Do you like the red hi-lites Morgan put in my hair? Also, look at the Candy Cane quilt behind me.

Dining Room-Cranberry wreath, ornament centerpiece, and tulle table bow.

Tree so far...We need more ornaments because we got a bigger tree this year...

Oh, and Brooks says he's taking applications for new owners.

In case you didn't know...

God still answers prayers! Even the tiny little seemingly unimportant issues are addressed. As everyone knows, my parents were going to miss my graduation due to my mom's second stem cell transplant. I was not even sure if I wanted to walk in the ceremony, because my parents paid my tuition and they are the reason I had an opportunity to receive an education. I really wanted them to be there for my graduation, but even more I wanted my mom to get better. I think we were all sort of okay with my parents not being there, but not really. Anyway, my mom talked to her doctor today and her doctor decided that she and my dad can wait until December 14th (the day after graduation) to go back to Little Rock. YAY! She called me tonight while we were eating dinner. I cannot even explain how excited I am! I knew it would be fine if my parents weren't there, because the most important thing is my mom's health. I still wanted them to be there, though. I knew it would work out somehow. Once again God provided not only my needs but also my wants. After the ceremony we are going out to eat to celebrate my graduation and my birthday...WOW! Could it have worked out any better? I always seem to worry about things that seem like such a big deal, but retrospectively, those big deals really aren't anything at all...

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

37 paper towels

For my research methods class, I had to record everything we threw away in our household for four consecutive days.I chose to observe our kitchen trash can, because of the central location and the frequency of use. This project confirmed my suspicions, that we are wasteful Americans. I am (supposed to be) working on forming a four page paper from the data I collected, and arranging the data into categories. It would probably be helpful for me to attempt to explain some of the things in the trash, but it will be fun to let you make your own observations about theshubertfam...

RAW DATA
Straw-3
Plastic food label-1
Diet Coke Box-12 pack-1
Gala apple sticker-1
Paper towels-37
Paper-1
Ramen wrapper and seasoning-1
Half a bowl uneaten Ramen noodles
Candle-2
Walmart plastic bag-1
Publix plastic bag-1
Green top from leek-1
Twist tie-1
Butter wrapper-Land O Lakes-1
Butternut squash pulp/shell-2
Zip-top from carrot bag-1
Plastic produce bag-1
Dryer sheets-5
Dryer lint-5
Diet Coke can-4
Old tortilla shells-4
Chocolate chip bag-2 (1 Hershey brand, 1 Ghiradelli brand)
Coffee filter/grounds-5
Clorox wipes-7
Oatmeal packet-Publix brand-1
Napkin-4
Ziploc freezer bag-1
Shrimp shells-20
Wilted lettuce-1 head
Wilted cilantro-2 bunches
Wilted celery-1 bunch
Plastic container of ginger-1
Styrofoam mushroom container-1
Box of Swanson chicken broth-1
Empty minute-rice plastic bag-1
Can of coconut milk-1
Tea bags-4
Light bulb-1
Sunflower seed hulls-1 cup
Lime rinds-2
Dog hair/dust-2 vacuum containers
Swiffer pad-1
Half and half container-1
Sandwich bag-store brand-2
Beer bottle-16
Cardboard beer case-six pack-3
Pizza box-2
Parchment paper-2
Note -1
Jif peanut butter jar-1
Empty bottle of vegetable oil-1
Paper towel tube-1
Plastic paper towel cover-1
Eggshell-1
Paper plate-1
Uneaten fried pickles-2
Kleenex-1

twenty six days

Upcoming Events

Thursday-Trash paper due (I will post a list later. It is fascinating.)

Friday-Final Research Paper Due! AHHH! I also want to turn in a paper for another class...And my Nana is having lung surgery in Jacksonville, Florida. Chris and I will attempt to decorate our home for Christmas.

Saturday-Jess and I have a date with vampires.

Monday-Doctor appointment. Big fun. I am also going to spend the day with my mom, and that will be fun :)

Tuesday-I would like to be finished with my Partlow paper.

Wednesday-No class, so Chris, Brooks and I are headed to Walker County. My grandfather is having surgery.

Thursday-Thanksgiving. Chris is frying turkeys. Lunch with my fam and dinner with Chris's fam. (Last year, Chris burnt the turkey at his family's Christmas dinner. It was black and crunchy. So Chris has somewhat of a reputation with frying turkeys. He has fried turkeys before and it has turned out well.)

Friday-Chris, Brooks and myself are going duck hunting in Burton Bend.

Saturday-Who knows?

Sunday-My parents are heading back to Little Rock.

The following week is my last week of class of my undergraduate career!!! Tear. Not really. Our Sunday school Christmas party is December 7th. Graduation is December 13th (how many times have I said that?) December 14th is my brother' birthday. He will be THIRTY!!! December 15th is my birthday. I will be twenty-three. We will most likely be in Little Rock during this week. We will come home around Christmas.

Holidays are cRAzY for us. It will be especially different this year. Oh, and this year for Christmas, Chris and I are doing something different for gift-giving. The rule is the gift cannot be new. It can be bought from a yard sale or eBay, or it can be made (although technically then the gift would be new). Anyway, we wanted to do something different this year, for Chris&Amanda's eighth Christmas together.

would you rather be.....

a robot?

a vampire?

a ninja?

a pirate?

& state your reason.

For me, it was tough to decide between vampire and pirate. Vampires can run fast, and they are immortal. But I chose pirate, because I love the ocean. And because they get to steal people's stuff.

This is just a preview of some the conversations that occur at theshuberthome. Ask Keith & Erin.

quit being a moron

Today I was walking Chris to class, and it was raining. I can't remember our exact conversation, but he said something inappropriate and I told him to quit being so moronic. He said that he couldn't. And then I tripped on the sidewalk. Oh, the irony.

she can roll with the punches, as long as she feels like she's in control

Where to start? Well, four weeks (actually three and a half) of school. Wow. Chris and I saw a commercial last week that said, "Are you graduating in May? Do you have a plan?" I looked at Chris and said, "I'm graduating in DECEMBER and I don't have a plan!?!" He just shook his head and smiled, because he knows that I am not a planner. He said that if I want to stay at home, then I have a plan because then I just need to keep doing what I am doing now. So, the plan for now is that there is no plan. Actually, I will be going with my mom to Little Rock at the end of January so there is no need for me to find a job because I will be gone for several weeks.

Things to look forward to:

-Thanksgiving
-Graduation
-Date night with Jessica (We are going to see Twilight because we love our vampires!)
-Finishing all these papers!

Saturday we watched the Bama/LSU game at my parents'. It was exciting. Mom, Dad, Brad, Chris, Paul, Connie, Patrick, Don and Wanda, and myself were there. Oh, and Brooks. Sunday Lori, Mom and I went to Christmas Village. That's right, we skipped church to go shopping. We always go on Sunday because it's the least crowded. My mom got me two cute dresses for my birthday and I got BabyAid-n a onesie, similar to the one I got for QD two years ago...has it really been two years, Megan?

I am STILL working on my Partlow paper. I have a reading review and two research papers for my sex class. (Did I fail to mention I am taking a sex and society class?) Next week I have a paper due for my research class. I am excited about that one. We have to write down everything we throw away for four days and categorize the data we collect then write a paper. I am not sure why this excites me, but it does.

Today is Chris's final H&P! We practiced last night. He is still nagging at me to go to the eye doctor because my right eye doesn't converge, even though I see perfectly. Whatever. He looked at my nose with that light-thingy and said, "You're a little stopped up in your right nostril." And I was like, "How did you know that???" He sounded like a real doctor. It is still surreal to me...Last week he was on fall break. We spent Thursday and Friday together. It was nice. That was pretty much his last break ever...sadness. He will be working at the hospital during Christmas break. He takes his first board in May (which is a bigger deal than the MCAT because this will determine where he goes for residency), he has two weeks off, then starts right back for clinicals. It is going by so fast...

Brooks has decided that the guest bed is a good place for him to sleep. We keep saying that we are going to make him stop, but I guess it's harmless. Unless you want to stay the night at our house, then you might have to fight the dog for a place to sleep.

I wish...

that someone would make ME cookies while I study...

and that someone could wash and iron MY clothes while I study...

and I wish I wasn't the only person in the house capable of using the dishwasher...even when I'm not studying.

that the same someone I'm talking about wouldn't try to change my study habits when I have exactly four weeks of an undergraduate career left...

that I didn't have to study and that classes were already over! (Well, at least one wish will come true in a few weeks.)

silly brooks

wearining Dad's hunting hat, while hunting someone to give him attention

being silly in the kitchen

in your face

I added some pics to previous posts from October, so check it out!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Monday, October 27, 2008 we celebrated my mom's 49th birthday! Bryan, Lori, Anna, Abby, Glenda, Richard, Dad, and I sang happy birthday and we ate strawberry cake. Yum!

Next year for number 50, we are going to have a big celebration :)

politically correct-y'all aren't going to like this

I do not consider myself to be a political person. I am not a Democrat or a Republican. I have been to both candidates' websites to form my own opinion, rather than listening to news or radio. I encourage you to do the same, if you haven't already. It is important to know the values, beliefs, and policies of the person you vote for. I am so annoyed with both presidential nominees that I have decided to cast a None of the Above vote. I am doing that because I refuse to vote for the lesser evil. A lot of people believe that "change" will be great, and maybe it will. I am not so convinced. I believe that we live in The United States of America, and if a person wants something, then that person should work hard. It seems that my generation is in favor of handouts. I feel much older than my age. I have a husband, own a home, and purchase my own health insurance. I do not want the government to take away the money that Chris and I earn. We are going into debt and bustin' our tails in school so we can have something to show for it one day. And about government health care-If you think the government is doing such a great job with other programs like education and social security, then go ahead and support it. One of the first things that will be cut is funding for research. Next will be health care workers' salaries, then whatever is left will go to patients. Reassuring, huh? Anyway, this is just a rant of my opinions. I guess I am more Republican than Democrat in my beliefs, but not for this election. Whether or not you agree or disagree, just make an educated decision.

JohnMcCain.com

BarackObama.com

“A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have.” Gerald Ford

Chris & Amanda's Jar of Fun

In church Sunday, Buddy challenged spouses to write down what they think their partner's five most important needs and talk about it. Chris and I did that. It was pretty neat. We decided that we don't spend enough time together, so we made a Jar of Fun. We each got to write ten things (actually I think Chris snuck a few more than that) that we would like to do and put them in a jar. Some of the things that we came up with: Try a new restaurant, go to an art show, take the dog to the park, a weekend in the mountains, go to a flea market. There are more, that's just the things I can think of right now. We decided that we have to randomly draw at least one activity per week, more if we have time. I think it will be fun. I will let you know how it turns out.....

the waking up is the hardest part

I spilled coffee on my shirt on the way to school. Boo. Luckily, I am wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants so I guess I wasn't too presentable to start with. I tried to get some of it out with a wet paper towel, but it made the stain bigger and more noticeable. My tide-to-go pen is in my purse at home. I hope I didn't just set the tone for my day (or week).

I have three papers that I am trying to complete. I also have to correct my research proposal because the second part was jacked up pretty badly. Fun stuff. I am starting to really get sick of school. A few more weeks...

I have several social obligations coming up...Family group Sunday after church, Sunday school dinner Friday night, celebrating my mom's birthday Saturday (it's really the 27th), theyfloydfam is coming to see theshubertfam in a few weekends, I'm sure there will be a Halloween party or two, and there are more things but my brain isn't working right now.

Friday night I had dinner with Beth and Olivia. It was fun! Brooks stayed in Beth's garage while we went. He was such a spaz-0. I have pictures that I will post later this week. Olivia is getting so big! She has changed since the last time I saw her. She slept the entire time. She is such a good baby. It's because Beth has set high standards for her ;-)

I stayed the night at my parents' Friday night and spent the day with them Saturday. Mom is tired and still not feeling that great. The hospital (in Arkansas) called last night and said that she has a virus, so she is having some blood work done today.

Sadly, there are no Brooks stories to tell. He has been sleeping for a few days. He is still tired from our weekend trip, and he had a bath. He probably won't be fully recovered until the weekend, and then we are going back to Jasper. He has such a tough job. Okay, enough procrastinating for the morning. I still have a few minutes to work on papers before class...

festivities of festivals

Random Fact of the Day:

There is an ant in Brazil that has a gland which causes the ant to explode like a bomb, spraying a sticky toxic goo on everybody nearby. Now that's some hard core biology!

What??? I am glad we didn't encounter any of these ants in Brazil...


I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to go to The Seafood Festival in Apalachicola. I am trying to coerce Chris into taking me. (I am not sure if I can give a bigger hint.) It will be so much fun. Today I stayed at home for the first time in months. I got caught up on some homework and housework. Brooks was super-glad to be back to our old routine. I have been thinking about getting a part-time retail job to alleviate some of my boredom. I have about six weeks of class left. My parents may get to come home this weekend. It will be very unlikely that they will get to come to my graduation, but that's okay. My Nana had a biopsy on a lung tumor today. She will get the results next week. I get the grade for the second part of my research proposal tomorrow. I don't have a great feeling about it, but oh well. This weekend The Kentuck Festival is going on in Northport. I want to go. Chris is going hunting. All of my friends have kids or are in graduate school, so I may be going by myself. If my parents are home, then I will be in Jasper.

the silliest smart person ever-or is he the smartest silly person???

Chris presented his research poster on Tuesday. It was judged in a contest. If he wins, we get to go Texas on a trip so he can present it again. In his research this summer, he and a physician and a PhD were trying to find a way to detect pancreatic cancer in early stages. I think it was successful. Chris will get two publications from the research, which is kind of a big deal. (I am sure Chris will leave a comment correcting my explanation of the purpose of the research, but I think I posted a good abstract of it. )

sushi night

In this picture: Me & my big booty, Husband Chris Shubert, Margie-my second mother, Mason&Courtney, and Jason

choosy moms chose jif

to do list

1. become more involved in church
2. graduate
3. get a job
4. get in shape
5. take the GRE and think about grad school
6. teach Brooks to quit jumping up on people
7. surgery
8. take some photography classes
9. take a cake decorating class, although I don't think my cake skills have too much room for improvement :P
10. enroll in a dance class
11. enroll in grad school and see what happens
12. become an advocate for mental health
13. take a few cool trips (European tour, Hawaii, South American conquest are a few possibilities) and go on some more mission trips
14. (attempt to) pay back my parents for college
15. buy a range rover (okay, this is really unimportant, but it is a goal of mine...)
16. convince Dr. Shubert to stay at UAB for residency. and fellowship. and forever. if this doesn't work-see number seventeen.
17. convince Dr. Shubert that I DO NOT want to move to Minnesota, or Texas, or Mississippi. Nashville, okay. Baltimore, maybe. NOT MINNESOTA!
18. sell our house and buy a different one
19. get my pilot's license. because you never know when you're gonna need to operate aircraft. and also because we are going to buy Dave a plane.
20. have a kid, or two or three
21. be a stay-at-home mom, until the kids start school

You may laugh at some of the things on my list, but this is my list on my blog. Chris (and my parents) may not be so happy that kids are so far down the list, but at least it made it on the list. And things change. I am giving myself eight years to complete this list. Some people may view this list as my long-term goals, and I guess maybe some of them seem far away, but everything is going by so fast. I makes lists all of the time. I am one of the most unorganized people on the planet, and I am also pretty good at procrastinating. Lists help me see what is most important. Sometimes things don't get done, and that's okay. Sometimes things happen out of order, and that's okay, too. And sometimes several things on the list happen at one time. It can be a little chaotic, but everything turns okay.

Good Grief!

When something is broken, I want to fix it. Some things can't be fixed. So what to do with something broken? Mostly I deal with broken things by grieving. Grief is a God-given emotion (in my opinion anyway). Romans 8:17-18 states "Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, if indeed we share His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." There are things that are out of my control. I don't think the only time humans grieve is over death. Grieving can be over a change in situation, longing for the way things used to be. It seems like a lot of things have been piled on my plate in the last six months. For a while I struggled with how to deal. Then I asked God to make my plate bigger, instead of taking things off my plate. (Does this make any sense at all? I heard the analogy one time on a Blackaby video.) Grief can overwhelm and consume, to a point where it is the main focus. I don't think that is how grief should be. Chris is very structured with EVERYTHING. If you have been around theshubertfam for longer than two minutes, you know that Chris has "The Plan" for us, how he thinks everything should happen. "The Plan" worked for (maybe) the first year of our marriage. Then things started to unfold and be revealed to us that made "The Plan" obsolete. We could have grieved that things didn't work out according to "The Plan" but instead we chose to rejoice in God for revealing His plan for us, or parts of it for now. I say all of this to say that grief can be good, as long as it is known that grief is temporary.

Chris&Amanda

Did you know that Chris and I have been together EIGHT YEARS!?!?!?! We have been Chris&Amanda for a long time...Almost as long as I can remember.

We started dating in high school, in October of 2000. I was fourteen and he was sixteen. We have spent one third of our lives together. I think that is pretty spectacular. I never would have even began to guess that we would be where we are now. It is really neat to watch our lives unfold. I wonder where we will be eight years from now...

I should be the poster child for procrastination...

I did almost zero school stuff this weekend. The second part of my research proposal is due Thursday. I am meeting people at the library to work on it this morning. We were all supposed to have rough drafts, and mine is especially rough. I will be able to sit down and finish, but it will probably be Wednesday, when there is a true sense of urgency. Instead of working on the paper, I chose to blog. Yay me.

Friday we went to the McCoy's home. They are our friends from Hunter Street. A few weeks ago Buddy (the preacher) challenged the congregation to open up their home and get to know some people. We had a lot of fun. They are from Mississippi, so they relate to Chris's redneck stories, although I do not think they are rednecks at all. They just aren't as culture-shocked as some people when Chris tells his outrageous stories. Anyway, we were glad they opened up their home to us. Fun times.

Saturday Chris and I went to The Home Depot to exchange the blinds. We bought some other random things. Next we went to the mall and I got some rockin' jeans and some Yellow Box shoes. When we got home I fried chicken and pickles (fo' sho') and we watched the Bama game. Actually, Chris watched it and I napped. He went to hang the new blinds but when he took them out of the box, he discovered that they had been custom cut, so they wouldn't fit! Ha! The Shuberts have yet another trip to make to try to get blinds. God sure does have a funny sense of humor. Chris and Amanda are both equally incapable of purchasing blinds.

Sunday Chris went to the races (surprise) with his family. I refuse to go to the races. I went many years ago with my dad, and the races are not my thing. I was too lazy to go to church. I worked in the flower bed yesterday afternoon. I also organized our closet as it was getting out of control.

Nothing major to report from Brooks. His crate in now in the garage. He will probably be mad when we get home. He enjoys the weather. He goes in the backyard and rolls around in the grass and falls asleep in the sun. Then he realizes that he is outside ALONE and unsupervised so he tries to break down the door. But that's about it. No more sink incidents since the new crate, thank goodness.

more random than usual...

I am at school...I should be studying or reading something or writing but I want to post a few scattered thoughts. Maybe after I sling 'em out on the web, I can recollect and move on. Probably not.

I had a meeting this morning with my professor about my internship. It was a struggle to get my husband out of the door. It is test day. ARRGGHH! Panic at theshuberthouse. Chris will do fine on his test. He always does. He is so afraid of failing a test, then failing a course, then getting kicked out of med school and us being hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt with no way to pay it back. I guess it's a reasonable fear, enough to motivate him to study fourteen to sixteen hours a day. He always makes it though. I am not worried. We go through this every test week, which lately has been every two weeks. Mentally exhausting on all three Shuberts. (Brooks stresses too because he doesn't understand why his dad never leaves the office and he doesn't have thumbs so he can't open the door to check on him.)

I was in the office yesterday trying to install the new blinds. Chris improperly measured the window (although I am sure if you asked Chris, then I don't know how to read measurements to properly purchase blinds) so we have to exchange them and try again. As I was at the window, this giant Chihuahua (is that a contradiction?) relieving himself on Brooks' bush outside! Brooks went ballistic and started clawing at the window and barking. Chris and I looked at each other and Chris said, "I think we know why he destroyed the blinds." It wasn't because of panic attacks, it's because there was another dog in his yard, and he was stuck in the house unable to protect it. Not that he would do anything to the giant Chihuahua anyway, but he likes to have options. So maybe Brooks isn't as neurotic as we thought. Nah.
In other Brooks news, he got a bath/shower last night. He was a few days past due on his weekly bath. I made him jump in the tub and I lathered him up. It was really hard for me to rinse all of the soap off, so I turned on the shower. I am not sure if I have ever posted this or not, but Brooks is terrified of moving water, like sprinklers or hose pipes or kitchen sink sprayers. My back is super-sore from trying to keep him in the bathtub. He kept trying to jump out. He weighs ninety pounds and is stronger than I ever will be. By the time I finished bathing him, I was soaked and the entire bathroom was covered in water. I had to wipe down the walls. Sigh.

Last night I cleaned both cars. My husband does not think that it is his responsibility to clean the cars, so I guess that means it is my duty.

I made a C on my methods test, but I did well on my research proposal. I guess I can't have it all.

I think I may get a part-time job to keep my sanity. Now that my internship is over (which I am deeply saddened by) I have WAY too much free time.

bad dog club

"Dogs are great. Bad dogs, if we can really call them that, are perhaps the greatest of them all." ~John Grogan I just finished reading Marley & Me. The movie is coming out in December, and I always have to read the book before I see the movie. It is a book about a newly-wed couple that brings home a neurotic lab puppy to be a part of their new little family. (I know, this sounds familiar, right?) It was a great book. I don't think it is a book for everyone, just people that love dogs. A lot. I laughed and I cried. There were some parts of the book that I read and thought, "Are you sure you aren't telling a story about my dog?" As John Grogan told horror stories about the terrible things that Marley did, I found myself thinking, "Oh, that's not that bad..." which made the book even funnier to me. My dad thinks that I should write a book about Brooks and his giant personality. He is a great topic for conversation. Chris and I think so, anyway. Every day, people at school or my parents or Chris's family want to know about the latest thing Brooks has gotten into. And every day there is something to tell. So maybe I will write a book...

I tried to make a few pictures of Brooks over the past few days. My parents like to show him off to their friends in Little Rock. He has been especially stubborn. I think he is pouting because he hasn't figured out how to escape his new crate (yet). He didn't really want to pose, until the camera batteries started to die. Then he would turn his head and look all cute, and hold his stick in his mouth in a very photogenic manner.

Reading the book made me realize that yes, our dog is neurotic and totally unpredictable, but the bad outweighs the good. He is so loyal and he tries really hard to make us proud dog owners. He is always so happy to see me when I get home. So yes, maybe he has cost us a few grand in damages in the two short years we have had him, but he earns his keep. Most days.

My Same

"If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I?" ~Rabbi Hillel

No posts lately-Computer got a virus and now I am sharing with the husband. I guess the laptop has seen its better days, but couldn't it have lasted until December?

Productive day today, caught up on all of my housework and then some. My fall scene (mums and pumpkins and a scarecrow) are on the porch. And to Chris's relief, I got some pumpkin hand towels for the kitchen. School is good. I have two weeks of my internship left. I will be sad when it is over. I feel like God has placed me where he wants me, and it is truly my calling. I am keeping a journal, so I will post excerpts when it is complete. Research methods is giving me a stomach ulcer. What if I fail my last required soc class? I have always made A's and B's, but this class is something else...

Chris is another year older. His birthday was last week. I was going to do a cool post in his honor, but the computer crash has thrown me off in more ways than one. I made hummingbird cake, his favorite. He is very busy with school right now.

Brooks is the proud new owner of a new dog carrier. We bought it yesterday. It barely fit in the back of the Explorer. It looks like it could house a tiger. Everyone gave us crazy looks as we carried it out of PetsMart. We should have told them it was for our pet tiger, but we might have gotten arrested. Anyway, the crate is supposed to be "indestructible" but we'll see. Brooks tried to eat our carpet, he keeps getting EVERYTHING out of the sink (yes, my dog is tall enough to get stuff out of the sink), and he successfully tore down the wood blinds in the office. That is why he got a new crate. He was eating our house, piece by piece.

Good news for my family, my mom's first stem cell transplant was yesterday. It was a success, as far as we know. She still has a long way to go, but she is so tough she will be great.

Later.....

"Souls are like athletes that need opponents worthy of them if they are to be tried and extended and pushed to the full use of their powers." ~Thomas Merton

Lemon Pledge has more lemons than Country Time Lemonade.

I could not think of a good title, and that is a random (not reliable) fact I found on Google. Please do not take this statement as an encouragement to drink furniture polish, or to clean house with a summertime beverage.

I am very tired. I helped a lot of people with their paintings today. I think I got nine paintings, and about three that are going to be okay for submission. Yay! I will hopefully be able to get some more paintings and drawings next week. I am so blessed with this opportunity to work with people that have mental and physical challenges. I am learning so much from these people. I absolutely love what I am doing! There are so many stigmas about people with mental retardation. I took a class a few semesters ago that was mostly about labeling theory. We as humans do not know how to react or respond to a person until we first place a label. Hmmm...but what happens when the label that is placed is not correct? We continue to live in ignorance. I was a little hesitant my first day, because I have never worked with people that have mental or physical challenges. I quickly realized that they are people, just like me. I knew this all along, but this experience has opened my eyes. Actually sitting down and spending time with a person that seems so different from me made me realize that there really aren't that many differences. Every person has a different perspective, and different ways of expressing those perspectives. I feel so thankful that I can sit with these people and learn about them, and that they allow me to come into their lives, their work or school or mealtime or fun time. Every person has a story to tell, and I am fortunate enough to get to sit and listen and learn.....

witchy woman

This morning I had a Slim-Fast shake for breakfast. I don't really mind, it's just that I get really hungry a lot sooner than I should. Since a drank my Slim-Fast shake on the way to school, I decided to not drink coffee. I know, what was I thinking, no (real) breakfast and no caffeine in the same day?!?! By the time my second class was over, I was feeling angry. I wore my workout clothes to school. After class I walked to the rec center to meet Chris. As I was walking across The Green, I could smell hamburgers frying at The Commons. I almost ditched Chris at the gym to eat a cheeseburger and some fries, but I continued on my way. This didn't really help my anger/bitterness. I did not work out very long, about forty-five minutes, but it was all I could stand. We came home and I took a silly quiz online and decided I better get some caffeine in my system. As I was sitting on the couch drink a diet coke, I must have fallen asleep. I was too late to stop the withdrawal effects of my addiction. I just woke up a few minutes ago. Hmm...I have so much work to get done. I have a research proposal due next Thursday, an article review due this Thursday, and some entries to complete for my intern journal. Tomorrow, I am going to help people with mental challenges paint pictures for a fundraiser auction. I have some pictures from magazines to inspire them to draw different things. It is going to be so much fun! I could write a ton of stuff about my experiences, but I am going to save it for another day...

Random fact:

When Heinz ketchup leaves the bottle, it travels at a rate of 25 miles per year.

oh babies!

Today we (Mom and I) went to Megan's mom's house to see Quinn and Megan and Jonathan and Becky. Megan is expecting baby#2, YAY! She looked really good, even though she said she hasn't felt really good. She is a trooper. Quinn is an absolute blast. He thought I was pretty much the silliest thing he had seen today. I probably was. He also liked playing with the crackberry and making me kiss his frog toy. That kid could probably talk me into anything. He is super-duper.

After we left there, we went to see Beth and Olivia. Olivia is so pretty! She is a very good baby. Beth doesn't even look like she had a baby. Olivia was asleep when we got there, but she woke up a little later and looked around a lot. She is very aware of her surroundings. She is such a sweet girl.

Next we went to Zac's football game in Curry. He is the quarterback. He looked so tall out on the field and I realized it's because he is so tall. Baylee was there, too. She has a cell phone and she was sitting with her friends. She is so big now, too. I still have a hard time not talking to her like she is a four year-old. Sigh.

And now I will close with a funny baby-related quote:

"People who say they sleep like a baby usually don't have one."

Fix You

When you try your best but you don't succeed
When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse
And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home and ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
High up above or down below when you're too in love to let it go but
If you never try you'll never know
Just what your worth

Lights will guide you home and ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
Tears streaming down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears streaming down your face and I
Tears streaming down your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down your face and I
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones And I will try to fix you

~Coldplay

h&p

Chris just finished practicing a history and physical. Guess who was his practice patient? I make up funny names and weird symptoms and ask him how he would react if a patient said something inappropriate or touched him in a weird way. Ha. He doesn't really like me being his practice patient, but I think it is good for him. No one could ever be as difficult as me. I cried a little when he checked my lungs because he pushed under my rib cage way too hard. We also think that something is wrong with my right eye, but we are not sure.

This afternoon my mom and dad and Florida grandparents came over. I made chicken pot pie and the worst mac~n~cheese ever. (Actually it was ziti~n~cheese because I did not have any macaroni noodles in the pantry.) The chicken pot pie was delicious, but I may never be able to master mac~n~cheese that doesn't come from a box. My mom is doing so great! She still puts on makeup every day. She is trying to do more without her cane. There was also talk of her driving tomorrow. (She hasn't driven since March because of her leg.) We are so glad that she is home for a few weeks. I spent the entire weekend with my parents. Brooks ate the blinds in my parents' bedroom. Sigh. They were still ecstatic to see him and they fed him marshmallows. He has no idea that eating the blinds=bad because they acted the same towards him. I spanked him and made him stay in the other room for a while. How do I punish a dog when I didn't see him do it? My mom thought it was funny. My dad did not think it was funny. Over the weekend we ate at Pepito's and went to Dollar General and church and we did lots of other fun stuff. (As much fun as we could accomplish in Jasper.) Sunday night Mom is going to give her testimony at church. It will be good. I will try to post a video.

I had a somewhat productive day. I had lunch with a friend that I haven't seen in a while. I took a quiz and got some reading out of the way. After my family left, I ironed clothes for Chris and got my stuff ready for tomorrow. I start my internship thing tomorrow. Yay! I am very excited, and a little nervous, but mostly excited. Chris is working on the dryer as I speak. He put the new part on it, but we now think that it is not the dryer that is messed up, maybe it is the breaker. Hmm, I better go help him figure it out...

hang it up

Our dryer quit yesterday. Luckily it was on the last load. The dryer is two years old, but it is not under warranty. It runs, but it doesn't get hot. Chris ordered a part (a heating element) and it will be here next week. I am glad I finished the other laundry, so we will have clean undies for the week :P

I haven't posted much lately. I am not sure why. My thoughts are all over the place so I am sure posting would help me get organized. I am planning on getting a journal to keep with me, so maybe that will improve the quality of my posts.

Baby Olivia was born last night. Chris and I went to meet her today. She is absolutely beautiful. Beth is good, too. They are troopers! And one of my other dear friends just found out she is pregnant. So exciting! God is good! Congrats!

Chris is at school. He is going to some thing about operating on live pigs or something. It sounds bad for the pigs, but it doesn't kill them. Chris's first test is Friday. My semester is super-easy so far. I am a week ahead on studying. I am not complaining, because it may get harder. My internship starts next week, so I am sure that will inspire some interesting topics for my blog.

med school widow

Here we are again, year two now. I say "we" because I feel like med school affects me just as much as it does Chris, just in different ways. I told myself last week I was ready and that last year went by really fast (it really did) but now I am sad and selfish. Monday Chris took me to a movie (Step-Brothers, funny but offensive) and to eat sushi. We played tennis last night. We might play again tonight, if he gets finished studying, ugh. Chris has a UAB shirt that says, "Sacrificing our lives to save yours." So true. I get even more depressed when I think about how residency is going to be. Sigh. It also doesn't help that this semester is going to be the easiest of all. I have four classes, but only one class has exams. Hmm. Enough whining. I am thankful that my husband is fulfilling the duty that God assigned him. I just wish it weren't so time consuming...Chris reminded me yesterday that this is not forever. I have to get a hobby.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE!

Today is my dad's 53rd birthday. Chris and I ordered a cake for him in Little Rock. I hope he and my mom enjoyed it. I only wish we could have been there to enjoy it with them. He has been taking excellent care of my mother. I am so proud of him. He is an example of what ALL husbands should be like. Happy Birthday Dad, I love you!

beach pictures finally

I am still trying to figure out how to use Picasa, any pointers will be greatly appreciated. Here is a link to our beach pics. I made almost seven hundred, so I only posted a few a my favorites. Enjoy!

beach bound!

As I am typing, Chris is loading the car for our trip. We are leaving early tomorrow morning. We have been so busy, I haven't had time to post. Finals are over. We had our second anniversary Sunday. I can't believe it has been two years, even though we have been "Chris&Amanda" for almost eight years.

We stayed with my parents for a few days. They are going back to Little Rock Saturday. We celebrated my dad's birthday early, since they will be gone on his real birthday. Chris, Brooks and I enjoyed being there. We picked apples and went swimming. Chris and Dad went fishing. There are no photos documenting the apple picking event because we were wearing our swimsuits. I know my mom is grateful for the break from the clinic. It was nice to see her. They are really tired, but almost one third of her treatment is complete!

Brooks has been bouncing off the walls! We had to put his crate in the car first, so he has figured out that he is going with us. I packed all of his stuff in a bag, with his ducky on top, but he took ducky out to sleep with him tonight. So funny. I plan to video him on the beach. I am certain that he will be afraid of the waves. Chris is taking all of his fishing stuff, of course. I have a few books to read. I am looking forward to this break, especially since it is Chris's last summer off and I will start working in a few months. I am sure I will have tons of pictures to post when we get back.

Here is a little extra:

This is a funny picture from a few days ago. Anytime we change the paper towel roll, he starts jumping around in circles begging for the tube. I am not sure why he does it. Maybe because Chris provokes him.