Friendships

so just a general post about friendships. Nothing exciting at all :)

Obviously friendships are all different with each person you know. Some closer than others. When though, do you decide that a not so close friendship is just better off as you two being acquaintances? Some friendships can start off really close, but as time goes on, maybe one or both peoples life situations change, and you grow apart, or you find out what that persons true personality is.

One thing that I have learned from past friendships is that the complain train can really drag down a friendship. In the past I've talked to friends who constantly complain and tell them that it's not fun to be around, but when it doesn't stop, then the friendship no longer is enjoyable and I have walked away. It sucks to do, but I'm not going to brought down by someones negativity just to be able to call them my friend. Obviously the occasional complaint is just fine, but it doesn't need to happen every time you open your mouth.

Friendships can happen in the least likely of places, with people you never thought you would be close to. I love when this happens! Even if you don't have a bunch of really close friends, it's nice to have a handful that you know you can call, and that they would genuinely like to hang out with you. I have had experience with people who I thought were my friend, but then as time goes on, I seem to find out things about them that aren't such good qualities, like if you don't like someone, don't pretend to be their friend if you're just going to turn around and talk smack about them as soon as they are out of ear shot. That absolutely drives me nuts, and I have recently found out that one of my so called friends is exactly like that.

As I get older, I realize that the number of friends I have isn't important. What I now look for in a friendship is does the person have the same values as me, are they honest, are they true, or do they put on a fake persona so that they get more people to like them? I'm not interested in being friends with fake people. It is my opinion that if you have to put on a show in order to get people to like you, then you must not be a very decent person yourself. The quality of the persons character is a lot more important than how many friends you can get to like you.

Christmas

Christmas, just like any other year was crazy and hectic with lots of running around.

Christmas Eve, Tony and I both did our own things. Tony went to his parents, and I started my day off visiting my Grandpa. I first went over to my Grandma's house and had lunch with her, two of my aunts, and an uncle. Then we headed to the nursing home where my Grandpa lives. It's really hard for him to get around, so we went to him. I wanted to still be able to spend the holiday with him, and it turned out really nice. My sister, Dad and another uncle met us all over there and we had some snacks, and a few presents.

Around 4:00p.m. my sister and I left to head to our Dad's house for presents with him, our step-brother, and step-mom. We all got lots of great gifts. Then the rest of the family showed up around 6:00 for dinner and more presents.

Dad and Rachel's house

That night I got to open presents from Tony's parents that he brought home for me, and Tony and I exchanged gifts as well.

Christmas Day, was just as busy, and unfortunately I don't have any pictures yet to post.

I started my day off by getting up at 5:30a.m. and going to work. I got home at 10:00a.m. and proceeded to get ready for the day. Tony and I got to spend this day together, and started it off by going to his parents house. We had fajitas for lunch, which Tony's sister Monica made, and they were fantastic! I also got to meet her new puppy Rocket, who is incredibly friendly and loves to run around and play.


The drive to Plainview to see my side of the family took two hours and twenty minutes....I got to take a very nice nap on the way!

Dinner was at 6:00 which consisted of the usual ham, veggies, mashed taters etc and then we opened presents. The rest of the time was spent just hanging out and catching up with family who I don't get to see very often. Tony and I had to head out around 8:00 because the dogs were at home and he had to do some work that night from home.

Then on Sunday Tony and I headed out to the Bessel farm. We had a quick lunch there and got to visit with lots of his family. It's always nice to go out there and relax with good people! We had to cut that a little short though as we both needed to get some things done around the house.

This Christmas was one of the best ones Tony and I have had together so far, and I know there will be many many more to come! Hopefully yours was just as good!

Finals were successful!

Just a quick, short note.....I survived yet another round of finals!

Fall quarter totally kicked my butt, but was also one of the funnest because I had some great classes, and I was able to finish all four of my classes with B's.

My friend Becca, and I worked through our classes together. I have come to know her very well, and would say she is an excellent friend. Becca came over pretty much every night for about four weeks to finish projects, and study for our finals.


Here is Becca and I at her house! Aren't we adorable???!!! We could almost be sisters :)

Two more quarters to go! This new quarter starts January 3rd, and then I will graduate in June 2011....I can't wait....it's been a long road.

Another quarter done....almost

Wow I have slacked when it comes to writing here! At least I have a good excuse though....school took over my life.
Next week is finals at school and even tough I really liked my classes this quarter, I can honestly say I am so glad it's over. This quarter was so stressful. This last week it felt really good to hand in all the big projects that were due for each class and present them.

Lets see....what have I bee up to for the past month???

Basically every day/night/weekend I have either been in class, at work, or doing homework. Tony has gotten lots of video game time in because I just haven't had time to hang out with him.

I think the best part of this quarter was that for Equine and Production, we got to go on field trips, and raise a duck, and three chickens in class. I didn't bring the chickens home at all, but I got to bring the duck home three times and it was so much fun....messy, but fun.






We also got to see and treat a two hour old calf at one of the dairy farms we went to!




Thanksgiving was spent at work, and then Tony and I drove down to Plainview for the night. That Friday we went with my uncle Mark to a farm to see their robotic milkers. I did a project on them for one of my classes so it was cool to be able to take pictures and video of the robots.

So far December hasn't been very exciting. A few things coming up though that I can write about later are how finals went, my moms Christmas party on the 18th, and then obviously Christmas Eve and Day!

I have also acquired two new pets. They are rats and their names are Flower and Clover. The rats are from school and since we are done using them for the quarter, I am fostering them for about five weeks until they are needed again at school next quarter. Then at the end of March I am going to adopt them and bring them home forever! So far Cloe is scared of them, and Allis desperately wants to play with them.

One more thing I almost forgot about is that I am going to Vegas in February! There is a Western Veterinary Conference happening at the end of Feb, and since I am a student I can get in for free, where is would normally cost a Vet Tech about $325 to get in the doors. I was able to convince my Mom, Tom, Dad, and Rachel to pay for my airfare and hotel room as my Christmas and Birthday presents this year! I am so excited for that. There are four of us going. Me, my friends Becca and Krista, and one of our teachers Alesha, who will be super fun to hang out with! Becca and I have become really good friends so we are rooming together, and Krista and Alesha are going to room together. It's going to be a fun filled five days!

Totally overwhelmed

Wow is how I will start this off! This quarter is kicking my butt, but I am happy and proud to say that I am currently doing good in my classes.

There are some days when I feel like I just have too much to deal with. I go to school full time, four days a week, and I'm working four to five days a week in order to keep my bills paid and current. On top of this I try to find time for myself, time for Tony, friends, and family. Let me tell you, it's getting a little rough to even find time for homework, but I'm somehow still getting it done on time!

Sometimes there are days when I wake up and think this is awesome, I am finished with all my homework, now I can just relax and do stuff around the house. Then there are days like today, when I get out of bed and I am immediately overwhelmed by the list of stuff that needs to get done. Instead of doing what I want, like curling up in a little ball and crying, I've gotten good and taking a few deep breaths, looking at everything that needs to get done, and just picking one thing to start on. I don't even worry about the hundred other things until the current pick is finished. I also tell myself that this is nothing to get so stressed out about, there are people in a lot worse situations, so sometimes when I say life is hard, someone just needs to slap me, because my life really isn't that hard! I just need to figure out how to prioritize all the stuff going on!

I keep telling myself that I'm super close to graduation, next quarter won't be so stressful, and then I get to do my internship. End of June is where the light at the end of the tunnel is...I can see it and almost touch it! I can do it, I can do it, I can do it! Thank goodness for all the people around me that are here for support. I've got a pretty awesome boyfriend, family, friends, and teachers!

Ducks

In the production animal class I'm taking, we are raising ducks and chickens. The chickens haven't hatched yet, but we got the ducks several weekends ago. Well on the first weekend, (which was several weekends ago) I got to take them home. Everything was going great and then on Saturday all hell broke loose.

The ducks had been totally fine on Thursday, and Friday. Saturday I got up really early for work, refilled their food and water and went on my way. Tony left the house shortly after me at about 8a.m. He also refilled their water and went on his way. I got home at about 4:15 to find that one of the ducks was dead.

Up until this point both ducks had been alert and quacking and walking around. I of course immediately burst into tears, while checking to see if the little duck really was dead, then Tony came home minutes later, I cried some more, then I tried to get a hold of my teachers to see what they wanted me to do with the duck.

After talking to two of my teachers on the phone, crying to both of them, it was decided to wrap up the little ducky and put her in the fridge. Monday there would be a necropsy done on her.

So needless to say the rest of my weekend wasn't very exciting. I was then paranoid that the other duck would die and checked on her about a million times a day. She got lots of attention and play time and I'm glad she is still alive.

MOO COWS!

The last two weekends and past week have been super busy ones. Two weekends ago I worked on Saturday, and then on Sunday, Tony and I ventured out to his family farm and we helped plow a field, while his Dad and uncle took out the soybeans. I rode along for a little bit, but since the tractor is only meant for one person, my legs kept falling asleep. Tony taught me how to drive the 4-wheeler instead so I would still have something to do. That was so much fun to do! I got to tear around the field lots.

This past week a new quarter of classes started up! I am taking 4 classes for a total of 13 credits. I'm taking Advanced Clinical Procedures, Exotic Animals and Pocket Pets, Equine, and Production Animals. I am really excited to be taking the last two classes, because when I'm done with school I really want to work with large animals. There's already tons of homework, and big projects to get started on, so I've been keeping busy with that. I also work 20 hours a week so I don't have a lot of spare time. I'm going to do really well in these classes tough, and as of right now I am only 8 1/2 months away from graduation....but I'm not counting down the days or anything! :)

Cutest pug sisters ever!

This past weekend I worked again on Saturday, and then on Sunday, just like the past weekend, Tony and I headed back out to the farm. This time we took the dogs with. They get a lot of pent up energy being in an apartment all the time. They needed room to run and wear themselves out! Tony helped his Dad and uncle with stuff and I watched over the dogs, and said hi to the cows. I love cows with a passion! I think they are the cutest large animal there is. I took a ton on pictures too. The dogs barked at them, tried to make friends, Cloe ended up getting licked by one.

Cloe is chewing on a delicious stick!



Silly Allis

So after letting them run around like chickens with their heads cut off I decided that a visit to the cows was needed. The dogs once they noticed the cows wouldn't stop barking, but that didn't stop the calves from coming over and saying hi to me.

One calf also wanted to investigate Cloe.

It touched its nose to Cloe's nose, and licked her. Cloe then barked and the calf took off running.

Ok ok I will stop boring you with all my pictures of cows. I just can't help myself, they are just so darn cute! So after the calf liked Cloe, we ventured to the other side of the barn. Cloe got so excited to see even more cows, that she somehow squeezed through the square holes in the fence and went flying into the pasture. This is when she discovered that the cows do not want to play with her. They are not giant dogs to chase. She was trying to get the calves to chase her, one of the mama cows was trying to charge her and stop Cloe with her hooves, and the whole time I'm screaming at Cloe to come back to the fence so I can grab her. Cloe finally came close enough in her terror and I grabbed her collar and pulled her back threw the fence. The stupid dog scared that crap out of me and there was no way I was going into the pasture to get her.

Other than that the weekend was great, and now a new week of school has started. I am sure I will have more to write about from next weekend as Tony and I will be helping with the corn harvest. Until then...try not to miss me too much!