finality

I have just one final exam left, and it's tonight. Yay!! Then we are off to Port Aransas.

Last week was pretty alright for us. I am so tired though. I have succumbed to the fatigue because I know I have a vacation coming up. We're leaving early tomorrow morning and coming back Monday. Tuesday, we're headed to the DSO Christmas concert with my old (I mean, former) employer and her husband. THAT I'm so excited about. We have an anniversary coming up too. December 20 will be 1 year. :-) We are not doing anything in particular that day, or exchanging gifts, since we have this trip and the symphony concert. We will probably stay in, have a nice dinner, and see how our top cake tier made it through the year. I'll have a cake mix handy just in case...I'm not expecting our wedding cake to be that great!

Friday, we got a new group of McNair Scholars. It's hard to believe I've been in for a year! That program has changed my life. I still feel like I'm flying by the seat of my pants most of the time, but I have come a long way. When I think about what my CV is going to look like by the end of the summer, I get so excited. By then, I'll have presented at 8-9 conferences and have 3-4 papers published or "in press". I'm sure I could not have done it, in this amount of time, without the support of the program and my two amazing, crazy mentors.

A few of us went bowling Friday night. Not as many as last time. I guess people are worn down from studying. I needed the study break! It was nice, but I suck at bowling, and my arm is still sore from hurling that ball into the gutter. Then Saturday morning, Tom and I got up early to meet a bunch of folks for the Neiman Marcus Children's Christmas parade in downtown Dallas. Danyelle, Reade, Chase, Miranda, Kayla, Janelle, Brandon, Celise, Tammy, Michael, Connor, & Cayden. I think that was it... Here we are:

I should've gotten a group picture of us bowling - instead, I just got a bunch of pictures of people's butts. :-S

I also went on another cookie press extravaganza Sunday. That thing is too neat.

So anyway, I need to get in the shower. This morning, I have been working at home. I don't have a lot to do. I needed to take off early anyway to study for my last final exam. I'm planning to come back all refreshed from my trip and be ready to write some papers! That's the plan for Christmas break at work, anyway.

I probably won't be around until after my trip! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.