Kudos to Beautiful Words ...

Words. The girl is a great lover of beautiful words, spun into cheerful and ridiculously intrigueing stories of merit. It has always fascinated me; this magic one can spin with ordinary everyday words.

I had eleven --  yes eleven it's true -- different tabs split between two browsers this morning as the rain fell at a steady, pacifying cadence. It all started with Pinterest being set as a home page, it's just so distracting you know? All that inspiration floated around, calling my name. And then the knowledge that I hadn't logged on for craftiness alone hit the girl and thus, several tabs were born.

www.flowerpatchfarmgirl.blogspot.com

IF there is anyone out there still buddy-buddy with Vintage Web, you know it's rather pointless to have just one webpage up so ... in the midst of flipping between browsers, a cute little idea popped up on my screen and I stumbled upon this adorable LOVERLY blog --->

I think most Farm Girls have got what it takes, because all the blogs I love reading of late are farmy lovelies who twist their rough 'n tumble lives into enjoyable moments that tickle tastebuds of the mind and make you beg for more.

But then I decided, it calls my name because outside my window is the tiniest farm in the making. The air smells of woodsmoke, and men in camo line the roads and stop for grub and coffee at the forever-old gas station just minutes from our house, with the graveled muddied up parking lot and the original two gas pumps from I don't know when.

Our roads will be the last to be scraped when the snow comes. Our home smells of goodness and baking and love in abundance. Our Christmas tree has been up since Black Friday and the stockings hang from primitive little snowman on the mantle, nestled between glittering garland, pinecones and berries.

Half a dozen presents have been hidden from one end of the house to other, top to bottom. Soon, we'll run out of places to stow away our gifts and we'll feel the incredible urge to wrap them just to give them away the very next moment. The girl is horrible at keeping secrets and hiding things ... I fail at surprises. Ask anyone, it's true.

And thus, I am not busting at the seams to start gift-giving just yet because nothing has been wrapped. Part laziness, I suppose but more so just because I know once they're wrapped I will be incredibly impatience to watch my family tear into them and so forth.

But I promise myself that soon I will wrap them up all pretty though it won't matter when all is said and done, and bury them beneath the Sappy Green branches of the Christmas tree in my room.

Alas, the sky is still dark and cloudy. The munchkins are one-tract-minded toward only one thing now, this being something scrumptious and warm for lunch. Thus, the girl is going to scoot at the very lovely minute of 11:11 and make something yummy! * smiles *

Till We Dropped. Amen.

So I'm sitting here, all snuggled up in a comfy chair at the library. In the Periodicals section no less; a place where people over the age of 63 all sit around with legs crossed classically, flipping through newspapers and wondering what in the world is going on with young folks these days.

It's late in the afternoon, and most people around walking down the long rows of books with their heads turned at the ridiculous angle { yes, one I've sported myself } or doing what I'm doing, browsing the web via the lovely thing called High-Speed. I should stop and see if any of my neighbors had the same idea?

Someone should really get on the ball, Telephone companies. * cough *

The past two - maybe three weeks have been insane. Schedules have been juggled between work and school and church functions and about fifteen other things screaming for attention. I've never understood how Life goes from a gentle lull with little to do, to suddenly becoming ridiculously hectic and everything needing to be done all at once. Maybe it's procrastination? I don't know.

* Big Cleansing Breath of Fresh Air *

It's been a Big Roller Coaster of one thing after another. For weeks on end, we'd been planning the Thanksgiving Banquet for our church. The Rescue Squad Hall was rented, I had spent hours looking around for just the right pieces we envisioned using. Everything from Centerpieces | lights | candles | Tulle | Pumpkins | those really nice Table clothes | etc.

Finally, it all came down to showtime. And Monday evening found us brainstorming over 16 arrangements | Mason Jars filled with Candles and painstakingly arranging and rearranging tables. I swear, Peter & Caleb wanted to wring our necks every time we changed our minds. When we had moved the fifth table for hopefully the last time, I looked over at Caleb and said, "How in the world? I hate this. Do you want to kill us yet?"

He laughed at me and said, "Naw, it's like Mom. You just stand around waiting for her to decide what she wants to do and then let her do it. It's better that way and we're used to it."

And when it all came together, I clapped my hands and slumped into the nearest metal chair with a sigh of relief. It looked great; better than we'd imagined. And a Cheesy Mushroom pizza from Amici's waited for hungry, tired people to devour it on the table against the wall.

{ The tables. The arrangements. The Tiny Turkey Napkins.

The Pumpkins and Leaves. The Mason Jars & Candles }

{ The decorating committee }

~ haha ~

We look really tired.

{ A close-up of the arrangements. I really loved them! }

And then of course, there was Thanksgiving day ...

• We watched the Macy's Parade in our Pjs just like always. We ate our breakfast in the Living Room. The girl can't remember a Thanksgiving she hasn't done something remotely similar since she was five years old. When I'm a mommy, my munchkins will watch the parade and eat breakfast in the living room, still in their pjs and smelling all the yumminess from the kitchen.

• And the cousins crashed the house, with a brilliant Pecan Pie in hand. I don't really know that it wold feel like Thanksgiving day without the Macy's Parade & Aunt Kim's Pecan Pie. I used to pick all the nuts off the top when I was little { okay, when I was older too } and then she got wise to us ruining her pies and took to using chopped nuts which are pretty much worth snatching as you walk by but really ... it takes three times as long. * winks *

• Then it was off to Nana's for lunch and even more food and cousins. And people I wasn't sure I even knew, holding tiny babies that were impossibly adorable. Shouting to be heard above twenty other people talking around you. And losing count of hugs and children, and hearing how much I looked like my Momma.

• By the time we pulled into our drive-way, the girl was exhausted but the game was on and Dallas was playing. We played a close game against Miami, and they didn't dissapoint.

• But then Momma wanted us to run something over to my Aunt's house and Sarah was on the phone, so I crashed on the couch and watched Charlie Brown Christmas until she was done. Eleven o'clock found us sprawled out on the wood floor in Nathan's room, talking and laughing; picking on Nathan just a little bit. Before we knew it, we were making plans to go Black Friday Shopping and make a day of it. We jumped all around the clock from Seven AM to finally deciding on Nine.

But we had a great week and now we can sit back and listen to Christmas music, catch our breaths before Christmas gets into full swing. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and remembered to thank the Lord for all the Blessings He's given!

10 Things Come To Mind

So I've begun my second week at Thompson Dentistry, and it hasn't been without it's interesting moments. To sum it all up so far, there's a handful of little things that instantly come to mind.

1) Scrubs.

Quite the necessity when I'm trying to maneuver my way around the small space of an operating room. Only, the girl flipped the tag around once upon a time and cried, "If I were a rich man ... yada, yada, yada, yah."


2) The Weekend.

Where most people find those 2-3 days such an amazing thing, I discovered that it's like a big warning sign that says "Leave this office today, and you'll be wracking your brain come Monday morning."

Such is the life of a Newbie Assistant, I suppose. I mean really, I've NEVER been a fan of anything having to do with a dentist so I never considered actually paying attention to what they do when I'm in that chair, wearing those ridiculous glasses and staring up at that adjustable odd-colored light above my head.

You watch, next time I get in that chair I'll be on that girl like stink on a monkey. No darling, that's not what comes next and don't even think about sticking that thing in my mouth ... etc. * Just Kidding. I shall be ridiculously nice. *

3) The Color Blue.

When in doubt picking shades, always look at the color Blue. Something, something about something in your eye ... I want to say Cornia in your eye, but in all honesty the girl has so much information overloaded into her brain at this present time, it would be pointless to guess. Just know that the color Blue is pretty nifty.

4) That Little Aggrivation ...

When my clogs -- which happen to be impossibly comfortable and fantastic for being on the go from 7:30 in the morning to 6:00 in the evening -- sound like man shoes when I'm up in Gordonsville walking around on those old hardwood floors. I tried tip-toeing this morning, Frances caught me and laughed. I imagine I looked quite comical like that, but alas the girl finally gave up her efforts and accepted failure.

5) Questions.

I ask a million and five of these on average per day. If you thought I talked alot before, you should be happy to know that whatever is coming out of my mouth these days is phrased as a question. It starts with "Johnna ...?" Usually, she pops around the corner. Always smiling and keeping it real. How cool is that?

6) Them Latex Gloves.

Is Bah-gillion a real number? I think it is, because I've suddenly lost count of the many pairs of gloves I've used since I first walked into that office. But Dr. Jay is a real stickler for not spreading germs and all that ickiness. So it's 5 million pairs I snap over my fingers and toss out every day, and my hands smell like Latex after that.

7) Blood & Smells.

I'm the oldest of six. Boys will be boys, and the girls will be TomBoys when the moment is right. Basically, I'm not too much of a wimp when it comes to blood and funny chemical smells. But I've had two different encounters with the combination and come close to passing out. I mean really, if you're standing over some shaking stranger | their mouth oozing a much larger amount of blood than you would think possible from such a small incision | and brain-storming what's going to happen next, it gets a little nerve-wracking.

But little things like that first meal of the day { don't ever laugh when someone tells you this again, it's so true! } chewing gum, etc are big life-savers let me tell you. The girl passed with flying colors, and this delights her heart a great deal.

8) Articulating Paper. Op Boxes. Retraction Cord. Amalgum.

When I look at the chart and find anything having to do with these handful of items, I smile. I am slowly but surely finding my way around and these are things I know better than almost anything else. Oh yes, especially when the chart says Fuji2 ... I know this means the whole ordeal is going to be simple and interesting. Half the stuff still sounds like Greek to me, until I see these and I get all excited and smile because I KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THEM! This is really big for me, because at random times, I walk around looking just a little lost. * haha *

9) Burr Blocks.

So it's this little thing ... that I first had a mini-heart attack when I discovered I'd have to organize them in order. Now, I love doing this! Probably because what looked like the hardest thing turned into the absolute easiest and relaxing thing I do at work. Just hang out in the sanitation room and organize Burr Blocks. It doesn't even sound exciting, I know. But it's just a glimpse into what I'm doing. * smiles *

10) Humor.

There's always something interesting happening when you work with people and talk to strangers on a daily basis. It's different than going to the mall and just walking past people. When you walk into the waiting room and you see this lady freaking out | tight-lipped and nervous, your social skills get kicked into high gear to set their minds at ease and assure them you're not playing Devil's advocate or anything. * winks *

How'd It Get To Be So Lovely?

It's been an absolutely fantastic morning so far, much to the girl's delight ...

I stole a few minutes for myself to run across the road, and now I'm all comfy in a shiny green & gold chair in a corner of the Gordonsville Library. I've had every intention of coming over here and making good use of the hi-speed which has become a rare thing in my busy little life of late.

The air was thick and cool this morning when I popped out of bed. I've no idea how I managed to do that considering the fact that I'd done a good deal of packing and rearranging things in my room until ... well, it was just a bit late. * winks *

But the room is looking a little less Fall-ish and a lot more Winter-ish {not Christmasy just yet, because I've already made an exception for Christmas music as it is. No, that will happen next weekend.} And I just felt strangely energetic when I kissed my daddy goodbye before he went to work. The rest of the family soon suffered the consequences of my cheerful, energetic mood and needless to say they weren't entirely ... enthusiastic? * winks *

Before I left, all the munchkins were up, but no time to fix my boys anything crazy wonderful and scrumptious. They kissed me and grunted their goodbyes, and I expected nothing less from my sleepy siblings.

It was a gorgeous morning, it really felt like Fall which made me so ridiculously happy on account of my thinking I'd been jipped this year after those two small snows just weekends apart. In fact the sky even looked sunnier and beautiful than it had yesterday. I wanted to take a picture of the amazing Sunrise with my camera phone, but alas the girl was driving and is quite the fan of being alive!

Our patients ended up showing earlier than expected which was so awesome, mainly because Johnna is teaching me how to be prepared ahead of time ~ being one step ahead of Jay. It just makes the world a much better place when everything is in order and going so impossibly smooth you second guess yourself and get to stand around in the hallway almost bored to death because you're just WAITING. * smiles *

I assisted in my second Oral Surgery ever and let me tell you, the girl was so nervous. After last week's little episode and not feeling so very hot yesterday morning, I was beginning to wonder if maybe I just wasn't cut out for this sort of thing. And I really wanted to do this, so I was pushing myself today to get ready for it.

Almost twenty minutes later, I'd made small talk with the patient and got him comfortable. Dr. Jay had numbed him and we were ready to go ... I held my breath as I pulled the mask over my mouth. You can do this, you can do this! I told myself, and right about then I began to pray and felt such an overwhelming sense of peace steal over me.

By the time Dr. Jay slid his rolling chair over to the patient, I was almost thrilled to start. What a weird transition, hmm? So I pulled my gloves on and thus began the second oral surgery of my entire life. I waited for the hot | cold prickly sensation, the nausea to overtake my senses. It never came, and within a matter of minutes the whole thing was over.

Jay did look at me before the patient got up and asked if I was good. I'm pretty sure I grinned in relief, "Yep, I think so."

So the whole morning went like that and I'm just really happy and thankful and so forth, etc. Now its back to the Dentist Office I go for round two of Oral Surgeries and Crown Preps. At the moment, I sit there in silent fascination while Jay explains this and that to me. Little do these people know they get to sit in and witness a whole Dental Assisting Lesson! * haha *

Can I Do This?

“It’s going to be an extraction.”

I stared at Dr. Jay for an eighth of a second.

It was Thursday, my third day working in the Dentist and I had no idea what in the world I was doing. The thought of hearing a snap when the tooth came out, almost sickened me. But then, I thought of how neat it might be to watch, and assist in something new so I set up the necessary instruments and went down the hall to the office. The sky was grey and cloudy outside the window, and the office had grown chilly.

Thumbing my way through a stack of cream-colored charts I found the one I'd need, and with a smile I lead my victim patient back to the room. I had considered a handful of times since my first day there what might make me feel better if it were me walking down that hall and sitting in that chair. Smiling hygenists { not the wicked grin kind of smile, the I-know-how-you feel and it's ok! } | a down to earth Dentist-man | a comfy chair and a little small talk about anything that wasn't ridiculous.

The talking part I can handle, thanks to having worked at the Pregnancy Center and having so many things thrown at me in such a short amount of time. Eyeing my patient from where I bent at the counter pulling up her charts on the computer, my heart went out to the poor older lady. She had paled from the waiting room to the dental chair, her hands tightly clasped together shook like a 3 year old on a sugar high, and her dark eyes were wide taking in her surrroundings.

"Lucky for you, you got the comfy chair." I said, with a sympathetic smile. Within minutes, I had snapped the cloth around her neck and assured her that everything would be alright. But still she watched me with doe-like eyes, as I laid the syring on Dr. Jay's operating tray. "Is that the needle?!!!"

Of course it's the needle, what does it look like? I thought to myself. Instead, I nodded my head and explained how she might feel a small pinch when he numbed her but it would make pulling her tooth a whole lot less painful. She seemed semi-okay with that, because she visibly calmed about five degrees ....

Just in time for Dr. Jay to arrive on the scene and start setting up. Fifteen minutes later, I snapped a pair of blue Latex gloves over my fingers and took a deep breath. I sat across from Dr. Jay with the lady in between us. From time to time he would ask for this or that and I watched in fascination because I've only ever felt all this goings-on, never seen it done. The tooth didn't make that little pop when he extracted it, so the only annoying thing about the ordeal would be my fogging glasses.

Or so I thought ...

Dr. Jay would fly solo from that point, so I followed Johnna down the hall to see what the repair man had to say about our Panoramic X-Ray machine. No sooner had I stepped into the hall, this odd feeling overcame me. The world became silent {like those old black and white films, where you see what's going on but you can't hear a thing}, and no sooner had I thought to myself how very weird it was, that silent world went all fuzzy. Johnna | the man | the X-ray machine | that little sign hanging on the bathroom door all began to sway and fog.

"Johnna." I heard a voice from somewhere and recognized that it was mine. Mine? This was so weird ... "I think, I need water."

Then in a split second, when Johnna turned around and said "Oh No", it dawned on me. I was going to pass out if I didn't sit down soon. What kind of Dental Assistant would I if I passed out every time someone had a tooth pulled? I was such a little wimp ...

Johnna grabbed my arm and shoved a cup of water in my hand. I sat in the lab for several minutes with my eyes closed trying to get myself together, all the while beating myself up and wondering if I could really do this? I wanted to, it was more enjoyable than I'd ever imagined. But could I?

"Hey," I opened my eyes and Jay was standing in front of me with Johnna behind him. "You doing okay?"

I nodded, but we figured out that maybe eating breakfast would've helped. Within minutes, I was feeling like my old self again but I could've kicked myself. The only time blood had ever bothered me was back when I was in college and giving blood. Who knows what the deal was, but it hasn't happened again and probably wont.

Still, it definitely made life interesting. * smiles *

More Than Just A War ...

In honour of Veterans day { yesterday, I know }, I thought I should post this for you guys. It's not all about fighting and dying, it's about love and commitment and character. This little girl might've died if it hadn't been for this man's compassionate heart. That's dedication and it warms my heart so very much!  The man, is a Chief Master Sergeant John Gebhardt serving in Afghanistan. As high as you can go in enlisted ranks (E-9) John Gebhardt's wife, Mindy, said that this little girl's entire family was executed. The insurgents intended to execute the little girl also, and shot her in the head... But they failed to kill her. She was cared for in John 's hospital and is healing up, but continues to cry and moan. The nurses said John is the only one who seems to calm her down, so John has spent the last four nights holding her while they both slept in that chair. The girl is coming along with her healing. He is a real Star of the war, and represents what the members of our services are trying to do.    I think this is really worth sharing, because we've got it so easy over here and sometimes we forget what really goes on outside our own little world.

The Old Man That Sang Some Beach

The alarm vibrated to some obnoxious song I’d pre-selected on my cell phone the night before. I had a theory about horrible songs waking me up, because there would be no way on earth I would sleep through some Big Band Tune banging next to my pillow at the crack of dawn.

Remember … the girl is not such an early bird, and fears oversleeping. Especially on important days, like the morning of her brand new job, for instance. And it was with such a wake-up call, I pulled myself together | grabbed a cup of coffee from my wonderful Daddy who got up just for me and shivered my way down the sidewalk to heat up my car.

Almost an hour later, I smoothed immaginary wrinkles from my Cranberry-colored scrubs {I have a feeling I was born to be anal about such things} and took a deep breath. I had buried myself beneath a stack of Dental Assistant books over the last few days, and had only a smidgen of an idea of what might await me.

The glass door clicked shut behind me, my shoes bringing in a scattering of golden brown leaves. I walked down the length of the hall until I found Johnna. Johnna is my self-proclaimed go-to lady, the one who tells me whats what or isn't and promised to help me find my way around. She threw me a big smile, and a hearty "G'morning lady! How are you?"

Within minutes, I had hung my coat | silenced the pitifully shattered phone | donned a bright blue pair of gloves {which would only be my first of a zillion pair through out the day} and had been given the grand tour of half a dozen rooms. There was the dark room - which I simplified as the stock room in my pea-pod of a brain, there was the sanitizer room which I unconsciously named the washroom, and so it went from 7:45 to somewhere around 5 o'clock this evening.

You've heard that not everyone learns the same way, well the girl is a perfect example. * smiles *

We had a steady stream of patients all morning. Johnna worked with Dr. Jay, and I shadowed up until the latter part of the morning, when Johnna turned to me mid set-up and asked "You think you can handle the next one?"

I inwardly recoiled, and then dug out my permanent smile {you know? the one that tells the world I'm not nervous when I'm ridiculously out of my element}. And nodded, "Um ... sure. Yeah, lets do it!"

It all started with me almost flying out of Johnna's chair. Somehow we'd forgotten to lock the arm in place when we'd adjusted, so as I'm sitting there swapping out this tool for that, the arm gives way and I have a maximum .3 seconds to hold on and save face right in the middle of a procedure. But alas, the chair was fixed and we moved on lickety split.

My favorite patient of the day was an older man who had such a cute sense of humor. He had broken a tooth, so I asked him what had happened. He grinned up at me from the chair as I snapped the cloth over his chest. His eyes sparkled unashamedly, "I was eatin' own ah cookieee. Bout one of the best dang cookies I ever ate, 'ceptin' when I broke mah tooth here."

I laughed. "Oh yeah? Well I don't guess you'll be eating them anytime soon, hmm?"

"Oh lawwdy, I might go get me some soon as I leave. I share about fiver 'er six of 'em with mah dog anyways. Other day, she done went and snatched a whole package. Got real good taste in cookies, she does."

So Johnna and I are prepping for Dr. Jay to come in and numb him for the precedure, and the man starts to cackling in a contagious sort of way. Johnna asked him what was so funny, and he shook his head with a smirk. "Puts me to mind, that song ...

Oh," His face momentarily clouded. "What's the name of that song 'bout a beach, honey?"

We shook our heads, not following. Then suddenly, he remembered and began to sing in a funny little sing-songy voice " ...Well, I sat in that waiting room seemed like all afternoon. Nurse came in said Doc's ready for you, not gonna feel a thang. I'll give ya sum noveeecain ... some beach, some whar ... Music, dancing ... something, something."

About this time, Johnna and I are busting up entirely. Nothing could help, not even when he stopped muttering the last of it, and perked up like he remembered we were there and said, "Ya'll ever hear it? It's a real good 'un."

Ah, it was a long day but such a good one. Currently, I'm snuggled up in my sissy's big arm chair | traded scrubs for my pjs and I'm sipping on hot tea with every intention of getting more studying done, but one thing at a time and it was bound to get jumbled in my head anyways.

Still though ... I hear the whir of that dental drill ringing in my ears, and it weren't for this cold I've somehow been * blessed * with, I'm sure I'd smell the funny dental smells too. * winks *