hello december...

It's the most wonderful time of the year....

I love this time of year, but this specific year is looking like nothing that I'm used to. The weather in Charleston lately has still been in the 70s. Thanksgiving was spent at the beach. Sweaters in my closet are still collecting dust and the scent in the air is not of Christmas trees, but more of paper and boxes.

In two weeks, two finals, and two comp practicals later I will find myself no longer a student. Weird. For the last 19 years I have been a student. All I know how to be is a student. But in two weeks I will be shipped out into the world.

Transitions are all wrapped in this holiday season for this kid. Currently in addition to studying and soaking up my last few days of school, I find myself packing. Being the organizational nerd that I am, I must say I love this part of transitions. The questions lately have been, what is the most logical method for packing all the items I have managed to collect over the last few years, what should I take with me on the next little journey I embark on, and probably to most important and ONLY thing I've packed thus far....what is the best way to take as many movies as possible with me on the road? Yes, in the midst of needing to pack absolutely everything in my apartment, the two things I have been most focused on are what movies do I take and what pictures do I take?

After two weeks, 19 years of school, and 18 GREAT months in Charleston, I say goodbye Low Country. Get ready Tennessee....I'll be back (for a short while!). And HELLO...Dallas.

sunday shoes: for a cause

Support the cause! I am ALWAYS fan of TOMS, but these have extra value to them. For each pair purchased, another pair is still sent to a child in need in a foreign country. But in addition to providing shoes to another in need, each pair of these Water Earthwise Classics purchased contributes to the building of clean water wells in Ethiopia. Sounds like the perfect Christmas gift that keeps on giving!

Sunday Shoes...a bit of history

While out shopping, I ran across this little number. The. Best. Book. Ever. Thank you Tessa Paul for my lovely new book that will forever be displayed in my living room. Shoes are most definitely the ultimate accessory and this book, the ultimate coffee table accessory.

This charming little number has a history of shoes and all the styles worth mentioning since then. Below is a personal favorite from the 1990s. Surely to have been worn by Carrie Bradshaw, and definitely needed by all women. LOVE these Manolo Blahnik's.

life...as I know it.

so here are a few things that are going on these days and feelings that come along with them.

anxiety....

1. my last day of school {ever} is dec. 9th.

2. by dec. 12th I will no longer have a place to call my own.

3. in less than 2 months I'll be working as a therapist {crazy!}

anxious but excited...

1. I'll be moving to TX at the end of dec.

2. looking for tickets to superbowl XLV.

very excited...

1. life is great these days.

2. HARRY POTTER 7 comes out in 12 days. {expelliamos!}

Sunday Shoes!

I put my srubbing shoes on and I never get the blues...

What did I decide to dress up as for Halloween?

...Pippi Longstocking

So I put my scrubbing shoes on and I never got the blues because scrubbing day is a holiday and the game we play is as wild as it can get!

sunday {and fabulous} shoes

Love for these shoes. Simple enough to wear on a lunch date but classy enough for a night on the town. Simply precious. Find these little gems at Urban Outfitters.

Sunday Shoes

Fall is almost here. I cannot wait. To smell crisp air in the morning. To wear closed toed shoes. To wear jeans and a t-shirt. To sit and read outside without dripping sweat. I can almost feel it. The mornings are cooling off and fall is slowly but surely creeping in. Bringing with it, lots of opportunities to kick aside those sandals and throw on some real fun shoes.

I'm thinking with the right dress or jeans, these could complete an outfit. Love them or hate them, they are simply adorable. Thank you Antropologie. Hats off to you and your Peppermint Swirl Spectators.

{to the greatest dog}

If all dogs really do go to heaven, then heaven got a great one today. Meet Hershey. Thus far in life, she most definitely has been the best Christmas present I have received. She showed up as nothing but a huge fur ball sporting a red bow the size of her whole body.

She grew up way too fast as puppies always do, but brought with her nothing but joy. For ten and a half years Hershey has brought us smiles and laughter. She was such a smart dog...always getting Chopper, but mostly Buddy, into trouble. Quite the instigator. But none the less, just as great.

I could always count on her to be waiting for me when I got home. Nose between the fence, tail wagging, anxious to be let inside so she could jump, kiss, and welcome me properly. She always knew me. Even after being gone for years at school. If anything, the greetings only got better. She knew when I was coming and was always sad to see me leave.

We miss you Hersh. You were far more than anyone could hope for in a dog. Be good. Love you always.

Sunday Shoes

In honor of the first flag football game for team VICTORIOUS SECRET...here are some cleats. Yes, pink cleats. A must have for the fall flag football season. It's GAME DAY!!!

his dreams became ours

Welcome to Hogwarts, the place where the dreams of Harry Potter can be yours. Universal Studios really did an amazing job putting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter together. If they offered housing, I would move there yesterday and never come back. Incredible. We ate every flavour beans, drank butterbeer, fought dragons, rode brooms, and embraced all Harry Potter had to offer. If there was every a day I wanted to be a kid forever, it was at the Harry Potter theme park. Purchasing a membership that allows access anytime you want, is necessary.

Here it is...the long awaited Hogwarts. Oh. My. Goodness. Was it everything I hoped and dreamed? No, it was more. I must not tell lies. Hogwarts was truly amazing. Every detail was there. From the towers of Hogwarts castle to the potions classroom to Moaning Myrtle in the bathrooms. They were all there. If you haven't purchased your ticket to go yet, do it. Now.

House points!! Naturally, Gryffindor is in the lead. And yes, I left with Gryffindor apparel. My bank account is still recovering, but completely worth it.

Got Butterbeer?! We did. Thoughts were not great about the butterbeer before trying it. How could it really be good we all thought. Question no more...the butterbeer was worth the drive. And I would make the drive again, just to have a nice refreshing glass. I'm still trying to perfect exactly how to make my own butterbeer. More to come.

Of course we could not leave without trying Every Flavour Beans! And yes, they had every flavor. They were good, they were terrible, but most definitely worth trying once. Here is the list of not so great flavours we had: bacon, laundry detergent, dirt, grass, and vomit.
If you are in need of a vacay, pack your bags and head south. Go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, fight dragons, fly a broom, drink butterbeer, and eat jelly beans. Say hello for me and send pictures. Most importantly, have the time of your life living in a world we all wish were real.

At halftime of the UT vs. Oregon game yesterday, I was ready to post a pair of adorable orange shoes. But by the end of the game...I had to rethink this. I still love my team, no doubt about that. However, today might not be the best day to showcase how great they are. I would love to be in Tennessee right now, enjoying the nice fall weather, which brings me to admiring these cute little boots. Charleston, unfortunately, is calling for a much less exciting boot...rainboots. Thank you Igor and hurricane season.

Masindi, Uganda

This is long overdue, but still due. The trip to Uganda was nothing less of incredible. The people, the place, the experience, seeing God work was all far too amazing. A group of about 110 of students, doctors and health professionals made the trek over the ocean and through Africa to serve people who do not have access to medicine. For two weeks, we opened clinics in Masindi and surrounding areas each day from sunrise to sunset. We were able to see about 200 patients each day. Simply amazing.

In rehab, we had lots of opportunities to get to know the people there and make them devices to make their life easier. And by make I literally mean make. Since we were not able to just order a brace or assistive device (the way we would in the States) we had to get a little creative. Posting every picture and sharing every story from the trip might overload this sight, so here are a few of my favorites.

This started as a knee brace which was eventually became the harness of a seat made for a little boy with cerebral palsy.

Here is the whole team for this chair and the final product. The contents of the chair ended up being: bamboo, rope, blanket, knee brace, velcro strapping, cardboard box, and duct tape. The purpose of the chair is to help the little kiddo sit upright in order to be fed, be able to play, and be more functional.

Here is the little guy. We were working on head control and feeding.

This gentleman is 90 years old and came in wearing to right sandals. One almost fit his foot and the other was not only for the wrong foot but was about 2 sizes too small. He came in because of major swelling in his feet. We worked with him for a while to decrease the swelling and then gave him a pair of socks and shoes that fit him much better. How great is the smile on his face.

The man 3rd back on the motorcycle (yes, they would ride with more than 2 people on a bike quite often) came into the clinic 2 years after having a stroke. He had been completely dependent on his family for the past 2 years. He did not eat or dress himself independently. Our OT and PT team worked with him all day to improve his daily living skills. We adapted a walker for him and he was able to walk for the first time in 2 years on his own. By the end of the he was able to dress and feed himself independently.

Our last day was spent at an AIDS orphanage, I got to spend all morning with these sweet girls. They LOVED playdough, stickers, and being held. I absolutely love them.

Here is the team! After two weeks, nothing but smiles.

Many many thanks to everyone for keeping us in your prayers as we traveled and served in Uganda. Thank you!

sunday boots!

Sunday shoes are making their mark everywhere people go. While out shopping, Mom and Dad came across these little beauties and had to send them to me.

Brightly colored, cowboy, rain boots.

Surely I need them and these are a few reasons why. It's hurricane season in Charleston. I'm moving to Texas where all kinds of boots are necessary. I love all things bright colors. And no need to mention, but why not...I LOVE shoes!

ps...you may find these sassy boots, believe it or not, at ACE Hardware.

the latest project

Living in an apartment, there are only so many rooms you can paint, or at least I think I can paint. That question never really came up, and of course I did not ask (I could not take no for an answer on this matter). Never the less, over the past year I have managed to paint almost every room in this place to better suite my personality. And with no rooms left to paint, I found something new to restore.

While driving out of my apt complex a few weeks ago, I saw a little piece of furniture that lost its home. Sad day, I thought. Or...great day for me...and the furniture! Yes, I brought the little thing home with me. After sneaking this into my car (I've been told it is illegal to take things from the curb, although I feel like I saved the garbage company some time) and drying it off from the rain storm it was abandoned in, this is what I started with...

Now this needs a little work, but not so much that it needed to be tossed curbside.

I was not a fan of the plain white color. Not a fan of the handles on the side. Nor was I a fan of the clear knobs. Still, all of this could be easily changed.

All I needed were the right knobs and the project would begin. Where did I find them? Antropologie. I do not have a picture of just them, but not to worry, they will appear on the finished product!

Once I found the knobs, I was well on my way to turn this someone else's trash into a sweet little treasure.

First things first, I got rid of the side handles, the clear knobs, and purchased new color that would suite me much better.

The first layer called for chocolate brown. A personal favorite.

Followed by crackle. Then came the best, ocean whisper.

Topped off with some adorable knobs.

EXPECTO PATRONUM

A few days ago I finished another book series. Quite possibly the BEST book series of life. Yes...HARRY POTTER. Words cannot describe to you just how much I LOVED these books. Seeing as how a dear friend is about to start the 7th book and some people are only movie fans, I will not go into detail about how the series ends. Just know that it will leave a hole in your heart wishing you could be a part of Harry's world.

GOOD NEWS PEOPLE.

Harry Potter has his own world!! This news should not be news to anyone unless you were recently born or have been in hiding from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

However.....the actual good news I share with you is that I am going to Harry Potter World!!!! Yes, people, in just two weeks I will be standing in line to buy wands, candy, and Gryffindor apparel with 12 year olds across the nation and I could NOT be more excited.

{sunday shoes}

Wedges are always great with anything. And these fun little shoes...let's just say I would love to add them to my collection. Find these Wishbone Wedges at Anthropologie.

sunday summer shoes!

Summer has definitely set in. The days are longer, the sun is brighter, and the heat is much much hotter. But mid summer always brings a little treat from Victoria's Secret. That's right, shoes are still on sale for semi-annual. You can get any of these cute sandals for less than 40$. Amazing! Grab a Sonic Happy Hour, a cute pair of sandals,
and embrace all that summer has to offer!

sunday shoes are back!

Waiting a month to post these beauties was definitely worth it. I spent the past month all over the place. Sweet Tennessee...Knoxville and Nashville with Miss Emily which is where I found these awesome boots to add to my collection. After my trip to Tennessee I flew across the ocean to Africa. Yes, I went all the way to Africa. A lack of internet access limited 'sunday shoes posts' but no worries, they're back and so am I!! Stay posted for an update of the long awaited trip to Uganda!

bring on the summer heat

It's that time of year...finals have begun. Along with finals, grad school also brings practicals. So fun! Everything I have learned since day one is going to be on this practical, yikes! So how much am I looking forward to summer?? LOTS. So I should most definitely be studying or finishing one of the many projects I have due in the next few days, but my brain is exhausted. Therefore, I'm here, chatting about life.

Here's the latest on life and things I'm most excited about.... I turned in my Level 2 fieldwork selections the other day, so I'm excited to see where I get placed (you'll know as soon as that happens). The weather is gorgeous here, and I have enjoyed going to the beach often! 9 days and counting until this semester is over. Which means...9 days until I'm officially a 2nd year (this I cannot believe)! 1 month from tomorrow I'll be boarding a plan and headed to Africa!!! You know I'm excited about that :) In 11 days I'll be on my way to good ole Rocky Top and just a few days after that...NASHVILLE to see Emlee in her new big girl life!!!

Holy crow, just realized I have loads to be excited about! So I guess I can return to studying and finishing projects for now...

Much love people. Peace!

terrible sunday shoes

while looking for adorable sandals to add to my personal shoe collection and share with you...I came across this horrifying pair of shoes and thought I would share them instead. There are several things I can tolerate, but this is NOT one of them. I will be your friend through pretty much anything, but if you wear these shoes...we might have issues. Wish I could give you a headcount of how many people have actually bought these beauties. If I had to guess, I'd say about 7 fools in the country are running around in them. And those 7 people are probably also wearing denim pants and a denim jacket with crimped hair and 80s bangs. Just imagine... Now go enjoy your week!!!

a day at the beach does the body good

MUSC SGA puts on Alhambra every year. It's an allll day beach party with unlimited food (which was really good), ice cream (which was even better), drinks (which are always needed on hot beach day) and lots of fun and games!

All of that packed into one day was much needed after the crazy busy week last week. The week everyone dreads during the semester went down last week. The week were all the group projects, presentation, and assignments you've known about all semester but have not done much about were due. Yikes. It was madness and I'm so so glad it's over! And thanks to SGA for throwing together one heck of a beach party to celebrate!

Fun at Alhambra was had by all. From corn-hole to tug-or-war to limbo...we all had a great time. And I'm pretty sure the people staying in the hotel next to the Windjammer were glad they were there too. Our private party provided much entertainment for all who could see. And of course I loved the volleyball that took place! What did I learn from last week and Saturday...everyone needs to live by the rule: Work Hard and Play Harder. Alhambra, see you next year!

sunday shoes gone missing

Happy Easter everyone!! Today is a GREAT day and I wanted to find a great pair of shoes to share with you. On my quest for the perfect Easter shoes, I found something even better. Something very cool and very interesting. So I HAD to share! Look close...these incredible shoes have gone missing.

How incredible is the paint job!!

sunday shoes

Warm weather and the Volunteer's appearance in the NCAA tournament call for a great pair of shoes! Thank you warm weather for bringing out the sandals. And thank you to the University of Tennessee Volunteer's for making bright orange a wonderful color to wear anytime anywhere. I have a feeling bold colors are going to be great this spring...so here are some lovely sandals to add to the collection!

Lil Playa

There is a gray cat that lives in my apartment complex called Lil Playa. He is only called this by me (unless someone else around here has given him the same name). Lil Playa does not have a home, but he chooses to call my apartment building his home because of all the perks it comes with. A few of the perks being lady cats, free meals, and even a free bed. Yes, people (more than one!) in my building not only leave food and water out for this cat, but a bed too! Naturally Lil Playa sticks around for these things.

Aside from playing all the neighbors, Lil Playa got his name because he also knocked up a lady cat who lives in another building in my apartment complex. {good work Lil Playa} So this cat is ridiculous. Anytime he is out when I come and go from my apartment, he dances around my feet like most cats do probably wanting me to jump on the bandwagon of fools he's tricked into taking care of him. But I will give Lil Playa credit, for a stray...he does quite well.

The reason why I tell you about Lil Playa is that he's really not as bright as he seems and the people who are taking care of him for no apparent reason are maybe less bright than he.

Yesterday when I got home a group of people where surrounding a tree next to my apartment building. Yes, Lil Playa's caretakers. And yes...Lil Playa got himself stuck in a tree. And....yes I immediately started laughing.

I thought it couldn't get better, but this morning {6:45 am} two of my neighbors were actually still at the tree trying to convince this stray cat to come down. Really people??

But wait! It got sooo much better!!

I came home today to find this....
A very large stick or possibly a small tree propped up against the tree Lil Playa has been hanging out in. That little gray bump right where the tree splits is the crazy cat.

But still more...Someone actually bought this stray cat that decided to get stuck in a tree canned cat food and put next to the tree. As of now, Lil Playa has not taken the bait.

Heyo People!!! I apologize for the extreme lack of opinions, humor, and love for shoes that has taken over the blog. Do know that I have not forgotten about handful of you that read my random thoughts. I very much appreciate each of you and the comments you've given me. It made my entire week to know that my thoughts about Idol, random facts about my life, and of course...Sunday Shoes were missed. I have missed sharing all of these with you!

So the latest in my life...I had my first day of level 1 pediatric fieldwork, and I LOVED it! So I'm getting to spend the week in K-town playing with kids and catching up with friends that I so dearly miss. Here are some of my favorite things about Knoxvegas...

1. The Sunsphere

2. ridiculous amount of Power Ts on cars

3. seeing the color orange everywhere

4. Aubreys

5. McKays

6. Steamboat

7. the new Hobby Lobby in Turkey Creek

8. hanging out with the fam

9. rockband at Emily's

10. watching Idol and The Office with really great people

11. (last but definitely NOT least) The House Neyland Built

{Sunday Shoes}

Spring is in the air. I can feel it. The weather here is B-E-A-U-TIFUL!! And I'm loving the color yellow these days. The sunshine, the shoes, love it all. From left to right, here is where you may find these Pierre Dumas flats, Joan and David pumps, Apepazza Tormalina flats, and Seychelles pumps.

this... is not American Idol.

this is steph sharing her thoughts about American Idol! So I might have missed the best girls performance tonight. I hear from numerous sources that Crystal Bowersox did really well. So kudos to her, I won't miss your performance next week.

To the boys last night, let's step it up a notch. I think we are all ready to see a little more performance and not so much hiding behind a mic and singing comfortable songs. Tell us how you really feel and bust out something great. Thanks.

Hey judges...you were slightly harsh. I know this is your job, but my goodness, these people were working with kids and bringing customers refills just a few months ago. Let's tell them to do better and cut them a little slack for now. But I do applaud you for keeping a smile on your face when the entire audience boos you.

Here are my favorites from this week...

the fellas:
Big Daddy Mike (thank you not holding back, you're a rockstar)
Alex 'mullet' Lambert (really like your voice, way to be)
Tim Urban (think you played it safe, but kudos for the song, it's a personal fav)

and the ladies:
Katelyn Epperly (girl, you are good and you picked a great song. fabulous job!)
Didi Benami (the song was a smidge cliche, but really liked the way you sang it)
Lacey Brown (big fan of your style and voice)
*Crystal Bowersox...pretty sure from what I heard you belong on this list

Alright people, tomorrow dear friends of mine are having their first child. Yes, if you do not know who I am referring to, those friends would be Pam and Jim Halpert. Baby Halpert will be joining the world tomorrow!!!!!! Get pumped. I am.

it's for real people!!!!

MAY 15, 2010. I will venture over to MASINDI, UGANDA as part of a medical mission team with Palmetto Medical Initiative and Medical Campus Outreach. The purpose of this trip is to go and love on the people of Uganda as well as provide them with medical treatment they would otherwise not have access to. As an OT student my role will be to provide rehab treatment to people in the form of splinting when needed, wound management, and teaching correct body positioning, ergonomics, and exercises (people in Uganda do lots of manual labor working in fields all day and carrying large amounts of weight on their heads, therefore they have lots of lower back pain).

I cannot begin to explain HOW excited I am about this trip. All I can say is that God has put a huge passion in my heart to GO and SERVE the people of Uganda. I anticipate this to be an incredible learning experience, mostly in humility. From the little I know of the people we will be going to serve, I can tell they are extremely grateful for all they have (even though it is hardly anything compared to the way we live) and they know how to love in a way I've never imagined.

Lately we have been going through Acts in church. A few weeks ago, we talked about being compelled to Go. My pastor said something that I have not been able to forget. He said we need to set our heart default to "yes." With this he talked about people in the Bible who answered Yes to God before they were asked a question. This really hit home to me, because in a lot of ways, if I knew what the question was, I might not want to say yes. Therefore I need to say Yes first and be obedient as to where I am sent. God has given me the passion to be an OT and through that I have learned the skills needed to serve others in need. I know He has great plans in Uganda, and I am so thankful to be a part of them. Please join me in praying for the people of Uganda, the doctors, therapists, students, and myself on this team. Your prayers are much needed and very much appreciated!!

Here are a few pictures from last May's trip...

This is the local church turned into the clinic during the week.

Here are some OT students making splints for a little girl to help her walk.

Here are some kiddos playing outside the clinic.

If you would like more information about my trip, please email me at sad33@musc.edu

Sunday Shoes!!

I can feel Spring in the air. What a glorious thing! Winter has stuck around for far too long this year. It's still cold in the Lowcountry, and people here are NOT responding well to the unusual weather. I wish I knew if the groundhog saw his shadow or not so I could provide you with a count down of just how much longer it will be until we can wear summer sandals and flippy floppys! But for now, these shoes are great! LOVE the woven pattern and they're perfect for crazy, unpredictable weather that comes between Winter and Spring. Have a great week friends!! Stay posted...tomorrow could be big news!!!