A Big Accomplishment

Yesterday was a big day for me -- I ran my very first 5K! About a month ago I joined a group of church friends who'd been training for the race since April. Coming in late, I was so worried that I wouldn't be able to keep up. I hadn't had to run since middle school, and even then I was a sissy and usually walked half of the required weekly mile. My kickboxing class must've kicked my butt into shape, though, because I've definitely held my own.


1627 -- my new favorite number! Sadly, they were out of my t-shirt size. When I picked up my race packet I got a shirt two sizes too big! It went halfway down my thighs and made me look huge....not very sexy....


My cute running friends. I've discovered that it's much more fun running with other people. We've gotten to know each other better, and have definitely pushed each other to work harder.


Crossing the finish line....


My proud little sis came to watch me, along with my brother and his girlfriend.

The race was harder than I'd anticipated. The huge hill in the first mile nearly killed me, as I hadn't trained on hills and didn't pace myself very well. A couple of times I almost stopped running, especially as people around me slowed down to walk. I just couldn't bring myself to quit, though, and I managed to finish in less than 30 minutes with only a couple of stroller-pushers beating me to the finish. I was a little disappointed with my time, as I'd completed my last practice run in 24 minutes. I guess that means I will have to keep training, so I can do better at my next race!

A Little Free Time

Thanks to all of you for your encouraging comments. The search for a hygiene job is still on, but I've got my third and fourth interviews this week and should be hearing back very soon about last week's working interview. Hopefully something pans out quickly; I hate job-hunting! In fact, if I had my choice I probably wouldn't work at all -- not in the traditional sense, anyway. I could keep myself plenty busy just sewing, crafting, and decorating, with only occasional breaks for food and water. I guess I'll just have to enjoy the extra time right now while I've got it. I'm working on some new blessing dresses and would love some ideas of where to sell them. Someone suggested to me that I put them in hospital gift shops, which I may do. My Etsy shop will be up and running soon, as well.....I hope. In preparation for this, Cassidy took some beautiful photos of my finished gowns. I've been dying to share them with you:

Hygienist For a Day

Today I had my first working interview for a job as a real hygienist...I was SO stressed this morning, but it ended up being lots of fun. I spent the day at an office near my apartment, treating patients and trying really hard to impress the doctor. Having come straight from hygiene school (where we have 3 hours to treat a patient), I felt a bit frenzied at times trying to squeeze everything into 50-minute blocks; at the end of the day I was proud of myself for finishing only 10 minutes behind schedule.....and I got to give someone an injection -- one of my favorite things.

I won't know for about another week whether I'll get this job, but either way it was a good experience. I've got an interview on Friday at another office; keep your fingers crossed?

Done!

I know it can be bad to just wish time away, but sometimes I can't help it. I'm really grateful that the last few months have flown by, as with their passing has also concluded two of the most stressful years of my life. I'm finally free, and am soon to be Rachel Hunsaker, RDH! Although work at the credit union still takes up a lot of my time, I'm thoroughly enjoying no homework, no bedtime, and full days off -- luxuries I haven't had in a LONG time. Here's what I've been up to lately:

In the past month,

I graduated......



.....I passed all of my dental hygiene boards.....

(Here I am looking not-so-hot, but oh-so-happy.)

......and I started training for my first 5K!

I'm really serious about the 5K this time -- shin splints aren't gonna stop me! Last week I joined some friends in the middle of their 9-week training program; surprisingly, I've had no problems keeping up. I'm really excited about this, because I've already set some personal milestones in preparing for the event and have discovered that I actually enjoy running. One of the girls in my training group is using this 5K as a springboard for training for a half-marathon; call me crazy, but I think I might join her!

Ahhh, I'm so glad to be done with school (for now, at least), though I'm really gonna miss my girlies....



.....now I just need a job.

Happiness Is.....

....a new friend. Seventy-five bucks and the muscles of half the Elders Quorum can buy a girl a whole lotta awesome!

Playing Catch-Up

Well, my written boards are over -- thank heaven! I won't know until May-ish whether I passed, but I'm just thankful to be done with that part of my life. Now I'm just praying that I'll make it through my anesthesia and clinical exams. Since the conclusion of the exam, I've let my brains turn to mush. School's not done yet, but I'm finding it hard to study any more. Instead, I've been much more agreeably occupied, working out like a madwoman and catching up on missed episodes of ANTM. I've also made about a dozen pairs of earrings for one of three upcoming Etsy shops and am dying for more time to be crafty.

Perhaps my biggest triumph lately has been the completion of Whitney's Christmas present. I wish I could say this is her present for next Christmas, but no; today I finally finished the coat I started for her 4 months ago. Fortunately for me, it snows in Rexburg until mid-July, so she'll still get some good use out of it this year.



Also, Cassidy just brought me her pictures of my christening gowns. She did a fantastic job on them, and I'm so excited to share them with you. I'll post previews sometime this week; I hope to have that shop up and running by mid-May. Can't wait!

Stress-case

I'm so stressed, I think my brain is melting! Coming up quickly I have the first of three huge tests for my dental hygiene licensure, and I think I'm starting to have a nervous breakdown. Whenever I try to study I turn into a complete zombie.....nothing's sticking....room's spinning....starting to panic.....

Pray for me, okay?