Week 15 Famous Last Words

The End.

I wanted to use this week's Famous Last Words to say thank you. This class has been so much fun and i've really enjoyed it. I can't believe i'm already done. I'm looking forward to graduation and feel relieved to have one less thing on my plate, but I wish the assignments I had left weren't so stressful and were as delightful as the ones for this class. So, I want to say thank you to Professor Gibbs and to all of my classmates for making this semester a great one. Everyone wants their senior year, particularly their last semester before graduation, to go smoothly and though i've had plenty of bumps I think this class has definitely been a positive experience. 

Congratulations to all of the other seniors! You're so close to being done! Graduation is in only 25 days! Can you believe it? Are you ready? I'm ready to be there, but i'm not ready to turn in everything that is due between now and then. Anyway, good luck guys and gals! 

With that, I will share my philosophy with y'all and say my goodbye. Create your own bliss and see the beauty in everything around you. Accept things as they are. Tolerate and accept people as they are. Keep an open mind. Let love fill your heart. Find your own truths. Live life. And don't forget to love yourself because you matter and you can do anything you put your mind to!

I hope y'all keep in touch. You can find me on tons of social media sites (except Twitter, I just cannot get into that). 

Facebook me: Bria Waters

Follow me on Instagram: Testiclefestival

Check out my tumblr: CreateYourOwnBliss

Let's swap stuff on Pinterest!

Go to Tanzania with me on my blog: Bria In Tanzania!

Watch weird/funny videos with me on Vine: Bria Waters 

I'm also on Snapchat, but if you want that one, you can tell me on any of the above social media sites.

Made using PicMonkey

GOODBYE AND GOOD LUCK!

Love, Bria Waters 

2015 BSW Senior 

Week 13 Famous Last Words

Finishing Up

This week I only did Reading Diary A, Storytelling, Reading Review, Essay, and this post because i'm pretty close to being done with this class. I can't believe how fast this semester has gone and how close I am to being done with everything! I just need to hunker down and finish up my capstone paper and really kick butt on this huge research proposal i'm working on then i'll be done with my classwork for the semester. All i'll have to worry about is finishing up my practicum hours and getting everything in order for my trip to Tanzania. 

So, here's what's been going on in my life lately:

• Valir Volunteer Banquet
• This week I got to attend the Valir Volunteer Banquet which was a wonderful little celebration held by Valir Hospice for its volunteers to show appreciation and let us meet each other and hang out. We had DELICIOUS Mexican food, provided by Ted's Cafe Escondido in OKC. It was so good, there was a fajita bar and plenty of chips and salsa/queso to go around. There was also a country/cowboy music singer who performed for us and he was both a good singer and totally charming. I also got to meet the other social work student, Alyssa, who is doing her master's practicum at Valir. I'm going to be doing my master's practicum there and i'm so so so excited about it! They are such a great company and the people there are truly amazing. I love working with them! Anyway, they also gave us each a little thyme plant for volunteering our time and a little goody bag. Last, they gave us a pair of socks to take to our patients so they'll have toasty toes. 
• If you are looking for somewhere to volunteer and enjoy working with elderly people, I HIGHLY suggest Valir. 

Alyssa and I at the Valir Volunteer Banquet

4/12/15

My adorable pot of thyme!! 

From the Valir Volunteer Banquet (4/12/15)

• Calm Waters Under the Big Top Fundraiser
• This past Sunday was the huge Calm Waters fundraiser called "Under the Big Top." It was circus-themed and featured carnival games, a photo booth with exotic animals, popcorn, yummy hors d'oeuvres from local OKC eateries, a live auction, an aerial silks performer, two wonderful circus performers who did acrobatics and dancing, and drinks. It was a pretty neat shindig and I think everyone had a good time. I was there in a volunteer capacity and was in charge of working the photo booth. Man, did I luck out! I ended up acting as an unofficial third animal handler and got to hold onto the sweetest little animals all night. I got to hold a kangaroo joey, a lemur, a fennec fox, a cockatoo, a blue-tongued skink, a baby crocodile, and a bearded dragon. I loved it! The cockatoo surprised me because birds don't usually like me, and I don't usually like them. However, this was the sweetest bird ever! I held him for 20 minutes or so and he rested his head on my chest and licked my collarbone. He cooed and me and put his head on my forehead. He was so adorable and I felt totally comfortable holding him. I wanted to take him home! I also loved the energetic little lemur who climbed up in my hair and jumped on unsuspecting passersby. However, I think the kangaroo joey stole the show. She was so sweet and totally adorable (and so soft!). I also got to work with some really nice people from TapSnap, a next-gen photo entertainment company. Them and the animals really made my night. Plus, Calm Waters got some great donations and raised some money to help out kiddos who're dealing with loss. 

Me with Carlos, the Cockatoo

taken by the TapSnap crew at the Calm Waters Fundraiser (4/12/15)

Me with Princess Elsa, the Kangaroo Joey

Taken at Under the Big Top (4/12/15)

Me with Princess Elsa, the Kangaroo Joey

Taken at Under the Big Top (4/12/15)

• Instagram 
• Here's the pictures I posted on Instagram this week. It's just a selfie and my sweet BooBoo Kitty. I'm totally obsessed with my cat. Give me a follow if you want :) my Instagram is testiclefestival aka Bria Waters. I know the name is weird, but it's from high school and it cracks me up, so I haven't changed it. 

So fresh and so clean.

 Boomer Sooner! 

Sleepy Boo!

Week 12 Famous Last Words

Falling into Place

It's only Tuesday and i'm already tired and ready for Friday.. well, actually.. i'm ready for May. April is seriously the busiest and most stressful month of the year for us social work majors. Our professors don't really spread out our assignments so all of the big ones are due during April. This month I have to wrap up this class, write and present my capstone paper, write a quantitative research methods journal critique, write and present a research proposal, finish up getting my practicum hours at Calm Waters, finish paying for my program fees for Tanzania this summer, apply for my student visa, and attend mandatory orientations for my MSW program. So much to do, so little time! 

Anyway, today one of the divorce groups at Calm Waters ended and I was actually a little sad. I've seen these kids come so far in the past 8 weeks! It was so hard to say goodbye when one of the littlest told me she wished groups could keep going. I saw two little girls do a complete 180. One girl was meek and always passed, refusing to answer or talk about what she was going through. She was very quiet and usually looked down for most of group. I worried about her, but as group progressed she opened up. Today, she wanted to be the first to answer. She smiled, laughed, and talked louder than she had before. She participated the entire time and was eager to continue coming to group. The other was very sad and angry. She literally hid behind her hair and curled into a ball in her chair. She never looked up and usually didn't participate. When she did, she muttered her one word answers very quietly and reluctantly. Today, she was laughing and participated openly. She also talked about how she enjoyed meeting the people in the group and wasn't as eager to leave as normal. We ended with a group hug where we stood in a circle, put our hands around each others' shoulders, and put our right feet in so that we ended up embracing. It was a great end to a difficult and wonderful group. 

My photo from our group hug today (4/7/15)

My life is pretty hectic and stressful right now, but it seems like things are finally starting to fall into place. I'm looking forward to graduation, Tanzania, and grad school! 

Week 11 Famous Last Words

Getting Back to the Grind

The past few weeks have been CRAZY! I've been so busy and sick that i've barely made it through. However, there has been a lot of good things to celebrate as well. So, let's focus on the positives! 

• I have purchased my flight and gotten all of my shots for my trip to Africa! It's so surreal to think i'm actually going to be in Africa in just a few months! I just want to scream (but that would be inappropriate.. i'm sitting in the Cox Convention Center, attending the Calm Waters booth at the agency fair). 

Tanzanian Flag

Found on gCaptain

Check out my gofundme HERE

and/or

Follow my progress and adventures on my blog, HERE 

• I am going to graduate in a little over a month! Oh my gosh. These four years have gone by so fast. I had to talk about something I experienced my senior year of high school and couldn't believe that was actually like 5 years ago. It feels like just yesterday I attended Camp Crimson and learned the fight song and alma mater. 

Getting my cap and gown was a TRIP!

• I got accepted into the OU School of Social Work Advanced Standing Master's program! I was freaking out waiting to hear back from them, and finally I got my email saying i'd gotten in. It's crazy to think that, universe willing, I will graduate this summer with my Bachelor's and next summer with my Master's. I'll be a 22 year old MSW! Woot!
• I finished my first draft of my capstone and submitted it to my professor for editing, so that's a huge weight off my chest. 
• My little brother turned 19 last week! Holy crap. He is NOT supposed to grow up! We are really close and I love him to bits. It's tough not being able to see him and his accomplishments, but i'm so proud of him. 

Me and Bub in Broken Bow, OK during Christmas break 2014

• One of my good friends, Michelle, got married and it was so beautiful! 

The beautiful Mr. & Mrs. Coldiron

• I'm down to 180 lbs and a size 12/14!! I haven't been this small since 7th grade!

My face!

• My cat is super adorable, sassy, and generally magnificent. 

Derping together

The BooBoo Kitty is the cuteness! 

Week 7 Famous Last Words

SNOW DAY!!!

Photos taken outside of my apartment today, 2/28/15

I made it home just in time on Friday, just before the roads really got bad. I spent a few hours in Oklahoma City for my weekly supervision with my practicum instructor, some volunteering with Valir (I got to meet a new patient!), and a meeting with my faculty liaison, practicum instructor, and fellow practicum student, Michelle. It was a busy morning, but really fun and Rita took me home a back way so we could escape traffic. She's the best! 

Anyway, I the snow came on so fast and fell really hard. I loved it! The flakes were giant! Plus, I got home and snuggled up for a seriously wonderful nap with my BooBoo Kitty girl before hanging with my roomie for a while. We smoked some hookah, watched Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, and I made some fresh guacamole for us to munch. It was really nice to just relax for a while. Then, my boyfriend Rafy came over and we all played Call of Duty for a long time. I wont lie, i'm so pleased that it snowed and got all icy because being snowed in has been so relaxing. I think I needed some chill time because I've just been going and going for weeks (it seems). I've been so busy and even planned to be busy this weekend, but WAS NOT going to drive down to Texas this weekend in the snow and ice. 

Aren't We Beautiful?

Snuggling up with BooBoo today

My roommate and I have been going back and forth on whether or not we hope Monday's classes (and our grief groups) will get cancelled. On the one hand, sleeping in is seriously amazing. On the other, we've had 2 Mondays off in a row and I only have class on Monday so we are getting pretty dang behind. Plus, one of those classes is Research Methods II AKA statistics, which is hard enough when it's taught regularly. I also feel like I don't want to get too used to being lazy and relaxed because soon i'm really going to have to buck up and get some stuff DONE! I have to do my capstone paper and my research proposal, plus two research papers for my practicum site, and a qualitative methods journal critique. I have been trying to do them all in sections instead of procrastinating and leaving it until the last minute (like I've been known to do). I'm pretty proud of myself for starting them early, but still wonder if I have done enough in a quick enough time frame. 

Week 6 Famous Last Words

Alright guys, this one's going to be a trek. Are you in for the long haul? Yes? Excellent!

1. First things first, lets talk about Valentine's Day. This was the first year since I can remember where my boyfriend and I actually did something together on V-Day, and not only that but it was something we both enjoyed and could do together outside. Rafy took me to the OKC Zoo and I LOVED IT! Of course, I didn't see all of it because it's huge (seriously, I thought 3 hours would be plenty of time to see it because at the Dallas Zoo that would suffice, but no) and it closes at 5. However, it was absolutely beautiful! The enclosures were gorgeous and the animals looked healthy and well cared for. Plus, the weather was spectacular! It was 75ish and sunny with a slight breeze, the perfect zoo weather (even if Oklahoma's bipolar nature-it was in the 30s the next day-has given me some of the worst allergies ever). While we were there we made sure to check out the elephant enclosure and can I just say, WOW! It is so cool! I enjoyed every bit of that zoo and can't wait to go back and spend a whole day getting some exercise in while viewing and learning about some of Earth's coolest creatures. Can you tell i'm a zoo nerd? Zoos and aquariums are just my thing. I dig them.

This is my "Excited to go to the Zoo" face!

Rafy and me while we checked out the elephant exhibit

This giant alligator snapping turtle blew my mind. It was so huge! Also, it looked like a dinosaur that could and would bite my hand off with no problem.

Anyway, after the zoo we went to Buffalo Wild Wings for some super unhealthy, but delicious none-the-less wings and some gushing about how awesome the zoo was before going to his apartment to hang out with his roommate and smoke some hookah. It was so wonderful and I am so lucky to be in such a healthy relationship with someone who I truly see as my equal and my partner in crime.

2. There have been a lot of changes with my practicum lately and admittedly, I was not pleased with them. I was upset and felt like I was getting screwed out of some great learning opportunities (I am a really driven person and I really do have a NEED to learn and improve). I also felt like the people at my practicum site didn't want me there. Sure, they wanted an intern, but I felt like they wished it wasn't me. My dedication to Calm Waters was questioned, my ability to be professional was questioned, and a conflict was caused between my field instructor/mentor and my practicum site (which she does not work at-it's kind of complicated). I was really down about it and struggling to get up and go to work at Calm Waters because I didn't want to be where I wasn't wanted. However, today I met with my supervisors at Calm Waters and we talked about how they no longer questioned my dedication, my hours and making sure I was on track to complete them (all 306 of them), how my support groups were going, my performance in group, and learning opportunities coming up later this semester. It was really great and I got to ask lots of questions and get lots of feedback. They said I was doing excellent in my divorce group (where I work with children ages 8-11) and that I had a great ability to listen in to what is being said underneath the person's literal statement as well as the ability to veer off script and lead discussion into deeper processing when the kids are really sharing and opening up. I love my divorce group. Those kids are so smart, so articulate, and so willing to share. They really do some great processing and are very accepting of each other. I am so impressed with them and so honored that they feel like they can share their stories and feelings with me.

Children Are...

found on the Children's Museum of Central Nebraska website 

/mushy gushy talk

3. I'm starting to freak out a little about my capstone paper. I know I can do it, and I know one of my strengths is writing, but i'm pretty scared. This paper is so heavily weighted and if I mess up, I don't graduate. Talk about pressure!

I just have to remember that diamonds are made under intense pressure. I can do this!

found on Brendon Ritz's blog about tech-focused marketing

4. Tonight the Dallas Mavs face off against the OKC Thunder! This may not matter to some of you, but I have been a Mavs fan for, gosh, going on 8 years now and have been with them through many ups and downs (including some truly disappointing seasons). The Thunder are my second favorite team, but they are my best friend Michael's and my boyfriend Rafy's favorite team. So we talk a lot of crap and joke around all the time, and when it comes time for these teams to play each other, stuff gets real! We get so into the game, but remain good sports (mostly). Tonight Rafy, Michael, Rafy's roomie Tyler, and myself are all going to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch the game. It should be a good one. Say hi if you're there and recognize me! I'd love to meet some of y'all in person! GO MAVS!

Dallas Mavericks Logo 

© 2015 NBA Media Ventures, LLC

Found on National Sports Beat

GET IT DONE, DIRK!

Dallas Mavericks’ Dirk Nowitzki, 

posted by Simon Mounsey and found on The Guardian

*I love me some Dirk Nowitzky

4. Last one, I promise! I'm excited about the Take Root Conference this Friday and Saturday. It's a two-day conference to discuss red state perspectives on female equality and reproductive rights, specifically, how those perspectives are negatively affecting women and our state(s). There are going to be a ton of great speakers talking about some really interesting topics. I think it's going to be a lot of fun and i'm going to learn a lot. If you'd like to register to attend, you can do so HERE. If you'd like to learn more about the conference or what's going to be discussed, check out the Take Root Website! Also, here's the conference schedule which lists the speakers and their topics.

Take Root Website Banner

Found on take-root.org

Week 5 Famous Last Words

Good News Everyone!

Professor Hubert Farnsworth from the TV show "Futurama"

found on Hollywood Hates Me

This week was really great because I nailed down my spot in the Journey to Africa-Tanzania study abroad program! My roommate and I are OFFICIALLY going to Tanzania! We are going to live with host families for the first part of the trip and work in local social service agencies while we take two elective courses: Social Welfare Issues in Tanzania (3 hours) and Social Justice Work in Tanzania (3 hours) which is HUGE because I only need 2 courses for my Master's of Social Work-Advanced Standing program that i'm really hoping to get into. We will then get to travel around Tanzania! We will go on a spice tour, a safari, a boat ride into Dar es Salaam, and a visit to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area before coming back to our original location in Arusha for a thank you celebration with the host families and social service agencies! We will also get to learn some Swahili! In case you can't tell, i'm totally stoked! This is such a huge opportunity and it's definitely going to change my life forever. 

If you feel inclined to help me raise the money for my trip, share with someone else who might, or just want to learn more about it, here's my GoFundMe page widget:

I also plan to keep a travel blog where I will update with stories I have been told, things I've learned, experiences I've had, and pictures I've taken. You can check it out here: 

Bria's Journey to Tanzania

The blog is only in its initial stages, but will definitely be updated more and more as I tell more about myself, my pre-departure activities, and eventually my trip!

MOVING ON:

This week was crazy and had many ups and downs, but I feel like i'm in a good place. I have embraced the social work truth that in order to be a good social worker you have to be flexible. So, even though there have been some changes made in my academic life, i'm going to move on and handle them with as much grace and humor as possible. I'm going to look forward to all of the amazing things that are coming up (graduation in May, Tanzania, moving out of this crappy apartment this summer, grad school, and all of the awesome things i'm going to get to do thanks to my mentor Rita) and stay positive. As my dad used to say, "It's all gravy, baby!"

Aren't we just precious! I love my dad!

From my Instagram

Also, check me out on Instagram if you want: @testiclefestival 

(I know my name on there is crazy, just go with it, I promise my Instagram is not raunchy)

Week 4 Famous Last Words

What a Crazy Week!

Me this week

Originally posted on I Can Haz Cheezburger, found on this blog

This week was probably my busiest week so far this semester. I had something going on every day of the week and felt like I hardly had an hour of free time total for the week. However, this week was not bad, just busy. I had a lot of good news come in, lots of good learning experiences, and reassurance of how amazing the people around me are. Plus, I still managed to get some fun in.

Monday

• As per usual, Monday was my only day of class. I had practicum seminar 12:30-1:20 and Research Methods II 1:30-4:20. Then my roommate and I carpooled up to Calm Waters in OKC so we could get there by 5:30 for grief groups. The groups went well and my classes were good, but it meant that I was busy all day.

Tuesday

• Tuesday I had my practicum at Calm Waters from 10am to 8pm. It was also the first day of divorce groups at Calm Waters. This session i'm working with the Children III group which consists of 8-11 year olds and I am excited about facilitating it because the kids are old enough to really do some deep processing, but young enough to be a lot of fun and willing to open up and bond in group. 

Wednesday

• Wednesday I woke up at 9am so I could shower, get dressed and go to CVS where I got my passport photo taken. Then, I went to the post office on Gray St. where I applied for my passport. Next, I drove up to the city to take a tour of the Oklahoma Foundation for the Disabled. I got to do an interview with a director before getting a tour of the facility. It was really neat to learn about the adult day care and all the extra activities and services it provides. After my tour I drove back to Norman where I grabbed a quick lunch and some coffee before heading to campus for a meeting with Shanna Vincent, the study abroad adviser for the Journey to Africa-Tanzania trip this summer. We talked about the activities that I will get to do such as working with social welfare agencies, taking 2 classes (that count as both of my required masters level electives), living with host families, learning some Swahili, taking a spice tour in Zanzibar, visiting the Ngorongoro Conservation Area which is home to a deep, volcanic crater-the largest un flooded and unbroken caldera in the world, according to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority website, going on a safari, and holding a thank you celebration for the host families and the community before we leave. The interview went great and really got me pumped about the trip! Then, I went to the Study Abroad 101 infosession at 4:30pm as part of my required tasks necessary to submit my application for study abroad. After that, I went home and took a short nap before getting dressed again and heading with my practicum instructor Rita to Chickasha where we did extended care for a dying hospice patient from 10pm to 3am. Luckily, it was a pretty quiet night, but I WAS BUSHED when i got home at 4:00 that morning. I passed out so fast! 

Here's a link to the study abroad website where you can learn more about the Journey to Africa program!

Thursday

• My Thursday morning started off rough, with me sleeping through 2 alarms and 3 phone calls. This resulted in me being 2.5 hours late to my practicum! I was mortified and so anxious! The rest of the day was okay. Once I got to Calm Waters I worked and got ready for groups until 5:30 before driving home.

Friday

• Friday I was up early to be at Valir Hospice in OKC by 8am for an interdisciplinary team meeting where social workers, physicians, nurses, chaplains, aides, volunteers, and students can all share the opinions on and experiences with patients that week and work together to further develop the patients' plans of care. Then, I had my weekly supervisory conference meeting with Rita before going out to shadow Kirsten, another social worker at Valir, as she performed a social work assessment on a new patient at an Oak Hills nursing home. After that, I had lunch with the Valir ladies and talked about issues arising in my practicum. I left at about 1:30 then headed back home so I could go to O'Connell's on Campus Corner for dinner with a few friends. We went to the hookah bar afterward which was nice, but I didn't stay out late because I was just exhausted. 

Saturday

• Saturday my roommate and I woke up and took the dog out where we played for a long time. She has so much energy! Then, her parents picked us up and we all went to Chili's for lunch before going out to the shooting range. I had never shot a gun before because my father growing up was sexist and believed guns were only for men, so I was ecstatic to finally get the opportunity while also a little nervous. We shot my roommates PK380 and her dad's 9mm and it was awesome! My roommate is a natural, while i'm just impressed with how much power is in my hands. It was a lot of fun and afterward we hung out before going to a party at my boyfriend's apartment. It wasn't wild or crazy, but it did have hookah and cool lights which was awesome and I had a great time! 

Sunday

• Sunday the weather was beautiful so my boyfriend and I chose to sit on the patio at Chuy's where we had lunch. It was lovely and relaxing! Then, we went grocery shopping before coming home to hang out with my roommate and work on homework. 

Now, i'm just looking forward to another crazy week, but I look forward to it, and guess what...

I'M GOING TO AFRICA! 

Sorry, i'm just so excited!

Week 3 Famous Last Words

ANOTHER WEEK, ANOTHER BLOG POST 

Hey everyone! I hope y'all had a wonderful week! My week had its ups and downs, but i'm thinking positive and trying to keep making gains both in school and my personal life. So, what did I do this week? Well... 

• Monday I had class for the second time so far this semester, and as usual I enjoyed it. It's great having the same cool profs multiple semesters in a row. Plus, I only have 2 classes that I actually go to.
• Tuesday was pretty crappy. I was sick all day and ended up not going to my practicum site or doing anything fun because all I wanted to do was sleep and groan in frustration.
• Wednesday I had a doctor's appointment with my primary care physician, Dr. Rice, at Goddard Health Center. I went in because my hip is bothering me so much that I can't sleep and I'm constantly messing with it. We did X-rays and talked before my doctor told me I would have to do physical therapy. I've done it before, a year and a half ago when my back AND hip were seriously messed up, and it made my situation so much worse. I feel like that's what is going to happen again, and I'm going to have to either do 3 months of physical therapy or do it until I get desperately worse. Then, maybe, I will get referred to someone who can help me. Also, until then, I have nothing to give me any relief. I'm a little annoyed, but trying to stay positive. 

Inability to sleep sucks

Gif by Vanillery Garden, found on their blog

• Thursday (Today) I was at Calm Waters from 9:30 to 5:00. It was relatively I eventful but I did get to do two client intakes for new members of our divorce groups.
• Tomorrow I meet with my field instructor/mentor, Rita, to do my weekly supervisory conference, talk about meeting a new patient last week, and possibly get introduced to my patient for the semester. I'm so excited! Last semester I was introduced to a patient and was excited to work with her and her family, but a week later she died and I was out of town so I didn't get to be there when it happened. 
• This weekend is still a little uncertain. I know my best friend from high school, Ashley, is coming up to Oklahoma for her birthday but I don't know if I'm going to be able to spend any time with her. She might spend it with her boyfriend's family. Other than that, I might go to someone else's birthday party or I might just lounge around the apartment and try to get some much-needed sleep. 

Week 2 Famous Last Words

Snoooooooooowww! 

My photo (January 2015)

As you can see by the above photo, I was pretty surprised when I woke up to snow this morning. This week the weather has been so nice, then yesterday it got pretty chilly, and this morning... snow? Oklahoma really needs to get its act together. I cannot handle all of these seasons in one week. My allergies have been seriously kicking my butt; I've been sniffling, sneezing, and rubbing my eyes like nobody's business. However, the weather was nice in some ways: my roommate and I were able to take Lily to the dog park (which was actually pretty scary/crazy because she got attacked by a much bigger dog and bled everywhere- don't worry though, she's fine and only has a tiny scratch on her nose that was fine after a much needed bath and some Neosporin), I got to comfortably wear my new slacks and blouses in the nice weather, and the cold gave me reason to get my favorite Starbucks drink (peppermint mocha... yum). 

Peppermint Mocha, you Seductress

(My photo, January 2015)

Anyway, apart from the allergies this week was really good. I celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day by not going to class (which meant no class all week since I only have class on Mondays), doing homework, and writing my admissions essay for the OU Masters of Social Work - Advanced Standing Program. It was a relaxing day and when I was done with my work I read some of my favorite quotes and speeches by the late, great Martin Luther King Jr. He is one of the most inspiring people i've ever learned about. Sure, he was an adulterer who smoked cigarettes behind closed doors, but you can't fault a man for those things when he did so much for our country. I'm a big proponent of equality for all people and have demonstrated that through work with the lgbtq community, special needs children, African-American foster youths, and through participating in the Sooner Ally training my freshman year. 

5 Quotes from Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. that Will Inspire

Article by Josh, found on MyChannel957.com

Week 1 Famous Last Words

This week marked the first week of my last semester before I graduate with  my Bachelors of Social Work from OU. I can't believe how fast time has flown! It feels like freshman year was just the other day! I've had a lot of good experiences and a lot of bad ones since i've been at OU, but they have all made me a better person and I am so thankful for that. Anyway, I am positive this semester is going to be great. My roommate and I have resolved to make good grades, work out more, and volunteer more. In fact, she is joining me at my practicum site, Calm Waters, as a volunteer! I'm so excited to see what adventures this semester takes me on. 

As for this week, it's only Tuesday and I already have a lot to write about. Lets start with the weekend that led up to my first week of class. My roommate and I drove back from Kansas after spending a few days with her grandmother (and her adorable, lovey horses) on Friday so she could attend training at Calm Waters. Saturday, we celebrated her birthday by having dinner with her family at Zios (omg, so delicious) before heading to the city for my gift to her. I arranged for Amber (birthday girl), my boyfriend (Rafy), myself, my bestie Michael and his girlfriend, and our friend Seth to stay at a hotel in Bricktown. We stayed at the Homewood Suites on E. Sheridan in a giant room that was right across the street from the Circus Partybar, a nightclub that we planned to go to that night. The service was great and the room was amazing.  We had the best time! Then, on Sunday we had lunch with her family, including her grandparents. Her family is so amazing. I count them as my own. 

Pictures from Kansas and Amber's Birthday Party

made using PicMonkey

Monday was the first day of class and I loved it because I only have two classes that I actually have to go to and they are with professors I had last semester that I really enjoy having. So, after getting to see my fellow social work classmates again (finally) I came home and made birthday dinner for Amber (Monday was her actual birthday), a yummy meal of chicken and broccoli tortellini alfredo, with a little hookah for dessert. It was a great end to a lovely and productive day. 

Also, every time I try to do homework my cat gets on my hands and meows at me until I stop and pet her. She says "no" to homework. 

BooBoo being Rotten

my photo from 1/13/15