Weekly Potpourri

  My thoughts this week have been all over the spectrum....one minute I'm thinking about school, the next family, spring break ( I do need a break), summer plans, upcoming Bristol race, you name it I've probably thought about it this week. 
  School is going well, almost to the half-way point of the semester.  I still struggle with parts of calculus, but the school offers plenty of assistance.  They have a math tutorial center, which I've visited already. :)  I sat down with my advisor and planned out my courses for the next 3 semesters.  If all goes as planned, and the overload of science classes don't kill me, I should be applying for the Nursing program in Jan 2012.  I am thankful to be able to attend school full-time, and not have to work right now. 
  The family is good we continue to adapt to our new life (of course Rick is Tennessee born and raised), so I should be saying Megan and I continue to adapt.  Both girls are doing great in school, it's funny to say I'm in college, and have a daughter who is a freshman in college as well.  I think she went all the way to New Jersey, so she wouldn't be embarrassed to go to school with Mom. :)  But alas, she is majoring in marine biology, so she has just as many science classes.  Have I mentioned that Megan has started playing the flute, and is coming along wonderfully.  I don't know how she came about picking the flute.....LOL.  I did play the flute for 3 years, and I'm smiling on the inside every time she practices.
  As for spring break, Megan and I have different weeks off, so no go for a vacation.  My summer plans you ask????  More school.....We will be spending one weekend in VA, spending time with family at my Dad's favorite camping spot, sharing memories of him and remembering his love.
  Farm life is still an everyday learning experience for me.  Rick and his dad did plow a large area for my garden, this year I get to try my hand at growing some veggies!  My chickens are still alive, though we're unable to keep a rooster for some reason.  We've come to the conclusion that since men aren't as smart as women, the hens send out the rooster when they sense trouble.  Alas, we've gone thru 3 roosters, but still have the original six hens.  There are about 5 or 6 new calves, that were born within the last 3 months.  I have yet to be lucky enough to see one being born, but I did catch the after birth experience.  Why in the world would anything eat the after birth????  But momma cows do, and Rick tells me it's a protective measure so that they coyotes won't smell it and come around and cause harm to the baby calf.
  And how about that Daytona 500 race, a local boy from Knoxville in his first cup race wins big!  I still held out hope that my driver (Dale Jr) would pull it out, but a wreck at the end brought that dream crashing down.  But I'm looking forward to seeing him at the Bristol Race coming up on the 18th of March.  This will be my first visit to Thunder Valley (BMS) and I can't wait. 

 

A little bit of destiny...

Am I the only one who feels that destiny plays huge role in where we're at in life?  Is life a predetermined course of events?  At times Rick and I have talked about this exact subject.  The first point
I would like to share is that we both had very similar childhoods.  Both of us were raised by our father's,
along with help from our grandmothers.  Our grandmothers played a crucial role in our early years, and we share stories of getting a little extra special attention.  Now you might say, well that's not destiny...BUT did I mention that my great grandparents owned a house in what is now Fountain City?  Only a mere 20 miles from where Rick grew up here in Tennessee.  See the house below....but continue reading the story below as well!

  Then there is the Garity family reunion that was held in Gatlinburg in 1981...I believe?  We've taken a few trips up there since moving back but my memory fails me, of course that was just about 30 years ago.  I remember a park, where one relative road a bike into the trees due to not knowing how to brake.  I remember being in a pool that had a waterfall....most of all I remember having fun.  I still have family here in Tennessee, and our next reunion will be held here this summer.

  As you know we both served in the military having been stationed all over the US and parts of the world.  We were both in Kuwait a month together, but at the time didn't know each other and never met.  Just missed each other in Korea...and finally met in Hawaii. 

  Whether it be destiny or not, I am thankful for being his wife, and for being back in Tennessee.

  

My two lives...

  Do you ever feel like you have two totally different lives?  Seriously???  Rick and I were talking the other day as we were cutting cedars out of the fence line on the farm.  He mentioned how wasn't if funny that earlier in the day I was on a college campus attending classes, and now here I was working on the farm.  Of course that got me to thinking how true that statement really was for me. 
  I've been back in school now for a month, and it's been a really great experience for the most part.  Every morning I get up and make the drive to campus, attend classes, and just take in the whole experience!  Funny moment the first time I stepped into the campus library...I was in awe at how big the library was, I mean really how many libraries have a convenience store where you can buy snacks while studying?  And there was about 4-5 floors of books, computers, study rooms...and you can go at all hours of the day or night.
  Then I head back home :)  Normally I start working on homework, but there have been some days when I either need a break from the studying or just put off the work until another day.  These are the days when I go with the hubby and work around the farm.  From feeding the cows/chickens, cutting firewood or whatever his dad needs done.  It's been a learning experience for me, and I wouldn't trade a day of it.
  So I guess you could say I live in two different worlds on a daily basis, but I consider myself lucky to have this opportunity.