Arch-tastic

I started my day with a tour through Arches National Park. Amazing. I'm already in the pre-planning stages of my next trip which will hopefully include family and must include some quality ATV time. I was blown away by the beauty of the park. The contrast between the sky and the striations in the rock was just awesome. It was super crowded for a Thursday in September. I can't imagine what spring/early summer is like.

Yours truly at Park Ave

Delicate Arch. It looked to me a little like a scene out of Star Wars

Balanced Rock not only balances precariously. It also shoots laser beams out of its head!

Today's drive was only about 3 hours. I enjoyed seeing the change in scenery along the way. The coloring of the rock formations quickly turned drab, then I encountered some small hills, larger hills with brush, then the mountains that say Utah to me. Megan and I hit up a quintessential BYU place "Cafe Rio" for some delicious burritos. I was also impressed with their drink selection. I got to indulge my predilection for Diet Coke without the nasty caffeine buzz that would keep me up all night. Thanks Utah!

The only thing good about New Mexico.....

is the speed limit. Lovin' 75 mph. You know what else I love about New Mexico? Leaving it. How is it that the entire state of New Mexico is undergoing road construction? Lame. I made it safely to Moab tonight after enduring a pretty nasty rain storm through the corner of Colorado. I saw the storm from New Mexico and it was pretty daunting.

Things learned on the roadtrip so far:

1) A variety of snacks purchased at the Walmarts before the trip cuts down on stop-along-the-way time.

2) Books on tape are pretty awesome. This is my first roadtrip alone and my first opportunity to try them out. Michelle gave me "The Mermaid Chair" audiobook quite a few years back and before now I've always forgotten to take it with me.

I'm super glad it was saved until now b/c it's a welcome break from the monotony of long stretches of Navajo reservation.

3) Driving alone lends itself to lots of singing out loud. So what? Who cares?

4) Always save some upbeat, sing at the top of your lungs music for the last hour or two. It helps keep the lead foot in check.

Saw this on the way into Moab (I believe it was near Canyonlands). I see Moab's appeal: super cute downtown and lots of rugged outdoor types. :] Headed to Arches National Park tomorrow for some more sight-seeing before heading up to Megan's.

Say a little prayer my hotel is bedbug free.

Amarillo Fun Times

The Mercados were nice enough to host me for a few nights in Amarillo. There was movie watching, shopping, and some fashion magazine reading with Cadence. Oh, and lots and lots of Braums runs. I really wish I would have gotten a picture of Cadence perusing InStyle while on my lap, but alas, I didn't pull out my camera. This iphone photo of Cadence mooching Daddy's drink will have to suffice.

A big thanks to Thomas for checking on my tires and finding that my driver side tire was at 60 psi. Thanks for nothing Discount Tires! They put my new tires on and when I told them that the check tire light was still on they told me that I needed to drive it around for awhile before it would go off. Lies! As much as I love Tobey, the idea of never having to deal with shady car repair people is enough to make me want to switch to public transportation...except for buses, 'cuz they're just gross.

Her name was TT......

The Harringtons were kind enough to put me up for a few days to milk Lubbock for all it was worth before leaving. We had a good time eating Lubbock delicacies and just spending time together. They played a huge part in making Lubbock home for me and Friday nights with all of them will be sorely missed (even Stanley and his oddly heavy paws). I'm also having a really hard time breaking the habit of referring to myself in the third person as TT (part Stephanie, part Auntie?). I knew that it wouldn't matter what Kate called me, as long as she called me. And who could say no to this little nugget? It's been such a pleasure getting to see her grow up over the past two years and I'm constantly amazed that each phase is even more fun than the last. I can't even think about what I'll miss being so far away. :[

Kate & TT 5 days old at Fish Fry Friday

Kate & TT doing what they do: 25 months old

I've officially been out of Lubbock for a few days now, but am holed up in Amarillo (at Rebels) soaking up a little more Texas hospitality before heading into the Sunset.

Cleaning out my apartment turned out to be way more work than I expected. Numerous runs to both Goodwill and the dumpster helped along with good friends who came to take a lot of stuff off my hands. I also learned to love Craigslist. In short order I sold my couches and gave away my bed. I realize now that I should have taken before and after pictures of my progress, but I had a lot to do, yo.

Tobey is now loaded down with all of my earthly belongings (minus 2 boxes of books and clothes that just wouldn't fit). He's equipped with new tires and just itching to hit the open road. Hildoug's amazeballs grad gift: the iPhd (iPod for PhDs, duh) will help me pass the time through the desolate wasteland that is New Mexico. The caravan heads out Wednesday morning for points West. Stay tuned for updates from the road.

Awesome August

**August 6th Graduation Party at Four Bar K**

Hot Lady Docs

Familia enjoying a little BBQ in the LBK

Beau, Boar, Bush

**August 7th Graduation**

These ain't no cheap seats

Love these ladies

**Vegas Vacay**

California, Washington, Oklahoma, & Texas Represent

Phoning it in

If I had the type of job where I could call in sick without the headache of a bunch of re-scheduling, today would be a sick day. Nope, I'm not physically sick, just sick of work. Four work days left until FREEDOM!!!!!!

Heading for the Hills...literally

This week saw me making some big decisions and actually moving forward with them. I put in my notice at work and my last day will be August 26th, after which I'll pack up my stuff and head up to WA state for what I'm calling my last summer break before becoming a grown up.

Without boring you with all the details of what led up to this rather sudden decision, suffice it to say that it definitely feels like it's time for me to leave Lubbock. I've been dragging my feet on pulling the trigger for quite some time now. It also gave me the opportunity to set a boundary professionally that I think was much needed and will lead to good things for me in the future.

Although, the LBK lacks a few things that I desire, it does make up for it with lots of people that I love! It's been my home for 8 years now and is the place that I've lived the longest in my life. That little tidbit is crazy to me because it seems like only yesterday that my beat up Jeep made it to Lubbock packed to the brim with the basics necessary to start my life here. It's going to be rough, but I'm going to see how close I can come to making it out of Lubbock again with only what will fit in my car (plus a few boxes to be UPSed). That means everything's got to go, folks! So, if you are looking for couches, a washer/dryer, twin bed, kitchen gear, or any other odds and ends you should hit me up. For you, so cheap, almost free!

The scary part in all of this is that I haven't lined up a job yet. Moving home gives me some cushion to be out of work for awhile, but I know I'll go stir crazy if I'm idle for too long. I'm till hoping to line something up on the East Coast (NYC and DC keep beckoning me). I'm a little wary of the stigma that comes with being the creepy 30 year old doctor who moves home to live with her mother. Enter the "summer break" re-frame. Good to know all those years of schooling come with some practical applications. :]

Alright, breaks over, back to cleaning out my apartment. Seriously, how did I collect so much crap?