Christmas already?!?

Well once again I have failed to keep my blog updated frequently.  The past month has been...you guessed it...insanely busy.  I haven't had time to much of anything besides research and finishing up classes.  My workouts have slacked off completely (it's been 4 weeks...EEEEK!) and I had to do 21 days worth of laundry last weekend...  So, things have been a bit crazy.  I finished up my classes a few weeks ago which took the load of studying off my shoulders, so that was nice.  I have been occupying my days (and a good number of evenings) in the lab doing my research.  I am having a bit of a problem finding cows that are fat enough to take samples from, so cross your fingers that I can get 4-6 more cows worth of samples soon!  I've been learning how to do Western Blots, which is a method of testing to see if a specific protein is present in a sample.  The protocol takes about a day and a half, but I get to use the developer in the dark room which comes with a Harry Potter-like rotating black-out door.  Every time I go in there I feel like I should say "Diagon Ally." 

Research, for those of you who aren't involved in it, begins with "re" for a reason.  It's a lot of do-overs with tweaking and manipulating.  Things never work right the first time and take about 4 times longer than you think they will.  This typically leads to long days, repeated efforts, and a lot of "hmmmmms."  I guess I've experienced all of these things so much that they don't bother me anymore.  When I was first beginning, I got really torn up when things absolutely didn't work.  It was frustrating and could turn a day sour in an instant.  I've come to learn that research is just like that.  You can have a protocol so down pat that you could do it in your sleep and it might decide to not work at all one day.  That is one part of research that I am not fond of.  I don't like going around and trying to figure out the answers to questions that have no answers.  My mind just doesn't work that way.  I am not a questioning thinker.  I don't look at something and say, "Hmmmm, I wonder what would happen if I changed this."  I am much more of a "give me the facts, let me understand them and master them, then let me teach them to someone else" kind of person.  I guess that's one thing (of MANY) that grad school has taught me.

In other news, I have really gotten into the Christmas spirit lately.  I went to a concert at Harold's church where he played trumpet and it was great!  I have been listening to Christmas music, baking ginger snaps, and feeling festive.  I wish Justin was with me to share in the holiday cheer, but I'll be seeing him in a little less than a week! 

Today we had our 2nd annual gingerbread house party.  It was at Louisa's house and we all had a blast!  Megan, Leah, Becca, Philip, Jason, Louisa, Damon, Louisa's friend Nancy from her pottery class, and Louisa's sister-in-law Diane all came.  We made and decorated houses and snacked on spinach dip with bread and veggies, sausage balls, and cookies.  I had fun this year with my decorating.  I used the same roofing material as last year, but did a checkerboard pattern this year.  This year's house was much cleaner and neater.  I was pretty proud of my work, especially my snowman family and my fence :)

This week shouldn't be too stressful and then I get to spend a week with families.  This will be a much needed break!! 

OH!  If you need a new addiction...let me know and I'll invite you to join Pinterest.  Love it!