Already they're becoming pals....it's the most amazing thing that I've ever seen!

Lists

Paul and I were talking yesterday about what our top 5 all time favorite songs were. It's tougher than you think to nail down. Was thinking my list might look something like (in no particular order). Yeah..I'll have to think about this more.....is anyone's top five list really static? Honestly?!:

1. Rocket Queen- Guns and Roses
2. Estimated Prophet- Grateful Dead
3. Dancing Nancies- Dave Matthews Band
4. Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town- Pearl Jam
5. Turn Back the Pages- Crosby, Stills, and Nash

Okay....since I'm making lists, Paul recently posted his favorite websites on his blog, and he speculated, very inaccurately (;-) about mine....he thinks that the ONLY thing that I do online is shop! So not true! So here are my favorites.....

1. CNN (see, I'm into the news, too!)
2. Washington Post (see...more news!)
3. People Magazine (okay, I'm a sucker for celeb gossip, but I don't like to pay for it; People puts enough juice on their site to satisfy my curiosity....
4. www.eitmonline.com- entertaining bits from local shock jock....interestingly, whose wife shares my OB; saw them in the waiting room when I was pregnant with Noah....
5. www. bushslastday.com- just check this one out! fabulous!

Okay, I didn't say that I NEVER shop online, just not as much as Paul would believe...

6. Coach
7. Nordstrom
8. Amazon
9. IMDB (not shopping, obviously!)

and

10. My Yahoo.....

hmmmm....not so thrilling a list, and afterall, who really cares?! This is what I do with my time now that the diss is done? How shameful.....
4.

Dr. Me

I've fantasized about graduating for sooooo long, I cannot believe that I'm finally done. So I'm still gazing at the new letters behind my name, trying to get used to it all. Graduation weekend (5.20.06) was just awesome...perfect! My Dad flew up from Myrtle Beach on Friday and my Mom drove down from PA...we hung out with Noah while Paul and Jake went to an Orioles/Nationals game.

Graduation Day was awesome, but hectic- breakfast in the AM with the Psychology Department...it was great to see classmates and professors; reminded me of what a nurturing and supportive environment I experienced at Loyola...and reminded me of what a long road it has been. When I began graduate school, it was September 1999; I was 25 years old and single! Oh how things have changed! My super dissertation committee chair even flew out from California just to hood me...have I mentioned that he rocks!

The graduation ceremony was typical, however Bob Costas gave, by far, the most entertaining commencement address of any of my 4 graduation! He was hysterical, I wish I had it on video.

Following the ceremony, a mad dash back to our house to meet up with various folks, and off to the fabulous dinner party planned by Paul (have I mentioned that he spoils me!); great to see folks from near and far; thanks to Mom and Dad, Aunt Susan and Uncle Denny, Ang and Joel, Lisa and Cole, and Eric and Adam, for traveling very long distances to join in the celebration. Also, it was great to reconnect with the local folks, including Aunt Jo, Ena and Tom, Lance, Rick and Jennifer, and Sarah.

Party continued at my house...but I must confess that I went to bed relatively early....I'm still getting up to feed Noah in the middle of the night, after all!

Great weekend, very bummed when it ended!

Just a few pics from Mother's Day, 2006

This year, I asked Paul to give me a simple, and yet oh so valuable gift. As much as I adore my boys, I really needed a break for Mother's Day...just an afternoon to....do nothing....and it was fabulous! Thanks, Paul.....you're a spectacular father and a great hubby...you spoil me!

We also had brunch with Dan, Louise, Heather, Dave, and the kids....was a lot of fun...here is my favorite pic of the boys and I, so far.....

Final Defense- April 21, 2006

Already feels like a long time ago; my final diss defense was on Friday, 4.21.06. It was overall a very pleasant and enjoyable experience. All of the advice that I'd been given by those who'd gone before was true; this time, I was the expert, and nobody else knew my project as well as I did. During the days leading to my defense, I was feeling increasingly anxious, but I reminded myself that this was just part of the process, and I decided to step back and enjoy the process rather than feel nervous about it. After all, a 2 hour defense of my project was nothing compared to the year of hell that I spent working at St. Elizabeths, when considering Noah's ordeal following his birth, I was again reminded that, as important as my diss was, well, it was just school. And I've been in school for a hell of a long time and I've gotten kind of good at it.

I have to say that my dissertation committee and my chair were extremely supportive and the defense felt more like a discussion than an adversarial situation as some defenses can be. My chair rocked, I couldn't have asked for a better mentor. So following my defense, Paul organized a surprise celebration for me at home, and I grinned from ear to ear for several days...I hadn't fully realized the weight that would be lifted when the diss was done. Anyway, enough about that...people who have done or who are working on a diss get what I'm saying, and those who've been spared are probably bored silly, so I'll stop!