Thankfulness Friday - Deadline

Today is the deadline for submitting all external review materials for tenure to the Dean's office.  The second draft of the manuscript is now completed.  My research description is at a good place.  My publications have been photocopied.  Next in line is burning CD's with the same material.

I can take a quick breather before the onslaught tackling the rest of my to-do list for the summer:

1.  Formally submit manuscript
2.  Work on the full tenure dossier
3.  Organize seminar for the next academic year
4.  Put together Immunology lab manual
5.  Start the Worm lab manual
6.  Think about the next grant proposal

This weekend, I am going to enjoy my time with Bun Bun and her daddy.  We might go to the beach so Bun Bun can play in the sand.  Or, since it will be beastly hot this weekend, we might just stay at home and do nothing!  Yup.  That sounds good, too.

Thankfulness Friday - Forced Rest

I believe that God forces us to take a break.  Sometimes, He allows us to get sick, so we'd have no choice but to rest.  Other times, He does so by other means so we'd have to stop and refocus.

These past couple of months has been crazy busy for me.  It's been hard to take time off with the manuscript that needs to be submitted weeks ago and the tenure application looming over my head.  This week has been miserable with a sinus infection.  I pushed ahead anyway thinking that it really isn't that bad. 

There's always two more experiments in the lab.  Two more experiments for the manuscript to be completed.  Two more replicates to make an experimental result significant.  That's what May and June have been like.  I had planned a big experiment today and had planned to stay late, well into the night, to finish everything.  Then, next week, I can focus on finishing all the writing.  As it turns out, my reagent did not arrive; it won't arrive until Monday.  My big experiment will have to wait.  Will I make it?  I have no idea.  Do I have a choice?  No, I do not.  Am I thankful?  Yes, in a weird way.  I can go home earlier today and make Bun Bun giggle.  Is that better than a completed manuscript or tenure?  I know so.

Thankfulness Friday - Family

Another very busy week ended.  This one came with a sinus infection.  Yuck.  I hate being sick when the weather is nice.  So, I gave myself the afternoon off.

My brother is visiting PA this week.  John's sister with her two kids is visiting NJ this week, too.  This has been a fun week catching up with them.  Bun Bun got to meet her uncle (舅舅), auntie (小姑姑), and two cousins.

The highlight of the day/week/month was getting Bun Bun to giggle with me.  We were playing peek-a-boo.

Thankfulness Friday - Dawn Loggins

This has been another crazy busy week. I am thankful for the weekend to catch my breath before the onslaught of another crazy busy week even though the weekend is busy, too, at least fun busy. Bun Bun will be meeting her uncle, auntie, and cousins for the first time. My brother and John's sister with her daughters will be visiting the area. Who's Dawn Loggins? This week, high schools across the country held graduation ceremonies. Graduates are all looking forward to the summer. Some will have found gainful employment. Many will be preparing to attend colleges and universities come August and September. They each have their own stories about how they got to where they are or where they will be. This one about Dawn Loggins is my favorite.

Thankfulness Friday - Up Up Up!

Mmmmm... cabbage

All the fun makes Baby sleepy.

Bun Bun & Mr. Pelly (the Pelican who eats all her toys)

This week, I discovered that Bun Bun has begun responding to us (besides just smiling back).  She's starting to understand what we are saying to her.  When I hold out my hand and say, "Up up up..."  She drops the toys in her hands and holds up her arms.  She knows she'll be picked up!

Lots of fun and exciting things in store for us this weekend.  We're going to a Greek festival.  I'm going to try out the baby backpack we bought last weekend.  We'll have to find a nice sun hat first and pick up a tub of sun screen.