california (eventually)!

The week after Thanksgiving included submitting our group research proposal, taking orals for research, and taking a yoga final.  Friday evening was the last First Friday Dinner of the year for Graduate Christian Fellowship with an Advent theme and a white elephant gift exchange.

just before the white elephant gift exchange

Monday morning was the final for Advanced Medical Screening.  I had the afternoon to study for my Spanish final before meeting three friends at Passion City Church for the Grove, the women's ministry.

it got very rainy - this is during a break in the clouds Monday afternoon

aubrey, me, laura, and ashley at the grove

Tuesday morning I had one last research meeting for the year followed by a meeting for one of my electives for next semester - a preceptorship for the first year's General Medical Conditions class.  There will be five preceptors assisting the faculty with labs.  I left the meeting early to rush over and take my Spanish final.  I did my last email answering for the year, climbed at the Emory wall for the last time in 2013, and headed out to Passion City Church again for community group.  We spent some of our time gift-wrapping childrens' books - the congregation of Passion City Church gave a book to each child in grades K-5 in the Atlanta Public School District, delivered in the week before Christmas break.

Wednesday morning I got up dark and early to catch a ride to the airport with one of my classmates.  Hope's roommate gave her a ride so she could head off to Sydney, Australia for a month!  Since her flight was a couple hours earlier than mine, I hung out with her until her flight boarded before heading to my own gate.  I got on my own flight later and was happy to get back to the BEST COAST.

hope's pretty excited about going to australia!

My mom went off to her taiko drumming session shortly after I arrived so my father and I walked across the street for dinner at Mango Garden.  The next afternoon I headed up to Tahoe, arriving just in time to surprise most of the worship team with whom I used to sing at their practice.  Friday I went to Sierra and was able to ride for a bit and even ran into a couple of the Brackett kids.  That evening I went to Sierra Community Church's Christmas dinner.

sierra - found a couple of bracketts, joshua and janessa, as well as their friend jeff

Saturday I caught up with the Sierra team and was able to ride with them for a few runs before catching a last end-of-the-day run with my good friend Jim.  Jim and I started teaching snowboarding at Sierra the same season, 1998-99.

got to ride with the sierra team, lauren and megan

Sunday morning I was able to join my former worship team leading for both the morning services at Sierra Community Church.  It was also a good chance to catch up with a bunch of people I hadn't seen in a while.  I joined my friend Nicole that afternoon at Sierra for her first time back snowboarding after a four year hiatus due to finances and injuries.

sunday morning at sierra community church

Monday I had planned to snowboard in the morning before joining a couple friends for horseback riding in Minden in the afternoon, but I noticed a deep ding in the base of my board and took it in for repair instead.  I still got my ride in, though!  Monday evening I had dinner with my friend Jim, his wife Erin, and their two small children.

a monday afternoon horseback ride with leigh wayne, marissa, and valerie

Tuesday morning I went to Minden again, this time for an interview at a private PT clinic.  It went well and looks like a promising option for after graduation.  Wednesday I observed in the Carson City office for that clinic followed by a couple of hours at the Minden location before taking care of a dentist appointment (my dentist happens to be just around the corner from the Minden office).

beautiful sunset from lisa's lakefront condo

moonset at sunrise

My last day in Tahoe I got a couple of runs in at Sierra before meeting Pearl in Folsom for lunch.  I enjoyed dinner with Libby and family in Walnut Creek and ended up back in Cupertino that night.

lunch at the olive garden with pearl

me with libby after dinner with the fongs