"La Lori" Northcraft

Going National

2008-04-12T17:43:00.004-05:00

Our abstract was chosen for a platform presentation at American Physical Therapy Association's Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas! The presentation will be about last spring's pilot service learning project with Emory Physician Assistant students on South Georgia Farmworker Health Project.-which I initiated. Two of my PT friends will be presenting in San Antonio...I, unfortunately, had to choose between presenting and participating in the project due to clinical scheduling with St. Jude. But, I'll be supporting my classmates from South Georgia!

My name is in print in Physical Therapy Journal!
http://www.apta.org/AM/abstracts/pt2008/abstractsPt.cfm?m_id=17260

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

2008-04-06T14:02:00.002-05:00

I absolutely LOVE my current Physical Therapy rotation at St. Jude. The hospital is incredible...started in the 60's by entertainer Danny Thomas with the mission that "no child should die in the dawn of a new light." The hospital provides care to children with catastrophic illnesses (i.e. brain tumors-medulloblastomas, leukemia, sarcomas, etc.) regardless of the families' ability to pay. The facility exudes hope to young patients and their families. Walking through the colorful hallways and brand-new bone marrow transplant floor, I am reminded of an elementary school...with hopscotch in the floor tiles, murals, and children's artwork. The cultural, geographic, and socioeconomic diversity of the patients is unlike any other hospital I have visited. I am currently on the bone marrow transplant floor, working with very critically ill children. I currently treat two patients on a daily basis, ages 4 and 14. In 5 weeks I will transfer downstairs to the outpatient PT clinic, where the majority of patients are seen (after their chemo is complete and/or their blood counts have improved and they are not as immunosuppressed). I am really enjoying working in the non-profit, pediatric healthcare environment! More stories and pictures to come...

Moving from St. Louis to Memphis

2008-04-06T13:41:00.002-05:00

My parents recently flew into St. Louis, spent a few days in the city with me then helped me move to my new "temporary" home in Memphis. We had a great time visiting the Gateway Arch and riding the tram to the top. We enjoyed great food on "the hill"-St. Louis' Italian district. At last I got to see live theatre again, we all went to the musical comedy "The Wedding Singer" at Fox Theatre. Then I got to celebrate Easter with my family for the first time in 5+ years! A "farewell/Easter" party rounded out the weekend. Monday was a busy last day of clinic for me; I gave an inservice on the Right to Healthcare in the U.S. and completed my final evaluation. Tuesday was moving day as we rented a car and caravaned to Memphis. During the rest of the week, I learned about St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and got settled into my new home, while my parents explored Memphis and the Mississippi Delta area. We enjoyed eating dinner with new friends and distant relatives and savored Memphis' famous BBQ! After a final outing to Beale Street, House of Blues and Birthplace of Rock n' Roll, they flew back to the northwest. Here are all the pictures from our journey.

St. Louis Adventures

2008-02-21T17:41:00.003-06:00

I've been living in St. Louis completing my first 3-month long-term clinical at the Rehabilitation Institute of St. Louis. I'm living with a very sweet young couple, Mike and Kara Burns. I've enjoyed going to church with them and making new friends at the hospital and through my part-time job at Kayak's Coffee. Here are some pictures of my life in St. Louis.

Recycling

2008-01-20T22:18:00.000-06:00

I'm such a huge fan of recycling, I will even recycle myself! I couldn't resist jumping into this new bin in our hospital at Emory. My tree-hugging tendencies aren't fading...even living in the south!

Pumpkin Carving

2008-01-20T22:08:00.001-06:00

My classmates and I got in the Halloween spirit with a pumpkin carving party. I was very proud of my creation this year!

Greta's Second Visit to Atlanta

2008-01-20T21:30:00.000-06:00

"Lori, I have a proposal." I know that if a sentence begins that way, it's going to be good! Greta wanted to come to Atlanta for a high school friend's wedding and asked me to be her date. We had a fantastic time getting dressed up, eating great food (including red velvet wedding cake - I learned that's a southern thing!), and dancing up a storm. Greta and I made pinky promised that we would someday attend each other's weddings - no matter where they are :) During the weekend we also visited Atlanta's Botanical Gardens and enjoyed the pretty flowers and trails. Matt, my boyfriend at the time, was also visiting, so we all had a great time playing Speed Scrabble together. As always, here are more pictures.

Jenn and Amber

2008-01-20T21:20:00.000-06:00

I have had lots of good times with Jenn and Amber, they are two close friends from PT school. We made a pact to have international food together, trying new restaurants in Atlanta. Our cuisines included: Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Cuban, and Belgian (??? we struggled to classify the Original Pancake House). We also had a black tie date night in downtown Atlanta. Dressed in cute black dresses we went to the fancy Westin Hotel and rode the elevator up 73 stories to the rotating bar at the top. Our fancy drinks in souvenir glasses were pricey, but worth it for a unique experience! I miss those girls now that I'm in St. Louis and they're still in Atlanta :(

MS 150

2008-01-20T21:02:00.000-06:00

This year I rode in the MS 150 again, a 2-day, 150-mile bike ride to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis. Last year, it was just my classmate Nguyen-Vu and myself riding; but this year we had 15 registered riders on the Emory Doctor of Physical Therapy team. Our PT program director even funded nice biking jerseys for all of us, designed by Nguyen-Vu. We spent the weekend camping out in a softball field and riding around country roads a couple hours south of the city. More pictures.

Olympic National Park & Sarah's Wedding

2008-01-20T20:26:00.000-06:00

Labor Day weekend was a blast! I flew out to Seattle and lovely Jessie (former college roommate and teammate) picked me up from the airport. The next day Jessie and I went for a run/bike ride around the lake near her house, visited the first REI, wandered around Pike Place Market, and ate authentic Mexican food. Then we met up with Carol-Ann (good Willamette friend) and Ethan Nelson (her husband...I was in their wedding last summer). Carol-Ann, Ethan, and I drove to Sequim, WA in the Olympic Peninsula to attend our WU friend Sarah Reichner's (now Schafer) wedding. We camped the night before at Sequim Bay State Park, and got all sorts of strange looks as we put on dresses and makeup in the camp bathroom! Sarah and I used to be co-leaders of Fellowship of Christian Athletes during our days at Willamette. Their wedding was on her dad's lavender farm and it was beautiful! It was so fun to see many of our Willamette friends there and the ceremony was wonderful and Christ-centered. That same night, crazy people that we are, Lori, Ethan & I changed into hiking gear, donned our backpacks and hiked out in the dark into the middle of the Olympic Mountain wilderness. We camped at the second of three mountain lakes, with ridges and forest surrounding us on all sides. Sunday was spent exploring, cooking, and resting. Carol-Ann and Ethan taught me how to play Texas Hold'Em. Then, after a great dinner in Gig Harbor, WA they drove me to the airport for a red-eye flight before classes the next day (just my style).

It was so fun to spend time with my dear friend and get to know her fun husband. The area was incredible - I would definitely like to go back! With two different cameras going, we have a ton of pictures.

(again, I worked smarter, not harder on this post...thanks Carol-Ann for a lot of good commentary from our trip!)

Reunion with Leah!!!

2008-01-20T20:20:00.000-06:00

Leah, a close college friend and former teammate, drove through Atlanta in August. We hadn't seen each other in over 2 years, since Willamette's graduation! It was GREAT to see her and catch up on life. Leah had already seen my brother in Portland and stayed with my parents in Roseburg, so it was finally my turn! We went out to my favorite fondue restaurant, with her parents. Then Leah and I had ice cream...what a great summer evening!

Home Sweet Home

2008-01-20T20:08:00.000-06:00

It's always a treat to go home to Oregon, especially when I haven't been to my hometown in nearly a year or seen my parents for 8 months! I was very excited to spend my short August break in the northwest. I enjoyed catching up with family and just being home. Then, it was back to school again! As always, I took many pictures of my Oregon trip.

Backpacking in the North Georgia Mountains

2008-01-20T19:42:00.000-06:00

Scott and I are certainly known for our spontaneous adventures! One Saturday morning I got a phone call from him asking if I wanted to go backpacking (that night!). I had just helped him pick out his first hiking backpack at REI. And he was anxious to put it to use! So, I made some calls, did some online searching, and found the perfect backcountry getaway. We planned to hike up Raybun Bald, Georgia's 2nd-highest peak. However, we mis-calculated the trailhead and ended up hiking for a few hours on the wrong trail. Eventually we started bush-whacking (translation--going off trail straight up the mountain) to try to get to the top because it was dark. Thankfully Nancy the Navigator (my GPS) got us back to my car the next morning, bush-whacking again. Then we found the real trail (only 1/10th of a mile up the road) and summited Georgia's 2nd highest peak (Raybun Bald). Yay for adventures! Here's all of our pictures.

Road Rash on the Face

2008-01-20T00:25:00.001-06:00

When I returned from Oregon, I had one free day before classes began again. Scott called and woke me up after my red-eye flight and wanted to go on a bike ride. We had a fun ride through some rougher areas of Atlanta, then he got a flat tire. We worked on fixing that for an hour or so, then finally headed back to my apartment. Then, less than a mile from my house, I rode my bike too close to the edge of the blacktop, jack-knifed my handlebars, dove headfirst toward the road with my bike landing on top of me. Fortunately, Scott stopped on his bike just before running me over, and the cars did too. But, my cheek took most of the fall. I had a nice road rash on my face, just in time for the first day of a new semester of classes. Scott attempted to help me wash it up (aka, scrubbing hard with a washcloth), but as he admitted "I"m not a very good nurse." Needless to say, I always watch out for the blacktop near that intersection!

Greta's Visit and 4th of July

2008-01-20T00:05:00.000-06:00

My dear friend, Greta, has been with me through many transitions over the past few years. She and I met at Houston where we co-taught summer school during Teach for America Institute. When the school year started, Greta taught 3rd grade in Houston, while I was teaching 2nd grade six hours south. We kept in touch by phone, saw each other at TFA conferences, and made weekend visits to each others' Texas homes. When we both finished TFA, Greta and I traveled around the interior of Mexico for a week, then she helped me move from Texas to Atlanta.

Greta got to see my new home too! She came to visit me in Atlanta for 4th of July. We went out to great Thai food, celebrated a friend's birthday in Buckhead, she watched me run in the world's largest 10K on the 4th (Peachtree Road Race), we enjoyed the sun at a pool party, watched fireworks together, hosted a dinner for 3 new Teach for America corps members from Oregon (in Atlanta for training), drank Australian port by the pool, hiked up Stone Mountain, strolled through Piedmont Park, and, of course, enjoyed yummy authentic Mexican food. As always, it was great to catch up with a fun friend!

South Georgia Farmworker Health Project

2008-01-20T00:00:00.000-06:00

This project has been my "baby." It began with a coffee shop discussion with a Physician Assistant (PA) student and developed into faculty approving a pilot project of 4 PT students and a supervising PT offering pro bono care to migrant farmworkers and their families in South Georgia. The service-learning project development was hard work; I spent hours writing a proposal for faculty members, arranging logistics with Emory's PA program, creating student participant applications and a selection rubric, crafting a budget, raising money through bake sales, coordinating a clothing drive for the farmworkers, and, of course, the direct patient treatment itself. Our PT team joined the pre-existing project and worked alongside PA students and faculty for 3 days. We set up make-shift clinics with a canopy, some mats, a card table, and lots of borrowed Emory Healthcare sheets. Keep in mind, this was the beginning of June in South Georgia (Valdosta, and surrounding small towns), so heat was definitely a factor. We treated patients' musculoskeletal complaints at labor camps, county health departments, and low-income apartment complexes. Primarily our treatments involved injury to the low back...we even led "back" classes while patients waited in line for their general health check-up. Education, exercises, and massage (soft tissue manipulation) were common interventions we used. We bilingual handouts specific to farmworker injuries. After our final day of clinics, we drove 4 hours back to Atlanta, grabbed a quick lunch, and took a practical exam!

We wrote summaries of our experiences on the South Georgia Farmworker Health Project. This narrative was published in two PT newsletters; both at the state and national level. Most recently, my group submitted an abstract to present at a National PT Conference; our presentation was selected, so we will travel to San Antonio in June to describe Emory's interdisciplinary service-learning project.

Atlanta Braves

2008-01-19T23:57:00.000-06:00

My first summer in Atlanta was a little crazy with out of state weddings and adjusting to graduate student life, so I never had a chance to go to any Braves (baseball) games. I was excited when Emory had special $1 tickets, complete with free hot dogs, popcorn, and beer before the game, and free transportation. We convened in the Business School courtyard with other grad students, then rode big yellow school buses to the game, and got bused back to campus; all for only $1. It's great what tuition will pay for...I invited Jackie along to partake in the baseball festivities. Here are some pictures my roommate, Kate, took from the event.

Maria's New Baby

2008-01-19T17:04:00.000-06:00

My friend Maria used to teach first-grade across the hall from me at Taylor Elementary. When I moved to Atlanta for grad school, she and her boyfriend (Fernando) also moved to the city for work. We have enjoyed meeting up for dinner a few times since we been in Georgia. In the past few months Maria was: pregnant, had a sweet (bilingual) baby shower, and delivered a healthy baby boy. I got to meet up with Maria and Fernandito for lunch awhile back. I got to test his motor development and share with Maria strategies to help his growth; that was fun! These are a few pictures from her shower and our lunch.

Backpacking in Kentucky

2008-01-19T16:07:00.000-06:00

My good buddy, Greg, and I decided to drive from Urbana, IL and Atlanta, GA (respectively) and meet up at Land Between the Lakes on the KY and TN border in western Kentucky.

I took the rest of this commentary from his blog (I work smarter, not harder; thanks Greg):

We backpacked for two nights at a leisurely pace and did a lot of swimming. The first night, we forded across to a small island to camp the first night. The first picture shows me during sunset from our island campsite and the second shows me wading back across in the morning carrying our trekking poles and boots (Greg was the only one tall enough to carry our packs across and had to make a couple of trips). The water was perfect, though, in the mid-70's and we had a really nice backcountry trip. The last picture shows us with our finger companions, Virginia la Viajera and Teresa the Traveler. Loyal readers of either of our blogs will recognize Teresa from our trip around the country in the summer of 2005. I got Greg his own finger puppet, Virginia, in Mexico with the intention that he would take her to China, but she didn't arrive in the mail early enough, so she's made her travel album debut at Land Between the Lakes. BTW, Teresa and Virginia were great friends from the start. The final picture is of our well-loved, decorated packs that have gone on many a backpacking trip together.

Creative Studying

2008-01-19T16:02:00.001-06:00

Scott and I had to study, but couldn't pass up the chance for a nice bike ride. So, we decided to do both. We drove to the Silver Comet Trail a little north of the city and brought our study materials in a backpack. We rode about 15 miles until we got to a nice gazebo...we studied there in the shade for a couple hours and biked back. Now that's creative studying! :)

Cinco de mayo

2008-01-19T15:55:00.000-06:00

I stay true to my Mexican roots, even in Atlanta. For Cinco de mayo my classmates and I decided to go to this street festival sponsored by "Loca Luna" a local bar. I told my friends I was going to dress up....and I certainly did. My festive traditional Mexican outfit certainly received a few comments from friends and strangers. I tried to convince another friend to bring along the Mexican flag that I had, but unfortunately, we left it in the car. In holiday spirit, we ended the evening with yummy authentic Mexican food...I got to order in Spanish! :)

Nashville Country Music Marathon

2008-01-19T15:45:00.001-06:00

A group of my physical therapy classmates took a road trip to Nashville, TN to participate in/cheer for the Country Music Marathon. My friend, Lindsay, ran the full marathon and Kate (roommate) and Brian (her boyfriend) raced the half. We made T-shirts that spelled out RAMBO (Lindsay's awesome last name) and KATE on the back and were a mobile cheering section. I ended up running miles 19-25 with Rambo, gathering other friends along the way. We had a blast; after the race we got to attend a Sarah Evans concert (for free) and enjoy Nashville's nightlife. The next morning, I met up with a former Teach for America buddy, Megan, who is in speech therapy school in Nashville. All in all, a fun weekend...followed by an exam the next week; just my style! :)

Relay for Life, Emory style

2008-01-19T14:44:00.000-06:00

My dear friend, Amber, decided to be the captain of Emory Physical Therapy's Relay for Life team. Most of my close friends in the program decided to raise money and participate in the all-night event. We arrived around 6pm to set up before the first lap at 7pm and had participants walking until 7am. Our team won the "team spirit" award for our our "hollywood" costumes and energy. It was a fun evening for all as we chatted with friends while walking laps...all to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

Megan and I, being the crazy ladies that we are, decided to go home and crash for a few short hours, then drive an hour and a half to Augusta, GA for a Georgia PT Conference, then stay afterwards for a minor league baseball game. Eventually, we kept each other awake on our rainy drive back to Atlanta and finally got to sleep. Pictures from the weekend.

Appalachian Trail

2008-01-19T13:23:00.000-06:00

I brushed the cobwebs off my backpack that I hadn't been able to use (for its intended purpose) since Spring Break '05, when Greg and I backpacked in Big Bend National Park. One weekend this spring, I went on a backpacking trip in the Roan Highlands section of the Appalachian Trail. Julie, one of my classmates, and Daniel, her fiancee, and I drove up to the North Carolina - Tennessee border one Friday night. We rolled in late that night to an AT backpackers cabin and camped out in the horse arena out front. In the morning, we packed up and the owner drove us to the trailhead. Saturday was spent backpacking and enjoying the sights and sounds of nature. I enjoyed talking with some thru-hikers (planning on completing the entire AT...from Georgia to Maine). We hiked up and over several "balds" (the term for Southern "hills"...they almost qualify as mountains). Finally we camped at a particularly beautiful lookout, then hiked out the next day and drove back to Atlanta. It was a fun weekend, and very well planned by Daniel, a committed REI employee :)

Here are all the pictures from my Appalachian Trail backpacking adventure.

Visiting my Brother in Australia

2008-01-19T10:55:00.000-06:00

Daniel spent his spring semester studying abroad near Perth, Western Australia (in a small town called Fremantle). So, as any typical graduate student would do, I decided to spend my "summer" break (really just a week) visiting him. I flew from Atlanta to Chicago to San Francisco to Sydney, Australia to Perth, Australia - nearly 35 hours of travel time! For a week I got to stay at his dorm (an old converted hotel) in downtown Fremantle, explore the sites during the day, hang out with him at night, and see what the land down under is really like. Highlights of my trip were: 1) meandering the streets in Fremantle and exploring the little shops and restaurants (a relaxed surfer's town), 2) spending a day and a half at Rottnest Island off the coast of Fremantle with my brother (biking, playing on the beach, observing wildlife), 3) going on a winery tour in the Swan Valley outside of Perth (after 5 wineries, a brewery, and a chocolate factory I had made friends from Italy, France, England, Malaysia, Australia, Ohio, and Conneticut - and purchased a bottle of port!), 4) Visiting a wildlife park and petting koalas and kangaroos and holding a wombat (native Australian animal), 5) experiencing my brother's life abroad - a very unique and growing time, and 6) learning a lot about Australian culture and geography.

Phrases and Vocabulary from the Aussies: (most of these I learned from Sara, a sweet Australian girl my brother was dating when I visited)
wakey, wakey=wake-up
boot=trunk (i.e. of a car)
petrol=gas (for your car)
footpath=sidewalk
pissed=drunk
skull=to chug
spewing=damn
nackered=tired out
car park=parking lot
rubbish=garbage/trash
uni=university
brekky=breakfast
give way=yield
lollypop=candy (all types)
holiday=vacation (all types)
no worries=thank you
car/bike hire=car/bike rental
How are you going=How are you doing
I've lost my bearings=I'm lost
Hungry Jades=Burger King
Fremantle doctor=southwesterly wind/breeze that comes in from the ocean every afternoon during the summer and keeps people cool
ute=an el camino-like pick-up

Things I noticed:
Australia is very environmentally-conscious (they are an island and fight to protect that natural state)
They have comfy, padded chairs in their airports (not like ours!)
They drive on the left side of the road and their steering wheels are on the left too (it felt very strange to ride in Sara's seat, in our "driver's" seat)
Their moving sidewalks (i.e. in the airport) are on the left
Public transit has carpets on the floor, it is very nice and convenient
Pedestrians do NOT have the right of way (even at intersections)
There is a half-fush and full-flush when you use the bathroom (for #1, #2....saving water!)
Breast cancer awareness/prevention is celebrated with a "Purple bra day" (no pink ribbons)
Perth Australia has a population of 1.5 million, the entire (HUGE) state of Western Australia has a total population of 2.0 million
W.Australia is sunny and warm for 8 mos/yr and rainy for 4 mos/yr
Australia's east and west coasts have the same trend as the US (east=busy, face-paced; west=more laid back)

Here are all the pictures from my Australian vacation.

College Roomie Visits Atlanta

2007-08-21T19:35:00.000-05:00

Jessie is an awesome friend! She and I were teammates and roommates at Willamette University. Last year, she visited Texas and spent a day teaching my kids. This year, she came to Atlanta to see my life here. We had a great time...sight-seeing (World of Coke, Martin Luther King Memorial, Centennial Olympic Park), going to an Atlanta Hawks NBA game, hiking with friends on part of the Appalachian Trail, dyeing Easter eggs with my babysitting cuties, and spending Easter Sunday with Jackie and her family. Two Northwestern girls enjoying the South! :)

Spring Break in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas

2007-08-21T19:12:00.000-05:00

Megan (my good friend from the PT program) traveled with me to Texas and Mexico. We stayed with former Teach for America friends that are still living in "the valley," as we call it. Our mini-spring break included a Mexican breakfast with Jana, a relaxing day at South Padre Island, dinner reunion with my buddies in the mid-valley, a surprise visit to Taylor Elementary (complete with tons of hugs and classroom presentations about Physical Therapy), a hop across the border to Nuevo Progreso for delightful eats, a run on the canal near my old house with my dear friend Ashley, a stroll through Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, a visit with Nasaria (my former language partner), a quick eating excursion to Reynosa, MX, and an evening in McAllen and Mission with my former "roomies," Corbin and Ali.

As a college friend once said, "Lori, the valley earned a special place in your heart." That is certainly true; I was grateful to return and share this special place with a special friend!
All of the pictures from our adventures in the Valley can be found here

Three of my favorite gals!

2007-08-06T15:59:00.000-05:00

Meg, Kate, Megan, and I have lots and lots of good times! This was one of our nights out at Hand in Hand, one of our favorite bars in the Highlands. When I'm the designated driver, my friends have to wear cardboard hats from "the Varsity" (famous Atlanta restaurant)..good times!

Superhero Party

2007-08-06T15:55:00.000-05:00

This is what physical therapy students do for fun on the weekends....host and attend "Superhero Parties." Recycle Woman is now an official superhero. I will consider renting my costume to fellow tree-hugging outdoors-loving enthusiasts.

Atlanta, GA Marathon-Part I

2007-08-06T15:51:00.000-05:00

!

PT girls (me, roomie-Kate, Meg, Lindsay, and Jenn) at our pre-race pasta feast. We let the boys come too, but they had to do the dishes!

Roommates at 6am, waiting for the start.

Posing with my running buddy, Scott. He wasn't a runner until we became friends last summer. In November, we raced in the Atlanta half-marathon. Now, he's hooked! Many, many long Saturday morning runs (with yummy post-run meals) led up to our pre-marathon smiles.

Georgia Marathon-Part II

2007-08-06T15:43:00.000-05:00

Here are all the Emory Physical Therapy girls at the start line. Notice, it's still dark outside! Two of us ran the full marathon and the other three ran the half. We proudly wore Emory Healthcare shirts, along with about a hundred students, faculty, and health professionals. Emory was one of the race sponsors for Atlanta's inagural marathon.

Atlanta Medical Center...the finish line, well, not really! This is where Scott ended the race and where my tired legs had to take me after 26.2 miles. The full story requires a little background, this March day was unseasonably hot; 70+ degrees at the start, before sunrise, warming up to record-breaking heat in the mid-80's by the time most marathoners were finishing! Around mile 19, I was struggling to stay with my pace group (3 hrs. 40 min.) when someone said "not good, man down" and I looked over to see some guy face down in the grass with familiar-looking running shoes, blue shorts, and a red singlet (much like the one I helped Scott pick out the previous day at the expo). It was Scott...with people surrounding him!!! I didn't know what to do. Fortunately, I knew that he had one of his roommate's phone numbers on the other side of his race number (I handed him a pen the night before and made him do it). I kept running, knowing that a turn-around was coming up shortly. I continued to have an internal debate, should I stop and help my friend or finish the last 6 miles. There were medical people around him (so I thought). So, as I neared, from the other side of the road I yelled his name. I told the guys around him to call the number written, "We already tried that" they yelled back. What did that mean, I wondered? Should I try to help? No, he has people with him, there's nothing more I can do, I decided. So, I kept running, then saw an ambulance coming (for Scott, I assumed). The last 6 miles were the slowest of my entire running life (I had hit the wall and was terribly worried about my friend). Finally, finally, finally I reached the finish line (after seeing my babysitting girls cheering on the course, smiling at Jackie's homeade sign "Run, Lori, Run," and having my roomate join me for the last mile). Then, the next challenge began....get Scott's running bag (fortunately I remembered his race #1007), find his cell phone, call his roommates and girlfriend, find food, visit multiple, multiple medical tents, make phone calls to countless friends for directions to different hospitals, talk to many different ER nurses, and finally (!!!) find out he was at Atlanta Medical Center. Scott's girlfriend helped me manuever the stairs and curbs as we took the Marta train and walked to the hospital. All of this, after 26.2 miles...quite a journey. When we finally arrived at the (correct) hospital, I had to take a picture.

Scott being goofy in his hospital bed. I was actually quite fascinated by all the wires and I listened intently to all the lab results, then translated them for Scott's mom and friends. Scott ended up having heat stroke (temp. 105) and severe dehydration. By the time I got to the hospital he was on his 3rd IV bag! It was crazy! I analyzed his pulse ox (pulse oximetry...blood oxygen saturation) and EKG (heart) readings the whole time. I had a final exam the next day, this was the closest thing to studying! I finally got a ride home from the hospital and my marathon adventures came to an end, another crazy, unexpected day. Oh yes, and I finished the marathon just at 4 hours (off my target, but okay...all things considered!). Scott's ready to try again, we'll see!

Patients in the Nursing Facility

2007-08-06T13:51:00.000-05:00

We called her "hollywood" with her big glasses

Ms. T! One of my substitute grandmas with a sweet, sweet smile.

Treating Patients

2007-08-06T13:49:00.000-05:00

He was a consistent presence in our PT gym. Always laughing and telling jokes. I taught him some Spanish. She lost her sight due to diabetes. We danced together and had fun doing exercises. She could identify me by grasping my hands.

He gave me cookies and candy! A funny man with lots of characte. He gave me attitude and I gave it right back. :)
Aww...one of my boyfriends. I think he was a little teary-eyed when I said goodbye. I probably waved at him about 20 times a day. I always said I was going to time his wheelchair laps around the building....he was speedy!

PT School Life-Mid-Year 1

2007-08-06T13:02:00.000-05:00

In January we entered our first of three "symptom" complexes. Basically, this means that we were finished with 9 months of physiology, neuroscience, anatomy, kinesiology/biomechanics...the core sciences...and ready to start applying it all. Officially titled "Nutrition Symptom Complex" this 3-month module was about all the reasons that patients are hospitalized (coronary artery bypass graft, emphysema, congestive heart failure, bronchitis, pneumonia, diabetes, etc.) and what physical therapists can do to help them.

A short-term clinical affiliation supported our classroom instruction. All 41 of my classmates were assigned to a site and paired with a veteran PT. These sites were mostly acute-care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and home health. I was assigned to a skilled nursing facility (in the medical world, they're called a "sniff"), which is a sub-acute setting where people go if they aren't well enough to go home yet (post-hospitalization, surgery, illness, fall/fracture, etc.) and/or they don't have the support system at home to care for them. I worked at the "sniff" every Thursday for 8 weeks, then every day for 2 weeks. The facility looked similar to a nursing home, but with more critical-care equipment (ventilators, feeding tubes, etc). There were RNs, CNAs (certified nursing assistants), OTs (occupational therapists), and a social worker also working there. All of my patients were over 55 years old (the majority in their 70's). Laura, my friendly clinical instructor/therapist, and I spent all day walking through the halls treating patients in their rooms and bringing them down to the PT gym for treatment. In all, we typically saw about 8 patients a day and walked a ton!!! I made lots of new boyfriends (one even gave me a roll of toilet paper as a gift the day he was discharged), exchanged high-fives, hugs and smiles as I passed by the rooms, and even challenged my new friends to wheelchair races down the hallway. Of course, I taught a patient to say "Buenos dias senora" (with his thick southern accent) to the nurses!

The hardest part of this rotation was dealing with death. Four patients I treated passed away (medical lingo="expired") during my time there. The toughest was the morning when I arrived to the news that Ms. P had died. She was this adorable Cuban woman that I started treating during my weekly visits. She and I spoke Spanish and she told me stories about Fidel Castro, Miami, and her grandchildren. Even after she was discharged from therapy, I still visited her room daily and sat at the edge of her bed for a nice conversation. Her face just lit up every time I stuck my head in the door. After the deaths of a few other patients, I told a friend, "I just don't know what I'd do if Ms. P died." Then, it happened...that was a sad day! :( But, I learned a lot during my time at the sniff (smelled a lot of urine and other not so nice scents) and, most importantly, helped many elderly patients improve their functioning. I've posted some fun pictures from my rotation.

Travel Plans!

2007-02-17T11:16:00.000-06:00

Can't stay put for too long....I'm always itching to travel! Here are adventures I'm looking forward to:

End of March....Rio Grande Valley, Texas!!!
-My good friend and classmate, Megan is traveling with me during our mini-spring break to the "Valley" I can't wait to show her the Island, Mexico, Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, my school. She'll get to meet my former students and great friends there! And....tacos, lonches, raspas, migas, ceviche, coronas, aguas frescas....mmm...can't wait!

End of May.....Perth, Australia!!!
-My brother is studying abroad in Western Australia, a great excuse to go explore another part of the world. Plus, there are always good times to be had when the Northcraft siblings are together :)

August....Roseburg, Oregon!!!
-Nothing quite like going home :)

South Georgia Farmworker Health Project

2007-02-17T10:49:00.000-06:00

This project has been my most recent undertaking! I couldn't "just" study and go to classes....gotta have a big project! :) During one of my study sessions at Java Monkey, my favorite neighborhood coffee shop, I started talking to a PA (physician-assistant) student from Emory. I started telling him about my interest in offering quality rehab services to low-income Spanish-speaking populations (of course, a normal first conversation topic....for Lori!). He told me about the South Georgia Farmworker Health Project, two weeks of free medical clinics organized by Emory's PA school. Why couldn't PT students be involved too?--he suggested. A perfect fit...I was immediately determined to participate in the project! That was in November--since then, I met with the organizer at the PA school, spoke with the PT school director and faculty, arranged a lunchtime info. session for my class, and.....got approval for a pilot program this summer!!! PT faculty is allowing 2-3 students to go to Valdosta, GA in mid-June for a few days to offer free rehab screenings, injury prevention clinics, and rehab services (under proper supervision, of course) to migrant (Spanish-speaking!) farmworkers. I am ecstatic, of course...this project was seriously made for me and my passions! The BIG goal: The South Georgia Farmworker Health Project can be integrated into PT curriculum, offered as a 1-week addition to students' long term clinical rotations. First the baby steps...finding a PT willing to supervise Emory students this summer and securing funding for hotel expenses. I am soooo thrilled about this interdisciplinary, cross-cultural health service opportunity for both myself and future Emory PT students. Here's the link to the South Georgia Farmworker Health Project.

Former Roomies Reunite!

2007-02-17T10:48:00.000-06:00

I'm so blessed to have such awesome, inspiring friends! Amber and I had a fabulous time meeting up during my TFA recruiting trip to California. Keep up the hard work in med school, my friend! :)

Real Mexican Food!

2007-02-17T10:45:00.000-06:00

Amber (my great friend, former college roomie, and XC and track teammate) is in med school at Loma Linda University in Southern California. When I excitedly told her about my trip out west she said, "Lori I can't let you be that close and not meet up." So, Amber and I took a study break and met up in a random city halfway between her house in Loma Linda and my hotel in San Diego. My job: find a Mexican restaurant for dinner, while she was stuck in traffic. I drove around to a couple, but they were too Americanized. Then, I found "Alberto's Mexican Food"--actually connected to the Shell station. I took one glance at the big pictures on the menu and knew this was REAL Mexican food....imagine my excitement! I spoke Spanish with a cute old man in line and he advised us on the best meal on the item. Check out the size of that homemade flour tortilla that Amber's holding in front of her face...incredible! I think we each made a total of four tacos out of it! And we had aguas frescas...horchata and jamaica...my favorites! Not only did I get to eat REAL Mexican food and speak Spanish....I also got to catch up and share laughs and funny stories with Amber! It was a delightful reunion in Southern California :)

San Diego

2007-02-17T10:30:00.000-06:00

Wait...there aren't palm trees in Georgia! Nope, but January 28th and 29th I wasn't in Atlanta, I was in San Diego! A Teach for America recruiter said I was her top choice to participate in an Alumni panel at University of California-San Diego. How could I say no...a free trip to CA?! And, I only had to miss 3 hours of lecture. So, it's quite crazy to fly across the country early on a Sunday morning, recruit all day on a college campus on Monday, then fly back to the Southeast on a red eye to make Tuesday's 8am class. But, in Lori-style, that's just what I did. It was a quick and fun trip! My highlights were meeting 3 fantastic TFA alumni, talking with some motivated college seniors, relaxing in my fancy hotel room all by myself, and meeting up with Amber for dinner!!!

My Roommate's Birthday

2007-02-17T10:02:00.000-06:00

Kate's birthday was only a few days after mine. Our apartment was again a place of celebration. We enjoyed homemade pizzas and ice cream cake for her birthay dinner. Then, in typical PT-class style, we went out on the town. Kate chose "Andrews Upstairs"-a fun bar in Buckhead because they had an 80's cover band. So, lots of our classmates came out to join in another fun birthday celebration!

My 25th Birthday

2007-02-17T09:39:00.000-06:00

I'm now officially a quarter century old! I celebrated my birthday on the second day back to school! When I got back from my morning run, I found a "happy birthday" banner and "birthday girl" crown sitting outside my room. Then, Kate made me oatmeal, put a candle in it and sang Happy Birthday to me. Of course, I wore the crown to school all day and out later in the evening....she knew I would wear it (the crown has since been passed around for 5 other classmates' birthdays...and we changed it to say "Birthday King" for Kate's boyfriends recent b-day). Anyway, after school 20 friends helped me celebrate by gathering at "Taqueria del Sol" a cute taco place in downtown Decatur that I'd been dying to try. I received lots of thoughtful cards and gifts from my friends. And the best part of my birthday is that I get phone calls and emails from family and best friends across the country all in ONE day. I enjoyed hearing from my well-wishing friends in WA, OR, CA, OH, VA, IL and TX....thanks!

Ringing in 2007: Atlanta-style

2007-02-12T20:33:00.000-06:00

My brother stayed in Atlanta a few days after my parents flew back to Oregon. We got to celebrate the New Year together with some Atlanta friends before he flew out early on the 1st.

Northcrafts Spend Christmas in the South

2007-02-12T20:17:00.000-06:00

My family decided to spend Christmas break in the South this year. It was so great to be all together again for the first time since last Christmas, besides 1 hour over Labor Day weekend. First my parents flew in and got to meet my Atlanta friends at my "Milk and Cookies with the Northcrafts" party. Then, my brother arrived and we headed to Savannah, GA, a historical Georgian city 4 hours southeast of Atlanta, on the Atlantic Ocean. Savannah highlights included a historic bus tour and eating at Paula Deen's restaurant. Then, we dipped our toes in the Atlantic Ocean before heading back to the big city. In Atlanta we visited the Atlanta History Center, Georgia Aquarium, World of Coke Museum, CNN Inside tour, Fernbank Museum of Natural History, and Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. We enjoyed watching Cirque du Soleil (amazing!) and Atlanta Thrashers professional hockey game. My parents were happy to get out of the city craziness for a day and enjoy the fresh air in the North Georgia Mountains. Of course, we had some great food...southern buffets, sushi, Ethiopian, fondue, and home cooked ham. My mom even brought Christmas cloth napkins and placemats for a true Christmas dinner. There was no First Presbyterian Church candlelight service this year, but we did enjoy my church's Christmas celebration. We ran in a holiday fun run (minus my dad), explored Atlanta's many quaint neighborhoods, walked around Emory's campus, and, of course, relaxed. Our last big adventure was a trip to Nashville, TN...we line-danced, visited the TN state Capitol, Oprey Land, and TN History Museum. Fun southern adventures for the Northcrafts! You can see pictures of ALL of our travels by clicking here.

Christmas Cookies and Champagne

2007-02-12T20:12:00.000-06:00

Our apartment was at max capacity (70 friends!) and ugly Christmas sweaters were in full force at our Christmas cookies and Champagne (aka Ugly Sweater Party). The girls I babysit made awards that I distributed to various lucky attendees. Good times...awesome sweaters....lots of laughs! Only 2 noise warnings!

Roommate Love!

2007-02-12T20:07:00.000-06:00

Kate and I enjoy fun times eating ice cream cake, running through Emory park, laughing at our professor's jokes, making yummy salads, studying kinesiology, neuroscience, physiology...and more and more, driving to school in crazy Atlanta traffic, cleaning up our apartment after a streak of tests, drinking wine, and living life to its fullest in Atlanta. We're going to live together again next year! :)

Celebrating the End of Finals!

2007-02-12T20:00:00.000-06:00

With my lovely PT ladies: Kate, Kate, Becca, Meg, Megan, Julie, and Lindsay. We had a big post-finals celebration at an Atlanta bar! I was doubly excited...because my parents were flying in the next day :)

PT Christmas Party

2007-02-12T18:50:00.000-06:00

Here's we are still smiling in the midst of Finals Week! We had a class secret Santa gift exchange and holiday feast. A good break from our studies! I received the Mexican bingo game "La Loteria" and a pretty maraca...the perfect gift! As one of my classmates stated, "Lori, we pick up on the not-so subtle clues that you love Mexico and anything Spanish." Unfortunately, my students couldn't be wrapped up!

Atlanta Half Marathon

2006-11-25T23:36:00.000-06:00

Scott and I raced in Atlanta's Thanksgiving Half Marathon on Thursday. We have been training for a couple of months for the big race. It was Scott's longest race ever (only 2nd road race ever!) and my 2nd half marathon. After visiting the expo on Wednesday and getting some great deals on dri-fit clothes, we had a big pasta dinner. Then on Thanksgiving Day we were out of the house before the sunrise to head to the start line. Luckily, it wasn't too chilly (high 30's or so)....but we still raced in long sleeved shirts and pants. Two of Scott's roommates and their dog, Vegas, (in the picture) came out to cheer us on. A few miles into the race we saw Lisa, the mother of the little girls I babysit for, so we all ran together for awhile. We ran about 7:30 minute miles for the first 6 miles, then Scott continued cruising and I slowed a bit during the killer hills in the middle of the race. Scott's time was 1 hr. 37 min. and mine was 1 hr. 42 min. (a P.R. from my San Antonio half). We were quite sore and tired afterwards, but had a great time. I was excited to see my babysitting family at the finish line along with my roomie and classmate, Julie. After a good stretch and shower, Scott and I headed to his parents' house in an Atlanta suburb for a Thanksgiving feast.

Funny little kid perspective:
Lisa told her daughters, "The first half of the race was really tough because Lori and her friend Scott were pushing me" Shocked looks on Lauren and Jillian's faces..."What? Lori pushed you during the race? That doesn't sound like something she'd do."

Haha...children take things so literally sometimes :)

Engagement Party & PT Fun

2006-11-25T23:29:00.000-06:00

I love my classmates...they are such fun people. Last weekend some friends hosted an engagement party for our classmate, Nehama. A lot of girls from our class came to help them celebrate. During the same weekend, two other ladies participated in a dance performance (Becca and Megan) and a bunch of us went to cheer them on. I think we're a pretty active class! Here I am with Meg, Rachel, Becca, and Megan at the engagement party.

Christmas Extravaganza!

2006-11-18T09:22:00.000-06:00

Kate and I are planning an awesome Holiday party. I suggested that we try to copy the C-cubed party (Christmas Cookies and Champagne) that Lotus, Helen, and I hosted in TX. Kate liked the idea, but added a new twist.....all guests must wear the ugliest Christmas sweater they can find. We're even going to have special prizes! (I'm hoping to have Lauren and Jillian...my babysitting cuties...help me make some prizes). I think the party is going to be a huge hit; so far we've invited all our classmates plus our small, but growing, group of non-PT friends in Atlanta. We already know that 27 people are coming and are still awaiting responses from 41 friends! This could be a big one! We purchased a coffee table yesterday in preparation and are working on some wall decor since our living room walls are still bare, except for a big white board we use for studying. If y'all are looking for something exciting to do on December 1st....Post Summit Apartments in Altanta, GA are beckoning you! :)

A Special Phone Call

2006-11-18T09:05:00.000-06:00

I still have a "Valley" phone number, so I occasionally receive calls from unrecognizable "956" numbers (my area code). I enjoy answering these calls because they are typically wrong numbers and I get to speak Spanish and explain...."No, yo no soy su nieta Maria" (No I'm not your granddaughter Maria). So, last night I answered and heard "Buenas tardes" (another wrong number, I thought). But, no....it was Natalia's mom! Natalia (one of my favorite students!) had just received my card in the mail with my cell phone number and called to catch up. It was so cute....we spoke in Spanish (even though I taught her in English) for about 15 minutes. She told me about 2nd grade, her teacher, the books she's reading, her old classmates who continue to misbehave, other students who have migrated and aren't at Taylor Elementary anymore, and she shared her excitement about her new baby brother who will be born within the next 2 weeks! It was so great to talk to a former student, a reminder that, yes, I was a teacher....wow crazy!

I had originally included my phone number in response to her question, "En que horario podemos hablar por telefono?" (literally: in what schedule can we talk on the phone). How cute...one of my students wants to talk to me....her former first grade teacher! I can't wait to see her (and her family) when I visit in March! :) Also....Natalia was the focus of my story during my most recent Teach for America recruiting trip....little does she know that college students all the way in Oregon have heard about her :)

Corn Maize

2006-11-13T15:37:00.000-06:00

Finally, this Sunday I got to play and didn't have to study!!! Scott helped me celebrate with an Ethiopian food lunch (with his roommate, Brian...it was the second time the three of us ate there....a Burger King converted to an Ethiopian restaurant) and a trip to a corn maize in North Georgia. We found out about the maize from my friend Jackie, but had yet to check it out. Scott and I enjoyed being outdoors in the country as we wandered around the corn maize. To see more pictures from our adventures, click here.

Atlanta Thrashers (Hockey Game)

2006-11-13T15:27:00.000-06:00

We had a girls night out...Jennifer, Amber, Mindy, and I. Again, Mindy's husband got us tickets....this time 15 rows back on the center line. We enjoyed watching a professional hockey game so close-up. There were 3 goals and 3 fights, but unfortunately the Thrashers lost to the NY Rangers. There was a sold-out crowd of 18,000 people at the game. Mindy, of course, was fully outfitted in her Thrashers gear because her husband is an associate manager of the apparel shops in the stadium. Fun times!

Lunch Time

2006-11-13T15:26:00.000-06:00

Here are Lauren and Jillian, acting up for the camera. Yes, Lauren has blueberries on her tongue! I enjoy spending my study breaks with them!

My Babysitting Girls

2006-11-13T15:21:00.000-06:00

These are the two cute girls, Jillian (4) and Lauren (6) that I babysit 2-3 times a month. We have fun coloring, playing dress up, dancing, making chalk drawings, making swimming pools for their Polly Pockets, and reading children's books. I really enjoy spending time with these two sweeties. They make me drawings, so I now have a "Lauren binder" and a "Jillian binder" for my school work, decorated with their respective masterpieces. Lisa, their mom, is also running the Atlanta half marathon on Thanksgiving, she's hoping to run some of it with Scott and me. Mark, their dad, is really into biking so we always talk about our latest rides.

Yum!

2006-11-13T15:14:00.000-06:00

Reduce-priced Halloween candy and Moose tracks ice cream....we couldn't have been happier!

Atlanta Hawks Basketball Game

2006-11-13T15:11:00.000-06:00

Kate and I went on a roommate date (no boys allowed!) to the Hawks game at Phillips Arena in downtown Atlanta. We got free tickets thanks to our friend Mindy's husband who works at the stadium. After the game we went for a chilly stroll through Centennial Olympic Park (1996 Olympics!) and stopped at Kroger-Kruger (as we call it) for our favorite late night snack....see above!

Sad Pumpkins

2006-11-13T15:09:00.000-06:00

Our poor pumpkins, they were wonderful creations that, unfortunately, did not make it to Halloween! :( My witch is on the left and Kate's ghost is on the right.

Fall Break in IL and KY

2006-11-13T14:50:00.000-06:00

Occasionally we do get breaks from grad school craziness. Over fall break at the end of September, I flew to IL where Greg is attending school in Champaign/Urbana. We went to KY to the Cave Run Storytelling Festival (the big even of his town). It was fun to see his family again(aunts, uncles, and cousins included) and hear some incredible stories (lots of laughs). I ate lots of yummy food at his parent's house, including addicting moose-tracks ice cream (great for breakfast!). Then in IL, I saw his house (Greg' s a homeowner now) and his school and met some of his friends. We even rode bikes to school one day; Greg wanted me to bike commute with him since that's his typical routine. Now, keep in mind, a week before I'd taken a nasty fall on my bike and had an incredibly scraped up knee. Then, while running on some trails at Cave Run Lake in KY I twisted my ankle once again. So, I was not in the best shape! Still, I rode his men's XL frame mountain bike....a hilarious sight! I had to tilt the bike sideways to clear the top tube and once I was mounted, I was completely stretched forward in order to reach the handle bars. We would have some pictures of this event, but my mounts and dismounts were very dangerous! One such mount was in the middle of University of Illinois' campus, with many spectators...it looked like I had just graduated from training wheels as Greg coached me and ran along side to make sure I wasn't going to fall.....very funny! This is a picture of the two of us in his car during our adventures, a very familiar place after our 10,000-mile road trip between our two years of teaching in the valley.

The Infamous Helen, Georgia

2006-11-13T14:42:00.000-06:00

The town's claim-to-fame, the annual Octoberfest. Glad we could take part in the fun. See all of our pictures here (including a few fun ones of our pre-camping pumpkin carving session).

Fall Comes to Georgia

2006-11-13T14:31:00.000-06:00

Yes, fall finally made it to Georgia and I couldn't have been happier. After returning from my whirlwind trip to Oregon, my roommate reminded me that I we were heading out on a camping trip in the North Georgia mountains that weekend. Helen, GA (the same town we visited for tubing the Chattahoochee....see old post) was having it's annual Octoberfest, and we definitely could not miss out on the festivities. So, four of us drove a couple hours north of the city to the "mountains" (not by OR standards). I, of course, loved the fall foliage (that's such a funny word). Highlights of the trip include: my $4 country-style omlet, smores made over my backpacking camping stove because we couldn't start the fire, getting picked up by a 65-year old biker, and staying snug and dry in my tent during a torrential rainstorm (my roommate Kate was not so fortunate, we didn't stretch out the rainfly on her side...oops!).

My Padres

2006-11-13T14:28:00.001-06:00

My parents had to share me on my most recent trip to Oregon. But, we still had a great time!

My Bro

2006-11-13T14:28:00.000-06:00

Daniel and I...being silly as always!

Teach for America Recruiting Trip to Oregon!

2006-11-13T14:14:00.000-06:00

That's right...I got to return to Oregon on an all-expenses paid trip to recruit for Teach for America. I received a phone call from Willamette's recruitment director and two weeks later I was on a plane headed to Portland. The flight was the most awful I've experienced...after weather delays in Atlanta and Vegas, I finally arrived in Oregon at 3:30am, aside from a brief nap under the benches near the slot machines in the Vegas airport, I didn't get to sleep until 7:30am Atlanta time....needless to say, I was exhausted! But, as always, I had a fabulous time in Oregon! I stayed with my parents in Portland with some family friends I hadn't seen in over 8 years. I saw my brother for the first time in over 9 months. My college roommate Jessie (who just moved back to the US after two years in Japan), came to visit from WA. We stayed with our running buddy Kari. Then, I got to see my Aunt Charlene and cousin Tracy....very nice to catch up! In Salem, I met up with a few college friends. And....got to see Jessica, my neighbor and close friend from Roseburg (it'd been more than a year since I stayed with her in San Diego). Then, at Willamette, I stayed with two teammates who had been Freshmen during my Senior year. I caught up with professors and other Willamette folks. I had a quick lunch one day with Stacy my lil' lil' sis from the XC team. We've been buddies ever since she stayed with me on a recruiting trip her senior year of HS, now she's employed by Willamette! And...I met with 27(!!!!) outstanding college seniors and talked to them about Teach for America (oh yeah...the whole purpose of my visit). To round out my trip, I caught a red eye flight back to Atlanta (complete with a layover in Denver), arrived at 5:30am, and took the train and bus to my 8am class (not a very awake day for me!). It was a jam-packed trip, but lots of fun! Click here to see all my pictures. Oh yes, I forgot to mention, I could not stop talking about (and photographing) the fall colors in Oregon. This trip was in mid-October, before the leaves were really pretty here in Atlanta...so I was freaking out....first time in 2 years I got to experience fall!

Adventures with Jackie

2006-11-13T13:54:00.000-06:00

Jackie and I continue to hang out and have a great time. She and I met in Texas through Greg because they were good friends at Davidson College in North Carolina. I was excited to learn (3 days before leaving TX) that Jackie was moving to Atlanta for graduate school. She's pursuing her Master's of English Education degree at Georgia State. So, since moving here, Jackie and I have had many fun adventures. Hiking in the rain at Kennesaw Historic Battlefield with Momo (her dog), consuming amazingly yummy food at the Flying Biscuit cafe (an ATL specialty), tracking down her car after it was towed from a lot while we were eating at the above-mentioned cafe, meeting "Santa Claus" in a sketchy car impounding place as a result of the towing incident (an older guy with a huge white beard told us about going to Corpus Christi each December to be Santa), eating Mexican food at Taco Cabana (an Austin favorite....Jackie most recently lived in Austin and I just love speaking Spanish!), getting fresh Krispy Kreme donuts with Maelle (another Davidson friend who Greg and I stayed with in Venice Beach, CA), eating free Krispy Kreme donuts (yes, another time!), and catching up after many weeks of studying while sharing falafel and sushi (yes, these food items were both on the menu at "Falafel King!" Jackie also lived in Japan!). As you can see, the majority of our adventures have a food component, not mandatory, but an added bonus...yum! Hopefully our next adventure will include Momo and I can include some pictures with her.

Rafting the Ocoee River

2006-10-28T21:30:00.000-05:00

In late September I went to Tennessee for the day for a white water rafting trip. One of my classmates organized a guided trip down the Ocoee River. This is the same river where the whitewater rafting portion of the Atlanta summer Olympics were held in '96 (I didn't even know there was such an event). We had a blast on the river. Despite the rain and overcast skies, it was beautiful. The raindrops fell on the trees surrounding us on the banks of the river and the fog moved through the hills and tall trees. I managed to stay in the boat, although there were a few close calls when Scott flew across the boat to my side. Luckily I still have all my teeth; Scott and I did not always follow directions about holding onto the plastic end of our paddles at all times! Now, the group is already planning a trip on the upper Ocoee River next August! :)

A Church!

2006-10-07T21:07:00.000-05:00

After months of searching, I finally found a church that I like! My friend Jessica has been attending Church of the Redeemer with me since late August. The church is PCA-Presbyterian Church in America and is about 20 minutes from our apartments. I really enjoy the contemporary worship and Bible-centered sermons. There are lots of young families in the congregation too. I've been out of town a lot the past couple months, so I'm excited to attend the service tomorrow!

MS 150

2006-09-15T14:05:00.000-05:00

I did it! I biked 150 miles in 2 days! The bike ride to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis research was a success. Nguyen-Vu and I met 3 new friends, Eric, Marse, and Mark. We completed a lot of the miles together and called ourselves "Team Bank of America/Emory PT" :) They called me "Little Lance" as I pulled our pace line along. We had lots of laughs and sore muscles. I enjoyed spending the weekend camping and riding my bike. Four girls from the PT program even came to cheer us on! Scott even decided to ride his bike 85 miles from Atlanta to Callaway Gardens (where the ride ended) to meet up with us. Click here to see all my MS 150 pictures. You can still donate too! :)

Georgia's Pretty Too

2006-09-15T14:00:00.000-05:00

Don't worry, I'm still a Northwesterner at heart. But, I did find this little waterfall in North Georgia pretty.

Biking in the North Georgia Mountains

2006-09-15T13:48:00.000-05:00

I returned from Oregon just in time for Labor Day. Many might consider resting on such a day. Instead, Scott and I decided to tackle the North Georgia mountains on our bikes (Bistec Viejo and Mighty Morado). It was a pretty crazy idea, but we had fun. The highlights were: the pretty views, seeing the Appalachian Trail for the first time, flying down a windy road at 30 miles an hour, kicking Scott's butt up Blood Mountain, the tire swing at his boss' cabin, and our ice cream stop with lots of motorcyclists. Now he wants to train for the big loop (65 or so miles)....I'm in, but only if there's ice cream involved! :)

Three Generations Reunited in Roseburg

2006-09-15T13:45:00.000-05:00

It was great to be home with my family again over Labor Day weekend! My dad was excited to take this picture of the three generations and his special "squirrel" sign. This was one of the antique treasures he collected on his recent cross-country road trip. Yes, Leah, the "Squirrel" nickname still lives on! Here are the rest of my pictures from the trip.

"Lori's Home" Party

2006-09-15T13:42:00.000-05:00

My parents arranged a special "Lori's Home" party with my extended family in the area. I got to visit with lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins that I hadn't seen in over 8 months. It was great! Of course, lots of yummy barbeque food was consumed by all...it runs in the family!

The Beautiful Northwest

2006-09-15T13:39:00.000-05:00

What's not to love about this? I love rafting, swimming, and relaxing along the rivers near Roseburg.

Susan Creek Falls (Oregon!)

2006-09-15T13:37:00.000-05:00

My mom and I went for a hike one evening before having an excellent dinner along the river. We hiked to Susan Creek Falls, about 40 minutes from my parent's house. It was great to be hiking in the Northwest again!

Argon n Jawjuh

2006-08-24T13:35:00.000-05:00

Nope, it's neither Spanish nor English! I'm not in "Argon" anymore, so I better start talking like dey do in "Jawjuh." This list of Southern words should be a good start...thanks Scott!

Tubing on the "Hooch"

2006-08-22T18:53:00.000-05:00

I got out of the city on Saturday to float down the Chattahoochee River. After years of singing "Way down yonder on the Chattahoochee..." I finally learned that the song is about a river in Georgia...who knew? I thought it was about some redneck part out west! My friend Becca (pink shirt, far right) organized the trip for a bunch of the girls in my class. We drove about two hours north of the city to Helen, GA--a really cute tourist town made to look like an alpine village. After loading into our big tubes we headed upstream in the stylish bus seen in the photo, then floated down for a couple hours. The river was pretty low because it's been so hot; we got stuck on rocks a few times. Although it was no comparison to Oregon's North Umpqua River, the "Hooch" was still pretty cool. Plus, we even got to go on the waterslide for free...the advantage of traveling in a group of ten girls (the young, male, lifeguards let us in).

Fox Theatre

2006-08-22T18:36:00.000-05:00

Finally, live theater! Again, I had a 2-year drought during my time in South Texas. Luckily, Atlanta has lots of live theater options. PT buddies Laura, Haley, and I attended "Bombay Dreams" at Fox Theatre, a beautiful historic theatre in downtown Atlanta. The play was about India's "Bollywood"--very funny, especially because our anatomy professor is from India! Live theater, yet another advantage of being in a big city!

First Time in Over 2 Years!

2006-08-10T19:10:00.000-05:00

I went to my first official ballet class today since college. I took a couple classes my senior year at Willamette, so it's been awhile! My friend Megan invited me to join her for the Contemporary Ballet class at a nearby adult dance studio. It was fun (and challenging) to dance again! I'll definitely be sore tomorrow. The studio has a large variety, so maybe I'll get adventureous and try Latin jazz next time. Living in a city has so much to offer!

Java Monkey...my 2nd Home

2006-08-10T14:59:00.000-05:00

I've converted! I'm a coffee shop (study) addict now. I tried Emory's Health Science library for the first few weeks, but it was too quiet, I couldn't eat my snacks. That is particularly problematic for me, the perpetual grazer. So, then I tried out several area coffee shops. Finally, I found my favorite-Java Monkey. This local shop is just a short drive (or bike ride when it cools down a bit) from my apartment in downtown Decatur. Their food, wine, mango tea, hot tea...it's all tasty! Oh yes, and I study too!

Mexico Trip

2006-08-09T13:09:00.000-05:00

I celebrated the end of the school year with a week of travel in colonial Mexico. I had to take advantage of living so close to the border before moving "north." My good friend Greta and I enjoyed exploring numerous historic cities (San Luis Potosi, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Guadalajara, and Zacatecas). Greta and I met through Teach for America summer institute in Houston (we were team teachers) and we've stayed in contact since then. We stayed in cheap hostels and ate lots of yummy street and restaurant food along the way. All of our travels were by bus, although not always fully successfully (we ended up taking mini-detours along the way). As the sole Spanish speaker in our group, I felt responsible for any minor mishaps. Greta got food poisoning...poor thing! But, we had a fabulous time speaking (learning) Spanish and enjoying Mexican culture. We took an overnight bus back to the border in time for my last school/teacher meeting about a special needs student. Then, Greta and I drove together to Houston for the evening, before heading to her parents' place in Mobile, Alabama. In Mobile we split, after spending over 9 days together and I drove to my new home in Atlanta. You can enjoy all of the pictures from our trip to the interior of Mexico.

Roommates and Running Buddies

2006-08-08T16:58:00.000-05:00

Kate and I have a lot in common, including our love of long-distance running. She's training for the Philly Marathon and I'm (contemplating) training for the Atlanta marathon. So, we go for 6am morning runs before class. It's early, but we like to beat the heat. Kate and I push each other and it's great to have a running buddy again! By the way, Kate and I met at our Emory interview, then met up again during my Simmons College visit in Boston. We knew we could be roommates if I decided to attend Emory...and here we are!

Atlanta Hiking

2006-08-08T16:55:00.000-05:00

I recently bought a book at REI entitled "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Atlanta." I convinced some girls to join me for a little hiking adventure. I was excited to climb a mountain...even if it was only 950 feet, that's 950 feet higher than I've been around in the last two years! Jessica, Rachel, and I are posing by a lake we found. These ladies have been church-hunting with me too.

A Night in Virginia Highlands

2006-08-08T16:53:00.000-05:00

I've been enjoying the big city. It's been quite a change from the Mexico border!!! Here I am with Kate, Kristen, Meg, and Megan at a bar in the Highlands.

MS 150 Atlanta Challenge

2006-08-08T16:41:00.000-05:00

I'm training for a 150-mile bike tour near Atlanta in September. The tour's goal is to raise money for multiple sclerosis research. Luckily, the ride is spread out over two days...but still it's going to be tough. I'm riding in honor of my Aunt Charlene who was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I even convinced my classmate, Nguyen Vu, to ride in it with me. But, he's already reached the $250 pledge minimum. You can help me make my pledge goal by clicking here.

80's Party

2006-08-08T16:27:00.000-05:00

My classmates host a myriad of fun parties on the weekends. Here are Kate (my roommate) and Kristen posing in their rocking 80's outfits. We raided the local thrift store for our stylish dresses and shoes.

Service of Gratitude

2006-08-08T16:23:00.000-05:00

After we finished our anatomy course we had a special service to honor those who donated their bodies. This service was held with just our class in an on-campus chapel. Friends read poems, sang songs, danced, and played instruments to celebrate the contributions our cadavers made. I joined four other girls in choreographing a dance for the service. Two of our friends accompanied us with guitar and drum. It was so fun to dance again after not doing it for nearly two years. I look forward to performing again in the near future.

Megan-My Anatomy Study Buddy

2006-08-08T15:54:00.000-05:00

Megan and I were fortunate to find that are study styles mesh well. So, we spent countless hours together studying....in the lab, at Panera, Starbucks...we're hardcore! Megan was a tremendous help in catching me up after my weekend wedding excursions, she's a great teacher! Since anatomy has ended we have been missing each others' company-even though we still have class together every day. Nerds at heart! :)

Atlanta Roomies

2006-08-08T15:50:00.000-05:00

After my back-to-back wedding weekend trips, Kate and I decided to host a wine and appetizer party at our apartment. We had about 50 people over throughout the evening for scrumptious food and great wine. We even bought a folding table for the occasion...a big addition to our "simple living" apartment. FYI--it's impossible to keep an Atlanta apartment cool with such high occupancy, despite the AC on full blast.

Wedding Farewell

2006-08-08T15:47:00.000-05:00

Helen and Jon's wedding would not have been complete without kazoos and bubbles. Here Lotus and I are posing with our "honorary" roomie Jon. We enjoyed getting to know him during his weekend visits to the "valley" from Houston. Helen and Jon are so excited to live not only in the same city, but the same house! :)

The Beaming Bride

2006-08-08T15:39:00.000-05:00

In the two years I have been close friends with Helen, I have never seen her so giddy! She giggled during the entire wedding ceremony. I am so thrilled for Jon and Helen---it has been fun to see the many stages of their relationship...long distance dating, year-long engagement, wedding planning. They too are an extremely inspiring couple...their relationship is a true testimony to the work God has done and will continue to do in their lives. They both encourage me to stay strong and keep my expectations high! Love you guys!

Frosting!

2006-08-08T15:35:00.000-05:00

Surprise, surprise...I was addicted to the homemade frosting. Lotus and Zahra gave me this gift during the reception, a to-go container filled with frosting. I, of course, was thrilled and immediately began my frosting consumption!

Zahra and Her Amazing Cupcakes

2006-08-08T15:31:00.000-05:00

Zahra, another great friend from Teach for America, played an integral role in Helen's wedding. She made the fabulous cupcakes for the wedding. Of course, I tried all flavors: pistachio, chocolate, and vanilla. While in Texas, Zahra had made some sketches of the cupcake tower...the real thing looked just as wonderful! Great job Zahra--they were yummy!

Lotus and Lori

2006-08-08T15:29:00.000-05:00

I gave Lotus hugs all weekend. We had to stock up because she's heading to Macedonia for the Peace Corps in September! Lotus looked so cute...in pink (of course, Helen's favorite color)! :)

Texas Roomies Reunited

2006-08-08T15:24:00.000-05:00

Wedding weekend in Ohio! Lotus and I were thrilled to help our dear roommate Helen celebrate her big day. We arrived Thursday night in time for a family dinner, then a lingerie luncheon, wedding set-up, rehearsal dinner, and the big celebration (complete with lots of dancing). Here we are outside her parent's house in Alliance, Ohio. It was great to spend time with Helen and her family after getting to know them so well over these last two years.

Carol-Ann

2006-08-08T15:20:00.000-05:00

Here's the excited, beautiful bride all ready to walk down the aisle! It was so fun to be a part of her special day.

Making Friends with the Kiddos

2006-08-08T15:17:00.000-05:00

To be expected, I quickly formed friendships with some of the younger girls at the weddings. These are two of Carol-Ann's cousins (Madeline and Hannah). Hannah (on the right) was the flower girl...during the wedding festivities she would run up to me and give me kisses on the cheek. They both kept me out on the dance floor! :)

Willamette University Represents

2006-08-08T15:15:00.000-05:00

Here's all the Willamette folks that were supporting Carol-Ann on her big day. Most of us became friends through Campus Ambassadors, a Christian fellowship group. It was great to see many of them for the first time in a couple years!

We Clean Up Well

2006-08-08T15:11:00.000-05:00

Amber and I all gussied up for Carol-Ann's big day. The beautiful wedding was held outdoors at SouthHills Church in Eugene (where Carol-Ann works).

Ethan and Carol-Ann

2006-08-08T15:03:00.000-05:00

What a cute couple! Here they are posing with a wedding gift from Carol-Ann's brother, Andrew. He wood-engraved a picture and Bible verse on Alaskan cedar. I really enjoyed getting to know Ethan better during the wedding weekend. I realized that he is such a suitable partner for my dear friend. Their relationship is firmly founded in Christ, an inspiring example of priorities in line. At the ceremony, the pastor discussed the importance of authenticity in relationships, they clearly demonstrate this quailty. I left their wedding reminded of the truly important aspects in all friendships and relationships...thanks Ethan and Carol-Ann!

Former Roomies...Reunited!

2006-08-08T14:02:00.000-05:00

Amber and I were roommates at Willamette after we returned from studying abroad (Africa and Spain, respectively). Additionally, we were teammates for four fabulous years. Since graduating, Amber began med school at Loma Linda in Southern CA. We see each other every 6 months or so. Of course, I was super excited to spend some quality time with Amber during my time in Oregon for Carol-Ann's wedding (we were both part of the wedding party). I flew out after classes on Wednesday, made it there in time for the bachelorette party, ran wedding errands, helped with the reception set-up, ate yummy food at the rehearsal dinner, and fully enjoyed the entire day of wedding celebrations. Since Amber and I both love hiking and miss the Pacific Northwest, we managed to sneak away to hike for a few hours. My trip to Oregon was worth every minute of class missed (I even flew through the night to make it to Monday's classes)....I had a wonderful time with great friends Amber and Carol-Ann.