A Time For Everything

Ecclesiastes 3:1-14

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build, 

a time to weep and a time to laugh

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away, 

a time to tear and a time to mend, 

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil- this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him. 

Over the last week and a half we have learned that there really is a season for everything as we commemorated life, death, marriage, and Thanksgiving. Last Thursday I got a call that my Uncle David had died unexpectedly. It seemed impossible at the time and the fact that he's gone still hasn't become a reality for me. As the word spread and people began to share their memories of and condolences for David, it quickly became obvious that he meant so much to not only his family, but his church and community as well. David was full of life and love and spread that joy with everyone around him. He always let you know that he loved you and that he was proud of you- in word and deed. He was always there, with an abundance of hugs, to support you in your accomplishments. As a matter of fact, I was still paying off a debt of several hundred thousand hugs for his help chopping BBQ at my high school graduation party. As with all deaths, there was a time to weep, mourn, love, and embrace. But because of David's fun-loving spirit, there was also a time to laugh. You just couldn't help it as you looked through pictures of him in silly poses and goofy costumes and think about all the good memories. His Earthly absence has certainly left holes in our hearts and family, but through Christ we have hope and assurance of being reunited with him again. 

On Saturday we traveled to Flat Rock, NC to celebrate the marriage of our friends Philip and Lindsay. They are great individuals and a wonderful couple and we're so glad they found each other. Their wedding was certainly a time to laugh, dance, love, and embrace! The wedding was held at the Bonclarken Conference Center. Lindsay's father is a Presbyterian minister and her family has spent a lot of time there. Everything was beautiful; the chapel, the bride, her dress, her father's words, and Philip's smile were all very lovely. The message even included the passage this post is based off of. It was the perfect timing for me to hear those words.  The wedding was at 5 so we planned ahead to stay the night. Our little Rowan Country Crew stayed at the Mill House Lodge which was basically just across the street from the Bonclarken campus. We each got a room in the Dogwood Lodge. It was perfect and so much fun to walk out onto the porch and right next door be your friends. Everyone agreed that we should come back when it's warm to enjoy all the amenities. We really enjoyed catching up and hanging out with everyone. We wish Philip and Lindsay a lifetime of love and happiness!

                          

The services for David were Sunday. Monday was spent catching up with friends. That morning we went over to West Rowan High School and were able to see many friends and students that we miss. After a couple hours there, we headed to Kannapolis to have lunch with Daniel,Tabatha, and MaryLynn at our old standby- El Amigo. We used to eat Mexican with them almost weekly so it was great to fit in our old tradition. MaryLynn is growing up so fast! I'm so proud that she already loves chips, queso, and quesadillas! I can't wait to help teach her little sister (coming next year) to love it too! That afternoon I went to handout with my friend Devon and her son Miller. He's such a cutie and at that wonderful age of discovery and amazement. Monday night was the first WR home basketball game. We grabbed dinner with Bob, Deona, and Marion at Mario's Diner then headed over to the game. It was great seeing our friends and living our old life but also bittersweet knowing it would be Christmas before we could see any of these folks again. We'll never have regrets about moving to Staunton, but we sure left a lot of good people behind in Rowan County.

Tuesday we headed to my folks in Hiddenite to hang out and prepare for Thanksgiving. I helped by making a few desserts. The first was a recipe my Dad found- Elvis Presley Pie. Basically all you need to know is it involves peanut butter, chocolate, cream cheese, bananas, and bacon. Yes, you read correctly- bacon. There are many variations out there, but this is the one we used. It is so rich and delicious! There were a lot of steps in the recipe but it was so good that I'll likely be making it again. One thing to be aware of- you definitely need a deep pie dish. We used the deepest one we had and still couldn't get all the filling in. It was still delicious though! The other dessert I made was the Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars that I made for the potluck at work last week. This time I used a metal pan (instead of glass) and did not put aluminum foil in the bottom. Overall the crust did better but I think I overcooked it. The dessert was still pretty good, but slightly overshadowed by the Elvis Presley pie and other delicious desserts.

We got to spend time Thursday with both Clark and my families before hitting the road back to Staunton. Fortunately, traffic was light and we made it home in good time. Work went well on Friday and that night we bundled up to go support the Riverheads Gladiators at their last home playoff football game. It was cold, but we stuck it out and it was worth it! Riverheads pulled out the win in the last few minutes of the game. Next week they will play away at Giles High School in hopes of winning and advancing to the State Championship Game.

The weekend has been full of rest and recuperation from our travels. I am so thankful for all that God has blessed me with: a wonderful husband, loving and supportive family, an awesome job, and amazing friends. I was starkly reminded not to take these this for granted because things can change so fast. Regardless of what happens, it has all been appointed by God and part of an ultimate plan that we don't always understand.

This week brings some changes- I go onto the large animal on-call schedule this week so I'm excited/petrified of what might drag me out of bed into frigid temperatures. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and has a wonderful week to come.

Full-Swing Into Fall

Fall has certainly set in here in the Valley. The color peak has come and gone, but boy did we have beautiful views for several weeks!

A picture just doesn't do the view of this farm justice!

Most of the leaves have been shed at this point, warning that it won't be long before winter is here. There's even a chance of snow this week!

Monday, October 21st was the local Young Farmers Round-Up. All of the Augusta and Rockingham County Young Farmers Chapters met at the Mount Crawford Ruritan building for a delicious dinner. We then had the opportunity to visit the Mount Crawford Creamery. This farm started bottling their own milk earlier this year and we got to see the pasteurizing and bottling equipment. The best part- free samples which prompted us to come home with loads of chocolate milk! It was also interesting to hear the owners talk bout their experience. While they don't seem to regret their decision to bottle at this point, there was a sense of disappointment as they spoke about the community response. As they mentioned, their seems to be a big push for local foods in this area; well, at least according to bumper stickers. The owners shared with us that it has been much harder than expected to get into local stores and restaurants than they expected; even if they promote that they carry local and fresh products. I can imagine that after a huge investment that it would be just as hugely disappointing to not receive the community support that is advertised. We wish them loads of success and will try to buy their product whenever possible!

The following weekend we had visitors! Bob and Deona Blake, our good friends and Clark's former co-workers, came up so that we could all go to the UVA vs. Georgia Tech football game in Charlottesville. West Rowan has former students playing on each team, so we thought it would be a great opportunity to go see and support each young man. They arrived Friday night and we took them to our dinner go to- the Bistro. The next morning we grabbed brunch at our breakfast go to, Kathy's, then headed over the mountain. Our tickets were with the Georgia Tech Fans, but having no real allegiance to either team, we just rooted for each player to do well. In the end, GA Tech won 35-25. It was a beautiful day and UVA has a beautiful campus.

It was so good to see Bob and Deona so that we could catch up on all the happenings at home and give them a glimpse of our new lives up here. 

The next week Clark got to travel with the Riverheads FFA to the National FFA Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. Clark is technically not an Ag Teacher at the moment so we were very thankful that he got the opportunity to travel to Convention. He is trying hard to serve as a second advisor at Riverheads, so not only was it good for him to go and bond with his new students, but he also got to see and support his former students as well. NC's Dairy Judging team was from West Rowan that he had helped to coach and another former student was recognized on stage for being in the top four nationally for his Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE). Like I said, I was very glad he got to go, but I missed him while he was gone. Particularly on Halloween night. We may have lived apart for the first nearly three years of our marriage, but I have gotten fond of being with him every night. Being in a more "urban" area I was pretty excited that we would get a lot of Trick-Or-Treaters this years. I invited my friend Erin over (she lives more out in the country and wasn't expecting any visitors) and we sat with the porch light on and a big bowl of candy (the good stuff might I add!) anxiously waiting. We only had about 13 kids but we enjoyed the polite and gracious ghouls and goblins that rang the doorbell. For supper that night I tried a new recipe, Ultimate Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes. The website for the recipe is weird, so watch out for that. Also, in true southern fashion I must say, they could use more salt and butter. However, the recipe did halve pretty easily. 

November 1st we celebrated the return of one of the small animal veterinarians from maternity leave. To show her how much she was missed and give her a hearty welcome back we brought in food. Since I was off the day before, I made two things. The first is one that has become my pot luck go to: Crack Dip. It is so delicious and always a hit. The other recipe was a new one for me, Apple Pie Bites. They are very good and fairly easy. Unless you are using GIANT apples, I recommend you do as I did and half your crescent rolls length wise so that the apple is overpowered with breading. Now I have to tell on myself.... I made the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture up early and was keeping it the microwave. Later I was baking something in the oven and used the timer on the microwave to countdown...so I thought. Clark asked me if I was making tea. I let him know that I wasn't. A little later he asked, are you sure you aren't making something in the microwave. I walked into the kitchen prepared to assure him I was not when I saw the light on in the microwave. OOPS! Rather than using the timer feature I had hit the cook time. This is what happens when you microwave brown sugar and cinnamon for nearly four minutes: 

No worries, after a lot of soaking and little scrubbing, it came right off! :) 

That weekend the Mary Baldwin Fighting Squirrells (I'm not kidding) hosted a volleyball tournament and visiting teams included the Meredith College Avenging Angels. That meant that my family came to town! Mom and Dad drove up Friday and we had wonderful dinner at The Depot. The next morning we had breakfast at Kathy's and then headed to the campus to watch Meredith take on Greensboro College. There was a pretty big break before the next game so we ventured downtown and grabbed a snack at Cranberry's Grocery. Cranberry's is a little more... earthy... than our typical restaurant choices, but the muffin and cake that Dad and I had were very delicious. We went back to campus to see Mary Baldwin and Meredith take the court. Meredith won and Molly got to play so it was great all around! Even though Molly came to Staunton, she has yet to see where we live! She was required to stay with the team the whole time. I'm dying to get her back up here and show her around! After the team headed back to Raleigh, Mom, Dad, and I grabbed dinner. First, we went to Luigi's Pizza. From the outside, it looked like it could be a great little hole-in-the-wall place. Once we got in there however, we realized it was just a hole-in-the-wall. Yes, unfortunately I have to give my first bad review for a place in Staunton. I'd say if you're looking for a place to get alcohol, you'd probably be in luck. But if you're looking for tea, sodas that do not come out of a flat 2 liter bottle, more than one person serving as waitress, bar tender, and cook, or something that requires the use of a fryer even if it's on the menu, Luigi's is not for you. We quickly realized our first stop wasn't going to work out so I quickly guided us to a place I KNEW we could get good food and service- Shenandoah Pizza. Our meal there was awesome and Mom and Dad seemed impressed. They headed back to NC and Clark got home from Convention later that night. 

The following week week we made a new addition to our family...

The Altima has been a great and reliable car for me. However, we have moved north where winter weather will bring the need for four wheel drive. Not to mention that ever since I left my first vehicle which was an SUV I have been dying to get up off the ground again. I am loving the Tahoe and we were so blessed to make a good find! And the best part is we were able to quickly and easily sell the Altima! 

On Friday evening, my landlord, Julia, and I went downtown to the Sparkles and Sweets event. That night a lot of the shops in Staunton stayed open late and had refreshments as a way to kick off the Holiday Season. It was so fun having a girls' night with Julia! 

The next morning Clark and my professional world's collided at the Market Animal Show Steer Nomination Day. I've mentioned it before, but showing livestock is a huge past time for the youth of this area. The Market Animal Show is not until May, however the steers have to be registered in November. Clark went as an advisor for Riverheads and I volunteered to help tag, vaccinate, and deworm the steers so we got up bright and early to be at the Staunton Stockyards. By lunch time we finished up and 126 steers had been tagged, weighed, and vetted. It was great to spend time with the the students and other folks passionate about supporting youth involved in agriculture. We're so happy to be a part of this community and look forward to being a part of the Market Animal Show for many years to come. 

This week Ray and Georgia brought us a very special visitor...

...Cathryn, our youngest niece! She has grown so much since her last visit here and is talking up a storm! They arrived Tuesday night and I had Wednesday off so I got to spend a wonderful day having fun and making memories. We made several stops that day including Pufferbellies Toy Shop and Riverheads High to have lunch with Uncle Clark. This little girl is so funny and we miss her already! We can't wait to see her (and her Mom, Dad, Sister, and Brother) soon we hope! 

I had to work yesterday morning, but after finishing up I headed to Riverheads for their first playoff football game where the readily beat the Arcadia Firebirds. We can't wait to see how far the Gladiators go in the quest for the state championship!

Well, that should get us caught up for now :) I hope to not fall so far behind again! Everyone have a great week! 

A North Carolina Homecoming!

On the whole this work week was much better than last! All except a minor glitch on Tuesday when I got bit...well more liked nipped in the face by dog. Not fun, but certainly could have been worse and I'm really blessed that I had just a few scratches and didn't lose my top lip!

As always, my day off was spent cleaning and preparing for the weekend. However, since the past week hosted both Boss's Day and National Veterinary Technician Week, I wanted to make some treats for everyone at the office. I made this recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodles. They were pretty time consuming, but worth it since everyone seemed to enjoy them. The recipe didn't really indicate home many to expect, but I got about 45 cookies out of one recipe in case you're thinking about making them. And all 45 were gone by the time I left work on Friday :)

Friday seemed to go by slower than normal because I knew we were hitting the road to NC after work! Fortunately, one of the small animal vets and I traded favors and she closed for me so I could get away from work earlier. The day was pretty forgiving for a Friday- except my very last case. Yet again, I diagnosed a big, sweet loving dog with bone cancer. It was very sad but we're going to work to make him as comfortable as possible until it's time to let him go. Clark and I got on the road about 6:15 and pulled into the La Quinta in Cary just before 10 pm. Quick side note: Clark and I are a pretty big fan of La Quinta. They're not super fancy, but they are usually reliable, clean, and have a pretty good rewards system. Keep them in mind when traveling!

Saturday, the day I had been anxiously waiting for, finally arrived. The day full of Family, Friends, the Fair, Fun, and Food!! We first picked up my Mom and Sister. I'm so thankful I got to spend some much needed time with those two! The theme for the fair this year is North Carolina's Homecoming. It was so fitting for Clark and I since it was the perfect place to see aunts, uncles, cousins, cousin's kids and many other friends. My family is really involved in showing sheep and goats so I was glad we got to see their hard work and dedication pay off at the State Fair. I have been in Raleigh for the past 8 years and usually have more than one day to indulge in my favorite fair foods. But this time we only had 1/2 a day and had to prioritize which foods to get. FYI the list was:

1. Mini Donuts- they are fresh, hot, and covered in cinnamon-sugar goodness! 

2. Ribeye Steak Sandwich from the NC Cattlemen's Association

3. Wisconsin Fried Cheese- Cheddar nuggets with Jalapeno Ranch

Normally I would also work in a corn dog, some "new" highly publicized deep fried food, and NC State Howling Cow Ice Cream. 

Saturday also happened to be Open House at NC State and my Aunt Cindy, Uncle Jason and cousins Tristan and Grey were in Raleigh for that. Once they finished up on campus we met up with them at Amedeo's, a definite Raleigh staple. It was so great to see them and catch up! I was seriously lucky to be able to see members from both sides of my family this weekend. 

The fun continued Saturday night when we got to celebrate the engagement of my good friend and classmate, Nikki, and her fiance, Justin. They are big Harry Potter fans and the bridesmaids planned a so-themed event. I'm not familiar with the movies or the books, but it really seemed like the ladies put in a lot of hard work into good food and little details that made the night a blast. It was SO good to see Nikki; June was the last time I had seen her. I also got to catch up with one of my favorite vet school professors and his lovely wife which was a great, unexpected surprise. We're so happy for Nikki and Justin and can't wait to celebrate their marriage next fall. 

After a fun-filled day we rested well and woke up with the intentions of taking my sister to breakfast at the NC Farmer's Market Restaurant. She has been in Raleigh for over a year now and somehow hasn't been there yet. However, when we pulled in the line was out the door- way out of the door. So unfortunately Molly's first Farmer's Market Restaurant experience has been put on hold. But that gave us the opportunity to introduce her to Big Ed's. Big Ed's is another great option in Raleigh for a big, country breakfast. 

Sisters rockin' the flannel! 

After brunch, we dropped Molly off at Meredith and hit the road back to Staunton. As our tradition has been, we made an obligatory stop at Bojangles before we reached sweet-tea-chicken-supreme-honey-mustard-buttery-biscuit barren land.

As usual, there's lots on on our calendar this week and more excitement planned for the upcoming weekend. Please be in prayer with us this week as a very special young lady waits on and hopefully receives some test results after some pretty scary medical events. The Lord knows the need and situation. Thanks and have a great week!

Wet but Wonderful Weekend

I'm not going to lie...this week wasn't great. But there were some high points! For instance...

First thing Wednesday morning I was trying to deliver a calf at the office. I was dressed in rubber boots and coveralls and covered in...well...the things you are covered in when trying to pull a calf. A small animal client came up to the barn saying she needed to speak with me. I had seen her and her dog the Friday and Saturday before and while working the dog up we discovered that her platelets were REALLY low. They came back in Wednesday for a recheck- the dog was feeling much better and her platelets were back up within normal limits! The client was determined to see me so she could tell me the news and thank me. She even gave me a hug and kiss on the cheek- me dressed in OB gear and all! It was a much needed confidence boost, especially during a tough week. It was one of those moments that is giving me hope that this whole being a vet thing is going to work out after all.

Thursday was my day off which was spent cleaning the house and preparing for the weekend. I finally got to put up the wreath I made last weekend...

Like everyone else, I love fall! We've got some mums and pumpkins out on the front porch steps too, but it's been too wet to snap a pic of them.

Friday I was in Small Animal and I was anxious for the work day to end- my in-laws had arrived and we were heading to the Riverheads Homecoming football game. It had been a while since we had seen Ray and Georgia. And who doesn't love a high school homecoming game!? Unfortunately, the wet weather continued Friday night so Georgia and I left the game after they crowned the homecoming king and queen. The fellas toughed it out and stayed through the end. Saturday morning was #4 out of 4 working Saturdays in a row. I'm quite relieved that little marathon is over for a while! After finishing up at the clinic, we took my in-laws to Country Cookin for lunch then headed to Mt. Crawford for the Green Valley Book Fair. Clark, Ray, and Georgia all love to read. I will pick up a book occasionally. I thought it would be great fun for them and a chance to do some Christmas shopping...and it was! There were thousands and thousands of books for pretty great prices. We got out of there with a couple of sacks of books and just a small dent in our wallets. Later that night we went to a late dinner at The Depot. The food was delicious, but the wait was longer than expected and, sadly, very sadly, they ran out of praline pumpkin cheesecake! Oh well, guess that means we will have to go back soon! :) 

Sunday morning we debated a bit about where to have breakfast. We decided you can never go wrong with Cracker Barrel. After a late breakfast we stopped by Sunspots Studios so Ray and Georgia could see the glass blowing and beautiful pieces of art. You can't help but wish you had a few extra hundred dollars lying around when you go in there. This visit they had BEAUTIFUL glass pumpkins- and I wanted a whole patch!Wishful thinking! And probably not a logical investment for a house full of animals; but a girl can dream! Ray and Georgia hit the road around lunch time and we spent the afternoon watching football, catching up with family and friends, and resting up for the upcoming week.

I'm anticipating a better week and hope you all have a great one as well! 

Just a Little Behind...

Life has been more than a little busy lately and I'm a couple weeks behind! So let's see...

September 20th was our first Riverheads home Varsity Football game! It truly was a community social event. We had always been curious about the lack of seating in the stadium. We learned that night that lots of seating is not necessary for a Riverheads football game- their fans are content standing and congregating all around the field so they can socialize and cheer on the Gladiators. Riverheads won and we had a great time, especially since my friend and colleague Nikki and her family were there too. The next day was busy for both Clark and I. Clark had to take the Praxis for technology on the campus of University of Virginia in Charlottesville. What was even more complicated than the exam was the fact that there was a home football game that same day. Poor Clark had to park over a mile away from his building and navigate the campus without his cell phone (not allowed in test room). That totally would have frazzled me before a big exam, but Clark rarely looses his cool. We're still waiting for the results of the test, but overall he thought it went well. I had to work in small animal that morning and then that afternoon was Open House at Westwood. It was so much fun to let folks in behind the scenes to see where and how we treat their animals. Not only was there hospital tours, but also demonstrations on sheep herding, search and rescue dogs, and a farrier shoeing a horse. Other features included face painting, cotton candy, and Chic-fil-a! The weather was pretty dreary, but we still had a great turnout and a lot of fun! 

The next day we went to the Fields of Gold Festival at the Frontier Culture Museum with the Riverheads FFA to help promote Shenandoah Valley Agriculture. The Augusta County FFA Chapters were responsible for the childrens' area that included a petting zoo, fake cows to milk, a corn "sand" box, and crafting your own wooden sheep by gluing real wool to it. There was even a kid's pedal tractor pull. The weather was much better that day and the festival was very neat! I had the chance to go explore other parts of the Frontier Culture Museum. It's a really cool place that has old farm scenes set up from all over the world. Definitely a place I want to check out again!

The following week was pretty standard except for I had two dinner meetings. I enjoyed them- free dinner plus learning more about the latest techniques and new medicatons- not too shabby! Friday night was another home football game ending in another Riverheads win. The 28th was another Small Animal Saturday and Clark helped cook BBQ chicken for a joint FFA-FCCLA fundraiser. The rest of that weekend was spent relaxing and trying out a new church.

This week was a bit different. With the change from September to October, I was scheduled to be in Small Animal Monday and Friday. On Tuesday, one the full-time small animal vets called in sick, so I worked in the clinic so that they too so they wouldn't be swamped. The best part was that Erin and I got to work together! Right now our schedules our opposite- when I'm doing large she's doing small and vice-versa. We had a blast both being in the clinic! Fortunately, Mike, the other mixed animal vet, was in surgery and available if we needed him, but for the most part we were self sufficient and got along great!

I had several firsts this week. For the first time I had to tell a client that their pet had cancer. It was definitely one of, if not the most difficult thing I've had to do so far. I had to spend some time composing myself and planning what to say before starting the conversation. Fortunately, the client was fairly prepared for the news. But the really bad part is that I had to do it two days in a row. The next day I had a patient whose abdominal X-rays looked pretty concerning. I caught somewhat of a break in that I referred the patient to a specialty center for an ultrasound and it was there they confirmed my suspicions. However, even having to speak those suspicions made me nauseous and broke my heart for the owner and her sweet dog. I know these are just the first two of many throughout my career and I doubt that sharing the news will get any easier.

Yesterday was Small Animal Saturday 3 out of 4. Normally we are not scheduled 4 weekends in a row, but I needed my originally scheduled Saturdays at the end of October off. The switch up just happened to put my September and October weekends all in a row. What was great about yesterday is that after work I got to travel with some of my coworkers to The Spa at Massanutten for an afternoon of pampering. That massage was just what I needed after this week! And the best part...it was free! This summer we met a production goal and were rewarded by the pharmaceutical company with a Spa Day followed by a steak dinner at Outback! It was great to spend some quality time with my coworkers away from the hospital!

Photo Credit: Laura Lane

Today we tried the early service at the church we found last weekend and then had brunch at Kathy's. I've had the crafting bug to make some fall decorations so this afternoon I've been working on a wreath. Can't wait to get it finished and show you all!

Whew....I'm going to try not to get behind anymore. I'm you're just about as tired from reading as I am from typing! Have a great week! 

The Good, The Bad, The Glamorous!

The past work week was a pretty standard week for us. Wednesday was another home JV football game that concluded with another big win for Riverheads! Thursday was one of those days....one of those days that I wished that every would-be vet student was with me so that they would understand just how "un-glamorous" this job can be. Among other disgusting and dirty jobs that day, preforming a necropsy (or autopsy for animals) on a 600 pound calf that had been dead for 12+ hours in the middle of a brush pile in 90+ degree heat was the highlight of my day. There was sweat, snot, spit, flies, spiders, more flies, and an intense struggle not to vomit when I made the rookie "gut shot."  Ultimately, I didn't mind doing it- it NEEDED to be done. In fact, what bothered me the most is that opening up that calf didn't give us any answers. But I just couldn't help but think of all the young ladies out there aspiring to be a veterinarian, and perhaps even the general public, who believe the job is all ponies, kittens, rainbows, and puppy kisses. Don't get me wrong, there are puppy kisses, and I love them; but some of the most important jobs of a veterinarian really involve getting down and dirty! 

But then...there are times when being a veterinarian IS glamorous! This weekended Clark and I got to travel to the FABULOUS Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg so that I could attend a continuing education conference put on by Merial and Newport Laboratories. The resort was so nice and definitely somewhere we couldn't afford on our own!

I was blown away by the generosity of the companies providing lodging, meals, and free products. I recognize that their effort is rooted in their hopes that we'll use their product and services, but it was a super nice weekend. The actual meeting part was only from 8-12 Saturday morning, so we had Saturday afternoon to explore the resort and Williamsburg as we pleased. I took the opportunity to get a massage at the spa :) Then we drove out to the Premium Outlets for a little bit of shopping. I think I could have spent DAYS in the outlets alone. Williamsburg is a neat place and I would love for us to go back and see more of the town. My family vacationed there the summer before I started undergrad. It's hard to believe that has been EIGHT years ago now! Yikes! I'm sure there would be lots of other features of Williamsburg that I would appreciate better as an adult. 

This week has been off to a good start. Tomorrow is Clark's birthday and tonight we are headed to one of Staunton's top restaurants to celebrate! This weekend is Open House at Westwood and I'm looking forward to being part of the event! 

Football & Family!

This week started out with a BANG! I was on call on Labor Day and boy did I labor! The first call came in around 9 AM and my day finally ended around 11 PM! All-in-all things went well and it was good to have a long, productive day. I was most relieved to have my first dystocia out of the way. Dystocia means "difficult birth." Honestly I've been pretty surprised that it took over a month before I had to go pull a calf. When I got to the farm the farmer said, "Well, there's a foot sticking out." My nerves settled quite a bit then.This gentleman very rarely intervenes on his own and usually calls us at the first suspicion that something is wrong. The good news is that we delivered the calf fairly quickly. The bad news is, the calf had already passed away before I got there. That was unfortunate, but I was ultimately relieved that my first dystocia wasn't that difficult after all. Tuesday started my new schedule of being on small animal at the beginning of the week, off on Wednesdays, and on large animal at the end of the week. Tuesday was pretty busy, especially being the day after a holiday.

Here in Virginia, most JV football games are played on Wednesdays rather than Thursdays like in North Carolina. Clark has agreed to run the scoreboard for the home JV games and this week was the first game! Since I was off I decided to join him. It was fun sitting up in the press box! Talk about a view...

And Riverheads won the game!!

Friday evening we traveled to Washington & Lee University in Lexington, VA to see my family! The Meredith Angels were in town for a volleyball tournament! It was so great to see my family and cheer on my sister and the other players as they faced some really tough teams! It was also fun learning about another little town in Virginia. Lexington is home to not one, but two universities: Washington & Lee and the Virginia Military Institute. And it just so happened that they both had home football games this weekend- so things were interesting to say the least! The volleyball games ran pretty late Friday night, so we grabbed a late dinner at Macado's. The food was pretty good- great place for a sandwich and the onion rings were awesome! However, it was Friday night and the place was packed with cadets, some of which were getting an early start on their weekend celebrations. Overall, I'd eat there again...just not on a Friday night :) Saturday morning we met Mom and Dad for breakfast at Country Cookin then headed over to the university to watch the rest of the games. Once they had finished up, we saw Molly and the Angels off and then grabbed lunch at Pure Eats. The lady taking our order said they had been voted best burger in the Shenandoah Valley. They were good...but pricey! Pure Eats are also known of their donuts, but if you want one of those, you need to get there when the door opens. The lady told us that the "Donut Divas" arrive at 4:30 am, the store opens at 8:00 am, and by 10:30 they are sold out of the 250 they have prepared. If we end up in Lexington again, I hope to swing by and try out their donuts!

Saturday evening we were looking forward to seeing Dailey & Vincent, our favorite bluegrass band at the Augusta County Expo. However, on the way home from Lexington I started feeling under weather. Being the awesome husband that he is, Clark offered to stay home with me but I sent him on to enjoy the show. He said it was a great! Today has been full of rest and recuperation so that I will hopefully be 100% for work in the morning. We look forward to resuming our search for a church soon.

This week should bring more fun, travel, and adventures! Hope you have a great week! 

Highland County Adventure

Hello and Happy Labor Day Weekend!

It's hard to believe that we've been in the valley for six weeks already! Things are going to so well and we are really blessed that God has provided great jobs in a awesome, welcoming and supportive community!

The biggest highlight of my week was driving over to the Highland County Fairgrounds to inspect the animals at check-in. I was very excited to represent Westwood in my first official fair duties. My first interactions with a veterinarian were as young showman, so it thrills me that showing livestock and youth participating in agriculture are a big pastime here. Everyone kept telling me to be careful on the trip from Staunton to Monterey. At first I wasn't sure why, but after about the 12th hairpin turn going across the mountains, I understood why. Just think Grandfather Mountain turns for about a 1/4 of the drive! It was a beautiful drive, but my trip there was blurred by concentrating on the road and a growing dread as I realized I might have to be the bad guy and turn away someone's show animal due to disease. Thankfully, it was a safe trip, and most of the inspections went great. However, I did have to decline two lambs due to sore mouth. One parent was very understanding and knew that it was a strong possibility the lamb would be turned away. The other parent... not so much and bristled up as soon as I even looked at the sore. It made me sad for the children that I had to reject those lambs, but medically I was confident in my decision; especially since sore mouth is contagious to humans! Overall, everyone was grateful for my presence and appreciated my being there. It was a lot of fun crawling in and out of trailers and truck beds looking at animals and meeting the families that raised them.

On the way back I was a bit more relaxed and really got to enjoy the scenery. One particular pull off caught my eye.

I'm not gonna lie, the name intrigued me. Fortunately, there were lots of signs around to educate me on just what the breast works were.

                               

I knew that the area had a lot of Civil War history, but it turned out that exact spot served as Fort Edward Johnson for the Confederate Army and that one of the towns I drove through, McDowell, had been the location of a battle. Apparently, breast work was the term for the actual fortification itself since it was breast high. As you can see, the view was gorgeous and I hope to get back and hike the trail sometime!

On the way back I also noticed a few other things that made me chuckle. On my route I crossed over Bullpasture Mountain, Bullpature River, Cowpasture River, and Calfpasture River. The whole cattle family was covered! I also saw a few deer on the way there and back and was keeping my eyes peeled for bears. Yes, bears! We haven't seen any yet, but they are pretty populous in the valley!

Other great features of the week:
- Watched over 100 ewes be ultrasounded for pregnancy. I was able to do the scanning myself a few times in vet school, but not enough to stage pregnancies and count babies well. I'm really hoping to pick up this skill so that we can offer the service to our clients
- Clark attended the Riverheads Crop and Vegetable Show. That's right, a crop and vegetable show! The students brought in the biggest and best of their summer garden and were rewarded for their efforts!
- MUCH better small animal day Friday
- Great dinner with Erin Friday night while Clark was attending the Riverheads football game with some of the administrators. It was good for Erin and I to be able to chat about work and realize that we're having the same experiences; just another great reminder of how blessed we are to have each other on this new adventure!

This weekend we've relaxed and watched football! After having something to do every weekend, I was ready for one that was more low key. This afternoon I tried a new recipe. We had four VERY ripe bananas on the counter. A little Pinteresting led me to this recipe and it's pretty good! I added a 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts and about 1/3 cup of raisins for more texture and flavor.

Tonight we're headed to a bonfire with new friends and tomorrow I'm on call for large animal! Thankfully Erin and I are double teaming so we won't be completely solo if a true emergency situation comes up. This week starts my new schedule of working small animal Monday and Tuesday, having Wednesday off, and working large animal Thursday and Friday. I'll have the opportunity to start doing small animal surgeries, so I'm looking forward to that! Hope everyone has a great week and a nice, relaxing Labor Day! 

Getting to Know You, Getting to Know All About You...

...Getting to Like You, Getting to Hope You Like Me...

The King and I, anyone??

This week was packed full of social events!! On the front end it was all about meeting knew folks and getting to know new friends better! The tail end involved a trip home and catching up with family and friends!

Tuesday we attended the Riverheads Young Farmers and Ranchers summer social. This group is a little different than the Farm Bureau associated organization that most readers will be familiar with. For starters, the average age of the attendees was probably around 60. But I imagine a lot of their goals are the same. They mentioned being part of a big Virginia Farm Tour and seem to be a really active group that does great things. It was a great opportunity for us both to meet knew people and to hang out with some of Clark's coworkers and FFA members' parents. It seemed like a lot of the members are Westwood clients. I am really looking forward to working with the group in promoting agriculture, supporting the youth, and maybe even as some members' veterinarian!

Wednesday night was trivia at Zabb's in downtown Staunton with some of the Westwood gang. Westwood probably accounted for half of the people in the restaurant :) So we broke into two teams and had a friendly competition. Both teams represented well. The team Clark and I were on, the Westwood Wonders, was leading right up until the end. But in the final round, including a wager, we blew it and the the other Westwood team took home the honors! It was a lot of fun and I'm just glad that we all represented well!

Thursday was a long anticipated "girls" night with my landlord and coworkers at Baja Bean. What was supposed to be a group of 7 ended up being a group of 3-but that's OK! We made the most of it... and the three of us realized that we were the only ones without children :) We missed the others, but it was certainly understandable why they couldn't join us. I'm looking forward to having children one day, but it definitely made me appreciate how life and priorities change once wee ones join the family.

There were a few low points in the week that I'll go ahead and get out of the way...
The week before we noticed that Sadie had a lump on the inside of her right elbow. I knew that it was most likely a "lipoma" or benign fatty tumor, but I wanted to be sure. I took her to work and we poked with a needle to get a sample; sure enough it was. Normally it would be ok to just leave the mass and monitor it for changes. However, with it being in a strange location, we opted to go ahead and have it removed so it would be easier to close the incision. I knew that I did not want to do the surgery myself, but I had no idea I would get so nervous about my own dog being anesthetized! But everything went fine and she even got her teeth cleaned while she was under.

Sadie on the way home after her surgery.
I think she looks good as a truck dog!

Friday was another tough day in small animal. My morning started off by getting bit by a German Shepherd. Fortunately, the bite itself wasn't bad at all; but it was my first time being bitten and it was a pretty scary situation. It definitely shook me up and had my adrenaline pumping. Which was pretty unfortunate because my next appointment was my first small animal euthanasia. I was nervous and it was a sad case, but we were able to prevent that animal from suffering any longer and give the owners peace about their pet. There were a couple of other tough cases throughout the day that really got my wheels cranking; They were the kind of cases that "followed me home." I've thought about them a lot of the weekend and hope they're doing OK!

Enough of that...now to more good stuff!!

I got home from work around 8:00 Friday night (yikes!) and we hit the road to NC shortly after. We arrived to Clark's parents' house around midnight. It was strange to look across the yard and to see someone else's vehicles in the driveway, but honestly, it wasn't as weird as I thought it would be. Clark and I both agreed that what was most strange was looking out to the dog lot and NOT see Bo, Sadie, and Tucker out there waiting for us.

Saturday morning I got to catch up with my good friend, Devon. We went to Mooresville and had a little retail therapy. That afternoon Clark and I went to see my sweet grandmother and then stopped by Pines Pool to see Bob, Deona, and Marion. Luckily, there were several members of our Concordia Church family there too. Saturday night we had a blast celebrating the upcoming marriage of our friends Philip and Lindsay. It was so good to hang out with our "circle of friends." We are so excited for Philip and Lindsay and can't wait to watch them tie the knot in November!

Sunday morning we traveled to Hiddenite to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Pastor and Mrs. Cook being at Berea Baptist Church.

Photo cred: Jill King

I turned 26 in April, so as far as I can remember these two have been the shepherds of my home church. They are wonderful, loving, Godly people and we have been blessed to be under their leadership. The celebration was a surprise to Pastor Cook! It was a very special day and I hope that Pastor and Mrs. Cook felt the love and appreciation our church has for them!

Unfortunately, we had to head up 77 pretty early in the afternoon. Clark and I decided pretty early that our trip wouldn't be complete without stopping here...

Oh that beautiful yellow and red!

We have figured out that the closest Bojangles to Staunton is about 75 miles away so I imagine we will be hitting that location on our travels to and from NC!

This weekend was just what we needed! This past week marked our 1 month moving to Staunton, so it was perfect timing to head home. While we didn't see everyone, we saw a pretty big chunk of our family and friends. I was nervous that the trip might make me homesick. While I miss everyone at home very much and will always be a North Carolinian at heart, I still had a smile on my face as we entered the Shenandoah Valley.

A Glimpse into the Next 30 Years

This week Clark and I started settling in to something that will likely resemble our routine...

Clark had meetings nearly every day at school and got to meet some of his students at Freshman Orientation Tuesday night. He's been pretty busy preparing to teach a new curriculum and helping the Ag. Teacher with FFA activities. He had the opportunity to meet the chapter officers at a meeting on Friday and attended a bake sale at Tractor Supply on Saturday. I had the opportunity to go to Riverheads on Thursday (my day off) to see the school and meet some of the folks Clark will be working with. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming and seem to be excited that Clark has joined them. Students start school tomorrow and I have no doubt Clark will do a great job teaching a new subject in a new school.

Wednesday we got to experience what life "on call" is like. The folks at work are letting Erin and I get good and settled in before we are regulars on the large animal on call schedule. However, this week the other mixed animal vet was out of town and he asked if I would take his night on call. I was happy to do so. I eventually had to have my first night on call, so might as well get it under my belt. Fortunately, there were only two calls, and they ended up not being true emergencies. Unfortunately, the second call interrupted dinner with friends. Our friends Laura, Andrew, and their adorable son Curtis happened to be vacationing in the area this week. Wednesday seemed to be the only night that worked for both of us. I prepped them about being on call and kept my fingers crossed. Call #1 came right at 5 o'clock so we pushed dinner back an hour. We had just ordered our food when the phone rang. Fortunately, due to the circumstances and it not being a true emergency we were able to (hurriedly) finish dinner before making Call #2. It was so great to once again have some old friends in town. They did some neat things in the area and told us about some great places they ate at. I can't wait to try some of their recommendations.

None of my pics could truly capture his cuteness!
What a joy!

Thursday we went to the Rockingham County Fair. It was much bigger than the Augusta County fair... almost as big as the Mountain State or Dixie Classic Fairs in NC. Highlights included watching the some of the dairy showmanship classes, eating deep fried country ham sandwiches for dinner (no shame!), Kachunga and the Alligator Show, seeing Erin & Jesse, an antique tractor pull...

My very first tractor pull!

And last but certainly not least...

OK so I took this video of some really adorable duckies going down a slide and I can't get it uploaded :(

I may just have to see if I can get it on Facebook for you to see there

Sorry folks.. technology problems...

Friday and Saturday were small animal days. Honestly, Friday was pretty tough. To simplify: I'm just going to have to learn that I can't save them all, I'm not always going to know the answer, and I'm not always going to please everyone. And this is a VERY hard lesson for me. Don't get me wrong, the greatest majority of my cases and client interactions are going great! But that small percent of less than ideal situations really bother me. I'm a non-boat-rocking-people-pleaser. But the sooner I square with the realities of this career and just take what lessons I can from each situation and move on, the more I will enjoy my job and life in general. I'm certainly learning every day and have wonderful help and support at work that make each day great.

Saturday evening we traveled back up to Harrisonburg, but this time to do a little shopping. The mall there is quite bigger than the one and Staunton and there are lots more stores there in general. We broke our streak of going to local, non-chain restaurants and ate at Outback. But we vow to visit downtown Harrisonburg one day and check out the food scene there.

Today we tried a new church. My coworker had invited us there with her and her family. We went to the early service, Sunday School, and then brunch at Kathy's with them. It was great spending time with her and her family and everyone at the church was very welcoming.

We're looking forward to this week- lots of social activities planned. We're excited to meet new people and get to know new friends even better! Hope everyone has a great week!

A Week of Firsts

We've had another great week here in Staunton! While we've experienced a whole lot of "firsts" over the last several months, this week had some that particularly stand out...

1. My first, real world paycheck! 
Up until vet school, I have had a job since I was 14. Once vet school started, I knew I would be unable to maintain good grades, a long distance relationship, my sanity, and a job. Vet school was a job enough so until July I had been unemployed for four years. It was tough at times knowing my only income was coming from a source that I would have to repay. Needless to say, getting that first paycheck felt awesome! I even took Clark out to dinner that night :) Which led to our...

2. First Trip to Baja Bean Co.
Most people know that I. LOVE. MEXICAN. FOOD. I think that I could literally eat Mexican everyday. We had heard that Baja Bean was delicious, but man-oh-man was it good! Clark got the Enchilada Jardin with steak and I had the So Gouda Tacos. And they were so gouda! We definitely will be frequent flyers there. And conveniently enough, it's located right next to The Split Banana... this could be a problem...

3. Clark's First Day of Work
Technically Clark is a 10 year teaching veteran, but I would be remiss not to mention it. His ability to find a job so quickly, the reception he has gotten, and the progress being made to get him back into ag is a testament to God's hand in our move.

4. First Augusta County Fair
One of the things we love about this area is that livestock showing is a HUGE past time. This week was the Augusta County Fair. Clark and I thought that checking it out would both a fun activity and a way to meet folks in the community. The Augusta County fair is not very big- probably a touch bigger than the Alexander County fair. The big showing event in the area happens in May- The Augusta County Market Animal Show. We were told that there were 120 steers alone at this years event. We can't wait to go next year! My first interactions with a veterinarian were as a young 4-Her so the opportunity to pay it forward is really exciting. But I digress... We arrived to the fairgrounds just in time to see the Grand Champion Market Lamb Drive. As soon as I looked in the ring I saw a familiar face- the judge was a former extension agent from NC! Small world! And the world got even smaller when Clark returned to the fair on Friday and his fraternity brother was judging the goat show! Being part of the FFA/4-H/Show world is so great because you can't go anywhere without running it to someone you know.

5. First Saturday at Westwood
Everyone had been warning me that Saturdays are crazy...and they were right. There was a line at the door when we opened at 8 and we didn't stop until we walked out just before 2. It was really good though. Everyone said I passed since I was till smiling at the end of the day :)

6. First trip to Waynesboro
Waynesboro is a town about 12 miles southeast of Staunton. It's a little bigger with more amenities like a Target, Kohls, Michaels, and Ross :) (I may be just a little excited to have located all of those not too far away). After consulting Tripadvisor, we settled on the #1 ranked restaurant in Waynesboro, The Green Leaf Grill. Once again, we were NOT disappointed. Very good food, reasonable prices, and worth the drive! On the way in we noticed Kline's Dairy Bar....so you can probably guess where we stopped on the way home...

7. First Sunday together in Staunton
Every weekend since the move, Clark has been in or headed to NC on Sunday to take care of things at home. Fortunately he was able to spend the whole weekend here in Staunton and we could start our search for a church. God has worked out all the other details of our move perfectly, we know that He will provide us a place to serve and worship Him.

So obviously, it was another great week! I would also be remiss if I didn't mention that it was Erin's first week of work too. It is seriously awesome to have a friend and classmate as a colleague. I'm so happy to be able to share my life and work expreriences with a great friend! This week will probably bring more firsts and I can't wait!

God is Good!

I have a very good friend who often tells me how obvious God's movement in my life is. And it's true. Very, very true. And God's hand couldn't be any more obvious in mine and Clark's life than it has been over the last several weeks. First he blessed me with an awesome job and worked out a wonderful place for us to live. This week the blessings continued- Clark has accepted a job and we have renters for the house in North Carolina!

Starting this coming week, Clark will be the new technology education teacher at Riverheads High School. Technology Education? That's not ag. ed!? You're right. But this position is a great way for Clark to get his foot in the door at a great school. Everyone we run into tells us that Riverheads is a wonderful school in a great part of the county. This year Clark will teach courses that are both computer and shop based, so it won't be a big difference from the ag mechanics classes he was teaching before. His shop and classroom are right beside the ag classroom and shop, so he will have the opportunity work closely with the Ag teacher and maybe even help with the FFA chapter. If things go right and enrollment allows, the administration seems open to having two ag teachers in the future so we're hopeful that Clark be back to teaching ag in a year. One minor detail that we're pretty excited about- the Riverheads school colors are red, black, and white :) Being NC State grads, that color combo comes pretty naturally to us. We loved being WR Falcon fans, but honestly, wearing THAT shade of blue was pretty painful sometimes. We won't have to dig very far in our wardrobes to find the right gear to cheer on the Gladiators. 

AND we have renters for the house in NC! What a huge relief! We are so thankful that it's settled and that financial burden is alleviated for now. 

Other great things from this week....

Our landlord invited us out to have dinner with her, her boyfriend, and another couple. And this is her view. Can you say, WOW! It was a wonderful meal with even better company. Julia fixed her take on this Pioneer Woman recipe and I made these Carmelitas for dessert. SO. GOOD. I was so grateful for their outreach and the chance to meet new people and develop relationships. I look forward to hanging out at the farm more in the future! 

Friday brought more visitors!

We were so happy to have these munchkins with us for part of the weekend. Friday night we went to the Dairy Rite which proved to be a great choice for the kiddos. Each of them got a Kid's Meal that came in a little cardboard Cadillac tray and with a token for a kid's sized ice cream. The kids loved it and all of the adults enjoyed their meal too. Saturday morning we went out to the clinic so they could see "Aunt Jenna's work." Luckily there were some foals and a kitty for them to pet so they thought that was pretty cool. Next, we traveled down to Riverheads so they could see "Uncle Clark's Work." Afterwords we went to  Gypsy Hill Park so the children could play. Gypsy Hill is a big, wonderful park with lots of activities to keep kids and adults entertained. 

First we played on the awesome playground...

Then we went to check out the beautiful duck pond...

 Our last stop at the park was the train...

We wrapped up the afternoon with lunch at Kathy's (seeing a weekend pattern here...) where fortunately, they were still serving "breakfast"! After lunch Ray, Georgia, and the kids had to pack up and head back to NC. We were so happy that the kids were able to come see our "new house" and can't wait for them to come back and have more Virginia Adventures. 

Wonderful Weekend!

What a wonderful weekend! We had a full house and I loved it! I mentioned last post that we had two VERY special visitors...my parents made their first trip to Staunton! They drove up Friday toting some tupperwares and boxes of the last odds and ends. They arrived during my lunch break, so we were able to meet at the Tastee Freez to grab some grub and then I headed back to work. I came home to find Dad slaving away with Clark and Bob working on the fence and that my mother had emptied and put away most of the stuff from the boxes! The fellas made excellent progress Friday and stopped working in time to have dinner at Mrs. Rowe's Restaurant and Bakery for some southern fare.

Source

Supper was great, but dessert was the best! I can vouch that their Peanut butter pie is a winner! 

The next morning we met at our favorite breakfast joint- Kathy's! 

Source

This is the place where it all started! It was here that we met the owners of Westwood for the first time! The folks at Kathy's tout the best breakfast in Staunton, and as of right now it is uncontested! After breakfast the guys finished up the fence. And it looks wonderful!!!

It's so perfect and Clark and I are so thankful for Dad and Bob's help in making it happen!





Mom and Dad headed home a little after lunch. I can't wait to have them visit again so we can show them around some more. We took a few hours to relax, introduced Bob to the wonder that is the Nutter Butter Tastee Freez, then went gallivanting around Augusta County. We landed back in downtown Staunton and had dinner at The Clocktower.

If it's not obvious by now, Clark and I LOVE to go out to eat. I would maybe consider us amateur foodies. So far the Staunton food scene has exceeding our expectations! We strolled down Beverly St. and passed The Split Banana. Apparently Bob's ice cream compartment is just like mine... never full... so before I knew it were were topping off the evening with delicious gelato.

On Sunday everyone had headed back to NC. However, I didn't have to spend the day alone! My friend and classmate, Katherine, is doing an internship at Virginia Tech which is only about 2 hours away from Staunton. Katherine had the weekend off so she rode up for the day! It was so great hanging out and catching up on all the exciting things that have happened since graduation. We went and drove around the countryside and then explored a little downtown. For dinner we pulled into Wright's Dairy Rite for some good old fashioned hamburgers and hot dogs.

It was so good! I was so happy to find a place where I could get a hot dog "Carolina style" with chili and slaw! Mmmm Mmmm! And as if I hadn't consumed enough calories this weekend, we split a Wright's Wheelie for dessert.

Somewhere under there is a donut! 

As you can see this weekend was jam packed- but I loved it! Getting to show folks around gives me a greater appreciation for the awesome things Staunton and the surrounding area has to offer. However, if this keeps up, I'm really going to have to work on my self control!