TOOTH OR DARE

So I have been a little slack on my blogging since this summer when I returned back to school for summer semester. Time has just blown by and so much has happened in the last 6 months. I can't believe its almost time for Thanksgiving again!
Here's a little flashback on my last few months:

In June we had our White Coat Ceremony to recognize the beginning of treating patients:

 I turned 24!

Alex and I ran the Peachtree Road Race on the 4th of July

Catharine Arielle and I attended the annual GDA Meeting in Amelia Island

(the school paid for us to stay at the Ritz!)

And we were published!

 I learned how to give injections!

During our 4 day break between summer and fall semester Arielle and I went to Chicago and visited one of my college best friends Caitlin

We welcomed the freshman class with a party...

"If I wasn't going to be a dentist, I would be..."

We were the Village People

 We took a bus to a braves game!

The girls in my class played flag football and we had such blast with each other!

Halloween with my roommates!

Love the Flinstones

 We celebrated the fall with an Oyster Roast & Low Country Boil at our house!

My parents made the spontaneous decision to join us for the festivities!

 Thats not all that has happened, somewhere in between all those fun extracurriculars I am 2 semesters and 2 more steps closer to becoming a Dr.Z!

The teeth are not always whiter on the other side...

Its that time again...back school (and yes it's the middle of June)

Although we only got six weeks off before returning for our second year, I couldn't have asked for a better break.  It was full of relaxing, family, friends and a trip that was an once-in-a-lifetime experience.

For two of my weeks off, I went to Nicaragua with two of my best friends from dental school and we volunteered in third world communities.  Talk about a humbling experience.  I have always known and been grateful for how fortunate and blessed I am with the life my parents have provided me, but this trip truly reinforced that perspective.

With this being a volunteer trip and not a vacation, our accommodations consisted of 6 bunk-beds to a room, cold showers, bottled water to brush our teeth and lots of rice of beans.  But this is was honestly 5 star compared to the communities we set up clinic in.  The homes we visited were built on dirt floors with tin roofs, no running water, latrines for restrooms and stray dogs galore, but they were filled with the smiles of welcoming families.  

It was incredible and eye opening to provide dental care to the members of these communities, most of which had never brushed their teeth, let alone visited a dentist.  With only two weeks, we were only able to treat a limited amount of patients, but attempted to have a greater impact on these communities through education of prevention techniques.  We were able to donate hundreds of tooth brushes and oral hygiene supplies to both the parents and children of the neighborhoods.  

The children we were able to spend time with, honestly melted my heart and I wanted to bring every single of them home with me.  Even with a language barrier, it is amazing how well you can connect with another human being and hopefully impact their lives as much as they impacted mine.  This trip only enhanced my passion for dentistry and opportunities this career will provide me to give back.

the TOOTH, the WHOLE TOOTH and nothing but the TOOTH!

As I am rapidly approaching the last couple weeks of dental school (ok, really I have to be back for summer semester), I have started to reflect on all the amazing things that have happened and all the things that I have learned (I'm not sure there is room for any more information, I may have to forget a few things haha) since I moved to Augusta.

What comes first to mind when I think of what I love most about dental school are the people that I am sharing all these wonderful experiences with and I am so thankful to have such a incredible group of people along for this ride with me.

Here are a few of the moments thus far...

when in doubt, wear white!

Give a Smile Wine Tasting

Big Girl Spring Break = Sun + Sleep

GDA Law Day

Oyster Roast and Harmonicas

Bowling Parties

The Cabinet Twins (aka my pseudo-everything)

Sailing Day

Football Season!

SWOOSH that off my list!

I have always had a 'running' bucket list of things I would like to see, do, or try before I die...
Speaking of running...a marathon has always been on my list!

I have always been an athletic girl and a fairly regular exerciser, but running has never been my favorite thing to do...However this year my New Year's resolution, like so many, was to get back into shape to feel healthlier physically and mentally...it wasn't easy at first, but I have actually really gotten into running and set my first goal...a Half-Marathon!

This past weekend I went to Myrtle Beach to attempt this goal, which was only to complete the 13.1 miles without walking...

The race was both a half and full marathon, with 5,000 people just running the half with me!
The perfect weather, great scenery and motivational ambiance all added up to a complete success! 
I am now looking for the next race I can sign up for....

HOW DO PEOPLE MAKE IT THROUGH LIFE WITHOUT A SISTER?

Sometimes it's the little things that mean the most...

My baby sis texted me today and ask if I still have my UGA cap & gown for her to wear in May, it may seem trivial to most, but it means the world to me that Hanna and I will wear the same cap and gown to graduate High School, College, AND Dental School! I can't wait for her to get here already!

TWOth is better than one!

Happy 2012 Everyone!!!

A new year and even more new changes to look forward too!

First semester went great, finals were quite the experience, but I survived! (partially due some really great news and partially because I spent Thanksgiving break studying all day everyday – it was worth it and definitely paid off) We had a month for break and boy was that nice! It was so enjoyable to spend that time at home and catch up with all my friends I had been neglecting for the 4 previous months!

But now that my busy break is over I need to share the great news I got:

On Friday, December 2^nd, at around 8:30 I was in the gym before my final that afternoon when I got a phone call from my sister.  In case it wasn’t obvious, it was 8:30 AM, a time my sister never calls because that it way too early in the morning!  I was hoping for a call that day so I was already in tears before she finished telling that the Dean of Admissions had just called her to let you know she had been accepted to the College of Dental Medicine with me!!! I think I was more excited than when I got my acceptance call just a year ago!  I cannot even begin to express how overjoyed I am to be able to share this experience and future careers together! 

Of course, my sister and I knew we couldn’t just call my parents to tell them the big news.  So we decided we needed to surprise them and film it again.  We called my mom’s assistant Melanie and asked for her help in setting something up.  Melanie invited my mom, dad and brother to go for dinner that night with her family at a sports bar to watch our high school football team in the play-offs.  My sister , her boyfriend and I drove into Atlanta and met Melanie before the dinner to give her a picture my sister wrapped of us that said “2 is better than 1!”  We then snuck into the restaurant and hid until they opened the present, which they thought was a holiday gift from Melanie and her family!  It was complete success and if we had kept filming you could have watching my mom sporadically crying for the next 2 hours!

Here is the photo of my sister and I playing with the Panorex when we were little that she framed for the wrapped present:

 And here is the video of the surprise!

Something Old, Something New...

 2011 has been one of the most monumental years in my life with the beginning of this adventure I am calling dental school, but with everything new this year has also been about some amazing things that have not changed...

As 2011 marks the year I began dental school it also marks the 25th year of my mother's graduation from dental school (my mom and i love how cosmic things can be)!

However away from teeth and dental school for a moment, there is an even greater anniversary to be celebrated...

November 14th, 2011 marks the 30th Wedding Anniversary of my amazing parents!!!
I cannot even begin to describe how blessed I am to have the parents I do.  30 years that is something to brag about!!!  I am not sure children always realize how much they are loved by their parents, but I have so many blessings to count everyday.  I have two parents who not only love each other unconditionally and have spent everyday of the last 23 years living and breathing for their children.  Sometimes, my brother, sister and I forget that my parents ever had a life before we came along because we have always consumed their everyday.  I have now gotten to age where I am beginning to look back and appreciate what amazing parents I have...

My sister is two years younger than me and growing up (until I was a senior in high school), Hanna and I hated that we had to share a room.  My dad would always tell us it was because he wanted us to be best friends...we hate to admit it, but it worked (maybe too well).  Hanna and I cannot get enough of each other and would love nothing more than to always live together.  We have planned our future lives together, when we are going to have kids, where we are going to live/practice dentistry (yes my sister is going to be a dentist too and yes our future husbands are just going to be along for the ride haha)!  And we have not forgotten our little brother, who has been an only child for the last 4 years, he is also our world and the greatest little guy I know (we are also bringing him along for the ride)!

Every lesson I have learned, every experience I have had and every accomplishment I have achieved is completely a product of the love and guidance of two people.  I have a family that is built out of love and is united by an unbreakable bond.  I cannot be more thankful for everything in my life and look forward to every opportunity to pay it forward!