The end

I have graduated! Yeah!

I started writing this blog in order to keep up with my educational experience, and now that I am done with that I am also done with this blog.

However, Preston and I are going to work together on a new blog to document our journey from here (TN) to there (IL). I believe that the blog will be at http://prestonandkrystal.blogspot.com 

So, if you want to keep up with that journey -- feel free to tag along and enjoy!

-Krystal V. -

Wrapping up

The last couple of weeks have been busy wrapping up final assingments and such. My last class of this program was Tuesday night! Now I just have a final project and final exam next week. It really is crazy how fast this year has gone by. There have been some wonderful and supportive friends through out this time. I am going to miss seeing "the girls" and hanging out with the people from the program. It's been a great year of learning new skills, developing as an individual, and simply completeing a pretty hectic program.

Also...I was inducted into Phi Alpha honors society a few weeks ago (Yay), went to Cherokee with some friends and family and won nothing (not so Yay), Preston's car is dead (really not yay), and I got a small 8 week summer job (Yay)!

Life is grand and God is good....all the time!

Krystal

Spring time is in the air

Flowers in front of house!

It felt very Spring like today. This beautiful weather makes me look forward to May 6th all the more! Don't get me wrong, I enjoy what I'm doing, but I look forward to having some more time to be outside, and free!

This past week, I went down to Nashville with a group from school. We met with our representatives and had poster presentation competitions. It was a nice trip and I really enjoy the girls in the program. I will miss hanging out with them. But, I'm also happy to be finishing up...just five more weeks!

"Shatter the Silence, Stop the Violence"

Today I and my sister were in our first 5k race! The race was the Take Back the Night race, helping raise awareness of the need to stop domestic violence.

We just walked in the race, but we walked fast. We finished in 45 minutes, and we finished #163 and #164 out of 248 people! We were happy with that.

They give out awards for the top three in each age group...we barely missed that by a few people ahead of us :) However, we had SO much fun and we totally want to do it again. I would like to jog in a 5k at some point, and I really felt so good today I think I could have jogged most of it....we'll save that for next time. This was a good starter race to see how things go! I'm bummed that I forgot to take a picture with me and my sister....

Onward now to finish up the semester. Five more weeks of classes to go and one more week for finals...that means a total of SIX more weeks till I graduate!!!! I'm very ready to be done with the program and the business of everything. I will be sad to say goodbye to people and to Frontier Health (where I do my internship and where I worked before I started school)! It's crazy to think about all the work that we will have to start doing this summer. Packing, looking for another place to live, finding a job, finding someone to rent our house, and moving. I think once I'm done with school it will really hit me that we are moving to CHICAGO! I've lived in this area now for SEVEN years, and that's a long time for me. I actually do feel like I'm familiar with Elizabethton and Johnson City. I will feel like I'm leaving my home and having to make a new home all over again.....plus, of course, leaving family is always tough.

Well, off to Saturday chores! 

- Krystal -

This week

This week is Spring Break! Probably the last spring break I will ever have, but that's okay. Spring break as a married adult woman is a bit different, and slightly less excited, than when I was a freshman in college!

But the week has been very nice so far, and it is super nice to have some time off of work and classes. Preston and I have been doing some projects around the house. Of course, he had to work Monday through Wednesday of this week. He will be off for the rest of the week. I think we may go out of town this weekend, which would be fun!

I went to lunch and running around town with my sister yesterday and that was fun! I saw some very pretty material and made a skirt last night. It was fun, and I have never put pockets in a skirt before...so that was fun. Of course the pockets are not exactly even on both sides, but who's looking?

Close up of pocket (?)

Next I need to make a curtain for the back room. Preston put up a  curtain rod there -- we do still need to paint the room too. Always something to do around here!

Now I have to straighten up the house in order to take pictures of the house. There is a couple we know that may be interested in renting and they asked to see pictures. Kind of weird to think someone would be living here instead of us, but it would be a super great blessing if that happened!

This is a picture (to the right) of three guys and spouses who will be interning in various places this coming year! We were all very excited that all three guys got a placement.

Good times, 

Krystal V. 

Da Bears!

Well, Preston and I found out where we will be headed in a few months....Chicago, IL.

We are so very grateful to the Lord for his blessings and we are grateful that Preston got an internship. Today's high in Tennessee is 58 degrees and in Chicago the high temp. is like 38 degrees...with snow. The cold weather is not so exciting to me, but the adventure that we will have is going to be fun!

We wanted the box to say
Lil' Chicago Pizzaria, but it didn't
It was a good pizza...and deep dish!

Last night we ordered a pizza from a place in town called "Little Chicago Pizzaria". We got a deep dish pizza -- you know -- Chicago style pizza -- to celebrate! Tonight we are going to a friends house for a little party with the three guys going on internship this year.

The program had three candidates seeking internships this year, and all three of them were accepted to a placement! This is so great for the psychology program and it will help them with their accreditation! Everyone in their program is excited for them and it was fun reading all the emails Preston received from his professors and directors and stuff!

As for me, now I'm looking for jobs in Chicago! First, I have to finish my Master's program. :) My big culminating exam thing is due this Monday....which will be a relief to get out of the way! I'm pretty much done with it, just need read over things again and add a few details here and there!

Then we have spring break in a couple of weeks. Preston and I have contemplated going up to Chicago for a few days just to look around the city and figure out where we might want to live and stuff. Also, we need practice (or help) with the Metro system and figuring out where all the "lines" go. We looked at that last night and it was kind of intimidating! It will be fun though.

So, thanks to all those out there supporting and praying for us! God is good....all the time!

Chicago bound,  

- Krystal V - 

One long week

I feel like I have been "off" this semester. I'm slightly unmotivated to do my school work, but I'm really enjoying my internship - so that's good! There has yet to be one full week that I have done everything I'm supposed to do exactly the way I'm supposed to do it. I don't know if that makes sense. But we are approaching the fourth week of school....and there have been classes canceled, or online classes meeting, or I've missed a class or missed some work, and I've been at the hospital four out of five mornings this past week. It's just been off so far, and I think it's wearing on me. I'm kind of ready to get in gear; however...

...Preston's grandmother is not doing so well, which has had us at the hospital a lot this past week. It is a very sad time when you see someone you love grieving. Watching some one die brings up interesting conversations with people. It has been a good, emotional, and long week for the Visser/Waterbury families. Even with my salad box (which I still love) we have been eating out more (often at the hospital cafeteria) which has been a bummer to eat unhealthily....but a few weeks off my healthy kick is okay, right?

On top of that MANY of the family members are sick, including Preston. He has been feeling groggy for the last few days. Now he has a slight cough, achy body, and he feels weak -- but no fever. He went to bed at 8:00 tonight...poor guy. It seems like a lack of good sleep and the intense emotions of the week has been wearing on him and the family.

It's nearing midnight. I need to go to bed. I did not have anything to say but just wanted to post on my blog b/c it's been a few weeks!

Goodnight :)
Krystal

One week down.....many more to come!

So, the first week of classes is over! Just 15 more to go. :)

The first week went smoothly and I even had some time for a yoga class! I am grateful that I was able to get up on time, work out, eat healthy, spend time with the Lord and feel good during the days. However, it still seems that I'm always running late...just something I need to work on...by not doing things like writing in my blog!

Preston was gone Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday of last week, which had me here alone a lot, but now he is done with traveling. Yipee! And this week will be more normal than last week - I hope. Here is a picture of Preston (I stole it from Brenda's blog). This was taken when he was in Utah in his interview attire.


Life is going well for us right now. I have a new bird feeder and I think I'm going to have hang it somewhere else because no birds are coming to it, and I think it is because there are no trees around it (random thought)!

Steelers and the Green Bay Packers are going to the Superbowl in two weeks! Strange because my sister and her husband are big Packer fans and of course all the Vissers are HUGE Steelers fans! Family feud I see coming..........just kidding! It should be a good game...as long as the Steelers win!

Off to school I go!

GO STEELERS!!!!! 

January 17th, 2011

Today is my last day of freedom! :)

My official full time schedule begins tomorrow at 8:30am, and then I get super busy. I like it though. Its nice to be busy and I enjoy the program. I am looking forward to May and being finished with the Master's program. Depending on what happens with Preston I don't know if I will try to work directly out of the program, or if we do end up moving, will I wait till the end of summer to look for a job out of state? Of course not having some kind of job or something to do in the summer would drive me a little crazy....maybe that would free up my time to be busy with other fun things like volunteering or hobbies etc....I don't know...I actually have no idea. Just one day at a time, right?

So today I have a lot to do, including cleaning out the fridge. Something stinks really bad in there and I can not figure out what..but that needs to be cleared up pronto! I need to get all my things organized for the semester, clean the house some, get the laundry finished, and prep a new salad box for the upcoming week!

Preston left this morning for Kansas and he will be back around midnight on Tuesday night. He will then leave Thursday morning for Michigan and be back on Saturday morning. Then the traveling is done and we wait for February 25th!

We've had a fun time traveling thus far, and the opportunities that Preston has are really great training experiences. It is an exciting time, but the thought of moving all our junk does not sound very appealing to me right now! Anyway, we'll see what the Lord has for us this coming year and move forward as He plans.

I'm not very insightful today or having anything exciting to say. I just wanted to type in one more post before the semester got started, because I may not get around to it again for a while. I hope not, but that may happen.

Peace....Krystal

The journey begins

Preston will have his first interview on this Tuesday, January 4th. Tomorrow he and I will drive down to Memphis and stay the night. When he is finished with the interview on Tues. we will drive back home (late).

THEN we both work on Wednesday AND Thursday he will drive himself to the airport in Charlotte, NC and fly to Utah. His interview there is on Friday. He will stay with some family friends, which is a blessing, and he will return Saturday night.

ONLY to have to travel again on the following Monday to Hazard, KY. He will just drive there that morning and come back after the interview. Hazard is only 3 hours away.

That same week, on Thursday, he and I will drive up to Chicago for his interview on that Friday. We should be back on Saturday night...only for him to leave again for two more interviews the next week!

It's going to be crazy, especially for him, but there will be a lot of times this month that he will not be home.

Prayers are always welcomed for safe travels, great interviews, and that the Lord leads Preston (and I) when making placement choices...and that the Lord provides Preston with and internship this year!

Blessings,
Krystal V.

Putting away the juicer and enjoying my salad box!

In January of 2007 I started juicing and making juice for Preston too. So it has been three good years of juicing; however, for the first time in three years I'm actually putting away my juicer.

With our schedules right now it is a lot of work for me to keep up with juicing every day, and I know that there are other healthy things that Preston and I could be doing to help us rather than just juice. Having it on the counter stresses me out some and makes me feel bad that we are not juicing. But, I realized that we would juice and then eat all cooked foods the rest of the day. Or drink our juice but eat poorly...instead of salads or foods cooked with good veggies....and everything loaded with cheese. I know that Preston and I can incorporate more salads into our diets and use less cheese or low fat cheese to be healthier people.

I plan to not worry about juicing at least until May, when I graduate. After that I hope to pull it back out and juice again. Juicing is a great way to get nutrients into your body, and we really like the way carrot and spinach taste. For now we will stick to our green drink, fiber mix, vitamins, and healthier meals! It does make me feel a little weird, but I've come to terms with putting juicing on hold for a little while....not forever!

One thing that I've mentioned before is the salad box idea from Hallelujah Acres. It has worked wonderfully thus far. It's nice because I can say "lets have a salad for lunch" and pull out my big box, and there is everything I need. It even makes a difference having everything in one box, and not having to drag each individual container out of the fridge and open all the tops. The big box is a great tool! AND...it makes it easy for when you want to add some veggies to a meal. They are already chopped up! I made some omelets the other morning and wanted to add some veggies. So, I pulled out the salad box and sauteed some cauliflower, onions, broccoli, tomatoes, squash, carrots and corn. It was so easy to add veggies to the omelet, having everything pre-chopped and ready to go!

Also, if I'm a little hungry for a snack, it's easy to pull out the salad box and munch on some veggies! Here is a picture of what my salad box looks like:

I keep individual lids on things like the onions or the olives (cause of the smell and/or juice). My salad box does not have room for the dressings and the cheese, which is fine. I've been keeping the lid off the mixed greens and putting paper towels over the mixed green to help keep them fresh. 

I was able to use little containers that I already had, and the only purchase I made was the big clear box with a lid. It was a well worth investment, in my opinion. I hope to keep it up, and hopefully you can enjoy your own salad box too! 

Salad box with big lid closed!

Healthy wishes,
Krystal

Some holiday pictures

My parents and their fluffy dog, Sophie Ann

Candace, my sister, and I

It snowed a lot for the Christmas weekend! 

We thought Corky might like to experience the snow...

...but he didn't care too much for it :) 

The Visser side of the family draws names for Christmas time, and Preston drew Brittany's name. He made her a beautiful coat rack, shown here, and another smaller one for the kids coats! Very nice!!

Preston made me this gorgeous spice rack!!

I Hope everyone has a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 

~ Krystal ~