Sock tans

Today I met up with a friend I made in my new singles ward named Brittany. She says that a ton of the ward runs. Another friend from the ward named Jenna said she also loves to run and wants to meet up for a run sometime. 

Anyway, Brittany and I went out to Daybreak and ran around Daybreak lake. It was so nice to run with somebody again. We're going to try to make this a weekly thing. 

Dang I didn't run yesterday... but imma try to run the rest of the week.

Today I rode a horse English style for the first time! Next week I'll learn how to ride while it trots. 

It was HOT

Easy 3 with Olivia

I'm at my parents house this week because my parents went to California for a wedding so I was in charge of watching my sisters (ages 14, 9, and 9). They got back late Tuesday night but I'm still here because my cousin and uncle who live in Georgia are in town and staying with my grandparents. So I'm in Salt Lake until Sunday. 

I miss running in Salt Lake. I miss the neighborhoods and big trees overhead. It has been good to be back. 

Today I went up to Foothill and took it over to 1700 S, up to Wasatch and back down 1300 S.

I also got bitten by a dog... first time that's happened while running. I thought he was a friendly guy just getting excited like my dogs but no I think he was protecting his owner who I was passing. Ah well at least it's not a bad bite. 

Fun run with Jenna and David :)

Ran with Jenna and David again. One of my best friends gets married tomorrow so today and tomorrow are full of wedding festivities :)

I feel like there are a lot of things that I want to be doing (like running, scripture study) that I'm really struggling to do. I need to create a new morning routine and wake up earlier so that I'm able to get everything I want and need to done. 

I'm 2 weeks away from having my Associates degree :) it's been a long, windy road to get it but I finally decided to take that last class online. I'll have more credits than needed for it but at least I'll have something to show for my time at SUU.

This week is going to be crazy because I'm working full-time, finishing up my class (which includes taking a couple quizzes and writing a paper this week), I have 3 appointments (psychiatry, therapy, and the equestrian program), I have a job interview, and I got asked to speak in sacrament meeting on Sunday. So I'm a little stressed haha

It was relatively cool this evening so I decided I better take advantage and go running. Easy 4.

I got an email today from someone from the U of U Huntsman Mental Health Institute (formerly called University Neuropsychiatric Institute or UNI where I had two psychiatric stays and 11 ECT treatments done) saying I may be eligible for a new research study. I still have yet to figure out if I qualify.

They said, "Severe mood disorders such as major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder are known to be caused in part by genetic factors (DNA inherited by your parents). But the specific genes involved are not well understood. Furthermore, how genetic factors influence response to treatment remains unclear. The primary objectives of this study are to discover the genetic causes of severe mood disorders and to identify genetic variation that affects response to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). A secondary aim of this research is to find non-genetic characteristics that predict clinical response to ECT."

I think I'm going to participate in the study if I qualify. It would be awesome to contribute something to finding out the specific cause of bipolar disorder as well as aid in the research of ECT's affect on different people with genetic predispositions to bipolar disorder.

These last couple weeks have been crazy busy. Running has kind of been put on the back burner. 

I enrolled in that bipolar disorder/ECT research study today :) should be interesting.

I also accepted a new job today as a special needs caregiver. 

I finish my associates degree this weekend, all I have left is a final.