Dear Ms Mueller, We are pleased...

So I've been really nervous, like really, really. I just want to thank and at the same time apologize to all of you who have patiently listened to me stress over the last few weeks. At the beginning of last week, I all of a sudden started feeling really calm and of course, that chance made me a little anxious when I realized it. Thursday, I was talking to a friend in lab and he mentioned that he'd gone out to interview at Pitt 3 weeks ago. I tried to be happy for him, but on the inside I was really bummed. It confirmed to me that interviews had come and gone, and I didn't get one. It seemed that one more rejection loomed. I called my mom and shared my disappointment while making muffins for a class presentation the next day. My presentation went well and I went to my other two classes. After that I was done for the day and I started to go home. When I reached the door, I saw Pieter standing outside the door...I was a little puzzled being as I don't think anyone wanders into the MARB for fun and Pieter had never been to my class and I assumed didn't know where it was (Turns out I owe him finding me to some clever RouteY stalking!) He was beaming holding an envelope. I ripped it open and found out that I got accepted to the Master's of Public Health in Epidemiology at University of Pittsburgh!!!

The envelope had gotten mangled in the mail and ripped open a bit, allowing Pieter to read "We are pleased..." and it was a thick envelope (those thin ones are never good). He rushed to campus 2 hours before his classes to be able to give it to me. Isn't he sweet?

After that, things are a little spazzy hazy. I ran back into my class and stuttered out my good news. Apparently, I was skipping over to my lab while on the phone with my parents to take my plates out of the incubator. Excitement, giddyness, relief.

They wanted me! That reassured my confidence and the support and congratulations that have poured out from my friends and family have been incredible. I'm blown away by the number to people who are excited for us. I don't know yet if I'll go to the University of Pittsburgh; it's an excellent program(#11 in the country) but I'm still waiting on 3 other schools and Pieter's waiting on all of his since they were due later. Since we both want to go to graduate school, we have to see who'll accept both of us, but right now I'm just happy to ride the wave of excitement that I feel right now.

PS Oh and I'm supposed to tell you all that that night when Pieter offered to take me out for dessert to celebrate (I'd much prefer to go out to dessert than to dinner...one of my Leslieisms), when given the choice of anywhere, I asked if we could go to the grocery store. Pieter questioned my strange choice but went along with it. So we went, and got fudge cake from the bakery and ice cream. Pieter is still shaking his head.

Quote of the Day

I cut through the freshman dorms most mornings when I walk to school and one apartment always has a quote written up on a whiteboard in their window, reminds me of the quote board my hall had freshman year :) A few days ago, this appeared:

Dear Students,

I know when you're texting because no one just looks down at their crotch and smiles.

Love, Your Teacher

It's been up for a couple of days now and makes me smile every time.

Do YOU have room for a mousse?

So when I came home tonight Pieter showed me what had been doorbell ditched at our door:

Chocolate Mousse cupcakes! How cute and creative is that...not to mention delicious! Ok so you're going to have to envision a second cupcake with the eyes on it but someone was a little piggy and ate it before the picture was taken...oh wait that was me. They also signed it "Anonymousse" Anyway a big thank you to whoever thought of us!

Speaking of "mousses," my favorite puppet growing up was a shaggy moose puppet. My brother-in-law used to make it talk to us and once we got a card showing that Mr. Moose had snuck out to visit my sister and brother-in-law in Utah. Mr. Moose also pushed me down the stairs one time...thanks Amy (don't worry, Mom saw right through that one)

Christmas 2010...better late than never

In a very belated Christmas post...Pieter got me a really nice new SLR camera for Christmas. So for once, I actually have pictures on my blog! I really feel inadequate for this camera but I'm trying. I remember when I got my very first camera when I was little I took a bunch of pictures and then opened the back to see how the pictures were doing. D'oh! Needless to say, I haven't done that yet(oh wait, it's digital) so I'm going to call it pretty good :)
Ward Christmas party before leaving.
/>We took the train out to California for Christmas again. There was tons of fresh snow so it was really gorgeous...but fresh snow meant that we had to stop a lot for them to clear the rails; add that to an overnight trip with a kid suffering from an ear infection in the car and the way out was no picnic, but we made it!
We spent Christmas evening at Pieter's grandma's house. Ignore me...I have as my wedding photographer kindly put it: my worst fake smile ever on. (Pieter enjoyed two weeks of no shaving...this was only the beginning)
Christmas dinner at my parent's house.
We spent a few days relaxing up at the cabin and taught Pieter how to ski. He did really well and ended up going down a blue by the end of the day and loved it. I hadn't been in a few years and was a little nervous...but the snow was probably some of the best I've skied in. A favorite part of the day was watching a 7 or 8 year old with no poles making slow pizza turns down my childhood nemesis black diamond run that my dad always had us ski down to go to lunch at the lodge(it was the way that involved the least walking). Needless to say, that kid wasn't as freaked out and didn't cry and complain like I used to. Oh and I made it down just fine that day too. :)
I finally faced my fears and we played Quelf with my family...I got the stick ice down your pants card and sing Ice, Ice Baby AGAIN!!! Seriously, what are the odds? At least this time wasn't the first night with my future in-laws...
My mom had to talk through a sock puppet for the game. For those of you who know my mom know that she had a lot of fun.
We spent a day up in SF with my parents to go to the de Young Museum to see the Van Gogh, Cezanne, and Gaugin exhibit from the Musee d'Orsay. It's currently traveling around the country right now while the Musee d'Orsay is being renovated so if you get a chance to go, definitely go!
Anyway so this is just a fun shot on the Bay Bridge that I really like and took while I wasntrying to figure out my camera.
These are just a few bridge shots where I was playing around, trying to be artsy :)



We also visited SFSU's campus while we were there and I have to say I really really really love SF houses...like probably too much judging by the space taken up by them on my memory card. A not-so secret goal of mine is to live in the city someday.

Anyway, that was Christmas! Better late than never right?
PS After being married for 18 months we finally have a butter dish...best present ever? Quite possibly.

Professor Leslie

This semester I'm officially teaching my first college course! After TAing for MMBIO 241 for a while, I'm now an instructor. If you go to MyMap->register->MMBIO241, you'll see Leslie E. Mueller listed as the instructor of the Wednesday 1-4 section :) I'm so excited and it makes me one step closer to my end goal of being a real professor...and don't worry, I'm still just Leslie...just how I like it

Now, if only the promotion came with a pay boost, but no one's lying when they say how little BYU pays their teachers.