Extra. Extra.

You get the bad news first:

Well, I can't even begin to tell this story... because to tell of the tragedy, I would have to explain to you my 50+ page thesis for you to fully grasp the situation. But, let's just say this week brought some bad news on the thesis front. I spent a small window of time with fears of not being able to graduate on time...and my day ended with tears sitting in my director's office. The long-story short is that everything is going to be okay. Not without a hefty amount of butt-busting this weekend and into next week. I will 'lose' some of the work I'd already done, and have to work that much harder making myself an expert on 'zinc finger proteins' in the next week and 1 day - but, everything is going to be alright. It's incredibly disappointing, and I'll keep my hands in my pocket and not point any fingers because I'm so appreciative of all the help I have been given. and I've had some wonderful support of people in my section in the midst of all the recent goings-on. Say a little prayer for us 'chaloners' this weekend. Aaron has a Medical Neuroscience test on Monday, and I'll, of course, be righting all the wrongs. Neither one of us can take care of each other this time. We're so used to locking ourselves away like hermits on stressful study-marathon weekends [which needless to say can be a real downer] , so we decided we're going to try a little something different this time... right now, we've set up camp at Starbucks - taking advantage of the wifi and the plentiful supply of caffeine. ...but if you know me, you know I had to walk across the street to get a dr. pepper from McDonald's. :)

The stack of old-school board games rescued us during our study break...[aaron's camera phone is not to shabby i might add.] oh, yes I promised good news too:

This week was our campus's G.R.E.A.T. (Graduate Research Education And Technology) Symposium - a week that "provides an opportunity for students to present their newest and most exciting scientific concepts and research findings through oral and poster presentations." & countless other workshops and lectures. Aaron was offered an oral presentation on his neurological relationship of 'Early Life Trauma and the Development of IBS in Adults'... and I was offered a poster presentation on my research too. That was neat all on its own...but, come the awards ceremony on Thursday and Aaron won a $1,500 Research Grant! They had a little congratulatory message waiting for him back in the lab:


All the OCNS (oklahoma center for neurosciences) kids were well represented, his mentor was quite proud. his wife was too. :)