Haiti Trip {some of the deets!}

I am so excited ESTATIC to say I am part of a group with Community Health Initiative going to Haiti in June!  My best friend, Hailey, had committed to this trip last fall.  She is a nurse at the University of Iowa and just completed her MSN and felt she needed to do more :)  After finding out they needed some non-medical volunteers - she convinced me to go!  Here are some details:

WHERE:
We will be leaving Miami and flying into Port-au-Prince, Haiti.  We will be staying in a small village called Arcahaie, a two hour drive from Port-au-Prince, along the coast.  The Arcahaie Medical Team stays and works at Mission Matana just outside Arcahaie.

WHEN:
Hailey & I will be flying from Des Moines into Miami on June 7th where we will then meet up with the rest of the team!  The team consists of members from all over the US, primarily the Midwest.  On the morning of June 8th we will all fly (together) into Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where we will stay until returning home on June 15th.

COST:
I am VERY fortunate to have friends and family who are supporting me on my journey to Haiti!  The cost of the trip is $1,050.  This includes your housing, food, etc.  This money can be raise via donations!  I am happy to say that as of this post, I am HALF WAY THERE!  I cannot say enough about how blessed I am that so many people are willing to donate towards this adventure!  The airfare & hotel in Miami cost is our personal expense - about $1,500 total. 

SHOTS/MEDICATIONS:
I have to say, the one thing that scares me the most about this trip -- the IMMUNIZATIONS!  Yes, I'm a baby when it comes to shots! :)  The following are the 'recommended' immunizations to get before you travel: Typhoid, Meningitis, Rabies Series (3), Malaria Prophylaxis. I have my appointment on Friday to get the first round - wish me luck:)

There are so many more things to go into detail about - but I'll save that for my next post!  I encourage you to check out this organization!  It's a wonderful group of people and they do a lot of medical clinics in Haiti throughout the year!

--ashley

Just Thursday [w/ MurdocksMama]

 Outside my window.. kind of chilly/gloomy

Today I feel.. refreshed!  I actually got a good night's sleep...finally

I am thankful.. for good friends & family!

Tomorrow I am going.. to be back home! I get my haircut in the morning & am going to lunch with a co-worker from my previous job!

I am wearing..dress pants / shirt .. I'm at work (shh!)

I wish...for my last test to be over (and passed!)

This weekend..I'm meeting up with a bunch of friends back home!  Out for dinner & a night on the town I would suspect:)

I am reading .. Nothing!  Other than my Series 63 study materials :(

I am working on.. getting bills paid off so I can purchase some larger items [tv, bedroom furniture, etc]!

Yesterday I .. worked, cooked [my first successful] dinner for A&A and watched the Idol finale -- YAY SCOTTY!!! He is just too adorable!

I am hoping.. to lose some weight

I am hearing.. Silence! that's what I love about coming in to work early!

I bet you don't know.. only one more month before I will officially be a 'Registered Representative' of M Company! [along with a nice raise:)]

One of my favorite.. things to do is clean / organize!  I'm a bit OCD :)

 

[moment4life]

New song I have recently been addicted to:)

**The actual song starts at 1:20.  They don't play the intro on the radio!

diet&exercise

It's time to starve diet again!  I wish I could be one of those people who eats whatever they want and does not gain a pound!

Here are a few inspirational quotes for motivation that I found...

~The greatest gift you will ever receive is the gift of loving and believing in yourself.  Guard this gift with your life.  It is the only thing that will ever truly be yours. -Tiffany Rowe

~Success requires constant desire and true commitment.

~Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't, I gif myself reasons why I can.

~Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. -Theodore Roosevelt

~Obstacles are those things you see when you take your eyes off the goal. -Hannah Moore

~The one way to get thin is to re-establish a purpose in life. - Cyril Connolly

~There are only 2 choices; make progress or make excuses. -Ellen Mikesell

~The big secret in life is that there is no big secret.  Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work. -Oprah Winfrey

~You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it. -Margaret Thatcher

~Unless you puke, faint or die - KEEP GOING! -Jillian Michaels
    *This one reminds me of my younger sister..she loves Jillian:)

One problem - Since I've been having some back issues, my chiropractor had me stop running, jumping (jazzercise), etc.  Therefore it makes it a little more difficult :(

I am going to work on
1.] eating better / smaller portions
2.] excercise videos
3.] taking Uga for walks nightly
4.] consume less alcohol

My goal is 15 pounds .. and I want it off before my birthday! 78 days..wish me luck!

sigh.of.relief!

When I agreed to come back and work for 'Company M' I agreed that I would get licensed to sell in the state of Iowa.  The idea sure sounded better before I started studying!  These are the tests I am required to take to be 'licensed':

[Iowa Life, Accident & Health Insurance] - this exam qualifies you to sell life, health and accident insurance within Iowa.  It covers all types of life insurance, laws & regulations, health insurance, disability, etc.

[Series 6] - The FINRA license for individuals who wish to sell Mutual Funds and Variable Annuities.

[Series 63] - is designed to qualify candidates as securities agents. The examination covers the principles of state securities regulation reflected in the Uniform Securities Act (with the amendments adopted by NASAA and rules prohibiting dishonest and unethical business practices).

[Series 65] (Optional, well not according to my boss!) - the license for individuals that act as Investment Advisors.  This basically allows you to charge a fee (outside of commissions, if any) for your investment advice.

As of Monday, I now have one exam done!  I used a online studying program that gave you a 10-day study plan and then you take the test.  I used that, but then also left myself the entire weekend to do nothing but study and take practice questions!  It paid off, because I passed it with an 87% and I only needed a 70%! Should have seen the smile on my face walking out of that building!!

Everyone is telling me that if I don't pass one on the first try, its going to be the Series 6-my next one.  Nothing like more motivation to knock it out the first time:)  I cannot wait to be done with this..I kept saying after I graduated with my MBA I was never studying again!! It will be over soon, right?!


On a side note, I planted a flower/pot for my patio table outside my window -- I'll post pictures another time:)

West Des Moines Resident (again)...

As of Saturday (March 26th) Uga and I are officially residents of [West Des Moines]!! 

Here are a few photo's of the new pad..

*I also have washer/dryer in the unit, forgot that picture! :)*

In addition to the giant closet in my bedroom, there is

-a [COAT] closet

-a [LINEN] closet

-a very large [RANDOM] closet in the hallway

-The [SPARE BEDROOM] closet

Not the most perfect place, but it's what Uga and I will call home for the next year:)

[countDOWN] is ON!!

[20six] -twenty:six- 26 {twenty6} TWENTY SIX DAYS TILL...