“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.”
Josh Billings

This is my baby Asia. I do not have time to write much now because I am in class but I wanted to share this picture. Isn't she cute...See you all later.

“We're born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we're not alone.”
Orson Welles

This is last Friday. I have so many new pics to share but these are just two of them. I am with Lindsey in the one picture, and the other is Puja, Lindsey, me and Zubeida. We hung out at Lindsey's then went to PBH. I always have a good time with these girls, and they are really good friends. It is nice to have something to look forward to rather than sitting at home alone being sad and lonely. It was funny because another girl told us she could not come over because our planned times to hang out were too sorority-like. I found that hilarious because I am pretty far from the typical sorority chick.

My friend Christine, who I mentioned last time, is feeling a bit better but was having a reaction to her medicine. She is so tiny and she has lost more weight...I really worry about her being too small., especially now. I went to her place Sunday and sat with her for awhile, but I still worry about her. I hardly ever see Shruti nowadays. It is probably part me and part her. She rarely comes to campus. Well, really, she does not come at all except for lab and PBL. Yet, I do not go to her house that much. It was easier when we lived next door to one another. I miss hanging out with her; plus she is a fabulous cook. I can't wait for JT to meet all of my friends down here. I am SO excited about him coming. It is 24 days!

I have more good news! My sister, Gretchen, got the grade she needed in Microbiology, so she starts nursing school at Midway College in Danville this August. I am VERY HAPPY for her and so PROUD of her.

Well, I should pay attention to lecture even though it is extremely boring and repetitive. Have a good week and send me some pictures.

6 Place me like a seal over your heart,like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. 7 Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned. ~Song of Solomon 8:6-7

I was having my own little church today. I was reading my Bible and listening to praise music and ran across this passage. I found it quite beautiful. It made me miss JT but it also made realize how much I really love him. Also, I know because of this experience, we will have a stronger love in the future.

Today I am staying at home rather than studying on campus. There always needs to be one day that we are away from the hustle and bustle of that place. Well, hustle and bustle would actually be the wrong phrase because NOTHING here moves fast. I guess it is nice to be away from the anxiety school can elicit. Therefore, I am staying at home today.

I am worried about my friend Christine. Her mother was her for the last week. While her mom was here, she got really sick and now is taking antibiotics. I just really worry about her because now she is having trouble sleeping and is still vomiting every now and then. Anyways, just say a little prayer for her. She is only 20, and this is her first time away from home.

Well I better go study. Love you guys!

“A sister is both your mirror - and your opposite.”
Elizabeth Fishel


“Sisters are always drying their hair. Locked into rooms, alone, they pose at the mirror, shoulders bare, trying this way and that their hair, or fly importunate down the stair to answer the telephone.”
Phyllis McGinley

(This is a bad picture of both me and Gretchen from when she came down. We normally look much better than this when it is not 800 degrees outside.)

Today my sister Gretchen has two microbiology exams and I wanted to honor her. I also wanted to let her know that I did not forget. So by telling everyone, she will know that I did not forget. I wish her all of the best and love her very very much. If you want a good laugh, call her cell phone. Trust me, you will laugh! Love you Gretch!

"The noble causes of life have always seemed foolish to the uninspired. But this is of small concern. I worry less about the crucified than those who pounded the nails." The Letter by Richard Paul Evans

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. ~ Reinhold Niebuhr

I just added some random pictures on here. Kim took most, if not all, of these. I had a good day today. I went to class, studied, had dinner, hung out at my friend's place, and came home to watch THE HILLS on MTV. That show is my little reality show treat to myself. Tomorrow is more of the same....class and studying and such. I hope you all have a good day.

“Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery.” Joanne Kathleen Rowling

“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.”
Carl Gustav

“Love is saying 'I feel differently' instead of 'You're wrong.'”


These are me and some friends at my friend Andrea's birthday party. This was two weeks ago I believe. Because we did not have birthday candles, we had to use a Zippo lighter as the candle. We nearly burned the cake up. It was a good time.

The quotes I think are interesting. I think what we know of people is really just the tip of the iceberg of who they are. And what can we know if all we do is look at the condensation we see? Even if we wouldn't make the same decisions, we can at least try to look deep and see something in that person....Just think about it. Do we judge without understanding or listening or really seeing?

“One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure its worth watching.”

These pictures are with some of my friends from last week after our exam. We went to my friend Lindsey's place. As you can tell, we had a blast. To the right, I am with my friend Lindsey, the blonde in the black halter top. In the pic where I am wearing black and white, Zubeida is on the right and Pudja is on the left. The other picture is of LaTonzia, Zubeida, and I. I hope you all are doing well. I miss everyone so much. However, JT is coming in 4 weeks on Friday. I am so excited. I love you guys and hope to hear from you soon.

Oh yeah! I passed my exams. Of course there is room for improvement; there always is. Otherwise, I was mostly pleased. Again, I hope things are well with you.

These girls are Sarah and Bethany, my friends from high school and they are great. I miss them so much. They are such wonderful friends. Sarah and I, especially, have kept up over the years. I stole this picture from one of their facebook pages....I hope you guys don't mind...I just miss you very much. I was in a mood to update this with some light, feel good stuff. I hope that you enjoy.

“Even though we've changed and we're all finding our own place in the world, we all know that when the tears fall or the smile spreads across our face, we'll come to each other because no matter where this crazy world takes us, nothing will ever change so much to the point where we're not all still friends.”
I thought this was nice seeing as how I used the picture of Sarah and Bethany....It makes me think of them in Louisville and me here and how life takes us so many crazy and bizarre places. However, despite that, we are still grounded in the fact that there are people who are there, who have always been there, and regardless of our mis-steps, remain beside us. That is a comforting feeling when things are crazy and we don't know who to trust or if we will ever spend significant time together again.....It is nice to know that there is always a few friends who remain.


“Sometimes being a friend means mastering the art of timing. There is a time for silence. A time to let go and allow people to hurl themselves into their own destiny. And a time to prepare to pick up the pieces when it's all over.”
Gloria Naylor

Everything changed the day they figured out there was exactly enough time for the important things in their lives (storypeople.com)
Thinking about what is and is not important puts so many things into perspective. For instance, why do mope so much about being here alone when some people would kill for this opportunity. Or is the Coach purse really as important and necessary as helping a friend pay a bill or buy her kids a gift. Or is it more important to take a few hours for a friend who needs you or studying for an exam? What will be remembered, the two hours you lost or what was realyl gained in those two hours? It really is something we should all consider from time to time. If we do, and do it sincerely, I believe, if only for that moment, we will be better people for it.


She turned to me & whispered, don't you just love it when you get so excited you forget to breathe? & the thought of her smiling eyes still makes me laugh. (storypeople.com)
Have you ever been so happy your eyes tell the story. Or better yet, had a friend or family member who would tell you everything in there eyes. I love looking into people's eyes. Eyes do not lie. My friend Dana could tell you anything in her eyes....her laughter was preceeded by her eyes....And let me tell you, you heard her laughter. Anyways, just a silly thought.

We had gone far enough together to listen easily in the quiet spaces. (storypeople.com)
What is your definition of a quiet space? Mine, one that still causes me saddness being here, were Sunday afternoons with JT. We would sit and watch football or baseball or nothing and just sit. Nothing would be said. We could be quiet and happy and nothing needed to be said. Or when Sarah and I, still in high school, drove out to a creek in the middle of nowhere...but she was scared because the water was running over the bridge and she did not want to get her Doc Martens wet. I carried her piggyback over the creek, and then we sat there. I don't remember what was said or what was wrong or why we were there really. And is what I mean, it was in the being, not the saying, that I remember.

I hope you all liked something from this. Please tell me what you think. Oh, and for you who were wondering, my contact info is below.

Natalie Henderson
Ross University School of Medicine
Portsmouth Campus
PO Box 266
Roseau
Commonwealth of Dominica
West Indies
(706) 534-8934 (US #)
nataliehenderson21@yahoo.com
nataliehenderson@rossmed.edu.dm

I'm not sure if the world's all that serious, she said, or if it just has a really dark way of having a good time. ~from storypeople.com (The pic is of a cashew hanging from a tree in our backyard.)


I found this quote to be fitting because we have an exam coming on Monday. I try not stress but I do. Everyone does for that matter. But I think that quote is so funny because of the seriousness of what we are doing is really a dark way of having a good time...Its the crazy things that happen in exam time that everyone remembers...Plus I have a bit of a jaded sense of humor so ....whatever.....

I must go study. See ya!

I really don't think life is about the I-could-have-beens. Life is only about the I-tried-to-do. I don't mind the failure but I can't imagine that I'd forgive myself if I didn't try.More Nikki Giovanni


Nothing More
Often, I write all day long with white ink on white paper, late into the night, until it is all I can do to feel the letters curving to earth from the tip of the pen & then, I fall asleep. Dreaming of running, or maybe driving in a car the color of water & I wake the next day remembering nothing & I gather the stack of paper & a pen of black on the desk in front of me & the words begin to dance over the page like long legged insects across a still lake & the words in white whisper behind & underneath the new day. If there is any secret to this life I live, this is it: the sound of what cannot be seen sings within everything that can. & there is nothing more to it than that. (from www.storypeople.com)


“The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing... not healing, not curing... that is a friend who cares.”
Henri Nouwen

Sorry for the quotes...I am in a mood. A mood that has brought me to the point that I know I can miss my husband and friends and family....but also to a point that I have come to realize that other people are given to us for a reason....whether comic relief, a simple lesson, study help, laughter, or for the 'long haul'. And because of these people, I will be better and stronger and happier....I can trust people even when I feel like I can't. Having friends here is hard because you don't know who to trust. But I have learned that people will hurt you, no matter who they are...That is who we are as people. But without giving someone, giving life a chance, we will never really know what benefit and blessing that person, and in turn, that pain could give us.

Also, You know what I am coming to realize...I guess I already knew it but laying here alone at one thirty studying biochem ( Yeah the one oclock thing induces rambling...) and thinking about everything....I guess that everyone is always just doing the best they can. And what you don't say really speaks louder than what you do. And simply knowing that someone is there and will be there or even has the potential to be there for you is comforting. And if you let people in and let them break down your walls or at least take down a block or two, you might be surprised when they say,"Oh you tooo...I thought I was the only one lonely here..."

Anways, that is my ramble. I am sorry it is not put together...I am really tired but have an exam Monday...Still waiting on pictures. Love you all! ~Nat

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Used by Nelson Mandela in his 1994 inaugural speech
~Maryanne Williamson

“Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.”~Roger Caras


This is my baby, Asia. I am sure that you have met her before. She got a hair cut yesterday and, this is her talking to me on the phone. JT took this picture at bedtime and Asia wanted to go to sleep. I just thought this was really cute and wanted to share. Have a good weekend.