I got the scholarship!

Good news... I bought two of my school books online at Amazon.com for about $70 less than they would have been in the school bookstore (ripoff!), so I'm happy about that. I was also approved for the scholarship through my hospital that I applied for...YAY! It will cover my books (the ones I hadn't yet purchased), tuition and I'll also have an allowance at the uniform stores here in town for anything I need, ie: shoes, new steth etc... I'm so, so happy because I was beginning to get worried... :0/ So yeah, I've had some good things come about in the last couple of days. I'm so glad about the scholarship. I worried and fretted about it because I hadn't heard anything, then just when I forget about it I get a call. Doesn't it always work out that way?

Exactly 3 weeks until school starts. Oy! I'm kind of getting more excited because we'll be doing our OB rotations and I hope and pray I get to see someone have a baby. How awesome would that be? If it was anything like my births it will be amazing. Lots of crying and smiling and cursing. Ahhh...the joys of childbirth. I remember when I was getting prepped for Aidan's birth and there were some student nurses there. They were all standing in the doorway, smiling at me with big cheesy grins, looking hopeful and uncomfortable. The "head nurse" I suppose, asked if I minded if they watched the birth. I remember calmy smiling and saying "NO!". Very sweet of me eh? I did, however, allow them to watch me get anethesized. I don't recall anyone hitting the floor, but I do remember some mumbling that had a "that's a big ass needle" undertone. Who would have known that not long afterward I'd be in those students shoes? I didn't want students there because I didn't want random people scoping out my va-jay-jay all day. The nurses, the doctor, my husband, my mother and the housekeeper was plenty enough for me.

I loved being pregnant, despite the fact that I felt like a big fat arse and was horribly constipated most of the time. TMI? It's always exciting when you start to have contractions and you go to the hospital and they tell you to go home...again...because it's only Braxton Hicks contractions. Then you come back 3 hours later and they sigh because it's you again, messing up their gab fest and poker game. You get that fun baby monitor and everytime you move you hear this loud WOMP noise that sounds like the baby is doing somersaults. You have every member of your family enter and try to talk to you while you're in the worst pain of your life and they're talking about the most random stupid shit. Your husband is asleep on the lounge chair and every quiet, relaxing breath he takes makes you want to stomp your feet in agitation, but you're too tired to do so. Every hour a nurse walks in with the gloves and the KY jelly and you know you're about to be felt up by a big scary lady, for good reason of course. :0) Then the time comes, it's time to push and you ain't foolin' around because this baby wants to come out, and by golly you want it out. Then you hear a loud, shrill, and a "what the hell are you doing to me?" kind of cry and all of that emotion sweeps over you and you cannot believe the miracle that has taken place. Giving birth is awesome. I recommend everyone try it. It's the best high in the world. Only if you're over 21 of course, and you're a woman, and being with a partner helps too, unless you can afford a good nanny, then I say... GO FOR IT! Labor and Delivery...I cannot wait!

Ok, so I'm finally going to give my review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, since everyone in the world has probably read it by now. If not....DO NOT READ PAST THIS POINT, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, Wow, Wow, Wow, Wow! Bravo Jo Rowling! This is the best book of the series. I felt from the beginning that JK was saying goodbye to all of the characters. The book had the essence of a farewell and it made it that much harder to read. I'm so glad I wasn't spoiled of anything because reading it not knowing anything made it soooo much more enjoyable and exciting. It begins with Harry at the Dursley's, packing his belongings in his trunk to leave. When he was doing that I knew it was goodbye forever. (sniffle). He packed his school books, his school robes, I felt like we'd never see our beloved Hogwarts again.

I'll touch a little on the deaths first. Hedwig... she dies an awful death. I was shocked by this, more than I was sad. She was basically blown up...and the worst part, she and Harry weren't on good terms, that made it worse. Poor Harry. Seeing Voldemort flying without a broom was really creepy too. Dumbledore always said that Voldemort knew magic that he himself didn't even know. Shiver. Harry was lucky he survived that battle, of course Mad Eye Moody doesn't. I was disheartened by his death because it was so soon in the book, which gave that feeling of foreboding. If Mad Eye, one of the best Aurors ever can die, then who's next and what's to come? You definately had the impression that anyone was up for grabs at this point. Later in the book Fred Weasley dies...I was so sad by this because he was one of my favorite characters and he left his twin, George, all alone. Poor George, lying over his brother weeping....ugh. But at this point they were in the middle of the war/battle so you didn't have time to harp on his death...maybe Jo did that to save us from the heartbreak. I mean, little kids do also read this series. Little Colin Creevy, he idolized Harry so much and just wanted to fight for the cause, poor boy didn't stand a chance, did he? The death that really made me cry: Dobby. Little Dobby, died while trying to save Harry. He was so devoted to Harry... When Harry began to dig his grave with a spade when he could have used magic, it broke my heart. He said he was doing it to give his blood, sweat, tears and respect to the good house elf he was. Here Lies Dobby, A Free Elf. Ugh...I really cried at that scene. It was so desolate. Snape: His death rocked me. The way he died was horrible. I wish he had a more dignified death than being bitten by that awful, evil snake Nagini upon Voldemort's command. Lupin and Tonks...they just had a baby, little Teddy. I knew they were both doomed when they made Harry their godfather...so sad. I'd like to believe that they died together, fighting to keep eachother safe. Voldemort is a (BLEEP)!

I loved that Harry, Ron and Hermione were basically on their own and it was up to the three of them to defeat Voldy and save the world. But, I also didn't like it because I wanted them to be able to communicate with others. I loved the scenes of them hiding out and camping out trying to sort through clues. Some people said this was boring, I couldn't disagree more. I loved it. It showed just how close they were and that Hermione and Ron were there for Harry, for better or worse. I was soo mad when Ron left, but the way he came back by saving Harry's life and destroying that horcrux made up for it. He is only human, I'd be scared too if I were him, but he's a loyal friend. I love Ron. I loved how instead of Hermione running into his arms when he came back, she gave him the what for and ripped him a new one. I love her for that. He rightly deserved it too! I loved that Dumbledore left them things in his will, things that had hidden clues. I also loved that we got to see a side of him (Dumbledore) in the book that we hadn't known. How he had once craved power and neglected his little sister Ariana because of his selfish goals. It made him more human and less God like. Flaws and all, he's one of my fav characters of all time. And what happened to Ariana as a child...oh my goodness. I don't know what JK hinted at, but I think she was sexually abused by those muggle boys. If I were Dumbledore's father, I would have hurt them too! Dumbledore was forever haunted by her death. Now I know what he would have seen in the Mirror of Erised. :0(

Let's talk about one of the most shocking parts of the book...Snape. He was in love with Lily Potter. Who would have guessed? I guess we should have picked up on this when all through the series he kept referring to Harry's eyes, which were so like his mothers. And when he was dying the last thing he said to Harry was "Look...at...me." Awww...he wanted to see Lily's eyes as he crossed over. :0( I was so, so sad for him while reading this. It all made sense, everything he did for Harry. He loved his mother and vowed to protect Harry and put his own life on the line all because of love. Sigh. I wish he would have lived to tell Harry this himself, but he couldn't have could he? I felt anger toward Harry's dad James and how he and his friends made fun of and tortured Snape as a young boy. When I read the part about him (Snape) camping out in front of her door to tell Lily he was sorry for what he called her (Mudblood), I wanted to give him a hug. But she had a good head on her shoulders, that Lily. She knew he was dabbling in places that he shouldn't have been (the dark arts). Ultimately she made the right decision to end their friendship, but I'm sure that is what sent Snape over the edge in the end and straight into Voldy's arms. That soul-sucking, evil-loving, Voldemort.

Harry walking to the forest alone toward Lord Voldemort knowing he had to sacrifice himself in order for everyone else to live. I was weeping at that point. He knew he had to die. Dumbledore knew it all along and didn't tell Harry, I was so pissed at him (D) at that point. Harry was prepared to die. He knew he had to and there wasn't any other way. He didn't even tell Hermione and Ron goodbye because he couldn't bare it. He rubbed the resurrection stone and everyone he loved appeared: Lily, James, Lupin, Sirius... His mother smiled and said "You've been so brave." I could have died right there! They knew, I think. They knew what the last mission would be. Harry asked: "Does it hurt?" (sniffle). It was true, he had been brave, always.

King's Cross: Harry is in the world between the living and the dead here I believe. He see's a small naked baby type thing that appears to have been thrashed and it's making a god awful noise and moving around. I think it's part of Voldy's soul, the part that Harry had inside of him. He see's Dumbledore and he tells Harry to ignore the "thing" it can't be helped. Harry stated he wanted to help it, but at the same time was disgusted by it. Creepy. Dumbledore really redeems himself here by explaining everything to Harry and why he did the things he did. He even goes so far as to tell Harry that he is the better man. I loved: "Dumbledore, is this real or is it all in my head?" and Dumbledore replies:"Of course it's in your head, but that doesn't mean it isn't real." Alyways elusive, Dumbledore.

I liked Victor Krum's cameo and how jealous Ron became. I loved reading the section of the book where the trio went to visit Luna's dad. He is just as eclectic as Luna. Ha! I got cold chills when Harry entered her room and discovered she hadn't even been there...I thought for sure her father was a death eater or something. I know he called them to come and get Harry, but he loved his daughter and only wanted her safe. Draco....he owes Harry everything. I know Harry is the "good guy" but I really wanted to see him torture Draco a little for all the crap he did to Harry at Hogwarts over the years. Hearing Hermione being tortured by Bellatix at the Malfoy manor was just horrible and unbearable. Ron kept screaming her name.... so awful! I loved when Narcissa let Harry off the hook by claiming he was dead. I still think the Malfoy's should all be in Azkaban, surely Lucius is. Oh, Oh....my fav line in the whole book: "Not my daughter you BITCH!" Molly Weasley is the best!
The epilogue: Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny with all of their children at Kings Cross Station and little Albus Severus about to attend his first year at Hogwarts...just brilliant.

I loved the Horcrux and Deathly Hallows theme. Choosing death or rejecting it, evading it. It was awesome. Harry is the ultimate hero because he accepted death, and paid the ultimate price...sacrificing himself, which is something Voldemort could never or would never do, because he knew nothing of love. Harry knew love, knew friendship, knew what he must do to ensure that the world be a better place. The book was amazing. I'm sure there is a lot I haven't touched on, but I can't wait to read it again. I loved it so much and am sad it's all come to an end, even though it was the perfect end.

How many times in this review have I said I love this or that? That's because I loved it all! I will miss Harry and his adventures with his best friends, but it was the perfect ending to a perfect series. Thank you Jo Rowling for giving me and millions of others the pleasure of entering your world. It is a treasure I will share with my children for years to come.