Sneak Peak

As you all know, Matthew is defending his dissertation in just a few short weeks. He spends most nights on the computer typing away at the kitchen table. Which is ok, because most nights I'm studying as well, except one night when I gave him my pouty lipped guilt face and used the old, "I feel like I haven't gotten to spend any time with you." Which is passive aggressive for, "I'm really ready to watch the Olympics, let's hurry it up". :)

So, to give you all a little teaser for his big debut. Here is the first paragraph of his paper... I don't even know if I'm allowed to do this. Oh well.... I don't think my own husband would sue me for copyright issues.

Neutrophilic Inflammation

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs), or neutrophils, play an important role in the body’s innate immune system’s response to invading pathogens. PMNs originate in the bone marrow and traffic through the blood until such time as they are recruited to a site of infection or inflammation in the tissues. (1) A family of molecules called chemokines are responsible for neutrophil migration of out the blood stream into the periphery. (2) There are several sub-groups of chemokines, but neutrophil specific chemokines are glutamate-leucine-arginine positive CXC chemokines (ELR+CXC). Interleukin-8 (IL-8) or CXCL8, growth related oncogene (GRO) – α (CXCL1), GRO-β (CXCL2), and GRO–γ (CXCL3) are the primary chemokines in humans. In mice they are cytokine induced neutrophil chemoattractant (KC) and macrophage inflammatory protein 2 (MIP2) (3, 4). In humans these ELR+CXC chemokines bind to CXC receptors 1 and 2 (CXCR1 and CXCR1), although there is only CXCR2 in mice. (5) Neutrophils follow a concentration gradient of these chemokines from the circulation into the tissues at sites of inflammation. (6) The CXC receptors are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), they signal rearrangement of the cytoskeleton via a Gβγ subunit. CXCR activation leads to polymerization of the actin-myosin network in a subcellular localization with actin-myosin depolymerization away from the site of receptor ligation, leading to directional movement of the cell. (7) Upon reaching the tissue the PMNs release their anti-microbial enzymes through a process of degranulation, and can perform an oxidative burst, both of which are mechanisms by which the cells phagocytose and destroy the invading pathogen. (1, 8, 9)

This is hilarious to me... considering that I understand about 10-15% of the whole thing.

Neutrophil- ok, I know this. I look those up on my patient's lab work every week. Who knew that polymorphonuclear leukocytes was another name for neutrophil? You learn something new everyday.

Chemokines- I only know that from vaguely knowing what M's research is about

Mice- I know that one!

Actin-myosin- Remember this from Exercise Physiology

Enzyme- If I didn't know this, I should consider a change in profession

Anti-microbial- hand gel, right?!

And that about sums it up. What's even more hilarious is Matthew likes to ask me to proof read his papers after Ed has looked over them. Just to see if I can catch anything... REALLY? Fortunately for him, my Lipscomb High School education prepared me for this... I am a grammar maniac. Give me any sentence, and I will diagram it for you in a matter of seconds. Now having said this, please don't reread my blog to catch me for grammar mistakes (Heather). I don't proof-read when I write for fun!

Back to the dissertation... Thankfully for Matthew, I could pick a comma splice out of a 2,000 lb haystack (which would equal a ton, right?). My hubby loves him a good run-on sentence. Unfortunately for Matthew, I understand hardly anything. Which sort of defeats the purpose.

And just to make sure that I'm not plagiarizing. Here is my reference. :)

Hardison, M.T.,(2010). A Dual Protease Inhibitor/Receptor Antagonist with Therapeutic Implcations in Chronic Inflammatory Lung Disease. Journal- TBD.

Meet my husband...

Researcher, grad student, Kentucky fan, Jeopardy nerd, and most recently, cooking extraordinaire! My husband is a FANtastic cook, which is a newly developed hobby for him. Back when Matthew was living the bachelor life, he was a buy a Stouffor's lasagna and eat off of it for a week kind of guy. Whoever that man was, he no longer exists... because I now live with my very own personal Bobby Flay! Without the New York accent. We started cooking together a lot a couple of months after we got married. During the first couple of months, the cooking fell on this girl, rightfully so, since I was basically jobless and schooless (bored).

Since then, M's love for cooking has exponentially grown. He loves to experiment in the kitchen, with my personal fav ventures so far being... homemade Mexican salsa, tres leches cupcakes, chicken Parmesan, chicken cordon blue, homemade ice cream, homemade fudge and caramel sauce, etc... This is also a challenge on my waist-line. Most of the time I'm strong willed enough to say no when I need to, but this is proving to be an ever increasing struggle this past week since the girl scout cookies have arrived!

I love to cook as well. I would love to just sell baked goods from my home. You know I'm stressed if I'm baking. I'm the cookies, cakes, and cobblers girl. Matthew is the pie guy. So, I was delighted when yesterday afternoon, he said he was going to make some fried apple pies (with the cute apple pie mold mom gave us for Valentine's Day!) and homemade whip cream to take to his bosses' house for dinner last night.

They were I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E! And looked fantastic as well. Plus he was extra innovative and made cinnamon flavored whip cream to go with them as well... delish.

Again... incredible

Enjoy some pics from recent life...

So, after all of our loved ones got TONS of snow. Bham finally got 3-4 inches!

I don't think she was as excited as we were about it.

Lunch with friends... The other side of the table wouldn't let me take a picture. :)

Matthew's new suit from Mom and Dad. Doesn't he look great!

Valentine's Dinner at Bonefish

One thing I love about Bham- Almost 70 today in mid-February. Lexi's new favorite thing is laying on the porch for HOURS.

Helping mom study.

Have a great week! We will be in Knoxville next weekend to visit Heather and Russ! Cannot wait!

SC Squared

I know, I'm kind of on a music blog kick lately. Mostly because we haven't had that much going on, ya know except studying, Olympics, studying, American Idol, studying, The Biggest Loser (our new love), and more studying...

Let's all go back to the early 90's. What's the first thing that comes to mind, besides big hair scrunchies, New Kids on the Block and my personal fav MC Hammer (2 legit 2 quit)... Steven Curtis Chapman of course! Definitely the BEST Christian music artist EVER! I've long had a musical crush on Steven. Who wouldn't, with those beautiful blond locks and the voice of a celestial angel? Who doesn't immediately think of him when you think of great Christian music growing up... unless your my husband and you live and breathe Acapella? AVB was TOTALLY better by the way (I'm sure M and J will highly disagree).

I came to think of good ole' Steve the other day when I put an old burn mix of Christian music in my CD player. I was elated when I heard that wondrous intro, "Saddle up your horses..." Only to have my joy escalate when I heard my first ever favorite "rap" song, "Got To Be True" by Steven along with none other than DC Talk alum Toby Mac. I'll never forget singing that song in the car with my dad and sis... after turning the cassette over to Side B and taking 5 minutes to find the exact song you wanted... those were the days.

Right after we got married, we went to the SCC and Michael W. Smith concert here in Bham with J and K... It took no time for me to travel back to my childhood roots. I loved EVERY minute of it.

So... as an ode to my childhood.

Blue (and White) Moon

Becuase that's what it has to be for me to put up a post on here, now I know my post moves have nothing on DeMarcus Cousins (pause for polite laughter) but here goes. What a season it has been, and I mean that in every sense of the word, a bitter, cold winter that has chilled my wife and I to the bone, which I admit has been kind to our electric bill since we enjoy the cooler temperature inside. On the other hand, what a great basketball season it has been for our beloved Kentucky Wildcats! Coach Cal and the "Diaper Dandies" he brought in this season, along with the elder statesman leadership of Patrick "Black Kool-Aid" Patterson have created a squad that is as fun to watch as it appears for them to play. For those of us who suffered through the winter of discontent that was all of last season this year has been a breath of fresh air for the True Blue faithful!

But enought about the greatest team in the country, how about the best wife in the country? My smart-as-a-whip better half got a big, fat, scholarship from the stingy University of Alabama at Birmingham!! She has also been knocking the top out of her classes this semester which most of you will remember is the hardest semester in nursing school. In addition to this she has been keeping me well fed and happy as ever. I can't wait till she is done with school and wont have to stress about pointless papers and tests. Anyway this is probably going to be mainly a "Picture Update Post" We have had several visitors recently, Ashley, Mom, Dad, Benj, and haven't put any pictures up from then. Additionally I would like to take this opportunity to say Happy Birthday to Mom, Benjamin, and Vicki who all have birthdays this week!!

I realize that this post has been kind of disjointed but enjoy the pics and I think Ann will post some more in the next day or two...

One tired puppy

How good is our new camera?

Delicious homemade Bobby Flay coconut cake

Ash came to visit over MLK weekend!

Davenports... aka, the best pizza ever

The air mattress slept really well... sarcasm

Lexi was not ready for Aunt Ashley to leave

Why so serious? Lexi got her Joker get up from eating one of Ann's tubes of lip gloss. She got into BIG trouble.

I sent her to her "room" to think about her actions... I felt badly about getting onto her. So I crawled in to apologize.

We made up in a matter of seconds.

My parents and Benj came down this past weekend. Lexi loved Uncle Benj as well.

Happy Birthday!

"If Tomorrow Never Comes"

In a perfect world, I would be 5'7'', a world renowned cardiac surgeon, a mother of 3 beautiful children (one with curly red hair), and I would have tickets to see Garth Brooks in concert. But alas, the world is not perfect, I'm sure I will have cute kids (prob not with red or curly hair- I'd have no idea where they came from), I won't be a cardiac surgeon, maybe a cardiac nurse, and I have never seen my country music idol perform... ever.

I am obsessed with Garth. He couldn't be a better entertainer, and I'm not ashamed at all to tell anyone that I know all the words to the video below. When this guy "officially" comes out of retirement (instead of this one man Las Vegas business) I will be first in line to buy tickets. I would pay an exorbitant amount of money to see him, even if it meant that Santa had to skip over my house(kids) one Christmas.... not really, but maybe???

So, on this rainy Friday (oh I'm sorry, most of you are in Nashville with your pretty white snow... I strongly dislike all of you), that isn't even a real Friday considering I have to be at the hospital at 6:30 tomorrow morning. Enjoy the musical magic of Mr. Brooks and the sweet stylings of the classic 80's. Who wishes those jeans would come back in style?

Garth brooks - ain't goin' down
by rawestern

All Things Research

Within the last week, we have received the news that Matthew is going to be able to graduate with his PhD in Molecular Physiology and Biophysics on May 8th!!! Let us all breathe a long sigh of relief. We had been hoping since early fall that this would indeed be the case, but as research has its ups and downs, we weren't sure coming into this semester if it would be possible. But it is! And we will now be celebrating Matthew's hard work come to fruition in May, and watch him proudly wear those ridiculously ugly robes.

Let me take a few moments to brag on my husband... I just want everyone to know how hard he has worked the last 4 years, because he deserves a little extra dose of "well done". It is VERY rare for a student in his program to graduate in 4 years... I mean about as rare as a Republican in Congress (by the way, well done Mass). There are multiple people in his program who are working on the 5th, 6th, and yes even 7th year (Don't you think at this point, you would just throw in the towel?). Anyway... he has worked so incredibly hard these last 4 years, from challenging classes his first year (comprable to a med student's first year), writing multiple papers, articles, and book chapters, staying at the lab doing experiments until 3 or 4 in the morning, reworking experiments, and literally giving his own blood (which is apparently illegal to do...so shh!), sweat and tears (not really) into his project.

So let's talk about the next two months. In order for Matthew to graduate in May, he has to defend his dissertation publically and privately by March 26th (his is scheduled for March 22nd at 2:00). Not only that, but he has to have his >150 page dissertation finished and handed in to everyone on his committee by two weeks before his defense. Plus he still has a 3rd paper to write and submit to a scientific journal before he can finish writing his own dissertation, not to mention he still has a few experiments left that have to work to write the aforementioned 3rd paper. And then at some point, preparing his talk and studying for his private defense (where they grill him on all things research).

Needless to say, the next two months in the Hardison household are going to be less than thrilling. I am already feeling overwhelmed this semester with my toughest class load yet, while trying be a supportive wife while Matthew tackles this stressful time. I already feel guilty for taking these 20 minutes out of my own study time to post this. Basically... I cannot remember the last time we watched TV. Our poor DVR is suffering from the weight of unwatched shows. We come home, eat, and immediately study..every single night. I'm sorry American Idol, we miss you.

Silver Lining? I'm glad you asked. Once Matthew is done defending, he will be bumped up in pay from a grad student's stipend to a post doc salary... only 13,000 to 15,000 more a year... no big deal! For close friends and family, if you happen to have a day off on March 22nd, we and especially he would appreciate the support!

It will all be worth it come May, when I will proudly watch my husband become Dr. Matthew Hardison, PhD. How cool is that!?