Called to Care

And Then There Were 3

2011-09-03T17:54:00.008-04:00

Happy 1 week to my baby boy, Reese Daniel. He lost his umbilical stump today and gained a belly button. And let me tell you something: it is the cutest belly button I have every seen.

Now on to the birthing story...

My mom came into town on Friday, August 26. There were a few things I wanted to accomplish with her help before the baby came. We stocked up on the remainder of our baby necessities, went out to eat for probably the last time in my life, and redecorated my house in our heads. After we did all that, we decided it was time for the baby to come. After a quick trip to Rite-Aid, mom coached me through taking castor oil. Yep, my mom and sister both had successful castor oil inductions, so I decided it was necessary for me to join the club. In hindsight, I think I should have taken a smaller amount (you know that castor oil is a laxative, right?). The effects made me utter the sentence, "Eric, next time I think this is a good idea, remind me not to do it." But, lo and behold, my contractions began 4 hours after consumption of the oil. At 7:30, my contractions began to be 4 minutes apart, and the intensity was definitely increasing. I waited until 9 to call my doctor. He told me to "float on over to the hospital." Still not sure what that actually means...

We left the house at 9:07. Eric was nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. (Actually, right after I swallowed the last drop of castor oil, Eric started sweating bullets. I kept reminding him that the baby was not just gonna fall out. Maybe my lunch, but not the baby...) When we got to the hospital, I settled into my larger than life hospital gown and waited for the nurse to hook me up to the monitors. We were all very entertained by the rise and fall of the contractions on the monitor. They stayed consistent at 3-4 minutes apart. But, Nurse Ratchet decided to rain on my parade and mention the words "false labor" to me. Apparently, my cervix wasn't changing. She informed me that the doctor would decide whether I should go home until true labor began or get some IV pain medication and rest through the night. Let me tell you something: Not even George W. Bush coming to town would have gotten me out of that bed. Thankfully (for her sake), the nurse came in and told us the doctor A-okayed my overnight stay.

At 1:30 am, the nurse administered my IV cocktail. About 30 seconds into the push, my vision started blurring, and I slurred, "I feel weird." Eric was thoroughly entertained. I very quickly fell asleep, only to wake to slowing contractions that came to a screeching halt at 7:30 am. I threw on my robe and walked around the hospital, hoping to evoke some type of contraction. And then, my knight in shining armor walked into my room at 10am. "You want to have a baby today?" the doc asked me. "O, please!" was my reply. He broke my water at 10:10, and my contractions began around 10:30.

I'm not sure when I started feeling the difference, somewhere around 2pm maybe. But I spent the next few hours bouncing on my birthing ball and nailing down my breathing routine during contractions. At around 5cm, the contractions were coming every 2-3 minutes and lasting so long that I didn't have much time to recover in between contractions. I was experiencing major back labor due to Reese's face up position. Eric and I established a great routine. I would stand up when a contraction started, lean against the window seal, and make Eric apply some major counter pressure to my lower back. By the end, I had quarter-sized raw areas on my back.

Being able to get out of bed and stand during contractions was the only way I was going to be able to manage the pain. But, the nurse had to come in and monitor the baby every hour for about 20 minutes. When I was approaching the 7cm mark, being in bed about killed me. Every contraction made me cry in pain, and a stuffed-up, post-cry nose is not conducive to effective breathing. I was so tired, and I knew that I would not be able to push this baby out without some help. I opted for an epidural, and let's just say that this may be the best decision I have made in my entire life. The anesthesiologist was amazing, and the epidural took very well. My smile came back, and I even let my visitors back into the room. We were able to joke around for the first time that day. I kept wiggling my toes to ensure that I wasn't going to be paralyzed:)

At 6:15, my nurse told me that I was fully dilated - the best news I had received all day. My mom and best friend gave me a hug and left Eric and me to welcome our baby in private. Haha. Privacy. Now that's a funny concept. The nurse put my feet up in the stirrups and coached me through three 10-second pushes per contraction. As my nethers were bared for the viewing pleasure of all, I pushed and pushed. During the next 45 minutes, I swear that 10 nurses, a male doctor, a janitor, and some creepy guy with a screwdriver came into my room. Privacy. When will I ever get it back?

The doctor came in around 6:50, and we continued to push. It's funny how he just stares down there and says things like: "Very good. That's a way. Nice." I wanted to say, "Stop it and get this baby out of me!" But, instead, I just pushed like a good girl until the doc told me to hold on. All of a sudden, I heard the loudest cry of my life. The nurse slapped this screaming baby onto my chest, and the tears immediately flowed. I looked over at Eric, and he was crying quietly. We just stared at this little boy and immediately felt all of those maternal/paternal instincts that everyone talks about. It was an immediate connection, and I can't imagine loving something more. (I hope my future children don't read this:)

During the entire process, Eric never left my side. Granted, he may have been snoring at my side, but he never left. I am so thankful for a man who loves me so much, and who loves taking care of our baby. He would rather lie on the sofa all day with Reese on his chest than be doing anything else. My love for him has definitely reached another level in the past week.

My mother also stayed with us and coached me through my breathing techniques. We jokingly referred to her as my doula. After the birth, she quickly became my lactation consultant. When we got home, she became my personal cook and maid. Sigh. It was awesome. Thank you, mom, for spending your time and energy on us!

My best friend, and Eric's cousin, Maria, was also at my side for the majority of labor. She and her husband, Eli, are such an important part of our lives, and we are so thankful that we got to share this moment with them. They brought us food and presents for Reese, and they were in the waiting room when Reese made his screaming debut. I am so excited to be a part of their own birthing experience, and I pray every day for the children that God will bless them with. Thank you both for being such amazing friends. We are so happy you weren't in Europe! (Reese was actually born on Maria's birthday! They are excited to party together next year.)

To all of you who have prayed, emailed, called, texted, or posted on Facebook, we sincerely thank you. It is such a joy to be able to celebrate with friends and family all over the country. Thank you, God, for keeping Reese and me safe during this entire process. We thank You for our sweet baby and pray that You will give us wisdom as we raise Reese for Your glory. Thank You for our family of 3.

(Sorry for the length of this post. I just figured this will make up for my future neglect:)

He's Here!!

2011-09-02T15:59:00.002-04:00

On Sunday, August 28, 2011, we welcomed our sweet baby boy into the world. Reese Daniel was born at 7:05 pm. He weighed 6lbs 3oz and was 18" long. He is absolutely beautiful! He has a nice amount of dark blonde hair and the cutest face in the world. He might have made Mama suffer through several hours of labor, but he was worth every minute...I mean, hour. As soon as I catch up on some rest, I will give you the gory details...so be expecting a post in about 35 years.

Baby Update

2011-08-22T12:39:00.002-04:00

Just got back from the doctor with good news! First of all, Reese is doing really well. He's still tiny, but he's a scrappy little boy! Secondly, my doctor has decided to go ahead with the induction, and I will be induced next Tuesday, August 30. Wow. That freaks me out every time I say it! Hopefully, I will go into labor on my own before then, but it's nice to know that I'll meet my baby before September!

Baby Update

2011-08-15T15:35:00.002-04:00

I am 37 weeks today!! YAY! This means that Reese is considered full term. I went to the doctor today and discovered that my little one is quite the peanut. My doctor was concerned because I was not measuring as large as I should at this point. So, after a Non-Stress Test, which confirmed that the babe has a fantastic heart, I went in for an ultrasound.

Thankfully, all is well with fluid levels, baby's activity, and his development. He is just tiny. They are estimating that he weighs around 5lbs 10oz. Most babies gain about 1/2 a pound per week at this point in pregnancy, but they aren't expecting our little guy to get much over 6 pounds.

I am now frequenting the doctor's office twice a week (I go back Thursday), and I will continue to have Non-Stress Tests every visit, just to monitor baby closely and make sure he is handling my uterine stress:) My doctor told me that if I have not gone into labor on my own by 39 weeks (which is August 29), she will induce me. At that point, it is not a matter of him staying in longer to get bigger, it's more of a concern that his little body will have to go through some undue stress. So it looks like Reese will be an August baby!

I got the cutest new profile picture of Reese from the ultrasound. He has the sweetest turned up nose (wonder where he got that??), and his lips were all puckered up like he wanted to kiss me! I'll try to get the picture scanned into the computer and update this post.

Thanks for all your prayers!

Called to Care

2011-08-10T09:31:00.002-04:00

When I first began this blog, my goal was to share the ways in which God was using me in the field of nursing. As of 2 weeks ago, I am unemployed. But in a few short weeks, I will be employed once again as full-time wife and mom. I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am about this. I am not planning on putting my nursing degree on the back burner, but I sure am pumped to transition into this new role. Heck, nursing is gonna be my middle name for the next several months!

"Called to Care" now takes on a whole new meaning. For some reason, God has chosen me to raise this precious little boy. He has called me to care for Reese. I'm sure that the days of never-ending diaper changes and 40 loads of laundry will not feel like a mission from God, but I know that this is my calling for this point in my life. I am excited to share with all of you the wonders of being a first time Mom.

In regards to nursing, God has given me the awesome opportunity of volunteering my time at a local pregnancy center. Right now, I am assisting with pregnancy testing, talking with the women about their results, and answering any medical questions. Soon, I will continue my training to become a sonographer at the center. It is so awesome to be able to show a 6 week old baby with a heartbeat to a mother who is considering abortion. Her face immediately relaxes, and she begins to show the smallest smile and maybe a tear. It's amazing, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity of sharing in the lives of these women.

Pregnancy Update: I am now 36 weeks and 2 days pregnant. At my last appointment (this past Monday), the doctor said I am about 3cm dilated and 70% effaced. The fact that he said, "Wow, this baby is down low!" was not a surprise to me. I feel like he's half way out already! The doctor said that a lot of women stay dilated at 3 for several weeks, but he doesn't think I'm going to make it to my due date. So, who knows when this little guy will make his appearance! We already have his bag packed, and mine is almost finished. I want him to stay in as long as he needs to be healthy, but I sure am getting impatient!

Hopefully my next post will simply say: "Heading to the hospital!"

Nursery and Baby Updates

2011-08-03T17:37:00.007-04:00

The doctor decided to let me off bed rest. YAY! (That is why I haven't blogged about the nursery until today.) I am still dilating, but the doctors say that, at this point, they would not stop labor if it began. So they are comfortable with me going back to my normal activities. My "normal" activities have included a deep clean of my house, laundry, finishing the nursery, semi-packing my hospital bag, and shopping. My pelvis still feels as though someone smashed it with a bat, but I am able to take little rests during the day, which has been nice.

For those of you who don't know, we have picked the cutest name in the world for our sweet baby boy: Reese Daniel. Neither name is from our families. Eric was watching ESPN one day, and one of the anchor's names was Reese. He mentioned it to me, and we've been hooked ever since. The middle name was more difficult to come by. (We weren't in total agreement.) We started toying with the idea of a Biblical name. When we both thought of Daniel, we agreed that it was a perfect fit. Daniel was definitely a Godly man, and he even slept in a lion's den...something that I think Reese will deem pretty important when he's about 5 or 6.

Now that we have a name, here is a peak of his new nursery! I am very happy with how it turned out.

View from the door. It is painted a very light gray, which I love!
I had seen a picture in a magazine of a big initial painted above a crib. I didn't want to paint right on the wall, so Eric cut out a circle from plywood, and I covered it with a red quilted fabric. I then bought a wooden "R," painted it white, and attached it to the board.

For some reason, I didn't take a picture of just the crib. So here is a picture of the bedding from the company's site.

Nursing/Rocking/Reading nook. (I vowed to never have a glider...but it really is comfy!)

These were so easy to make with canvas, fabric, felt, and a staple gun!

I found this dinky old table for $3, painted the legs white, covered it with fabric, then found this great red lamp at Target.

We decided to keep the twin bed in the nursery for extra sleeping room. Carrianna's interpretation? = new quilt!

These great gray polka dot sheets were from Wal-Mart, of all places! I'm mad at myself for not smoothing out that wrinkle before I snapped this pic...

The closet is full of super cute clothes, and this white cabinet was repurposed and is being used as Reese's dresser.

Finally found some canvas boxes to help organize.

They are all labeled! I must be nesting or something...

I made these book ends with some $1 craft animals, which I painted, and raw wood shadow boxes, which I also painted. I made the ribbon board to put up some of Reese's memorabilia, important reminders, and the like. I just covered a canvas with fabric, using a staple gun, then stapled the ribbon and added buttons to make it look finished.

Now all this nursery needs is a sweet little boy named Reese!

Vacation

2011-07-29T15:37:00.013-04:00

We had the great opportunity of visiting both of our families this July. We first started in TN with my family for July 4th weekend. My older sister, Lauren, and her 4 kids came down, too. My older brother, Rob, and his family live in TN, so we were able to see pretty much everybody.

We had a fun celebration on Saturday at the river. We played in the water and ate a yummy meal. What could be greater?!

Wyatt

Eveley and Layla

Caleb

Layla, Eveley, and Anna Lea

The stars of the weekend, though, were the twins, Jack and Ryan Elizabeth. They were "oohed" and "ahhed" over all weekend (mostly by my husband!).

Gram and Jack

Mimi and Ryan

In the middle of July, we headed up to KY to visit Eric's family. They threw us a really nice baby shower, where we received so many great baby gifts. The baby is set for life!!
We then headed to Lansing, MI for a family wedding. Eric's cousin, Marissa, married a guy named Austin. I can't believe I didn't get a single picture of the bride and groom! Their wedding was gorgeous and a ton of fun. And we got to see our nephew, Jackson, again. We haven't seen him since he was 1 day old! He's absolutely adorable! After the wedding, we kept driving north, something I'm not always comfortable with, and ended up a few miles shy of Canada, eh? Eric's family has a cottage on Piatt Lake in the upper peninsula of Michigan. My college friend, Maria, Eric's cousin, has told me so many stories of Piatt, and I was very excited to see it for myself.

We spent our town divided between swimming in the lake, tipping the canoe, playing Old Maid in the cottage, and playing with Eric's little cousins who were visiting a few houses down. We even went hiking...probably that's what pushed me to bed rest!! But I loved Piatt so much and cannot wait to go back next summer.

I think the pictures say it all. We had a super fun time!!

Next update: the baby's nursery!! Stay tuned!

Bed Rest

2011-07-27T15:36:00.004-04:00

Yep, that's right. I have been put on bed rest. Lately, whenever someone looks at my pregnant belly, they say, "Wow! You are carrying him soooo low!" Yeah, I got that. I have never before felt this much pelvic pressure.

I went to the doctor this morning. When she asked me if I was feeling okay, I kept telling her how much pressure I was feeling. She continued to tell me that, with a first baby, we mama's don't know what it is we're feeling and not feeling. Even though I don't have a frame of reference, I sure do know that this pressure cannot be good.

Thankfully, she decided to check my cervix. Lo, and behold, I am dilated 1 cm. She sent me to the hospital, and I was monitored for 3 hours. The doctor came in and checked me once again. I had been having several contractions, but my cervix remained at 1 cm. They sent me home with a few restrictions: no work, no housework, no $ex...but I am allowed to get up for the potty, food, and a shower.

My poor Eric won't know what to do with himself!

I go back to the doctor on Monday to check on everything. The doctor wants the baby to keep cooking until at least 37 weeks. (I am 34 weeks and 2 days right now!). I hate to feel like a weenie on bed rest, but this baby is my #1 priority! So I'm going to take this rest thing seriously!

So, I guess this means you will be hearing from me a little more often:) I have some shows to catch up on and some thank you cards to write, but I will be writing more entries to keep y'all posted!

Don't Worry!

2011-07-13T18:17:00.003-04:00

I know you have all been wondering where I've been! I am still here, still growing, and still tired. I promise to have some updates soon!!

Things to look forward to:

1. Pics of my bump.

2. Pics of the nursery

3. Updates!

See you soon!

Double Dip

2011-05-16T16:54:00.005-04:00

My sister, Lauren, had her twins this past week. Ryan Elizabeth and John "Jack" Kelsey were born at 8am on May 10. Ryan stole the most nutrition in the womb and came out at a whopping 5lb15oz, compared to her sweet little squirt brother, Jack, who weighed 5lb2oz. They are as different as night and day, but they are equally adorable! Every whimper, every dirty diaper is just too cute for words. And Mama is equally cute:)

These 2 love to sleep together. I guess 9 months wasn't long enough!

Big sister Eveley is super excited to have a baby brother and a baby sister. Caleb wouldn't slow down long enough to get a picture:)

I was able to go up and stay with Lauren and the babes in the hospital. It was fun to be able to spend time with her and help as much as possible. I should have brought a wet nurse with me. Who knew 2 little tiny squirts could eat that much and that often?! I told Eric I was mentally preparing myself for taking care of our babies. Then I remembered we were only having 1...and I cried in relief:)

The drive home was a little too eventful. I got in a wreck 30 minutes from home. Thankfully, the baby and I are doing fine. I ended up going to the hospital to be monitored for a few hours after the accident, but everything is great. Our car, on the other hand, is totaled. But God protects His own. So I'm thankful my baby boy and I walked away unharmed.

O, Boy! O, Boy!

2011-04-26T17:17:00.005-04:00

Yep! It's a boy! We are super excited to meet this little guy. I honestly was convinced it was a girl, so my mind has been going crazy today thinking about boy stuff. I am very excited to have a son. He will be accessorized like no one else, because I was super pumped to accessorize a girl:) His little profile is so precious. He kept opening his mouth and swallowing...or maybe he is practicing to be a talker like his Mommy:)

My favorite picture was the one where we learned he was a boy. And believe me, there is no mistaking that fact! But I felt crude putting a picture up of that (I can already see my Mom and Gram blush at the thought!). But I will let you see my second favorite picture. His sweet leg.

For those who know me, my legs are still the same length from birth. For those who know my husband, his legs are taller than I am. So we are curious who's legs he will receive!! This picture looks like he has tennis shoes on his feet:) He's also in perfect push up position. Such a stud!

Shake it Up, Baby

2011-04-22T14:50:00.002-04:00

After a bit of a sabbatical, I am back to report on the last few weeks. I cannot believe that April is almost over! This year is flying by, which means that September 5, my due date, is approaching very quickly.

This baby is quite the active little thing! He/She moves constantly. I LOVE it!! Sometimes I feel like he/she is doing somersaults, and sometimes he/she acts like poking me will somehow make these 9 months shorter. But it is so much fun to watch my belly grow :) Now that I have maternity clothes, this growing thing is a much more pleasant experience!

It has been so hard to wait for my 20 week ultrasound!! I have been DYING to know if this little squirt is a boy or a girl. But, the day is almost here!! This Tuesday, we will be able to take another peek at this little baby.

I cannot wait to see the little fingers and toes and the sweet little profile. I should have a few more pictures to show you in only 3 days!!

When Did I Become a Plumber??

2011-03-20T20:38:00.002-04:00

My current nursing job is PRN, meaning I work when I want. I usually end up working 1-2 days per week. It is so nice to be able to make your own schedule! This last week, I worked both Friday and Saturday. I don't usually work 2 days in a row, due to my being a Pansy, so, needless to say, I was pooped. By Saturday night, I was falling asleep at the wheel and craving my pajamas and bed. Eric was working an overnight, so I was home alone. I was too tired to be scared or lonely.

As I pulled into the driveway, I noticed a puddle on the concrete coming from under the garage door. Hmmm. One of Eric's friends had come into town and asked us to keep his kayak in our garage. I just figured the guys had taken it out that day, and it was still draining. O, was I wrong.
When I walked into the garage, there was a stream of water spraying from the water heater onto the wall. There was a quarter inch of water flooding the entire garage floor. Translation: This leak had probably been happening since Friday.

Let me back up a few weeks. When I finally convinced Eric that his mammoth wooden desk wasn't welcome in the baby's nursery, we decided to move our "office" into the garage. (No one in South Carolina actually uses their garage for cars.) We had taken a weekend and organized the garage like pro's. Eric had painted the walls and floor and built shelves. We even had the conversation, "Do you think we should leave room to have access to the water heater?"

So, when I walked into the garage and saw water spraying on Eric's important documents and the printer, I started freaking. I rolled up my scrub pants and grabbed as much stuff as I could. The scanner had been stored under the desk and was taking a bath in the flood water. I grabbed my phone and called Eric. Well, no luck. Uncle Sam wouldn't let him leave. I called our friend Eli, and he and another friend, Joseph, came and saved the day.

Thankfully, the cause of the leak was a small hole in the expansion tank, not the actual water heater. After several calls to my dad and brother, I realized this could be an easy fix. I Googled the part, found one at the closest Lowe's, and watched instructional videos on "How to Install an Expansion Tank." (This is also how I learned how to re-wire light fixtures on my own:)

Before I went to bed, I made sure the intake water was turned off and the power was turned off to the water heater. When I woke up, I realized that the genius who labeled my fuse box is stupid, and I had turned off the power to the dryer instead. Sigh.

I dreaded taking a freezing cold shower, but I was thankful I had water at all. Ha. Joke's on me! I ended up sitting in the bathtub slinging a trickle of water onto my lathered up skin. I still don't think all the soap is off my body.

After church today, we grabbed the part at Lowe's, ate a quick lunch at Arby's, and went home to fix our water heater. It actually ended up taking us about 5 minutes. We tested the water, and it is HOTT! So thankful.

My mom is coming to visit tomorrow. I'm glad she'll be able to take a hot shower while she's here!

Youth Group

2011-03-10T19:53:00.002-05:00

Eric and I have started working with youth at our church on Wednesday nights. Our church is located in a pretty rough area of town, so the kids in our youth come from difficult backgrounds. I would say that Eric and I are the whitest people I know, meaning: We stick out like sore thumbs. When we first started helping out, I thought, "O, my word. These kids know more about life than I will ever know." But I have come to learn that they have no idea how fulfilling a life in Christ is.

We always start out the night with small groups. We split the teens up by grade and talk through the same lesson with each group. Eric is working with the seniors, and I am usually with the sophomores. Last month, we focused a lot on love and relationships. It's important for these kids to realize that God loves them and sees them as valuable, that we love them and see them as valuable, and that they are all worthy of love and respect.

Easier said than done. But last night I realized that each week gets easier to interact with these kids. My favorite moment was a few weeks ago when we were talking about marriage. We asked each of our 10th graders to write a letter to their future spouse. This wasn't the best idea. They thought that was the dumbest thing they had ever heard. So we thought we would make it a little easier by just asking a simple question. "What are you looking for in your future wife?" Without hesitation, one kid looked up at us and said, "Good credit." Well, that is definitely some forward thinking. Can't say that was ever on my "husband list."

Eric had a pretty cool message to share that night. The leader of his group is not afraid to lay all bare with her kids, so she started talking about sex and abstinence. "Yeah right." One guy said. "No one actually waits until they're married." Sweet little Eric chimed in, "I did." I think he surprised himself, but he quieted the group down very quickly. I'm sure the guys thought a little differently when they heard that coming from a big, handsome hunk of a guy who whips their tails every week in basketball.

Anyway, we're really excited about getting to know these kids on a deeper level. They notice that we come back every week. They notice that we sacrifice time each week to be with them. For the first time in many of their lives, they see consistency and people who don't let them down. One of the kids came up to Eric last week and asked him to be his mentor. We're really excited to start having one-on-one time with him. Pray for us!

Sisters and Pregnancy Thoughts

2011-03-05T14:51:00.006-05:00

The coolest thing about being pregnant right now is that BOTH of my sisters are pregnant, too! My oldest sister, Lauren, is due in May, and we found out in January that she's having twins!! We are so excited and know that this was a complete God thing. She will be having a boy and a girl, rounding out her kid total to 5.

My older sister, Kate, (who got married 3 months before me) is due 2 days after me! This is her first, and she and I will found out the gender of our babies in April. My parents are trying to be strategic about all the visiting that will occur in the next 6 months, especially since we live in separate states:) But, thankfully, all 3 of us have great support groups in the areas where we live.

By the end of 2011, my parents will have 4 new grandbabies, bringing the grand total to 10! Now, if only Beka would cooperate and join the fun... ;)

From the first time I saw those 2 pink lines on my pregnancy test, I have been dreaming about this little baby. I wonder every day if the baby is a boy or girl. If he/she will look like me or Eric. We have both decided that the inevitable traits will be: big legs, a terrible competitive streak, and the stubbornness of 2 mules.

Eric saw a little black boy in the nursery and said, "I hope we have a black baby." To which I replied, "Lucy, you got some splainin' to do!"

We are both so excited to be on this journey, although my pants are screaming for me to put them away until next year.

Baby Love

2011-02-27T21:13:00.004-05:00

Here's a little glimpse of my life for the next 6 months:)

That's right! Eric and I are expecting our first little tyke on September 5...Labor Day:) I have just begun my 2nd trimester and am feeling great. Just can't wait to meet this little guy or girl!

I'll keep you posted on all the excitement:)

Marlboro (wo)Man

2011-02-14T20:19:00.005-05:00

I know what you're thinking. It's been a while. I have this awful habit of going on hiatus for entirely too long. I apologize. I just can't think of a single thing to blog about.

So, instead, I'll share with you a very interesting experience I recently had.

The other day, as I was lounging on the couch watching Live! with Regis and Kelly, my doorbell rang. For those of you who are fans of the show, this would have taken place between the hours of 9a.m. and 10a.m. For those of you who know me best, I was still in my jammies.

I decided to make the caller assume I was not home. But to make sure I wasn't missing a Fed-Ex package, I peaked out the front window. No truck. No car besides mine. The doorbell rang again.

I decided to put on my big girl panties and prepare my speech for the salesman, angry neighbor, or Jehovah's Witness. I took a big breath, made sure I was appropriately clothed, and pulled open the door.

An older lady was standing on my doorstep. She looked a little haggard, so my first instinct was to think, "Here is someone who may need my help." Ha. If I only knew...

"May I help you?" I asked the lady, putting on my best smile.

She laughed an almost crazy-like cackle and asked, "Do you smoke?"

I almost asked her to repeat herself, until I realized she was serious. "Um. No, ma'am. I don't."

"O, I need a cigarette! I was hoping you'd have one."

"No, ma'am, I don't." I kind of laughed a good-natured kind of laugh, as if to say, "Darn, I just smoked my last one! If only I knew you were coming this morning." Instead, my thoughts were more like, "Crazy lady, get off my porch."

She mumbled something to the effect of, "Well, that bites. I'll try your neighbors." To which I should have replied, "O, yes, the babysitter next door takes smoke breaks on the half hour. You should bum one off her. Heaven knows those kids need less second hand smoke exposure."

Instead, I wedged myself tighter between the door and the door frame, and said, "Have a nice day. Sorry again about being out of my Virginia Slims. I really need to cut back."

As I shut the door, I thought, "Honestly? What about my house made her think I'd be the one to ask? I have no yard gnomes or ceramic deer or flamingos in my flower beds." (Sorry...that was rude.) I called my mom to tell her of this strange encounter. I told her if this was an angel, that was just a mean test. She assured me God wouldn't send any tobacco-seeking angels to my doorstep.

What did I learn from this encounter? Keep extra cigare...O, sorry. Wrong lesson. I learned: Don't answer the front door.

Christmas 2010

2011-01-05T09:24:00.008-05:00

This Christmas was PACKED! I have no other way to describe it. It was our first Christmas together (as a married couple), which we celebrated with an ornament bought in downtown Charleston.

Our first celebration was our Christmas Morning on December 22. We woke up and read the Christmas story, ate a yummy breakfast casserole, and dove into our stockings and gifts.

Eric got a circular saw so that he can build lots of new things for the house:) He bought me a Kindle, which I LOVE! Yes, I'm a complete nerd and love to read ALL the time. So this was definitely the perfect gift.

That night, we celebrated with a scrumptious Christmas dinner with our friends/family, Maria and Eli. Maria set a beautiful table and made a mom-approved dinner. Chase and Riley loved it, too.

We were blessed to get an early Christmas present - our newest nephew, Jackson William. Eric's brother Wes and his wife Kelly are going to be wonderful parents.

I also was able to experience my very first White Christmas in Kentucky, where we celebrated with Eric's family. We had such a wonderful time (although I forgot to take pictures!!)

Next stop: Tennessee. We celebrated with my family...all 16 of us! The kiddos had the most fun, I'm sure. We also were able to hike with my parents and sister, Kate, and her husband, Oscar. The waterfall that we occasionally hike to had LOTS of snow.

We are so thankful for our wonderful families and all the blessings God has given us this year. I pray that you all have a Happy New Year in 2011!

Happy Birthday, Baby

2010-12-16T07:30:00.005-05:00

Today is my Eric's 23rd birthday. Yes, he's a bit younger than I. This morning, I let Eric open all his presents before work. Here he is posing under his birthday banner with his new football.

I am so thankful for this guy. We haven't known each other for that long, but I knew from Day 1 that he was different. He loves the Lord in a way I didn't know was possible. In everything he does, he challenges me.

People joke that Eric and I aren't allowed to play games with each other because we are so competitive. So we usually play one game a night to work on it:) We started out playing Rummy. Now we have also picked up Scrabble and Yahtzee. (No, I didn't say this was his 83rd birthday...)

I am so blessed to have a husband that is so darn good looking, so sweet, and so passionate about the things of God. He is the smartest guy I know (besides you, Dad;), and he will never tire of learning, no matter how much I push him towards stupidity.

Unlike most guys his age, Eric is really good with kids. He worked in his church nursery for several years, and we have just signed up to start helping in the nursery at our new church. When I told my siblings that we weren't coming for Thanksgiving, Lauren said, "Does that mean we have to take care of our own kids?!"

I'm so in love with this guy and decided to celebrate him with dessert:) So we're having some friends over tonight for 2 cakes and some fun snacks. I'm super pumped, but I better get in the kitchen and start slavin'.

A House in the Making

2010-12-07T15:51:00.012-05:00

Moving into a new house causes you to realize all the things you don't have. After I filled most of the rooms with furniture, I moved on to paint. Adding color to the walls definitely helped transform our house into a home. But my biggest problem to date has been wall hangings.

Whenever I look at the empty space above my couch, I cringe. I had found a really cool puzzle that I thought would make a great addition to the space. So I worked all 1500 pieces just to realize I couldn't find a standard frame for it. So I moved on to Plan B.

I searched decorating blogs and magazines to find what is popular right now. What did I discover? If I had a lot of money, I could have a really beautiful home. But, I decided that I can be crafty and cute and cheap all at the same time.

I found an amazing steal at Big Lots. This book only cost $8 and has amazing pictures in it, even actual 8x10 prints that make framing so easy!

I then decided that I wanted to do a grouping of 8 pictures. So I started looking for 8x10 frames. The cheapest I could find was $6. Well, you do the math...that's almost $50. So I went to Wal-Mart and found frames WITH white mats for only $3 per frame!!

I loved the gold brush effect on the inside of the frame. So, I then went through the book and found my favorite 8 pictures. I'm VERY excited about how it turned out!! (Disclaimer: My living room is rearranged because of my Christmas tree, so the grouping isn't centered with the couch right now!)

I'm also decorating for Christmas, so I'll leave you with some pictures of my house.

The Dining Room

The Kitchen table center piece

I love being able to decorate a mantle!!

My first homemade wreath

Our first tree

My coffee table decor.

My Soap Box

2010-11-20T13:42:00.002-05:00

When my sisters decided that they were going to become Bloggers, I thought, "Well, maybe I should, too!" I wondered what in the world I would write about, and, I must admit, some days are harder to create a post than others. But I have learned that my favorite things to blog about are the everyday things. I love finding humor in a really bad day and creatively writing about it.

But, like I said, some days are harder than others. Sometimes I just have a really cruddy day and don't want to blog. Here's some advice: When you have a day like that, and you're feeling really low, don't throw a blog pity party. When we decide to wallow in self-pity we create a problem. We create an opportunity for Satan to be super excited and claim a victory. Instead, God wants us to see our weakness as an opportunity for Him to display His awesome power.

How cool is it when you hear about something terrible happening to someone and them just laying it all at the feet of their Savior and praising Him because He is God. It's not a matter of praising Him no matter if we're happy or sad. It's a matter of praising Him because He is ALWAYS good.

You know the saying, "Misery loves company." It's very true. But as Christians, that shouldn't be our motto. The world is super good at living by this slogan. But Romans 12:2 says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

Leave the world guessing and looking for the source of this difference: The Lord Jesus Christ.

So if you're feeling sad, lonely, depressed, upset, ignored - Don't write about it and welcome a big 'ole group of miserable so-called friends. Use it as an opportunity to show the world what God is teaching you. Season every word with graciousness and personify the love of Christ.

You Have to Read This

2010-11-15T09:18:00.005-05:00

A few weeks ago, we had the opportunity of having Ron Hall speak at our church. If you've never heard of Ron, you need to do some reading. Ron Hall has an amazing testimony of how God used his wife to show him the need of the homeless in his hometown.

This book, Same Kind of Different as Me, tells the story of Ron and his best friend, Denver, a homeless man. I love the honesty that Ron portrays in this book. When his wife told him that she felt God was leading them to work in a homeless mission, Ron's only motivation was his love for his wife. He went from having thousand dollar dinners with his millionaire clients to serving dinner to the homeless at the soup kitchen.

Throughout the book, Ron tells of the transformation that God performed in his heart. I won't spoil anything, because I really think the book is better when you discover it all on your own. But, take my advice and read this book.

Blessed

2010-11-13T12:27:00.005-05:00

Today I was able to do an amazing thing: I talked to both of my grandmothers on the phone. I was blessed to be able to grow up in the same town as both sets of grandparents, but I don't get to see them enough anymore. Sundays usually consisted of eating lunch at one of my grandparents' houses. Mimi always had roast and gravy, which we made into a big sandwich with white bread and mashed potatoes, and Gram always had a million casseroles, all of which were covered in cheese. Yum. I really wish I could be eating with them right now.

My grandmothers are actually really good friends. They get together frequently for lunch, visits, and Bible studies. They truly are active ladies! I am so blessed to have them in my life. Since I was a little girl, I have never once questioned their relationship with God. They are so godly and so committed to living each day for Him. They have both raised Christian children and subsequent grand- and great-grandchildren. They have left an amazing legacy.

I was so excited to be able to chat with both of them today. They are hilarious and always provide me with funny stories to share. My Gram (on the right) tells everyone that I am JUST like her. I take that as an extreme compliment:) She usually tells people that I look like my Mimi (on the left) but act just like her. I truly love being a combo of the 2 of them.

My Gram told me today that I needed to update my blog. So I thought it was only fitting to write about her:)

If you are fortunate enough to have a grandparent still living, give them a call today. You'll be glad that you did!

A Day Worthy of Posting

2010-10-20T11:54:00.002-04:00

Today went down in history as one of the worst, and this status was achieved by 11:00 am.

Today was the day I was supposed to go to the hospital to fill out new-hire paperwork and get my physical. Last night, I took the time to print off directions and put all necessary paperwork (social security card, passport, marriage license, birth certificate, etc) into a very businesslike envelope.

This morning, instead of my 3-4 cups of coffee, I decided to stop at 2 so that my heart rate wouldn't sky rocket in employee health. Also, I've had a fear of physicals since I realized you get weighed, so I decided to eat a Special K bar for breakfast.

I showered and decided on an outfit that was actually pretty cute. I was then able to leave 35 minutes before my appointment so I would have time to make the drive, park, and arrive in the HR office before 10:15.

The trip went fine, until I missed the turn to the parking garage. I took a 5 minute detour just to find the big sign, "Garage Full." So I took another 5 minute detour to the next parking garage. I found a spot, took the 3 flights of stairs to the ground floor, and wandered into HR by 10:17.

I said "Hi" to the receptionist and explained why I was there.

"Ok. I just need to see your ID."

I fished into my oversized purse, noting that it felt slightly lighter today. I got that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. Why me? Yep, no wallet. I had ordered some things online last night and left my wallet on the banister, not in my purse.

So there I was. Standing in front of the HR lady, trying to talk her into using my passport that has my maiden name on it. When she said "No," 3 different options popped into my head: a) Scream; b) Cry; or c) Beat up the HR lady. Instead, I smiled, rescheduled my appointment, and tromped off towards the parking garage.

Sigh. Guess I'll just fill up my almost empty car and head home. Small problem. No money. So I attempted to drive home on fumes. You know those times you think that a traffic jam is saving you from being involved in a fatal 10 car pile-up? This time, I thought I was going to be the one at the bottom of the pile. Well, my car made it to the exit, but the transfer trucks wouldn't let me change lanes. So, I missed my exit. I don't usually freak about having to drive a little further to get somewhere, but when every fume counts...

So i made it home. But I decided, besides time and gas, I wasted some things today.

1. I wasted several cups of coffee
2. I wasted a really good breakfast
3. I wasted a cute outfit
4. I wasted mileage on my new car
5. I wasted a shower (I never shower before noon)

So, when I got home, I found my wallet, put it in my purse, changed into my lounging clothes, and made myself French toast. The rest of today is gonna be stinking awesome.

Transparent

2010-10-14T16:19:00.004-04:00

After my last nursing job, I was not sure I could ever go back to a hospital again. When I moved to SC, Eric was super supportive about me staying home and "recuperating." I did have some valid excuses. I needed to decorate the house, do the laundry, clean all 3 toilets, and cook meals for my wonderful husband. End results: 7 gallons of paint, extra clean clothes, sparkling porcelain, and weight gain.

But my excuses have run dry. Real reason? Fear. Honestly, I think I was afraid. No, let me rephrase that. I was TERRIFIED of being a hospital nurse again. It wasn't so much the patients as it was the responsibility. It's hard to take care of 6-7 patients at a time and be expected to never miss anything. It's also difficult to work night shift and be exhausted 24/7. And it's emotionally draining to work with cancer patients.

A few weeks ago, I realized how much I love cancer patients. I sat in my car and started thinking about all the patients I had taken care of in the past year. I remembered names, faces, even conversations. Then it hit me...I loved being an oncology nurse.

I had been applying for a few jobs here and there, mostly jobs involving great hours, no weekends, and babies. But God knew what He was doing.

Ok, I'm getting to the point. I now have a new job! And, guess what? It's in a hospital. And my patients? Cancer patients. I'm honestly excited. God truly brought me to this point in His perfect timing. I'm ready to go back, and I'm so excited that I will be working oncology again.

Thanks to those of you who have prayed for me and listened to my tireless conversations regarding employment/unemployment.

Hopefully this means more stories to blog about!

I'm in Love with a Singer

2010-09-22T16:08:00.003-04:00

As much as I love my husband's voice, he's not the singer I'm referring to.

THIS is my new love...

I decided it was time for me to become as creative as my sisters, so I went out and bought this little gem. My mother has taught me everything I know (which, sorry, Mom, isn't that much), so I had to go with this:

Ha. At least they're honest. This is the "Simple" version (and least expensive, I might add). The "Singer / Yeah, you're a REAL seamstress" was almost $300 more. But, I won't let this hinder my creative juices.

I've been enjoying decorating my new home. My husband comes home everyday and says, "Is there anything new I should notice?" I love that guy!

But instead of going out and buying new pillows to replace my tacky brown ones, I decided to recover them. And here's the finished product!

No, I didn't recover the chair. But thanks for the vote of confidence!

Check out these seams! (That's for you, Beth.)

I ended up recovering 2 pillows, and it only took about 1 hour from beginning to end. Not bad.

Hopefully I'll be posting more projects soon!

The Happy Couple has Returned

2010-08-12T09:57:00.013-04:00

We are back from Maui and attempting to unpack all of our boxes. But here's a little sneak peak of what's to come!

I'm married! Meet my new husband, not that I had an old one...Eric and I are married and sooo very happy! The wedding was absolutely beautiful, and I have a million people to thank for that.

My parents were so great from the first moment they knew a 2nd wedding was about to occur. My mom decorated the church and reception site, and I could not imagine anything more beautiful.

Our wedding party was made up of family only. My two sisters and Eric's two sisters made up the "girl" side, while my two brothers and Eric's two brothers made up the "guy" side. We are so thankful for all of these people. We love them so much and couldn't imagine a better wedding party.

My in-laws were awesome, too. They threw the best rehearsal dinner and added so much fun to the entire occasion.

And last, but not least, my beautiful friends went to a lot of effort to be a part of this special time. I can't thank them enough. It meant the world to have them there!

And to the rest of you, thank you for everything you did to make Eric and me feel so special. Every shower, every gift, every card, everything touched our hearts and showed us how much we are loved.

And to my husband, I love you with all of my heart and am so excited to be a part of what God has in store for our lives.

We have moved our home into a new house in a new state. I will post pictures as the decorating begins to take shape. Eric has started his job with the Navy, and we are falling into a nice little routine. Now that I am a housewife, I have no excuse for not posting. So I promise there will be more to come!

Phew

2010-06-21T22:06:00.006-04:00

The past 2 months have been a whirlwind. I'm sorry I haven't included you in this crazy season of life, but I'll try to catch you up on the news.

Eric graduated from the University of Kentucky with his degree in Chemical Engineering. He was very prestigious looking in his cap and gown. I'm very proud of him!
He is now in his Naval officer training in Rhode Island and will be there for 4 more weeks. I'm getting lonely without the big lug.

But when he gets back, it will be one week until our wedding!

Plans are going well, at least that's what my Mama says...she's the one in charge of that! I have 2 more weeks of work, and then I'm headed home to get in on this planning.

I have my first wedding shower this coming weekend, courtesy of Eric's aunts. It should be a really fun time! I'll try to keep you updated on all the wedding planning, but we all know I'm not too good at that:)

33 more days til the wedding!!

She's a MRS.

2010-04-20T16:17:00.003-04:00

She's married! We pulled it off (somehow). Kate was a beautiful bride, and I'm really sad it's all over. God truly blessed us with a beautiful location for the wedding and wonderful weather. I will post more pictures and details when I have a few minutes to spare.

Wedded Bliss (Hers...not Mine ;)

2010-04-08T14:37:00.005-04:00

My older sister, Kate, is getting married in 9 days. I can't believe it! I am so excited to be with my entire family this coming week to celebrate this fun time. Oscar, her fiance, will be a wonderful addition to the clan. (He will make #16!)

I just have to work 4 more days and then get to head to TN for the festivities. I know Kate will be a beautiful bride. Hope she's ready for the reception. I've been brushing up on my dance skills...

Easter Blessings

2010-04-01T23:31:00.007-04:00

Easter is just around the corner, and since I have to work this entire weekend (Of course I do. It's a holiday and I work EVERY holiday...), I thought I would share a few thoughts. The Lord has been blessing me with a refreshing revival in regards to the holiday. I admit that I sometimes get bored with Christian holidays.

Stay with me on this one. We sometimes have the tendency to read the same Scripture passages, perform the same church plays, and sing the same holiday-attributed hymns and praise songs when a Christian holiday arrives.

I hate that fact that I prepare for boredom on my way to these services. (Please keep reading before any of you move to the "x" button at the top of this page...I hope some of you can relate.)

Have I mentioned that I hate this about myself? But, you know what? I think God hates this boredom as much as I do, and He chose to grab my attention by using the talents of some of His children.

Let me share with you the blessings Christ has shared with me.

#1. Mercy Me's new song, All of Creation. These lyrics are awesome:

Separated until the veil was torn
The moment that hope was born
and guilt was pardoned once and for all

Captivated but no longer bound by chains
left at an empty grave
the sinner and the sacred resolved

and all of creation sing with me now
lift up your voice and lay your burden down
and all of creation sing with me now
fill up the heavens let his glory resound

Time has faded and we see him face to face
every doubt erased forever we will worship the king

Isn't that awesome?! Shivers run down my spine whenever I read Matthew 27: "And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom."

There is no more separation between us and God. We have complete access to Him. Amazing.

And can you believe I was given another blessing after THAT?!

#2. I just started reading Beth Moore's new book, So Long, Insecurity. Please go buy it today and start reading it! (I'll post more about that later.)

God truly has given her an amazing way with words. This one paragraph brought tears to my eyes. Tears of JOY.

She was discussing the difficulties we women (and men, for that matter) are faced with every day in the culture we live in. As she was having a conversation with her daughter about the trials and "bad things" in this life, her daughter said, "He knows it's scary to be us." She then writes:

"Yes, beloved, He does. He does not take lightly that some of us were raised in a veritable madhouse. He does not take lightly that some of us have been mentally berated or physically beaten or sexually abused or simply abandoned. He does not take lightly that some of us are still trying to recover from that midnight phone call. He does not take lightly that some of us were born with legs that don't work. Or eyes that can't see. Or ears that can't hear. He does not take lightly that some of us have endured the cancer treatment of our very own children. He does not take lightly that some of us, Lord help us, have buried our own children.

"He knows it's scary to be us. "Son of David, have mercy on us! It's almost too much to bear here at times, Lord! No wonder we're insecure!

"The thunder crashes in the heavens, and the earth grows dark in the middle of the afternoon, and a man, beaten to a bloody pulp, cries from a cross between two thieves, 'It is finished!' Because He did, one day God will wipe away every tear from the eyes of those who trusted Him, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things will pass away and all our hardships will be finished."

God bless you all this Easter season.

Engagement Pictures

2010-03-17T14:14:00.006-04:00

Last weekend, Eric and I went down to Charleston, SC to visit some friends. We decided that engagement pictures on the beach would be the way to go. Thought I'd share a few with y'all.

He Musta Liked It...

2010-03-11T15:55:00.006-05:00

Cause he just put a ring on it!!!

I'm ENGAGED!! For real. I came home from work this morning, after working the past 3 nights, to find rose petals strewn on the carpet. I followed them to my bedroom (which made me nervous!) to find 2 red roses and 2 Mad Gab cards. (The ring wasn't there. It just made the picture look better:)

I figured out the, "Carrianna, will you marry me?" card, but I was completely lost on the other one. Thankfully, my man knows me so well and put the answer on the back of the card:) It says, "I am on the porch."

I started walking towards the porch, thinking, "O my word, this is not really happening!" And there he was, dressed in his finest suit, and looking more dashing than I ever thought possible.

I opened the door and said something to the effect of, "What is going on? Are you serious?" He started to pull a box out of his pocket and dropped to his knee. And he really proposed!! I think I said yes. I was too surprised to remember:)

The ring is absolutely gorgeous. I couldn't ask for a ring that fits me better. But I definitely couldn't ask for a man that fits me better. Eric, I love you , and I am so excited about our life together! Here are some more pictures. It is difficult to do this ring justice in a picture.

I love the 2 red roses. Eric said that 2 red roses tied with a ribbon signify engagement and marriage. So sweet and thoughtful!

Plans are beginning, but my big sis has to get married first:) I'll keep you updated!

Love. Love. Love.

2010-02-14T23:24:00.007-05:00

Eric is such a sweetheart, and I just love him and being with him. I was so excited to be able to celebrate Valentine's Day with a real live boyfriend! (It's been a long time;) And my Sweets did not disappoint!

My Valentine thought of the perfect way to celebrate this Day of Love. He took me out to eat!! But not just anywhere. He read me like a book and took me to an Italian restaurant. I ate the most amazing bread in the world, a yummy salad, calamari, penne pasta, and a chocolate torte that oozed warm, chocolate filling when we stabbed it with our forks. It was the most wonderful thing I've ever eaten, and tasted even better with my steaming mug of Starbucks coffee. *sigh* It was perfect.

I think our waiter was getting slightly annoyed with us because we stayed a really long time. But it was so fun to just sit and talk and laugh....and eat. It was a perfect Valentine's date.

On top of that, he bought me a beautiful cross necklace. For his present, we are going to see Sanctus Real when they come to Cincinnati. It isn't until May, but the anticipation will make it even more exciting!

And the night wouldn't have been complete without a car interior picture:)

The Power of the Brand Name

2010-02-12T17:13:00.003-05:00

I grew up as a proud consumer of generic products. Breakfast cereals consisted of Space Stars (aka Lucky Charms), Fruity Gems (aka Fruity Pebbles), and, my favorite, Hoot-n-Honey (Honey Combs). I never knew that a difference existed.

Until I tasted the real thing. Such a deprived childhood.

Now that I have my own paycheck and my own pantry to fill, I'm proud to announce that I have a box of Captain Crunch on the shelf, although there is a box of Crispy Rice, a box of Rice Bitz, and a box of Apple Dapples on the same shelf. (The Captain Crunch was on sale :)

I also use generic dishwasher detergent. I don't have any fine china, so I figured it was harmless. My coffee mugs were already stained from numerous cups of coffee and tea, so, no harm no foul. Well, I decided to splurge the other day and buy real Cascade, just to see if a difference existed.

To my amazement, I pulled out coffee mug after coffee mug that are completely shiny white on the inside. I was blown away, and slightly disgusted, when I realized those "stains" were just dirty mugs.

All of that to say, there is power in brand names, but I'm sure I will still support Equate and Laura Lynn for the rest of my life. (Thanks, Mom.)

True Satisfaction

2010-02-08T10:25:00.002-05:00

"Arise, O LORD, confront him, cast him down;
Deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword,
With Your hand from men, O LORD,
From men of the world who have their portion in this life,
And whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure.
They are satisfied with children,
And leave the rest of their possession for their babes.

As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness;
I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness."

-Psalm 17:13-15, NKJV

I pray today that I stop looking to this world for entertainment, joy, and satisfaction. It is only through Christ that my heart will truly be stripped of the chains of bondage this world has placed on it. True satisfaction will come as we awaken each day to be more like Christ than we were the day before.

Weight, Weight, Go Away

2010-02-03T22:14:00.006-05:00

You know that certain article of clothing that you use as your bathroom scale? You know what I'm talking about. There is one particular dress or pair of pants in your closet that you just can't give up, even though it would take the Jaws of Life to put you in it and to get you back out of it. But you hold on to it, just in case you come down with the flu and lose a few extra pounds.

I'll be the first to admit it. I have this dress that I bought 3 years ago for a wedding, and I absolutely love it. Well, let me rephrase that. I LOVED it...past tense. It was just 3 short years ago that I felt pretty darn good in that dress.

Two summers ago, I found that dress in the back of my closet. After shaking the dust from its silky fabric, I made the biggest mistake of my life: I put it on. Or, maybe I should say, I attempted to put it on. It went over my shoulders, down my torso, and then managed to stop when it hit my hips. "Hmmm," I thought. "Is it stuck on something?" You're darned right it was stuck on something: My Honky Tonk Badonkadonk.

You know those defining moments in life? Those moments that make you cringe or bring a tear to your eye? Those moments that make you want to sit on the couch and eat an entire carton of Moose Tracks ice cream and watch Lifetime movies?

Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating. But, it was at this moment when I realized I had put on a few too many pounds. It was also this moment that I made it my goal to fit into that dress again.

Well, Ladies and Gents. I found that little dress in my closet today, and I am pleased to announce (Drumroll please.) IT FITS!!!

Now I'm going to eat a piece of coffee cake.

They Lied

2010-01-19T10:58:00.004-05:00

Whoever coined the phrase, "Easy as Pie," must have been talking about eating pie. Not MAKING a pie. I discovered this deception last night. Since I work night shift, I tend to do weird things like grocery shopping, cleaning house, and cooking, at very late/early hours. When I looked at the clock and saw:

I knew it was time to bake. I got this seemingly great idea to make my first pie...from scratch...crust and all. I scoured online recipe websites to find the perfect flaky pie crust. The reviews were the "2 Thumbs Up" kind for the recipe I chose. O yeah, they lied, too.

I started with my dough. I even cut in the shortening, just like my Mama taught me. I put it in the refrigerator to chill while I tried to come up with a filling for this pie.

I had a nice blend of fresh and frozen fruits, so I threw in some berries and peaches and tossed them around with some sugar and a dash of cinnamon. The fruit looked so pretty in the crust. But looks can be deceiving.

Then I got an even grander idea. A lattice crust would be awesome! Well, when your pie crust recipe yields a dough that is dryer than winter skin, there is really no chance in Hades that your lattice pieces are going to bend without breaking.

This was my case. I pinched and pressed and added and cut until the top of my pie looked more like a broken fence than anything. I forgot to add the best ingredient: butter, so I pushed little squares through my already pitiful crust.

At this point, it's almost 2 A.M., and I'm bordering on insanity as I pull the pie out of the oven.

Well, I guess it could have been worse.

It wasn't until morning that I was able to taste a piece. Yes, it was morning, and I ate a large helping with my steaming cup of coffee.

And, yes, they're right. Eating pie is pretty easy.

Verdict? The crust is WAY too dry, and the fruit needed a little more sugar. But, I still managed to lick my plate clean.

I've learned a lot through this experience. The most important lesson for the day: I will always opt for Pillsbury.

Easy as Pie, my foot.

January 16, 2010

2010-01-16T13:18:00.005-05:00

Today marks 3 years that we've been without our Robbie. I think we all could say we've learned more in these past 36 months than we ever did the rest of our lives. But it has been a long road.

I miss his chubby little feet and the way he'd strain his eyes all the way to the corners to avoid giving you eye contact. I even miss the fact that he couldn't sit still in your lap for 2 seconds without thinking of something more exciting to do.

He was a bundle of energy but smart as a whip! The boy could say his entire alphabet way before I even knew he could talk. He had such a personality, and I wish I could have gotten to know him better as he grew up.

He has been missed and will be missed for years to come. But I'm thankful for the hope we have because of Christ. We WILL see him again one day!

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

2010-01-14T18:38:00.010-05:00

I was looking through the pictures I have taken over the past month, and I realized that I have captured some really cute and funny moments. So I thought I'd share my Top 10 Favorite Photos of the Christmas/New Year's season.

Number 1: Catching someone picking their nose is always funny.

Number 2: Layla in Eric's boots.

Number 3: Eric as Santa.

Number 4: Photoshop is always funny.

Number 5: Layla and Eveley using their new step stools for a much better purpose than brushing their teeth.

Number 6: Do I even need to explain why this is funny?!?!

Number 7: Marmee trying to stop Bride Wars.

Number 8: Hard to see, but Eveley has a green icing Hitler stache.

Number 9: Anna Lea just lovin' on Wyatt.

Number 10: Caleb already knows how to read.

White Post-Christmas

2010-01-11T13:33:00.006-05:00

Being a Tennessee girl, I am not used to getting snow in the winter. Well, I'm not used to getting snow period. Don't get me wrong, we would get the occasional flurry, but nothing usually stuck to the ground. But that didn't stop the entire county from shutting down school! The moment one weatherman would mention the possibility of snow in the forecast, bread and milk would fly from grocery store shelves. You can never say we aren't prepared.

Now that I'm in Kentucky, I am actually seeing snow that stays on the ground. The bad part of this whole story: hospitals don't cancel work. So, I brave the treacherous roads in my extremely incompetent snow mobile, my Ford Focus.

Here I am attempting to be a Kentucky Wildcat Snow Bunny. (I really just wanted to put a picture up of the cutest couple you'll EVER see:)

But the snow really is pretty. Here's what I can see from my front door:

And from my back door:

Here's another view from my back door:

Yes, that is my Christmas tree to your left. I took down all my decorations inside, but, living on the 3rd floor has its disadvantages. I'm waiting to work up the nerve to toss it off my porch. Don't worry, I'll do it past midnight so no one can observe. And I'll make sure to document my adventure with pictures. Until then...

I Believe in Santa Clause

2009-12-28T15:45:00.009-05:00

Growing up is not really that fun. Now that I'm a REAL grown up, I have to put food on the table. So, when duty called, I had to reply, "OK. I'll work December 23, 24, AND 25." They really do pick on the new guys.

On Christmas morning, I left work feeling pretty sad. I realized that this was the very first time in all my 22 years that I was not waking up in my own home, gearing up for all the presents and fun. I called my mom to wish her a Merry Christmas and walked up the stairs to my apartment. When I got to my door, this note was taped to it:

Hmm. I'm not that quick....especially after a 12-hour shift. So, needless to say, I was pretty darn shocked when I walked into my house to find Santa coming out of my fireplace!! No joke. See for yourself:

My jaw dropped in complete surprise. "O my word! Mom, Eric is in my house and dressed up like Santa." I hung up the phone and proceeded to check out Old St. Nick.

His coat was a red graduation gown. And his beard was painted with white fingernail polish. Here's a better look:

Eric truly made my Christmas so special. But, the fumes from the fingernail polish almost made it impossible to allow this old Mama to be caught kissing Santa Clause. So I opted for the cheek:

I'm so thankful for this big ole guy!!

A New Era of Blogging

2009-12-18T01:38:00.005-05:00

Why this "New Era?" This is why:

This sweet boy

Bought me this sweet camera!!

Aren't we sweet together?

Now I can take you on a tour of my Christmas decorations!! This blog will NEVER be the same :)

Here is my mantle.

I made the greenery decorations with the extra limbs that my sweet boyfriend chopped off my Christmas tree. I was a little perturbed when I first saw him hacking away at the poor thing. But once my mantle was complete, I was a happy girl!

And here is that precious little tree.

I even bought a Christmas candle that makes my apartment smell more homey... and less apartmenty.

Merry Christmas to all!!

Getting in the Christmas Spirit

2009-12-03T15:07:00.006-05:00

December is finally here, and I now feel that I can begin celebrating Christmas without looking like a holiday weirdo. I always have Christmas music playing in my apartment and in my car. Last weekend, I was able to be a part of decorating with my boyfriend's family. We got a tree and strapped it to the top of the van. As you can see, I really loved that tree.

This coming weekend, I get to put up my tree!! This will be my first time to have my own tree. Eric and I are hoping to go to a Christmas tree farm so we can cut one down ourselves. I already have the decorations, so I'll make sure to put some pictures up of the finished product.

Until then, hope all of you are enjoying the beginning days of the Christmas season!

Uh-Oh

2009-11-21T15:26:00.003-05:00

Eric and I had just come back from grabbing subs at Penn Station, and I was about to head home. As we walked out to my car, I reached into my jacket pocket to grab my keys. Then I reached into my other pocket to grab my keys. Then I patted down every pocket of my jeans to grab my keys. Nothing. For the first time in 7 years, I had locked my keys in my car.

I cupped my hands around my face and peeked into the darkness of my car. There they were, sitting right in the driver's seat...not even 2 feet away.

And, just like in a movie, lightning flashed. Thunder roared. And the rain came pouring down...just when I thought things couldn't get worse.

Dating an engineer can come in pretty handy at a time like this. Eric ran inside and grabbed a metal coat hanger, straightening it out as he ran back outside. He tried to shove the coat hanger through the space between the door and the car frame and between the door and the window. No such lock. Little Rooster was a locked box.

Then my sweet boyfriend got a very scary look on his face...You know that look. It says: I have a GREAT idea. The look always makes me nervous. Without any explanation, he ran back inside. I trudged back towards the house. "Just let me call a locksmith," I said as I dragged my wet rat self inside.

I found him sitting at the computer. "Good," I thought to myself, thinking that he was finding a phone number for me. And just when I thought I was 10-15 minutes away from the interior of my car, a YouTube video popped up. "Honestly?!?!"

A narrator's voice began to speak: "Have you ever found yourself in the awful predicament of having locked your keys in your car?"

"Why, yes, I have!" I exclaimed excitedly.

"Then let me show you how to unlock your door with a tennis ball."

*chirp*chirp*chirp*

Yeah, that's what I thought, too. That's when I remembered that I am dating a chemical engineer.

I found him outside digging through his trunk. And to my disappointment, he pulls out a...yep, you guessed it...tennis ball. Long story short...it didn't work. We'll try it again someday when I actually have my keys in my hand.

Longer story short...Eric and his mechanical engineer roommate pried open the window with 2 butter knives, finagled their way into the car with that same old metal coat hanger, and hooked it around the door handle. Ta-da!! The door opened and nailed me in the eye. But I was so happy that I didn't even care about the bruise that was already beginning to form.

I have never been more excited to smell Rooster's musty upholstery. And I really am dating a genius :) Even if the Pete Sampras way of unlocking a door wasn't the best...

Watch it for yourself. Let me know if it really works.

Unlock car with Tennis Ball
Uploaded by mhgee. - Dramatic race and crash videos.

Better Late Than Never

2009-11-12T08:55:00.006-05:00

My sweet big sister, Kate, turned 25 yesterday...and no one blogged about it!! So, just like with Will's birthday, I have been nominated to blog.

Kate is such a wonderful sister. She's beautiful, talented, creative, and funny (but don't let her know I told you). She works with senior high girls at a church in Texas, and I think she does a fantastic job. I know the girls love her. Kate got me through high school, so I know she knows what she's doing :)

Not only did Kate get me through my teenage years, she also prepared me for elementary school. We played school almost every day, and I was always the student...go figure. Kate was such a good teacher that I already knew how to do long division when I entered kindergarten.

Kate is engaged and getting married in April. I'm very happy for her, and I can't wait to help her plan the wedding. But it's weird to think of her being a real grown up :)

Kitty, I love you! Happy Belated Birthday!! (I promise I got you a present :)

Wedding Reunion

2009-11-09T23:30:00.006-05:00

A couple of weekends ago, my good friend and college roommate, Shannon, got married. It was so much fun to be with her and my other college friends again. I forgot how much fun we have when we are together! I can't believe Shan is married, but she sure made a beautiful bride!

I have beautiful friends!!

And, once again, I was accompanied by the most handsome guy in the whole wide world!!

It was so much fun to hang out with everyone without any thought of school, homework, lab assignments, validations, etc. And....this was the first time we were all together with real-life dates!

Congrats, Shan and Nick! So happy for you both!! Thanks for giving us an excuse to party!!

In a Moment of Weakness...

2009-11-05T17:10:00.002-05:00

Some days, I get really sad thinking about coming home to myself. The other morning, after a particularly rough shift, I contemplated buying a dog. "Bad idea," I told myself quickly. But that lonely feeling was still very fresh in my heart.

On my way up the 2 flights of stairs to my abandoned apartment, I saw a stray cat making its way down the sidewalk. In a moment of utter weakness, I glanced around to see if anyone was watching. I crouched down on my knees and patted my hands together very lightly. "Here, kitty kitty. Come to Mama."

Very weak moment.

Don't worry. That mangy feline is probably still wandering around the apartment complex.

One of these days I'll catch him...

The Altar and the Door

2009-11-04T13:49:00.003-05:00

I love Casting Crowns. I think they have the most meaningful lyrics in all of Christian music. Mark Hall, the lead singer of the band, is also the writer of most of the band's songs. He has a gift of being able to put theology into words that are simple and relevant. One of my favorite songs is The Altar and the Door. The lyrics seem to hit close to home...maybe WAY TOO close. Read this:

Careless, I am reckless
I'm a wrong way traveling, slowly unraveling shell of a man
Burnt out, I'm so numb now
That the fire's just an ember way down in the corner of my cold, cold heart Lord, this time I'll make it right
Here at the altar I lay my life
Your kingdom come but my will was done
My heart is broken As I cry
Like so many times before
But my eyes
Are dry before I leave the floor
Oh Lord, I try
But this time, Jesus, how can I be sure
I will not lose my follow-through
Between the altar and the door?

I feel like that sometimes. My heart can be so broken by the truth of who God truly is, and, the next minute, I'm right back at square 1 with a numb and uncaring heart.

Here at the altar
Oh my world's so black and white
How could I ever falter
What You've shown me to be right
Lord, this time I'll make it right
Here at the altar I lay my life
Your kingdom come but my will was done
My heart is broken

As I cry
Like so many times before
But my eyes
Are dry before I leave the floor
Oh Lord, I try
But this time, Jesus, how can I be sure
I will not lose my follow-through
Between the altar and the door?

I pray that this cold heart of mine will always be sensitive to God's hand. I pray that the numbness won't settle in. God, I pray that the tears of brokenness will always be fresh in my eyes and will last beyond the point of my knees.

Empty

2009-10-28T08:09:00.004-04:00

There is an innate instinct, if you will, inside every woman that draws her to the role of "24/7 Caregiver." Whether it is doing laundry for your husband, buying medicine for a sick friend, or being drawn to every baby's cry, every woman craves to care for the needy. Well, when you're paid to do this very thing, that desire to care can quickly disappear.

After 12 hours of doing nothing but caring for people, the last thing you want to come home to is someone needing to be cared for. This thought crosses my mind a lot when I think about having children of my own. (My number one priority is to be unemployed when I begin to reproduce!) But, honestly, there are days where I want to be sick. I want to be cared for. I want my mom to bring me soup and Sprite and my next dose of Tylenol Cold and Flu. I want someone to ask ME how I'm feeling. Selfish? Maybe...Probably...Yes...

But I'm still a nurse. I still have sick people depending on ME to take care of them. I have patients knocking at Death's door, and they need comfort and answers. It is exhausting.

I've come to realize that emotional exhaustion is much worse than physical exhaustion. The exhaustion is so overwhelming that I even forget about my throbbing feet. I have had 2 patients die in the past week. (Please do not question my nursing skills :) This marks the epitome of emotional exhaustion. But, when you lose a patient, your compassion must quickly be shifted towards the family. They need to be hugged. They need tissues. They need answers and some touch of reality. As the nurse, you walk out of the room feeling as though you are grieving, too. It is completely exhausting.

But, like I always say, it is definitely worth it. If my family was dealing with the death of a loved one, I would want to have a nurse who truly cared. So, I will try to be that person to every patient and their family. But, I might need some personal TLC every once in a while to refill my own tank.

My Thoughts

2009-10-16T10:05:00.004-04:00

I thought long and hard about a subject for this post. For those of you who know me, whenever I think this hard about a topic, I always end up making a list of things I have either done or thought about in the past month. Well, pat yourself on the back, because that's exactly what I'm going to do!

1. My big sister Kate got engaged this week!! We are all extremely excited for her. I think Lauren has everything planned by now...It has been 5 & 1/2 years since our immediate family has seen a wedding, so we are ready to go!

2. I started night shift this week. It really is a great shift. I love the pace, I love my coworkers, and I love being able to actually look at my patients instead of the doctors.

3. I bought the best pair of black heels from Macy's. *Sigh* They are so great that they deserved a spot on this list.

4. I filled up my gas tank for the first time in 5 weeks. It is REALLY nice to live so close to everything. It's been 22 years since that's happened.

5. I have a new obsession with English muffins and blackberry jam. So good.

6. My friends are growing up :( Lex bought a house. Maria is married. Shan is about to get married. Whit has a job. and Sarah is being moved all around this world by the Army. I miss them all!

7. My boyfriend is the best, and he bought me flowers on Wednesday. No particular reason, either. Just "because." (He's a smart one...)

8. I miss my family, but don't tell them I said that :)

9. Christmas is 70 days away!! Better get your lists sent to Santa.

and, last of all,

10. I love that my family now calls me whenever they have a medical question :) Four years and several thousand dollars later...TOTALLY WORTH IT.

Wedding Weekend

2009-10-12T11:36:00.009-04:00

This past weekend, I went to Indiana for my boyfriend's brother's wedding. (Confused?) We had such a fun time celebrating Wes and Kelly. They are a fun-loving couple, and they sure made the weekend super fun for everyone involved. (This picture is of Eric and me, not the other happy couple :)

From the rehearsal dinner to the ceremony to the barn reception, everything was gorgeous. Kelly is a Wonder Bride. She was able to remain calm and sweet and just enjoy every minute of her weekend. I've seen a lot of Bridezilla's in my day, and I really enjoyed seeing a bride with as much grace as Kelly.

My boyfriend, Eric, was the Best Man, and, must I say, the Best Looking Man. Although he was fighting the flu, he was able to play his role well. He even danced with me at the reception....sweet boy.

My favorite part of the weekend: Wes' dance with his mother to "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." They both sang every word, and the crowd joined in.

It was a wonderful weekend, and I wish Wes and Kelly the best!

O, yeah. And Eric caught the garter :)

I Get Paid to Love People

2009-10-08T10:41:00.005-04:00

I just finished up my 6th week of work - my last week of day shift. This coming Monday night will mark the first day of my life as a night owl. For those of you who know me, I am never the last one awake at a slumber party. I love my sleep, and I love seeing the numbers 9:30 on my clock before I shut my eyes for the night. Those days are quickly coming to an end. Well, 9:30 A.M. may be on the clock...

This week was, yet again, another "hard to get out of bed in the morning" week. I worked three 12-hour shifts in a row, and I was dreading the exhaustion that I knew was about to come.

But this week was probably the best week of work, so far. I met some of the most wonderful people. I was able to care for people from so many different backgrounds, and I loved becoming part of their lives for the few days I was with them.

One particular family became like my own family. I almost spent the night with them last night :)

Another patient and her husband gave me marital advice: 1)Never go to bed angry; 2) Always admit when you're wrong; and, 3)Pray for your spouse and your marriage every moment of every day. Good advice.

Another patient gave me a plant that she had been given as a "Get Well" present. It is the first live plant in my apartment, and it is transforming my house into a home. I hope I don't kill it.

One of our long term patients told me I was her favorite nurse. I hope there was no dementia involved in that comment...

Most of my patients try to set me up with any single guy they know within a 500 mile radius. I quickly tell them that I have the most wonderful boyfriend in the world. They still try...

I cared for a particular patient who, I'm sure, is on her death bed. I held her hand when she cried and listened to her stories about raising her children. She asked me to stay with her through the night shift. She said she'd make sure I got a raise for doing it. I left with a heavy heart.

I really do love my job. Some days are extremely stressful and try my patience at all cost, but the patients are definitely worth it. I hope that I am able to make the slightest difference in their hospital stay. I pray that, in everything I do, Christ is seen wearing my scrubs.

God is So Good

2009-09-30T11:51:00.001-04:00

My sweet nephew Robbie went Home to Heaven in January of 2007. As you can imagine, that was an extremely difficult time for my family. No one ever expects to make funeral arrangements for a 19-month-old child, but that was what a Wednesday held for my sister and her husband.

During this time, we had so many people praying and supporting us with encouraging words and acts of service. That meant a lot, and still means a lot, to all of us. I remember when we would find out that entire church families all over the country were lifting us up in prayer. It amazed us. We were able to experience the collective body of Christ in a way we never knew existed.

I'm learning that it truly is a small world after all. I found out last week that some of my sister's friends are friends of my patient's family that I mentioned in my last post. This family knew about Robbie back in 2007 and had been praying for us during that time. At the time, my sweet patient had been leading a class at her church. She and the members of her class had lifted us up in prayer during the most difficult time in our lives. Who would have imagined that 2 and ½ years later, I would have the honor of caring for her and her family during the most difficult time of their lives?

God is good. He showed me this past week that He is bigger than I allow Him to be. He has real and unique purposes for each of us. Let Him use you today. He'll knock your socks off with how personal He can be!

It's Not About the Medicine

2009-09-22T06:26:00.000-04:00

Certain patients help me remember why I became a nurse. I love taking care of this kind of patient, because I actually enjoy my 13-hour day. I just wish every patient was like that.

This week, it took a lot of prayer to get me out of bed. I was not excited to go to work, especially when I was scheduled to work 3 shifts in a row. But, another day, another dollar.

My shift on Monday started out alright, but I just could not seem to shake this "icky" feeling I had acquired somewhere between my comfortable bed and the parking garage. With 3 patients in my care, I set off for the day, determined to check off the hours and get out by 7:30.

Two hours into my shift, I knew that the day would be emotional. I watched as one of my patients quickly spiraled downhill. This lady was the sweetest Christian woman I had ever taken care of. Her family was constantly surrounding her and praising the Lord for every blessing. As the hours crept by, I knew that she would be Home really soon.

I continued to become enveloped in this overwhelming feeling of dread. I never had a good feeling about her condition. After one particular episode where we did not think she would pull through, I left the room in tears. I was sobbing uncontrollably. My charge nurse kept saying, "It's okay to cry. It shows the family that you're human."

I stayed with the family a lot during the day. We hugged and cried and talked about this woman's life. There was never a time in the room when the family was not praising God. It was such an amazing testimony to watch them.

When my shift ended around 7:30, I was extremely sad thinking about leaving. I knew she would not make it through the night. I hugged each family member and told them I would be praying for each of them. But I knew I would not see them in the morning.

I cried in my car on the way home. I cried as I ate supper. I cried myself to sleep. As I walked on to the unit that next morning, I glanced to the end of the hallway, hoping to see the family standing around, waiting. The hallway was empty. I asked the night nurse who had taken over for me. My patient had passed away early that morning. The tears came again.

I wish every patient grabbed on to my heart as much as this lady and her family. But it is these patients who crush your heart the most. I have never become as quickly attached to people in my life. But I know that God put us all together for a big reason that day.

God taught me a lot this week. This was the most difficult week I have had in regards to getting out of bed in the morning. But, looking back on the past 3 days, I now know why I was there. I took care of 6 different patients this week, and God taught me something different from each one. Moral of the story: God has a daily plan for each of our lives. It is our choice to become involved or not. I'm thankful He gave me that opportunity this week.

We were all put on this earth for a purpose: To show the love of Christ to each person we come in contact with. This is why I became a nurse.

Willi Vanilli

2009-09-17T06:27:00.000-04:00

I have been checking my sisters' blogs these past few days to see which one was going to post about our baby brother's birthday. Well...it looks like that task is falling to me :) But, I love him to death, so I'm excited to be "chosen" as his official Bday Blogger.

Will turned 17 on September 15. He is a junior in high school, and I can't believe he will be going to college in a couple years. If you know him at all, you know that Will is such a fun and carefree kid. He loves to joke around and have fun, but he is also sensitive and caring when it comes to people in need. I am excited to see him getting involved in his youth group and the AWANA program at his church. I'm sure those little kiddos love him.

I remember very vividly the day Will was born. I had been the baby for 5 and 1/2 years, and I was really excited about having a new baby in the house. I was in kindergarten, and I thought mom had been rushed to the hospital because she was having diarrhea (Mom took castor oil to speed up labor, but I only grabbed on to the diarrhea portion of the conversation that was taking place around the house.).

After mom had Will, dad took the 4 of us kids to the hospital to visit. Rob walks in and says, "Does he look like a shriveled up prune?" Yes, we were super excited about this new life. Lauren, who was only 14, was ready to take over as second Mama. She crossed her culotte-clad legs and started rocking baby Willie. When I finally got the chance to hold him, Kate sat there the entire time and poked me, whispering in my ear that it was HER turn to hold him. When I wouldn't give him up, she poked Will until he cried so Mom would take him. Precious memories.

Anyway, Will added a great amount of excitement to our house. Our home videos are packed with scenes of him drinking out of the toilet, spilling the spaghetti noodles, pulling the cat's tail, and licking 145 cake batter beaters. We all love Will and his sweet attitude. He still cuddles with his sisters, although he probably doesn't want you to know that :)

I love you, Will! Happy 17th Birthday!

Life

2009-09-14T12:23:00.000-04:00

Today marks one long month since my last post. I will attempt to apologize and ask for your forgiveness, but I know that the only person who has noticed my long leave of absence has been my father. Thanks, Dad, for caring enough to notice :) To the rest of you, I promise to become more consistent with my blogging so that you will begin to notice when I post and when I don't.

A lot has happened in the past month. I moved to the great state of Kentucky to begin my first job as an RN. It's really fun to sign those 2 letters after my name. Sometimes I feel super duper professional, and, other times, I feel like a complete poser. If my sisters were flies on the wall of my nursing unit, they would be pointing fingers and making fun of me. I sometimes make fun of myself :)

I am enjoying my new job. As a new grad, you have so much to learn....ok, that's a mega understatement. I have EVERYTHING to learn. Some days, I question the last 4 years of my life. Did I really go to nursing school?!?! But the nurses I am working with have been great. They are extremely patient, and I am learning a ton. This week marks my last week of day shift. I will begin working nights (7p -7a) next week. So if you start noticing my blogs being posted at odd times, just remember that I'm attempting to transform into a nocturnal being.

I love meeting each of my patients. Whenever I begin to feel overwhelmed with a thousand tasks and my immense lack of skill, I remember that the person in the bed is a mother or father, a brother or sister, and a friend. I try to remember to show Christ's love to each individual, but also to seek to see Christ in each patient. Jesus said that when we care for others and meet their physical needs, it is like we are doing it for Him (Matt.25:34-40). It is the love of Christ that keeps me going and carries me through each unbelievably long 12 hours shift.

I am also working with one of my best friends from college. It is really fun to be able to "do life" (as she would say) with her. Another perk of my big move...my boyfriend lives here! I am no good with long distance relationships, so I am enjoying experiencing "dating life" with him. He is truly the sweetest, cutest, and most wonderful guy I know! (But that's an entire post topic of its own :) so I'll save that for later!)

I have my own apartment, and I am enjoying decorating my space. It is a little sad to come home to an empty place, but I also love being able to use every inch of available space for my stuff :) So, come visit me, and I promise to show you a good time!

Well, now that I've given y'all a little taste of my new life, I will keep you updated on the funny stories along with the sweet/sad ones. I appreciate everyone's prayers and kind words of encouragement during this big life transition.

He's Got the Whole World in His Hands

2009-08-13T15:26:00.000-04:00

Our God is big. The same God who cares for me in the southern US of A cares for His children in the Congo, the Middle East, and the jungles of Brazil. I'm reminded of the song "He Reigns" by the Newsboys. The first verse says it all:

It’s the song of the redeemed
Rising from the African plain
It’s the song of the forgiven
Drowning out the Amazon rain
The song of Asian believers
Filled with God’s holy fire
It’s every tribe, every tongue, every nation
A love song born of a grateful choir

Isn't it exciting that, even though the people of this world are separated by skin color, language, and customs, those who are children of God have salvation and the hope of Christ Jesus as their common thread. I'm excited to meet brothers and sisters in Christ from all over the world when I get to heaven. What a wonderful praise and worship time that will be!

I was introduced to a sister in Christ from central Asia through one of my earlier blogs. She thanked me for reminding her that God does turn the seemingly bad stuff in life into good that results in His ultimate glory. She left me her email address, and we have begun a sort of "pen-pal" relationship. It is exciting to me to feel so close to someone I have never met. The love of God truly does draw together the hearts of men.

I asked my new friend if she would mind me sharing her story. She has given her permission. I do not know everything about her, but I am hoping to learn more and more everyday.

She is from a country near the Middle East and is the only Christian in her family. Her parents are ill, and one sibling is so distraught with my friend's faith in God that, she said, "he is ready to kill" her. Her response to this chilling truth was: "I believe Father will protect me. Anyway, there is no difference for me between dying naturally and being killed."

Her faith amazes me. I am not persecuted verbally or physically for my faith, and I should be thankful for the freedoms I have. Although my friend should be bitter and scared, she continues to say things like: "But I'm trying to hope for good as I know my God is God of Love and God of goodness. And I want to praise His name high by serving Him." and "I know only prayer and only God can help me and show me the right way."

In a country where Islam seeks to deceive her people, my friend possesses an overwhelming desire to share the truth of God's Word. She has asked me to pray for her country, her family, and her continued strength and steadfastness of faith. She wants as many people as possible to know what is happening on the other side of the world. Please pray daily for this situation.

If you want to send a word of encouragement to my friend, please email me at cmccay325@gmail.com, and I will forward those messages to her.

Goodbye Unemployment

2009-08-05T23:29:00.000-04:00

The Lord is good!! My interview went well, and I was offered the job! The ball has begun rolling more quickly than I expected. I am going tomorrow to do some HR/background check/drug screening, so hopefully that will all go smoothly. The Lord also has provided a wonderful deal on an apartment, and I am excited to move in and start decorating! It will be strange to move to a new state, start a new profession, begin working in a new hospital, etc. But God has proven faithful, as He always does, and He is providing every step of the way.

Thank you all for your prayers!!

Interview Schminterview

2009-08-03T17:13:00.000-04:00

The phone interview went smashingly, and I now have a face-to-face interview with the unit manager this Wednesday at 3:30!!! I am thrilled beyond words, but I am also finding myself a tad bit on the nervous side. Please be praying that the Lord will calm my nerves and allow me to enjoy the interview process. Hopefully, I will be posting some big news in a couple of days!

Hopefully, I won't have to
do anything difficult:

Cross Your Fingers and Hold Your Breath

2009-07-30T13:16:00.000-04:00

I had the opportunity to have a phone interview with a hospital this morning. If all went well, the unit manager will be contacting me within the next few days to schedule a face-to-face interview. Be praying!

God truly has been using this waiting period to teach me more and more about Himself. I am amazed that He desires to pursue my heart. Despite the frustrations and discouragement, He has shown me that He is in complete control. I love being able to witness God's direct work. He is leading me down a path that I would never have believed existed, but I am excited to see how He desires to use me.

So many people have commented to me, "You will have no problems finding a nursing job! I hear there is a national nursing shortage." Well, I have decided that my God is bigger than the national need for nurses! I have applied for jobs that I should have gotten, no questions asked. But how cool is it to see that God's hand has been on every "No" that I have received so that He can have me exactly where He wants me. Why have I ever doubted His methods?! I am thankful that this process has not been easy, because now I know nothing was accomplished by any ability of mine.

Thank you all for your prayers and continued support during this time. I appreciate everything. Believe me, I will keep you posted if the job comes through!

The Love of My Life

2009-07-11T16:02:00.001-04:00

Lately, the Lord has been showing Himself to me in a new way. I know that God never changes, but I believe that He chooses specific times to reveal various aspects of His character. God is teaching me right now that He is a relentless pursuer. Romans 3:10-11 points out that "there is none righteous, no, not one;...no one seeks for God." We literally do not possess the ability to pursue after God. But our lack of ability cannot separate us from God's love. Romans 8:38-39 says that there is absolutely nothing that can separate us from God's love. The list includes spiritual warfare, the restrictions of physics, and trials. Just think about that. NOTHING can keep me from being loved by God.

We girls love to be pursued. As much as we attempt to flaunt our independence, there is an innate part of our being that desires to be sought after. Well, good news. There actually is someone out there who possesses a dangerously romantic desire to pursue the hearts of every man and woman. And that someone is God. He longs to have an intimate love relationship with each of us. Isn't that amazing? The God of the universe is in love with me.

How can we resist that? We always seem to find a way!

When we begin a new relationship with someone of interest, we can't seem to function apart from them. When we see them, we smile. When we talk to them on the phone, we smile. And even when that person is nowhere nearby, we can't seem to wipe that ridiculous smile off our face. We find any and every excuse to be near that person. We forget to eat and even break off plans with friends just so we can spend more time with that person. See where I'm going?

We have a God who wants nothing more than to pursue our hearts. He desires us. God wants us to experience His infinite love. Why do we fight that? Why do we not make time to spend with Him?

I know that any girl would be a fool if her heart didn't melt when a guy breaks down doors and fights off dragons to win her heart. I pray that I'm not that fool. I pray that my heart's desire will always be to fall more in love with my God everyday.

Hallelujah Chorus

2009-07-07T14:06:00.000-04:00

I passed!!! I took NClex, my nursing licensure exam, last week. I only got 75 questions, which is the minimum number they can ask you. I was not sure at first if that was a good thing. I walked out of the testing center 35 minutes after my arrival. I almost went back in and asked if I could have a few more questions so I could show them that I am actually a competent human being.

But I found out on Saturday that I am now a licensed professional!! I jokingly said that R and N are my 2 new favorite letters of the alphabet. Carrianna RN, BSN. Sounds good. Looks good. Woo Hoo! Thank you all for your prayers and support!

Sorry, Charlie

2009-07-01T15:13:00.000-04:00

It has been FOREVER since my last post. For that, I apologize. But I thought I'd use July 1, the first day of the month, to start anew. I hope that my faithful few are still planning on remaining faithful.
A lot has happened since the last time I wrote. I spent Father's Day weekend with my sister and her family. We had a lot of fun together. I'm home again, and it has been really nice to be back.

One of my best girlfriends, Maria, got married this past weekend. I went up to Kentucky for the festivities. It has been 2 months since graduation, so it was wonderful to reunite with my friends. We had so much fun just being together, and the wedding was absolutely gorgeous. I love those 2 and am thankful that the Lord put them together. Their hearts are beautiful, and that was made evident through their Christ-honoring ceremony. The reception was a blast, and I'm sure I made a fool of myself on the dance floor. But I had fun Cupid Shuffling and dancing the Electric Slide.

Friday night, we girls decided to explore downtown Lexington for a fun place to hang out and celebrate Whitny's birthday. Well, we finally found a cute little table on the sidewalk outside of a fun restaurant. There was music playing inside, so we sat down to enjoy some tunes and grab some dessert. It wasn't long before we noticed that our fellow restaurant patrons were interested in those of the same gender. A few observed kisses and one very close fight later, our suspicions were aroused. Yes, we had frequented a gay bar. Oops.

Next step in my life is to tackle NClex, my nursing boards, tomorrow. Please be praying if you think about it! I can't wait for it to be over. It's crazy to think that this might be the very last thing I ever study for. Ever. Ha.

Anyway, I promise to be better with keeping you updated on my new news and deep, dark thoughts. Until then...

Frugal Dieting

2009-06-18T08:20:00.000-04:00

An article on The New York Times website today discussed the effectiveness of a new product: Sensa. These flavor crystals are said to help dieters lose weight by manipulating their sense of smell, and thereby decreasing their hunger. The article presents several scientific explanations for the product's "workability." Stimulation of the olfactory nerve which in turn stimulates an area of the hypothalamus and blah, blah, blah.

You want to know what I think? Of course you do. I actually buy into the science of manipulating the sense of smell to decrease hunger (I'm a nurse, remember? I know the human body like the back of my hand...ha). But, instead of spending $59 on a month's supply of vanilla scented crystals, I say that we Americans, who are suffering from a double dose of Bad Economy, should look for a cheaper way to tickle our nose hairs.

My proposition? Next time you sit down to enjoy a nice meal or a mid-day snack, plant yourself on a Jr. High locker room bench and wait for the boys to finish P.E. I'm convinced that your olfactory nerve will be stimulated, and you will lose your appetite, along with a few unwanted poundage.

Random Ramblings

2009-06-03T13:40:00.000-04:00

My "Blog Block" has been in full gear recently. I sign into my Blogger account everyday, in hopes of producing a smashing piece of composition. Each time, I fail miserably. I have Googled, searched The New York Times, and even thought of quitting this whole thing and throwing in the Blogger towel. But I know that my Faithful Few would just die stone dead if they couldn't look forward to my pointless banter on a semi-daily basis!

So here's what I have come up with. This is a list of "Stuff" that has been on my mind recently. Most items on the list are pointless and, need I say, repetitive, but I'll let all of you take a one-eyed peek into the window of my soul. (Don't worry. None of this is deep, emotional, or tear-worthy.)

*Ahem* (clearing my throat) I'll limit myself to 10 things.

1. I am very sad about Jon and Kate (as in Jon and Kate Plus 8). I'm mostly sad about what they're doing to those precious babies.

2. Finding a job post-college is one of the most difficult and frustrating things I have ever encountered.

3. Thinking that "losing my cell phone on a roller coaster marked the end of my life" really made me evaluate my priorities...

4. I love the new show, Here Come the Newlyweds, and hope to be a contestant one day. With my husband, of course.

5. I really should be studying for the NClex (my nursing licensure boards) instead of pretending like I really won't have to take it.

6. Being a Stay at Home Mom is the hardest job in the world (Shout out to Mom, Beka, and Lauren....and all the rest of you Mom's out there that sacrifice manicures and a social life for all-day PJ wear and 345 diaper changes a day).

7. I love looking at Craig's List on a daily basis to find my new apartment. You know, the apartment I'm gonna rent when I get my job. You know, the job I'm gonna get one of these days. You know, that day that I hope and pray is in my near future. You know, that future I thought I had. You know...Yes, I'm stopping now.

8. I have learned to do quite a few things with a baby on my hip. (I'm still not as much of a pro as my sister, but I'm getting there.)

9. It just dawned on me, as I was trying to think of #9, that I have eaten a bowl of ice cream every day for the past 2 weeks. Hmmm. Should of thought that one over.

And, last, but not least,

10. Although I have finished college, I have realized that there is a heck of a lot more stuff that I have to learn in this life. Just when I thought the learning portion of my life had come to an end...

Although my thankfulness for this "Pause" in my life is sometimes rooted solely in providing good Blog/whining material, the Lord has been showing me a deeper purpose. His subtle whisper has turned into an impatient scream: "Trust Me! Don't you think I know what I'm doing?"

I'm excited to see where He's leading, even if I reach the end with a few more scrapes and bruises than I had imagined.

Losing Touch with Reality

2009-06-01T11:24:00.001-04:00

I lost my cell phone on a roller coaster. The "Keep all loose items off ride" sign didn't register with me as I buckled myself into the seat. I had slipped my phone into the pocket of my shorts without any thought of the possibility of it sliding out. The restraints were the over the shoulder type that hold you pretty securely in place, so I guess I'm thankful I didn't fall off the roller coaster. When I got off the ride, I patted my pockets, noticing the absence of one particular content of my pocket. My cheapo hair clip and chapstick that I snagged from a college information table were still safely inside. My phone, not so much.

Good news: My little brother is a Verizon whiz and helped me order a new phone that very night.

Funny news: Barbara, from Busch Gardens' "Lost and Found" department informed me that 2 red phones had been found. I now have to find the serial number if I'm ever going to get my phone back. I had so many great numbers in my contact list, and only about 6 of them have been memorized. So it would be nice to get those back.

I don't have a job. I don't have a house. I really don't have a place to call my own. But what I did have, was a phone. My link to the outside world. But as that sweet little red phone made its descent into the unknown world behind the "Authorized Personnel Only" sign, I lost touch with reality.

*Sigh* O, the drama of living in the 21st century. To put this huge dilemma into perspective, this would be like my mom losing the key to her roller skates or my dad losing his safety badge from his Scout's uniform. Pure tragedy.

Packing Heat...On Accident

2009-05-25T10:59:00.000-04:00

Funny things happen to me on a daily basis. Like, forgetting to remove the size sticker from a new pair of jeans (the same jeans I had to go UP a size in due to an excess of raw cookie dough). Or, calling someone by the wrong name 34 times during a 5 minute conversation. But the humor reached a completely different level last week. A level that could have ended with a frisk session and one phone call.

I had planned to see a movie with a friend, and we were going to meet at her house. I couldn't find my keys, so I jumped in Suzie (the family Isuzu) and headed out. Twenty-five minutes into my 30 minute drive, I rounded a corner at a tighter angle than expected and heard something slide across the back seat. This shouldn't have been cause for concern, but the metal clang I heard at the end of the slide piqued my interest. I turned around quickly to catch a glimpse of the items in the backseat.

"O. My. Word." That was really all I could muster at that point. What was sliding across the back of my car? Glad you asked. In the back of my car, sitting right out in the open for all to see, were 2 shotguns and an entire case of shells. People get arrested for stuff like this! Not to mention that people get labeled "Redneck" for this kind of stuff.

So, I kind of started freaking out. And I kind of started laughing hysterically. And I kind of started thinking about blue lights, handcuffs, using my one phone call to call my parents and them not answering. You know, the usual.

I pulled the car over and quickly tried to figure out what I was supposed to do with the weaponry. I found 3 random t-shirts. One of which was camo, and I deemed fitting for the occasion. I tried to cover the guns as much as possible and put the ammo in the floorboard, wrapped up nicely in a plastic bag, courtesy of Wal-mart.

"O, no." All my thoughts were spoken out loud at this point. "Is concealment of weapons a bigger crime than just carrying them without a license?" But, at this point, I thought that either would bring me to the same degree of imprisonment.

"How did the guns get in the back of the car?" you may ask. Excellent question, by the way. My brother and cousins had been shooting skeet that afternoon and had used Suzie to cart their supplies through the fields. When I told my brother what had happened, he, in a too-angry-for-my-taste voice, snapped, "Well, don't drive my car!" To which I replied, "Why in the world would you keep stuff like that in your car in the first place?!"

I made it to my friend's house without any run-in's with the cops. Thankfully, she agreed to drive to the movie. The ride home was uneventful, and, in this case, my humdrum life was much appreciated.

Let's just say that next time I get in any car, I will check the backseat twice for unwanted weapons. And let's just say that I was thankful my night did not include a dirty toilet at the head of my dirty mattress in a dirty cell that I had to share with 15 other dirty women.

My New Home

2009-05-22T10:01:00.000-04:00

Some of you may have read the title of this post and thought, "O, good! She finally got a job and can stop whining!" Au contraire, my dear friends. This move is only a temporary one, but an exciting one, nonetheless. I am heading to "Old Dominion": The great state of Virginia, to spend a few weeks with my sister and her family. I'm sure they are just as excited as yours truly.

I'm hoping to have an interview or 2 while I'm up there...but I'll stop talking about the "J" word.

Expect my posts to be more frequent as I will be wired for sound with unlimited access to the world wide web. Maybe I'll discuss the historical roots of our great country and her rich heritage. Or Monticello. Or the state bird: the cardinal. Or zzzzzzzzzzzzz. Snore. zzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Snore. zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Big, and Much Appreciated, Surprise

2009-05-20T17:42:00.000-04:00

For all of you out there that give a flip, there are 2 very exciting ALL NEW EPISODE shows returning this summer: What Not to Wear and, drumroll please...So You Think You Can Dance!! I was very excited when I found this out today.

So, now I can spend my lazy summer with Stacey, Clinton, Jillian, and Cat Deeley.

Big Idol finale tonight! Even after last night, I still think Kris will take the larger percentage of Danny Gokey's votes and beat Adam.

My DVR is already set, and there are still brownies left in the pan. It's a good day.

(P.S. - forgive my lack of clever pictures. 2 words: Dial up.)

Season Finale's

2009-05-18T17:51:00.000-04:00

I've always thought it doesn't make sense to have TV seasons that air during school and then end at the beginning of summer. Not only have I been procrastinating for the past 4 years because of Jack and Kate, Meredith and McDreamy, and the current Bachelor(ette), I have spent the past 4 summers watching Cosby Show re-runs and endless hours of What Not to Wear.

Every summer begins the same way:
Monday: Catch up on Jack Bauer with the -Rents
Tuesday: Listen to the Top 5, Top 4, Top 3, Finale
Wednesday: Who's gonna be the next Idol?
Thursday: Is Izzie really gonna die?
Friday: Stay in...again

Come the 3rd week of May, and plot lines have thickened, main characters have died or been killed off, or answers have finally come. And I'm, once again, forced to watch the only movies that ever come on TBS (Notting Hill, City of Angels, My Big Fat Greek Wedding).

Here are my season finale picks:

Best Finale: Grey's Anatomy. I actually cried at the end.
Biggest Twist: LOST. I will always be confused. But I wasn't expecting the whole Jacob thing. And Juliette? I have no idea what will happen.
Predictions: Kris Allen will be the next Idol. I think he's gonna surprise us all.
Most anticipated premiere: Bachelorette (She was always my pick on the Bachelor). AND this one actually starts during the summer.
Biggest disappointment: The Office. Just didn't think it was as funny as the rest of the season. But I did love Dwight's counting routine, his best friend, and Phyllis. Wasn't surprised about Pam and Jim.

Watching 24 tonight. I haven't been watching it all season, so there's no way I'll be surprised by the ending, I guess.

Wyatt Young

2009-05-14T14:41:00.000-04:00

I became an aunt for the 6th time this past Friday, May 8. My brother, Rob, and his wife, Beka, welcomed their 3rd child and 1st boy, Wyatt Young. He was a whopping 9lb3oz and 21in long. He is the sweetest thing I've seen in a long time (well, since the last one was born. I won't play favorites:).

Big sister Layla loves her new "baby bruvver," and Anna Lea is too busy to notice him. But I think they'll get along fine.

Layla also welcomed another member to her family: Cupcake, a little black kitten. She told me she wanted to name him Jorge (pronounced with a Spanish accent) at first, but I guess the name just didn't fit.

Hope to put some pictures of the sweet little bundle soon. Maybe when I am using something other than dial-up.

There's No Place Like Home

2009-05-11T16:58:00.000-04:00

Being home has it's advantages and disadvantages.

The pro's: live-in cook; no Vectren/DP&L bills; turning on the air conditioner doesn't mean going without food for the week; and I get to be with my family 24/7...I love 'em to death.

The con's: slow internet; everyone is asleep by 10pm; and I never seem to have weekend plans...hmmm. That one is still a mystery to me.

But seriously, it's difficult to switch from college life to home life. I love being home and spending time with the fam, but I still miss my friends and the spontaneous pace of life.

*Sigh* One of these days I'll get a job and stop whining...well at least about not having a job. Guess I'll start whining about having a job. Wow. Life is funny sometimes.

Convocation, Commencement, and Cheesecake

2009-05-07T13:29:00.000-04:00

Well, I did it. I finally graduated from college!! For the first time in almost 17 years, I am not a student. Last Friday, I got my nursing pin at Convocation and am now a real nurse (well, once I pass my boards!)

Almost my entire family was able to come to graduation. I missed having my brother, Rob, and his family, but 8 months pregnant always trumps college graduation:)

Diploma!!

The Grandparents

The Fella's

My Sisters

My Parents

We had a very fun weekend and ended it all with a trip to the Cheesecake Factory. Everyone shared a piece of cheesecake, well, everyone, that is, except Yours Truly:) I mean, 4 years of college deserves your own piece, right? I thought so, too.

And I think my favorite part of being a graduate is knowing that, when I do get a job, I can finally buy a new car and kick my old Rooster to the curb.

Friends

2009-04-29T21:49:00.000-04:00

Senior year has been the best year of college, hands down. I love my friends more than I could ever describe in words. The friendships we have developed are absolutely amazing. We are able to be completely honest with each other and just enjoy every day to the fullest. Not only are my friends sweet, caring, hilarious, and smart, they are also drop dead gorgeous! (as seen below:)

I'm pretty sure I will miss these girls more than I realize. It's been so fun just living life with them. Love you, girls! Never forget about your old friend, Care.

Boredom is the Mother of Invention

2009-04-28T17:15:00.000-04:00

On my quest to find a good blog topic, I came across some clever inventions. These first few are from a book entitled Worst Inventions by the Japanese. You'll understand why.

Just in case you need to pick your nose in public

Just in case you're just too tired to stand.

You just never know when you'll need to blow your nose.

Because your banana may get squished.

Everyone needs an extra set of hands. Am I right?

You'll never burn another piece of toast again.

If you're like me, and there is always a coffee cup plastered to your face, no one will forget what you look like.

Burnin' the Midnight Oil

2009-04-27T10:51:00.000-04:00

Over the past 4 years, I have taken a lot of notes, written a lot of papers, and completed even more busy work. Needless to say, I had a plastic bin filled to the brim with 3-ring binders that I thought I would save for use in my nursing practice. Well, that sentiment died quickly.

One of my nursing professors invited the entire Class of '09 to her house for a bonfire. She said to bring notes, books, uniforms, anything you wanted to burn. So my friends and I stuffed garbage bags until the plastic was stretched thin.

We showed up to find about 30 other members of the class holding only 2 or 3 papers they felt worthy to burn, and here we come, hauling what resembles 5 body bags, down the driveway. So we let everyone help us burn our stuff.

So maybe all my hard work went up in smoke last night. The fire was so hot that I think I lost some arm hair and my left eyebrow. But that was a sacrifice I was willing to make.

I'm Finished. Now What??

2009-04-24T23:35:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was my last day of preceptorship. I have put in 180 hours over the past 5 weeks in labor and delivery. I have learned more in these past weeks than all 4 years of college combined. OB is a completely different ballgame in the nursing realm. But I absolutely LOVE it. I just love working with moms and watching the start of new life. And like I've said before, I cry everytime a new baby comes into the world. I'm going to miss my coworkers and especially my preceptor, Ellen.

I graduate college in 1 week. I don't think it has sunk in yet, but I know it will soon. My emotions are torn between excitement and sadness. I am excited to be on my own for a while and experience a new aspect of life, but I'm scared to death. I'm also sad to be a few extra miles away from my best friends. I hope and pray that we remain close.

The next step? Your guess is as good as mine. I have no solid job prospects, but I have the rest of my life to work, right? I have received a few "No's," and the rejection stings a little more than I expected. But with every "No," I have come to decide that there just must be something better out there. I would hate to settle for something that just seems good and completely miss out on God's best for my life. I know that it is only in that place where I will be most happy.

I'm excited to see what God has in store for my life. I pray that everyday will be another opportunity to share God's love with others. People are everywhere, so I guess my life's "destination" is not as important as I sometimes think.

Not So Happy Feet

2009-04-22T19:10:00.000-04:00

I love shoes. (Actually bought a new pair today!) But I found a few that I don't think I would ever buy...and that's saying a lot.

I'm Chinese. And Famous.

2009-04-21T17:21:00.000-04:00

Is this weird? I Googled my name, and this is what I found.

I never would have guessed my name was of Chinese origin. Maybe I was an entrepreneur in my past life.

Advertising 101

2009-04-19T06:06:00.000-04:00

I am one of those people who actually enjoy looking at the advertisement pages in magazines. I love when an ad just makes sense. Here are some of my favorites:

My Purse Can Beat Up Your Purse

2009-04-17T04:00:00.000-04:00

My sister recently blogged about all the things she found in her purse. So I thought I'd share with you what's in my very own bag of tricks.

1. A very large day planner
2. 2 pictures of Eveley Joy
3. An American Eagle 20% off coupon
4. A Victoria Secret coupon
5. 1 lipstick; 3 glosses
6. Band-Aid Blister Block
7. 1 black pony tail holder
8. 1 mini claw hair clip
9. A post office receipt
10. A graduation countdown clock
11. Bible
12. 1 black pen
13. 1 safety pin
14. 2 Orbit gum wrappers
15. 1 pack of Orbit with 4 pieces
16. A receipt for graduation tickets...15 days, baby!
17. 1 peppermint wrapper
18. $.25 in change
19. Wallet...like Kate said, would have to be a separate post
20. Checkbook:)
21. Keys
22. Cell phone
23. 1 mechanical pencil
24. Spearmint TicTacs
25. Germ-X sanitizer
26. 2 zipper coin purse thingies
27. feminine supplies...
28. A thank you card...to me:)
29. A pin on picture button of my friends cousin...random
30. and only 1 bobby pin

Easter Sunday

2009-04-13T23:15:00.000-04:00

I was able to go home for Easter this year. It's always fun to be with your family on holidays. Rob and Beka had us over to their house for dinner and an Easter Egg Hunt for the girls.

I became Layla's best friend, and the only game she wanted to play was "Sit on the Couch."

I just love my family...especially these 2 sweet baby girls.

2009-04-09T10:17:00.000-04:00

Sorry that I have been M.I.A. for so long. My busy schedule is not conducive to blogging. But that will be changing soon! I'll fill you in on the fun details of my life that you've been missing.

1. I love my preceptorship in Labor and Delivery. I have been the nurse for 4 births, one of which was a C-section at 29 weeks. I have also taken care of some pretty sick Mama's. I have grown close to several families, and I have made some wonderful friendships with nurses on the unit. I am really excited about a possible future on OB nursing. I LOVE Mom's! And I love being a part of the awesome experience of new life. I think I've cried at every birth.

2. My friends and I are 22 days away from graduation. We have tried to pack each day with "friend time" as much as possible. We picked up our caps and gowns on Monday. Crazy.

3. I have my first interview on Monday! I am interviewing for a Labor and Delivery position at the University of Tennessee. I'm so excited and extremely nervous. I would appreciate your prayers!

4. I have discovered a new country group, Lady Antebellum, and I love them. Random piece of info:)

5. I am down to the last month and a half of my meds...and I'll leave it at that:)

6. I'm going home for Easter this weekend, and I'm stoked. I haven't seen my family since New Year's. Can't wait to squeeze the life out of Layla and Anna Lea!!

7. My Spring Break tan is fading quite rapidly before my very eyes. I can't bring myself to visit the tanning bed. Yes, it's cheap, but I can't seem to justify paying $5 for melanoma.

8. I'm still drinking coffee like it's my job.

9. April 24 will mark the 8 month anniversary of Rooster's remission from chronic breakdown. I'm so proud of her.

and, last, but not least,

10. I have a secret:)

I Hate Goodbye's

2009-03-31T14:13:00.000-04:00

I am graduating in 31 days. I'm very excited to get away from classes, projects, and exams. It will be so nice to come home from work and not have to write a paper on my patients. So, in that way, I'm excited to graduate.

But in 31 days, I will be separated from the sweetest people I've ever known. My girlfriends are the greatest thing that happened to me in college. We have been together for all the up's and down's in each others' lives, and I don't know what I'll do without them.

But I'm thankful for all of them and hoping that we all vacation together in the future! Love you girls!!

22 and Still Kickin'

2009-03-25T13:07:00.000-04:00

Today is my 22nd birthday, and I have decided that it's awkward when people blog about their own B-day. So, all I'll say is, thanks to everyone who has made, and are continuing to make, my Big 2-2 the best day ever!! Love you all.

Yes, I think this little girl is creepy, too.

Slumdog Millionaire

2009-03-22T21:17:00.000-04:00

I did it. I finally saw Slumdog Millionaire. This film has received 8 Academy Awards, 5 Critics' Choice awards, and 4 Golden Globes. So I knew it had to be good.

The movie takes place in India, with the plot centered on an 18 year old Indian boy who becomes a contestant on India's version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? For 2 hours, I found myself laughing, crying, cringing, and fuming all at the same time. From sibling rivalry to teenage love, violent raids on Muslims to child prostitution, the film covers genres of comedy, romance, crime, and harsh reality.

Although the credits were cheesily followed by a group version of Baliwood style hip-hop on a subway platform, I was completely enthralled with the plot. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't trying out all the moves on my way out of the theater.

If you haven't seen the movie, go look in a mirror and slap the person you see. Really, you must see this film. 2 thumbs up, and 1 more if I had it.

Heavy Heart

2009-03-20T12:49:00.000-04:00

My heart is heavy today. I feel that everyday brings with it a little more pain. At one point in my life, this world seemed pretty kind and carefree. Now, I can see the effects of sin more clearly. If this world causes me this much pain, I can't imagine how heavy God's heart grows as He watched His people stray and suffer.

I found out Tuesday that a guy I went to highschool with died in a car accident. He was only 25. My precious nephew went to be with the Lord at the age of 19 months. Sweet Cora met Jesus when she was only 11 months old. A friend's dad was diagnosed with cancer this week. The list could go on.

But none of this changes the God I serve. My God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He will never leave me nor forsake me. His burden is easy and His load is light. He wants to carry mine. I'm thankful that His strength is made perfect in my weakness, because I'm weak a lot.

I'm thankful for the promises God gives to us in His Word. We aren't promised to be kept from trials, but we are promised His strength during those trials:

"Cast your burden on the Lord, and HE shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved." - Psalm 55:22

St. Pat's Day

2009-03-16T23:15:00.003-04:00

I'm one of those weirdo's who loves St. Patrick's Day. I'm honestly not sure when this love developed, but, somewhere, somehow, a small bud was formed in my heart. That bud grew into a beautiful tree that bears true love for March 17. Ok, maybe I don't love St. Pat's Day THAT much. But I do love to wear green pants and my Shamrock earrings.

One of my friends, who grew up celebrating March 17 the correct way, is hosting a St. Pat's party tomorrow. We're having corned beef and cabbage and green "Shamrock Shakes." It just can't get any better.

Make sure you wear green tomorrow. People still pinch. Believe me

Hi, I'm a Labor and Delivery Nurse

2009-03-14T10:28:00.000-04:00

For the next 5 weeks (starting March 21). I will be completing my preceptorship. I will be assigned to a specific nurse, and I will learn all she has to teach. It's so crazy, but I'll be working three 12-hour shifts per week (7a - 7p). The only difference is, I'm pretty much paying them for this experience:)

We were allowed to write down our top 3 picks of the units we would like to work on. I just found out Tuesday that I got my 1st pick: Labor and Delivery!! I can't even explain to you how excited I am.

Maybe this is my first step to becoming a Nurse Midwife. I will be posting a sign up list in the next few days for those women who would like me to deliver their next child:)

Naples' Finest

2009-03-11T19:59:00.000-04:00

We had a marevelous time in Naples. Here are a few pictures documenting the highlights of the trip. (The main highlight was our hot beach bods, but I thought I'd be humble and modest:).

Here we are drinking our "Mocktails"...virgin pina coladas and strawberry daquiris.

I became best friends with Zoe.

Maria and I...eating out...which was our favorite thing to do all week.

Whitny and I at our cookout.

Sarah and I gnawing on the T-bones.

The whole gang: Whitny, Maria, Mama Jane, Sarah, and little 'ole me.

It was a blast, and I can't think of anything that would have made it better!

Guess Who's Back

2009-03-08T01:11:00.000-05:00

I'm back from Naples. I'm tan, thank the Lord, but I'm sitting on the fence post between Depressed and Just-Plain-Sad. I think my entire body is lying on the Depressed side, with my little toe barely hanging onto the fence post.
But I'm thankful for the time the Lord gave me for some much needed rest. I definitely didn't deserve such a nice, leisurely break. I'm indebted to Mr. and Mrs. G for their generosity.
I have so many stories and picture to share. The thought, "O my word, I need to blog about that!" popped into my head over and over again this past week.
I know it's been a while. Hope I haven't lost any readers!
More to come. Don't miss it!

Ode to a Nurse

2009-02-26T10:24:00.000-05:00

The alarm is sounding.

It's morning again?
I swear I just fell asleep.

My eyelids are swollen,

And so are my ankles.

But my job I guess I must keep.

Roll out of bed,

Turn on the shower.

It's simply my morning routine.

Pull on my scrubs.

Perk up the Joe,

For without it I just might be mean.

Pull out my keys.

Start up the car.

It's dark. I still beat the sun.
Stop at a red light.

Speed through the yellow.

Contemplate, "To go, or run."

But I guess I'll keep going.

There are patients to see.
And a night nurse I must relieve.

So, I'll go, and I'll care.

Shoot, I forgot to fix my hair.

I brought a comb, I do believe.

I'll park in the lot.

I'll run up the stairs.

(I'll probably skip the gym.)

'Cause when the time comes

For me to get off,

I'm gonna be sick of the phlegm

And the vomit and mess

And the beep of IV's

And the call-lights that never go off.

But I'm not here to complain.

This day's just been long.

And I've heard too many coughs.

I still love my job,

And do it tomorrow.

I'll care for those who can't.

They revive my spirit.

Bring my eyes tears and joy.

They don't deserve my rant.

So, here's to a nurse.

You may get overlooked

And you may never recover from "tired."

But the people are worth it.

Don't live for a "Thanks."

Just live for the day you retire!

-by me-

Singin' in the Rain

2009-02-24T20:00:00.000-05:00

Singin' in the Rain is my favorite movie of all times. Sometimes I wish I grew up in the "good 'ole days" of the 40's and 50's when moviestars were actually talented. I mean, they could act, sing, and dance; they wore gorgeous shoes; and they could break out in song whenever it struck their fancy. *sigh*

I have always said (well, since I first saw the movie) that I would marry Gene Kelly if he were still around. Boy, that guy could dance! And he's handsome, something Mr. Astaire didn't quite master. Mean Gene is just the spitting image of my dream man. Come on, what girl doesn't want to be serenaded...or lifted off the ground with such grace! I really think I would give him a run for his money in that category.

And sweet Debbie Reynolds. "And what a lovely morning!" Yes, Deb, it was a good morning. I wish all of my mornings began with a skip up a flight of stairs and a tapdance-meets-ballerina routine on a barstool. *sigh* (again)

Bennie and the Jets

2009-02-22T10:39:00.000-05:00

If you've ever seen the movie 27 Dresses you'll remember the scene where Jane (Katherine Heigl) and Kevin (James Marsden) are singing Elton John's Bennie and the Jets on the top of the bar counter. As they both start to sing the song, they're amazed at each other's rendition of the lyrics. Kevin starts out singing something about lemons and feathers, and Jane laughs at Kevin for not knowing the words. As he calls her the "Lyric Police," she puts him in his place by singing about "walrus sound" and "electric boobs." It's really a hilarious scene.

So as I was listening to that song recently, I got the bright idea to look up the lyrics. I was amazed and secretly wondered what Elton was smoking when he wrote it...

Hey kids, shake it loose together

The spotlight's hitting something

That's been known to change the weather

We'll kill the fatted calf tonight

So stick around

You're gonna hear electric music

Solid walls of sound

Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet

But they're so spaced out,

BuhBuhBuhBuh Bennie and the Jets

Oh but they're weird and they're wonderful

Oh Bennie she's really keen

She's got electric boots a mohair suit

You know I read it in a magazine

Ah ha, BuhBuh Bennie and the Jets

Hey kids, plug into the faithless

Maybe they're blinded But Bennie makes them ageless

We shall survive, let us take ourselves along

Where we fight our parents out in the streets

To find who's right and who's wrong

Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet

But they're so spaced out,

BuhBuhBuhBuh Bennie and the Jets

Oh but they're weird and they're wonderful

Oh Bennie she's really keen

She's got electric boots a mohair suit

You know I read it in a magazine

Ah ha, BuhBuh Bennie and the Jets

Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet

But they're so spaced out,

BuhBuhBuhBuh Bennie and the Jets

Oh but they're weird and they're wonderful

Oh Bennie she's really keen

She's got electric boots a mohair suit

You know I read it in a magazine

Ah ha, BuhBuh Bennie and the JetsBennie,

Bennie and the JetsBennie,

Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets

Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets

Now you can YouTube the song and sing along...Yeah, I totally did it already.

Spring Break '09

2009-02-21T09:42:00.000-05:00

1 week from today, I will be flying to Naples, Florida for Spring Break '09. I am excited for the sunshine, a suntan, the beach, seafood, crossword puzzles on the beach, and spending time with my friends. I think I could scare some people with my big white bod, but, then again, I've seen some scary sights on the beach before. So maybe the guy in the Speedo will beat me for the "Most Awkward" award.

Senioritis

2009-02-17T18:42:00.000-05:00

I love the term "senioritis." For those of you who have never heard the word, senioritis is used to describe the "GET ME OUT OF HERE" feeling that seniors develop as they near the end of their schooling. Wikipedia, my favorite search engine, besides Google, defines senioritis as, "A term used in the United States to describe the decreased motivation toward studies displayed by students who are nearing the end of their high school or college careers."

Side note: 1) I'm glad it's actually defined by Wikipedia, and 2) Only in the US? Interesting.

Coming from my extensive medical background (ha ha), I tend to break down uncommon words into their prefixes, suffixes, and roots to gain a better understanding of their meaning.

For example, a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy is the removal of both the right and left fallopian tubes and ovaries. (I actually think my dad knew that...he knows all, or makes up very believable things, but that's a post in and of itself:) And diaphoresis of the sublingual and buccal cavities is when the inside of your cheeks and under your tongue sweat. Yeah, totally not real, but I those are just fun to say.

Back to Senioritis. The suffix -itis actually means "inflammation of." Inflammation of a senior? I thought I was supposed to gain the FRESHMAN 15. Or maybe the inflammation is describing my overworked brain that is saturated to full capacity with information. In my case, it could mean both.

Needless to say, my senioritis has been in full working order since freshman year of high school. Not really, but it sure is in full swing today. I'm VERY excited to graduate...May 2, 2009...72 days from today...not that I'm counting.

People Watching

2009-02-15T14:44:00.000-05:00

The term "People Watching" can be misinterpreted as a creepy form of stalking. Yes, I do agree that it can be somewhat unnerving to discover an unknown person watching you from afar. With the growing popularity of social networks such as MySpace, Facebook, and blogs, it is extremely easy to keep tabs on friends and strangers alike. I have been tagged a said "stalker" by individuals who define my perusal of facebook as a peeking-through-the-curtains-Mrs. Kravitz-like activity (Watch Bewitched if you are confused:). But I assure you my intentions are anything but stalkerish.

One of my favorite things to do is sit in a busy area and observe social interactions. Picture this: The gawky freshman guy and his new crush are seated at a high-top table sipping mocha frap's. He's sweating so profusely that I just want to pause the world, mop his brow, and save him some embarrassment. But little Ms. Thang with her new highlights and texting addiction is talking so much that she doesn't seem to notice the beads of perspiration on his hairless lip.

No, I'm not saying that People Watching is my excuse for poking fun at innocent bystanders. On the contrary, even! Because I know I'm not the only People Watcher in this world, I am convinced that I made another Mrs. Kravitz's day last Thursday.

I was with my friends in the student center, killing some time before chapel. I set my backpack and fresh grande coffee down by my friends so I could frequent the loo. Side note: I had dressed for success that day and was wearing a pair of black patent leather flats; the kind with a metal heel resembling a tap shoe (just in case I run into Gene Kelly or Debbie Reynolds).

As I walked across the ceramic tile, I used the gift of my peripheral vision to scope the area for anyone familiar. As I neared the restroom, the heel of my shoe hit a slick spot, and I almost perfected a split (and I almost ripped the seat of my pants). My arms flew up in an attempt to steady myself, then rotated in circles like a cartoon character. I gasped a little, "Oh!" and regained my balance as my cheeks became stained in crimson.

I glanced quickly around me, attempting to make a list of the people to whom I could never show my face again. I looked back at the spot I slipped, hoping to see a puddle, a gum wrapper, or a banana peel. No such luck. But I did see 8 pairs of wide eyes, 3 open mouths, and some idiot pointing and laughing. Needless to say, it took about 2 seconds to run into the restroom.

Why do I tell you this? Because I know that my little incident made someone smile. Whether that person sat himself down for the sole purpose of observing awkward happenings in the student center, or was lucky enough to look up at that exact moment, I believe I became the topic of a lot of weekend chatter. Maybe this kid is popular now because he has a great story to tell. Maybe I helped another "Tripper," "Slipper," or "Slider" regain some dignity and become less self-conscious.

Or maybe I just embarrassed myself in front of 8 peers. Yeah, maybe I wasn't as heroic I was hoping.

Shortest Books Ever Written

2009-02-13T11:27:00.000-05:00

1. How Paperclips Work
2. Amelia Earhart's Guide to the Pacific
3. World Leaders Born In Omaha
4. British Dentistry
5. My Secrets And Tips To Make Friends, by Darth Vader

and some personal favorites:

6. My Failures, by Lauren B.
7. Rob M's Guide to Dining Etiquette
8. My Life Without a Moustache, by Bob M.
9. Butcher's I Have Known, by Kate M.
10. Varieties of Beef Jerky I Hate, by Will M.

2009-02-11T15:00:00.000-05:00

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore i will hope in Him.' The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him."

- Lamentations 3:22-25

"Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning."

-Psalm 30:5b