Wordless Wednesday : Simplicity

Wordless Wednesday: Backyard Nature

Where have I been?!

It has been a LONG time since I have posted anything! Why,you ask? I have no idea. I guess every time I get ready to post something I end up running here or there and never get back to it! Oh well, I will TRY to be better.

April is long gone and June is right around the corner...where has the year gone? It is seriously flying by. So much is happening and is going to happen I definitly feel like I need to slow my roll down..a little at least. But if you know me then you know that will NOT happen.

So far the Spring (even thought it is close to summer) has been everything it promised it would be. I have enjoyed all the SUNSHINE we have had (until this week). April brought my grandparents anniversary party, a  friends wedding, and Jimmy Buffett! We had such a good time at the concert. It was fun and relaxing and made me want to be at the beach with a cold drink in my hand ASAP!!!



Me and Kendall




Preston and Caitlin




Dad and Julia

I also decided to walk in the March of dimes this year with Paige. We had a lot of fun. If nothing else it was something good to get out of the house and do. We saw some families and babies  that we have taken care of and really enjoyed it! 


NICN Girls




Me, Owen and Kim


Lets see this month I've celebrated cinco de mayo with mexican food and margaritas, spent Mothers Day at the park with my mom and family....but my most favorite thing so far this year..is that my man GRADUATED!!! WooHoo! What an accomlishment for him. I could never do him justice and tell you how hard he has worked the past 5 months (but really the past couple years) to get everything complete. I could not be more proud of him! Let the job hunting begin! Welcome to the real world baby! HaHa. And here we are...

With June just around the corner..that means VACATION time! 15 days from tomorrow morning to be exact..but who's counting?!?! ME thats who. I cannot wait! Ill be off for 15 days!! Be Jealous! LOL. I will apologize now for probably talking and posting too many pictures when I get back.

On a serious note, I feel unsettled. I'm not sure exactly why. I'm pretty sure it all has to do wth work. I'm dealing with a very difficult situation that is wearing me down. Plus more and more politics and our recently enforced 30 minute lunch! It is MISERABLE. Just imagine sitting in a dark box with dinging alarms all day..and only being able to escape for 30 minutes ( and really only half way escaping seeing as 30 minutes is not enough time to eat, go to the bathroom and go see any of the outside world)!!! Its tough. Don't get me wrong, I am thankful that a have a job and have a job that I LOVE. But many parts are bothering me latly. I am not sure where to go from here. Am I selling myself short by not experiencing different things? Or am I in the right place for the long haul? Hmmmm....decisions decisions. Time WILL tell.


*The hardest thing to figure out is when to turn the page and when to close the book*

Wordless Wednesday; Graduation is not the end..it's the beginning

Wordless Wednesday: The Bear Necessities

Wordless Wednesday

For Ever and Ever Amen

This past weekend I traveled to Mobile Alabama for my grandparents' 40th Anniversary Surprise Party! What a fantastic time we had. Everyone in the family has been lying for the past several months so they wouldn't find out. Now, they did know something was up, but they didn't know the extent to which it was. EVERYONE made it! We drove down Thursday and were waiting anxiously at their house for them to return from the YMCA. It was so neat to see them pull up (while my mom is on the phone telling them what time we will be leaving the next day). Friday we ran around town and just had fun together. One store in particular we visited was the official Mardi Gras store! They seriously have everything you could possibly think of on a bead necklace. Plus moonpies...YUM! I did get some really awesome necklaces for our breast cancer walk in October! Saturday we got up early and went to a place called The Grand Hotel. They have beautiful gardens and the whole place is right on the water. We hired a photographer to take family pictures and of course some of my grandparents! Everyone had so much fun, I can't wait to see how they turned out! The phototographer was also a NICU nurse, coincidence?, I think not. Hopefully that will be me one day! After we were done taking pictures we had an amazing breakfast buffet!! For the rest of the day the entire family hung out at my grandparents house. It was just what they wanted. Tons of food, cake, corn hole and riding the golf cart all around. Sunday it was time to come home...

40 years is an amazing accomplishment. I can only hope that one day I will too be able to celebrate my 40th wedding anniversary. I couldn't ask for better grandparents. I have a million great memories growing up with them and this weekend will long be one of them.



Old barn




Ash




Wheat Field




In the woods




Then




Now


Today, I went back on my insulin pump! Woohoo...hope it goes okay. It will be fine, and i'm actually happy with the insurance company for once, well not them but they are actually working with another company to get all the supplies I need cheaper..imagine that! Guess i'll have to take them off the Naughty list.

I feel like the next several months are going to fly by! So much is comming up, starting this weekend with a friends wedding, then Jimmy Buffett next week! After that the countdown will be on until Kendall graduates and then shortly there after our big trip out west! I am soo excited, but I know I need to slow down and enjoy every day for what its worth!! 

"If you wonder how long ill be faithful
 I'll be happy to tell you again
 I'm gonna love you forever and ever
 Forever and ever amen"

Love Don't Run

Love Don't Run...Steve Holy


this is gonna hurt, this is gonna hurt like hell,
this is gonna damn near kill me,
sometimes the truth ain't easy
i know that you're scared of telling me something
i don't wanna hear, baby, believe that i'm not leaving,
you couldn't give me one good reason

love don't run, love don't hide,
it won't turn away or back down from a fight
baby, i'm right here, and i ain't going anywhere
love's too tough, won't give up, no not on us
baby, love don't run

let's lay it on the line, i don't care if it takes all night,
this is gonna make us stronger,
it's gonna make forever longer,
i know it'd be easier walking away but,
what we got is real, and i wanna save us,
baby, we can do it, baby, we'll get through it

cause love don't run, love don't hide,
it won't turn away or back down from a fight,
baby, i'm right here, and i ain't going anywhere,
love's too tough, it won't give up, no not on us
baby, love don't run
baby, love don't run

so come over here and lay down in my arms,
baby, tell me everything that's on your heart,
cause i won't run, i won't hide,
i won't turn away, i just wanna make things right
baby, i'm right here, and i ain't going anywhere,
love's too tough, it won't give up, no not on us
baby, love don't run
baby, love don't run
I heard this song recently and it made a lot of sense. Relationships are HARD and they take work EVERY single day. I learn something constantly about how to make my relationships better and more effective.  But the bottom line is like this song says, love DON'T run. It sticks out all the hard times and comes out STONGER than it was.


"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails..."

Wordless Wednesday: Some Beach...Some where..

New Stuff...

Well I have been pretty slack the last week and haven't written much so forgive me if this post becomes looonng. Not that I have been unusually busy, (cuz I haven't) I guess I just found other things to do. Enjoying the warm temperatures and sunshine would be one thing!!
     I have also been attempting to learn how to use my new camera:

                               
I am loving this thing! It's a Canon Rebel T2i. There are so many different things I can learn to do I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am. So in true nerd fashion I really did read most of the stupid little book it comes with! Now my goal is to find some kind of photography class to take. I did take a class one time, but seeing as that was many years ago (yes I said many) high school was MANY years ago I probably need a refresher. Here's a few I took the past week:



Shooting the new gun




And again




My sister




Flowers at moms




Old Fire Truck




Outside My House




Gracie




Zeke


I could seriously take pictures all day long. I would love to really get into it. I know those pictures aren't anything extraordinary but I'm just getting started!

So, in earlier posts I mentioned I will be going back on my insulin pump in the next month. All the classes are scheduled and it finally came in the mail. I did have a choice of colors..and NO it wasn't hard to decide...

Woohooo..and here it is! So when you see me with a new random attachment to my hip, this is it! I think it is just too cute. Years ago I had a pump, and I called it Bob. No earthly idea why I named it that but I did. This one is obviously much more girly. I think I'm going to call it Daisy. :) Since it's with me 24/7 it's only right it has a name!! Start date tentatively scheduled for April 17th!

I have also been doing some shopping lately. I am continually looking for things that I must have before my vacation in June!! There are some specific things I need and I found one last week . I generally wear heals or flip flops and i didn't think those would do with all the walking I'm sure to be doing so I got these..

They are Merell hiking/walking shoes. I've worn them twice and they are so comfy! We'll see how they do out west.

Mom and I also went to a couple of consignment shops today and we had so much fun. I had a lot of success, I got several shirts, shorts/skirts  and a couple really cute dresses all very reasonably priced! I can't wait till the weather stays warm so I can wear them! We really were on a mission to find a specific outfit for my grandparents surprise anniversary party coming up but I don't think either one of us accomplished that goal. Oh well I guess there is more shopping in our near future..oh how i hate that!! haha.




Consignment Shop bargain.. $10




Found this at Belk..precious!!

Well I finished out the week with date night with my man last night. Dinner and a movie and simply enjoying each others company. We had a great time. Now it's back to the real world for me tomorrow (unless I get called off). Hope everyone has a fabulous week!!


* The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want....*

Wordless Wednesday : Hurry Springtime!

Wordless Wednesday

I'm stealing this idea from a friend's blog. On Wednesdays I will only post a picture. There will be NO words...which is where the title comes from. Far too often we say much more than we ever needed to. So on Wednesday the pictures will now do the talking.

It's Been Awhile

10 Reasons I Love My Job

10. I work 3 days a week

          Seriously, it couldn't be more convenient. I work three which means I'm off four. I don't think it gets much better than that. Yeah 12 hours can be brutal and yes getting up at 5am sucks most of the time but I guess I really can't complain.

 9. Flexibility

          Kinda going back to working 3 days thing. If I ever need a day off or need to switch days and work something different, I generally have no problem even if it is last minute. There is generally someone who can help out and who is willing to help out.

 8. Teaching

          I don't think I am a great teacher by any stretch of the imagination but I do love being able to teach parents about whats going on with their sick/premature infant. Most people have no experience with the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit so it is a huge learning experience. It is incredibly rewarding when you spend the time to teach parents and they honestly get it and some of their fears are alleviated because they understand.

 7. I learn something new every day..

         Honestly, I can really say that. There is not a day that goes by that I don't learn SOMETHING new. Some days it's big and some days it's small. I am amazed at the technical advances made day to day. The world of Neonatology changes so much that there are always new things coming at us. It keeps my job interesting and for that I am grateful.

 6. I Love the Hi tech atmosphere..

        It's a fast paced, ever-changing, mentally challenging, emotionally taxing place to work. There's great reward in witnessing a tiny infant being brought into the world requiring a multitude of wires and monitors and medications to survive and being able to participate in it's journey to stability and ultimately (in most cases) discharge. Sometimes the beeps send me literally over the edge and I hear them in my sleep but all those are forgotten when you see little eyes looking up at you.

5. I love that my borderline OCD matters at work

       Simply said it does, it matters, it can mean life or death. If I don't pay attention to detail and an ever so slight change in my baby, the consequences can be devastating.

4. I love the respect/accessibility of doctors...

       I have never worked anywhere else as a nurse but I have heard how hard it can be to communicate with doctors on floors and in other units. I am thankful that our doctors are only a few steps away at any minute of the day 24/7, 365 days a year. I know I matter and have earned the respect at my job when one asks me my opinion on my patients condition. And then actually takes my advice. Priceless

3. Easing a parents fears

        When I am able to move a parent from complete devastation and fear to being able to see there infant as more than wires and machines, to helping them connect to the most fragile life in the world. From watching their tears turn to smiles and laughter..that is what it's all about.

2. I Love my work Family..

         The people I work with are phenomenal!! I couldn't ask for a better group of coworkers. Many of the nurses I work with are my second family. My best friends in life are several of the nurses I work with. I trust them with my life and know no matter what they are there for me. Whether it's work related or personal life related they are always available to pick me up when I'm down, put me in my place, laugh with me or cry with me. They mean the absolute world to me and I love them dearly.

1. I know I make a difference in the life of a tiny child and their family ever day...

         No matter the outcome, whether good or bad anything I can do to help a family even if only for a moment matters. I have held the hand of a mother who had to withdraw support from her child, I've held a dying baby so they wouldn't be alone. But, I have been lucky, the smiles at work outweigh the tears, the successes outnumber the loss. Each day is different, each baby is different, and each family is different. Just as much as I make a difference in their lives, they make a difference in mine. The cards, letters and 1 year birthday invitations ( for a baby that is nothing short of a miracle) mean more than one could ever express. So although there are days that I don't want to go to work, I can't thing of ANYTHING else I would rather do. I love this job!!

So Small



Goofing off as usual




The crew at christmas





Halloween in the NICU



Perfect Weekend

I cannot tell you how fabulous of a weekend I had. Kendall and I decided to go to the beach for the weekend for our Valentines Day. It was perfect. Just what I needed. Sunny skies and mid 60's...doesn't get much better than that in Feb. Our balcony overlooked the beach...here's the hotel we stayed in...

We honestly had a great time. It was low key and we just got to spend time with each other without the worries and stress of everyday life. We walked around and did a lot of window shopping, went and did a wine tasting which was really cool because we've never done that before. I really like wine but I'm never sure what really to drink so it was neat to get to taste different things. We had an awesome dinner at a seafood buffet..Crab legs are my absolute favorite and I definitely put a hurtin' on them. HaHa. It was 100% relaxing. I must admit we talked about going to the mountains for the weekend but Kendall is the one that brought up the beach...I must have done something right at some point because he is sooo good to me. XoXo. Here's a few pictures from our trip...




Beautiful View




Love the sun off the water



One of my favorites




Great day together




Wine Tasting




Love him!!


We were forced to come back on Sunday, although I think I would have been happy to stay for the rest of the week. Kendall had softball practice and the real world would be calling on Monday anyway. We had a quiet Valentines Day at home, I am very thankful for all the loves in my life!!!

I am a little perturbed right now in light of recent information I learned today. Nothing serious, but a little frustrating. I feel like I have tried in my life to do things in the correct order. I went to school got a job, hopefully will one day get married and then have kids. Many times it seems like no one in the rest of the world cares about the order of things. I feel like tons and tons of people are selfish and immature and never consider all the important facts when making decisions ( or lack there of). I get tired of hearing about the inconsiderate decisions people make, especially when it involves a child. A child doesn't have the choice to be here and lately I feel as though so  many people are screwing up that child's life before they are even here!!! Ugghhh sorry to rant but it is frustrating, so I'll continue on my merry way and hopefully one day give my child the BEST chance possible for a successful life.

Anyway...when I'm at my moms eating, we always say our favorite and least favorite thing of the day so I'll end this with that. My favorite part of the day was spending time with my mom and my sister, eating Ben and Jerry's ice cream and walking on the trail, followed by shrimp for dinner! My least favorite part of the day was having to buy my dogs new crates. Since they want to be uncooperative I am forced to treat them like baby puppies again..why can't they just act like I want them too..oh yeah I guess because they are DOGS. Well if nothing else maybe I'll get better sleep without them jumping on and off the bed all night! :)


"Allow yourself the freedom of knowing there are times to bail out, to quit, to run, to leave the struggle and have more time to just be happy."

Ding...Ding...DING

So let me just say I am very blessed to have a job. And have a job that I love and is so rewarding. I don't see myself doing anything else. There isn't a day that I don't learn something new. But sometimes, as in the case of yesterday, I could care less if I ever walk through the doors again. HaHa. Not really, but the nursery was so loud and obnoxious I couldn't wait to go home. I swear if I never hear another monitor alarm go off it will be too soon!! Oh the joys of working in an intensive care nursery. I love the baby I take care of but she is BAD! Yes, a 2 pound baby can be bad. Some days I wish I could work 5 days a week and others I am so glad I don't have to work but 3!!! So to cope after a long 12 hours I came home made chicken wings, sat on the couch and drank a glass of wine. Excellent!!

So in honor of Valentines Day being right around the corner, I thought this would be appropriate :

Doughnut

I thought this was the cutest! One of our families at work brought us in several boxes of doughnuts and one box was all doughnuts like this!! I sooo didn't need it but  how could you pass that up?!? Yes, I'm one of those people that likes Valentines Day. I don't care what you say about everyday should be like that...it's still fun to celebrate. I'm not saying it has to be all blown out of proportion but it can still be a special day. I'm thankful every day that I have an amazing boyfriend that treats me soo well and shows me he loves me all the time!!

Today I walked around fun stores, Target, Kohl's and The Home Goods store because I was bored and because it is a beautiful day. Not warm, but the sun is out. This morning we had little dusting of snow but by the time I got up it was gone. So all you people that hoped for another snow day...sorry no such luck! My only purchase was this adorable new lunch bag....



Ahhh, I love this thing! Since I'm trying to be real good and bring my lunch every day to work I decided I needed something new and cute to take. It even came with containers to put stuff in. LOL, the little things that excite me.

Well I'll be back to the Mecca (work) tomorrow and then off for 4 days. No big plans yet, but we may go out of town for a weekend trip. The beach, the mountains...anywhere sounds good!!

"This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm you heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, Love to complete your life."

Thoughts for today...

Yay for Green Bay winning the Super Bowl! No I really don't pull for them ever but given the choices that was who I had to go with! I had a great time watching the game at the house with the friends we had over. It was relaxing to just hang out and of course snack on yummy food. I really enjoy entertaining and I should probably do it more often!  Chips, dip, pizza, pigs in a blanket...i'll be having to eat real good to make up for that for the rest of the week!!!

After The Game



I went to the doctor today, well the Endocrinologist anyways. I'll be trying to get back on my insulin pump in next few months. That makes me very happy because all around it is so much better. We'll have to see though, the run ins i've had with the insurance company in recent months have NOT been very fun. It just seems you have to be a an idiot to work there. They cannot for the life of them get anything right. I HATE dealing with them. My favorite is when they just decide they aren't going to pay for the supplies I use and want me to switch to something else! Really?! I understand cost effectivness ect. but when something is working well for me why must I change? Ugghh..let me get off of that soap box!

Tomorrow is Monday for me as i'll be heading back to work. I hate to hope that we have a lot of babies, but I do not want to have to stay home this week!!! I need PTO for my outings this summer and I need money for those outings! We shall see!! 

"The key to everything is Patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it."