reflection

3 weeks left of the semester and i'm done w/ school for the summer! So exciting, but it's crunch time! Time to omit my social life and buckle down for the home stretch! My parents are down this weekend. Grandpa is driving back to IN on Sunday and leaving Grandma to babysit Aubrey while I dig in the trenches for school. I'm so RELIEVED to have them here and to have her for the last few weeks! I'm so excited to one day be a nurse! Excited that I wish i didn't have another year of school, but scared to death I ONLY have one year of school!

Well, this Saturday is my birthday. Excited? Maybe, who doesn't like to be acknowledged at least once a year? One year shy of 30... people say turning 30 was the hardest year for them. Hm...I'm not sure I will feel the same. I think I will look back and reflect on ALL I have done in my 20's! I think the older you get, the more educated, dignified and classy you get! I think it's called 'being seasoned'. Because we should continuously learn, so each year, we know more than the year before, have experienced new and different experiences than in the past and get to deal with whatever life brings our way.

A gas grill is on my birthday list this year. Usually it's just a gift card for a massage or a salon. But this year, I want to be able to grill out!!! And not have to rely on Justin's charcoal grill he got free from the church campground that doesn't cook any type of food thoroughly, even after 30 minutes! :)

Reflecting on my upcoming birthday, I sat at my desk here in the nursing home tonight, observing couples where one partner lives here in the home and the other lives at 'their' home. The ones who struck me tonight were a couple who look fairly young, maybe 60 if that, I believe his wife has suffered a stroke. She understands what is going on and what you are saying, but she can't talk. She is in a wheel chair. Her husband is faithful to come everyday when he gets off of work. Today, I think was a hard day for him to handle. He brought her down to see the birds and look out the windows. He is a quiet man, but cordial. Probably works in a factory. I always tell visitors 'goodnight' or 'have a nice evening'. Tonight when I told him to 'have a nice evening', I didn't get a smile and a 'same to you'. His eyes looked sad, he just nodded and walked out. I thought 'how difficult a situation like that must be! what will it be like in 40 years? Will I be in a nursing home and Justin at our home or will it be the opposite? Please Lord, let it be the opposite!' But whatever situation it is, I hope we will always have the strong committment and dedication these husbands and wives have to whom ever is a resident in this nursing home!