friday's contest

Two posts in ONE day...CRAZY I know! But I need your help... some people have a 'Friday favorites', 'Friday's finds', 'Fridays ______' and they post fun things on Friday. Why Friday? I don't know, maybe it's because it's the last day of the week and Saturday gives us more time to look at the fun from Friday. Maybe we are SO excited Friday is here, we just putz around on the computer finding things. Whatever the reason....occasionally I would like to post something fun on Fridays. But I need a catchy title. This is where your help comes in. I have a yummy Satin Hands Hand cream or a flirty Lip gloss waiting for you if you can come up with the best catchy title for my Friday! Leave your comment/idea below and I will pick the winner by next Thursday, so it can appear Friday! :)

For the first 'nameless' friday _____ I want to highlight the book 'I Love You This Much' by Lynn Hodges and Sue Buchanan. It is one of Aubrey's favorite books I read to her almost every night at bedtime. We have memorized most of it and can quote it to each other, at least the main 'chorus' if you will. If you have a little one, will have a little one or know a little one, this book is great! The first year of Aubrey's life, when I sat and read it to her, I could hardly get through it without crying! Maybe it was the insane roller coaster of post pregnancy hormones, maybe it was the overwhelming love I have for her, whatever it was....it made this book my favorite to read with Aubrey.

deal is sealed!

The deal is finally SEALED! March 7th is the official day of my new job as a nurse! I will be working at one of the largest Hospitals in the area as an Oncology (Cancer) nurse, part time, nights. Nights isn't my top pick of hours, but I'm a graduate...I'm bottom of the barrel. I have to start some where and maybe nights won't feel like being 'thrown to the wolves' in my new career!

I'm excited, scared, nervous, sad and in wonder of this next new chapter....

Excited - this is something I have worked insanely hard for the last few years. FINALLY all of my time, dedication to studies, paperwork, tears, exhaustion, stress and lost time is beginning to pay off! Excited to see what lies ahead!

Scared - I am scared to death to step out into this new avenue of a career! It's not like I'm sitting at a desk filing papers and taking phone calls. I am responsible for people's LIVES! AGH!
No pressure.

Nervous - there are always a good amount of nerves that accompany each of us in any new endeavor. If there weren't nerves involved, there would be a problem and we would be WAY too confidence in ourselves.

Sad - these are my last days as 'stay at home mom'. But really? Have I ever been considered 'stay at home mom'? I think being out of school and solely focusing on being a stay at home mom would drive me to the funny farm! I need things to do and scheduled time away. What better thing than to schedule my time away to take care of people and love on them?! But sad that this cherished time is over and will cherish even more, the time I get to spend with my family.

Wonder - I am in deep, anxious wonder as to what I will experience in the next few years! I am in awe that God has brought me this far and I am actually able to carry out His plan and feel peaceful about it. I wonder what kind of mistakes I will make and learn from? I wonder what my patients will be like? I wonder where this new status will take me in life...and possible around the world?

I am so excited to begin my new journey March 7th. So stay tuned for updates!
(No, this is not me, nor anyone I know in the picture...i just love the 'old school' style!)

from the mouths of babes

I've been cooped up this week, both Justin and I have been sick. NO FUN! So far, so good for Aubrey. She's had run of the house, spent the night at Grammie's and received 2 vitamins for extra immunity boost! She would eat the entire bottle of vitamins if they weren't locked in the cabinet!

When you can't do anything other than move from the couch to the bed and the bed to the couch, with a frequent visit to the bathroom in between, one has a lot of time to think and reflect. I decided to reflect on the cute little phrases and conversations I have had in the past week with Aubrey.

#1 - I washed all of our sheets and towels and hung them out to dry on the clothesline...hence my previous post. I opened windows and aired out the house. At bedtime, all of the blankets and sheets on Aubrey's bed smelled like fresh air. I said 'Aubrey, smell your blankets, they smell sooo good....just like fresh air'. So she inhaled a large, dramatic sniff, smiled, hugged my leg and said 'YOU'RE THE BEST EVER!' If that doesn't make a mama's heart melt, I don't know what does.

#2 - One of her friends was in the day care office the other day waiting for her mommy to pick her up because she had a fever and needed to go home. I stopped in to say 'hi' to her and this is what was said....
Me: 'I'm so sorry you're sick'. Aubrey's friend: 'I'm 4 and I have a fever. Even when people get 4 they can still get sick and have a fever'. Me: 'Yes, even when we're as old as 4, unfortunately we can still get sick'.

#3 - and last but NOT least, living in the house with another girl can get rather dramatic at times. The latest saying out of Aubrey's mouth is 'UGH, you're dressing me out!' Otherwise known as 'stressing'. HM! I wonder who she's heard THAT from?!

Fresh air

Today is Saturday...ahhhh...what a great Saturday it is!
Aubrey is at Grammie's for the weekend, Justin will be on his way home from an over night trip, I had a girls night with some of the best girls around town, and to top it off, I have had the house to MYSELF for almost 24 hours!

24 hours is like a glimpse of Heaven! The house is clean, dishes done, laundry on the line and windows open! Yes, there's still at least 6 inches of snow on the ground, but I think it's at least 40* outside!

Fresh air makes me HAPPY! Something about it that gives me comfort, makes me feel crisp and clean. After being cooped up in the house with subzero weather and over a foot of snow for the past 2 weeks.... fresh air is a WELCOME AROMA in my home!

Today is a great day!

New Chapter

Yes! I know I know! This poor blog has sat and gathered dust since September! Sad, but true! The last 5 months of my life have been deeply, to say the LEAST, involved in finishing my ASN and graduating Nursing School as an RN! Did I accomplish that task? YES I DID! Does it feel absolutely amazing and surreal? YES IT DOES! At times I am completely SPEECHLESS as to how I feel about this accomplishment. Becoming a nurse doesn't happen over night or with a wiggle of your nose! It involves sweat, tears, serious tears, sleepless nights, possibly a little blood depending on the day, anger, excitement, frustration, thousands of practice questions, hours away from your family to study and quite possibly a Rx for anxiety! BUT when it's ALL SAID AND DONE and the assignments, tests, clinicals, 'pomp & circumstance' and state boards are OVER... I sit down and can actually BREATHE! I know being a nurse is what my heart has wanted since I was a little girl. I have always LOVED people, animals and nurturing both! I'm the girl who left her mother notes on how to take care of the hamster while I was away at church camp for the week!

It looks as though I will be heading into the field my heart most desires in the VERY NEAR future...and that is Oncology (Cancer). My heart and hands can't wait to love on those cancer patients! Everyone says it takes a 'special, strong' person to be able to work in this field. I can't wait to meet and touch the lives of those in it! God opens and closes doors for a reason....His reason. A few doors have closed, but many are now opening...and I can't wait to see what's inside!

In the mean time, here is what's on my to do list with all of my new found free time!

Relax! No more school to keep me stressed 24/7, now it's just a job to stress me, and even then, it's not a job....it's what I love to do!

Read! I am looking for some amazing books to take me far far away from here into the exciting, romantic, action filled life of someone else. If you have suggestions, please post them!

Play! I am making it my goal for the year of 2011 to have more FUN this year! I want to be able to drop things and have a 'girls night'. Or just sit in the living room and play pretend with Aubrey.

Aubrey! Need I say more?

Cook! I have time to plan meals and experiment with new recipes. Cooking is relaxing for me...and my husband is NOT a picky eater, so I have a first hand taste tester in my house!

Enjoy! Enjoy life, enjoy this NEW chapter of my life! I turned 30 last April, soon to be 31. I can't WAIT to see what 30's bring to my life! 20's were insane, fast & furious! I want 30's to slow down and be classy!

Blog! Yes, I plan to fit into the 'relax & fun' time to keep up with this, so you can keep
up with me!