Well, it has been a little while! I'm neglecting the good ol' blogger! Let's see, since last friday, what has life been full of? Well, I had another mid-term on monday so spent a bunch of the weekend cramming. We had a belated thanksgiving with Shane's family on saturday and I went to a bridal show on sunday afternoon. On friday, I did end up booking the reception place, though it's going to require some creativity and so I'm not as excited as I would have hoped. I'm actually a little down about the place, but we are looking at the whole picture of it being just one day in the scope of forever, and so cost-effective is our motto. Sometimes that really sucks. I've been so focussed on making it doable financially that I'm not really even thinking about what I would just really want. The deciding factor of things is not if I love it, but if it is within our tight budget. I know all the things in my head that justify a cost-effective wedding, but I'm just feeling a little bummed about it in the last few days. I haven't been stressed out about this wedding, but the thing that could potentially stress me is trying to find everything for cheap. It can start to take the fun right out of planning. Just feeling a little sad about it today. I know it will be totally great and we will love our day! I just am a little sad..........thanks for the ear.

What a nice CEF I have for clinical! She let us go home before 1pm instead of at 3:30pm!!! I am so happy! I even hugged her for it! I think I'm going to take a yummy nap! That would feel so good! Then this evening Christina, maybe Steph and I are going to head out to Mitchell to check out and decide on our reception place. Shaner was supposed to go out with me but the head manager guy told him he had to be at a certain meeting tonight =( He wasn't happy about that though and I'm proud because he told his boss that he did not appreciate having to choose between work and me! That's some balls, saying that to your boss! It made me feel loved and wanted! Thanks Shaner! So, instead of waiting a few more weeks to check the place out, I'm going with the girls to decide. Shaner said that he trusts my judgement! Hopefully everything works out tonight!
My day at the hospital was nuts today! I got to follow my patient down to have an femoral angiogram done. It was really neat! They make a slit in your groin area and insert a long tube with a camera through your femoral artery. It takes pictures of your artery and you can even see it going up into the aorta (the main artery that gives your body blood from the heart). It's pretty insane what they can do to your body! It seems not-right sometimes, because you are doing procedures, crazy ones that you would think would be impossible! The doctors and nurses down there were great! One of them said to me, "See now you want to stay down here with us all day! I'll get a box of donuts and you can stay for the day!". I always seem to feel that it is respectful to offer my chair to a nurse or doctor that comes in the room, especially since I'm a student. Often we are the ones observing and we tend to be in the way! The nurses were telling me at the angiogram that I should never be offering my chair to a doctor! The surgeon guy, or whatever he is that does the procedure, was right there and he might have been agreeing with them! It was funny! I just naturally think that it is respectful! I do the same with older people (elderly) on the bus. After we got back to the ward, I had to monitor my patient's vital signs every 15 minutes! That doesn't really allow you to get a lot done in between! Especially when you have meds to give, other patients to look after, blood glucose tests to take and new IV bags to hang! Wow! It gets insane. It was a good day though! It is nice to be busy and then the day flies by!
Have a great weekend all!

Picked up my wonderful dress today after class....it is a beautiful thing! I tried it on again for my roomie, with the help of my sis! Boy, I didn't realize it but it feels like a burden off the shoulders to have it in my posession! Knowing that it is here and not somewhere else out in the world is a comforting thought. Had a few moments today where fleeing the country and getting married sounded like a grand idea. Just going and living on a little island with my dude sounded very inviting. Not because I'm feeling any stress or dislike for the whole wedding thing, I just have increasing feelings of just wanting to be married already. I've always prided myself from the beginning of my relationship with Shane that I am still an individual and totally able to be my own person, go out with the girlies and not be so whipped like I see many others become. I find myself slipping into a place that is so comfortable. I can see my growing in dependence (not bad dependence but healthy dependence) on my boy and actually being ok with allowing my world to revolve around him more than it used to. I have defended my stand against becoming a name-less female for so long. I have a strong dislike for those couples who forget about themselves as individuals, their friends and family and the rest of the world. God has such amazing plans for us together and as me, Kristi, His daughter, and as Shane, His son. Both sides of the coin are so important and I don't want to miss out on either one of them by being too unhealth-ily dependent on one another, or too unhealth-ily independent. I want a great balance and I can honestly say I feel like we have a good one. I am content at the recent molding of my heart and emotions and I think it is all good. Is any of this making sense? Well, I'm lacking sleep so off I go. Have good sleeps!

I am totally nuts! Gone of the end of the earth! Yesterday was homework and tv night, as I blogged yesterday. Well things took a turn of events! I ended up going wedding dress shopping on a whim with my mom and sister (totally spontaneously and with no notice!), and BOUGHT MY WEDDING DRESS!!!!! The lady that we bought it from gave me an incredible deal and it was so great! It is not at all what I would have thought I would pick, but isn't that usually the way it goes? For example, my grad dress. I wanted a darker color (definitely not pastel), slimming (definitely NO pouff - however you spell it). Well, what did I leave with and end up completely loving?! A huge, pouffy pastel pink dress! I couldn't believe it and ended up absolutely loving it! I'll still put it on to this day and feel incredibly beautiful and princess-like! My wedding dress just was the right one. It was psycho fast, without looking at many others (it was the third and last one I tried at only one store), but it just was the right one. It fits like a glove, I feel comfortable and can see myself really enjoying my day wearing that dress! I am so crazy! But so excited! It worked out perfectly! And now I have a dress, don't have to order it, will have it in my possession on monday and won't have to have my dress arrive the week before my wedding and be the wrong size!!!! That is great news! Things are coming together!

Ok gotta vent! There are some completely and utterly bratty kids in this world. And I don't believe that it is all the fault of the kid! There are some pretty bad parents that allow WAY too much! I know that I'm not a parent and therefore don't understand some things, but I have lived with little ones in my home for years and been one of the moms looking after them. Boundaries NEED to be drawn! I just bussed back from St.B after a day of clinical. The kid on the bus was so out of line. He was screaming at the top of his lungs when his mom would make him sit down and when she wouldn't let him dig in her purse for gum. He already had how many pieces! He would yell at her and hit her, even in the face! And you know, I know that the bus isn't the best place to discipline but you have to do something when your child is hitting you across the face! You can't just sit there and let it happen! It doesn't mean you need to yell, make a scene, or spank him right there, but you can't allow that behavior! Regardless if you are on public transit!
Ok thanks for being the brunt of that vent! I just get SO frustrated with kids and parents like that!
Clinical was good though! I got two patients with IVs today! I had to switch the solution, give two syringes of morphine through a pump called a CVA pump, and got to give antiboitics through piggyback (which is a form of IV therapy). I got to do another needle (on of my favorite things!) and discontinue an IV! It was a busy day and I got to do a bunch of interesting things for the first time! Sucessful day!
Tonight I have to quickly come up with a presentation for tomorrow on kidney dialysis. It won't take me away from my "Friends" and "Survivor" though! I'm committed!!! Have a good night!

Hello all! Happy belated Thanksgiving! In the spirit of Thanksgiving, here are a few things that I am thankful for! A warm bath/shower every morning, our car especially with winter approaching, my wonderful best friend and safe place Shaner, my awesome roommate, my family, my great girlfriends!, my cozy appartment, a big bed to sleep in each night, etc, etc. I really have it good! I spent most of my Thanksgiving studying for Spanish and working on other classes' homework. I have my first Spanish test tonight, but I think it will go alright. I'll study a bit after this down in the nursing lounge.
I'm figuring out some more stuff for the wedding! Hey, if there are any brides-to-be out there, I found the best thing! www.weddingbells.ca has the most greatest tool! You can sign up for free and get to use a guest list, task planner, budget thing, gift registry and design your own Wedsite! So neat! I am now addicted! I love logging on and having it say "Welcome Kristi and Shane". Wooppiee!!!! I'm especially addicted to the taskplanner that tells you when to have certain things done by and the guestbook thing that keeps a running total of who has responded (though we aren't to that point yet.......it is still months away)! Though, we have passed the 8 months mark this past weekend (actually on my birthday) and so it's 7 months and a bunch of days now!
Well, talk to you all later! Hope that Thanksgiving was good for all of you!

Happy Birthday to me!!! As of 1:13pm I am 21 years old! Also, as of today it is exactly 8 months until our wedding!
The weekend has had its ups and its total downs. Actually my weekend has been pretty tough. There was some akwardness with my family on friday at the party. I really love my extended family, but my dad's side at the same time drives me absolutely insane!!!!! Ahhhhhh!!!!!! They exhaust me because they are so high-maintenance! Lord, give me strength at Thanksgiving tomorrow! But, the party was pretty great (besides that annoyance) and my dad had not a clue in the world! He was completely surprised!!!! We did very well!
Unfortunately, wedding dress shopping never happened. It is a sad story that I don't have the emotional energy to get into. But, we'll try for another day in the next few weeks! Hopefully it will work out better. My heart is very sad though, so please could you say a prayer?
The bonfire was great! I had a lot of fun and there was a great turn-out! Well over half of the list couldn't make it so I thought it would be a tiny group of us. It ended up being about 30 people! We had a great time! And I got some birthday cards which was great! Hey, thanks Yvonne for the electronic card! How sweet! It was my first one of my actual birthday day!
Shane's family took me out for lunch and the afternoon today. It was really nice and I enjoyed hanging out with them. Actually, in the past 3 years, we haven't ever gone out for supper as a family! Surprising, but true! It sure was time and it sure was really nice! How refreshing to be out in public together!
I know it is Thanksgiving weekend and my birthddy, but I desperately need to study for my Spanish test on tuesday! I've been SUCH a slacker the last few weeks! Too busy I guess! And now my head is even more in other worlds! So, I must push on and work this brain of mine back into submission!!!

Well, let's see. Good evening everyone. Some updates of the life of oh engaged one! Yes I'm am still as excited as ever. Actually in the last 2 days, I've probably had the most excitement yet! I have moments throughout the day that just make me want to scream out in happiness and insane excitement! All you Dr. Phil's and Dr. Laura's out there, is this normal? To add to it, I, who almost never have sleeping problems, have been having a very difficult time getting to sleep this past week (tomorrow will be a week since the engagement)! It's not fun to struggle with sleep, but I'm so buzzed at the end of the evening. I've spent the whole day slaving my brain away at the U or the hospital that my only time to do a little dreaming and planning is the short time when I come home and go off to bed. That's when the brain becomes extremely stimulated! Ahhh! Go to sleep brain! But, for real, I am loving it! I have discovered that my beautiful ring has a mind of her own and has developed a habit of scratching. Not others, only me. She has picked up this habit only in the past 2-3 days (though in totally she is really only a week old in my life)! I think I've been reading far too many blogs of mothers and now I'm even starting to blog like one. Though, I'm the lucky "mother" (wait! that doesn't sound very good!) because the only disciplining I will ever have to do is teach her to stop scratching! Nothing else!
My birthday is on sunday! I will be a whole 21! Which means I made it to the 20s before I decided to get married! That's older than a bunch of people I know! Cudos to me! We are throwing a bonfire for fun and my birthday on saturday and a surprise 50th for my dad tomorrow! We share a birthday!
Also, on saturday before the bonfire, my sis, my mom and I are off on the quest of finding a dress. A beautiful, I'm-in-love-with dress! My prayer of the week is that I fall in love with a really cheap dress! I'm hoping and praying!
Oh, this is getting a little long and completely involved with the wedding stuff, but heck! that's the way it will be for the next few months! I have to share my exciting thrifty bargain of the week! Yvonne, I think you'll like this! I was getting annoyed at the fact that to rent a chair, you can pay, like, $1.50 per chair! That's highway robbery! Especially to only sit on it for an hour! So, guess what I found, thanks to one of my beautiful bridesmaids, Tanya! I'm going to rent benches from the Mennonite Hertiage Museum! They are white (so it will look uniform and pretty), seat 6-8 people and only cost $1!!!!! Yeah! What a savings! Thank-you very much! I am so proud at my thriftiness!
Nite!

Well, it sure has been an exciting weekend! SHANE AND I ARE ENGAGED!!!!!! It all took place on friday night (October 3....hey Rhonda, your birthday!) and it was perfect! Shane did such a great job!! And he picked out an incredible ring all by himself that I absolutely adore!! I think my ring is the most beautiful ring in the world (and that's the way it is supposed to be!).
Shane was so creative and had a big plan along with 10 envelopes like a treasure hunt all throughout the evening. It started here at my place when he picked me up. I was sent to my my sister's appartment for envelope #2. Then downstairs to the car to find a dozen GORGEOUS red roses and envelope #3 in the trunk. I went up to my room to find #4 which stated that we were off to Red Lobster for dinner. Red Lobster is tradition for us because it's our favorite place to go for special occasions! We had such a fun meal and laughed throughout the sport of cracking crab legs! It was hilarious! While Shane was paying the bill, I headed for the washroom and returned to find envelope #5. We were then off to Shane's for another surprise. He handed me #6 when we arrived at his place and it guided me to get the laptop (another new blessing! What a month!) and bring it to the livingroom. I sat as he played a slide show of us that he had made. It made me "awww" and it made me laugh very hard at certain points, because it had so many funny, "us" things! He gave me #7 then which sent us for a ride in the car. A little while into the ride, Shane handed me #8 which stated that we were off to the Forks! I love the Forks! We went to check out places where we wanted my sister to take pictures for us! We walked the river walk and on the walk Shane handed me #9. It said that we were going to the Legislative Building to check out some more spots. When we got to the Leg, we were checking out spots in the back by the fountain and Shane gave me #10 which said that he had a story for me. See, I always ask him to tell me a story and so he added that into the evening. He wrote a 6-paged story about his life (about a boy named Shane.....in the third person). It was full of laughs and some tears and a lot of honesty. I came into the story in the last 3 pages. By the end it was building up and he said such perfect things! Through tears on his face, he stood up (from the bench we were sitting on) and said, "So....." My mouth dropped as I watched him dig into his jacket pocket. He got down on one knee and said, "Kristi, will you be my wife?". I practically yelled and laughed at the same time, "Absolutely! I would love to!".
It was such a perfect evening and I'm so proud of my dude! Our wedding is set for June 12, 2004, which is coming quickly....only 8 months and 7 days to go! But who's counting?....
We've had awesome reactions from friends and family and totally excited loved ones. I had thought all week long that friday would be the night! I have an over-active brain that tries to figure everything out! So, since I had been talking to Steph (sister) and Christina (roommate) all week and even just before Shane was picking me up, when I called them minutes after the proposal, all I could hear was LOTs of screaming in the cell phone! They were so excited along with us!
So, I'm sure that wedding stuff will be a big part of the blogging now too! It's so exciting and I'm planning on loving every minute of it!