Not feeling so hot......

I've been feeling yucky the last few days...and I think I've had a wee too much pain relievers in the past 24 hours or so! I finally got on top of the pain and wham! I'm sitting in my third class of the day and suddenly feel wiped out. My head was so heavy, like a bowling ball, my fingers were tingling and I needed a nap badly! I'm feeling a bit better by now....but then my feet started tingling at the bus stop on my way home! This is NOT good! I am not a fan of pain meds.....and then this happens! I didn't go over the amount the bottle said I could take! Oh well, this too shall pass!

As for date night last friday! I came home to take Shaner on the date and found flowers for me on the table! And a sweet "Just because I love you" card! A dozen beautiful roses! And since I didn't have a nice vase that would hold that many flowers, they are sitting beautifully in a beer glass! How romantic, eh?

We had a really nice supper at Pasquale's on Marion....a little quaint Italian restaurant. It was nice to gaze across the table and chat! It was like we were all young and dating again! (hee hee! that wasn't that long ago! and we really are still young!)
I'm generally pretty much on top of things, but I slipped up and forgot/just didn't book a bowling lane earlier that day. Work was super busy for me that day, strangely! So, since the everyone and their dog goes bowling on friday night in Winnipeg, we were out of luck! It was even packed for mini golf!
So, to end the evening, we dropped by the in-laws and chatted for a little while! And then headed home for some sleep! Ahhhh....I love sleep!

Speaking of sleep.....I think I need some!!

Tonight is DATE NIGHT!!!!!

I'm home for a quick lunch before I walk back to work. But, I just had to blog that tonight is date night with my hubbie!!! I asked him out earlier this week and he accepted the proposal of a night on the town with a mysterious woman....his wife! I'm definitely not mysterious! More like a complete open book for those that know me fairly well!!!

So, I would tell of our events, but I just can't!!! See it is a suprise for the hubbie and he may look on the blog before the night begins! So, I'll let you know how much fun we had tomorrow!!!

Enjoy the last friday of winter (technically)!!!

3 down, 1 to go!

Well, I finished the school week of 3 exams this afternoon! I only have 1 more next week and then a few weeks of nothing due, except one last paper, before my last set of exams!!! My last set of university exams for my whole degree! That is a wonderful thing!

My day off yesterday ended up being quite wonderful! I was expecting to stay home all day, minus the gym in the evening, but my plans changed a little! Shane gave me a call at lunch time and asked if I wanted to join him in the car as he drove around delivering some phones for work. I went along for the company dressed in my pjs without having showered or even washed my face yet that day! But, heck, I was only going to be sitting in the car with my hubbie! Then, Shaner decides he wants to have lunch together! Ahhh.....greasy as ever and not wearing appropriate clothing for the public! So, I decided to live a little and we dined at McD's......generally fairly disgusting...but a nice quick date, and pj's were fairly acceptable!

So, back to the books to cram for the 2 exams I had left. I accomplished a fair amount that afternoon....at least what I had left of it! So, after the gym I was going to get lots more done! Did I?????

Peer pressure by the husband caused me to abandon the books and dive into the world of superheros as facilitated by "The Incredibles". Such a cute movie and we really enjoyed ourselves! I was kicking myself a little at 10:30pm when I hadn't studied at all that evening!!!

Oh well, it's over, they're written. And the weekend is almost here!

ahhhhhh......

Well, I got great news yesterday that class today is cancelled! That never happens! So, it happens to be the wednesday morning that I don't work.....So......NO SCHOOL OR WORK!!!! I actually get a day in the middle of the week to stay home ALL DAY!!!! I can't remember that ever happening with classes!

I got to sleep in until 9am...then got up! I have two exams tomorrow, so it's not really a day off, but it feels like it! I'm going to start chili for supper, study, perhaps clean my house for study breaks, worship, and then go to the gym for butts and gutts this evening! I'm really looking forward to my day!!!

I've been processing humility and boldness lately.

I feel somewhat charged with what God is speaking to me. I feel the urge to be confident and bold and say things as they are. This hasn't always been the case with me. When I started dating Shane 4 and a half years ago (as of this week), I began to learn more and more through him, work and life about being more assertive. It also helped that I worked at a day program for mentally-challenged adults and had to learn quickly about enforcing boundaries and limits.

On the other hand I am really challenged to have a heart motivated by love and filled with humility. This was on my heart right after we got back from Kansas City and hasn't left me. Instead, the unit we started 3 or so weeks ago in a course I'm taking is.......yep......none other than.......HUMILITY.

I'm having quite the wrestle learning what God's definition is of humility. I don't want to be a proud person or one that is motivated by position/recognition....or anything like that. But, I also don't want to remain silent, be worried about offending people or beat around the bush. I'm tired of everyone's offenses and the fact that truth just can't, or isn't, being spoken.

So, Lord, create in me a heart motivated by Your love and that is filled with Your humility. Give the confidence in You to speak the message that You have called me to without any hinderences.

"Truth that comes by revelation always produces change; it always leaves us less sure of ourselves, more dependent on God, and more loving towards others" - Francis Frangipane

I delivered my first baby last night.

Hee hee! That is a shocking way to start a blog, eh?

Well, I dreamt that I started my senior practicum last night. And within my first shift I delivered a baby! (In reality, would NOT be the case) There is a strange part though that is open to interpretation....

I knew that the time for delivery was fast approaching and that if I wanted the potential chance of delivering this baby, I had better get some gloves! So, I reached over to get some gloves and when I looked back the baby's head was already crowning. So, looking back.....the head was originally coming first...like normal.

Well, as the delivery quickly progressed, I realized that I ended up delivering the baby feet first! (In real life here on earth, that position is not allowed!) I pulled on one of the baby's legs during the delivery. I remember thinking what I was doing was strange!

Then, when the baby was fully into this world, I took a look at her and checked her out and all. She was really tall/long and very mature for a baby! Like she wasn't really a baby by the look in her eyes.

Anyways, I thought about the dream this morning...thinking it was neat that I had delivered a baby in my dream! But, when I thought about it a little more and realized that different positions of the birth, I wondered if there was some significance......I don't know....

Dreams, dreams and more dreams.....

I've been dreaming a lot this last week.....about every night to every other night. It is becoming more and more frequent.

I had the weirdest thing happen! I had a dream about this cult-like group. I was driving my bug (car...I don't actually have one) and saw a car coming my way down what I thought was a road. This all took place in Winnipeg, around Confusion Corner. So, I, assuming it was a public road, started to drive down it as well. Well, that was a big mistake, because it was private property of this cult. They were.....mmmm....I could probably say sexual offenders and into a heck load of sexual immorality. The bizarre part was that I found out their name...and it was very specific. They were called "The JB (abbreviated) girls only club"....except that they had brought two guys into their group. I ended up talking with one of the guys who was planning on leaving the cult soon. I think he was a Christian at one time and knew that the "activities" that these members were participating in was wrong.

So, for the next two days I looked up JB on the internet to see what I could find.
Day #1 - I found:
- 17 year old boy that had died
- professional bull rider
- photographer
- baseball player

Shane even looked up "serial killer JB"....nothing.

So, Day #2, I looked up JB with a different last name thinking I may have gotten the last name a little wrong. Nothing really could be found. Then I thought, I'd attempt Shane's searching tactic and typed in "sex offender JB".......

There is one! A picture and all of him.......living in LA.

Now is that bizarre or what? .......I have no idea what that means!

Oh, if only to long.......

I am thinking today about how I long for food. When I see something that I crave, smell a wonderful food aroma or just think about the wonderful stuff, I feel a longing in my stomach and in the heart-area to partake of food. Both when I am hungry and when I am just desiring a specific type of food, I long for it. It is such a strong longing and desire that comes from within. Your tongue starts to get a little tingly and the salivation gets going in a greater way! It can be really tough to ignore those thoughts and feeling and not give your body what it craves.

I was thinking about this at the bus stop on the way home from University today. I want to long like that for Jesus. In a way that naturally comes from within. Whether I feel hungry or full, I still want to crave more! I want that body and heart longing and desire for Jesus. If we are created to long for Him, even greater than food, than something is mixed up here.

......and so I continue to discover more about fasting and longing........

I'm being stirred up.....and I think I may spin off into the heavens.....

"And I will sing the songs that awaken the dawn,
And I will usher in your appearing,
It's your face that I crave,
And it's your presence that I long for....."

On my walk to back to work this afternoon, I listened to Misty Edwards, a worship leader from Kansas City IHOP (on cd). I thought I may lift off the earth with the feeling that surrounded me. I had such a strong desire to dance on the sidewalk, but was quickly on my way back to work, that my arm was making circles beside me.....if my whole body couldn't dance at that moment, my arm was going to anyways!

I haven't blogged about my time in Kansas City yet, because I haven't had the words, or the time to sit and type. I don't know how to sum it all up. As seems to be the common theme of bloggers that went to IHOP, I am having a difficult time articulating as well!

I am challenged with the revelation of Jesus Christ.
I am overcome with the emotion that He can bring.
I am being drawn on a divine romance.
I am fascinated with the One I'm following.
I am so very curious about all the many facets of Jesus that I don't yet know.
My box of organization and control has once again been shaken.
I feel like my perspective has again been enlarged.
I feel like I've had a bit of fresh revelation of our Redeemer and Saviour.
I want to feed on the Word.
I want to medidate on the Scripture.
I want to study about our history, our present and our future as Saints.
I want to learn to sing the songs of the Lord.
I desire to flow in the Holy Spirit in a greater measure.

I really received a lot from the "meetings" we had with a few IHOPers. I was challenged to consider the future, the second coming of Jesus and being prepared. I was drawn to learn more about a fasted lifestyle. I was reminded of the gift that tongues can be. I enjoyed our time as a team, especially the fun moments and the intense 2 am prayer and prophetic times! I loved that! I felt a whole lot of anticipation about the present and the future. I feel excitement over were I am at and going and where our church is at and going as well!

There is so much I could say, and all the while, so little. So, more may leak out in the next few days...weeks.

"Take me with you. Come, let's run!" (Song of Songs 1:4)

Tomorrow....well, technically thursday....we leave for Kansas City....

My brain is thinking tomorrow night we leave....but it is technically an hour or two after wednesday is over and thursday has begun. I'm starting to think of what to pack and how to limit what I bring! I sure learned that the hard way on our honeymoon! Boy, did we have to pay extra on Sunquest Airlines for my stupid suitcase! That totally sucked!

I have a little prayer request for you all! I had this awful experience in junior high on the way home from camp. I had to pee so badly that I was bawling in the back of the bus. I even waddled to the front to beg the bus driver to let me pee in the bush (which is VERY unlike me! I don't like peeing in places other than the toilet generally!). He just would NOT stop for me and I think I'm realizing that that experience has had some lasting effects. I was thinking about the 14 hour (or whatever it is) drive that we have ahead of us....and started to internally panic yesterday night! I think it should be fine.....we are driving with people that care about not damaging one another.....but I'm still a little nervous!

Here are some of my ideas amidst the panic:
1. buy some depends for the trip and go whenever I have to
2. bring along a child's potty and just go in the van....in front of the rest of the van members....when nature calls!
3. this one is not a joke...i'm planning on doing it.....dehydrate myself all day wednesday and thursday so that I have less to eliminate!

So, yes, it is amazing the phobias that you may realize at different points in your life! Guess I need some prayer for this one!

Off for a drive I go....

I'm quickly showering and packing and then Shaner and I are off to Grand Forks for the night! It should be a nice time! Shane's work does their Christmas party quite late...after Christmas. So, this weekend is the end of the Christmas parties in a way! They are paying for our hotel room, with a king-size bed! And they are taking us all out for a nice dinner tonight! I think it should be a fun time! And the weather makes for a bright and fun day to be travelling.

So, sorry we won't be seeing you church-people tomorrow morning! Keep up the pressing in while we are gone....and we'll be back to worship with you at Encounter God Night tomorrow!

Adios amigos!

Thoughts in a student brain when taking multiple choice exams:

1. Will that guy beside me breathe with his mouth CLOSED so that I can finish my test without passing out!?!
2. Hmmm.....I've noticed the last 10 questions have all been D....should I throw in a different letter?
3. Boy, I wish I had some spare kleenex on me to offer to the guy beside me...
4. Which letter haven't I picked in a while?
5. Boy....if I go fast enough, this could be my best time yet! Out of here in record time!

Finished the tests of February! I am done....except for a few classes today.....for about 2 weeks! Holidays here I come! And no more boring study nights at home Shaner! Thanks for your patience!

Lalalalalalala................

Today...let's see, what can I say about today?
Well, for the most part today was good.....but I had my hour or two by myself (thankfully) of pissed-offness. It is a rare day that I feel generally pived but today was the day. A bag of M & Ms, prayer and studying to get my mind off of stupid annoyances seemed to help! Probably less effective than simply praying.....but I had to ignore my feelings a bit in order to focus on studying!

Tomorrow I write my last test of February! Yipee! Tomorrow is the last day of school before Reading Week........which means no school, but a few more days of work, Grand Forks, celebrating my sister's birthday, and the trip to Kansas City! I haven't had much brain time to think about the KC trip. I hope to generate some excitement about it in the next few days. I didn't realize that it crept up so fast!!!

I'm studying Abnormal Psych in the midst of writing this blog......so that I'm being productive at the same time. See my sleepy hubbie went to bed super early!!!! And I had to resist going to bed with him and made myself stay up to study.....but here I am!!!

So, I really should finish going through these notes for the second time and hop into my already-warm bed! I'm missing out on sleeping time........

Becoming a little braindead....

I spent tonight studying for thursday's test. Today I had 2 tests and tomorrow I have a paper due! Boy oh boy, everything in one week! But I'm surviving and it is almost over! And then is Reading Week and the trip to Kansas City! I can't believe it crept up on me like that! Oh...but first Shane and I are going to Grand Forks for a night this weekend! Such fun awaits me in the next few weeks!

But, for the best news of all.......
The tenative placements for senior practicum have been posted....
I got my first choice!!!!!......
St.Boniface Labor and Delivery (both high risk and LDRP)......
It has been confirmed by the agency (which didn't have to happen until April)......
So, it isn't tenative anymore.......
There was only one spot and more than one student wanted it......
And I WAS HONORED WITH THE SPOT.......

THANK-YOU JESUS! ONE STEP CLOSER TO FULFILLING MY DREAMS!!!!

I'm a little nervous.....

Well, I just printed off my second last official term paper of my degree! I'm a little nervous about handing it in though. See, it is all about my philosophy of nursing. I had quite the time trying to sum up what I think, because there are so many aspects to it!

Well, this is what I decided on...."nursing is an avenue to reveal Christ's love, serve others and impact the lives of those around me".

Well, I'm a little nervous to hand in my paper because it is all about Jesus and my personal beliefs. I'm not afraid to share them, I just hope that he considers my concepts as "professional" and related to the syllabus guidelines. So, here it goes! It is printed and I'm going to hand the sucker in! My prof....or his grader...will read all about Jesus and His love!! That's kinda cool!

Good morning all!

Just a note.....I have a 35% test at 1pm this afternoon....so wanna say a little prayer? I'm feeling pretty good about the material....I even skipped out on studying last night and instead went to church. So, just thought I'd mention it!

So, I was thinking about the cancer-related parts of my dream last night.

Interestingly enough, we took a little time at church tonight to pray about healing and certain specific people in our church with related prayer requests. I wonder if the disease-related theme to my dream correlated with the healing theme that was briefly touched on this evening. Perhaps I just need to be praying about the area of healing! I want more faith for it and more authority to walk in it! Heck, I'm in a healing profession! Boy, would that be great if God did great miracles through my hands in my career! It is not my hands that are significant, but I would love to see God blow people away before my eyes in the hospital, outside the walls of church or in a typical "spiritual" setting! May it be Lord!

I think I see a theme....

When I have good times with the Lord, or evenings that directly have to do with Him, I have a night of bad dreams lately. Thursday nights are housegroup nights....for the past few weeks, thursday night is the night of bad dreams. I few weeks back I had a frightening dream and woke up in the midst of it. I pulled the blanket a little higher because I really felt that if I looked to the edge of my bed, something dark was sitting there and staring at me very intensely and closely. So, instead I just pulled the blanket a little higher and went back to sleep.

Since this week is the fast at church, Shane and I have been trying to make it out to the evening prayer/worship times. So far so good. I even skipped out on swimming lesson last night! In the eternal scheme of things, missing one swimming lesson is just fine in comparison to what God could be doing through these nights, whether or not we visibly see the effects at this point.

Yesterday was a pretty tough night at church. It was hard to press in and it had a strange feeling. Kinda like a funeral. But, we were obedient and we pressed through. God is good and He is faithful. He wanted us to pray for a reason and we don't know in our humanness what kind of power came from our obedience last night. That is the exciting hope when it feels tough and dry! I left actually feeling quite good. Normally after a tough night, you can leave feeling like that was pointless and frustrating. But last night felt a little different to me. It felt like a good instruction in spiritual discipline. I felt that it was part of the maturing process in following the Lord and learning what my role is in His army. I want to continue to learn this, regardless of how things feel! And be obedient, even if I would rather not be!

So, God doing good stuff last night.......bad dreams followed. I had a huge fight with my dad, my mom got cancer but wouldn't get a lot of medical treatment to help her, and someone else from our church had cancer and was going to die within a few days/hours. I was on my way somewhere else and had to catch my plane at 7pm. I had quickly wanted to stop by this house/country resort where my mom and the other lady with cancer were living. My sister was staying there with my mom. I wanted to speak with these ladies and pray with them before I left. Good-byes and closure are always so tough for me. Everything was going wrong about this trip. I left the house/resort much later than I should have. I took the wrong set of keys. The car wouldn't even start...in the middle of summer, it was sort of flooding with water. I still had to drive 40 minutes to pick up my luggage at the time I was already supposed to be at the airport. Things just continued to go wrong. Finally, I resolved that I wasn't going to catch that plane and I wasn't going on my trip. I was full of emotion with these dreams. I'm surprised I didn't wake up crying...which I occasionally have done.

Oh Lord, what are you up to? Things are really being stirred up!

Just a little note from my abnormal psych textbook:

"Thinness bias is pervasive in the United States and many other countries. The average American woman is 5'4" tall and weighs 140 pounds, while the average American female model is 5'11" tall and weighs 117 pounds".

No wonder our precious daughters, sisters, mothers, friends, cousins, etc are battered with low self-esteem and struggling with worth and value. The general public does not look at the average person, but compares people to these anorexic models.

Perhaps we should intercede and stand in the gap for those who struggle with eating disorders and issues of value. Lord, would each of your precious creation know of their worth and the feelings you have for each of us!

This afternoon I finally connected with a nursing recruiter. We have been playing phone tag since before Christmas, and we finally were both on the line!

I was just beginning to take a nap when she called. I quickly got the phone and chatted with her before going back to bed for my wonderful nap that I had been dreaming about all day! Well, my wonderful nap wasn't so restful...I managed to stay in bed for a while, but I don't think I actually slept!

Now there is a little bit in info on my mind and heart. The recruiter told me the details of the process of getting down to the USA and the states that have new grad programs. It sounds pretty good, but the process is pretty costly up front. Generally the signing bonuses cover the whole process....but you first have to pay for it all! The kinda exciting, kinda scarey part was when she said, " IF ALL WORKS OUT YOU COULD BE RELOCATED BY CHRISTMAS!!!!". That kinda freaked me out! That is this year! It seems like such a long process to go through....but it is possible that it would be worked out within a few short months.

I have no idea what we will do. I cannot fortell the future. I don't know if I will get my practicum placement where I want it. I do not know if they will offer me a job here in Winnipeg. I don't know if God will lead us to the USA. I have no idea which state He would want us in. I don't know how the timing would work out. I don't know where the initial money would come from. I don't know if we will even go.

I'm excited about what God is doing and going to do here in Winnipeg. Yes, I would love to escape our winters and misquitos, and experience life in a different place for a short period of time. But, I like where I live now. I like my family being nearby, my good old friends, my church, my housegroup, even my little appartment. I don't know if I want to leave that all.....I'm so excited about the stirrings of the Lord in my life and in our church at this present time. I want to stay and be in on what exciting things are in store!

So, these are my thoughts today....a little apprehensive...but not stressed....and a little excited...where could we possibly be going?

School's done for the day, and I'm a happy camper!

I am so sleepy lately! I was doing "the bob" in multiple classes today, and even at work yesterday afternoon! This is not a good thing!

Tonight I am having my mom and siblings over for supper! I am making lasagna....and we are having carrot cake that I made for dessert! How domestic! My youngest foster brother, Tyler, is leaving on friday and I wanted to be able to have an official good-bye so there is that aspect of closer for me. I am big on closure. Even if I don't know the baby THAT well, I still want to say good-bye. I think he was born in august....so he's about 5 months already! And what a little cutie!

I'm contemplating a nap before I get cooking....but here I am....wasting valuable sleeping time!
I must go!

Mmmmm......to sleep in! I had the pleasure of sleeping in this morning until 10am! It was wonderful! Strangely, I'm still feeling fairly tired and feel like I could have slept another few hours! Yesterday in my first class I was actually doing the head-bob and my eyes were dancing their way to the back of my head! I usually don't have this problem! It really does suck when you are trying to listen and take notes and you can barely keep your eyes open!

I went swimming last night! For those of you who don't know, I'm taking swimming lessons at the Y! Yesterday night was my second lesson! I think I'm doing pretty good and I'm starting to like the water a little more! I've learned a bunch of floats, glides and the back crawl. The back crawl is what I'm trying to master now! I even went into the deep end and back crawled the whole length of the pool! It may not seem like much, but it is a start on learning how to swim!

Have a great day all you fishes! I'm off to get ready for school! It is my nice late day with only one class....though it is one of the worst ones! I will keep a good attitude! Last week, I shouted out an answer in class and earned myself a coffee! See this prof gives coffee questions and if you give him the answer he wants, he gives you a coffee! I got one! Bye!

.....feeling a little cranky......

You know those days? People are kinda getting on my nerves more than usual. I hate when this happens! Maybe my hormones are jumping around a little today.

I seem to have a hard time forgetting and letting go. I tend to get hurt and offended fairly easily. See, I'm good at CHOOSING to forgive, but it is really hard for me to let the feelings go. I make the choice a million times, release the person in my mind and hopefully heart.....but still have a while of funny feelings a lot of the time. I really hate this part of myself. Why can't I just forget things easily? Why can't they slide off my back like it works for some others? I don't want to be one that is easily emotionally affected by others. I don't want others to have that power over me.

Poopy....I hate those days.....

I think I froze.....and I kinda wanted to cry.....

Not the greatest last hour and a half of my life. I plan on doing a minimal amount of venting, so if anyone doesn't want to hear it, close this window now! Trying not to complain but just express my frustration.

I missed my bus in order to stop by the doctor's office after class to find out the results from the ultrasound last week. Well, good and bad news, I'm completely normal! I was somewhat hoping that they would find something wrong with me so that they could fix it! Well, all abdomenal organs are perfectly fine. I left feeling fairly frustrated and somewhat wanting to cry. I am behind square one in figuring out my stomach issues! Very frustrating!

Then, with that news, and the buses I had missed, I ended up waiting for 35 minutes outside in the -45 degree weather for a bus to get home! I thought I'd brave the weather and walked about 10 minutes, until I could no longer feel my forehead. Then I hibernated in a bus shelter for the remaining 25 minutes. I have issues that I could talk to Winnipeg Transit about!

So, to turn around the negative sound of this post.....what are the positives?
-I have healthy organs
-I could have had to wait for the bus and the doctor even longer!
-It could be much colder out there
-I had a nice old man to talk to in the bus shelter about his love for history
-I could have had to wait without a bus shelter
-At least I had gloves and a scarf
-The bus was warm once I got in it for the few minute ride that I needed
-Now I'm home in my fairly warm appartment....and because I'm the only here, I can crank the heat as much as I want right now!

Stay warm out there!

I thought of something the other day in a way that I haven't really thought of before.

I am a calendar girl! Ok....not in the way that you may be thinking! I do not pose nude for anybody's camera! Instead, I mean that I love scheduling and my calendar! I get excited about upcoming events, I like to count down until special days and plan events in advance. Sometimes this enjoyment is a blessing, sometime it isn't! I have to keep it balanced and allow God to use the gifting!

But, the revelation I got was that I should look forward to what God is doing in my life the same way I look forward to exciting upcoming events in the physical realm. Yes, I know that God is always moving, but I guess I subconsciously begin to think that each day is somewhat the same and such. GOD IS BIGGER THAN THAT! I need to anticipate what He is going to do next! I have the right to get excited about what He is going to do today, tomorrow and next week! I can look forward to new and exciting things happening! And I bet you I would see more new and exciting things happening in my world if I were looking for them and anticipating them!

You know that exciting feeling that you get over things that are coming up in life that you are looking forward to? I remember the months last year when we were engaged. We were engaged for about 8 months, and each day was exciting when I thought about the upcoming wedding and marriage. I had something VERY exciting to look forward to any moment that I thought about it!

That specific feeling of anticipation is different than just feeling generally happy or content. It is specific and directed at a specific event or time. I want to feel this way about what Jesus is doing in my life and around me, now. Yes, we can feeling generally happy and excited about what God is doing in our world. And that is good. But I want to have that specific excitement and anticipation that is emotionally-charged and present! I want to be specific and intimate, not so general!

Just some thoughts!

Morning all you out there!

So Shane and I arose at a early 6am...well, I let him shower first and slept a little longer! And we headed off to the ultrasound. All went well and we were out of there by 8:15am. The results should be at my doc's in a week, so I'll call then and see what she says. It was actually a pretty relaxing procedure....almost felt like a massage, except on the tummy, where massage isn't really done! It wasn't painful at all, just a little uncomfortable when she pressed on the tender areas!

I kept thinking.....please don't find a baby in there! How silly...but it is the stigma that goes along with ultrasounds!

Thanks for your prayers! And thank-you Lord that you are our Healer!

Tomorrow morning, bright and early my hubbie is bringing me to the hospital for an ultrasound. No, no, we are NOT having a baby. It is not THAT kind of reason for an ultrasound.

Yes, it still is an abdomenal ultrasound, but it is for other reasons. I have been having stomach issues the last few months. I've been nausous on an off since July and have had difficulty with stomach pain, often after I eat or while eating. The doctor put me on Ranitidine a month and a bit ago which has been helping a lot! Ranitidine is a pill that reduces the amount of acid going on in the stomach...I think that is how to explain it in simple terms. It is a antiulcer or proton pump inhibitor...if my memory serves me right!

The doctor doesn't know what it is that is bothering me but has thrown out the terms ulcer, gallstones, gall bladder problems, etc. This ultrasound is supposed to inform us of what could be bothering me!

I look forward to finding a cause for my uncomfortable symptoms! So, please say a prayer for me and my tummy!

So my last semester of school starts tomorrow.....

I'm actually looking forward to going back to university tomorrow. I shouldn't say actually because I tend to look forward to the return each semester. That is a serious blessing to enjoy the idea of going back to school each and every semester. Now, don't talk to me about that around March...because that tends to be the worst school month of year! It is the month when I feel the most "I'm going crazy and this semester is far too long already" emotions!

I think I'm excited about this semester because it is unlike any of the others in the last 2 and a half years of nursing. It is going to feel like University 1 again! I don't have any clinical, just one class in the nursing building and the rest second year electives! Bring it on! It sounds like a lot of reading, but I can probably fake it in the tests......or so I'm hoping...without doing all the readings! At least that worked in University 1!

The main reason for excitement though is the end of the degree is right around the corner! This semester I'll find out where I get to do my senior practicum! I really hope that I get my first choice...which will be Labor and Delivery at St.B......so I'm praying! If you think of me....please pray that I get placed there! That would be so perfect!

I could say much more, but I must go and shower because we were at the gym today......That pretty much explains itself! But I think I'm really going to feel it tomorrow! I don't remember the last time I worked with weights....even if they were only 5 pounds ones!

I have blogging moments almost daily. I'll be thinking something, having a fresh revelation, or whatever and think to myself "boy, this is definitely interesting blogging material!". But, I don't come and blog it, and next time I'm blogging I don't have anything interesting to say! Hmmm....oh well!

I'm just on my lunch break. I have the pleasure of coming home for an hour during my working days. Then I get to check all the blogs, email and have a bite to eat. It is a really nice break in the day, and surprisingly, I don't dread going back for the last 2 hours! I appreciate that!

Work is going well today...like most days. I don't mind work at all. I would just love to spend the entire day at home. I really enjoyed Christmas and love seeing all the family and friends, but it is like a full-time job! I need a rest after the holidays! I really would like a day where I went nowhere and didn't even get out of my pjs!

But you know, I'm tired of being tired. I really do think it is something more than just being a little tired. In the past few weeks I have felt so tired at times that it feels my heart is going to stop beating! I blogged about this before but I just felt like talking about it again! Some days I feel pretty good, others not as good. I think I really do need to mention it to my doctor and get my iron checked. I get a good amount of sleep and such and still the exhaustion.

But, as I said, I'm tired of being tired. I don't want to have "I'm tired" as a response anymore. It is so common and honest to reply "I'm tired" to someone's question of "how are you?". I don't want to respond like that anymore. I want to have more life! Screw being tired! I've had enough of it!.....I just don't know if I can change how my physical, mental and emotional body feels by a simple decision! It could be more complicated than that! But, heck, I'm going to give it a try!

Merry Christmas again! Now it is the official Christmas Day!

I had a wonderful morning with my hubbie! We slept in until after noon! And then got up in our pjs to open gifts! It was a wonderful Christmas! This is the first year that I got to do a stocking for someone! We never had them growing up and so this is my first year making one up! It was fun and I think I did pretty good!

You know sometimes it is fun to receive! Generally, during the year, I don't really have that many opportunities to receive gifts....beside our past week of blessings! For birthdays my loved ones rather do an activity like going out to eat or buy a card or something. Christmas is generally the only time that I get an actual gift to open. And, growing up I remember usually having one, maybe two gifts to open. So, gift receiving and giving has been a fairly simple thing in my life. Not too much of it...but I'm not complaining because I just feel that most of the things are wants anyways and not essential needs. Sometimes I feel bad opening gifts because someone else could have used it more than me.

This Christmas Shane had a few gifts for me to open. I feel a bit like a princess being showered....because I just thought I'd maybe get one. It has been a nice Christmas....even though gifts aren't the real meaning.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

I've always considered Christmas Eve the "real" Christmas. And here we are! Where did it come from? It just snuck up on me!

Well, I wanted to wish everyone a great Christmas, a good time with family and friends and good heart times remembering Jesus's birth. It is a special time. We can get so busy with gatherings, meals and parties that we miss out on quiet times to reflect the real meaning of Christmas. Do take time for yourselves to reflect this weekend! And then party-on! Because Jesus celebrates His birthday too! (or so I think!)

Merry Christmas!

THE NEWS YOU HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!!!!!!!

I was blessed to have witnessed TWO births last night!!!!! It was such a great experience! I decided to go a little early....AND GOOD THING!......because a baby was born about 10 minutes..not even...after my arrival. I just had enough time to change into scrubs....that weren't see-through or white!! That was a great part of it! The only thing that showed that I was a student was my little name tag...the rest of me looked like a nurse!!!

I had two great birth observations. One was so fast (from my arrival to the birth) that it was pretty action packed. NICU was called to check something....and one of the profs from the faculty of nursing that I slightly know arrived as the NICU (oh....for those that don't know that acronym...Neonatal Intensive Care) team. So, she threw me some gloves and told me to count the baby's heart beat from the umbilical cord. I haven't done maternal child since September 2002 and had just arrived 5 minutes ago.....and felt honored but a little intimidated about the whole thing! Oh those awful student feelings of doing something wrong, feeling stupid because you should know something but don't and such. I didn't really have time at that moment to think all of these things, because I had to count that heart beat right then. I found it...THANK GOODNESS!!! After we had cleaned off the baby and all the inital checks were completed, I got to bring the baby to the parents. I got to hold the little new one! I almost cried along with the dad!

I was whisked away to the next one and spent more time there with the laboring and pushing mom. She was hilarious and I was specifically told, "Don't EVER have sex!". She had such a great sense of humor! I was one of the honored stir-ups during that birth and had an up-close-and-personal view of the whole thing.....that head was maybe a foot from me! It was so great! Boy, I had even forgotten how to do an APGAR (the score each baby gets at birth...it shows how well they are doing...related to breathing, color, crying, movement, etc.)

I even got to see an epidural administered...as in, the anesthesiologist (don't remember the spelling) put it in and I got to watch. I have seen it done before, and really don't enjoy that part. I am not a squimish person, but the idea of putting a needle around someone's spine really freaks me out! I don't care how nice the pain control is.......I don't want anyone fiddling with a needle around my spine!

Unfortunately I must run back to work to finished my day! I just had to share some of my highlights of yesterday's experiences with you!

So, in the next hour I am off to the hospital! Yippeee!

I'm kinda tired from the full working day and don't know if I have the energy for a shift at the hospital and a late night, but I think it will be worth it! I hope that it is a great experience! And it's not like I'm actually working or anything! I get the enjoyment of watching and following!

Kendra called me today and is actually the charge nurse for tonight. That is actually good for me, because now instead of just having one patient, she can throw me in with whoever's birthing! She said that I have a better chance of seeing a birth with her as charge nurse! That is good news! And, she cleared me coming with the change of plans (charge nurse status) with the unit manager. The unit manager said that it was fine that I come tonight and that I can come again over the holidays on one of Kendra's other shifts! I want to get into the unit manager's memory and hopefully land my senior practicum there! It may help a little if she remembers me!

So, I'll let you all know how it goes! Especially you Christina, since you specifically asked!

Can you say, "It is so cold that I think I'm going to die"???????

I just came home from the mall and it is freezing outside! -43 with the windchill they say! For tonight and tomorrow! I do NOT think I want to walk to work tomorrow in that weather! I might lose an important body part, or something!

Tomorrow I am joining Kendra, one of our pastor's wives, at the hospital. See she works as a nurse in labor and delivery (for you that don't happen to know that), and I am going to tag along with her tomorrow evening! It is a total priviledge to have the honor of just desiring to visit a ward, and actually having permission to do so! The perks of that see-through uniform and student nurse name tag! I'm only going to spend 4 hours there though, so I REALLY hope that at least one little person decides to come into the world between 7:30 and 11:30pm on December the 22nd! I really hope so!

I need some down time before bed. Maybe a bath....wrap Shane's presents that I bought today.....read some God-related material...and maybe drink some tea.....sounds good!

Mmmmm.....so full. Good thing I visited the gym after all!!!

Our gathering was a lot of fun today! We spent a lot of time eating, relaxing, chatting and playing games. The boys/men went outside with hopes of freezing themselves to play a little hockey on the street. Always a good time for my Shaner! I realize more and more how much I like games! We played a few and I really enjoyed them!

One of my cousin's brought her baby, who we haven't met before. It was so cute to see Shane interact with her! He usually doesn't have too much interest in babies that he doesn't know....and sometimes even those he does! He liked this one though, and it was so great to see him talking all cutsie to her, sniffing her and even allowing her to play with his face and stick her hand in his mouth! That is not like my Shaner!!!

Speaking of fun games, we had a great Christmas party here at our appartment on friday! We squeezed 22 people in our appartment and partied on until midnight!!! Yikes! And I had to work on saturday! Whew! We played this great, but slightly agressive game called Mafia! It was pretty fun and I must say, I lied pretty well!....you have to lie in the game and tell the civilians that you aren't the mafia.....

Anyways, I wanted to add another blessing to the list of this week's blessings. The morning after the Christmas party, I was going to have breakfast before heading off to work. Well, I opened the cupboard and reached for a bowl. Nothing out of the ordinary. Well, my sister and brother had stayed the night and my sister asked if she could eat some cereal along with me. So, again, I reached into the cupboard, only to feel a strange sensation of paper rubbing against my fingers. I pulled out the bowl and in it lay a $20 bill. Now, this isn't a regular thing for me to find money in amongst my dishes. I assume it was put there at some point during the Christmas party by one of the people there. Thank-you Lord for yet another blessing this week! And thank-you to that anonymous giver that put that gift there! What a sweet surprise!

Yesterday was Christmas!!!

What you say? That's right you read right! Yesterday night was Christmas!

It was Christmas with my mom, siblings and husband! One of my favorite of the season! We ate like horses....and so I plan on visiting the gym today! Gotta work all that junk off! It was so very yummy!

My mom always has tried to make Christmas time a very enjoyable celebration. She would rather have a great spread, including a good dose of candies and chocolate (which seems to be essential!) than make sure presents are available for all specifically from her. Over the years we have just taken to drawing tickets. So, not everyone gets a present from mom directly, but we all partake in a wonderful meal and a great evening together! That is far more important! I don't mind that!

Yesterday was nice because we ate like crazy, laid on the couches a lot!, play the new game Shane and I got for Christmas (ImaginIFF) and watched Home on the Range. My family has always been one that enjoys touch. That may sound a little funny but I realize that it is true. When we get together there is some sort of touch involved. Either Shane (husband) and Shaun (brother) are beating on Steph (sister), mom and Shaun are play fighting, someone/anyone is snuggling or backrubs are being given! I love touch and it is so special to be with family!

Well, we are off to gathering #3 in about 15 minutes....so I guess I should comb my hair! This is also one of the fun gatherings! It is my mom's side of the family. She is one of 9 kids, though not all of them live in Manitoba. It is going to be at one of the sons place this year....which we haven't done before. I'm thinking that there house is far too small for this get-together, but hey, I guess we'll find out when we get there! It should be fun! And the gym will be very necessary after we have another one of those Christmas dinners!!!!

God is so faithful.

That is the perfect title for this blog. He has been providing us with such blessings this week.
Shane and I have been praying most nights as we are falling asleep that God would provide for us at this tight point in our lives. The financial situation is tough, but with grad in 2005 there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The issue is just getting to that point....re: the strain of the next few months.

So, here are my praise reports of the week.
1. Sunday - we got an early Christmas present from someone that I wasn't expecting anything from. A nice amount of cash.
2. Tuesday - a big blessing came in the mail! A bursary of $350 for tuition that is due next month! Praise Jesus!
3. Tuesday as well - someone brought a gift certificate by our place for a nice amount at Sobey's. This person felt that God was speaking to them about giving us this financial help! Thank-you!
4. Wednesday...today - there was a nice little check waiting for me at work! I didn't even know that it was payday....and they paid me an extra hour which they said they will just leave it be!
.......also, we had our membership assistance meeting (YMCA) and it went so well! We were hoping to get a 50% discount.....well, we got a 75% discount! The lady that was facilitating it was kinda funny. She quoted the amount to me that we would pay each month. I asked if that amount was for each of us. She said "nope that is for you together". Then she continued to pat me on the arm and said, "Honey, you can't affort more than that!", as I was clapping for joy for the low number she quoted!

God has blessed us so much this week! I'm so thankful for every little blessing and provision! ........And hey, as in the example of the YMCA, sometimes it is a bonus to be a little poor!!!

23 hours to go......

So, less than a full day until my last exam of the semester and the year of 2004. I'm pleased by that and though I haven't really studied, I'm not too concerned. I think I know the stuff. My exam is about palliative care (death, dying, etc) and I "get" it so I think it will go well!

I spent the day baking Christmas goodies with my mom. We decided that now that I am an old married woman, we have to make a womanly tradition about Christmas. Mom started baking at 7am (because the babies wouldn't let her sleep), I arrived at 8:30am and we only finished by 2:30/3pm!!! That is a lot of oven use and a lot of baking! We made 10 plates to give away, a whole bunch for my Christmas party on friday and extra for our own enjoyment! It was fun and I love creating new traditions!

Number 1 of the 9 gatherings was pretty good this past saturday. I felt SO tired though! I hate that feeling when you are supposed to be social! I finally couldn't handle it anymore and sacked out on the couch by 9:30pm. I was so exhausted. I don't know what it is....maybe the new job....but I have been so tired lately. Far more than usual. It has been getting to the point that I feel like my heart is going to stop beating because I am just too tired for it to continue! I think I should mention that to the doctor when I see her next!

Off to the first Christmas gathering of the season! Number 1 of 9! Yes, we have nine to go to! Gotta run!

I've got the aches...my poor little neck and back. I think it has to do with the chair at work...not so comfortable!

I'm enjoying my new job so far! I actually enjoy the time at the office when the massage therapists are in session and I am alone to myself. Just me, the laundry and the phone. I don't mind it. I do feel a little like a maid, but heck, at least I'm getting paid for it! Today I even did some readings for my last exam in between clients.

I'm really thankful that God provided all these hours at work. I'm incredibly tired, but I am so thankful for the extra income. We desperately need it and it came at the perfect time.

Do you think God would give us a money tree for Christmas this year? That would be the perfect gift! Or that money would fall from heaven in appartment while we sleep! That would be so great!

My hubbie's at his exam and I am killing to much time on the computer. I should lay down and kick back! Our computer is just being so slow today (I think Shane is downloading something!), so the normal blog and email routine is taking much longer than it usually does!

Well, enjoy the evening!

HAPPY 22ND BIRTHDAY CHRISTINA!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!!

Hope you are having a fun birthday and enjoying each passing year!!!!

Well, I have five minutes to blog before I go and pick up Shane from work.

THIS BLOG IS NOT FOR BOYS! If any read it! Just as a warning before I begin!

Went to the doctor's this afternoon. Which I have been dreading for the past 3 weeks. I'm assuming you all can catch what went on at the doctor's. I was pretty nervous!
Well, my praise report is.......I SURVIVED! That was the first thing out of my mouth afterward! I told the doc, "I survived", and even the receptionist as I was leaving! It wasn't as bad as I thought!
Another positive moment was when I was walking to my car, I realized that I couldn't be further away from my next dreaded visit than today! Yippee!!! Another year away!

Well, just before I run, just wanted to let you all know that work went well yesterday! It was my first day and I just got a little training in the afternoon for 4 hours. I think I'm going to catch on pretty quickly.

Then, I got a call this afternoon from work. The receptionist quit this afternoon. So, it looks like I'm going to have full-time work until I can't do it anymore (when my last semester starts January 5). That is pretty good news for Shane and I. I just pray that the situation is alright with the old receptionist. So, 8-5pm monday to friday and the next 2 saturdays! Sounds pretty sweet!

Gotta run!

Sooo....I can't remember if I blogged yet, that I GOT ME-SELF A JOB!!!

I landed it last thursday and I start tomorrow after my last class of the year 2004! Yippee! One more semester to go!
I will be working at a massage therapy clinic as a receptionist. I've never been a receptionist but I think it will be a perfect match for my lovely administrative qualities that can be wonderful and annoying at times! I think I'm going to enjoy tidying up the place, talking with clients and know that they will be leaving shortly and I don't have to do anything to help them with any bodily functions (like nursing), and booking peoples' appointments. I love anything to do with a calendar!
I'll let you know how it goes! I am thinking it will be brainless and relaxed for me!

On an old post of November 18, I listed some things that I wanted in this job. Here they are again:
"These are the things I would really like for this part-time job:
1. A combination of sitting and standing so that my recovering back doesn't hurt too much. Eg. not an 8 hour shift on your feet the entire time!

Yeppers, I landed a job with both. Sitting at the desk answering phones and taking payments but walking to do the laundry, change sheets on the massage beds, etc.

2. Close to home, on a bus route so that I can bus or walk (because Shane needs the car on his work days; his workplace isn't on any bus route)

It is about a 10 minutes walk from my apartment! Unfortunately not on a good bus route, but if I'm willing to work it out and take extra time, I could arrange the bus route.

3. 2 day shifts a week. See, I would love it if they would be pretty flexible and let me work tuesdays and thursdays presently, picking up more at Christmas and then mondays and fridays next semseter! That's asking a lot but heck, we'll see what happens!

The words they told me were, "We want to be accommodating for you"! Awesome! I'm going to work monday and friday 8-5pm next semester, and every other saturday and wednesday morning 8-12pm. It is quite perfect so far! As for December, I'm taking all that I can get! And I'll hopefully find out more of a schedule tomorrow when I start! Also, they aren't in need of a receptionist during the evenings or sunday, so the last I would ever work is until 5pm!

4. a decent amount of pay. I am prepared that I am taking a few dollar an hour pay cut with changing jobs, but I hope it isn't too much. I have a figure in mind that would be nice...and still a cut!

Unfortunately, I huge pay cut, but understandable for the difference in work loads. When the phone isn't ringing and the laundry is going, I get to do homework or read a book! What a sweet deal! This is the first job that I've had that I can do that when it is slow! I'm pumped!

5. people that are nice, fun to be around and NOT perverted. A lot of jobs are filled with people with very dirty mouths and a poopy morale. I want work to be an enjoyable break from school and homework."

Well, the two girls that own the place are young and fun, at least they were in the interview! Besides the massage therapists, who will be in the rooms for the majority of the day, I don't have to work closely with anyone else. That is kinda nice! Just the in and out clients!

So, God is good and really did listen to my hopes for this part-time job! Thank-you for Your faithfulness!

Good morning! Today is setting up the Christmas tree day! After Shane gets home from work and we have supper, the Christmas season will begin!!! I'm excited! And plan on taking pictures of our first time setting up our own tree together!

I have been in a baby naming mood the last two days. Yesterday, partially because I was procrastinating about studying for my exam on friday, I went through baby name websites and loooked at the meanings of names that we like. NO, we are NOT having a baby! I'm just in the naming mood! So, all of our children, and beyond, are named and I'm thrilled! But, I have to keep the names a secret because otherwise they may get taken! And otherwise if someone names their children any of our names, screw it! we can still name them because we claimed it silently all along!
I just can't think about a lot more than the names though, so I have to cool down the brain a little!

Well, I really should start the day of studying! I will TRY not to procrastinate too much today! Let's see if that actually works!

Merry Christmas!

Today is the first day that I have the beginnings of the Christmas spirit. I called my dad who is going to lend us his small, fake tree for Christmas this year. He's bringing it by tomorrow! Shane and I verbalized that we wouldn't put up Christmas decorations or a tree until it was December. Suddenly I'm in the mood! Good thing tomorrow is December! Today is the first day that I put on some Christmas tunes! I did some stretching and excercising to it this afternoon! Good times!

This Christmas is our first as our own little family. My family tradition growing up was to celebrate on Christmas Eve. So, in my brain, Christmas is in the evening. Shane's family celebrates on Christmas morning. So, the last 4 years I have celebrated Christmas with them Christmas morning. Because of the last 4 years of practice, I think I can adjust to a different time of day than I grew up with. Shane wants to have Christmas on Christmas morning for our family and it is one of those differences that I'm alright with giving up. Before I met Shane and his family, I had never had a stocking before. I bought stockings for us at Walmart so that we can start our own tradition! I'm excited!

Maybe I'll have to start a bunch of traditions for us. I should get together with my mother to start my own collection of Christmas baking! Each year that Shane and I have been together, I gave him a Christmas card each week leading up to Christmas, like advent. It slipped my mind until the other day! Maybe I'll have to keep that tradition going! Also, we have a Christmas party each year (well, other years it was more like me having a Christmas party, but Shane was always there). So, this year we get to pack our little apartment out with friends and food! I'm looking forward to it! Maybe we'll have to pick a favorite breakfast to have on Christmas morning and then make the same every year!

I like special family traditions! What are some of your favorite? Maybe I"ll have to copy some of your family traditions! Do share!

I love those days when you get home early! We got out of class half an hour early, which is very nice!

I was part of a group presentation today. Generally, I don't get too nervous, but I did have a few pangs just before we presented! An interesting things that I noticed was that after our presentation was done and I was on my way home, I was feeling a little bit of a "high"! Maybe it was adrenaline from public speaking! I thought it was interesting that something that could make me a tiny bit nervous, then made me feel pretty good inside after it was over!

Tonight is Girls Night! I love Girls Night! This months restaurant is Olive Garden, mmmmmmmm!!!!!! There are 6 of us gathering tonight to chat, eat and laugh! I am really looking forward to it! Next month should be fun too....because we are making it a Christmas Girls Night and going to Pine Ridge Hollow! I love it there! It has such good atmosphere....and food, of course!

Speaking of food, it is past 2:30pm and I have yet to eat lunch (because I didn't pack one for University!). So, now is the time to fill my aching tummy, so that it is nice and empty for all the salad, bread sticks and raspberry iced tea that I plan on filling it with!

Oh, and by the way, I have a job interview on thursday! God's Will be done!!!

Ahhhh.....I love the weekend.......

I enjoy sleeping in with my husband and putzing around the house. I enjoy, strangely, tidying up the place on the weekend....though it was just cleaned on thursday! I enjoy making the bed in the morning.....yes, I am a weirdo, but when you have such a nice bed, you just have to make it!

Speaking of our nice bed, when you have the luxury of owning a great, comfy bed, going away for the weekend isn't as glamorous as it used to be. Last weekend Shane and I have a great time up at Elkhorn Resort in Riding Mountain National Park. It was a fabulous weekend away from everybody, the telephone, the computer, the playstation, and homework! We did a lot of relaxing, eating of yummy food, some swimming and some walking around outside. It was such a nice weekend! But, of course, the bed. Ouch! We are so spoiled by our bed that any other bed is FAR less comfortable. And I'm finding lately, trying to fall asleep on my side is really causing my shoulders to hurt! It feels like my shoulder blades are seperating in the back! Isn't that weird?! But, my poor shoulders have been increasingly sore! Strange piece of information.......

So, today we slept in! And it was wonderful, until the phone started to ring. We normally don't get a whole lot of phone calls in general. I'd say between 10 and 10:30am the phone rang about 5 times! So, now we had a nice omlet breakfast...not sure how to spell omlet.....and my brother came over. We plan on using our two free passes to check out the YMCA gym this afternoon. We really want to get active and get gym passes. We are hoping and praying that we can get a reduced rate, otherwise we won't be able to get them! I'm looking forward to hanging out with a couple that we know. We are going over there for supper and a good round of Cranium, and we're bringing dessert! Normally I might bake something, but I think I'm in the mood to pick up some vanilla ice cream, bananas and chocolate sauce for sundaes! Yummy!

Tomorrow, our forming dance team, referred to as Zion, is doing a dance at church. Us crazy girls had a practice to put things together at 11:15pm last night! We were pretty tired, but I really enjoyed it! It should be a fun little time tomorrow because our dance incorporates a poem, a painting and dancing! Let the creativity flow! I hope it goes well, which I'm sure it will, even after only 2 practices!

Ta Ta for now and enjoy this wonderful weekend!

So, you must all be getting very sick of the job hunt that I can't seem to get off of!

Today I was going a little insane over it. I was searching like a mad woman on the internet, doing my usual searches at monster.com and workopolis. That wasn't helping at all.

I decided to check in with the job interview place and hear the latest, only to find out that their time frame for getting back to me is even longer than I was originally told! So frustrating to find that out in the middle of desperation!

If I wasn't looking for a job, this would be a nice time in my life where I could just get stuff done and relax at home. I really should put a time limit on my searching for job time each morning and then forget about it for the rest of the day. Otherwise it just gets too overwhelming to my brain!

So, I found myself searching again this afternoon. Well, I ended up going through the yellow pages and calling different sections! Can you believe it! I've never hunted for a job that way before! I went through the florist, massage therapy, and physiotherapy sections and guess I'll continue next week on the dentist. I would like some sort of administration-type job that gets me off my feet for parts of the day.

A positive part of my yellow pages hunt was I found a few that said to email or bring in my resume. So, I jumped into the shower, printed out a resume and walked over to one of them. They will be able to let me know probably within the week. It is at a florist shop and the ladies there were really nice! Only sucky thing is that they need every other saturday help....but I think I can suck that up!

Guess I'll end this post and hope to post later on about NON job-related issues!

And the hunt continues.....

So, as for the job interview (thanks for asking Lynne!), they will take a few weeks to get back to me. Ughhh! I wanted to start this week. I guess that is not the case. Instead I am getting relaxing time off when I had planned to be bringing in a little money for us!

The job would probably be pretty convenient for me. It is close to home (within walking or busing distance). The hours would most likely be days, though they are open until 7:30pm on wednesdays and 4 hours of saturdays. The boss is going to be away for the next week and a half. During this time the rest of the staff are supposedly going to find a full-time person and then contact the part-time people. I could be the one for the part-time, who knows! But, I won't hear from them for a few weeks, until they get their full-timer.

I'm not sure where to go at this point. Should I just sit tight and wait, while still looking for something else? Should I sink really low and just take anything? AHHHHHH!!! I hate looking for work.

I'm also not sure if I should get in contact with my previous employer and tell her that I won't work for them anymore. I'm too concerned about hurting my back all over again, but I don't want to throw the possibility of a few shifts away if I can't find anything else for the time-being!

Too many things to think about!

So, today is the day......

I have a nice day ahead of me! I'm up pretty early for what could have been a sleep in day! I drove Shane to work so that I could have the car for the day. I plan on cleaning the house, getting some readings done and getting all beautiful for my job interview!

Yes, that's right people, pray! It is at 12:45pm. I'm not nervous, because it sounds pretty relaxed and comfortable. The lady I spoke to was really nice. But nonetheless, I do hope that it could possibly be the job for me. I don't like the whole hunt process!

These are the things I would really like for this part-time job:
1. A combination of sitting and standing so that my recovering back doesn't hurt too much. Eg. not an 8 hour shift on your feet the entire time!
2. Close to home, on a bus route so that I can bus or walk (because Shane needs the car on his work days; his workplace isn't on any bus route)
3. 2 day shifts a week. See, I would love it if they would be pretty flexible and let me work tuesdays and thursdays presently, picking up more at Christmas and then mondays and fridays next semseter! That's asking a lot but heck, we'll see what happens!
4. a decent amount of pay. I am prepared that I am taking a few dollar an hour pay cut with changing jobs, but I hope it isn't too much. I have a figure in mind that would be nice...and still a cut!
5. people that are nice, fun to be around and NOT perverted. A lot of jobs are filled with people with very dirty mouths and a poopy morale. I want work to be an enjoyable break from school and homework.

So, these are my hopes! We'll see what happens!

After spending all morning on the computer and almost going loopey......

I HAVE A JOB INTERVIEW TOMORROW!!!!

I have been hunting for jobs for the past few days and am getting a little desperate! I really want to find a job that will work for me, part-time. I have a few wishes that I really hope that God incorporates into a new job for me. I don't want to find just anything though, because if I'm going to be spending any amount of time there over the next few months, I want to like it.

So, I'll keep you updated about the job situation.

I know God will provide. He always has.

So, do you ever feeling like you would like to escape yourself?

Generally, I feel like I am my own friend. I like to spend time with myself and enjoy my own company. An evening at home alone is a nice time, not painfully boring.

Well, I've been feeling annoyed with myself lately. I'm not proud of my attitude recently and it feels like I've been a little bit miserable! I don't know if it is just me, circumstances that I'm allowing to bother me, or effects of birth control, honestly. Regardless, I'd like to take a little holiday from myself today.

I think that this is a perfect time for God to speak about His unconditional love to me. Yvonne has organized these Confidence in Love nights and we had the first one last week. I've been forgetting to think about and be aware of how God speaks his love to me. So, how I'm feeling right now is actually a pretty sucky place to be in, but it does allow God to speak to my heart about His love. He really does love me in every circumstance, mood and when I say and do stupid things.

I just wish that I didn't do those stupid things! I'd like to have the fruits of the Spirit gushing out of me and flowing totally naturally! No more stupid sin!

Today, I'm looking forward to heaven. No more sin, tears, pain, offenses, etc. All joy, peace, love, etc. What a good time awaits us!

Ok on a not-so-happy side of things...I need to express my frustration.

I'm tired of Christian snobs. People that think they are doing everything right. People that mock anything that isn't their form of hip or cool. People that mock anything that isn't under the category of "artsy". I hate that word already!

I didn't really notice this pious Christian phenomenon while growing up. I went to a more traditional church and though there may have been the factor of a little religiosity, I didn't really see the snobby, we're better than you, side of Christians. I thought the people at this church were not-so-friendly and didn't enjoy them, but there wasn't the stress of what is "hip" in the Christian world today.

Sadly, this phenomenon became appartant to me when I began to associate with non-traditional churches and funtions. I began to see the snobby attitudes of the "gifted". The mockery of older styles of music, people who couldn't dance as well as another, other churches that do it differently, people who weren't hippy-like or second-hand store junkies. I was just reminded of this attitude today and felt an overwelling distaste for this attitude.

I think it is full of judgment and distain. I pray that God will keep us from this kind of mind set and attitude. I pray that those that really flow in it would be notified by the Big Guy. I just get nausous when I hear people talking in this form. I need to be aware of what I communicate and be careful to give my negative human tendancies to Jesus.

Thanks for the vent. Hope that I didn't ruffle anyone's feathers, but if I did.......maybe it was for a reason.

Good morning all! Day #2 on my no clinical week! I'm loving it!

The haircut was not a botch yesterday! I think I like it! Well, see how it goes when I try to do something with it after my bath! It is nice and short though, which is a great change! It feels good!

I had a really nice time with my mom and the babies yesterday. I gave lots of hugs and kisses and got my baby fix! I even got to give my youngest foster brother (3 months) a bath! I haven't done that in forever!

Today I slept in!!!! It was very yummy! And then I wrote a paper. I'm a little nervous about handing it in though, because I don't know if it is exactly what the prof wants and it is a page over the length that she said! I plan on writing another one this morning/afternoon! Let's see if I can get two papers written in one day! That would be a great use of my time on a day off! Then I could spend tomorrow's holiday with my hubbie instead of frantically putting papers together!

I am meeting my CEF at Tim Horten's to find out my mark for my last clinical! I don't really care too much though, BECAUSE I'M DONE AND NOTHING WILL CHANGE THAT!!!!

I'm also seeing another friend this evening which should be a nice time! I like my friends!

Well, hope you are all enjoying your days! I'm sure enjoying mine! I think I'm going to clean the house, bake blueberry muffins and spend some time with my Jesus!

What a fun day I have ahead of me! I'm up extra early because I had to drive Shane to work for an early meeting, because I need the car today!

Today is my first "day off" because it is my first tuesday since school started without clinical! Yipppeee! I made it through!

So, in honor of making it through almost 4 years of school, and all of my clinical rotations, I am awarding myself with a haircut! I thought, no more having to look professional with my hair pulled back in a ponytail! It is time for something new!

The hairdressers is my first stop today...in Steinbach. Then I'm off to visit my mom and her babies. I'm quite excited because I haven't seen Kaden (one of my foster bros) in a long time, because each time I see my mom, he's at his biological dad's for the weekend. So, today he will be getting lots of squeezes and kisses! I'm looking forward to seeing them!

Then off I go, back to the big city, to meet a friend that I haven't seen in a while for a really belated birthday celebration! Yummy! Desert! And we are going to try a new place!

Then I must pick up the hubby, potentially start tacos for supper and zoom off to physio.

My last stop of the day is Yvonne's Confidence in Love thingy tonight. That should be good!

So, I have a pretty full day of fun things ahead of me! Hopefully it isn't too busy! I haven't had a day off in a long time, so I happened to stick everything into the same day! Oh well!

Thinking maybe I should just find a new job.........

My back is a little sore today from all the activity over the weekend and being in stupid chairs at school all day. Otherwise doing quite well. I went to the doc's to check it out today. It sounds like I can start working slowly. The problem I have is with my work people. I think that they are going to make it tough for me to get work any time soon. They want a detailed doctor's note of my limitation and specifically what I can do. They want me to take an inservice before I take shifts, but that is at the end of november and I want to pick up shifts already because we need the money! They also want to talk the whole situation over with the boss!!!!!

So, I'm thinking.....it would probably be easier to get a different job. The only sucky thing would be to find another one, take a huge pay cut and potentially have to work at the mall!!!!

So, I'm a little bummed about this job/financial thing! If any of you have links to jobs for me, leave a comment! I'm open.....mostly because it would just be part-time and not for too long!

Not really in a chatty mood....maybe I'll post later on.

Oh the procrastination! I am blogging, have cleaned the house, made my lunch for school tomorrow and packed my backpack (and it's only 5pm)......all slyly procrastinating. I have a midterm exam tomorrow morning and I don't want to study!!! I really should be, but it is so boring being consumed by the books! It is the weekend! I want to play, not work!

I am not really looking forward to this week. I have two exams..yuck. And clinical all week.....BUT.......IT IS MY LAST WEEK OF CLINICAL FOR MY WHOLE DEGREE!!!! The end is near! I don't completely finish until July 22, but my clinical part of rotations is done as of thursday! It makes me feel like I'm practically finished!!! Yippppeeeee!!!!!!

Shane and I have been going to a new (for us) housegroup. We are really quite enjoying it....and it is often my break from the books for the weekdays! What a highlight! So, it is something to look forward to!

Not much else to report. I really should get studying! I sure hope that I can put a little time in this evening! I must force myself!

Ahhhhhh.....finally the weekend! Boy, I love that time of the week!

My last clinical rotation is half over as of now and that has me thrilled! 6 more days split between the next two weeks and it is over baby! Then just some theory and elective courses and of the course the all important senior practicum, AND THEN I WILL BE DONE!!!!!

At the beginning of this school year, only last month, I was a little sad that this is the end of the road for me (at this point) with school and all. Now I'm thrilled. I've had enough of clinicals, feeling like I'm always being evaluated and observed, working with people that bug me but I have to suck up to for marks.....oh, I'm just tired of the entire faculty. Oh, one more thing to complain about, GROUP PROJECTS!!!! If I never have to do another group project again that will be too soon! Unfortunately that part isn't over for me yet!

The psycho part of me will miss that strange sensation of accomplishing something tangible every day. Every day I can highlight something off my list of homework to do. Most days I learn something somewhat new, if I'm actually listening in class! But, I usually use that time to do my readings! Kinda defeats the purpose of going to class, eh? Oh well, it gets the job done!

My hubbie is gone to a work function this friday evening, so I went to meet my mom and bro (and of course the little foster bro) at the mall. It was a really nice time! Somethings are going on within the fam though, so a little prayer would be GREATLY appreciated!

Tomorrow Steph (the sis) and I are celebrating my belated birthday, because the two of us have not had the chance to celebrate yet! She is making me waffles, white sauce and berries for breakie, then off to get pedicures and reservations at Pine Ridge Hollow! I think we will have a blast! Then in the evening we are having a birthday party for the whole family! Strange sounding, eh? Well, we didn't have time in August to celebrate Shane and Shaun's (bro), now mine, and so we are also throwing in Steph and mom's! Why not!?!

Well, that was a lot of filling in! I'm feeling a little verbal at the moment! 'Night!

I returned from the womens' retreat this afternoon to a clean house! What a wonderful husband! I didn't even ask him to do it...I was planning on potentially cleaning the house this afternoon when I got home! And it was all clean and the laundry was done! I SO appreciated that act of kindness by Shane!

I had a little time to reflect at the womens' retreat and have a good look at my priorities. See, I've narrowed down the things in my life at this point because of finishing my last year of nursing. So, my problem isn't usually too many committments or ministry-related things. Actually, I'd like to do more...but not just now!

So, I find what robs me of my peace and solitude is all my homework and school/clinical-related activities. So, I am a hard worker and am trying to really be focussed this semester. In the process, my homework has definitely come to a high priority...to high. And this isn't where it should be. Yes, the school stuff should be up there, but not first. I've allowed my solitude time, my time with the Lord and just my sanity to slowly leave my life. I've found that my brain feels too full all the time and I just can't think properly then.

My new priorities are God-time and solitude, and investing time and love into home life with my husband. He's been incredibly understanding about how much time is spent doing homework (and it works for him because he's a home-body and likes our evenings at home). Now it is time to place our relationship in higher priority. We NEED to make time to sit and talk without any homework to get to. We NEED to have time for snuggles and kisses (hee hee!!). And we need to go out sometimes and be a little spontaneous!

When the speaker asked us to write down the few tasks that are truly each of ours, I thought about Shane. I am the only woman that God has appointed to love Shane in the way that a wife does..or should. That is a task (welll, not really a task) that only I am called to in his life and I want to do a darn good job of loving him with all that I have!

I also look forward to spending more time in quietness with my Jesus. There are feelings that only He stirs in me. I love those times and He is making Himself more visible to me in certain ways lately...or I'm just being more aware. Anyhow, I'm looking forward to what is in store!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!!!!!!

Yummy.......I like food. Frankly, as soon as I eat almost anything, my stomach sticks out so that it looks 3 months pregnant! I even impressed my brother this evening with how real it looks!

My dad and I share the same birthday. So we went out, my dad, bro, sis, hubbie and I, for a birthday supper tonight at Olive Garden. I've had such a yummy weekend! Lots of special meals! We had a nice time together!

I love celebrating....as you all know from the last post! We even got the whole restaurant staff singing and free desert thing! I love that!...though it is embarassing at the same time!

I'll keep you all updated with fun birthday...and other.....stuff!

Oh, if you think of me, I start my new clinical tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it, but a little nervous at the same time. This past clinical was not so good for me. I didn't have a great experience and I pray that this new one (Cancer Care) will be WAY better! I'm trying to think and pray postively about it! Thanks for your prayers! I appreciate all of them!

I like Thanksgiving! I like writing a list of all the things I'm thankful for. I like getting together with my family to have yummy gatherings. I like pumpkin pie....a whole lot! (though I haven't gotten any at either gathering this weekend). I like that my birthday is so close by. I like having an extra day added to the weekend. I just plain like Thanksgiving.

We just got back from a family gathering. We had a nice time! Shane is SO good with ALL my ton of little cousins who want to wrestle with him, sit on his lap, play with him and put clips in his hair. I'm so proud of him as my sweet husband as I watch him interact with them! Yep, that's my hubbie! He has way more energy to play with them than I do!

2 days to go until my 22nd birthday! I love birthdays and I love the excuse to celebrate anything! Shane took me out last night to Red Lobster (our special occasions restaurant)! It was so yummy! Instead of doing anything else after, we just rented a movie and came home to relax and snuggle! I love snuggles!

Well, I hope that everyone is having an enjoyable thanksgiving and long weekend! Blessings!

So, I got in a car accident yesterday......

yep. i was on my way to jail. does this sound like a bad dream? well, it is reality though i must explain. it was during clinical and i was accompanying a psychiatrist to jail for the afternoon. i was extremely excited about my opportunity......and suddenly that was gone. he was driving, i was the passenger. we were both buckled, thank-you Jesus. we were hit head-on by a mini van trying to make a quick left. the air bags went off and it was all so fast. my glasses were broken in the process of the air bags inflating. that's quite the impact to the head! i had quite a headache and the right side of my head was a little sore...i have a little tiny battle wound. i couldn't hear very well out of my right ear. now the hearing is back but everytime volume around me or myself gets above a certain level, i hear high-pitched squeeling. my neck and back are quite sore today, and supposedly are only going to get worse in the next few days (not to be negative or anything!). i have quite a bruised left elbow, which is very painful because there is not a lot of tissue to bruise there! ouch! otherwise, i'm fine. just sore and irritated with the ringing in my ear.

the doctor taxied me home from the scene of the accident. i called shane and he came home from work to drive me to a walk-in (those terrible things) and to get a new pair of glasses. otherwise i'd be lost! i have no other pair! and i wear my glasses almost everyday of the year! today i saw another doctor who would assess me a little better and do some documentation. i am going to get my hearing checked out tomorrow and do some more physio on top of what i'm already doing for my lower back.

what a summer/fall this has been for my poor body. the poor thing is pretty fragile and can't take much more of this. i've been a bit of a paranoid driver, and now i may be even more! i'm a little scared in the car! i'm going to be fine though....just a little sore.

and on goes the journey........

The weekend is here and that is a reason to celebrate! My last two and a half weeks of school have been incredibly intense! I forgot the craziness and stressful days of school in the excitement to get back and focussed! There is just far too much to do!

I think that I'm just get really picky and trying to do everything by the book. Other years I didn't do 75% of my readings, because there is just too many, and still aced things. Well, strangely, this year I have this expectation on me to do all the million readings! I don't know if this will work out for me......and frankly, I don't know if I really have to force this on myself! I'm going to keep trying, but try to stop stressing!

My mental health rotation is half over! I'm enjoying it, but there is just something about clinical (eg. being graded, always people watching you, not knowing what you are doing, in a brand-new workplace but expected to work as though you've been there for 30 years! ect.) that stressed me out. The countdown is on from the moment you begin, even if you really enjoy it! It is just the way we student nurses are programmed....or at least I am!

My patients have been great and I'm had a really interesting time on forensics! I thought it would be really scarey, but I'm not scared to be there after all! I was talking to my dad on the phone last night and explaining my rotation. He assumed that the patients would be locked up because some of them are in the hospital presently instead of jail. Well, that is not the case. They all walk around like regular patients on the ward, they just don't get to leave. I guess it is a little strange to sit and walk with those that have murdered. But it is eye-opening. It is teaching me something about grace....because whether they are deemed NCR (not criminally responsible) or guilty, they cannot take back what they have done. That comes with a lot of guilt after the fact. I don't know how I would cope after my thinking cleared and I realized that I had killed someone. How awful!

On a totally different note, today I get to see my mom! I miss her a lot lately! I got to see her quite a bit during the month I was off work because of my back. Now, with school being so busy, I feel like I only go to school/hospital, read at home and sleep. It is working out for me though, because I can see the finish line! So, my mom is picking me up and I'm going home with her. I'm going to have to write a little paper there this afternoon when she's gone on another run (bringing foster kids to Winnipeg for their visits). Then Shane and I are going to a fondue with two other couples from his workplace. I'm excited about the food, but hope that we can fun too since I don't really have any relationship with the others there! I told Shane we should try it out and if we don't enjoy the company, we don't have to do it again! Hee hee!

So, off I go to shower and get my stuff together! Have a nice saturday all! I think it will be beautiful!

My first day of my last year of school!

I'm remembering many first days and the excitement I had of running to catch the bus and the traditional first day of a new year picture holding up the grade you were in on your fingers in front of the fireplace. I've always loved the first day of school....except grade 12 because I had only arrived home from a trip the night before and wasn't in the mindset yet!

I'm a little sad that today is my last first day of school! I love school and so cheers to a great last year! It was a short little day of orientation. Only 9-11am and I got to find out where my clinical placements are and who my CEFs (Clinical Education Facilitators) are.

Thankfully, I did not get September as my month off! I got November!!! Yippeeee! That means I only have school 2 days a week after October!!! That rocks! Also, my back should be doing pretty great by November and I hope to be able to work in November and December! We definitely will be able to use the money!

I start my mental health rotation on tuesday already!!! I have a CEF who is tag-teaming it up with another one. They haven't done it before.....here we go! Well, I had one CEF who had never done it before and we thought she would be a breeze because she was new at it! Well, she was great until we got our final marks the last time we saw her and she was incredibly stingy on the A's! We were all very ticked because she was actually a really tough marker and we didn't think that was fair!

So, anyways, my mental health rotation is at HSC. I wanted St.B because it is closer to bus to at 6 or 7 in the morning!!! But, it should be good anyways! It is only 4 weeks so I can make it! I'm not exactly sure where I'll be though. I could be on a ward alone because some of the wards take only 1 student nurse, others take a few more. I'll find out on tuesday. But I heard them say there is a forensic ward, an intense care ward and a child/adolescent outpatient ward and those sounded pretty interesting to me! Especially the child one.

As for palliative...I AM EXCITED!!! I got my first choice, Cancer Care MB at St.B. The thing that I didn't know when signing myself up for this one is that you don't have a clinical group! You are on your own! So, it is really like a senior practicum. See, normally, you have a group of students (5-6) on your ward with one CEF. Well, in my case, I am the lone student with a preceptor (a nurse that works there to teach you). No CEF to help me out and no other student nurses for moral support! Oh well! I'm a big girl and I'm excited about the challenge! It's going to be great!
Only, I have to start on my birthday!

The big pat on the back is that the course leader explained when reading out the lists in front of all the students and CEFs this morning, that you have to be a very strong student to get one of these placements and you pretty much have to be at the top of the class!!! I'm very impressed and very honored!

Well, unfortunately after 2 hours at school, my back is sorer than usual! Good thing I have physio this afternoon!

I'm flying a little high at the moment! Much more excitement and activity today than I've had in the last month!

Well, two more days to go before hitting the books! I'm actually planning on fully enjoying two more relaxing days until I get really busy again. I'm planning on tackling what is left on my to-do list around the house tomorrow...like a mad woman. I want it to be spick and span before school starts on thursday. I'm also presently on the internet looking up recipes. I've planned a schedule of suppers for the next two weeks. I'm thinking that pre-planning will greatly accomodate our soon-to-be busier lifestyle. With Shane working until 5pm and me at the hospital or in school all day, I won't have the luxury of starting supper in the afternoon like I have been doing. So, by preplanning, it will leave out the annoying step of deciding what to make, I will already have everything bought and in the house, and I can just get to it! Let's see how this works!

Our september long weekend was nice! We were going to go camping originally with our friends, Nat and Lance. Seeing as the weather has been quite crummy and I'm already usually a cold person, never mind if I'm freezing my butt off in a tent in the rain.......we decided to have a sleepover at their house instead. We ordered pizza, rented a movie, played games...yes, Shane and I actually played games. For those of you who don't know us as well, playing games is where we don't get along! That is fighting territory! Anyways, we slept over, had yummy crepes for breakie and relaxed for the morning and part of the afternoon. It was nice!

We had a wedding to go to on sunday...my uncle finally married his girlfriend! It was just a small, backyard wedding and the reception was pay-your-own-way at one of their favorite restaurants. It was nice!....I'm leaving it at that because I don't want to get into it.

I'm totally pumped to be getting back to school! Yippeeee!!! I'll update more another time!

Happy September to you all! I'm really excited to be getting started with a new university year! Yippee! Something to do again!

University begins next thursday! It is my last year of nursing which is bittersweet for me. I love returning to school each year. When Shane starts to go back each fall and I'm just working like normal, I'm going to be jealous! I hope that this year is a good one. I think that it will be. I have a pretty good school schedule and so far, my course leader for clinical has been pretty flexible.

See, we have two clinicals this semester (palliative and mental health) and so each take a month and you get the third month off! That is a sweet deal! See, I don't want September off because I've had all of August off and I'm ready to do something! I'm motivated so I want to get into it! Unfortunately my doc requested that I ask that I don't do my palliative rotation in September because of my healing back. Mental health would be fine because it doesn't require a lot of actual activity (mostly pyschosocial stuff). I thought that by requesting not doing palliative in September, she would probably give me september off.......Well, she emailed me and asked if I would like that or get into mental health in september. I told her how I felt and she said whatever my preference was, she would try to accommodate it! So, hopefully I'm doing mental health as of September 14!!!

Otherwise, this week has been pretty good! We are really enjoying the new routine with Shane's job. We get to have supper with one another each evening, unless something else is planned. We have free evenings together. My husband is a lot happier when he comes home and is actually enjoying his day. I pray that it only gets better!

I've spent each day this week at home except for physio and doctor's appointments. Today, I'm starting to get a little antsy. They are calling for a beautiful day (weather-wise) and I'd like to be out doing something. I've been ok at home this week because I've been absorbed in a book...but yesterday I felt yucky by the afternoon because I just read too much!

So, today I think I will bake and cook. I'm going to make something in the slow cooker and apple crisp! It should be yummy!

What are you guys doing for the long weekend?