Donation

I've been donating lots of stuff to Goodwill lately. Mostly because I moved out of my townhouse and into a small studio with next to no storage. I do love my little place and promise to post pictures soon. So... today... I had a box to donate sitting on the front seat of my car, the sun was bright so I took off my glasses and placed them on top of the box and put on my sunglasses. Little voice in my head says, if you leave those there you'll forget and end of donating them... in reply I thought, probably true. Did I move my glasses? No. Did I donate my glasses to Goodwill? Yes. Tomorrow I'm going to the optometrist for an emergency vision test and new glasses. Lesson of the day, always listen to the voice (aka the Holy Ghost).

And yes, I did go back and ask and dig around but loads of other people were donating today too. I did love those glasses....

Moving day got snowed out...

20 pounds down as of today!!! Today has been a much better day, even enjoyed all 3 hours of church.

Update

I'm doing considerably better but I still feel like crap. Mom and I are going for a walk, she's wearing her nightgown underneath her sweats. She said I could write that.

Surgerical Update - do not read while eating.

It's been one week since my gastric bypass surgery. It's been a week that has given me a close up look at hell. I was told on Monday they needed to bump back my surgery to a later time so I didn't need to be at the hospital until 10am. That morning it rained, there was construction and we were late. No biggie, they were running late anyway. I was now scheduled for 4pm. Mind you, I had been on a liquid diet for a week (minus the 3 french fries I almost killed my mother over) and had been on clear liquids since noon and NPO (nothing by mouth) since midnight. It was getting very painful. Surgery went fine and the first thing I remember is being in my room feeling very foggy and thirsty. Still NPO until the next afternoon. It's amazing I didn't kill anyone for a drink of water. It was possible. My hospital stay was miserable-ish. Some really good nurses, some not so great. Here's a huge shocker of my stay... wait for it... I couldn't pee. Yes, it's true. I was unable to pee. Had to have help. I'll leave it at that. Don't worry I'm back to my every 30 minute schedule.

I came home Saturday afternoon, feeling pretty miserable. Saturday night the real pain started. You see, for the surgery they fill up the belly with CO2 so they can see better, all that CO2 gets reabsorbed and comes out in burps and toots. I was vomiting air. Absolutely, horrifically painful and scary. No sleep.

Sunday brought diarrhea and cramping. No sleep. Monday, more diarrhea and cramping. Tuesday, more diarrhea and cramping and a doppler looking for blood clots. No sleep. Wednesday, more diarrhea, cramping and an abdominal CT, and a Priesthood blessing (should that have happened sooner?). Thursday, answers. I have c. Diff. If you work in medicine you will now say, disgusting. C. diff is a difficult bacteria to fight, tends to thrive in compromised immune systems when they receive antibiotics. Usually happens to hospitalized/nursing home patients. Causes horrible, foul-smelling, diarrhea. Yes, that's been me. Yes, I am ready to kill myself. I start antibiotics today.

Other good news, I will hopefully progress to mushy foods today. Wish me luck.

As for weight loss, I've gained 2 pounds while drinking water, jello, Popsicles and milk. They say not to worry about it.

I do feel somewhat better today. I was only up 3 times (that I can remember, thank you ambien) last night. Best sleep so far.

1 week and counting

I started Optifast today in preparation for surgery next Thursday. I have to admit, it's nice to not worry about food, food preparation, dishes... I had my final appointment with the surgeon and nutritionist today, all is in place. One week and counting.

I haven't updated since my big post about my up-coming gastric bypass surgery. I decided to have my surgery here in VA and will have the traditional bypass surgery. There was a lot that went into making the decision but I won't bore you with the details. Essentially, I wanted to be close to my doctor and they offer/require meetings with a nutritionist. The nutritionist was significant in swaying my decision. I meet with her 3 times prior to surgery to plan my meals and then have unlimited access to her after surgery for the first 18 months. There is also a support group that meets monthly.

So my feelings... I feel really peaceful about this decision. It's been a long time coming and I have, at times, been very stressed and anxious about it. It was probably one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make. I've never understood people who couldn't just make decisions, it's always come so easy to me. I look at my options, look at the consequences and decide. This time just wasn't that simple. I felt that the Lord was asking me to make the decision and wasn't giving me any direction. My theory held true though and once I made the choice and moved forward with my plans I felt peaceful.

I know this is going to be a tough journey at times and I know there will be loads required of me to be successful but I am optimistic this will allow me to get to a healthier place. I'm excited and at peace. And very excited to have my mom come stay with me for a week!

Amazon

I am now a seller on Amazon - I'm selling my nursing books and a few other random ones I don't plan on reading again. So far I've sold 5 books (sadly only one nursing book) and made $68.59. Not bad.

Dad, do you agree?

"If you've ever tried to get wet toilet paper out of a tall oak tree you start believing in capital punishment". "Halloween" on the History Channel. Love it.

"500 Days of Summer"

"500 Days of Summer" was lame and slightly depressing. Who wants to go to the movies and not have a happy ending? Lame. I like fairy tales. If I wanted reality I would read my journal. There was, however, one exceptional scene where they split screen him going to a party at her house, one side: "expectations" the other side "reality". That was an excellent portrayal of reality. Loved it. The rest of the movie, not so much. If I didn't have to work in the morning I'd probably cry.

Weird

To qualify for the mini-gastric bypass (MGB) surgery I have to be a certain weight. When I started this process back in April I was over the qualifying weight by about 10 pounds. I have since lost that 10 pounds. Herein lies the problem, if I lose anymore weight I may not qualify, per insurance, for the surgery. Do you have any idea how hard it is to stay the same weight - especially when you're neurotic about it? Believe, I thought I was crazy before... My biggest fear about this surgery is that my insurance won't approve it. I want it to by my choice.

Just a glimpse into my life... I don't have a chair for my desk so I sit on my exercise ball. I just tried to adjust my position on it and fell off, taking down a lamp and a clock. They were small... Now I'm sitting in the dark. Embracing my inner klutz.

I'm off to go see "500 Days of Summer" with my friend.

Mini Gastric Bypass Surgery

I haven't written about this yet, I wasn't sure if I wanted to talk about it over my blog. I am very seriously considering having bariatric surgery in November. When I say "very seriously", I have a pre-op appointment and a surgery date. This decision hasn't come to me easily and I have concerns about it but I feel it is the best option for me and I don't know what else to do.

Most of you know I've been struggling with my weight since I was about 8 years old. I've tried so many diets and until this past year have been a pretty consistent exerciser. This year has taken it's toll. I had knee surgery a year and a half ago and developed impingement syndrome in my shoulder swimming last summer. Between the knee and the shoulder and working and not sleeping and the gallbladder, I'm a mess. I just want to be able to move again.

I found a surgeon in North Carolina who performs the "mini gastric bypass". The typical bypass surgery creates a stomach pouch, then bypasses and reattaches the small intestine in two places. I'd have to draw a picture as I'm not great at explaining. There are lots of complications with that surgery, my biggest fear being you can stretch out the small pouch and end up back where you started. The "mini" instead of making a pouch divides the stomach length-wise creating a tube then bypasses part of the small intestine and reattaches it further down. There is only one new connection point and the stomach is significantly harder to stretch. Additionally, the risks are significantly decreased.

To qualify for my insurance to pay for the surgery I have had to meet with a nutritionist and my physician for 6 months, have a psychological evaluation, have a support letter written and notorized, and write personal statements. September will be my 6th month.

As I go into the final months of preparation I'm getting scared. I'm afraid my insurance won't cover it. I'm afraid it won't work. I'm afraid I'll have digestion and malnutrition problems. I'm afraid I'll have loose skin. I'm afraid I'll lose unevenly and look funny. I'm afraid.

I've talked to loads of people who have had this surgery and other gastric bypass surgeries and I've yet to have anyone say they regret it. Many have said they would do it all over again - even if they had complications. I'm still working through my fears, obviously, and while I may sound awfully scared tonight, usually I'm quite confident in my decision. I know this won't be an easy path but I'm hoping to start a new story. I want my new story to be unhindered by obesity.

Montgomery County Fair

My friends and I went to the Montgomery County Fair last weekend... it was all a county fair should be... loads of fried food... farm animals... pig races... decorated toilets... and yes, fried Oreos are delicious!!! Oh, and it was pouring rain the whole time...

Jensen Family Reunion Scrapbook

Kelli put together these darling scrapbook projects for us to work on during the Jensen family reunion. I finally finished putting my photos in it. I LOVED working on this project - it even inspired me to make some cards and start on my London-Paris scrapbook (the trip was a year and a half ago). Thanks Kelli for the new hobby!

Random, middle of the night thoughts...

I've seen every version of "Persuasion" (pretty sure), most of them countless times. I've read the book, countless times. It's still my favorite.

I completely loved making scrapbooks at the family reunion so I bought a few things to make cards. I really enjoyed having a perfectly acceptable middle of the night activity. I may even do it again.

I got to go home for the Jensen Family reunion. We stayed in Placerville, CA for a few days. It was so great to catch up with my Aunts, Uncles and Cousins. I miss them.

It's really hot here.

Did I say I really love "Persuasion"? Capt. Wentworth is my favorite of the Austen men, sorry Mr. Darcy. It also makes me wish I lived in England.

I love my job. It kicks my trash. My favorite patient was the one who came in for menstrual cramps and heavy bleeding.... yesterday. No problems today.... just yesterday. She came in about 2am. Just curious, were the infomercials so bad she the ER would be more entertaining?

Being up in the middle of the night, alone, is weird.

Since I have been here... there has been a Memorial Day BBQ, swimming lessons, gymnastics, 1st grade music performance, preschool graduation, and loads of sleep. Tomorrow will be a family river day... I am recovering well.

I had my post-op appt today and was given the thumbs-up to go home for the remainder of my recovery. I will be off for another 2 weeks and am looking forward to spending them with my nieces, nephews, and boat.

I also picked up my CPAP machine. So now I'm like every other middle-aged, overweight man. Let's just hope I don't terrify the kiddo's with the mask!

For the past 6 months or so I've been experiencing moderately to horribly painful abdominal pain. I had an ultrasound in October that showed gallstones but no infection, no thickening of the walls, no blockages, no reason to do anything now. So I kept taking handfuls of tylenol and ibuprofen, manipulating my diet and doing little more than eating, sleeping, and working. I finally gave up and saw my MD last Monday who referred me to a surgeon saying it may be time to take it out. My appointment was for yesterday.

Friday was my first off-orientation shift. All was going well, I didn't feel great and asked to go to an early lunch. Patient flow didn't cooperate and I finally went to dinner about 5pm (I'd been working since 10am). After a few bites of my salad the pain was too intense. I went back to the ER and asked my charge nurse if what she thought. Her suggestion, lay down. About 10 minutes later I was admitted to the ED for abdominal pain.

I was admitted to the hospital that night and scheduled to have my gallbladder removed on Saturday. The surgery was uneventful and I was planning on going home Sunday morning. Mom and Dad were planning on coming as soon as they could. My friend Michelle dropped by about 11pm on Saturday night and, after visiting for a bit, decided she'd stay with me. About 2am I started trying, unsuccessfully, to clear my throat. I couldn't cough, couldn't really talk. (I wish I had a recording as it was actually pretty funny sounding). It was really hard to get any air out. I called the nurse, who asked if I could wait until morning as my doctor wasn't on the unit. I told her that I couldn't breathe, it felt like my throat was closing and NO, I could not wait until morning. The resident was called, who called the senior resident, who didn't know what was going on. Respiratory came and gave me an epinephrine treatment, which helped some, and I rested until morning. Long story... ENT finally came and scoped my throat and found I had swelling just below the vocal cords. So I had 2 LARGE doses of prednisone and an extra night in the hospital.

Mom and Dad showed up Sunday night and I came home Monday. Since then I've just been resting. Each day is better than the last. My voice is still scratchy and comes and goes. My abs feel like I've done a few too many sit-ups. Otherwise, I'm doing well. I will not be able to go to Duck Beach this weekend (I can't be submerged yet) so I'm thinking of spending the rest of my recovery at home in CA. We'll see on Friday after my post-op appointment.

I appreciate all the calls, emails, and thoughts this week. It was a bit of adventure, but hey, this is me. I don't do anything the easy way.

65 Questions You've Probably Never Been Asked...

1. First thing you wash in the shower? My face.
2. What color is your favorite hoodie? Grey.
3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? Absolutely NOT.
4. Do you plan outfits? Always.
5. How are you feeling RIGHT now? Cozy and sunkissed.
6. Whats the closest thing to you that is red? My dining room rug.
7. What was the last dream you remember having? Can't remember.
8. Did you meet anybody new today? Yes.
9. What are you craving right now? Milk.
10. Do you floss? Yes but not as regularly as I used to.
11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage? Gross.
12. Are you emotional? Oh yeah.
13. Have you ever counted to 1,000? Not as far back as I can remember. Never been into numbers.
14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it? Both.
15. Do you like your hair? Kind of, I'm due for a new style.
16. Do you like yourself? Mostly.
17. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush? Yes.
18. What are you listening to right now? Commercials, I'm watching Gossip Girl.
19. Are your parents strict? No. They taught us correct principles then let us govern ourselves.
20. Would you go sky diving? Yes.
21. Do you like cottage cheese? Yes. Knudsen's is my favorite.
22. Have you ever met a celebrity? Famous people but not celebrities.
23. Do you rent movies often? No.
24. Is there anything sparkly in the room you're in? No. Shocking.
25. How many countries have you visited? 3 - England, France, Mexico.
26. Have you made a prank phone call? Yes, but I was never very successful as I could never stop giggling.
27. Ever been on a train? Yes.
28. Brown or white eggs? White.
29.Do you have a cell-phone? Yes. Just got a new one today. My old one wouldn't stay charged.
30. Do you use chap stick? Yes.
31. Do you own a gun? No, but I'm not opposed to them either.
32. Can you use chop sticks? Not really.
33. Who are you going to be with tonight? My roommates are home.
34. Are you too forgiving? I don't think so.
35. Ever been in love? Not really, loved, yes, been in love, no.
36. What is your best friend(s) doing tomorrow? Working, I assume.
37. Ever have cream puffs? Yes, but their not my favorite.
38. Last time you cried? Saturday at the Vietnam Memorial.
39. What was the last question you asked? "So how was your day?"
40. Favorite time of the year? Fall, Winter, Spring
41. Do you have any tattoos? No.
42. Are you sarcastic? Yes.
43. Have you ever seen The Butterfly Effect? No.
44. Ever walked into a wall? If you don't know the answer to this question you haven't walked with me much. Yes.
45. Favorite color? It changes, currently, orange.
46. Have you ever slapped someone? I don't think so.
47. Is your hair curly? No, except lately it kind of does. Humidity?
48. What was the last CD you bought? It's been so long, I don't remember.
49. Do looks matter? Yes. Sad but true.
50. Could you ever forgive a cheater? Probably not.
51. Is your phone bill sky high? No. Pretty average cell phone bill.
52. Do you like your life right now? Yes.
53. Do you sleep with the TV on? No.
54. Can you handle the truth? That's a good question, depends on how it's delivered.
55. Do you have good vision? I wear glasses so obviously it's not perfect.
56. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people? I don't know that I hate anyone but there are those I dislike.
57. How often do you talk on the phone? More than I like.
58. The last person you held hands with? A boy who's just a friend.
59. What are you wearing? PJ shorts, sweatshirt.
60. What is your favorite animal? I don't know. Not really an animal person.
61. Where was your default picture taken? The National Mall after the Inauguration.
62. Can you hula hoop? No. Never have.
63. Do you have a job? Yes. I'm an ER nurse and I love it!
64. What was the most recent thing you bought? My new cell phone.
65. Have you ever crawled through a window? Yes.

This past weekend my friend Andrea came for a visit and I had to opportunity to see more of my new city. Saturday was a whirlwind day of monuments. We started at Roosevelt Island, a beautiful nature preserve in the Potomac river. We wandered around, found the beautiful outdoor memorial, then discovered some enormous webs that had captured a startling number of caterpillars. From there we went to the Lincoln. It was raining and I had a bit of a hard time figuring out where to park and there were a lot of middle schoolers but it was still beautiful. Next we went on to the Vietnam Memorial, or "the Wall". "The Wall" is the most heartbreaking of all I have seen so far. There is something so powerful in witnessing the individual loss of so many lives. I tried so hard not to cry it made my face hurt. After Vietnam we walked over to the Korean where one of my favorite quotes is carved in stone, "Freedom is not free". Next was the WWII. Then WWI. We've lost so many in defense of liberty, I hope those sacrifices are never wasted. I often worry we take the freedoms we have for granted and aren't doing enough to protect them. If we don't protect the liberty of all we each lose some of our own. I'm stepping off my soapbox now.

After all the monuments we trekked down to Old Towne Alexandria for our Ghost Tour. We skipped the official tour and went with some ghost hunter dressed in Colonial garb. Turns out it was us and one other lady. Perfect, as all the other groups we saw had loads of middle schoolers being obnoxious! His approach was to tell the history and throw in the ghost story. I would love to go again - very interesting.

Sunday we slept in then headed over to the Museum of Natural History. The dinosaur exhibit made me miss my nephews more than ever! They would have been beside themselves... My favorite was the forensic anthropology exhibit. I'm going to have to head back to see the rest. Last stop, we went to the Jefferson Memorial, my personal favorite, mostly for all the reasons I talked about before. Without the inspired Decarlation of Indepence (based on George Mason's Virginia Bill of Rights and Constitution) we wouldn't have had the freedom that allowed for the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we may still have slavery, and my parents may have been allowed to marry me off to the highest bidder (maybe they would have had better luck).

Enjoy the photos. Sorry for the soapbox.

Co Co Sala

My "Main Coarse"
Bananas Fosters, Gelato, Chocolate Cupcake, Milk Chocolate Shot

Dessert

Hmmmmm.........

Yummmmyyyy!

The Best Friend and a-mazing chocolate. Absolutely perfect.

My new VA plates

Bold the things you have done. (or color)

1. Started your own blog - you're reading it
2. Slept under the stars - lots of times, it's actually my preference
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower - always on the lookout for falling stars
6. Given more than you can afford to charity - yes and no comment
7. Been to Disneyland - it's the happiest place on earth!
8. Climbed a mountain - Mt Timp on a very bad date
9. Held a Praying Mantis
10. Sang a solo - once for a Young Women's program. Not my favorite experience.
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris - Last Spring. LOVED, LOVED, LOVED IT
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch - does my photography count?
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning - happens to me all the time. Maybe I'm allergic to something.
17. Been to the Statue of Liberty - with Crissie and the boys. I'd given Jonny a plane that made the take-off noise, he kept pushing the button during the tour. It kind of echos in there.
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa at the Louvre - She's as beautiful and they saw. The reproductions don't compare
20. Slept on a train - BART
21. Had a pillow fight - of course!
22. Hitch hiked - seems like a bad plan to me...
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill - me, of course I would never do such a thing. Except the time I called in sick while at Disneyland and ended up with heat rash, cramps, and vomiting...
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Dated someone you met online
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset - more sunsets than sunrises
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person - when picking Steve up from his mission
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors - I've been to the country (England) but not the city. It's on the list.
35. Seen an Amish community - again, when picking Steve up from his mission
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing - miss that particular hobby. Planning on going tomorrow.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke - sorry about that friends.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt - on the family road trip before Rich got hitched.
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant - I bought a kid a big lollipop at Disneyland once
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Swam in the Taiya Inlet in Alaska
47. Had your portrait painted - by Mary Beth Cheney's father back when I was in high school
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris - AMAZING, and very cold
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud - I enjoy playing in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater - of course, I did live in Provo
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business - photography
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies - I was a Girl Scout in elementary school
62. Gone whale watching - puked my guts out but the killer whales were pretty killer
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma - yes, but I'm always denied now d/t always being borderline anemic
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check - no comment
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial - with my dad in 1994. And now I live near it. Have to admit, the Jefferson Memorial is my favorite.
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Tied a quilt - once when I was a kid
73. Stood in Times Square - when I was in NYC with Dave and Crissie
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a Bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox - as a kid, don't remember it.
89. Saved someone’s life - it's my job
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous - I served Elder Oaks when I worked as a waitress
92. Joined a book club - Ashley's books by mail book group. Love it.
93. Lost a loved one - Not many, but a few. Hurts every time.
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone - of course, it's the only phone I have now
99. Been stung by a bee - and I am, shocking, allergic
100. Visited Italy

41/100

Happiness Found...

I think I found a bit of the Celestial Kingdom here on earth. It's a restaurant called Co Co. Sala. They specialize in chocolate. I'll post photos later, as I'm in a very happy place right now and can't be bothered. Absolutely a-maz-ing. It just may be my new happy place.

Check it out: cocosala.com

My roommate and I went out for Thai food last night. It was my first. SUPER YUMMY!!!! Ashley, you were right, Thai food is the best and I can't wait to come home and go to your favorite place in Oakland.

Pooped

I went on a bike ride today. Just a nice, leisurely bike ride. Okay, maybe not leisurely. I rode while my friend ran, he's training for a half marathon. It felt really good, except for the part when my lungs were exploding, but for the most part it was really nice. I will go again, but for now, I'm pooped.

Oh, and I'm supposed to go out for Thai food tonight. It'll be my first time. I'll let you know...

Ryan Goes to Washington

My friend Ryan came to visit. I finally started to see my new city. Georgetown, Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, Capital Building Tour, Library of Congress, Air and Space Museum, Georgetown again, institute... Ryan come back!

And, while I'm not in any of the photos, I swear I was there.

Where can I find a baby daddy like this?

The following post will show my new shoes. New shoes that are incredibly special because they don't hurt my feet. My feet hurt. All the time. Especially since I started nursing school. I've tried loads of shoes and nothing has helped - mostly they've hurt. I finally found a place, across the street from my house, where they fitted me with orthotics and I found two (2!!!) pairs of shoes that haven't hurt my feet yet. Happy day.

Happy Feet

Day shifts are harder than night shifts. I'm just sayin'.

I've been trying to think of something to blog about but nothing very exciting has been going on lately. So I thought I'd let you in on a secret. I love to read. That's not really a secret. Lately I've been reading, well lots. It's because I stay up all night and get bored. I wish I enjoyed reading intelligent, thought provoking books, but I don't. I read for sheer entertainment value. My reading list lately has been as follows...

Twilight
New Moon
Eclipse
Breaking Dawn
Northanger Abbey
Dead Until Dark
Living Dead in Dallas
Club Dead
Dead to the World
Definitely Dead
The Princess Academy
Goose Girl
Enna Burning

...all since Thanksgiving. Yes, I'm a read-a-holic. Any suggestions for my next book?

25 Random Things About Me...

Facebook has a "tag" going around - 25 Random Things About Me - I had to be tagged a few times before I managed to write my list but here it is...

25 Random Things About Me...

1. I have a special smile I get when I see people I love. It's my favorite smile.
2. I miss my nephews and nieces terribly. I think about them all the time, wonder how they're doing, what their doing, what their learning, and wish I could be there to witness it all.
3. My family (extended included) is comprised of my favorite people in the world.
4. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. There is nothing more sacred to me than my testimony.
5. I'm a night owl and sleep better during the day. Since working the night shift I have slept better than I've ever slept before. It's a good thing. Now I just need to figure out what to do when I'm awake at 4 am.
6. I love to read.
7. My happy place is lying on the back of my daddy's boat on a sunny day on Sandmound slough, listening to the quiet, the kids, the water, the birds, ahhh....
8. I love my job. I especially love poking people with needles. Don't ask me why, I just do.
9. I think respiratory secretions are revolting. So is poop, urine, and vomit but respiratory is far and away the grossest. It's the sound that gets me. (Oh, and just a side note, when you give a urine sample it's really nice to wipe off the container and wrap it in a clean paper towel before you hand it back to the nurse. And EVERYONE should wash their hands after using the bathroom).
10. I have a chronic post-nasal drip that makes me cough. I hate it.
11. I'm allergic to almost everything that grows. I love being outside anyway.
12. Going to London and Paris changed my life. Not in any huge or spectacular way but I just feel like I understand who I am just a little bit better.
13. All I ate in Paris was bread, cheese, and chocolate. Best days ever.
14. I broke my teeth falling down steps outside my apartment. That was 9 years ago and I'm just now coming to the conclusion I'm a klutz (people have been telling me for years but I didn't believe them).
15. I would do anything for my friends.
16. I love to smile and laugh. It's not hard to make me laugh and I count it a great day if I'm sore from laughing.
17. I hate to cry. It gives me a headache.
18. I love Jane Austin books and movies. I have enjoyed every version of "Pride and Prejudice" I've ever seen except for the Bollywood version. I thought it was weird.
19. I'm good at making decisions and indecision drives me bonkers.
20. I've learned not to run away from my challenges.
21. I want to marry someone who makes me laugh thunderously (one of my favorite Jonathon comments).
22. Driving fast makes me giddy. Driving a sexy car makes me weak. A beautiful man driving a beautiful car makes me swoon.
23. I saw "Twilight" 4 times. I swooned at the part where Edward drives up and rescues Belle (see #22) I liked it better every time I saw it. I've read the series twice. I'm a bit embarrassed to admit it.
24. I love clocks. I'm rarely on time but I love clocks.
25. I love the sound of the rain and the coziness of snow falling.

Night Life

I've been working nights for the past month or so. I enjoy the night shift, it's usually a bit quieter, less chaotic, and people tend to be more relaxed. I'm also a night owl so staying awake is easy and I don't have to get up early in the morning (a great way for me to be unintentionally grouchy). I'm finding a problem with the night life though. All I do is work and sleep. Even on my days off. I've been off since Monday morning and my productive hours probably only add up to about 8. I've read a book, watched tv, paid my bills, etc but I've barely left the house. It's like being sick and having to stay home without actually being sick (though I have had a sore throat and stuffy nose). And I haven't seen anyone, except my roommates in passing and my coworkers, since last Tuesday (9 days ago). I don't think I like this. I'm going to have to come up with some kind of schedule and force myself to stick to it but I just haven't quite figured that out yet. And yes I'm up. I have to work tonight and should be sleeping but I got bored last night and went to bed...

And I just spilled Diet Coke all over my keyboard. Yeah.

Inauguration

It was a cold, early morning. Not as cold as I would have anticipated and all bundled up as I was, not bad. We met up and walked and walked and walked from Arlington (near the cemetary) to the National Mall. Military guards monitored the bridge and, just a note, you can't take pictures of the pentagon, not even of the fence. There were people and potties, plenty of potties for the people. We walked to the Washington and mingled with the crowd then down to the WWII Memorial to watch the Inauguration. Building pyramids and Brady Bunch lines kept us warm and entertained the crowds. One boy asking me to move as I was in his shot, the shot I set up. Hmm. Amazing that many people in one place and no arrests. Grateful for the peaceable change of power.

My VA Townhome

Christmas Break

So I didn't manage to keep up the daily blog while I was home. After viewing the photos I'm sure you'll understand why. I had a wonderful time at home with my family. It was the first Christmas we've had with all the kiddos ever! I loved every minute of it.

Baby D

Baby D, C and I made this super fun Gingerbread house.

The best part is where Baby D decided to taste test the roof.

RJ as our Christmas Angel/Mary.
Baby D and her Daddy as Mary and Joseph
Our Wise Men
The Pianists
Grandpa and Baby D as Mary
Singing Christmas songs on Christmas Eve
Happy Birthday Jesus!
Christmas Eve gift exchange
Baby D with her new jewelry

RJ cheering J on
J is a ROCK STAR at batting
The girls playing nap time
Storytime
Christmas cookies
Snacks, snacks everywhere....
If you're happy and you know it...