Ready to RACE! (I glued those bows to her head!)

Grace and Oliver. Fight to the death.

Weird feelings.

Oh my heavens. I had the weirdest thing happen to me yesterday. I felt fine all day...was at work...loving my job! :) On the way home, I started to notice that I wasn't able to focus on anything. My mind was working in a hundred different directions and I couldn't settle on any one thing. I felt EXTREMELY spacy, and even a little dizzy. I have NO idea what caused it! I even started feeling like my head was being pushed down (isn't that a line from Friends? "Lately, I haven't feel pulled so much as pushed!") Odd. So, my solution? BED! :) I went to bed early. Even more odd...I woke up at 11:45pm with that feeling like you didn't get enough sleep after a really good sleeping pill. I was dizzy and thought I was going to have to call in to work! I decided that I would try to sleep it off and figured that if I felt bad at work, I could always see if they could send me home. Thankfully, I felt fine! I haven't had any of those weird feelings today...but so STRANGE!

Anyways...life goes on. I'm working today, and having a great day so far! I've got great families that have been so much fun to work with! That makes my day go fast..and look! It's already 3:55pm! Ta DA! :) I have no idea what I'm going to do tonight...but I do know what I'm doing tomorrow! I have to weigh in! Hooray! :) (or :(, who knows!) I was all set to do it last week...and I forgot that I wasn't off on Saturday to do it! Stupid me! So, I haven't had the pleasure of getting on that scale in 2 weeks. The bad part is WW isn't open Friday morning. I have to wait until 11:30am to go weigh..which makes me starving! At least I have things to accomplish. I have to clean out my car and pack for the upcoming voyage to Buda, Texas. I have to go find Liberty some hair bows for her "formal" dress...even though I'm sure she'll find some way to get them off. She's retarded.

Well...must get going. I'm sure some child has medicines due. Hooray!

No wonder I don't feel old...

You Are 15 Years Old

Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe. 13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world. 20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. 30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more! 40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

What Age Do You Act?

Gracie's countdown.

I guess I'm supposed to be training Liberty to run. I've tried. She's impossible. I stand at one end of the yard, with her at the other, and scream for her to come...and she either will stand there or in ultimate defiance, sit down. She's nuts. All I can say is that at least she'll look good for the parade! It's going to be hilarious.

Yesterday, my friend from the past came into town again. He's a pilot and flies the same route for a couple of weeks at at time...hence the reason he's come over so frequently. Instead of letting me fail miserably at cooking, he brought recipes so that he could cook for me! I was just happy not to have to do it! Of course, in true Stephanie fashion, I attempted to help with the vegetables and the sad little broccoli's lost the battle. They ended up being stems with no green on top. Guess I steamed them too long. After that, we went out to dinner with some of his pilot friends. They promised not to talk pilot too much...HA! Sadly, I am starting to pick up more and more of the lingo...and that's scary!

I'm working tomorrow and Thursday...then off until Monday. I'm hoping to keep my streak of liking my job going for at least a couple of weeks! I was pretty exhausted after this past weekend..but at least I was not hating it! We've been absolutely packed lately, so at least I know I shouldn't have to float. I am sad though, because my TWU student that's been with me since February is finishing up tomorrow. She's really going to be an amazing nurse, and it's exciting to see her progress. It's SO hard for me to let her do everything. Most of the time, I spend sitting on my hands and chanting to myself "let her do it!". I had a student last semester, too...and this one is infinately better. I am loving it! Now, she has to leave...and that is sad. :(

I'm starting to get excited to get out of this house. When we send our rent check this week, we're sending our notice to our landlord. That kind of seals the deal...but thankfully, we know where we are going to end up. I have to make too many decisions in the next few weeks of what to keep and what to give away. I'm afraid I'm going to be so excited to give things away that I'll be left with only my bed and some clothes! Maybe it's time to start living like an adult...with things that match? NAH!

Oliver is shredding a stick all over my bedroom floor. He and Liberty were fighting over it, but I believe she's given up that he'll put it down. She's sitting next to me, with her head tucked into the chair. He's still chewing..and choking every once in awhile. I buy the boy toys and he chooses to eat sticks. I think that's just like children! You get them a fabulous toy, and they are much happier playing with the box.

Well...Becca will be home soon..and we're going to get our toes done. I can't decide what color I should do...the possibilities are endless! :)

Apparently, I'm Marcia Brady!

You Are Marcia Brady

Confident yet kind. Popular yet down to earth. You're a total dream girl. You've got the total package - no wonder everyone's a little jealous of you.

What Brady Are You?

I'm not sure if this fits....but it is pretty funny!

Maybe the beginning.....

Yesterday was SUCH a good day! It was busy and steady, but at no point in the day did I want to quit! :) That's a good thing, and a definate change from what it's been! Hooray! Maybe this is the beginning of good times. It was a wee bit loony this morning, but we got some of our nurses to come in to help...and now this day is going to go fine, too! :) Ta DA! :)

If you are EVER in Dallas...and want to go eat somewhere fabulous...go to the Grand Lux Cafe. It's in the Galleria..and well worth the money. I had this fabulous Wild Mushroom Burger, which is actually meatless. It's a bunch of mushrooms magically melded into a "burger". It's SO yummy. They also have the most fabulous appetizer in the whole WHOLE world. They are called "asian nachos". They are fried wontons with chicken, cheese, wasabi cream sauce, peanuts, and thai peanut sauce. OH MY HEAVENS. That is divinity on a plate. I could die happy after just one.

Today has been pretty good. I had a parent who I thought was so against me tell me they were so glad I was their child's nurse. I wasn't as crazy busy today, but it was still enough so I wasn't bored. I also got to talk to some of my work amigas that I haven't been able to in quite some time on account of the crazy business. It's been a good day. All my young'uns are sleeping right now...and I hope no one wakes them up for ANYTHING! :) Let the babies sleep! NEVER wake a sleeping baby! :)

I work Wednesday/Thursday this week...and then it's off to the Wiener Dog Races. I'm sure it will be broadcast on live webcam at www.budalionsclub.com. How fun is that!?! I'll have plenty of pictures...of Liberty standing at the starting line like a big goon. I'm sure she'll just stand there, refusing to move. At least everyone will have a good laugh. At last count, there were 304 doxies entered.

Next week I have jury duty. EW! I had jury duty last year! What is the deal with that? Do they just sit around going "Let's find a person to bug the crap out of". Why is not someone else's turn? I wish it was! Thankfully, I was scheduled to work, but now I get to go spend my day sitting in the jury room, anxiously awaiting whether or not I'll get called in. Last time, I was called in and apparently I didn't make a good enough choice for them. I guess I think that criminals should go to jail...SHOCKING.

I think it's weird to think that next week is MAY. Where has the time gone? I was just in Disney World...only that's almost 2 months ago! I was just at Christmas with my family...only that' like 5 months ago! Does time go faster with age? When I was little, it never went by fast. Now that I'd like it to slow down, it doesn't! I've been a nurse for almost a year and a half. NUTTY!

Well, I suppose I should go back to work now. But again, all the chillins are sleeping...so we do NOT wake them! :)

I am Fozzie Bear

You Are Fozzie Bear

"Wocka! Wocka!"You're the life of the party, and you love making people crack up.If only your routine didn't always bomb!You may find more groans than laughs, but always keep the jokes coming.

The Muppet Personality Test

I found it! Here's Liberty's dress for the parade. She'll be in the "fancy" category!

Oliver Constantine

Oliver is watching television. He's laying on the bed with his head in his hands, carefully watching the TV. His eyes are not deviating. Apparently something has caught his attention...and his ears are perked up, too. This is the funniest thing I've seen him do today. He is so weird. When I say his name, he looks at me for a second, then goes back to the tv. Weirdo.

Stupid blogger.

ARG! I blogged for such a long time this morning! I turned around and it was GONE! Here's the run down...cause I'm not typing all that again! :)

1. I floated today. The float wasn't too bad. More on this later.
2. We're moving to Richardson in 2 months. Hooray that we can paint our rooms fun colors.
3. The dogs are crazy. (as always)
4. I'm now floated back to my own floor. I'm helping everyone else out. This is fine.
5. Now I'm going crazy. Work sucks. Staffing sucks. NO ME GUSTA!
6. My work friends are crazy. I love them.
7. I don't work the next two days. Hooray! :)
8. Interns are stupid.

See, now wasn't that nice and succinct? I'm sure that no one wanted to read all the stuff I previously wrote...so now you just get the gist of it all. Lovely.

A new dilemma!

Things around here are starting to go back to normal. I had a great work day on Sunday...hopefully trending towards what I know my work days should be! A friend and I even got to go to the Easter chapel service! It was nice to hear the passage where Mary finds Jesus not in the grave and sing Easter songs! I really enjoy Easter sunday...and that made it a little better. I work tomorrow and then this weekend...so I'm having plenty of time to not think about work!

I had a fun day yesterday! A good friend flew in and we spent the day together. We took the puppies to the dog park, a task I usually don't ask of my friends, seeing how my dogs are nuts! It was SO hot yesterday, so we spent the rest of the day inside. Inside time is good...especially with the air conditioner. We watched movies and then made dinner...even though I'm a miserable failure in the kitchen. Normally, I do okay...but something about a new pair of eyes on my cooking skills caused me to fail miserably. Oh well...it all turned out well, even though the menu changed half way through the preparation! :) It was a fun time anyways! :)

This morning, I went to visit a plastic surgeon. I've been struggling with a certain part of my body for quite some time, and now that I've lost a bunch of weight, the part is even more "angry"! :) As the receptionist put it, I'm trying to put all my parts back to where they used to be! :) I'm sure this is WAY too much info for some people....but oh well...it is my newest dilemma and prayer request...so read on! Anyways, the procedure that I want done is usually covered by health insurance. The doctor told me that mine may not be because the procedure he will have to do to get my desired results is a bit different that the insurance companies are used to. SO, after all that vague stuff...(and if you really are wanting more info, you can always email me and ask...I don't mind)...I have a very big prayer request. They are currently in the process of submitting my information to the insurance company. The financial counselor was very upfront in saying that this is going to be a big deal for the insurance to accept. Please pray for the person who will be considering my file! Pray that they will feel compassion on me and my current situation and accept my request to have insurance pay for this! If it is not covered, it will be considered "cosmetic" and will have to be paid for out of pocket. I also am in jeopardy of not being able to take time off work since it may not be considered a "medical necessity". If this happens, I'm not sure my boss will be sympathetic to my cause and give me the needed time off. I will hopefully have a decision in the next 3 months or so...less time would be nice! :) If they do choose to deny me, I can appeal as well. Anyways....please keep my situation in your prayers. It seems shallow, but it is at the forefront of my mind right now...and it's driving me crazy! Like I said before, if you want more info...just ask me! I'm never afraid to share! :)

The dogs are absolutely crazy. Oliver is running around the house, vascilating between shredding his toys and throwing them to himself. I have no idea why he's so nuts. He's just ripped the arm off of one of his favorite toys. Liberty is sleeping next to me...she's just finished being attacked by Oliver and is now apparently exhausted. Sadie is being anti-social under the covers! :)

Our refrigerator is broken. It's sad and disgusting. I'm afraid to eat anything in there. It's sad too...because there is a lot of yogurt that we just bought in there...rotting away. I'm waiting until they fix it to throw all that stuff away. I open it as little as possible. The Sears man is supposed to be here today between 1 and 5. Hopefully, it will be a quick and easy fix. The freezer still works...I have no idea why the fridge doesn't want to work anymore. Oh well...it was cleaned last week and right afterwards is when it stopped working...possessed piece of garbage! :)

Speaking of garbage....Becca and I are in packing mode. We've been cleaning and getting ready to move this summer...and it's just a TON of fun. We are throwing a ton of stuff away that's nasty and needed to be thrown away a lot time ago. We have so much garbage that the trash can is overflowing. I had to sneak the extra bags into our neighbor's trash can. We're also getting a pile together for a garage sale. I hate garage sales...but we really have so much stuff to get rid of. One of Becca's work friends was going to let us sell our stuff at hers...but now she's not going to have one...so it's left up to us. I think we're going to have one the third weekend in May..the same weekend as my brother's law school graduation. Becca said it's okay to have it by herself...especially since she knows how much I hate them. Hopefully we'll be able to figure it out..and find someone to sit there Friday morning while I'm gone and Becca's at work. Anyone interested? You can come and sell your stuff too! :)

This has turned out much longer than I anticipated. Maybe I should update more often! :) OH! One more thing! Becca and I have a place to live next year! :) We'll be moving in with our friends Nathen and Kerrie! (go back and read previous blogs for explanation!). They've told us we can pick our paint colors and everything! Hooray for paint! :) Anyways...more on that later.

Life eventually goes on...

It's been three weeks since the madness started. Unfortunately, we've been so busy at work, we haven't had a chance to even stop and think! Thankfully, we've held on to all our kids, but we as a staff are going quietly mad. Apparently, the nursing supervisors believe that we can work with less nurses on the floor. This is craziness and unsafe. I don't stress out easily, and I have had the most awful two weeks because there's just too much going on. I really REALLY need a good break....and a Caribbean vacation. You know when you go through those times in life when you just absolutely can't find joy in anything? This is one of those times. It just seems like everything is going wrong...and I can't figure out a way to stop it. At work, we've had these "debriefing" talks this past week that are supposed to help us verbalize our feelings and realize that other people are having the same kinds of feelings. On Wednesday, we had 2 sessions. I didn't go the first session because I didn't want to start out my day reliving the past events and feeling sad the rest of the day. I decided to go to the evening session. Unfortunatly, I was the only one there. I did get some free therapy from the psychologist who was going to be leading the group. He said that my problem isn't that I feel guilty about these kids' deaths. That's true...I don't think there was a single thing I did wrong in any of those cases. He said the problem was that I feel out of control, which is absolutely true. I hate not knowing what's going to happen, it's one of my greatest faults. The fact that I can't control what happens to these children is absolutely terrifying to me. Okay, so I'm tired of talking about it. I think time is going to be the best medicine in my case (or it will as long as I don't continue to go crazy at work!)

Becca and I are in the process of getting ready to move. I really love this house, and the location is fabulous, but I hate parking my car outside, not sure if it will be vandalized or not. I don't like that there are ghetto apartments around the corner and people who hang around just waiting for me to leave so they can sneak into my house. We're trying to figure out what we're going to do...where to go...etc... We've had several ideas, none of them are great. The dilemma is that our friends Nathen and Kerrie have offered us their house to rent after they move to Austin for three years starting next summer. Nathen's applying to UT law, and they would like their house to be inhabited by someone they know. I love their house, and am excited about living there, but that gives us a year without somewhere to live. I hate apartments and don't want to put the puppies through that when they've gotten used to a yard. I don't want to get the money for a massive deposit on a house, only knowing that I'm going to live there for a year. We were just sharing our situation with our friends on the day we went to Scarborough Faire. It just got mentioned in passing and then the conversation changed quickly. Bec and I got back into the care and drove to the Faire (love that E on the end!). When we got out of the car, we met back up with our friends and started walking to the entrance. Nathen and Kerrie were on this trip and presented us with an intriguing offer. They offered us their two spare bedrooms for the coming year and a HUGELY reduced rent so we don't have to move twice. That's such an amazing offer! I can't imagine asking two unmarried people to come and share my house....and bring their three dogs! Now, our puppies would have to get used to three cats....but they'd adjust....or not! :) We're going to have them over sometime soon to chat about all this (cause I need my DSL and TIVO!) and it would be SO nice not to have to move again!

Puppies are doing fine. Oliver is currently sacked out on my bed, as if he has put in a full day's work. I know for a fact he has spent the morning sitting by the front door, willing Becca and I to come home. We were out at Half Price....selling all our crap to them so we don't have to move it! I LOVE getting rid of 1500 dollars worth of nursing books and getting $36! Hooray!

Well, I'd better get going. I'm sure I've bored you enough...and it's almost time for me to go to Kohl's! Big sale day! :) Ta DA!

Love it, hate it.

This week, I've had a love/hate relationship with my job. I absolutely know that I've been called to do what I do. I love the kids, love the friends I have made working here, and love the kind of nursing I've decided to specialize in. I hate that these kids are so fragile. Today's been my first day back since the most recent death, and it hasn't been fun. Thankfully, I've been SO SO busy...busy enough to take my mind off that and throw myself into working. Hopefully, it will get easier for me, but right now, I just don't want to be here. I wish I could go on vacation! :)

Yesterday, Becca and I, along with a group of friends, went to Scarborough Faire. That place is hilarious! First of all, apparently, it doesn't matter if you're a small or big woman, your goal for the day should be to put on a corset and hoist your chest up to the highest place they've ever been and allow everyone to see this. Lovely. I saw WAY more boobs than I ever wanted to. What a gift. Second, if you're a guy, I am guessing it's acceptable to wear tight pants....tights almost. Ew EW EW! Just imagine that for a minute! :) I did have a good time. The weather was great, sunny and windy, but not hot! I even got a sunburn, which I wasn't expecting! :) I hate sunburn, so now I'm dealing with the consequences.....but at least it's not too bad. I have definately had worse!

This week, it is my goal to finish my online classes. In nutrition, I only have 1 more test to take. In Government, I have to write 6 essays and do 2 web activities. It should probably only take me one morning, if I get right to it and don't put it off. I'd really like to be done with it. It hasn't been as bad as I thought it would. I've applied to UTA for the RN-BSN program, and I'm just waiting to hear back from them. That would start in August and finish in May 2007. I just need to get it over with...I figure, if I pay all that money (even though Children's will reimburse me!), I'd better pay attention and just get through it!

Well, I'm sure I'm supposed to be doing something. I'd better go find out.

Where is God?

I think I mentioned in my last post about a patient that coded horribly last week. I thought that the bad things were going to be over. This precious little boy was waiting for a heart transplant. I thought that him coding was going to finally get him the heart that he so desperately needed. I just knew that any minute, we were going to get the wonderful news that a heart was on its way. That news never came. I got the call this morning that he is being taken off life support. I know that this precious boy has been through more than any of us...and he deserves to go see Jesus, but it doesn't make it any easier for those of us who took care of him and loved him and his wonderful family. I can't imagine how someone who doesn't believe in God would handle a situation like this...but I think it's just as hard for those of us who do believe. Why would God choose that little boy? Why didn't his heart miracle ever come? It's a hard thing to fathom that a loving God would choose to have a family go through this? Then, it hits....this little boy was a miracle, new heart or not. He had a family that loved God and loved him. He had friends. He had nurses who adored him. He was a blessing to us...and if that was the reason he was born, than God accomplished his purpose for this little one. It doesn't make it any easier for us, especially since we've had such a run of this kind of thing lately. There's a song by Casting Crowns that absolutely fits this situation. I heard it for the first time in concert a couple of months ago, and it's stuck with me. I put the actual song on my myspace page, if you're interested in hearing it. www.myspace.com/redheadramblings Otherwise, I found the lyrics, too. It's hard for me to understand God's ultimate plan, especially working in the medical field. Why do some make it and some don't? I know I shouldn't question what His plans are, but it still happens. This song reminds me that He is in control, and I still need to praise Him...even when it's at the worst.

"Praise You in the Storm" by Casting Crowns

I was sure by now
That You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say “Amen”, and it’s still raining
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as You mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
I’ll praise You in this storm
And I will life my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I’ve cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can’t find You
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

Do bad things always come in threes?

Another one of my "kids" died today. He was three years old. He has been sick his entire life, and I'd wager he's been in the hospital 2 of his 3 years. Please keep his family in your prayers. He was such a sweet boy, and his family has been through a lot.

I think bad things must come in threes. If this is true, than the bad must be over for awhile. I have cried over kids three times this week...two deaths and one massively awful code. There's a horrible feeling when I go to work now...I just don't know what kids are going to not be there the next day. It's a strange feeling. They always tell you not to get emotionally attached. If there's no emotional attachment, it won't be as hard when bad things happen to the kids. The thing is, that emotional attachment is what makes us good nurses! I don't like those nurses who just go in and out and treat the patients like things, and not the little precious people that they are. It's a risk I have to take in my profession, I guess. I think it's absolutely worth it. When I see these kids over and over, I start to develop relationships with them and their parents. I love that! :)

I have off tomorrow...and I didn't know that until about halfway through the day! I thought I was working today and tomorrow!! :) Happiness! I am actually working Tues/Wed, which is fine with me. It's all good! :) I got floated today, which means I won't be up again for awhile. I was ready to get it over with. It's actually better to get it done on a Sunday...not as busy.

WELL, now that I don't have to go to bed...I might just stay up all night! (or until 11. I'm pretty much a weenie)

Mouse ears RULE! :)

Drowning in snot...

Isn't that a lovely title? So gross...and so true! :) I started feeling bad yesterday evening, and it really hasn't gotten any better. I've got something going on in my sinuses...which is ironic since a friend at work and I were just saying that we haven't been sick in awhile. Thankfully, I do not have to work for three days. I've literally laying in bed all day, watching News Radio DVD's. It's not very nice out, so I don't feel bad that I'm laying around. The puppies are enjoying it as well, especially Liberty, who has spent most of her time licking the stupid bed. Again, she's not a rocket scientist...but I love her! :)

Now I'm watching the Santa Clause. I have seen this movie a hundred times....but at least it's peaceful and I don't have to concentrate. The amount of goo in my sinuses is preventing my intense thinking. I've got lots of movies...I'll be good.! :)

Broken

I just got some devastating news. The little boy I've been taking care of the last week (5 days out of 7) was transported to Houston today for care we weren't able to offer him. He went into respiratory arrest in the plane on the way there, and then full cardiac arrest. His body made it to Houston, but his soul didn't. He was 8 months old, with the most sweet smile you could ever see. Please pray for his parents, grandparents, and 8 year old brother. They are so sweet, and I know they are truly experiencing a terrible loss. All the staff at my hospital are crushed, and I can't even imagine what his family is feeling. Keep them in your prayers...they certainly need it.

Long three days...

Oh heavens...I really HATE three in a row, but I continue to do it anyways! I never request to do it. Sometimes it just happens. Othertimes, I agree to switch a day, which is what happened this time. This is the funny thing, though. When I switch my days, I always look for someone that the switch would benefit. You know, that they'd get a better time off schedule, or not have to work so many days in a row. This time, this switch did not benefit me...but it doesn't always have to! Instead of working two on, two off, two on, I'm working three on, one off, one on, four off. I guess it does benefit me somehow..but I haven't quite figured out how yet. Right now, I just want to collapse into a pile and fall asleep! Tomorrow is not going to be very productive. I'm sure it will be filled with laundry folding and room cleaning. My room is a disaster. I kinda trashed it after I got back from vacation! :)

Yesterday was a good day at work, even if I did have busy spurts. A fellow nurse and I decided the way to whisk away the boredom was through playing games all afternoon...and I do mean ALL afternoon. We played 2 games of Memory and a game each of Scrabble and Monopoly. It was a fun time, especially since she needed a break from thinking and I needed a boredom break. Games are so much fun. I've always been addicted to board games. My favorite is Clue, but I can never find anyone to play it with me. Michael and Kim always lose, so they don't want to play. I can occasionally twist someone's arm into playing, but not too often.

I think I'm going to take Gracie to the dog park this week to get her ready for the races. I just need to find something to wave around that she'll run too. I'm thinking about her squirrel...but I have to be careful that her brother doesn't destroy it first. I'm still thinking of things to dress her up as for the contest. My parents are making Jack a pirate...I wonder if he'll have a wee earring, too? :) I don't have any idea what to do for Liberty...maybe I should do some research. She does have this fancy party dress....Maybe she can wear that. Who knows.

I am so hungry right now. I would love some food. I'm thankful that it's almost time to eat! :)

Weird dreams

I had the WEIRDEST dream last night. I dreamed that I was back in Pennsylvania, at my old school. My school crush (from like 7th-10th) grade was there, as well as all the people I went to school with. Strangely enough, they'd all aged appropriately, even though I haven't seen them in 10 years. Anyways, apparently there was some sort of party in my honor. I think it was a welcome home party. We were at the school, waiting for some bus that was supposed to take us to the party. I was sitting in a corner with my crush...we'll leave him nameless :) It was a very surreal experience...and I don't remember much about it except talking some very deep conversations with that man. Strange... I haven't thought about those people in a long time, but I thought about them all day today. I need to do some emailing.

It was a pretty good day at work today. I was busy, but not too bad. Surprisingly, the day FLEW by! That always makes for a fabulous start to a three day in a row week. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep the same kids all three days...that makes for a great week! :)

Oliver is being an absolute terror today. He's been chasing the girls from the second I got home. He went after Grace first. He was batty pawing her, growling, howling, pouncing, and being a general bother. After he tired of her, he moved on to Sadie, under the covers. He's now running around the house growling to himself. He's out of breath, but he just doesn't seem to want to stop going. Today, Becca gave them baths....cause they are stinky. Anyways, Oliver ran off with Liberty's collar and decided to make it his new chew toy. It's now in pieces. It's really what I get for buying her an expensive collar. At least she got almost 2 years out of it. Now she's back to an old collar...with hearts and flowers.

Well, I should be getting to bed. I don't want to lose sleep on the 1st night! Tomorrow, we're making Smores! :) I may not eat one...but I can still smell them! :)

Produce crazy.

I really don't enjoy cooking. I do it because I have to...definately not because I enjoy it. I don't like thinking up menus...I think it's boring. However...I do love to buy produce! I spent a good hour at the farmer's market this morning, just roaming around like a kid in a candy store. It's the same one I went to a couple of weeks ago...and it's good again today! Hooray for healthy food! :) I don't really care about "natural" or "organic" foods, but it's fun to pick out produce that's pretty...and cheap! :) I personally think that organic is just a fancy way of saying "more expensive produce". I'm a cynic...I admit it! :)

Oliver is currently going mad. He is literally jumping around the bedroom, trying to entice his sisters to play with him. They are not interested in that! :) Now he's peering over the comforter creepily. I think he's gone off to bother Sadie, since Liberty thinks she's immune now that she is sitting in my lap. It's madness. Earlier, all three of them were sleeping in a big pile in my bed. It was precious! :)

I am so glad to be off today! The last two days were madness! I do have to go back to the hospital today to visit the friend of a friend (that makes no sense!). Apparently, this person I'm visiting is from Longview and was airlifted to my hospital this morning. I have to be very careful in my visit, because I don't want to violate any HIPPA crap...but, it's not like I will be wearing scrubs and badge, right? I didn't find out from the hospital, I found out from my friend. I think I'm safe! :) HIPPA is stupid anyways. Dumb privacy practices.

All is calm in the house again. Apparently Oliver has decided that it's time to nap, and that's more interesting than beating up his sisters. I'm sure the sisters are thankful. I can see Liberty's head under the covers, licking the stupid bed. I have no idea what's so thrilling about it...but she really loves to do it. Fool.

This house is FREEZING. I have no idea why it's decided to get cold again. I wish it would go away. I like when it's 70's and sunny....not 40's and overcast. BRR!

Excitement already...

It's been a wildly exciting day already....and it's only 1:31pm. Oliver has spent the last three hours chasing this giant fly around my bedroom window. He's actually stalking it. Of the many things he has done while chasing it, the most interesting is throwing himself onto the window sill. I think he may actually break the glass. Crazy dog. The fly is still alive, suprisingly. It is now buzzing louder than earlier...I think he might have injured it. Now he's gone outside, no doubt to eat crap he finds on the ground.

I've also spent a good amount of time on the phone with the insurance company. I applied for short term disability this year to prepare for something I'm planning to do later this year. ANYWAYS...apparently I've been denied because A) I've had carpal tunnel surgery, and even though I have no residual problems, I'm a risk to file a claim and B) I'm too fat, even though I am dedicated to a weight loss regime and a futurely skinny lifestyle. It was an extremely frustrating experience. I wanted to hurt "Nancy" and "Iris"...but I chose to hold my composure and hurt them with my words. I was as nice as I could...despite the circumstances.

Anyways, there's not much else going on. Oliver has just successfully killed the fly. He then ate it. Retarded pup.

Back to the grindstone...sadly!

Well, I finally came back...kicking and screaming! :) I did not want to come home today! Florida was fabulous! We had a great time in Disney and Florida in general. The parks were so much fun...as they always are. I did learn many valuable lessons which I will now impart to you! ( I know you're thrilled)!

1. Strollers are not just strollers. They are "two wheeled death machines". They WILL run you over without an apology.
2. It is NEVER too early for a Mickey Ice Cream Bar.
3. The thought of getting on a ride first turns absolutely normal people into running, screaming, and sometimes swearing (yes, even in Disney) crazy hooligans.
4. You can survive all day in the hot sun on Slim Jim's and Diet Coke. You may not pee for a whole day, but you can do it!
5. Don't ride the Tea Cups when you're hot and a wee bit dehydrated. Headaches may ensue.
6. When staking out your turf for a parade, take up more room than you need since people who don't stake out for parades will try and steal your spot at the last minute.
7. When a Disney employee approaches you and says "Are you going to sit there for the parade?", always answer no...since they will tell you to move anyway!
8. Apparently, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers are now part of Disney. Who knew!?!
9. When leaving from the Orlando airport, please arrive at least 3 hours before your flight leaves. Otherwise, you will be running like a maniac to your gate. Out of breath is not a good way to end your vacation.
10. There is no point in taking your small children under about 4 years of age to WDW. What do they remember anyways?
11. Even though Disney is the "most magical place on earth", there are still people who will mow you down for a chance to see Mickey.
12. 50% of all cars you see have Florida license plates...which means they are rentals. 10% are from all over the US...you name it, we saw it. The remaining 40% are from Ontario, Canada. Who would drive from Canada? Have they not heard of planes? That's torture! I hate driving to Houston...let alone thousands and THOUSANDS of miles! We literally saw about 8 cars from there in about 5 minutes...driving on one road.

These all came about from personal experience.....sadly enough! :)

Anyways...now I'm home, and the work continues. I don't work tomorrow, which is very nice. I have a lot of straightening and cleaning of the clothes to do. BLECH. The puppies are very excited to see us...manic almost! :) Liberty's not limping at all...which makes her ready to start training for the Weiner Dog races..... :)

Must find glasses and take out contacts....

Parting Shot...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Rockin' Epcot Ball thingy

Cinderella's Castle

MGM water tower

Very cool Narnia thingy.

Welcome to MGM!

Fabulous!

Pooh!

Tree of Life

Animal Kingdom, Day 1

Babushka Pup

The Countdown Continues....

Less than 48 hours....until plane time! :) I'm so excited! :) I'm really just excited to get out of the state...and start having fun! :) Tomorrow, I have the dreaded weigh in...and then freedom! :) It's not going to be pretty...but few things are when it's that time and you want to eat everything in sight! :) Ah well....such is life. My body always goes through these kinds of fluctuations. I think the key is not to get down about it! The weight, even if it goes on, will always come off! :)

I think work must be really, REALLY desperate this week. I've received calls twice in the last two days to come in extra. Sadly, both times I had plans....but at least I answered the phone! I wonder why we've been so short lately...it's a mystery. I haven't called in, but someone else sure has! :)

My brother and sister in law are coming tomorrow! I always love when they come to visit, but I'm especially glad they are coming this week because that means the puppies can stay in their own house. We've never both left Oliver before...so I'm not quite sure how he'll tolerate it. He's a big dorky baby. Tonight, he's been writhing around on the bed with various toys he's destroyed. Right now, it's this rope thing, which is now shredded all over my living room. It's impossible to keep this place clean because of his shredding habits. I've been cleaning and straightening all afternoon. Jennifer's dad is coming to stay here with them at the end of next week...and that makes me need to clean a wee bit better than if it were just Michael and Jen. I've got the kitchen, guest bedroom, and my bathroom done. I just have to vacuum and tackle the living room...which is strewn with Oliver's carcasses.

Apparently, the puppies have had a hard day because they are both crashed on my bed. They look retarded.

I'm sure I won't be blogging until I get back, but I'll sure post a lot of pictures....see you in a week! :)

I'm supposed to be on vacation! :(

Okay...so I am supposed to be on vacation. Instead, I'm sitting at work...at 10:28 at night. I volunteered to come in for four hours tonight to help out the floor. Apparently everyone and their brothers decided to call in tonight, and the floor was left very short handed. At least it's only four hours! :) It's not too bad. I just spent an hour in a patient's room, desperately trying to get him to drink his medicine. It was a fun hour, and really made the time go by fast!

Today was extremely uneventful. I went on some errands...came home...watched some movies...and then came to work. It was a rockin good time. Tomorrow, I really do have to work on school. I have to take at least 1 nutrition test and write 4 essays. I really don't mind the work, I just always have to get motivated to do it.

I did find an amazing grocery store today. It's actually a farmer's market in Plano. The produce is absolutely amazing! I've never been so excited to buy vegetables! I guess maybe I was so excited because they were inexpensive. I got two HUGE red bell peppers for a dollar! I have no idea what I'll use them for, but I do have to cook tomorrow night. I think I'll be able to use them in something. I also got broccoli, snap beans, spring mix, spinach, red new potatoes, and something else that I'm forgetting.. It was a good produce day. It was SO good that dinner tonight was only 8 points! Hooray for George Foreman turkey breast, broccoli, and sauteed spinach and onions! :) Tomorrow, I think I'm going to find a way to use those peppers. I'd like to make some kind of stuffed pepper...we'll see how well that turns out. Or if it happens at all. After all...I need to work on school! :)

Well, I'm gonna get going. My replacement should be here soon. Hooray! :)

I love my sister

Pups at the trough 

I wish time would go faster!

Oh heavens. I am so unbelievably bored right now. I should never EVER say that. I should be absolutely thrilled that I am not busy...but somehow I am not thankful. Usually, when I say things like that, my day turns into crap. Oh well. Such is life. I'm actually pretty bummed because I might have to float tomorrow. I hate that. I do not under any circumstances wish to float, but it might be my turn. I really don't like floating after I've been working with the same kids for the last two days. BLECH. Let's hope for no floating! :)

I really wish that something exciting had gone on...but it hasn't. It is only 3:45pm and I still have 3 1/2 hours left. This whole weekend has been slow, which is a nice change. The last couple weekends I have worked have been absolute chaos...so it's nice to have a different day. I think we only have 11 kids on the floor right now...Yippee. Yesterday, by this time, we were already playing Jenga out of sheer boredom. We haven't started the games yet, but they are out on the counter. I've already helped the Unit Coordinator straighten her hair, sat for telemetry a couple of times, and solved a mini respiratory crisis. Other than that, nothing.

So, vacation starts in precisely 7 days! :) One week from today, at this very time, I will be in my condo, awaiting the start of the nacho/fajita/penne pasta party. Isn't that the most bizarre combination of tastes? Oh well, for only 5 dollars, we can enjoy all this. I'm sure it will be fabulous...what a way to continue the weight watcherLESS week :) I've got the rest of this week, after tomorrow, to get ready. I do have a class on Friday, but it's about transplant...which I'm all about recently. It should be interesting.

Well, it's now 3:51pm....and I'm minutes closer to the end. Hooray! :)

I'm sure all of you are sick and tired of finding out about my life right about now...but too bad! :) I'm so addicted to these right now! I love reading them about my friends, too! :)

Four jobs you have ever had in your life:
1. Nanny
2. Telecounselor
3. Labor and Delivery Tech
4. Registered Nurse

Four places you have lived:
1. Friendswood, Texas
2. Macungie, Pennsylvania
3. Dallas, Texas
4. Longview, Texas

Four tv shows you love to watch:
1. Scrubs
2. American Idol
3. Will and Grace
4. How I Met Your Mother

Four places you have been on vacation:
1. Walt Disney World (my 6th time is in 8 days)
2. Washington, DC (more times than I can count!)
3. California (San Francisco, Los Angeles)
4. Carribean (Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, Barbados, Dominica, Aruba)

Four websites you visit daily:
1. myspace.com
2. CNN.com
3. WAMU.com
4. msn.com

Four of your favorite foods:
1. Chocolate
2. Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches
3. McDonald's double cheeseburger (haven't had one in months)
4. Any kind of chinese food.

Four places you'd rather be right now:
1. Barbados
2. Walt Disney World
3. Washington DC
4. Not working

Four of your favorite smells:
1. chocolate
2. the grass after it rains
3. bacon
4. Cool Citrus Basil (may it rest in peace...stupid Bath and Body Works)

Four sounds you love to hear:
1. Oliver's "You stole my stuff" howl
2. My favorite music groups in concert
3. babies laughing
4. Sometimes, the sound of quiet is nice, too :)

Four sounds you hate to hear:
1. That stupid alarm clock.
2. Large amounts of dogs barking/shrieking
3. trumpets playing TAPS
4. People crying

Four of your favorite memories:
1. LeTourneau...need I say more?
2. The vacation my family had at the beach house this past summer.
3. Camp Orchard Hill and Victory Valley as a child.
4. All my Disney memories...

Four times you wish you could forget:
1. My sophomore year at LeTourneau
2. When I started a new school as a junior
3. When my roommate when crazy my senior year of college
4. The last year of teaching

Four bloggers you track regularly:
1. Becca Christy
2. Dana Huber
3. Chris Hubbs
4. Jacob Mowl (cause he's so CUTE!)

This one's a bit more disturbing...see below for an explanation!

They are NOT kissing...merely fighting to the death for a stick. 

Sunny days! (but not blazing hot!)

So here's the scene in front of me. I'm sitting outside in the absolutely beautiful weather. It is 79 degrees, according to weather.com....and the wind is blowing at the most perfect speed. I've got the most interesting drama going on in front of me. I'll put pictures on the blog showing these two fools. Liberty and Oliver are locked in a deathgrip over a two inch stick. Grace is holding it halfway out of her mouth, and Oliver is latched on to the part that is sticking out. He's also doing a lot of his "You took away my toy" howl. It's pretty sad. I was worried earlier about Liberty's leg and the fact that she's still limping....until I saw the two of them tearing around the yard crazily at insane speeds. They are nuts. I just got the treats out...and I think they may eat me alive.

Today's been SO beautiful outside. I'm so excited because I never get to be home on the nasty days. I'm always at work...and then when I'm home it's usually rainy or TOO hot...or just icky outside. I hope it's this nice in NINE days when I'm in Florida! :) Beauteous! :)

Oliver has just been yelled at because he started diggin in the dirt. He has nothing to bury...he doesn't need to ruin the yard. Psycho.

I weighed in today....drumroll please? I've now lost a grand total of 73lbs! I can't remember the last time I weighed this little...it was probably almost 10 years ago at LeTourneau! It's nutty. I bought some new scrubs online last week (of course they were on sale...I can't buy full price!), received them today, and promptly sent them back because they were too big! How sad! I was especially excited because they had dachshunds on them. I can NEVER find weenie dog scrubs. Now I just have to wait until they come back in a couple weeks in a smaller size. Sadness...but oh so happy! :)

Well, I'm getting my hair done tomorrow...highlights...lowlights...cut...the whole shabang. We'll see how it turns out! Until then...

Here's my transplant kiddo...she went home today. See me in the background? :) For more of her story, you can go to www.childrens.com

Now it's your turn! :)

Name: Stephanie Lynne Emerson

Birthdate: 09/15/1977
Birthplace: Webster, Texas
Current Location: Dallas, Texas
Eye Color: Blue
Hair Color: Red with some highlights.
Height: 5'6
Weight: 210...and very proud of that! :)
Piercings: Two in each ear. I'm a rebel...according to my mother
Tattoos: None
Boyfriend/Girlfriend: Oh dear heavens.
Overused Phrase: that's FABULOUS!

FAVORITES
Food: Either Dickies or Panda Express.
Candy: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Number: I have no favorite number. How retarded.
Color: Green and maybe purple.
Animal: My precious puppy
Drink: Diet Dr Pepper
Alcohol Drink: Amaretto Sour
Bagel: Cinnamon Sugar from Einstein Brothers.
Letter: Again. I have no idea.
Body Part on Opposite sex: Eyes

THIS OR THAT
Pepsi or Coke: Neither...Diet Dr Pepper
McDonalds or BurgerKing: McDonald's
Strawberry or Watermelon: Strawberries
Hot tea or Ice tea: Iced, I guess
Chocolate or Vanilla: Chocolate...I'm an addict.
Hot Chocolate or Coffee: Hot Chocolate...cause it's all about the chocolate.
Kiss or Hug: I like hugs...haven't gotten a lot of kisses lately! :)
Dog or Cat: puppies
Rap or Punk: Neither
Summer or Winter: Winter
Scary Movies or Funny Movies: definately funny
Love or Money: Love :)

YOUR...
Bedtime: 10pm when I have to work...whenever when I don't.
Most Missed Memory: Singers Tour
Best physical feature: Maybe my smile?
First Thought Waking Up: Dear heavens...I need to go back to bed.
Goal for this year: Start my BSN.
Weakness: Chocolate.
Fears: Not ever finding the man I'm supposed to.
Longest relationship: I think maybe a month? That's sad...
Ever Drank: Yep
Ever Smoked: Nope. EW EW
Pot: um...no.
Ever been Drunk: Nope
Ever been beaten up: Do cat fights with my sister count?
Ever beaten someone up: Again...do cat fights count?
Ever Shoplifted: yes...stupid Michael ratted me out.
Ever Skinny Dipped: Nope, not yet.
Ever Kissed Opposite sex: Yep
Been Dumped Lately: Nope

IN A GUY/GIRL
Favorite Eye Color: Blue/Green
Favorite Hair Color: I don't care! :)
Short or Long: Short
Height: preferably taller than I
Style: Casual....but not TOO casual.
Looks or Personality: It's all about personality.
Drugs and Alcohol: See you later...punks.
Muscular or Really Skinny: Neither...can't I have a mix of both?

RANDOMS
Number of Regrets in the Past: 2
What country do you want to Visit: Austria
How do you want to Die: Knowing I did everything I was supposed to.
Been to the Mall Lately: Yep. Yesterday.
Do you like Thunderstorms: Yes, I love them.
Get along with your Parents: Yep.
Health Freak: I'm a Weight Watchers Diva...need I say more?
Do you think you're Attractive: Most of the time I don't
Believe in Yourself: Yep
Want to go to College: Been there, done that.
Do you Smoke: Nope
Do you Drink: Not on a regular basis
Shower Daily: Nope...my hair goes crazy if I do! :) Maybe that's nasty...but oh well.
Been in Love: yep...or what I thought was love.
Do you Sing: Yes
Want to get Married: Yes
Do you want Children: Yes
Have your future kids names planned out: I have names for "suggestion"
Age you wanna lose your Virginity: Right after I walk down the aisle. (well, maybe not right after)
Hate anyone: nope

I hate my mom. 

Does this make me look fat? 

Life is good...

So, here I am...back at work. Lovin my job today. Actually, I shouldn't complain. I've had a great day...and not a busy one either, but I'm still going to. Isn't it crazy how I complain when I'm busy and complain when I'm bored. It's a scandal. My transplant patient is getting ready to go home, so she's less and less needy. It's a good thing, but it's sad because I know that she'll be going home this week. I really enjoy taking care of her...and I've done it a lot. I think I've had her every day I've been here for about a month. It will be very different without her here!

Other than that, life is peachy. I got to spend all day with a good friend from LU...just hanging out! I found out that he also loves Ikea (and really, who doesn't?), and we spent about 2 hours just milling about the store. Neither of us bought anything...which is good...because I can't afford it right now and he didn't have any way of getting it home! I love Ikea. It's a fabulous wonderland. Anyways, I had a great time bonding with a friend I haven't seen in awhile.

Liberty is doing better every day. I was worried for awhile, mostly because I didn't see that she was getting any better. She was still limping on it all the time and I wasn't sure that she felt good. Saturday, she decided to start walking on it most of the time, and only limp at night. She's still taking pain medicine and is kennelled during the day. Big baby.

Tomorrow, I was supposed to work, but my schedule got switched around. I dont' really like one on one off....but I'll manage. I agreed to work Wednesday and not tomorrow because we had way too many nurses on the schedule. Such is life! :) After Wednesday, I work the weekend and Monday. BLAH.

This day has gone by so fast. Days used to wear me out...especially when the transplant patient was so busy....but I'm feeling good today! Looking forward to a fabulous night of TV watching....and the season finale of the Bachelor! :)

Cold and rainy!

It's so rainy outside! I thought it was going to be just one of those horrible gray days....but I was wrong. It started sprinkling around noonish...and it just hasn't stopped. Now, it's a consistent rain. I should not be complaining, afterall, we didn't have rain for like, 400 days in a row! :)

Liberty is still being the great hobbling ween. She's been getting her pain meds, but she still doesn't seem to want to put pressure down on that foot. She'll occasionally put it down, when she's running to the door to eat the mailman or chase her brother away from her sister. Other than that, she just sits there with it held up, looking retarded. I took her back to the doctor today...her doctor. She also thought it was sprained, and said she could be limpsy for up to 2 weeks. I hope that doesn't interfere with her training for the Buda Weiner Dog Races!

I'm done with work until Monday, and I've been oh-so-productive today. I've finished my three day Scrubs marathon and am now 1/3 of the way through the Lord of the Rings marathon. The Two Towers really is the best of the three...or else the one with the most Legolas. It's a scandal, really. I've also finished all the paperwork for my nutrition class and faxed it LONG DISTANCE to my teacher. I've also done laundry...as was needed after Oliver became afraid I would hurt him and peed on my bed. It's all good. I needed something else exciting to do. Oh, I've also cleaned the living room. That's actually a whole lot more than I usually do on a day off...so I win! :)

Tomorrow, I'm hoping to do some shopping for vacation. I have precisely three pairs of capri/cropped pants...but that's pretty pathetic compared to the amount I normally have. I've given away four bags of clothes this morning to the leukemia society....and most of my summer wardrobe was in there. I also gave away about 15 scrub sets...that's a lot of money! :) Hopefully they will be able to use it better than I!

Anyways, there's really not much going on around here. I'm so excited that it's less than three weeks until vacation. Hooray! :) It's all about vacation. Almost Mickey time!

Becca let me borrow this rice bag heating thing. Gracie seems to like it on her elbow. At least she's not eating it...she's done that before. 

Semi sedated Gracie....just chilling on the couch.  

Absolutely zonked Gracie. 

Liberty Update

Thankfully, it's not broken! It's actually her elbow that's hurt...and apparently it's just a sprain. A very bad one, according to the very expensive vet! :) She's on pain killers and isn't really getting around well. I guess it didn't help that I picked her up when she was still a wee bit drugged....and she was absolutely dead to the world. I even gave her a treat, and she just held it in her mouth. How sad is she? Anyways...she's sitting in my lap....glad to be away from her brother and sister who were mauling each other right on top of her. I'll try to post her drugged up picture on here.

Stressful morning.

So, I've had a winner of a morning. I was holding Liberty while talking to Becca on the hallway phone. Liberty decided she wanted down and wriggled out of my arms. She fell flat on the floor, and immediately started crying and trying to get in my lap. She wouldn't walk on it and her shoulders looked different. Of course, I'm still on the phone with Becca, and crying hysterically because I feel I've broken my dog. I get dressed in non pajama clothes and take her to the Emergency Vet because my vet is only open Wed-Sat. Just my luck, the Emergency Vet was closed...as was the one on the other side of town. I called 2 other stores that have Liberty's vet in them (she goes to the one in Petsmart). They told me that someone could see her around 2. Right. So, I'm going to go home, wrap up my dog's bleeding arm in a towel (did I mention she was bleeding?) and comfort her crying until 2? It was 11:30am. Morons. I finally took her to Becca's old vet where they still took her away from me and said they'd call me when they'd figured out what was wrong. Of course, I'm still crying at this point...no doubt looking like crazy dog mom. At least I wasn't wearing make-up...wouldn't want to look that crazy. SO...now it's 1:18...and I'm still waiting for a call. I hated having to leave her at a strange vet...when she already felt bad. At least I know that they are doing xrays and stuff. I'm hoping she just cut her leg...but who knows. I'll update later when I find out what's going on. If you believe in praying for dogs...send one over her way. :)

Day of rest.

Okay, so doing laundry all day really isn't restful, but I guess it's the thought that counts. I'm not working today or tomorrow, so hopefully I'll be able to catch up on all the stuff I haven't done over the weekend. I think I've got some government to catch up on. Both classes are going well. I have A's in both of them at this point. I really need to just bite the bullet and send in my nursing school application...but it makes me nervous. For some reason, online classes make me less nervous than actually stepping into a classroom again. I have no idea. It makes no sense. Good grief, this paragraph is rambly. I need therapy!

My weekend went well. I took care of my same little friend that I have for all these weeks. She might get to go home before the weekend, and that would make me so happy! She's doing so well, it's really encouraging to see her getting up and doing things. I really wasn't stressed at all this weekend, and that's always nice. I got to keep the same patients all weekend. Hooray for me! :) I also was able to reconnect with a friend I haven't talked to in quite awhile! We know each other from LeTourneau...and I really need to keep in better contact with him! He's so much fun to talk to. Isn't it weird when you have those friends that you dont' get a chance to talk to very often, but when you do it's like you had just seen them the day before? It's really a funny story, because my roommate my senior year at LU was dating him, and I don't think we ever would have become such good friends if we hadn't lived through her going psycho together! She's thankfully in neither of our pictures anymore...but we still remained friends! hooray for friends! :)

Right now, I'm sitting in my bedroom, watching old people TV and trying to stay warm. I think it's warmer than over the weekend, but not by much. We actually had snow on the way home yesterday! I was so happy! It didn't last long, but it was still nice. The dogs are all curled up in my bed, loving my electric mattress pad. I'm working on teaching Oliver to "Sit" this morning. He's doing much better...maybe we'll have it by the end of the day. What am I thinking...this is one of my dogs...they are all stubborn as mules!

I am so excited that vacation is in less than three weeks! It will be nice to get out of the state for awhile...and have fun! I think we've got everything accounted for...except a ride home from the airport. We get in on a Sunday afternoon...if anyone's available for a quick jaunt out to DFW!

I'm sure there's something I should be doing. I'd better go find out what it is.

BLAH

I love my job...but some days, it's more draining than others. These past two days were so bizarre...and just draining. There's really no other word for it. I had a really stressful family that really kept me on my toes...and that always makes my job difficult. I hadn't had this particular family the entire time they'd been at the hospital, and I got the pleasure of having them right before they were going home...and dragging their heels the whole time. I've heard of people not wanting to go home...but not when they'd been in hospital for over 2 months. I'd be jumping out of my skin to go home! I was certainly glad to go home last night, with the knowledge that they will hopefully not be there when I come back on Saturday.

Anyways. Today I've been running errands and such. I started looking over my Nutrition for my test tomorrow...whooppee! I just love tests! It's so hard when I have absolutely no desire to take the class! I wish it was something that I thought was interesting! It's been an absolutely beautiful day outside...the dogs have been milling around in the grass. Oliver is mostly eating the grass and the leaves he finds. He then brings in sticks and sits in my bed to eat them. What a blessing he is. Becca took them to the dog park yesterday. The SAME dog that was following Liberty the last time was there again (with his knitting mom...who knits at the dog park?), but this time, Oliver defended his sister and chased off repulsive Trigger. I can't even remember what kind of dog Trigger is...but I do remember he wouldn't leave the girls alone.

Tomorrow I have to take my test, weigh in (always a joy), and do some laundry. I've also been itching to change around my bedroom, but I can't figure out how I want to do it. I have a wee room, so there's not really a lot of stuff to work with, especially since one wall is almost all window, and one wall is all closet. I've been toying with the idea of moving my bedroom to the living room...and just hanging up a curtain or something to keep the puppies in at night. It would sure be nice to have some more room! :)

Well, the dogs are barking at something ferocious, I'm sure...or else just themselves. They are retarded....better go see what it is!

Sadie has been voluntarily going in her crate while I'm home. I have no idea why she does this. She's nutty. 

Oliver loves his sister. 

I told you he was creepy! YIKES! 

The world's best TV time.

I love the Olympics. Personally, it's one of my favorite times of the year...and sadly, it only comes every two! Summer games...winter games...it makes no difference. I love it all! I really enjoy both...in two very different ways. In the summer, it's all about swimming and gymnastics. In the winter, figure skating, luge, bobsled, snowboards....okay, so maybe there's more stuff I like in winter, but I'll watch pretty much anything. The last time the Olympics were on, I had just had surgery on my arm. I wasn't really doing anything...so I just laid around and watched the beauty of the games. I literally cry everytime an American wins a gold metal. Is that crazy or what? I don't know what it is about the national anthem...but I turn into a blubbering baby. It's sad.

Becca and I went to see Casting Crowns on Friday night. We rode the dart downtown and ate dinner in the West End (Tony Roma's is YUM!). We hopped back on the dart and took it to Reunion arena. The concert was great! Nichole Nordeman and Casting Crowns were both fabulous. I think we got back to the dart around 11:15 or so...it was a long concert! Sadly, the Opening Ceremonies were the same night...but thanks to the magic of TIVO, I was able to enjoy it commercial free last night. It is always fun to watch....especially when it gets to all the culture crap. I'm telling you, the man dressed in a leotard with a heart on it was the scariest thing I've ever seen. CREEPY! I'll have to find a picture of it for those of you who missed it. It's fabulous.

Today, I sent my nutrition teacher the first unit of stuff. It was 11 pages that I had to fax...LONG DISTANCE. How nasty is that? It cost me 18 dollars to do that! I was so angry. It wasn't even the fax at the school...cause the school isn't long distance. I'm guessing it went to her house...which made me even more angry! Stupid.

We leave for Florida 4 weeks from today! It's going to be a little different since we found out that there isn't a stovetop there. Hooray for microwaved food! :) We can eat smart ones meals! :) We also found out that there are several nights where the resort has dinners for 5-6 dollars for the meal...so that's not bad either. It all works.

Right now, I'm watching Kronk's New Groove. It's hilarious. I really loved The Emperor's New Groove...and this is the sequel. The level of humor in these movies is really great. I've also rented Christmas with the Kranks (okay, so I can be merry all year long...) and the Longest Yard. I'm on this kick of only renting movies I haven't seen before. You'd think I'd been doing that all along...but no. I have this plan with Hollywood Video that I can rent as many movies as I want during the month, taking 3 at a time. It's like Netflix...but you don't have to wait for them in the mail.

Well, I've got to go back to Kinko's now. I left my folder with all my nutrition stuff right on the counter at the store. I'm a brilliant one.

She's sweet...and a little weird. 

Oliver now weighs 18 pounds. When we got him...he was 7! 

Isn't he sweet!....and HUGE! 

Guest map...

I put a new feature on the blog...a guest map! It lets me know where all the people who read my blog are reading from! Post away! I'd love to know where you're coming from!

Pretty in Pink.

Okay, so I didn't really fix the blog. I just figured out how to replace the template so I didn't have to fool with it anymore. I'm all into pink lately...and I never have been that I can remember. My mother will testify that I used to love pink...but not since I was about 5. I normally can't wear it..it makes me look awful. I've thrown caution to the wind this week, wearing pink out in public at least twice. My life is sad.

This has been such a busy work week. I'm glad to be off for awhile. I'm hoping to have relaxing time. Tomorrow, I am planning to try and sleep as long as I can, and then work on my school work. I've got to take my first nutrition test. BLECH. Today, I've been running around all day..and now I'm so sleepy! I think I'll sleep well tonight. I've already taken Sadie and Liberty to two separate vets, had the dent in my car fixed, done a 3 hour skills check off at work, and finally returned home to relax and try to get my headache to go away. I'm such a weenie.

I can not wait until vacation. I think we leave 1 month from Sunday! Hooray! :) I love Florida....or more specificially...the whole Walt Disney World experience. If you've never done it, I highly recommend it. I've never actually stayed at the park before...it's so much cheaper to stay off site. We're staying in a condo for 25 dollars for the week! :)

Let me tell you how much I hate doing my taxes. It's so stressful. I have to fill out extra forms for Pampered Chef, my education credits...and it just takes forever! I can't even fill out the 1040A anymore...I'm forced to do the regular 1040. It has so many stupid questions and blanks to fill in. It gives me a headache. I really shouldn't complain. Thanks to my fear that the government will make me pay them income tax, I've once again succeeded in having them take too much out...and now I get it back! Hooray!

Today, I sent Liberty Grace's entry form to the Buda Lions Club for the weiner dog races in April. I've already got the time off approved...now I just have to get the dog approved! :) I think my parents are going to enter Jack too...that should be interesting. I told the guy at her vet today and he was so excited that he almost cried. I was rather disturbed by that...

Well, I'm going to go crawl in bed and nap. Hopefully that will take away my headache! :)

Fun at work.

Well, I don't normally do three work days in a row. It's a little too exhausting...but somehow I am doing it. It's actually much better when two of the three days are on a weekend....normally! :) Yesterday I was so freakishly busy....and that's pretty abnormal for a Saturday. I had 4 patients..which does happen...and the tech went home sick pretty early in the day. That was the most frustrating part. I ended up not eating lunch until about 3:30pm in the afternoon. YIKES! :) It's not the most fun day I've ever had, I'll tell you! I am pretty awake today..which is good. I hate being wiped out on the second day because then I know I will have a bad third. At least all my patients are the same! :)

Other than working, I've been busy doing school work and the insane piles of laundry that have built up. Let me tell you, I HATE when laundry piles up. I usually do a couple of loads a week so I stay caught up. This time, there was none of that. I think I did 5 or 6 loads. Liberty loved it, of course, because she stayed planted in the piles of warm laundry. I also decided to do major overhaul of my clothes situation and gave up at least 15 pairs of pajamas...which is so hard for me. I love pajamas...but a lot of them were just too big. I also packed up an entire trash bag full of scrubs that don't fit. I feel really bad giving them away, but I really don't know anyone to give them to! I usually give all my clothes to the Leukemia society...at least then I know that they are selling them and the money goes to a good cause. They haven't called in quite awhile...maybe I should call them. I know I have at least 5 bags of clothes.

I've been having a really interesting, yet heartbreaking time on Myspace. I found a whole bunch of kids that I used to teach...and while it's interesting to see what they are doing now, it's heartbreaking to read their blogs and find out all their vices....foul language of the worst kind to be exact. Some drink, they all swear, and do a lot of other nasty things. It's hard for me to believe that kids that I had as precious junior highers...have turned into that. There are a couple that I am keeping in contact with...the rest, I just read their blogs and sigh.

After tomorrow, I work Wednesday and am off until the following Tuesday. Five days off! :) What will I do? I have to come to work for a couple hours on Thursday for a skills check off. Friday, Becca and I are going to see Casting Crowns. That should be fun. The remainder of the time, I'm sure will be spend finishing up my government essays. I only have a couple still to do...but my nutrition is caught up! I just have to take test one! :)

Well, I'm sure there is something here that needs doing. I'm expecting a kid from the ER soon...so hooray! :)

Will it ever go away?

I thought I was getting better, but apparently no. This strain of pneumonia is a wee bit feisty...too feisty for the antibiotics I was taking. The day after I stopped, all the symptoms came back..with a few new friends! :) I went back to the doctor today (my doctor is so sweet. She's fabulous!) to see what was going on. Apparently, this pneumonia is resistant to the drug I was on, which is odd...since it's always worked before. I need to seriously consider getting the pneumonia vaccine. This thing kicks my bootie every year. But on from the pitiful me routine. Tomorrow, I'm going to spend the whole day doing school work...that should be a rocking good time. I'm hoping to get through the first unit of my government done, and ready to take my nutrition test. We'll see. It's the plan. Today, I'm spending quality time watching stupid movies that I haven't had time to watch since I can rent them for free at Hollywood video. Right now, I'm watching Mr. and Mrs. Smith...the reason for "Brangelina". Ironically, Vince Vaughn is in this movie too. The only thing that's missing is Jennifer Aniston. Bizarre. EW! Someone in this movie is driving a station wagon! EW! How horrid.

I'm on a salt fix right now. I can't seem to have enough. It's craziness. Last night, I ate so much cucumber and onion salad that I think onion is seeping out of my pores. How nasty is that? I've washed my hands thirteen times today. That's what I get.

The puppies have been so sweet today. They are very snuggly. We've been hanging out in the bed this afternoon, watching the aformentioned movies. Now, they are outside, barking like they are the only dogs on the block. Oliver has been staring at the ground for about 30 minutes now. I went over there to see what he was looking at.....and there was absolutely nothing. I'm seriously concerned about him. Earlier today, he threw the stuffed squirrel into the air, about 2 feet that is, and caught it himself. He then proceeded to run around the room with it....shaking it around and writhing around on his back. He's nutty.

Anyways. I'm still expecting a call from the doctor today...guess I'll call them if I haven't heard from her in the next hour. Liberty is barking crazily right now...guess I need to go stop her from scaring the neighborhood.