You Have a BOX!!!

For the sake of my mom, who didn't get to see my dad's mischievious packing job...








Thanks! I love you too! : )

Sad day: fall break might not be as gloriously long as I thought. We might have our second clinical rotation orientation that day. Blegh. I was looking forward to an extra day for fall break.

Sway.

The "Sway" (by Michael Buble) radio station on Pandora makes me want to eat at Olive Garden.

Almost. Almost.

It's been a good (but long) day.

Class all morning and afternoon. Practicing phlebotomy (blood draws) and IV starting in the lab on the arms. Dinner with our brother hall at 6:00. . . which was by far the best brother hall activity I've had in all four years here. Great turn-out, great conversation, and great excitement about continued fun-ness.

Tomorrow = Friday. WaHOOO! Only one 2-hour lecture before chapel, then work and... the weekend!!! Even a three-day weekend!

Catch you later...

Two Weeks Down.

It's hard to believe that two weeks of my senior year already went whooshing past; some of my friends are only starting classes now! This past weekend was wonderful---a great mix of study and fun. My roommate and I have made a determined commitment to get homework finished before Sunday so that Sunday can truly be a day of rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation. Granted, it means working our little tooshies off on Friday and Saturday (when most people are socializing) and then being bored on Sunday (when most people are doing homework and can't socialize), but it is still rewarding and refreshing.

Anyway, after classes and work on Friday afternoon, we took a girls-trip to Aldi's, Wal-Mart and the library... with each stop adding it's own unique success. Foods, necessities, non-necessities, books. At the library I picked up two books, the Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, upon Karissa's recommendation during our summer travels. Friday evening we spent some time working on homework. Saturday, I did laundry in the morning and worked on homework in the morning and afternoon. Around 4:00 Katie and I decided that we were going to work until 6:30, at which time we would stop and make grilled-cheese and watch MASH and ER. After a few episodes, we watched "EverAfter" with some girls from the hall and then headed to bed!

...which meant that Sunday was church, adoptive family's house for lunch, fun reading, phone call home, uploading Peru pictures, and more ER episodes, plus dinner date with (almost) the whole hall!

Today brought the reality of school back full-force! The weekend went by so quickly, but four hours of lecture beginning at 8:00 a.m. with only a one-hour break for chapel quickly reminded us of our full-time jobs as students. After class I grabbed a super-quick lunch (pizza, soup, and veggies) before heading to work, where I am answering phones and doing odds-and-ends tasks until 5:00 p.m. today.

Tomorrow we begin clinical, the "real deal." We'll begin by helping a nurse with her patients; in following weeks we will have one patient that we are responsible for, then in the last couple of weeks we will have two patients that we are responsible for. It's always nerve-wracking to start clinicals! Do I really remember how to do these things? Can I really do them?!

But, I am looking forward to this rotation; we are in the Intensive Care Unit at a local hospital, a good hospital. It's a bigger, newer hospital than the sites of my previous clinical experience, so I am glad that I get to have my "area of interest" rotation in a hospital comparable to the hospitals at home.

We have a drug quiz at clinical tomorrow, which I definitely need to study for!! After clinical tomorrow and Wednesday, we have classes again on Thursday and Friday, with nothing exceedingly special about those classes. Then it's a 3-day weekend because of labor day!! Wahoo!!

Start. For the Fourth (but last!) Time.

We officially began our senior year of college on Wednesday at 8:00 a.m. with Adult and Child Health Nursing. It was nice to have a short week with only three days of classes; a good dose of getting started, but not too overwhelming... or at least we tried to let it overwhelm us!

This coming week will be a packed week, I know... and definitely not my favorite kind of week. Monday is class and work from 8:00 until 5:00; Tuesday is class from 8:00-4:00 with skills revalidations at 5:30 (yikes!! I'm not a fan of these nervewracking events called validations!); Wednesday, clinical orientation from ?? to ??; Thursday, class from 8:00 to 3:20; Friday class and work from 8:00-2:00.

These days are long and there is definitely a lot of work involved with ACH and Nursing Research, but similar to last year, we're trying to maintain an open-door policy... in that, sure, we'll be working on homework a lot, but we're always here to listen and talk and pray if someone needs to do so. We've got a little sign on our door that reminds people of this, and a second sign (or rather, set of notes) that say "Need a hug? Need to talk? Need a tissue? Need (or want) a piece of candy? Come on in, we're here for you!"

That's an update on life at this point. Not too much out of the ordinary routine of classes, work, and girl time in the dorm! I'm still trying to decide about participating in a Bible study or not... whether I can commit to a group like that this year. I'm not planning to do the pregnancy center ministry due to my work/class schedule on Mondays/Tuesdays.

But, I'm excited about the Lord's plans for this year. This year holds possibilities and opportunities that no other year held, many of which are unbeknownst to me of course, so it will be interesting to watch the year unfold and strive to glorify God in the journey!

Just for kicks and giggles...

Currently reading: the Purpose Driven Life
Currently listening to: Hillsong United, the One Heart Revolution
Currently drinking: lemonade
Currently eating: nothing. I'm full from afternoon snacks and supper.
Currently watching: maybe I'll watch some ER or a short part of a movie before I head to bed.

Making My (temporarily permanent) Home.

Here's a peek into the setup of our dorm room, at this stage (sorry that the pictures are in no particular order). I'm the only one here, but my roommate will come soon and then it will look much more complete!! I'll try to post more pictures when it's closer to the "final product"! : ) The first picture is of our little relaxation/encouragement spot... kleenex and a candy dish seemed appropriate for senior year of nursing school! : ) The second picture exhibits the awesome door hangers my mom and I found at a local art store. Hi-lar-i-ous.

For now, I am thankful for the air conditioning and large room... and for a few days to catch my breath before we have a big test on the first day of classes on Wednesday!

Check back later for more pictures!

Last Time For This

No, this is not my last blog post (go ahead, take a breath). Rather, it is the last time I need to wrap up summer vacation to prepare for another school year. It is my senior year already! Wow! Next year, real life begins... hmmm...

In the meantime, I've been enjoying some simple pleasures of life.

A new cell phone. Two thirds of the phones on our plan bit the dust, so we were able to upgrade. And because we keep phones a lot longer than the average customer, we got free upgrades, or free phones. Double wow! I didn't know that the system worked that way; but, it certainly speaks to Americans' discontentment with any technology that is "lagging behind" what is up-and-coming, which is also sad. Three years isn't all that long to own a phone, and most people don't even keep them that long. Yikes!

Great thrift store and free bin finds. In the last two weeks I've managed to end up with 4 knit shirts, two swing jackets, a new business skirt (which also miraculously matches my navy suit jacket, so now I have the choice of a suit with a skirt, or a suit with pants), pink high heels, a cute black stand/rack... perfect for something in the dorm room, if space allows, and a few picture frames!

Spiffy new glasses. A new style for me, but I love it! Some days I wear my glasses just for the fun of it.

Printing pictures and quotes. Planning to design, arrange and display pictures and quotes in my picture frames, because I love to have a dorm room that is sprinkled all over with photographs, quotes, and verses. It's the perfect day-brightener!

A wild black cherry gelati at Rita's. On one of the hottest days of the summer; thanks Dad!

Minimizing my life into plastic tubs and cardboard boxes. Oh the joys of packing for school! Perhaps one of those pleasures you quickly grow tired of! But, it's the last time I'll have to do it... at least for now.

Writting in my journal. A habit and hobby that guarantees to calm me, rejuvenate me, relax me, refresh me, reinspire me...

Maybe that's a good enough list for now... In other moments, I've been studying for a big test that we have on the first day of classes... comprehensive over many of the subjects we've learned about in the last year and a half or two. Ugh.

Music.

So, that is pretty much awesome. Especially those two songs.

Back for a Bit.

I've been home from my South American travels for a bit more than one week now, and it's been good to be back and adjust to work life again. Getting up at 4:30 or 5:30 a.m. is not so cool, but it's been good (as in beneficial) experience once again.

This week we have taken care of several residents who were living the last days of their lives. Yesterday one resident died during our shift, and today another resident died. Both deaths were anticipated, but not welcomed, of course. Working in a nursing home and seeing death as it takes over someone's life is not a thing I like to watch. I hate watching death, so you may wonder why I am in nursing with an interest in intensive care nursing. Yes, I hate seeing death, but at the same time, I have learned from residents that death can be a scary, lonely time... as nurses, we can help to ease some of the suffering and offer a hand to hold or a presence to comfort.

It's truly a gift to serve in this way, even though it is also painful.

More Pictures from Life in Peru!

Calla lillies (sp?) from the local San Jeronimo market, for 4 soles (approximately $1.33 in U.S. currency)!


Downtown Plaza de Armas at night


Agricultral ruins from the pre-Incan time period (1100-1400) or the Incan empire (1500's). They used these varied, circular terraces to imitate, test, and perfect growing spots on the mountain sides.

Salt mines near Urubumba. About 3,500 plots of salt fed by one small salty stream

One picture from our most recent trek---to Macchu Picchu! I am exhausted from those last three sites, all visited in 24 hours during a two-day trip!

Welcome to Cusco!

(Great apologies for the sideways pictures. I think I should have rotated them before posting them, but too late now and I don't want to wait for the computer for another 10 minutes!)

Flying across Peru, into Cusco from Lima... early, early last Tuesday morning (above).

Part of Cusco, near the school during the day (above),
and the view out of our bedroom window at sunset (below).

I tried to write a post last night, but with no success. Internet services are available, but not necessarily "rapido!" It's hard to believe that we have been here in Cusco, Peru for almost 2 weeks. But, it has been wonderful, interesting, strange, exciting, exhausting, and many other things! We adjusted to the culture fairly well, and we didn't experience any health problems related to the change in altitude. (Although we continue to laugh at ourselves as we become breathless after a climb up the stairs or a walk up the street. Pathetic, we say.) I got a cold about two days and have been dealing with a runny nose since then, but no other major health problems, praise the Lord!

We have been spending some of our time at Promesa (the school), helping in the 4-and-5-year-old classes, signing out books for the students in "library" from 2-2:15 each school day.

Children at Promesa in the library at the end of the school day.

I also was able to help Jen, one of the other missionaries who is a pediatrician and is completing health checks on all the students. I helped by taking the students vital signs and completing documenting/charting. (The picture below is of our little health room at Promesa.)


We also helped at Prosim (the health clinic) by bagging (and remeasuring, readjusting, and rebagging) food for a nutrition program for 37 students in Cusco who need food assistance.

In our other time, we spend time with the Shultz's, either by tagging along on errands, playing games with the kids, watching movies, or taking little half-day trips to the main plaza to watch parades and celebrations, which are a signature of the month of June in Cusco.

We have also enjoyed getting to know several other people who are serving here in Cusco for short terms. Today we enjoyed a day out with Nick and Sylvia (who will be here for another week) and Steve (who is here for 5 more weeks); we ate out at a restaurant near the Plaza de Armas. (I had an Alpaca sandwich!! It was delicious!) After lunch we went shopping before heading to the "March for Jesus" to walk with the kids from Promesa through the city of Cusco.

Some Things In My Life Recently

- Packing (!!)
- Four out of the five books in the Redemption series by Karen Kingsbury and Gary Smalley... and working on book no. 5 (I'm not usually a fan of "Christian fiction," but this is a good series!!)
- NCLEX review books (the long study process begins... previous test-takers recommend reviewing little bits consistently over a long period of time)
- Naps
- Details, details, details for the trip that's coming up in less than one week!
- fans and air conditioners for humid days
- Books from Amazon for the flights next week
- Early mornings (5:30, that is) for work and not-so-early mornings on days off of work.
- last minute shopping for last minute packing
- and more....

Things that aren't but should be part of my life...

- cleaning my room
- cleaning my room
- aaaaand.... cleaning my room!! HA.

Those Things Called Naps.

I just woke up from a nap. You know, those wonderful times that you lay down for a 30-minute nap and wake up about 2 hours later. I absolutely love that kind of sleep! Besides the fact that a part of your day is gone in the matter of a few dreams, it's more-often-than-not refreshing---which is wonderful any day.

Mom and I also worked on some "first round" packing. "First round" because it wasn't the final cut to see what will/will not fit in my suit case; rather the cut to see exactly what I wanted in my checked luggage and what I wanted to pack in my carry-on.

My friend is away for the weekend, so I don't know if there has been any progress in her visa-fiasco. But, we are all anxiously awaiting its arrival---and I, for one, am praying that it comes soon! I could do it, but I don't really want to travel by myself!!

It's time to go for a walk...

For My Momma.

Yesterday my mom asked me to post something new on my blog. I had actually forgotten about this blog for a little while; in the hum-drum of summer, it doesn't seem like there's too much to be talked about!

However, in a matter of a little more than a week I will be on my way to South America for 5 weeks, so I guess that deserves an update! A friend and I will be helping a missionary family from our church in any way we can. They are dedicated to a school, Promesa, so we will probably be mostly involved at the school.

Of course, hassles are involved, and my friend is still waiting to get her passport back from the visa application we needed to file. So, if you'd take a few minutes and pray for a quick delivery of an intact passport that would be greatly appreciated!

Otherwise, I've been working and lounging. I've also been working on a little bit of studying for the scary NCLEX test of next summer! The most frequent advice I've received is to start studying small doses consistently ahead of time.

But, it's 9:00 and I should probably start wrapping up.

Just Another Day.

Summer (not the season, the "vacation") has officially been happening for almost 2 weeks now. It's hard to believe that I've been home for that long, but, hey, it's a lot better than school. I am definitely grateful for the break from the insanity of this last year. I started work of sorts this week (although it was just reorientation, not the real work yet :) ), which helped to establish a sort of routine to my days. Kind of. I still have difficulty getting up when that alarm clock goes off. I did better when I had an 8:00 class...

But, I still catch myself thinking of things the way they were before Grandma passed away. At work, I find myself wondering when she will wander through the halls looking for me, until I remember that that is only a precious memory now. Things like that remind me that I miss her, and all the little ways she was a part of my life.

I'm counting down the days until the big trip this summer... I simply cannot wait to be able to get away for a few weeks and do things that are beyond my comfort zone, bless others, and experience life in less fortunate areas.

Till the next post... adios!

p.s. I'm hoping to start reading some thought-provoking books soon, so I'll try to post interesting thoughts on here....

12.

12 days of insanity. 12 days until the end of the school year.

I just got back from Easter break, which ended up being a bit longer of a break. We said goodbye to Grandma, as she passed away on Saturday after a brief illness. It was so hard; even though I rejoice in the hope of Christ, she was my last grandparent... and such a dear one to me. I miss her already, there's things that suddenly I'm realizing will never happen again.

I'm exhausted and weary. It was a tiring 6 days of going, going, going... I got the usual amount of sleep, but there's just so much going on in life right now. Almost too much handle if I let it take over... My to-do list is looming over my head, with projects full of (in my opinion) rediculous requirements from some profs. Somehow a 2-credit-hour course should not take up most of my time! and a term paper should not be expected to be a dissertation at the Bachelor's degree level. HA.

I'm looking forward to the weekend in two short days... granted, it will be full of homework. But, it will also provide some extra time for breathing hopefully.

That's what I feel like: I haven't been able to catch my breath. Sounds strange, but I don't think I've even fully realized the meaning or depth of all that happened this weekend, in the sense of all the things that will be different now.

I'd certainly appreciate your prayers on behalf of my family as well, as we adjust to perhaps a "new normal"... not that this was completely unexpected, but, as someone said last night, it's a big deal when you lose the matriarch.... especially such an amazing one!

Pressing on...

In these few minutes...

Since I have a few minutes before I need to catch some zzz's, here's a quick update on life!

- I finished writing my Public Health Nursing term paper on Yellow Fever and related epidemiology tonight. . . after countless hours, I am finally finished writing the 22.5-page beast! Now onto revising it before the due date next Friday. . .

- The nursing department cancelled the Junior exam---which is a huge blessing! It means one less thing to do, one less test to study for, a huge stressor to cross off the list, and one less thing to rearrange should the need arise to go home at a moment's notice.

- I'd continue to appreciate prayers for my family, as we continue to walk beside Grandma in these probably last few days of her life.

- It snowed today... snow, in April---alternating sunshine and pelting snow/sleet every 20-30 minutes. Gross.

- My sanity.... wearing thin, but the end of this craziness is getting closer! ....and the upcoming trip this summer is getting closer too! : D

- As always, I'm ever so grateful for worship music that comforts and relaxes such weary spirits.

Update.

I realize that there might not be many people reading this, especially since I don't update it very often anymore.

But, I'd really appreciate prayer for me and my family right now. On top of the insanity of school demands (only 4 weeks left!), we are beginning to grieve the loss of my grandma, who was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. Although we are treasuring her in these last days and weeks, we are all very aware of her approaching death. Please pray for comfort (physically and emotionally) for her, so that she can rest well at night and enjoy her days. Also, please pray for my family as they have a lot on their plates right now with an 8-month-old (or maybe 9 by now)baby, grandma, a dog with a fungus, and two young adult children to keep in touch with. And, finally, for the rest of my family (aunts, uncles, cousins) who are spread all over the country and Canada, as they decide when to come in and then make the trip. A few are making the trip this weekend, some later in the month.

Please pray for strength, for rest, for memories, and for humor to brighten and ligthen the days! Thanks!

Update.

Since I have wandered away from the blogging realm for almost one month(!), I decided I should return and give an update on my life... especially since I probably won't be writing much in the next 7 weeks.

Returning to school after spring break meant encountering a new nursing clinical rotation (this time Public Health) and realizing that any taste of free time and freedom is long gone. During these last seven weeks of my junior year I have an gigantic amount of reading to do, 3 papers to write, one group paper to edit (and design an accompanying powerpoint), 1 regular test, 3 finals, and one "Junior Exam" (an exam for all junior year nursing students before entering the senior year---just mostly intimidating, that's all). To give an idea of the amount of reading for Public Health alone, most weeks I have 2 chapters in at least two textbooks, plus 3-4 chapters to read in "Ebola," a fiction book required for the class. That's not to mention the book I have to read for Christian Worldview Integration or the reading I have to do each week for Concepts of Gerontology and Nursing Care for Diverse Populations, the two other classes I have this semester.

Needless to say, I'm slightly overwhelmed. Ah. I would certainly appreciate your prayers for miraculous time management, efficiency, effectiveness and energy. We sang an extremely applicable and appropriate song this morning in chapel---the old, beautiful hymn "I Need Thee Every Hour." I'll close with those words, for His strength is truly the only way I will survive these weeks in one piece with a sane mind.

I need thee, oh I need Thee
Every hour I need Thee
Oh, bless me now my Savior
I come to Thee