Just Another Day...

32

2011-01-12T07:22:00.004-06:00

This week I turned 32. It was a fabulous day, filled with great memories. It started off with waking up to about an inch of snow that fell during the night. Burl took me out to breakfast and then followed me to work to make sure I didn't have any problems since the city had not scraped or salted a single road. My co-workers took me out to lunch and then that afternoon I had a surprise visit from my favorite three year-old at the office. Reed brought me balloons and chocolate chip cookies that he had helped make. Along with the balloons and cookies came the plans for that night as Abbey and I had planned to have a little girl's night out. In true Abbey-style, I was presented five options in poem format. (Yes, that means they rhymed.) The weather threw a little kink in our plans, but we had a great time. We went on a progressive dinner that started with chips and queso at a Mexican restaurant that we just happened on to...dinner at Pei Wei and we finished with cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory.

Then there were the countless phone calls, text messages, and Facebook messages. Thanks to everyone...I think 32 is going to be pretty grrrrrrreat!!!

I Know, I Know, I Know

2010-12-30T18:05:00.002-06:00

It has been forever since I blogged last, but I have been thinking about jumping back in with both feet. I have a lot on my mind right now, and I really need an outlet. So, if anyone is actually still checking this thing, give me a shot so I know whether I am just talking into the wind or should I actually run spell check!

In Case You Haven't Heard...

2010-05-06T22:09:00.006-05:00

There was a little rain over the weekend. Okay, so a lot of rain. Somewhere between 15 and 17 inches. A lot of the water has receded, but there are still lots of areas of downtown Nashville and surrounding areas that are still underwater.

I was very fortunate. There was flooding in my county, but not in my neighborhood. I thought about it all yesterday as I worked in the yard for about six hours. I am thankful that I have a yard that needed to be mowed. I am thankful for the weeds that needed to be pulled from the flower beds. I am thankful that I still have a house that needs to be cleaned and laundry that needs to be done. I am thankful that I have a dirty SUV in messy a garage. I have much to be thankful for.

There are lots of blogs being written about the flooding here in Nashville. Here are a couple I have read and found interesting:

We are Nashville

America, Hello from Soggy Nashville

Lessons from the Flood (Parts 1-3)

Captured: Flooding and the Aftermath in Nashville

There are many more, I am sure, but those are the ones I have read. And there are over 2,000 videos on You Tube showing pictures and video footage of the flooding. I think this one is pretty good and features quotes from the first blog I linked to.

Where You Been?

2010-05-02T12:06:00.002-05:00

The other day I talked to my favorite little Asian guy who lives around the corner on the phone. The first thing out of his mouth was, "Where you been, Manya?"

The truth is I have been around. There has been work and a house to tend to and the yard at that house has required a lot of work lately. Then there is this boy and a good deal of time has been spent with him or going to see him. This past week was Abbey's 30th birthday and if any of y'all know me at all, I am always up for a party. All that to say, I am still around.

Speaking of Abbey's birthday, you should read about the best birthday present that she received this year. I guess I will have to be careful about calling Reed my fave, but oh so excited for them all!

Busy, Busy Bee

2010-03-29T21:27:00.007-05:00

I can't believe March is almost over. I feel like this month has just blown by...I have tried to think of what I have done. All I can come up with is work...well, that and spending time with this guy...

Now, I am not complaining...just a mere observation.

Today, I spent the morning with another guy. This one.

He is a hoot, that is for sure. We were definitely busy little bees. We rode bikes...well, he peddled for the most part and I steered. That is why there are no pictures.

Then we played baseball.

And we blew bubbles.

And more bubbles.

And even more bubbles.

Then we took a little break from all the bubble blowing and took a ride on the swing.

Eventually he announced he needed a sandwich. I asked what kind and he told me a "peanut butter and jelly sandwich with no peanut butter." I asked, "so a jelly sandwich?" He responded, "No Manya, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with no peanut butter." This was a flash back to my childhood because my younger brother always wanted a "peanut butter and jelly sandwich with no jelly." His wish was my command though...even when he asked if he could eat it outside.

We also had a little spin on the sit and spin...yes, I realize he is standing and not sitting...and a walk in our neighborhood.

An all around great day. Especially after I had my nap this afternoon to recover from all the playing! :0)

Introductions

2010-03-06T17:27:00.002-06:00

This is Burl (and me) at Burgess Falls last weekend. We have been dating for several weeks now and I decided it was time to introduce him on the blog.

Letting Go

2010-02-22T14:16:00.007-06:00

Recently I have had a couple of conversations with a friend about the plans we make in life. I will be the first to confess, I am a planner. I like to know what is going to happen and when it is going to happen. However, I have learned that things don't always happen the way I would like them to or in the way I had planned them. I have also learned that plans really are better up left to God. It sounds simple, but oh so true.

Isaiah 55:8-9 says, "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' declares the Lord. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.'" This is a constant reminder that as good as my plans seem, they are mine and not necessarily God's. His ways and His thoughts are far superior than mine. Which then reminds me of Ephesians 3:20 and the fact that God is able to do "more than all we ask or imagine".

Sometimes we have to simply let go. Let go of our plans and take a leap of faith. Leaping into the arms of the Heavenly Father and grab hold of the incredible plans that He has for each one of us. I know it is easier said than done, but I know I don't want to miss what He has in store for me.

The Fullness of God

2010-02-18T22:16:00.004-06:00

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesian 3:14-21

36 Hours

2010-02-17T21:37:00.001-06:00

That is how long I was up yesterday. It was worth every minute of it, BUT it has caused me to have nothing profound or blog worthy today. Sorry.

Snow Day

2010-02-15T11:44:00.007-06:00

Snow continues to fall...earlier it looked a little blizzard like. Of course that is coming from some one born and raised in Texas who came to Tennessee by the way of Florida. That to say, I might be a little naive and really have no concept of blizzard like weather. All I know is that when all you can see is snow blowing and falling outside, that is a lot of snow. Don't even get me started on global warming!!!

All my pictures of the snow are starting to look the same, but I do promise that these were taken this morning...mainly from my back door! It is too cold to go outside. :) This is where I have spent most of the day.

Forever and a Day

2010-02-15T00:28:00.003-06:00

I know, it has been forever and a day since I posted anything on here. Here are a few thoughts as I attempt to get this up and running again.

1. 2009 was a good year...I have heard a lot of people say they are glad it is over, but I thought it was pretty good. I had made some big changes in life and feel that God has truly blessed me.
2. 2010 has already had some ups and downs...but overall it has been pretty incredible...I can't wait to see what it holds.
3. Tennessee is cold!!!! I have never lived in area that received so much snow. It is suppose to snow a couple more inches of snow tonight. I think this will be the fourth snow of 2010...I have lost count.
4. I can't sleep, which explains why I am blogging at 12:47 am. Thankfully, I only will be working nights a few more months and then I will be going to the day shift. I am looking forward to living a normal life.

Stay tuned for more...I really am going to try and do a better job! :-)

Meeting PW

2009-12-13T21:44:00.006-06:00

This past week Abbey and went over to Green Hills Mall in Nashville to attend the Pioneer Woman's book signing. Jeff and Abbey introduced me to her blog several years ago and I have been a faithful reader ever since.

The signing was at Davis Kidd Bookstore, and while Abbey and I have mixed feelings on the store itself, I will say that they were prepared for the mass of woman (and a handful of men) that ascended on the store last Tuesday night. We heard before Thanksgiving that tickets were going to be required so Jeff took care of getting us tickets one day on his lunch break over a week before the event. We were already in group 6! (Each group had 25 people in it!!!)

When we arrived at the signing there were lots of woman already there...fairly quickly an employee began giving directions to the masses and began assembling us in our groups. Group 1...Group 2...Group 2...well you get the picture except that there were 20 groups!!! Needless to say we had to wait a bit, but eventually it was our turn.

You can see Jeff and Abbey's version of the events here. (Oh, and I am Manya...that is what Reed calls me and no I don't know why!)

Because I am an Equal Opportunity Aunt

2009-11-16T12:05:00.005-06:00

Can't Resist

2009-11-11T19:12:00.002-06:00

I think she is just too cute!

Happy Birthday

2009-11-06T18:54:00.004-06:00

Happy Birthday Little Bro...I think this is one you will never forget!

Newest Addition

2009-11-05T18:07:00.001-06:00

Reagan Taylor
November 5, 2009 at 7:28 am
7 pounds 9 ounces, 19 1/2 inches
Only 61 1/2 hours of labor!
Everyone is doing well.

Fall

2009-11-04T17:54:00.004-06:00

My front door

Mums in my niegbor's yard.

Slacker

2009-10-19T10:57:00.001-05:00

I know...

Book Review

2009-09-21T18:01:00.004-05:00

I finished reading "Same Kind of Different As Me." over the weekend. It is the true story of Ron Hall and Denver Moore who authored the book with Lynn Vincent. Ron Hall is an international art dealer in Fort Worth, TX. Denver Moore was a modern-day slave who was raised on the plantations of Louisiana. Frustrated that he could never pay his debt to "The Man", Denver eventually hopped aboard a train and found himself in Fort Worth and began his new life on the streets.

You might wonder how two unlikely men became friends. Ron and his wife, Debbie, eventually started volunteering at a homeless mission in Fort Worth and none of their lives were ever the same.

I would love to share more of the book, but I am afraid I would spoil it for any of you who wanted to read it. I will say that if you want to read a story about the heart of God, and the lives of two unlikely best friends, you should read it. It is honestly one of the best non-fiction books I have read in a long time.

Master Bedroom

2009-09-18T16:38:00.002-05:00

Here is a quick sneak peak at the master bedroom.

It's Been Forever

2009-09-16T07:55:00.002-05:00

I know it has been forever since my last post. Work has been very busy and there have been plenty of extra shifts to pick up. This week and last week have been the first two weeks in a while that I haven't picked up a fourth shift. Well, technically last week I only worked 2 1/2 shifts and this week I will only work 2. I'll explain in a second.

Other than work, I have been busy working around the house. The guest bathroom has been painted and the office is finally finished. Just some painting in the master bedroom and bath is left. I'll go ahead and post some pictures as soon as I remember to buy batteries for the camera.

So Saturday night I was at work...everything was going pretty well. It was my second night as charge nurse, but I things were moving fairly smoothly. About 1 am I sat down to catch up on a little charting and catch up with a patient that had spent the beginning part of the shift at dialysis. I sat and began writing, suddenly and I mean suddenly, I felt the sharpest pain in the left area of my back. All I could do was put my head down. I then broke out in a sweat and realized I had about 1 minute to get to the bathroom. Long story short, I realized I could not continue working and at the same time I knew it wasn't a stomach virus so the house nursing supervisor took me to the ER in a wheel chair. Can I tell you what great service you get in the ER when the supervisor brings another nurse down in a wheelchair? I think there were two nurses and a tech in the room. They started asking questions, an IV was started, some good medicine was given to control the pain and nausea, and fairly quickly the ER doctor came in. He told me it sounded like I had a kidney stone and he wanted to do a CT scan to confirm. Sure enough the scan showed a nice 3 mm stone. I left the ER at about 6:30 Sunday morning to pass my new found friend at home. I did not go home empty handed as I had prescriptions for pain medicine and anti-nausea medicine. Sunday and Monday were spent at home pushing fluids and napping. (And for the record I may go a lifetime before I drink any lemonade or lemon flavored drinks!) Finally, at about 11:20 on Monday night the whole ordeal was over.

I did keep my follow-up appointment on Tuesday with the urologist and have been given several things to do over the next month before I see him again. Mainly dietary changes like more vegetables, less animal protein, a 1/2 cup of bran cereal every morning, and lots of water. He did make a comment that it may be the water where I live but I won't know anything until I go back in a month and all the lab tests have returned.

Until then, I am really going to try to do a better job of keeping things updated! :)

The Latest Report

2009-08-29T10:50:00.003-05:00

On Thursday night Cindy was placed in hospice care. They have stopped all IV fluids and her breathing became more labored last night.

Again I thank you for all your prayers for this family.

UPDATE: Cindy passed away this evening at 5:30.

No Real Change

2009-08-26T18:03:00.003-05:00

Sorry I didn't get to post an update regarding my co-worker Cindy yesterday. Her family did take her off the ventilator yesterday. The early report was that her vital signs were stable except for her breathing. It was shallow and her rate was in the mid 20s. (Normal is around 16). The doctors didn't know how long it would take, but figured she wouldn't be able to keep that up very long.

Another one of my co-workers went to the hospital last night and Cindy was still holding her own in regards to her vital signs. There is a some brain activity in the brain stem only. The outlook is still not good at this point, but we are continuing to pray for a miracle.

Last night I worked and it was pretty obvious that something was going on. Everyone was a little short with each other at the beginning of the shift. It was as if a big pink elephant were in the room. We all knew it was there, but no one wanted to talk about it. However, by the end of the shift things were better. I think this has been a wake up call for everyone.

Thank you for your continued prayers.

Another Update

2009-08-24T18:41:00.002-05:00

While yesterday's report on my co-worker, Cindy, was positive, today's was not. The scan of her brain showed no activity and her kidneys began to fail. If there is not change (for the better) the family has decided to take her off life support tomorrow.

Please continue to pray for a miracle for Cindy and her family. Her daughter did go in to see her today. Pray for Steve, Cindy's husband, the three kids, and the rest of her family during this time. I would also ask that you would pray for the NorthCrest family. Our floor is very close, especially the night shift. Pray that those of us who have a strong faith would have opportunities to share Christ no matter the outcome at this point.

Thanks.

Update

2009-08-23T23:02:00.003-05:00

If you missed my last post, you might want to read it to get the background information.

I spoke with one of my co-workers a little while ago. She had been to the hospital to see Cindy. Another EEG today showed some brain activity. This is better than yesterday's report. Cindy's children were told what was going on and the twin boys went to see her today. Her daughter was not ready yet. The family is staying optimistic at this time and continuing to pray for a miracle.

Thank you all for praying for Cindy and her family at this time.

Heavy Heart

2009-08-22T22:44:00.003-05:00

It is with a heavy heart that I blog tonight.

At this time last week the crazy part of the night shift was ending as most of the patients drifted off to sleep. Around midnight a couple of nurses and I shared a pizza.

You might wonder where I am going. I sat by Cindy that night. It was just another night. We worked, we laughed, we caught up on the things in each other's lives. I asked her how here three kids were. She asked me about the house.

Thursday morning Cindy's husband found her unresponsive and she was taken the ER. Long story short, she is in a diabetic coma. At this time the report is not good.

Please join me in praying for a miracle for my co-worker and her family.

Sneak Peak

2009-08-13T09:16:00.002-05:00

Here is a sneak peak to the master bedroom.

I have some more painting to do so I better get busy.

Real Gems

2009-08-11T20:34:00.005-05:00

When my parents came to help me move in they brought a few boxes of hidden treasures from my room. I honestly haven't even thought about them, but today was "Project Clean out the Garage". The garage had become the dumping grounds of all things that had no place. Today I unpacked all the boxes and put them up. Or in the case of the study/office, the boxes are piled in the corner. (That is next month's project.) As I opened the boxes my parents brought I found things like this:

And this:

Filled with these and even more embarrassing pictures:

Then there was an manila envelope from Ranger Insurance. Ranger is where my grandfather worked about a million years ago. In pencil scribbled on the front is "Cappetch Patch Kids Birth Sertevect".

Yep, inside is the birth certificate to every Cabbage Patch Kid I ever owned. This Ralph Baxter's...he was a cute dark brown haired guy that wore glasses.

Oh, and there was this guy that my grandmother made for my high school graduation.

And yes that is lipstick on the bears mouth and a Hallmark sticker as a gold medallion.

The question is what do I do with all this stuff?!?!?!?

Madeline's First Birthday

2009-08-09T20:24:00.004-05:00

These are just a few highlights from the big event.

My mom and Madeline...she can be very serious!

Some day I'll make her laugh!

Michelle makes the cutest cakes for her kiddos on their birthdays!

Her first bite of cake, ever!

I think she likes it.

I had a great time at home, but now I am working to get caught up back here...Trying to make this house a home. Some new pictures of the house should be posted in the next day or two...I promise! :)

Silly Aunt Jane

2009-08-04T22:00:00.004-05:00

She promised more pictures...pictures of her house and pictures of her trip home. BUT she is soooo silly! She hasn't taken any more pictures of the house and then she left her camera cord in Tennessee while she was in Texas. To make matters worse, when she got back to Tennessee she realized she left her camera at Papaw and Gigi's. So between a camera and no cord, a cord but no camera, and being very busy at work, she just can't get it together. Be patient, please!

Leaving on a Jet Plane

2009-07-23T02:11:00.003-05:00

It's 2:11 am...I'm at work in case you were wondering. All my patients are tucked aways in their beds and seem to be sleeping peacefully.

Tomorrow evening I'll head to the airport, completely sleep deprived (this is my fourth night in a row), to head to Texas. Today is Madeline 1st birthday. I can hardly believe she is one. Saturday is her birthday party and I am sure the rest of my week will be filled with various family activities. I will try to do a better job of blogging there.

Pics of the House...Finally!

2009-07-14T21:45:00.006-05:00

The front...except this was taken a while ago and I have cleaned up all the flower beds. Oh, and the garbage can is in the garage, because the HOA president informed that I was in violation of the covenant since it could be seen from the street. :)

Remember the back deck? My dad pressure washed it over 4th of July weekend. It looked so much better, then this weekend I began sealing it with Thompson's.

Here it is now...That is a dwarf crape myrtle in the pot...it should have some red blooms in the next week or so.

I also put these new Adirondack chairs together over the weekend. This morning I drank my cup of coffee out there and watched the sun rise.

I have a feeling I'll be out there a good bit in the morning...let's go inside.

This is the entryway.

Then the living room. Please ignore the tags on the couch, it was delivered this morning and I haven't stopped long enough to cut them off.

A couple of close ups of the new furniture.

The fireplace and mantle.

Well, that about does it...for now. I'll try to get some other pics tomorrow to post. The guest bedroom is basically finished expect for the curtains. The kitchen and dining room needed to be cleaned up so that is why there weren't any pics...And my bedroom, well, it is a work in progress. I am still wavering on what to do.

Oh, and Michelle, here is the dress for Madeline:

Checking In

2009-07-09T01:18:00.003-05:00

I just have a second (shhhhhh...don't tell, I am at work) and thought I would check in. The move is going extremely well. All the big stuff made it by Thursday. The weekend was spent unpacking, working in the yard, and buying some new furniture. My parents left Tuesday morning so it has just been me these past few days. I have stayed very busy since I went back to work on Tuesday night. I do have a few projects in mind for the weekend...I think I will never lack for projects again!

Tomorrow I will have the Internet and TV hooked up so hopefully some pics and more frequent updates will occur!

I Worked So Hard My Teeth Hurt

2009-07-02T07:42:00.003-05:00

Yesterday Abbey and I began moving my stuff to the new house. We are both pretty impressed with how much was accomplished. The kitchen is basically all moved and so is my closet. What's even better is that it is all put away in the new house. Now I may not be able to find anything and I might have to call Abbey to locate anything in the pantry, but it feels pretty good to have all that done.

My parents arrived last night after getting stuck in traffic right outside of Nashville. We met last night for dinner in Goodlettsville before making the track back into Springfield since they got held up and we were all starving. Before we all officially called it a day we went by the house so they could see if for the first time.

Today will be filled with more trips up and downs the stairs. (I am really wondering why I live on the second floor right about now! My knees and ankles are feeling every trip made up and down those things from yesterday. I mean, my teeth hurt....oh wait, that may have more to do with the fact that I squeezed in an orthodontist appointment yesterday after work and before the move!) The goal is to get the majority of the furniture moved.

Have I mentioned what great friends and family I have? I have some of the best!!! They help you move, they mow your lawn, they drive long distances with a U-Haul....Well, I better get off this couch and getting moving...of course I think a cup of coffee and two Aleeve will really help the process!

I Wonder If This Is How Jacob Felt When He Wrestled With God

2009-06-25T08:05:00.004-05:00

It's been 24 hours since I came home from work. Tuesday night was one of those nights you are convinced a full moon was out. Last I heard there were 9 patients in the ER waiting to be admitted expect for the fact there was not a single bed in the hospital that didn't have someone in it. I would have gladly exchanged one of those waiting in the ER for one of the patients I had. I mean you can only wrestle a grown man so long before it becomes too much. I would love to say that I won, but even as I left the floor yesterday morning the family was still trying to convince him to stay in bed. At least he was going to be the day shift's problem from then on.

Needless to say when I woke up from a nap in the early part of the afternoon I hurt in places that I don't typically hurt. My back and legs were quite sore and the only thing I can contribute it to is the grown man who refused to stay in bed all night.

So when work called and I asked if I minded coming in on Wednesday night instead of Thursday night, I said no. Well, at least that is the message I left on someone's voicemail at the hospital.

I also had some big plans for the afternoon. I have put off having my finger prints taken to finalize my background check because I just knew I was going to have to go into Nashville to have it done. Imagine my surprise when I realized that there was a location just up the road. Around 3:00pm I loaded up in my Tucson and headed to Guns and Leather where a very nice man took all my finger prints and emails them to the Board of Nursing. I also have my eye on a hot pink rifle now!

No afternoon is complete without a stop by Sonic since it was still happy hour and all their drinks were half off. I picked up a few extra drinks and headed to Jeff and Abbey's were I spent the rest of the day/evening. Nothing like hanging out with friends for dinner and then swimming.

My back is still pretty sore, but there is no time to complain because this morning I have a meeting at the hospital on foley catheters and then it is back to work tonight...Oh how my life has changed!

Brought To You From The Hall Bath

2009-06-17T19:33:00.003-05:00

Rain is pounding on all the windows and the tornado warning siren just ended. The electricity is flickering on and off. Thunder continues to roll and I feel pretty sure there is lightning as well...I wouldn't know because I have taken cover in the hall bathroom. It's the only interior room besides the laundry room, which just doesn't sound like a safe place to hang out during a tornado warning.

I wonder if this is going to spoil the plans that Abbey and I had to work out this evening? So how did you spend your Wednesday night?

A Night on the Town

2009-06-13T00:13:00.008-05:00

This afternoon Blair and I headed out of Springfield for a little big city action. I mean you can only keep a Tampa girl out in the middle of no where for so long!

We began by doing a little shopping at a cute little shop in Hendersonville. They carried a pretty good selection of Vera Bradley. The rug I have picked out for my living room is a Vera print and I needed something to use to match a sofa/love seat/chair arrangement. I ended up buying a placemat of the same pattern. I was very pleased to come home and realize that all my Fiesta matches so I will have to go back and get a few more.

Then it was on to Downtown Nashville. Several people told us we were crazy since it is the CMA festival. It actually ended up being a lot of fun. We were going to eat at BB King's, but it ended up being closed for a private event. We went further down the street and at the Wild Horse Saloon. Dinner was very good and watching everyone line dance was very entertaining.

Then we walked around the crowded streets, stopping in the stores we wanted until are feet hurt.

On our way back out of the city we decided to stop at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel (which is who owns the Wild Horse Saloon in case you were wondering about our choice of eating establishment...oh and we were finished eating by 6:45 and out of downtown before dark!) for some coffee and dessert. We almost gave up when we realized it was $18 to park, but eventually we figured out we could park at the mall and walk over.

We had a great day...However, we have to get to bed earlier...this is the second night we are up at 1:00 am! I guess we are trying to cram a lot in a few days. Tomorrow is our last full day as Blair flys back on Sunday and I have to work Sunday night.

Tour de Springfield

2009-06-10T23:43:00.002-05:00

My friend Blair from Tampa is here visiting. We are staying busying catching up and today I took her on Tour de Springfield. Actually that doesn't take very long, but we ended up stopping in some of Springfield's finest stores to do a little shopping. Basically the goal was to see if we found any ideas for the new house, which was one of the stops on Tour de Springfield.

Check back for some pictures in a day or so.

Boomerang Express!

2009-06-04T17:32:00.004-05:00

This week has been Vacation Bible School at Jeff and Abbey's church. Since I am such a good friend and Abbey is in charge of the whole thing, I have been helping!

It has been a great week with a record number of kids today.

I have also been very impressed with Abbey...she has been amazing to watch. Not only is she organized and prepared, but she is full of enthusiasm and great and getting the kids excited each and every morning. She has also handled the unexpected trials and challenges really well.

It's a......

2009-06-02T22:18:00.003-05:00

GIRL!!!!
Raegan Taylor due beginning of November

Goings Ons

2009-05-28T22:56:00.007-05:00

Friends
A few weeks ago Jeff, Abbey, and Reed went to the beach with their friend, Bill. (Well, I guess we are all friends, but he was their friend first.) Like the good friend that I am I agreed to make sure their mail was collected, their flowers watered, their house remained standing, the fish didn't die (although one did...I think it drowned!), and even that the grass was mowed. Also like the good friend that I am, I told them to make sure to bring me back a present.

I think it speaks for its self....

Nothing says friendship like an air brush t-shirt!

House Update
If you have been keeping track, you know that I am supposed to close on my house tomorrow. Well, that is not going to happen. The closing has been moved until mid July. It has to due with the fact that I am applying for a FHA loan and there is a clause that states that the house has to be owned for a minimum of 90 days by the current owner. That will be the beginning of July, but my mortgage broker says that since all the paper work is already ready, I can close in 10 to 12 days.

So I'll be putting aside all my paint swatches, leather samples, and even the sample bedding aside for a while.

Apartment Life
Since I'll be staying a while, I decided to clean up today. One of my goals was to vacuum, which never did happen, but I did collect all these in preparation to do so.

I am my grandmother's granddaughter!!!

Make sure to check back over the weekend. I have agreed to participate in a challenge over the next two and half months...as part of it I will be blogging about it...I'll share the details on Saturday.

Disturbing Prodcuts

2009-05-27T22:55:00.005-05:00

Tonight I was looking for some euro shams online during which I ran across the "Hug Me Pillow".

Which lead me to the "Desktop Butt Station Assistant Organizer".

And finally the "Ex 5 Piece Knife Set with Unique Holder".

I have no words.

Blogging Excuses

2009-05-23T23:14:00.004-05:00

There are many I could make for my lack of blogging, but the truth is I have been a tad preoccupied with the upcoming closing on my first house. I have been planning, measuring, window shopping (both in person and online), and making a few purchases. Tonight I went to Lowe's were I grabbed lots of paint color cards. I have lists and sketches. I am such a visual person I keep going back and measuring walls and furniture...I even laid painters tap all over one room to see if my plans would actually work. I am sure I will get back to normal...it may take a while though!

My First Painting

2009-05-13T20:20:00.004-05:00

I took a painting class on Friday night and then again on Saturday. I'll be honest and admit, I had no idea what to expect. It was an abstract painting class that used various mediums- paint, fabric, paper, and gloss. I'll spare you all the details and just share the final product!

This is an 18 x 20 Artist's Panel. It is canvas on top of a wooden surface. Apparently the gloss can make a typical canvas sag. I actually haven't glossed my painting yet. The class got back together on Tuesday for glossing, but I had to work. I actually am not sure if I will gloss because it requires a blow torch and mine is broken! ;)

You can see a little bit of the fabric that was layered in on Friday night. I think there are about four or five layers of paint over the fabric, but the texture is pretty neat.

You can see the fabric again here as well as some "stamping" that I did with some light brown paint.

The step before glossing was called drizzling. You drizzled paint on the canvas to highlight the edges of the design at to add some additional texture. It was frustrating because "mess ups" just had to be left alone.

Return of the Rain and Decorating Plans

2009-05-08T23:07:00.006-05:00

I woke up during the night to more rain. It rained this morning when Abbey and I were supposed to be running. Then it stopped, but there were tornado warnings all afternoon. It is now thundering and lightening...I also think I hear rain, yet again.

Enough about the weather though! I thought I would share a couple of my idea for decorating my new house. I pointed out in yesterday's post that every wall is yellow. At this time I feel pretty certain the living room and guest room will remain yellow. The master bedroom will definitely change. I am still trying to decide about the office, bonus room, and kitchen/dining area. I want to paint my bedroom to go with the new bedding that I have picked out....well, at least I think I have picked this out.

Abbey thinks I should paint the walls green, but I am a little nervous as I have not actually seen the bedding in person. I have this "fear" that it may be a little more lime green than it appears online. I am going to order a sham in the next week to see if I really do like and if I want to paint the walls green or brown.

I really want to incorporate some red/burgundy in the living room, so I have picked out this rug for the floor that brings in some burgundy.

I am actually taking a painting class this weekend and hoping that the piece I finish tomorrow will go over the fireplace or some where in the living room. It's an abstract piece that will have pink, burgundy, green, yellow, and blue in it. At least that is my vision. I'll have to post pictures tomorrow. (If you don't see any posts this weekend, know that I am taking my computer in to the Mac store tomorrow. I have this funny feeling they may keep it a day or two...Since I work Sunday through Tuesday, it may be Wednesday before I can go pick it up.)

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Sunshine!!!

2009-05-07T18:50:00.013-05:00

After a week of rain, the sun finally made an appearance today!!! Abbey, Reed, and I took advantage of the beautiful day by taking a nice walk this afternoon. (Abbey and I working out regularly...alternating running and walking. She has decided that she would like to run a half marathon next year for her 30th birthday. Like a good friend, I am encouraging her, training with her, and will run the half marathon as well. Since her birthday was just last week, we have a whole year.) After our walk, we hung out on the deck until Jeff got home for work. I am sure there will be some pictures on their blog later today because I sure took some cute ones! When I left their house I took a drive by my new house to take a few pictures...or 80!!!

I am going to show some of my favorite things about the house.

The grass had been cut earlier in the afternoon, but I think the house has great curb appeal even when the grass is too tall. And with all the rain we have had, it was quite tall!!!

There is already landscaping in the front and back. I'll probably do a few things next spring, but at least there is a start.

I had already decided that one thing that was going to be a non-negotiable for me was a fireplace. This is a gas fireplace with a remote control start. There is wiring for a flat screen to be mounted above the fireplace, but for now this will just be living room and the tv will be upstairs in the bonus room.

One of the first thing I noticed in the master bedroom was the tray ceiling and the fan.

Then there is the master bath with the separate tub and shower.

Honestly the double vanity doesn't do much for me, but I figure it will be an advantage for resale value.

But the walk in closet...Definitely a plus for a girl with lots of clothes and shoes! :)

This little window connects the kitchen to the living room.

Oh how I LOVE the chandelier in the dining area!!! (For those of you who are wondering, I am serious. I don't think it would be something I would pick out, but it's very fun!)

The kitchen may be my absolute favorite part of the house. The hardwood floors extend throughout the kitchen. The appliances are very nice with a five burner stove and a bottom mount fridge.

The sink is and undermount with one side being larger than the other.

The granite is called blue eyed granite and the specks of blue don't even begin to photograph well.

The stair that lead to the bonus room are oak...I am so excited about not having to vacuum those!

There is also a good sized deck off the living area. The deck is even equipped with a gas hook up for a grill.

The view from the deck...where the property ends there is "green way" so there won't ever be a houses built there.

Thanks for coming along on my little tour of my future home. I am set to close on May 29th or 30th. Make sure you come back in the next few days because I will be sharing some of my decorating ideas. You might have noticed that every wall (including the garage) is painted yellow. I will leave some of the rooms yellow...mainly those with incredibly tall ceilings. I will definitely be painting the master bedroom though.

The following pictures are for my dad and his "daddy doo" list that I am working on for when he and my mom come in June!

Tough Week, Good God

2009-05-06T02:26:00.002-05:00

Last week my family received some very upsetting news. My sister in law, Alisa, who is pregnant found out she has cervical cancer. Needless to say, it has taken us all by surprise. Today, she and my brother met with an oncologist to determine the best plan of treatment in this situation. It does not appear to be invasive so she will continue to see the oncologist throughout the pregnancy and treatment will begin after my niece/nephew is born.

While this news has been difficult to learn, as a family we are thankful. Thankful that the cancer has been diagnosed and caught rather early...there is no telling when it would have been discovered if Alisa was not pregnant.

I would appreciate each of you joining me in praying for Roger and Alisa:

That Alisa would be healed
That both Alisa and the baby will be healthy
That Roger and Alisa will enjoy the pregnancy
Wisdom for everyone involved- Roger, Alisa, doctors, etc.

Looking Up

2009-05-05T08:35:00.002-05:00

I lift up my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip- he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you- the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm- he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Psalm 121

Sick Day

2009-04-27T22:36:00.002-05:00

I had to call in sick to work tonight. Apparently they don't want nurses who have pink eye to work with patients. I don't understand it at all! ;) Oh and I also have a sinus infection. I can work tomorrow night since I will have been on antibiotics for 24 hours by then. This was not in my plan for this week.

Quick Update

2009-04-26T17:12:00.003-05:00

I know it has been a while since I blogged last, but I have had a crazy schedule this last couple of weeks. Last week I worked all single days...in other words I worked Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. Needless to say it took me several days to recuperate. Then this past week I worked Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and then tonight. (Our work week starts at 7 am on Monday.) However, I also work Monday and Tuesday. It's been a crazy couple of weeks, but after this week things settle down quite a bit...see you then!

Sugar and Spice? Puppy Dog Tails?

2009-04-21T22:33:00.005-05:00

I am very proud to announce that my family is expecting a new addition to the family. My younger brother, Roger, and his wife, Alisa, are expecting their first child this Fall. They went to the doctor yesterday and everything looks great. Both families are thrilled and I am excited about being an aunt, yet again!

Congratulations Roger and Alisa!!!

More Than I Imagined

2009-04-18T11:38:00.007-05:00

About a year ago I began searching for the perfect home, my first house. I have seen quite a few homes...more than I care to count and several that I do not even want to remember.

When I came to Tennessee in January I looked at a few houses, and found one I really like. However, by the time I was ready to make an offer, it had sold. I decided that I would find something after I had been here a while. I've only looked at one house since...of course I've looked at a bunch online. Anyway, yesterday my offer was accepted on this house.

View from front

Dining room

Living room

Kitchen

Master bedroom

Master bath

It is everything I dreamed for and more. It has 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. There is a bonus room over the garage, which is fairly common here. There is a deck off the living room. It also in the same neighborhood as Jeff and Abbey and take just a few minutes to walk to their house.

There will be an inspection this week, which I am not worried about since the home is only 5 years old. The closing is schedule for the end of May...at the latest middle of June...my mortgage broker is a little worried about getting everything complete by May 30th.

Thanks for all your prayers on this long journey.

Will Work for Eggs?

2009-04-14T17:39:00.005-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I took care of a patient who owns a farm. When I went to work on Sunday night, there was a note on the bathroom door (all important information on our floor is posted on the bathroom door in the nurse's lounge!) telling me I had eggs in the fridge from a patient.

I honestly didn't know how absolutely wonderful farm fresh eggs tasted! Now, if you are wondering about the color of two of those eggs...

...they are actually green. I haven't tasted those yet, but if they are as good as the others, then there won't be a problem.

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T16:51:00.002-05:00

She is getting soooo big!!!

Happy Easter!!!

Easter Lunch Preparations

2009-04-11T22:57:00.008-05:00

I will be enjoying Easter lunch tomorrow with some friends. When we began making plans, it was decided that we will all bring some different dishes. I volunteered to make mashed potatoes and green beans. Then the issue of dessert was brought up and the vote was coconut cake. Coconut and I are not the best of friends, so I decided I would make something to take that I also could take to work Easter night when I went in for my shift. Since I haven't shared a recipe in a while, I will share the new cookie recipe I made tonight.

Chewy Double Chocolate Cookies

2 cups flour
1/2 cups cocoa powder
2 t baking powder
1 t salt
16 ounces semisweet chocolate (I used special dark chocolate chips)
4 large eggs
2 t vanilla
2 t instant coffee or espresso powder (I omitted this b/c I wasn't "feeling" the coffee tonight)
10 T unsalted butter, softened but firm
1 1/2 c light brown sugar
1/2 sugar

The directions say to sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt, but I don't have a sifter so I just threw it in a bowl.

Melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring once or twice until the smooth.

I also set aside some chocolate chips to mix into the dough at the end which I guess it made the cookies, triple chocolate instead of double chocolate.

Technically the recipe called for vanilla extract, but I typically use pure Mexican vanilla. Beat eggs and vanilla lightly with a fork. If you are using the instant coffee, you would sprinkle it over the egg and vanilla mixture and let it dissolve.

The butter was suppose to be soft but firm. This was not soft at all, so I threw it in the microwave for a few seconds.

Whoops...too much!

That's okay, I'll use it in the potatoes (that were on the stove) and try again...Much better!

Beat the butter until creamy and then add the sugars. The mixture will have a granular texture.

On low beat in the egg mixture gradually until combined.

Add chocolate in a steady stream until combined.

Add the flour mixture and mix on low.

Then I threw in the chocolate chips that I had set aside.

Cover and then let stand at room temperature until it is scoopable and fudge like, about 30 minutes.

You might wander what to do in the 30 minutes. I went from this....

To this....

(Now, don't pay attention to the fact that I have two coffee pots on the counter. The one to the left is my old pot while the one on the right is my new fancy coffee pot that arrived this week. I haven't decided what to with the old one yet.)

I also called my mom about the green bean recipe I will make tomorrow after church.

Then the recipe gave all these instructions about adjusting the racks in the oven, using parchment paper on the cookie sheets, and ice cream scoop....I couldn't be bothered with some many steps, so I just sprayed my cookie sheet with some cooking spray and spooned some cookie dough on.

Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes...you want the sides to be almost set and the center to be soft.

It did say to use a metal spatula to remove the cookies, which did seem to be key. These cookies are very soft and have a nice texture...almost cake or brownie like. I guess I'll see how everyone like them tomorrow.

Maybe tomorrow I'll share my mashed potatoes...They were yummy too!!!

A Word of Encouragement

2009-04-07T22:29:00.006-05:00

The last several months of my life had been characterized by transition. I'll be honest and say that it is getting old and I have begun to become a little discouraged.

What's the opposite of discouragement? Encouragement!

I received a "good word" the other night when I took my "lunch break" at work. (Lunch break is in quotations because it was 2:30 am!) Tonight I feel compelled to share it.

"Cease striving and know that I am God..." Psalm 46:10a

Just seven words, but so full of encouragement. And exactly what I needed to hear and meditate on this week.

Don't you just love it when you find the right verse at just the right time.

Quick Peek

2009-04-03T18:27:00.003-05:00

I am on my way out the door, but until I can get other pictures posted, here you go.

To Do List

2009-04-02T19:29:00.003-05:00

When I have a lot to do, I like to make a list that I can cross things off as I accomplish them. Here is the list I started off the day with:

Pay bills
Clean apartment
Laundry
Trip to Target/WalMart
Trip to Kroger/Publix
Mail check for painting class
Buy Webkins for Jacob's Easter Basket
Mail Jacob and Madeline's Easter Baskets
Call Jeff about Abbey's birthday
Test drive Hyundai Santa Fe/Tucson
Haircut
Look into the option of having a house built

Throughout the day as I accomplish different tasks I cross off each item. Here is what my original list looked like by the end of the day.

Pay bills
~~Clean apartment~~

~~Laundry~~
Trip to Target/WalMart
Trip to Kroger/Publix
~~Mail check for painting class~~
~~Buy Webkins for Jacob's Easter Basket~~
Mail Jacob and Madeline's Easter Baskets
Call Jeff about Abbey's birthday
~~Test drive Hyundai Santa Fe/Tucson~~
~~Haircut~~
~~Look into the option of having a house built~~

~~Then there are items that are added to the list, like this:~~

Buy Hyundai Tucson

Oh wait, I am sorry:

~~Buy Hyundai Tucson~~

It's silver, it's pretty, it's brand new!!! I guess sometimes plans change. It drove it home in a torrential downpour, so I'll try to post pictures tomorrow.

Spring in Mississippi

2009-04-01T15:40:00.006-05:00

My weekend in Mississippi was filled with reminiscing and catching up with old friends. I had not been there since I moved to Florida three years ago. Over the years when I have gone back to Clinton, I have stayed with my college Sunday School teacher, mentor, and friend, Jackie. This time was no different. Since it had been three years, Jackie and I had a lot of catching up to do. On Saturday, my friend Jackie and I moved from one room of her house to another telling stories, talking about books, talking about what God has been teaching us, catching up on the mutual friends we have stayed in touch with over the years...and well, you get the picture.

Speaking of pictures, you would think I would have had one taken of the two of us, but like I often do I forgot. I did take a stroll through her backyard on Friday before Jackie came home from work and between torrential downpours. I forgot how beautiful Mississippi can be in the Spring.

I forgot how much I enjoy the Azaleas. Since it is only a seven hour drive, I have a feeling this will be the first of several visits back to my college stomping grounds.

...Humback, Humback, "I"

2009-03-27T07:50:00.003-05:00

If you are confused by the title, I am sorry. This place just gets to me. I am walking down memory lane in good 'ole Clinton, MS. I am staying with some good friends...this time I am not trying to escape the drama of college life or needing a refuge from the cafeteria or the dorm. Just hanging out with them and reminiscing. Hopefully I'll get some pictures and share them with you when I get back.

Enjoy your weekend...I know I will!!!

Three in a Row

2009-03-18T15:19:00.002-05:00

I just finished working three nights in a row...okay, so I actually finished around 7:20 this morning. I hope that explains the lack of blogging.

Saturday Night

2009-03-14T18:41:00.004-05:00

It's Saturday night. I've blown big bubbles. I've cut up hot dog and grapies. I've made chocolate juice. I've watched three episodes of Mickey Mouse Club House, one episode of Sesame Street, and now I've moved on to Handy Manny.

And they say it isn't fun to be 30 and single!!!

So, what are you doing?

Winter's Return

2009-03-13T10:12:00.003-05:00

Upon leaving the hospital on Wednesday morning I was surprised to find that Winter had made her return. Wednesday was cloudy and rainy...a great day to sleep! Thursday was the same, but by mid morning the rain had turned to sleet. By 3pm the there was a mixture of sleet and snow. Around 7ish I went out to my balcony and just watched the large snowflakes fall from the sky. This morning the rooftops and cars are covered in snow.

More rain today and tomorrow...I think we are all ready for Spring to come and stay!

Grandiose Plans

2009-03-11T23:23:00.003-05:00

I had grandiose plans today after I got off work. Abbey and I were going to work out, which happens to be the only thing that I accomplished. After that I thought I would come home and clean up, which also happened. But after that my goal was to stay awake all day so that I could sleep tonight.

Well, it's 11:26 and I am wide awake.

You might be asking, what happened? Me too!!!

I did sucumb to the sleepiness around 9ish and woke up around noon. After that I was fine...fine until 7:30 and then before I knew it I had fallen asleep. I woke up around 10:45 and now I can't fall back asleep.

Oh and I am so sorry that my last several posts have been about sleep.

And I Survived

2009-03-10T15:02:00.002-05:00

It's 3 pm and I have only been awake about 30 minutes. I survived my first night shift. I actually did very well from the standpoint of not being tired. Even on my way home, I told my mom I wasn't that tired, but I managed to fall asleep as soon as I had the chance.

There is a very different pace at night, which will take some time to be acclimated to the differences. My coworkers were wonderful though!!!

I'm now gearing up for my second night shift. However, I am off until Sunday night, so that will be nice....The next week my schedule isn't quite so nice. I don't have any of my days together, so that will be an entirely different week.

When Sleep Aludes

2009-03-09T15:30:00.003-05:00

Technically it hasn't alluded me completely. I laid down for a nap around 1ish. I slept until about 2:20 when there was a knock at my door. Apparently the note I left for the UPS man saying that he could leave the package at the door, did not deter him from checking to see if I was home.

You might wonder why I am trying to nap on a rather gorgeous Monday afternoon. Tonight is my first night to work.

Hmmm...I think I'll try to sleep another hour or so before I get ready for what could be a long night.

Weekend Fun

2009-03-07T17:08:00.006-06:00

Sorry about not posting for a couple of days. I worked Thursday and Friday. Last night Abbey and Abbey's friend, Megan, picked me up from work and then we all went stamping. Let's just say, two very lucky people in my life will be receiving some very cute St. Patrick's Day crafts!

Anyway, I spent last night with Abbey and Reed since Jeff is out of town. We hung out this morning for a while and then I came home for a little while this afternoon to catch up on some cleaning around the apartment. (And no, the cabinet will not be finished until some time this next week.) I will head back over to their house in a little while where we will have pizza and movie night. Tonight's features are "Australia" and Papa John's.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!!

Just As I Imagined

2009-03-04T19:18:00.012-06:00

Here she is. She didn't start off very pretty.

She didn't start off very practical...what were they thinking?

Her "jewelry" didn't even match.

A fresh coat of paint did wonders. (The color is Macadamia.) It did not fix the hole in the back of the pantry. Eventually, I devised a plan that fixed the hole...I forgot to take a picture of that portion.

Lowe's cut all my lumber for me for the new shelves, which was painted to match the outside.

It did not fix the top of the cabinet which was badly damaged.

It wasn't even flat.

I had this piece of Birch cut to fit the top (at Lowe's of course!)

A little...or a lot of wood glue was used to fix the piece of wood to the top.

An assortment of heavy items were placed on top for the night. I used wood filler to make it look almost seamless and then it was painted to match as well. You might wonder why I chose such a blah color. Well, I actually had a greater plan in mind. Since the piece of furniture was in quite bad shape, I wanted to hide it's flaws. There were large chunks of wood missing in different places. I used quite a lot of wood filler throughout the process. However, I wanted to make sure that this solid wood cabinet's imperfections, wear, and tare were hidden. I decided to use a crackle coat on top of the Macadamia color and then use Porcelain Red as the top coat. And...

Voila!!!

New handles and

hinges made it complete.

I decided to put two shelves on one side and three on the other.

It definitely brings a pop of color to the room! I still need to hang a few pictures and put a few things on the top of the cabinet, but that will have to wait for the weekend. I still need to put the color protector on, but all the direction say you should wait 72 hours.

Inquiring Minds Want To Know

2009-03-02T19:56:00.005-06:00

1. How are you doing?
I am doing very well. I am still adjusting and settling in. I knew it would take some time and am ready to establish some sort of routine.

2. Are you happy?
Yes, I am. I know a lot of people don't fully understand why I made the decision to move, but it has been a good decision for me.

3. What is your work schedule?
It changes from week to week. Last week I worked Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This week I work Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. I am also on my last week of working days. Next week, I switch to nights and will be working nights indefinitely. Once I get the hang of working nights, I feel like I get a schedule and routine going.

4. Are you excited about working nights?
I don't know, ask me in a week or two! I have hung curtains in my room that have a blackout liner in them, so I feel like I am as ready as I can be.

5. What do you do on your days off?
Lay on the couch, watch soap operas, and eat bon bons...Okay, so that isn't true. Just normal stuff...clean my apartment, laundry, etc. I also typically cook on my days off so I don't have to
on the days I work. For instance tonight I made a pot of chili (after being inspired by Abbey.) Speaking of Abbey, she and I try to get together on my days off and workout. I have also have been spending a lot of time working on my pantry.

6. Are we ever going to see pictures of the pantry?
I was hoping to finish it up today, but I had an interesting encounter with gravity that set me back a little. I still might finish up the painting tonight, but it still needs to be sealed and then all the hardware put on. I now hope to finish on Wednesday...check back for pictures.

7. Have you found a church?
There are a lot around here, but no. I have visited two different churches, but I think it may take some time to find the right one. I am definitely ready though.

8. Have you begun looking for a house there?
Not officially. I have looked online, but nothing serious. I can't do anything until this summer when my lease is up. I don't want to find something now and then it not be available when I can finally buy a house.

9. How are your neighbors?
Don't ask...That could almost be an entire post of its own!

Dads

2009-03-01T13:48:00.002-06:00

I am very fortunate to have an involved father when I was growing up. And while you would have never caught either of us with pom poms and cheering, you could have found my dad in the driveway late at night, holding up a broom in the air, as I practiced shooting over him and the broom. Now that could also make a great commerical!

Speaking of my dad, he and my mom have finally made it out of Tennessee. It took them quite some time to get from Jackson, TN to Memphis, TN. They went 4 mph for several hours. My mom said people were actually getting out of their cars and building snowmen on the side of the interstate. When I spoke with them earlier they were planning on spending the night in Texarkana, TX.

Oh, and we got absolutely nothing. There was some ice, but the sun was shining bright today so it didn't take long for that to melt.

And They're Gone

2009-02-28T21:08:00.003-06:00

My parents left less than 24 hours after they arrived. Their quick trip was made even quicker for two reasons. First, right as they were driving through Little Rock they received a phone call from the nursing home where my grandfather lives. They were transporting him to the hospital to be treated for an infection that was not responding to oral antibiotics. (My grandfather is doing well. He is getting some IV antibiotics. Stuart went yesterday to check on him and then today he, my grandmother, and Jacob went back to be with him for a little while.)

Then there is the second reason:

Unfortunately they didn't make it very far. When I talked to them a few hours ago, they were already called it a day. My dad tried, but when there were no other cars on the interstate he turned back around towards the closest town. They are in Jackson, TN.

I am trying to stay warm, waiting for the snow, and picking up my apartment. The last few boxes are finally being unloaded! So, how are you?

The Parental Units

2009-02-27T22:30:00.005-06:00

The parental units arrived tonight about 7:00. They brought a "new" dinning room table and by "new" I mean new to me. It was my great-grandparents originally. Stuart and Michelle had it in their house at some point as well. Yep, some family share stories, memories, and genese...we do that, but we also share furniture. :) You just gotta love family!!!

An Afternoon With Reed

2009-02-26T21:57:00.006-06:00

This afternoon my favorite 2 year-old came over for a little while. His mom had a few errands to run before she went to work and his dad had a few errands to run on his way home from work. Considering he had no nap at that point and has a bit of a cold we had a great time. We started by going to the playground in my apartment complex. It was a bit windy, but he didn't seem to mind.

Then we came back to my place where he watched an episode of Sesame Street.

Then he went down for a nap...of course Jeff showed up about 15 minutes later!

Up And At 'Em

2009-02-21T06:01:00.002-06:00

I am up at 6:00 am on a Saturday morning...actually I have been up an hour. I am getting ready for work. I actually work today through Monday, which translates to I most likely will not update the blog until Monday night or Tuesday.

On a separate note, I spent a nice chunk of time at the Jeep dealership yesterday. Nothing majorly wrong, but the parts have been ordered and I will have the privilege of spending one of my days off next week getting everything fixed. At least it is still drivable until then.

Other than that, the last several days have been quiet...well, besides the fact that I dropped the carton of eggs that I bought at the store. Even then, I only broke 4!

Have a great weekend!!!

Apartment Pics

2009-02-17T21:05:00.007-06:00

I know you all have been waiting on pins and needles to see my apartment. Since I found the camera cord, here they are.

The living room view from the front door

From the hallway back into the living room

The kitchen

Please ignore the pictures that have not been hung, the backpack, and the jacket over the chair...it's the dinning area, but I only eat breakfast there. :) Once I finish the pantry and get a new table in a few weeks, I'll hang pictures in there.

The office...aka, the room that needs work!

My bedroom view from the door

Another view...the door leads to the bathroom.

And there you have it. I refrained from pictures of the bathroom or the laundry room. It isn't anything special, but it works for me. I am working on a few "neighbor issues" currently. Only time will tell how that whole thing will go.

Home, Sweet Home

2009-02-16T21:22:00.003-06:00

I took pictures of my apartment since it was all nice and clean. (I was supposed to have some peeps over for dinner on Saturday, but then it had to be moved to the Land's because I did not have chairs for everyone. It would have been okay in the end, but I didn't mind taking dinner to their house.) However, in the clean-up, I must have put up the camera cord and I cannot find it. Check back tomorrow and I'll try to get them up then.

I am feeling better...not 100%, but better. Good enough to workout with Abbey tonight after celebrating Reed's official birthday. We'll see how I feel tomorrow after working 12 hours. At least I get to wear my new scrubs and shoes! ;)

Oh and Happy Birthday, Reed!

Under The Weather

2009-02-15T23:02:00.003-06:00

Sorry about the lack of posting. By the time I finished work on Wednesday, I had a full blown cold. The past several days I have been trying to get plenty of rest. I have managed to get a little shopping done, work on the piece of furniture I bought a week or so ago, and help celebrate my friend, Reed's, 2nd birthday.

I'll try to get some pictures up tomorrow before I go back to work on Tuesday.

So Many Excuses

2009-02-10T20:17:00.005-06:00

I thought of several titles for this post:

Where O Where Does The Time Go
Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200
Alcohol Wipes, Meds, and Oxygen...Oh My!!!

Anyway, the point is, I thought with all my free time I would have no problem blogging, but that does not appear to be the case.

I am doing well, really well. I am learning how to deal with long days at work and a short amount of time at home. Especially this week...I worked yesterday, today, and I am on again tomorrow. I have a gut feeling it will be a little tough when the alarm goes off in the morning, but then I don't work again until next Tuesday...I guess I should not complain. :)

I'll try to come up with some fun things to post during my time off...Well, we'll see! ;)

First Day

2009-02-02T23:23:00.003-06:00

Today was orientation. Here are some highlights:

My commute is only 5 minutes. I gave myself way too much time to get to work.
Lots of policies and procedures covered.
Learned all about the discounts that are available to hospital employees.
Benefits, benefits, benefits...from health insurance to life insurance and everything in between.
Tour of the hospital.
Flu shot.
Told I would work Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday of this week which means overtime my first week...only to find out that now I am not working on Tuesday...I have no idea what that means now, but I'll find out tomorrow.

I ended the day by working out with Abbey and then hanging out with Jeff, Abbey, Reed, and Bill until I had to call it a day and come home. Now, it is off to bed. Even though I am not working tomorrow I still have to make an afternoon trip to the hospital for a skills check off and benefits enrollment. I will also be buying a couple of other sets of scrubs for work. It's a tough life!!! :)

My First Week

2009-01-31T21:36:00.003-06:00

I realize I haven't been very good at blogging this week. Unless you wanted to know that I broke down a gazillion boxes, made almost as many trips to the dumpster, and have been trying hard to get everything organized...that pretty much describes each day.

I have done some exploring of Springfield and the surrounding areas. I must admit most of the exploring was need driven. For example, my apartment does not have a pantry. I have a lot (and I mean a lot) of kitchen "stuff", so I needed to find something that would could be used as a pantry. I have been in every "hole in the wall" place in Springfield in an attempt to find something within my budget. (For those of you who can hardly contain your excitement, yes, I have found something. No, you can't see it. It is in need of some major work or TLC as I like to call it. Don't worry I have taken some before pictures and will post those and after pictures once the renovation is complete!) I also needed a Target and Dick's Sporting Goods fix, so I found both of those stores in the next town.

To close this exhilarating post, I will give you some fun facts on Springfield:

Population: between 16,000 and 20,000
Established: 1798
Location: app. 30 miles north of downtown Nashville
Major crop: dark-fired tobacco
Other crops grown: hay, corn, and wheat
Home to: NorthCrest Medical Center, Electrolux Home Products
High School Mascot: yellow jackets

Welcome to TN!

2009-01-28T20:48:00.003-06:00

I woke up to this view from my balcony this morning.

By the end of the day all the snow was gone off the street.

I guess I should have taken these boxes to the dumpster last night. It was a weird feeling to sweep snow off the balcony so I could make a path to the storage closet.

It actually wasn't a bad snow, but I don't think my car is very happy with me at all!

Checking In

2009-01-27T20:12:00.002-06:00

All my family is gone and it's just me. The day started out a little iffy to whether or not my parents flight would get cancelled. While there was tons of ice every where, the roads were clear. I even managed to get back from the airport with relatively little drama. I missed an exit, but it was not traumatic, more annoying than anything.

I was pack at my apartment nice an early since my parents had to be at the airport by 7:45 am. I unpacked some more boxes and put away a lot of "stuff". I don't know where it all came from.

Comcast came and set up my Internet and cable this afternoon. Then it was off to the hospital to fill out my paperwork, have a physical, and take a drug test. That all took much longer than I anticipated, but it was nice not to be unpacking for a while. When I got back home, the Internet and cable was out. Apparently not all the paperwork had been filed correctly, but an extremely nice woman helped me out and I am good to go!

Tomorrow will be another day spent indoors working on getting settled. The temperature is steadily dropping outside and won't get out of the 20s tomorrow. It has rained the live long day, so tomorrow should be very icy, plus there is a couple of inches of snow in the forecast! Sounds like a good day to stay inside with a cup of coffee.

Once I get everything put away and ready, I'll take pictures of the apartment for you all to see.

Made It

2009-01-25T08:31:00.000-06:00

742 miles later, we made it!

Headed Out

2009-01-24T05:46:00.001-06:00

The truck is loaded. We are all up and ready. We should be headed out in the next 20 minutes. I'll check in again as soon as I can.

Goodbye Florida, hello Tennessee!

Today

2009-01-19T21:49:00.001-06:00

1. Worked
2. Packed

Tagged

2009-01-17T07:41:00.006-06:00

I didn't post last night because every idea in my head was too complicated. I packed until 11 pm when I finally called it a night. However, if I had read Claire's blog I would have realized she had tagged me.

So, I am supposed to choose the fourth folder and the fourth picture from my folder file and post it. Let's see what we have...

This was taken April of 2007 when Stuart, Michelle, and Jacob came to visit me. Jacob had been asking if I would teach him to play the guitar so here is our lesson. I wish you could see how small the guitar is that he is playing...it is a Baby Taylor, but he could still barely get his little arms around it. I bet now he would have no problem.

Weather Report

2009-01-15T21:54:00.005-06:00

Each morning I check The Weather Channel's website to get an idea of my daily forecast.

This morning:

When I travel I check the forecast of the city where I am going. For fun this morning, I checked Springfield...my new home in about a week:

I don't know if I am ready for this!!!

Progress?

2009-01-14T19:39:00.007-06:00

You be the judge?

Most nights you can find sitting right here on the floor.

Where do you put all the boxes once they are packed?

Birthday Weekend

2009-01-12T21:16:00.008-06:00

On Saturday morning my friend, Blair, picked me up and had Dunkin Donuts coffee and breakfast in the car. From there we headed to Orlando and spent the whole day at Epcot.

It was a gorgeous day. I also highly recommend taking up Disney on their offer to let you in free for your birthday. I actually had a ticket that I needed to use before I moved, so I received a birthday gift card (valued at the price of an adult admission).

This Saab convertible was outside one of the rides...I told Blair she shouldn't have...she just laughed!

We spent the night right outside of Downtown Disney and then headed back to the parks on Saturday. Our goal was to hit the other three parks, but we did not quite achieve our goal. We started at Hollywood Studios were we hit the three main attractions: Tower of Terror, Rocking Roller Coaster, and the new Toy Story ride.

That would be runners in the Disney marathon behind me.

Then we headed to Magic Kingdom and stayed for the 3:00 parade.

Jeff, this picture is just for you...it was taken January 11th.

We tried to go to the Hall of Presidents before "change" occurred...we were too late!

Then we boarded the bus to head to Animal Kingdom only to be informed that it was closing in a little over an hour...we ended up coming home. Of course that gave me time to get a few boxes packed.

The Rest

2009-01-11T18:32:00.009-06:00

Sorry for the delay. I spent my birthday weekend at Disney World and got back earlier this evening. I'll post some pics later, but here is the rest of my list:

Training and completing a half marathon with a good friend three years ago.
Going to a water park in Taiwan...oh the stories I could tell! (With the same friend from above)
Having the coach for Baylor show up at a high school basketball game.
Watching my parents drive off and leave me in Mississippi at college. I wasn't sure whether I was scared or excited.
Attending Centrifuge after my high school graduation...it was a week that stands out in my Christian walk.
Getting cowboy boots for my 13th birthday.
Praying to receive Christ.
Going to the Olympics in Atlanta...oh the disaster that trip turned out to be!
Seeing a two friends in China come to Christ as my friends and I used a nativity scene to share the Christmas Story.
Seeing my niece's 4-D ultrasound.
Snorkeling with the sharks in Thailand.
Christmas 1996- Received a gold wrapped package with a green bow...inside was a scholarship offer to Mississippi College.
Spending 5 weeks at training for the IMB in Virginia...so many memories and so many friends made during that time.
Para sailing in Thailand.
Finding out that I passed my RN license exam.
Receiving the phone call that I was going to be a BSU summer missionary to Australia.
Realizing that God had much bigger things in store for me than playing basketball...I was in my first semester at MC and was planning on walking on the team there.
Watching God open the many doors that He has in the past several weeks!
Spending my 30th birthday at Disney.
This past year...I've learned so much that I am not even sure I could begin to put it in words!!!

Well that is it...30 memories from these 30 years!

Birthday Eve

2009-01-09T21:17:00.006-06:00

So it might not be a national holiday or even known by most, but this Friday night has me a little reflective. Tomorrow is my thirtieth birthday.

Over the next few days I will highlight thirty of my most memorable experiences in life.

Waking up in China for the very first time...I heard horses outside my window.
Whitewater rafting with my entire family on our trip to Yellowstone.
Kangaroo hunting in Australia.
Holding my nephew just minutes after he was born.
Being in both of my brother's weddings.
Running out on the court of my first varsity basketball game and being announced as a 6' senior...I was a 5'10" sophomore.
My grandfather teaching me to drive...the first Saturday after I turned 15...I thought he was so cool!
My dad handing me my high school diploma.
My family coming to China to visit.
Being at my grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary party and then this summer when I attended their 65th wedding anniversary party.

Oh and Abbey thanks for my first birthday present!

Change of Plans

2009-01-07T20:42:00.005-06:00

Sometimes I have really good posts, but I can't quite come up with a fitting title. Sometimes I have something important to say, but I can't find the perfect title.

I am not sure which category this post falls in, but the perfect title is just beyond my reach tonight.

You see, I have some news to share. And since I am tired and not sure exactly how to begin, I am just going to be direct. Direct is best, right?

Earlier today I accepted a job at hospital outside of Nashville, TN. While this is definitely not something I saw coming three to four months ago, I honestly am very excited about this opportunity and move. Things have "fallen together" rather quickly...from making the connections at the hospital to getting my nursing license in TN. To top it off, I will be moving in about two and a half weeks.

I do ask that you all pray as I wrap things up at work and in my life here in FL. I also have a lot of packing to do in the mean time. I am still working on my living situation in TN. I thought I had found a house to buy, but that door appears to have shut. There is another one (and of course a better one) that has opened in its place...if of course requires me to be patient and wait.

It's a good thing, I have some experience with patience and waiting!

De-Christmasing

2009-01-04T20:43:00.004-06:00

The ornaments are all individually wrapped and put in the ornament boxes. I have wrestled the tree back into its box. The nativity scene is back in all its boxes. I will admit that I had a little trouble getting all the animal back in their right spots, but the Internet helped me out. For some reason I always want to the camel with the wise men, but he goes with stable animals.

The apartment looks different...I love Christmas, but I guess I'll have to wait another 11 months to drag all that stuff back out. I know some people have very strong feelings about Christmas decorations out in January.

Tomorrow brings the alarm going off way too early, a jog, and then back to work. It was all fun while it lasted.

Home Again

2009-01-03T21:06:00.003-06:00

I made it home this evening. I would love to share all the photos that I took during the last week and a half, but I did a lousy job of taking pictures.

Anyway, I had a great time in Nashville. As always, it is great to catch up with the Land Family. There was lots of laughing, story telling, and just catching up. Of course there was a marathon game of Apples to Apples on New Year's Eve, a movie on New Year's Day, and stamping on Friday night. (Just Abbey and I went stamping in case anyone was worried.)

I guess it is back to the real world of work and other responsibilities.

Today

2008-12-30T22:26:00.004-06:00

Today was busy, but not necessarily blog worthy. However, since I have nothing else to share, I will elaborate.

Many of you know that my grandfather has Alzheimer's. About a month ago, he and my grandmother moved to a special facility that specializes in the care of Alzheimer's patients. However, in the last few weeks his memory has declined rapidly and it has caused us to make a few decisions to make sure that both he and my grandmother receive the best care that is available. The main two are he is now receiving hospice services and they gave up their suite and are now in two separate rooms. Today was full of moving furniture and their belongings.

On a lighter note...tonight, I took a CPR class. It is something that I have needed to do for some time, but just have never made the time to take. I did some investigating before I came home and found a local instructor here in Texas and she was offering a class this evening. So, as of 9:00 pm tonight I am BLS (Basic Life Support) certified. Basically that includes CPR for all ages, Heimlich for all ages, and the use of AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) device.

Well, I need to head upstairs and begin packing. I am flying to Nashville tomorrow night where I will spend a few days with my friends that live there. Then on Saturday I will head back to Tampa and return to my life. As much as I have loved being home, I will confess that I am looking to relaxing in TN for a few days.

A Date

2008-12-29T23:27:00.003-06:00

Tonight I went on a date. Okay, so I had to pick him up, I paid, we ate at Chick-Fil-A, and he had to sit in the backseat in his booster seat, but I did get a good night kiss and a marriage proposal!

Man, that kid cracks me up. And he can asks some questions that are almost more than you can handle!

Tonight he asked me when my anniversary was. I explained that you had to be married to have an anniversary. (We have had a couple of questions and discussions about marriage during this trip.) He then announced we would have to work on that part. From there he informed me that I needed to cancel my birthday this year (an earlier conversation we had in the car about birthday parties and the fact that I will be turning 30 in less than 2 weeks). I asked him why would I need to do that. He said, that if I canceled my birthday then I could wait a while and then he would marry me.

Of course the next question was, "Aunt Jane, what was the weather like in Bethlehem when Jesus was born?" I told him we would have to Google that when we got back to his house. In case you are wondering, today the high was 55 and it rained!

Time Flies

2008-12-27T19:54:00.009-06:00

I can't believe that I have been in Texas for 4 days. Time has really flown. I have stayed pretty busy spending time with family and friends. Instead of boring you with details about the past several days, I'll post a few pictures. Before I do, let me just explain that my favorite 5 year-old confiscated my camera on Christmas Eve and discovered the Photo Booth program on my Mac.

He wanted to take a picture of our shoes b/c we were both wearing Skechers.

All I can say is that this is the ceiling and top of the fireplace.

An attempt at taking his own picture?

I have absolutely no clue.

Why not take a picture of the TV!?!?!

If two heads are better than one...what is three?

He did not like it when our pictures looked monster like. He preferred multiple heads.

Or swirly heads.

The only semi-serious one that was taken...I have lots of him sticking out his tongue though!

Home

2008-12-23T22:55:00.001-06:00

I made it.

On the 10:00 news tonight they showed Santa getting his physical. What made me laugh was the footage of him leaving a local clinic. He donned his black cowboy hat and climbed into a Tahoe. Only in Texas!!!

And I Think I Saw Jerry Springer

2008-12-23T00:05:00.004-06:00

Over the last few days I have broken a rule in my life.

Are you ready?

I have been to the mall just days before Christmas. On Saturday I ran in really quickly to pick up a few things...then ended up doing the same thing on Sunday. Today I ended up back at the mall to return a few things. Tomorrow...well, I still have one quick trip to make. The shirt that I bought yesterday still has the ink tag on it. How I managed to get out of the store with it, well, I'll never know.

The highlights to all this...I have gotten unbelievable parking spaces with each trip. And today...I think I saw Jerry Springer!

And A Diva Was Born

2008-12-18T19:57:00.006-06:00

We live in a world of equal opportunity...and sometimes Baby Jesus is actually a girl!

And sometimes Mary and Joseph are in their 30s!

And Mary's hair is actually red and Joseph, well I won't go there!

And sometimes Baby Jesus prefers "his" feet to hang out of the manger.

She smiled, she cooed, she performed...And a diva was born!

He's also one handsome dude! I can't wait to hang out with these two next week! :)