Quick Update

Shelley is here in Texas while Adam is in Japan.  We're glad to have her home, but I worry about Adam being over there.  Everyone keeps saying it is safe, etc..., but I would prefer for him to be in America....or better yet, TEXAS!

Lee was promoted!!!  He has worked so incredibly hard and definitely deserves this new position.  He keeps saying that it was possible because I've been in Houston {and he's been able to put in extra hours}.  The extra hours may have gotten him there faster, but he is such a brain when it comes to breaking down the mechanics of a business {hey I get to brag about my husband sometimes}.  His new location is in the small town of Granbury, Texas.  It takes him about an hour to drive there from our house, but it is a pretty easy drive and he enjoys the time to transition from home to work and work to home {or so he says now after driving for 2 weeks}.  Speaking of drive, this new position comes with a car.  We're probably the talk of the neighborhood!  Lee drives a different car home each night that sits in our driveway.  I can only imagine what people think.  Lee took me to see his new town last weekend and I was IMPRESSED!  His store is really nice, the town is beautiful, and there are tons of things to do!  I told our families that the town takes the best parts of Gruene, Rockport, and Georgetown and combines them into one beautiful package!  I can't wait to spend more time there with Lee.

After this week it should all be smooth sailing until May 10, 2011 @ 7p.  I should find out if I get the dream job I mentioned before at the end of this week {hopefully}.  I'm having nightmares about NOT getting it....that is how much I want it.  Oh, I forget, nothing has been said about the job.  OK so in a nutshell, it is a trauma and critical care internship.  It gets me ACLS certified (an advanced certification for life support basically), I'd be a CCRN (a special designation for nurses in critical care that requires additional coursework), and get graduate school credit during the program.  It lasts 7-8 months with a 2.5 - 3 year contract.  Oh my goodness I want this so bad.  I keep going over every little thing in the interview.  Things I wish I had said, things I wish I had said differently, things I should have clarified.......it is out of my hands at this point.

Something Lee and I have relied on very strongly over the past two years or so is that God has a plan for US.  He has always taken care of us, and promises to continue.  We have always known this, but I guess getting older and rocking our little worlds with a few changes really made us appreciate it.

 Sookie and Me {I swear she is human}

With Ms. Ashley Dean

Lee and Me right after our anniversary dinner @ III Forks Houston {photo courtesy A. Dean}

Natalee with the flowers @ North Park 

Nat and I met @ Village Burger Bar after my interview for dream job and also a few hours after the earthquake.  We had a really fun day together even though we were both a little worried about Shelley and exhausted from being up the night before.

About an Earthquake

Thursday was spent obsessing about an interview for my dream job Friday morning @ 0830.  I was seriously more nervous about this interview than I have ever been about anything {which is weird for me because I'm usually pretty chill about interviews}.  Thursday night was a dinner celebration for my husband who got promoted this week.  Thursday late night {until about midnight} was spent super duper quadruple preparing for said interview Friday morning. More on both of these happenings later.

Friday
0200 - My sister's friend calls me in tears {waking me from a deep sleep} telling me that she's praying for our family and have we heard from Shelley.  WHAT?!??
0200 - 0345 - I was using every form of technology available {gmail, skype, facebook} to try to get into contact with my sister.  Lee was calling Japan {and other US military bases} trying to get through to Adam on base {we assumed he was there} and finally spoke with someone on base at Yokosuka that transferred him to emergency hotline {that wasn't giving out information}.  We literally hit our knees and prayed that God would take care of Shelley and Adam and then kept the search, prayed, searched, repeat cycle going.
0400 - I hear from Adam's mom {via facebook} that Adam got her a message saying that they were OK.  THANK GOD.
0530 - I get the guts to call my mother and tell her what has happened but that Adam's Mom said they were OK.  She had gotten a call from Shelley {Thank God again} around 0430 letting her know that they were OK and that there had been an earthquake.  She and my Dad then turned on the TV and started to become very worried.  After this phone call we weren't able to speak with Shelley and Adam until late Friday night {power was out, phones were out, internet was out, transportation out}.
0830 - I arrive at my dream job interview with life and its priorities put into perspective.  A job is not something to be worried or nervous about, and I was not at all nervous {but was a little tired}.

Please pray for everyone in Japan.  Shelley and Adam are SAFE, TOGETHER, and THANKFUL.  Thank you to all of you who contacted me worried about them--they are very loved!!

Rough Patch

Today has been interesting.

First of all, I have made some amazing friends in school. I've made the kind of friends that see you at your best and worst AND love you all the same. I am ridiculously thankful for meeting some of the sweetest people. I am thankful for the opportunity to go back to school for something I feel called, compelled, meant to become. Meeting some of the sweetest people and making friends is icing on the cake.

This morning one of those close friends let me know that her baby sister was involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital and that they think she has schizophrenia. You all know we are in psych this semester, and we see schizophrenia every single day we're there. It is a really challenging illness, and can be difficult to treat. I have prayed all day that God will wrap his arms around her family and comfort each of them. I cannot imagine how they are feeling right now.

My other close friend had OB today. She called and said she really enjoyed it, but was in tears and really upset about one of her patients. She had a patient come in, in early labor, 41 weeks pregnant, that had not felt her baby move since yesterday. The baby died and they were having to help the mother with this news while getting ready to deliver a deceased baby. I cried when she told me about it and I feel so horrible for my friend and the family she helped. At the same time, I'm very proud of her and glad that someone as sweet and compassionate as her was with the mother and family. She is so kind and caring; I know she helped the situation.

Nursing is wonderful, and I love it with all of my heart. There are just some times when it is really upsetting or difficult; there are times when I wish I didn't know as much about health, wellness, and illness. I cry for patients, friends, and their families. I pray for them. I hope they have good outcomes.

I guess I have to learn to care in a way that is healthy...or maybe how much I care is healthy.

Freedom

Unrestricted range of motion

Ability to lift >10lbs

Swimming

Bath instead of shower (you miss it when you're told you can't do it)

Stretching

Bending

Running

It has been 6 weeks since my appendectomy and I'm SO happy to be able to do just about anything. 2 out of 3 of my incisions are healed and I can go back to normal...all in time for July 4th! Lee and I are spending it in DFW. Good thing since there is a hurricane in the Gulf at the moment!