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!!

Healthy as a Horse

Yes, you read it!  I am {finally} well!  I still have a little bit of a cough, but I felt better today than I can remember feeling before I got sick!  I'm kind of wondering if my thermometer is slightly broken.  It keeps saying that I'm running a low temp {99.1-99.6} even though I don't feel like I have fever.  It is really weird though because when my fever "broke" while I was sick, it read 98.4 and actually really low like 96.8.  WEIRD.  As long as I feel OK, I'm a happy camper.

Hopefully the CrossFit session Friday night doesn't do me in!  I cannot WAIT to give it another go.  The girls that were able to attend last week are still sore {so at least I'm not the only one} and we should have a bigger group this time.  More people to watch me throw up!

This is a short post because I have an exam {that I'm more prepared for than ever in my life} tomorrow morning.  It is weird to be this prepared.  I wish it wasn't, but all too often I'm cramming right up until I walk in the room.  Today I studied, got a pedicure, cooked dinner, and studied a little more before writing this.

One final thought......

happy birthday shelley!!!

Borrowed

Dance in the shadows of your fears and they will turn to light. ~ Aine Belton

Late February

You may be able to tell from the well thought out title of this post that I am not up for much.  I just completed Day #4 with fever, have an extremely sore throat, and generally feel like junk!  On the positive side of things, I feel better today than yesterday and I've lost at least 5 elle-bees {from having no appetite}.

Speaking of elle-bees.....CROSS FIT was amazing and crazy!  Just when I thought I couldn't move it was over.  Saturday morning was GREAT...I was extremely sore Sunday and Monday.  Tuesday was interesting, and today was the first day I could stand or sit without taking a deep breath and focussing!  We're supposed to make this a weekly Saturday morning thing...hopefully I miraculously recover tomorrow!!

It is crazy how things fall into place when you're doing something you should be.  I was a very mediocre student when I graduated from UT Austin.  I recently found out I am in the top 1/3 of my class!  I don't know exactly where I stand, but I'm very happy to be on the list.  I'll be inducted into an honor society the day before graduation and get to wear some extra cords at graduation.

My dear sweet friend, Ashley, had her quarter century birthday last week and there are pictures!!!  We took her out to Pappasitos for an evening of fajitas, friends, fun, AND sombreros!

 The group---bad angle though : (

 Claudia, Ashley, and Me

 Birthday Girl

Who knew there was a beer called Victoria??  MUST HAVE picture!

Three Years Ago Today

Lee and I were married three years ago today!

This is the first anniversary we've spent apart {which stinks} and we've spent almost 1/3 of our marriage living in separate cities.  WOW.  I was being all self-centered and grumpy-gut about it and realized that we're lucky.  We can drive or fly to see each other and it only takes a couple of hours.  Some people live entire continents away from each other!  Some people have a spouse in the military and don't even get to talk to them on a daily basis.  We are SO lucky that we can talk, text, and road trip!

Lee
My handsome husband {yes, I'm about to brag} got what I'm calling a "lateral promotion."  He has the same title, but he now works with 3 different locations for Enterprise.  I am ridiculously proud of Lee's success at work; he definitely deserves it.  He has had an interesting few weeks.  I'll post a picture as soon as I see the damage, but during the ice storm that shut DFW down for a week he went to work {and was never even a minute late}.  The result?  He wrecked into a concrete wall with the bed of his truck after sliding off of I-35.  Lee LOVES his truck and cannot wait to get it repaired in the next couple of weeks.  I LOVE my Lee and am happy HE doesn't have to be repaired!

Haley
I had the best day in the SICU {Surgical Intensive Care Unit} today.  Well, the best day so far.  Each day gets better because I'm more familiar with the equipment/supplies, and because I'm building my confidence in my judgement and knowledge.  I routinely think about the fact that I have to be perfect or I could kill someone.  Kill.  So scary considering the fact that I'm still learning.  I'm learning to give each task the attention it deserves without constantly thinking about mortality, because when I'm thinking about that I'm not giving a task the attention it deserves!!

Both of Us
We're celebrating our anniversary and Valentine's Day in Houston this weekend!  I haven't told Lee {surprise} yet, but we're also going to CrossFit Saturday morning!  One of my sweet school friends is an instructor and she is going to kick our butts Saturday morning.  I'm SO excited!!  Lee may not feel the same way.....we'll see!

Well, that is all for my quick update.  I MUST sleep and then study tomorrow.  I have so much to document/journal/update and I'm going to work on that weekend after next when I have {a little} time off.  Enjoy the pictures!

 Lee & Trevor @ an Enterprise shin-dig

 Lee and Me @ Rachel's Wedding

 My grandma (Neese) & Me @ Christmas (it was FREEZING)

 Libby loves Lee

 I love him more : )

One of these presents doesn't look like the others... 

Maggie "doesn't" climb stairs yet this is what we came home to every day while my parents stayed with us for Christmas.  Nice to come home to sweet snoring puggies!

January is Over?

I have tried to sit down and write for a while now, but everything has been so stinkin busy!  Let me just share the last week...

Sunday - 12 hour shift in the SICU, study time
Monday - 2.5 hour certification, 2 hour meeting, 2 hour presentation, study time
Tuesday - Exam in the morning, quiz in the afternoon, study time
Wednesday - 12 hour shift in the SICU, 4 case studies, study time
Thursday - 12 hour shift in hospice, study time
Friday - 12 hour shift in the SICU
Saturday - study time in the morning, wedding from 3-9

This schedule is insane!  Do you realize I worked 4 12 hour shifts?  I'm taking 20 hours of classes!  I have NO SEMBLANCE OF A LIFE, but.....it is worth it and I'd do it again.

I could use a few prayers....

#1 - for reason to prevail.  My classmates and I had a prayer session each week before our exams and the girl who organized it each week got a cease and desist notice from the University's lawyers.  Evidently they think we are not allowed to pray on campus and can be disciplined for doing so.  I've gone through all the stages of grief with this one.  Perhaps the most interesting and pleasant surprise occurred.  The day after she received that email, a group three times that which normally meets gathered in a study area to pray for the university, for each other, and for our classmates.

The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.  Exodus 14:14

#2 - I've got a bad case of plantar fasciitis.  For those of you unfamiliar, my heel basically hurts so bad that I can't walk on it at times when it becomes inflamed.  I start physical therapy tomorrow to avoid a cortisone shot (which I'd like to avoid).  I told the Dr. that he couldn't get near me with a cortisone shot unless I got an epidural or general anesthesia!!

#3 - Lee is applying for promotions right now.  I want him to get the promotion, but only if it is a good place for him.

#4 - I'm currently applying for positions in the DFW area.  There is a trauma internship that I'm really interested in with a 2.5 year commitment but there is another good program that doesn't have that commitment.

Okay that is all for now.  Just a few pictures and a movie for you!  Ok nevermind on the movie and you get 1 picture of my handsome man with Libby @ Christmas.  Silly blogger!!