To my family...

So, as I was sitting here doing laundry (yes, I actually did laundry today) and trying to motivate myself to study for my midterms this week, I was looking through some of my elementary methods of social studies notes and came across the ones about family. We had discussed the importance of teaching kids that families can be different, but that doesn't make them any less a family. Therefore, no matter how different my family is (and yes, we aren't always normal) it makes me thankful that they're my family and noone elses, and they're unique to me. So, inspired by this thought, I figured that I would post some pictures of my family who will see me in 19 days!! Hence, these pictures, that are from Christmas, so they're not necessarily recent, but hey, it's all that I have down here, so we just have to make due with it. Anyways, I hope that all of you had a blessed Sunday!

Happy Birthday!!!!!

Happy Birthday to Swift,
Happy Birthday to Swift,
Happy Birthday to Swiftttttttt
Happy Birthday to SWIFT!!!!!!!

Hope you had a wonderful 21st Birthday today!

Today

So, today was day of prayer, and overall it was a wonderful day. It's sunny, with blue skies and temperatures around 82 degrees. Today consisted of 2 chapels, 2 prayer meetings and lunch, but NO CLASSES!!! Which meant that I did not have to endure Bible Doctrines with Dr. Martin who always calls on me to answer questions I don't know... Anyways, I need to go and start on some homework now since I seem to be overloaded with it this week. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Prayer Request

My mom is suppose to be having surgery this week. She has been sick the last couple days so her surgery might be cancelled. She's really upset about it b/c she was suppose to have the surgery a long time ago and it took forever to get all of the surgeons she needs to coordinate. Pray she will be able to have her surgery this week and that every thing goes okay!

Barker

To answer Amanda's question Barker said for some reason he cant access this website from his house.

The glories of Michigan

Thursday was 57 degrees and then the very next day the temp. dropped 30 degrees and has been going down ever since.

The ICU wasn't too bad. I was able to give some shots and I had a crazy lady who kept trying to pull off her bipap and NG tube. And her rectal tube kept coming out and I got to put it back in (I know you all are really wanting to go into nursing about now). The crazy lady's grandson came to visit her. He was this big, tough bull riding cop all dressed up like a cowboy but when we started drawing his grandma's blood he turned gray and passed out cold on the floor! When he finally woke up he was still gray and started throwing up. We ended up having to take him to the ED. He was fine of course.

I ended up having to work all weekend so that was no fun. I don't even remember the last time I slept in! I went to bed at 7:30 last night I was so warn out! Thats pretty pathetic! So I got about 9 hours of sleep so that compensated a little bit for not being able to sleep in. This week at work has actually been kinda fun. It's RSV season so we have tons of little babies w/ RSV. One was only 2 weeks old! Wearing masks all the time gets old but thats okay it's better that getting RSV. While I was suctining a trach I got some lovely trach secretions in my eye so I had to flush my eye with saline for like 10 min. Mental note: always wear a mask when suctioning a trach. It's what they teach you in school but nobody actually does it in the real world.

Anyway... that was WAY too long so enought for now. Have a good week!!!

The glories of Florida...

Sorry I haven't posted in a while...things have been slightly hectic. But, it is the weekend, thankfully and what a beautiful weekend it was. Today it was around 81 degrees here and sunny. So, naturally, Derek's first thought would be, "Let's wash the car" whereas mine would be, "Let's sit in the sun" while I think "I hope it's not gonna get TOO hot." So, we compromised and ended up doing a little bit of both. I put pictures on here, but they ended up coming up backwards of the way I thought they would, so the second part of our day showed up first. But, we went to Philippe Park and spent about an hour and a half just walking around and enjoying the weather. Oh, and sorry the Valentine's Day pictures aren't up yet...Derek still has them. However, since I heard the weather in Michigan was extremely cold today, I thought this would be appropriate to post...Have a wonderful weekend!

This is Derek and I enjoying our walk by the water at the park...

This was up somewhere on what they call "Indian Mound" or something like that. We thought it would be appropriate to take a picture.

This was just an inspirational moment that I had and I thought it would make a pretty picture...

Just another random picture at the park...kinda sad that we didn't even get palm trees in the background.

Although slightly unusual, I found this picture intriguing because you can see both me and the water reflected in his glasses...

This would be Derek frantically vacuuming out the car...He says my side of the car is always dirtier than his, and we all know how spastic he can be about having a clean car...

This was when we were talking to Mark at the car wash...this was when Derek was cleaning all the windows with the Windex that he just whipped out of the trunk of his car...

Strange how happy he looks when washing his car...

This would be the one Valentine's picture that I have...It's of one of Derek's gifts to me.

Art class

So, this is called me venting about Art class. In art class, we are expected to be able to draw, well our last project was called an Upside Down Drawing, where we had to turn the picture we were copying upside down and then draw what we saw upside down, because this is supposed to make our brain really notice what we're drawing instead of drawing what we think we see, and actually the drawing is supposed to turn out better than if you'd done it right side up. Well, I agree with it looking better, but it still doesn't look good. So, Missy, who is in the same class as me, and these projects are due tomorrow. So, I posted a picture of what my drawing looks like as well as the picture my drawing is supposed to look like, and then I posted Missy's picture, and then some more pictures of mine. So, enjoy my frustration and my wonderful drawing skills...

Valentine's Day...

Well, my Valentine's Day is wonderful, but I'm going to spare you guys the details until Derek gives me the pictures from them, so then I can post pictures and descriptions. Which, who really knows when Derek will send me the pictures, so it could be a while. 30 days until Spring break! My excitement abounds. Anyways, sorry this is so short, but I must get some homework done, and I don't like to do it all tonight because I like being able to go to bed on Wednesday nights before I have to get up and be with the 5 year olds. Have a wonderful day guys! The week is halfway over!

hi!!!!

Hello everybody! My Valentine's Day was pretty good...although Barker only sent me an ecard :(. j/k Barker, thanks :)! I went to school and got candy. A guy in my class asked me to be his Valentine (he's very persistent I'll give him that). And then I came home and my mom got me candy, and my dad got me a nurse's calendar. Jan. 5th on the calendar was my favorite it said, "Nursing is a kind, compassionate, and caring profession. Nursing school is cruel and unusual punishment." At least I know I'm not the only one whose thought that! lol. Today is soooooo nice cuz I'm in ICU for clinical this week, which means I didn't have to go to the hospital to get my patient information today and then write a careplan. So that gives me at least 7 hours free today that I normally wouldn't have. I thought I'd spend that time catching up on my reading but I fell asleep for about an hour and a half. I guess thats about it! Pray for me in ICU tomorrow and Friday. The ICU is scary, I'd take the ER over it any day! I don't like people on vents! Happy Belated Valentine's Day!!!!! oh... and 79 days till GRADUATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

OH, and by the way, noone seems to have commented on my Christmas tree idea...

In the spirit of the weather...

So, in the spirit of cold weather, I was searching some other blogs, and I'm not really sure how I ended up on this one, (I think it was someone from Inter-City's...the church, not the school) anyhow I don't know them, but I saw a posting of theirs from this past Christmas. So, it got me thinking about next Christmas (which yes, I do know is still over 10 months away, but that's not the point). So, I'm going to post a picture of this situation. I have this thing for big Christmas trees, even though I've never really seen one because I don't think that the ones in the mall count. But, it says that this is in Campus Martius Park in downtown Detroit, which I have no idea where that is, but I figured if we all wanted to go and we weren't all afraid of going into the depths of Detroit, then we would have over 10 months to figure it out. See? Thinking ahead is such a benefit. However, who even knows if this ice rink will even be here next year, and not that any of us ice skate, but it would still be nice to at least go see. Okay, well for some reason, it won't let me attach a picture in here. So, instead I'm just going to post the link to get you to the picture, so I want all of you guys to go and look at this. And have a great day!

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1168/1421/1600/PC220121-1.jpg

Winter Weather

So, as I'm sitting here talking on the phone with Mark, I'm writing this post. So, today the high here was like 49 degrees. It was freezing here considering that I don't have a coat. It's supposed to be about the same temperature tomorrow too. I really like the cold weather, but I wish I could wear pants or at least have a warm coat. So, I was opening a TISSUE (that was just for you, Mark) box, and I found a coupon in it for new Kleenex moist cloths. I've never known that they had these things, but it's an exciting new concept. You know what else I found exciting this weekend? They have individual serve kool-aid packets, like you know how they came out with the crystal light individual packets that you dump in a bottle of water? Well, now they have kool-aid ones. I was just telling Derek about how they should make those when I spotted them in the store. It was the exciting revelation of yesterday! Anyways, we have devotions in 11 minutes and then I am going straight to bed, so I hope you guys all have a great night!

ER

Well I was 2 for 2 on my blood draws in the ER :). It was a slow day so there were only two to do in the whole ER. I actually liked it alot down there. I would request to transfer to the ER if I didnt think my nurse educator would kill me. My orientation should be over at the end of the month. Since my orientation is almost over they want me to work as much as possible so I have to work next Sat. and Sunday. Ashley (formerly Hatler) and I were suppose to go out to lunch on Sat. b/c I was suppose to be off all weekend but I guess we'll have to find a new day. We actually talked a lot at the Superbowl party and it was kinda nice to catch up. Nothing much we already didnt know. She and Brandon are still working at that printing company and they're living with her parents now and saving money for a house. Oh... and not that you guys even remember but I ended up doing really good on that cardiac test I was freaking out about :).

I love surprises...

So, yesterday, Friday night was George Adam's surprise birthday party at Chili's! After some stress of them telling us that we wouldn't have seats for 1 1/2-2 hours (this was at 7) and we were supposed to surprise him at 8, and then not being sure of what to do, everything ended up working out okay, because we just surprised him because we were all standing in front of Chili's still waiting when he got there. But we all had a really good time, and he was still surprised, and I took pictures. So, here are the pictures...

This would be me and Derek on the way to Chili's...there was traffic, so we decided to pass the time by taking pictures of ourselves...

This is Rachel and her boyfriend Chris. Rachel is the one who organized the whole party.
This is Derek and Sarah, who was my roommate last year. Don't they look so happy for sitting in the cold Florida weather waiting for a table?
This is Sarah, me and Heather, who I lived with last year. We were still waiting....
This is George Adam...and his Sam's Club cake, which was really good by the way.
This is me and Derek standing outside waiting.
This is Heather and her boyfriend TJ. And yes, this is still in front of Chili's waiting.
This is Heather, Rachel and me...aren't we cute??
This is Gus and Lisa. Gus is Derek's roommate.

Anyways, it's time for dinner, so I hope you guys had a good day...I spent mine writing papers...life is so fun! I will talk to you all later!!

Pray for the children...

Tomorrow I work 8 hours in my usual unit and then I'm going to the ER to draw blood for four hours. You may remember my success with Swifty so say a prayer for the poor children. I'll let you know how it goes! Wish me luck!

still waiting for my weekend...

Well I still have 15 days to go till I get to sleep in... I swear the weeks all run together because there is no end to them! Here is my usual schedule:

Monday: Wake up at 7:30 go to school and get home around 12:30.
Tuesday: Wake up at 7:30 go to class and get home at 12:30.
Wednesday: Wake up at 7:30 go to class. Leave class at 11 go straight to the hospital to get my patient assignment, which usually takes an hour or two. Come home write a 16 page paper about that patient(s) that I was assigned that is due at 7am the next morning. If I finish my paper in time, I help out at AWANA.
Thursday: Wake up between 5 and 5:30 go to clinical and get home around 2 and finish my careplan.
Friday: Wake up b/w 5 and 5:30 again go to clinical and come home at 2.
Saturday: Wake up at 5 go to work for 8-12 hours.
Sunday: Very rarely I have to wake up at 5 again to go to work but usually I'm up at 7:30 for church and then at church again at 6.
Of course in all of the "free time" there are books to read, papers to write, and notes to study. I just keep thinking 84 days till graduation!!! So pray I survive till the 25th when there is no work, school, or church to wake up early for :).

The weekend...

So, I'm glad that today is over, and my 3 hours at the Teacher Recruitment Conference have been served. But, before I start my homework, I am going to post some pictures of last Friday when our campus became flooded. We managed to receive somewhere around 18 inches of rain in about 6-7 hours. Therefore, I didn't wear shoes all day because it was pointless. I took pictures because I had never really seen anything like this...








I hope that everyone had a good day and you guys all have a great weekend.

Pictures like I promised...

CHRISTMAS BREAK 2005


This would be New Year's Eve...me and Derek...not quite the most flattering picture of us I've ever seen, but hey...what can you do?

And this would be one of our most competitive game times...can't you tell?

And no, I don't really know what we're doing here...I guess not paying a whole lot of attention to the game, and in general just being ourselves...


This wasn't really any special occasion, just one Wednesday night...we're such an enthusiastic bunch...



Boys will be boys...


Our New Year's party consisted of us (well, Swift) letting Jamie practice her blood drawing skills on him...notice the look of nervous anticipation...and only one bruise was formed...


Ahh...Greenfield Village (or the Henry Ford, whichever you may prefer) on Holiday Nights...otherwise known as the coldest day of the year without fail...and we were out in it! Praise the Lord for hats, scarves, coats, mittens, and hot chocolate!

Doesn't this just look like the most fun-loving bunch you've ever seen?? I thought so
Ahh...our classic serious pose...and I actually was able to do it this time! But this is our game team...guesstures I think...
The girls on New Year's Eve...so much fun!
It's sparking raspberry something or other...we'd never had it before. I didn't think it was all that bad, but apparently everyone else did...
This is all the pictures for tonight...I have a Bible Doctrines paper to write. Have a good night everyone!

Hey wow how like advanced! We Blog! lol
Cool I have been at school for most of the day working on a project big fun not much to say but hi so HI!!

Kids say the darndest things

This is from an email my aunt sent my mom and then the last one is what a girl at AWANA asked me last night. Answers are given by elementary school age children:
-Why did your mom marry your dad? My grandma says that mom didnt have her thinking cap on.
-What would it take to make your Mom perfect? On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
-Whats the difference b/w moms and dads? Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friends.

Okay now at AWANA (this was Lauren for Barker whose the only one who knows who she is):
"Are you married?" no. "Do you live with Dan (Barker)?" no. "Then where do you sleep?" okay...maybe you had to be there but it was pretty funny. I'll spare you the rest of the conversation...

Today

I spent my day today with 120 kindergarteners...yes, 120. Can life really get much better than this? Tonight marks the beginning of the Teacher Recruitment Conference during which I am forced to wear a color-coded name tag to distinguish which year of our college education we are in. By default, I am credit wise a senior which forces me to wear the senior colored name tag, which means that all of these principals seek me out like there is no tomorrow, which forces me to try to find better means of avoiding them this year. Although I must admit they often have pretty good things to give away such as CDs, chocolate, and fancy pens.
I tried to post pictures with this post, but for some reason the computer is not allowing me to do so, so hopefully pictures will come later tonight.

Memories...

Ah, the memories of our last day together in the summer. I just thought I'd put this up since there are no pictures of all of us up here. 37 days and counting until Spring Break!

Amanda...again

Okay, so apparently I really hadn't figured it out, cause I was still somehow posting under Julie's name. Congratulations to Jamie who figured it out all on her own and it didn't take 3 hours. So I thought I would try out this picture thing, so I am posting a picture of the color wheel that I had to make for my Methods of Elementary Art class.

This is Amanda

So, after like 3 hours I finally figured this situation out.

This is Jamie

I didn't think I'd be able to figure this out but it's actually pretty easy... so hello!!!!! oh... and I beat Barker and David Buhr in a relay race pushing 6 year olds today :). Mark is my witness. I beat my mom too but thats not hard to do....sorry mom. lol

This is Derek

Hey, I'm just trying this out. Just wanted to say hi. Have a good night Y'all.

this is Julie...

ok, I just set this up, so we'll see how well it works...