forgiveness

Why is the hardest person to forgive yourself?

AND

The hardest thing to do is change?

I passed!

I updated my facebook status to shout my praises at passing my master's level Comprehensive Nursing Exam! Woot! Woot!

However I feel I should explain more to those that care to read about my endeavors to be a nurse practitioner.

I have passed WSU's comprehensive exam...like a dissertation or theists of sorts. It was a four hour all essay exam and it focused on nursing theorists, research, and advanced practice issues. (All my absolute favorite topics! NOT!) I still have my remaining classes, finals, and clinicals to complete.... I am far from done. After graduation (May) and then completion of clinicals (July)...I can then proceed to take the national board certifications. So many more prayers still need to come my way.

This semester is close to ending and I look forward to Christmas break. I feel that I have learned so much but there is always so much more to learn. In January my new clinical site will in the ER and I am very excited about it!

So any questions people? Clear as mud? That about sums up my program!

season opener

This site at Dillions today makes me soooo happy!
I look forward to one of these in my stocking every year!

Today I was more "house-hold" productive than ever...clinicals all day...then grocery shopping..then mowing the backyard and then mowing the front yard...making Birkey style rice. yummy!



Amazing what all can get done to avoid homework! Ha!

NON-

I got a NON-flattering and NON-fixable hole in my favorite jeans!

STINK!

Pumpkin Party

Yeah for pumpkins, parties, fun, food, and friends!

falling GPA

Yikes I hate microbiology and it hates me as evident by my scores this exam! Prof just thought he would throw that section in "for fun"! I still don't see it in the study guide. grrrr I hate that! My dislike for microbiology stems back to an undergrad class at 7am in a stinky lab where the crazy prof would say "morning microbiologist" and I would always respond "I am a (soon-to-be-) nurse" He never liked the nursing students. Well I take that back...he seemed to enjoy torchering us.

Do people even look at GPAs anymore? It is my last year at school...my goal is to not focus on the numbers anyway... it is not about the numbers..its about the knowledge. AMEN.

If I am speaking honestly..my gpa can only fall..... (i know i know...I heard a lot of people throw up at little right then, but it matters to me...or it used to matter to me....remember I have a new goal!)

Thanks for all your prayers during the rough spots. I made it through and frankly I am not looking back!

Now it is time to celebrate the pumpkins and pumpkin season!!! Yippee

prayer please

thanks for all volunteering to help me post videos! HA! maybe you all don't know how to do it either!

I have a major exam for my master's program this Friday. I have to pass it to graduate and I would rather not go through it again! (if I can help it!) Imagine writing essays for 6 hours on unknown graduate nursing topics. Sounds like a day of fun for sure. blah

Sunday an online "quiz" is due.

Monday a professor is coming to evaluate me in the clinical setting. No way to be prepared for that! Silent judge.

Wednesday I have a midterm.

I don't think I could handle much more....i know.

don't vote

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olpCyDA4kYA


P.S. Someday someone will have to teach me how to post things as video until then...enjoy the links!

October already!

Wow... I can't not blog on the first day of October. I love this month...the cool weather... the changing leaves (as long as I don't have to rake them!)...and most of all pumpkins!!!!!
Yummy! I have already started the pumpkin pie baking and soon to make the pumpkin bread. This time of year the cravings for such treats are overwhelming.

Hard not to get overwhelmed by the amount of knowledge to know and learn in the medical field. I think Nurse Practitioners are great but I am right now somewhat disappointed in my education. I have a year to go so hopefully it will get better and better. Maybe is just disappointment in myself and the vast amount of learning I have yet to go. I felt similar feelings after I just started as a brand new nurse. The school and only semi prepare you for the real world challenges ahead.

My beef right now: You come to the health care provider and complain of a sore throat....do you want to hear about nursing theorists or controversial issues in the healthcare or abstract comcepts ......no you don't...but that is what my professors are testing me over right now...in the form of a 6 hour essay test....you come because you hurt and you want a cure...you want antibiotics...which you really probably don't need cause it is just a virus...but I will give you a script because that is what makes you happy and "what you pay for" Crazy medical world!

to do homework?

I should do some homework.....

but I will make banana bread and watch the 60th Emmy Awards instead.

P.S I have a apple tree with tons of apples. Too bad they mostly have bad spots. Next year I will spray and enjoy.

school is here

Wow my last post was a month ago...sorry... life happens.

School started and it took off from there!

life events since: Olympics party, severely sprained ankle, cut down to part-time at work, friend hang out time, floods, a wedding, but mostly clinical time and class time take a lot of energy and time.

I just forget that being a true student really required alot mentally and emotionally and it can be physically demanding with the schedule. (maybe that is just my schedule right now) The balance of working days and nights is exhausting. Where is the balance? I try to remain positive and think...it is only a year left!

Congrats Kristin and Matt (now newlyweds)!!

The Denver Adventure...

So on a last free summer week-end I made a little road trip to Denver...here are some pics...

on the road for eights hours......but headed toward the beautiful mountains kept me going......

Emily at her favorite local Mexican resturante..... I loved the Coke in a bottle...it is so from Mexico......

hiking in the Red Rocks....

out to eat on Mead Street.....

Sunday was a long and hot day but amazing. We joined more than 50,000 music fans at the Mile High Musical Festival in 100 degree heat....in this picture John Mayer was singing behind us....

John looking good on the large screen.....we were a few people back....

...taking time to realize that Coby Caillat was performing...

....Martin Sexton gave a great performace.....

a close up look at Dave Matthews..................

my actual view between people's heads...........

a look a the Dave Matthews Band live.........what a great show.....



Emily Gingerich, Bethany (Blough) Simpson and baby boy to be, and Me
It was awesome to catch up with my great friend Emily and get a peek into her life in Denver. Thanks to Em and her roommates Andrea and Kelli for letting me crash at their house for the week-end. It was a perfect week-end!!!

The here and now

I love the blue hymnal. I didn't realize how much I missed it until I attend First Mennonite in Denver this morning! Ahhh to be amongst the Mennonites again. I met several people from college that are now in Denver so that was a bonus. I heart the Mennonite game!

So I have been updating you on Thailand but much other stuff is going on in my life. Some highlights include and are not limited to....softball games and championship winners....pool time at Holly's....bonding over Chinese/Japanese and I Survived a Japanese Game Show...Worlds of Fun (need I say more!)....

this post is for the here and now.... here I am in Denver. On a little get away week-end to visit Emily (my long lost college roomie!) What a great time so far and I am blessed to have another day or two to go! Saturday we got it started right with crafts (making a pinata for a housemate's birthday party) then eating true Mexican at a local joint, Mead St., 16th Street Mall, FREE cotton candy, FREE popcorn, Dark Knight. That was all packed in to Saturday.

Sunday was reserved for the Mile High Music Festival. AWESOME!! It was reported that there were more than 40,000 people there and it seemed like more..5 stages and tons of amazing artists. The highlights included John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, Brett Dennen, Martin Sexton, Rodrigo & Gabriela, Clobie Caillat, and Flobots. Just to name a few. The pictures are on my camera but I do have the proof and some are pretty sweet if I do say so myself!

Right now the here and now is a pretty sweet gig!

Thailand pictures cont.

a look at the islands and our snorkeling day!

Ronald McDonald in Bangkok!

some sights around the national palace

Summer Time

Why does summer go by so fast? Can't we just strech it out a little longer...especially this one! I start clinicals Aug 4 and I am oober anxious.

As Anne of Green Gables reminds me....the sun will continue to rise and set whether I fail at geometry (school/clinicals) or not. Enough of school... I am still in summer and must live each day to the fullest!

THAILAND!

Wow! What an adventure. I was there one short week in June but what an amazing time. Photos can tell it better so I will get them posted!

a look at our bungaloo on Ko Lanta! so beautiful and inexpensive!!!

Our pool and beach at the resort!! AMAZING!!!

riding on the island on a tuk tuk!

elephant trekking and hiking to a waterfall was just awesome!

I thought the next day couldn't get better but we went snorkeling on several different islands! Life got so much better!! ahhh!

We haven't even made it to off the islands to Bangkok for the rest of our trip of shopping in the markets and Thai massages and food food food!!!! maybe I'll post those later....

GC Friends

Blast from the past. I live on campus in group houseing for my senior year. East Hall was one of my college highlights. 6 girls upstairs and 6 guys in the basement...equals adventure and good times.

This past Saturday my friend Alyssa stopped by to visit! (She lived in East Hall as well.) We had lunch and great conversations. She is now a nurse in Chicago. Anyways I love catching up with old friends so I thought I would share my joy.

I probably wont post for a while. I leave tomorrow for Thailand. Pray for safe travels and good health!

catch-up

So here it goes...

I passed my two grad classes this past semester. Only three clinicals to go and a lot more stress... Woot! Didn't do to shabby on the grade portion too but who looks at that? I just hope to remember all the information for clinicals and the real world. It is impossible to know everything but being in the medical profession you are expected to. How is that fair?

I am done with summer pre-session! I waited my whole grad school for that class. We learned suturing and casting! I think suturing will be come my new favorite past time. It is an art, like crossstich. Ha. The cast saw is loud and frightening but now I am at least experienced before I cut yours off some day. (Some day I will learn how to up load pictures from my phone and show you my sweet hot pink leg cast I recieved that day!)

My brother is now married. CRAZY! Amy is now my new sister and we are blessed to have her join our family. The wedding was beautiful. I will attempt to upload pictures!

Liam Jeremy is the second newest addition to the family (before Amy). Kellie and Jeremy had a beautiful baby boy on May 20th. I love his name and I love him!

I got to visit Lindsay and Adam in Kansas City after the craziness of finals. I was honored to meet the newest addition to their family...Katelyn Rae....so precious! I had to include her little Zoolander pose!

I purchased a new cell phone but it is so much more than that! It is a Palm Treo and I am super excited about it! If only I new how to use it. This will come with practice I am sure and I plan to read the entire manual.

Wednesday I leave for my trip of a life time. I am going to Thailand for a vacation...more on that another day!

The light..

....at the end of the tunnel.

Speaking of the semester coming to another welcome end! The light is shining through the dark abyss...that light is not only getting stronger but it is becoming blinding. I am not close to done nor ready to face the finals that are awaiting me just weeks away. YIKES! Why can I not get my butt in gear?

Could it be the endless opportunities of stuff to do in Wichita? or Episodes of ER or OC? or work?

How about laziness? Yep that about sums it up. Natural procrastination. I was born for it.

Spring Break '08! WOOT!

So this week we celebrate Goshen College Spring Break '08! WOOT! (The woot or woo or yippeee must follow this phrase at all times...in print or verbage!)

So this week-end was the family wedding. Weddings are fun and always interesting. My family cracks me up and never ceases to surprise me. I guess my parents never get out and have never been to a wedding before. My mom is facinated almost obsessed really by groom's cakes! I guess Justin asked her to research this subject for him and research she did. Basically memorized the first link that comes up on google. (This technical step is also an amazing leap for her! Dad possible could have been the one to help with that!)

My dad says at the reception..."We are ready to spring from here as soon as we get Justin (the bestman) loose" Sounds like a jail break! G-ma and pa were getting antsy!

My other fav was Dad again...."Justin is going to have to give a few words or a small speech or something..."
Me- "Dad, you mean a toast?"
Dad- "oh yeah that sounds right"
Anne (my housemate)-"Have your parents ever been to a wedding?"

Grandma was awesome when she tried to eat the table decorations. She thought is was a really hard mint....nope sorry Grandma...in her defense it was on the cake table.. but alas.....not a mint! It was a white stone.
Back to the Spring Break '08! WOOT! It is sister time 24/7! So far it has been great. We went to 27 Dresses. Cute! Then we road tripped it old school style with the Birkeissens again (Jeremy & Kellie & unborn baby & Justin & Jodi & I) "the kids" took a road trip with NO PARENTS to see the Erin at the wonderful Sterling College Campus! Fun times were had out on the town of Lyons as well! I am exhausted and it has only been one day of fun!
I wish vacations never ended!

Oh Heath......

.....no words can describe it all.