Easter Sunday

I hope you had a wonderful Easter Sunday celebrating the freedom offered to us through Jesus' Resurrection! It was a perfect day for playing outside here in North Carolina!!

I visited a new church in a town near here that morning, and I LOVED it!! The pastor took a different approach to the Easter story . . . He started at the beginning in the Garden of Eden before sin entered. Then, he went to the next chapter where the 'fall of man' led to a downward spiral of humanity creating the huge need for a Savior. (enter Jesus) Our Savior came here to Earth to offer himself as a living sacrifice - once and for all time. This one act of His self-sacrifice changed the course of eternity and gave us the gift of freedom from eternal death through Him. Although I've heard and believed the Easter Story all my life, it was neat to hear it presented in this way.

When I got home that afternoon, I looked around at all the chores I needed to get done around here and decided to go play! I grabbed a quick lunch and headed straight for Durham . . . home of my favorite gardens. It was SO CROWDED there!! Granted, I usually go there during the week and not on a holiday, but I was surprised. I actually had to wait for a parking space. So much for my original idea. It was cute to see all the kids in their Easter outfits posing for pictures by all the pretty flowers. I really felt sorry for the ladies who thought they could make it in their high heels!! HELLO - there's not a smooth sidewalk here! It was such a gorgeous day, albeit a little more cold than I prefer. Some families even brought some eggs to hide in the grassy areas of the gardens.

Speaking of hunting eggs . . . my unit at work did something fun for us this past weekend. When I arrived at work Saturday morning, I saw a note posted to the door announcing that Easter eggs had been hidden all over the unit for us to find. Some had money, some had lunch vouchers, and some had chocolate candy! How fun! I found one with a Reese's peanut butter egg - YUM.

Anyways, back to Easter . . .

I got to spend several hours at the gardens that day. It was a great way to spend the day since I wasn't close enough to home to go to the fish fry at my Papa Art & Mamma Granny's house. I really wanted some coffee (more specifically, a Mint Condition from Caribou Coffee) to warm up after leaving Duke, so I decided I'd swing by the mall on my way home. Much to my surprise, it had closed early - or maybe not even opened since it was Easter. So instead, I met a friend of mine for dinner and then came back here to Greenville. I got home later than I had planned, which made for a "fun" Monday at work yesterday, but it was well worth it for the fun I had on Sunday.

So today it's back to the "chores" I left undone on Sunday. I'm working to get all packed (or as much as I can and still work 2 more days this week) before the weekend so I can play around here Saturday afternoon and Sunday before leaving for home.

As you might have guessed, I have another long road trip coming up this next week, so I'll try to post some pictures from my drive from the East Coast back to the Big D. Have a wonderful week!

Pieces of Heaven

Last week on one of my days off, I went out to Duke University to visit the gardens there in hopes that the tulips would be in bloom. I was in luck!

I found a new beach yesterday . . . Wrightsville Beach near Wilmington, NC. It was a perfect day to sit on the beach and watch the waves roll in (while wearing a sweatshirt!!). :-) I was there during high tide, which got much higher on the beach than I had originally anticipated. Needless to say, I got a little wet!

The waves got so high that surfers were able to ride them standing up. (a big change from the 'boogie-board waves' I'm used to in the Gulf!) Pretty cool!!

I don't remember any descriptions of heaven in the Bible that specifically mention tulips and beaches, but I'm pretty sure they're there!!

Spring is near

I love seeing the tulips arrive at the grocery store because that means that spring (a.k.a. warmer weather!!) is coming soon. Very exciting! :-)

On a side note:

When I logged on tonight, I found out that my previous post (my 'Mema Tribute') was my 100th post on here. I can look at that two ways . . . 1) I've wasted many hours typing to no one in particular over the past 18 or so months just in case someone cares to read my random thoughts. 2) How cool that it worked out for her blog to be my 100th - kind of an ending as well as a beginning. I'm choosing to view it as scenario #2!! Have a great day!

Good Memories

Eva Lorae Poe

a.k.a. My Mema

Mema & Me in New Bern, NC. (Fall, 2007)

In case you never had the opportunity to know my Mema, I wanted to share a little about her with you. Some of the things I loved about my Mema:

1. Beautiful hands: For those of you who don't know, I LOVE hands! Always have, always will. In fact, it's one of the first things I notice about someone - second only to their eyes. My Mema always had large, strong, beautiful hands. She always took the time to have her nails shaped and polished. Even when she could barely see out of her one good eye, her nails were always done.





2. My Christmas Guru: My absolute favorite time of year was also her favorite time of year. Each year, in July, I received a Christmas card from her stating that it's "time to start decorating!!" :-) I love to celebrate Christmas throughout the year and proudly listen to Christmas carols whenever I desire - whatever month it might be.

My "mini Christmas Tree" while I was working in Virginia during Christmas. (Winter, 2006)





3. Great Cook: I remember watching her cook at family gatherings each year in amazement. She didn't use recipes and almost never used a measuring device. Everything was by look, smell, feel, and/or taste (yeah, even if raw . . .). I've never been a good cook, and can only bake things when I have a detailed recipe to follow! I will miss her famous cream peas!





4. Loved to Laugh: Anyone who met her knew that she was joyful and loved to laugh. In fact, it was one of the points the preacher mentioned at her funeral. She had a great laugh and was always willing to share it with everyone!!



Mema at her 75th birthday party. (summer, 2007)



5. Strong Faith and Conviction: She had such a strong faith in God, and it became even more evident in her last 6 weeks here on the Earth. When faced with such pain and certain death, she had a peace knowing that she was headed to Heaven. Her faith was not shaken.



6. Caregiver: She worked as a nurse in a hospital and a doctor's office. After retiring, she cared for her mom in the nursing home - paying attention to details like having the TV Guide for her or her favorite magazine, making sure she had nice gowns/robes, and making sure her hair was done.



Mema's nursing hat and stethoscope on the left of the table.



7. Dessert for Breakfast!: Growing up, my Papa Joe and Mema invited all the grandkids to their house for one week during the summer. It was such a fun time with the cousins & something that the younger cousins looked forward to when they reached the age to join in. Exciting times? - Definitely . . . Crazy? - possibly. :-) We ALL had a blast with the Spoons Tournaments, badmitten games in the pasture, croquet in the yard, feeding the fish in the tank in the back of the pasture, and most of all . . . the M&M's!!!! During this one week each year, we'd get dessert for breakfast! (what more could an M&M loving child hope for?!?) After breakfast each morning, we'd get a few M&M's in the dixie cups before starting the games for that day. Good times!!



8. Creative & Talented: My Mema was a great seamstress! For many years, all the granddaughters would receive a homemade Mema Jumper or Mema Dress for Christmas. This was a Sunday dress she made for each of us. It was always amazing how she could make them to fit us without us being there to measure. I still have ALL of my Mema Jumpers, and I will always treasure them!

Papa Joe & Mema on Ocracoke Beach, NC. (Fall, 2007)

It's hard to believe how quickly life can change. I'm sad that she's no longer just a phone call away, but I'm so glad she's not in pain anymore!

" 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' " -Revelation 21:4

She will be greatly missed!

Missing socks . . .

I know you've ALL been there - you get your laundry out of the dryer and one sock is missing. There's not much more frustrating because honestly, what good is one sock when you have two feet?!? Well, as I sit here folding laundry waiting for a phone call that I don't want to hear, I'm folding the laundry that I did the other day. (yep, it's been sitting in the dryer for 2 days) :-) For some reason, I decided I needed some new socks while I was playing in Target the other day. Who knows why . . . gotta love the random purchase! So, I emptied the package of comfy socks into the laundry that evening when I got home. Today, when I got through folding that load, one sock was missing! GRRR!!

I know this isn't a real problem; it's just a simple life frustration. I just felt like venting a little about it because I truly believe it's a common bond among the human population that wears socks and does laundry!! :-)

"Last", but not least

As the final "national" holiday in February winds down . . . George Washington's Birthday . . . I thought I'd post a couple pictures about him from Washington. Ironic (at least a little bit) how he was our first president, yet we celebrate him last this month. I "dug through" - or searched through cd's and computer files - to try and find some new pictures that maybe wouldn't be repeats on here. You know, try to keep it at least a little interesting! :-) So, here's what I found:

That's me in front of the light pole with the Washington Monument in the background.

This picture actually has a funny story behind it. Carmen, another travel nurse, and I set out to "explore" the Mall one day during my first contract in DC. We were SO VERY proud of ourselves for finding our way to the subway, getting on the train going the correct direction, AND getting off at the correct stop!!!! Neither of us had a map of the Mall or the downtown area, but we thought "everything's SO big, how can we go wrong?!?" Well, if you know me at all, you know I can get lost just about anywhere without any difficulty!! Of course, we get off at the stop on the south side of the Mall where we're surrounded by the Department of Agriculture buildings. If you've never been there, or didn't notice, these buildings take up about 4-6 city blocks. So, we're standing there on the sidewalk just spinning around trying to see the Washington Monument knowing that if we see it, we can find the rest of the stuff. The part I'm so proud of is that neither of us thought to look UP!!!! For some reason, I guess we thought that everything would be at our eye level (me being the taller of the two of us reaching ALL of 5'4"). Who knows?!? Eventually, one of us thought to look up, and sure enough, there was the monument about 2 blocks down from us. I tell you what . . . give us a premature baby, and we're good to go. Give us pretty much anything else, and we're in trouble!!!!

Washington Monument in the fall of 2006 with the top if the Capitol just visible between the flags.

Washington Monument viewed from the end of the Vietnam Wall, fall 2006.

These two pictures were taken when my friend, Melissa, came up for a few days. We spent some time looking for a place for her family to live during their "tour of duty in DC" last year, but we also took time to do some touristy stuff. Well, in all my wanderings around the Mall (and believe me, there were a bunch), I'd never been able to find the Vietnam Wall. It's not just my lack of direction; it's actually kind of hidden from view. And, trying to be "safe" as I wandered around DC by myself, I didn't take a lot of secluded paths in search of it. So, with our cell phones handy and the buddy system in full force, we set out to find the Vietnam Wall. Turns out, it's not that hard to find if you know which sidewalk to take!!

The "Washington Crab" in little Washington . . . Washington, NC

I couldn't resist throwing this one in! :~) The crab with a portrait of our 1st President located here in NC. TOO FUNNY!! This town is the "first to be named after George Washington" in the country, and this saying is plastered all over the downtown and their brochures. Good times . . .

As I looked through all my pictures from the past 2 years, I was amazed at how many I have of the Washington Monument. I find this strange because it's not really that interesting to look at. All the other presidents have interesting monuments - or at least ones with a statue. Roosevelt's (NOT my favorite!!!!) is definitely the prettiest with something like 5 huge waterfalls throughout it. I wonder why that is. Just something to think about. I had to laugh while looking through all the pictures. I teased Mandy about ALL the pictures of the Washington Monument she took while visiting this past summer, and I realized I had taken probably 10X's that many!! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

Have a wonderful weekend! :~)

Better Late than Never

I know it's a couple days late, but working night shift messes with my schedule and free time. So . . . Happy Presidents' Day!!!! Here are a few pictures from my time in DC. :~)

Washington Monument and White House from across the Tidal Basin

Jefferson Monument from the other side of the Tidal Basin

One part of the Roosevelt Monument

Abe Lincoln's statue in the Lincoln Monument

Happy Valentine's Day!!

I absolutely LOVE a good love story!!!! There's nothing quite as fulfilling to me as watching a TV series, watching a movie, or reading a book and seeing the right guy end up with the right girl. :-) And yes, I always decide who I think the right people are in each plot. So, the way I rate a show/movie/book is whether or not the author(s) agreed with me on how it should end. For example, those of you who watched the WB show Felicity several years back, know (as I do) that the WRONG TWO PEOPLE ended up together . . . I still stand by my belief (as it plays on in reruns) that Felicity and Noel should have gotten together in the end! This disagreement between me and the author(s) has forever tainted that show in my mind. :)

Mema & Papa Joe walking hand in hand on Ocracoke Island

Anyways, love stories are great! I've been SO blessed to have Godly parents who've demonstrated God's plan for a marriage my whole life. This is not to say that they're perfect and have never had trials because they're not and they have. (I'm not saying anything that they wouldn't say themselves.) But, watching their marriage over the years has given me a glimpse into what I want one day.

Mom & Dad in front of Bode Island Lighthouse

God hasn't yet given me the man He wants me to spend the rest of my life with, and that's okay. It just shows me that He's still working on both of us to make us into the right people for each other!! :-) Until then, I have the perfect (at least one side of it's perfect!) love story to enjoy and be grateful for . . . Christ coming to save me from ALL (and there are MANY) my sins! To borrow a quote from I'm not sure who, it's truly the "greatest love story ever told". I don't know anything about St. Valentine who got this fun chocolate & flower filled day named after him, but I do know that the real reason we can celebrate our love for others is NOT because of him. It's because of God's love for us.

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." -1 John 4:7-12

"For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." -Psalm 100:5

I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day! Whether you're with the right one God has set aside for you to spend the rest of your life with or if you're waiting with me for God to let your path cross the path of your right one, we can all celebrate the joy of HIS perfect, never-ending love!

President Lincoln's Birthday

Even though it's not a national holiday, I think it should be!! :) So, I'm celebrating it in my blog. . .

Mandy & Me in front of Lincoln's statue last summer (. . . and some stranger in the background) :-)

Lincoln Monument across the Reflection Pool from the WWII Memorial (fall 2006)

Outdoor Fun

The weather here has been AMAZING!!!! Especially for mid-February. :~) We had several days this past week reaching the 70's, which of course, made me think about playing outside. I had the pleasure of working those days, but I did enjoy looking at the pretty sky through the windows at work! Yesterday, although not quite in the 70's, was just as beautiful. I decided to take advantage of it to the fullest, so I went over to Duke University to walk around the gardens there.
As you might imagine . . . not a whole lot of blooms in February, but it was great to just walk around outside for a while! It was surprisingly crowded there. (I guess my idea wasn't as original as I'd thought!) :)
There were a few camillias in bloom, but I think I was a week early to see the majority of them. I saw buds all over the trees just waiting for their day to shine! I may have to try to get back out there later this week and see what has popped out
I hope you had a wonderful weekend and had some fun weather to play in, too. Here's looking forward to spring!!!! :~)

Miracles

As the title of my blog hints at, I have the wonderful privilege of seeing God perform miracles EVERYDAY at work. Sometimes they're not as blatant as other times, but they're there just the same. It's all about watching for Him to work with an attitude of faith and expectance.



Well, this week I was given a miracle so special that I wanted to share it with you. This doesn't pertain to one of my current patients, but a former one that I've mentioned previously . . . My Precious Sam. He is unable to eat, so all of his nutrition is given to him through an IV going into one of his biggest veins. Long story short, because of many complications in his short 3 years here on earth, the IV he had was in the last big vein he had available for this type of nutrition. All this to say, if something happened to this IV, he'd no longer be able to receive nutrition and wouldn't be able to live. Well, (as I'm sure you've guessed by now) this special IV came out sometime late Sunday night/Monday morning. Needless to say, all of us who love him so dearly were devastated and began praying (once again) for God to give us a miracle. And . . .



He provided one Tuesday evening!! The doctors were able to find a vein that would work - one that wouldn't work in the past. I truly believe that God opened it up for us that night! One of my medical heroes, Dr. Hermann, took our Sam to the OR that evening to place the special IV in him. I'd fallen asleep Tuesday night begging God for a miracle, and I was woken up with a wonderful phone call later that night from Sam's foster mom saying we have an IV that works AND is free from infection. (The IV that came out earlier this week was infected, but it was still being used and treated constantly with antibiotics since it was the only option.) PRAISE GOD!!!!



As I was just cleaning my apartment, I was listening to my music on juke box setting so it would just shuffle through randomly. A song by Nichole Nordeman called Gratitude was playing when I turned off the water, and it hit me hard. The song is all about having a spirit of gratitude - NO MATTER WHAT. The 1st verse is about praying for rain. But, if God chooses not to let it rain, thank Him for teaching us about thirsting for Him. I started thinking . . . Would I have this attitude of gratefulness if God had not opened up the vein or if the surgeon had not been able to get the IV to work in the vein? Would I be just as grateful if Sam was soon headed to heaven to meet his Father and Maker? I know his life is difficult and riddled with sickness and hospital stays, so would I be happy for him that his misery is over? Or, would I be selfish and angry with God for not letting us keep him here longer?



God often speaks to me through music, and that song was particularly convicting this morning. I know I'd be sad and miss him, but I also hope I'd be happy for him to not have to hurt anymore. I hope I'd be excited for him to get to sit in Jesus' lap and get loved on by our Creator. I hope I'd have an attitude of gratitude to God for teaching me about loving someone unselfishly!

" 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.' And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them." -Mark 10:14-16

Working Weekend

I love my job . . . I love my job . . .I love my job . . .

This has been my mantra the past 3 days as we trudged through another weekend with a new group of residents. Already, this group seems better than the last - THANK GOD!!!! Like most jobs, we have our good days, and we have our bad days. I'll start at the beginning:

Friday morning, I arrived to a seemingly normal group of babies only to find that one of them likes to hold her breath until all the alarms start ringing and I am poking/flicking/"encouraging her to breathe in various ways", one is a 4 month old (really, a term kid that's been in our unit 4 months and wants to play), and one that's supposed to go home to a Spanish speaking only, first time mother who has had NO discharge teaching. Well, needless to say, the 4 month old didn't get to play that day! My only saving grace, so I thought, was that I'd have one less on Saturday...

Saturday morning, I come in to find that my little girl who didn't like to breathe was now holding her breath so long that her heart rate was plummeting. Great. I started out the day telling the doctors that she wasn't acting right and needed help breathing. Fast forward to the END of my shift (6:15 PM) after several reminders that she's acting out: I check my orders, and all of a sudden there are all these STAT orders on her. WHY COULDN'T THEY HAVE DONE THAT WHEN I ASKED THAT MORNING?!?!?!? Anyway, we got it done and I got out of there before 8. YEA!!

Then came this morning . . . By 7:15 AM, we'd started coding the poor little boy next to my "breath-holding-girl". Thankfully, she was on the ventilator by this point, so her breath-holding was taken care of mechanically (as opposed to being taken care of by her nurse). :-) The little boy finally got on the road around 10AM to a hospital with the heart/lung bypass machine, (please pray for this sick, little boy who was born Friday afternoon!!) and the rest of the day was a little more calm. My shift ended with me telling my favorite little girl in the unit, "Lexi", goodbye. She's headed to Boston tomorrow for some special testing/surgeries to try and help her digest. Like my precious "Sam" back in Texas, she cannot handle any food. Please pray for her and her sweet parents as they start this new chapter in their lives!

All this griping is to say that it's been a frustrating weekend, and I'm SO VERY GRATEFUL for a "day of rest" tomorrow! Most days I absolutely LOVE my job and miss it when I'm away from it for a while. But, days like this past weekend make me really look forward to time away from the unit. :)

My President

Tonight was my President's final State of the Union Address. I know he's not popular with the majority of America . . . at least according to the polls, but I'm proud to say I voted for him both times!! : ) He's my President - not just because he's from Texas or because his daddy's Presidential Library is at my Alma mater (Gig'em, Ags!!). I appreciate him because he stands up for his beliefs and has shown great faith in the midst of much persecution and many trials. I may not agree with everything he's done in office, but I'm so grateful that God put him in charge of our country back in 2000. No other president since Pearl Harbor has had to lead our nation through such trials. We've truly been blessed to have a Godly leader - a man who prays for our country.

And, let's not forget the support he has always gotten from his praying wife. She's not one to take the lime-light or be the center of attention, but she's always in the background supporting and praying for our President.

I believe that the verses Mordecai tells Esther in Esther 4 apply to President and Mrs. Bush: "'And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?'" (vs. 15b) God is in complete control . . . even of presidential elections! This gives me confidence for the next 4 years, but it doesn't negate the need for all of us to pray for the man He wants to lead our country next.

(OK, I'm getting off my soap box now.) :~)

Quick Trip

This has been a whirlwind week, and it's only Wednesday! :-) Sunday morning, I braved the snow and headed to the airport in Raleigh for a fast trip home. As usual, I got the seat by the person wanting to share her life story. I wasn't particularly in the mood to sit and listen, but trapped in a steel can 30,000 feet above the ground, what are you gonna do?!? :) We did finally arrive at DFW where my sweet sister was waiting for us to go to Tyler.

Our Mema was in one of the Tyler hospitals with newly diagnosed cancer and was scheduled for a major surgery first thing Monday morning to try and remove as much of the cancer as possible. We found out Monday afternoon that it was too widespread for removal, so the surgeon closed her up and referred her to the oncologist. Obviously, this was VERY discouraging news for the family. My dad, uncles, Papa Joe, and Mema were scheduled to meet with this doctor this evening at 6PM (central time) to get a plan together, so I'm waiting to hear the latest.

I arrived back in North Carolina this afternoon to several loads of laundry and empty kitchen cabinets. So, amidst the grocery shopping and loads of laundry, I just sat down to have some time to listen to God. I've been studying Colossians with the Frontline services at my church in Virginia via the internet. But before I started reading today, I prayed for God to show me to what He wanted me to read. I was needing some comfort and peace after the emotionally exhausting past week and a half. Here's where He led me:

There is a time for everything, and a season for every
activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

--Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Then, I read:

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.' The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

--Psalm 46

Talk about encouraging!! Please pray for my family when

we cross your mind. Thank you!! :-)

Happy Thought

When I have a lot on my mind, I LOVE to go to the beach, watch the waves, and talk to God for a while. Well, that's what I did for a couple of hours this afternoon . . . and yes, it was quite cold out there!! :) But, I got to see the coolest thing. Right before I left, two dolphins started swimming across in front of me - very close to the shore. Then they started jumping and playing in the waves. It was SO FUN to watch them! Once they finished playing, they swam on down the beach out of my sight, so I came back home. Once again, good times at the beach . . . even in the middle of January! Have a wonderful week.

Chapters

The past 18 months I've been traveling around the country - well, at least up & down the east coast - working in some different NICU's. I've gotten to have SO many wonderful experiences and made some wonderful friends that will always remain special to me.

This chapter of my life may be coming to a close soon. I'm not sure how much longer I'll be a travel nurse; I'm thinking about settling down somewhere to be staff at a hospital again. Several different things I've been thinking & praying about recently have made me come to this conclusion - the biggest of which is my desire to find a church home where I can get involved in long term ministry again. Not knowing where I'll be in 3 months can make it difficult for real involvement. As much fun as I've been having, I've missed having a church family.

So, as it looks like I have some decisions to make over the next several months, I again ask for your prayers - for clear direction from God and for a willingness on my part to follow whole-heartedly wherever He leads me. Thank you!

(Hopefully I'll have some time this next week to go do some more exploring and take some more pictures for you!! Have a wonderful day!) :-)

"I AM"

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;" - Isaiah 43:2-3

"Again the high priest asked him, 'Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?' 'I am,' said Jesus." -Mark 14:61-62

" 'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, 'who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.' " -Revelation 1:8

Pencil marks on a wall I wasn't always this tall,
You scattered some monsters from beneath my bed,
You watched my team win, You watched my team lose,
You watched when my bicycle went down again,

CHORUS:
And When I was weak unable to speak,
still I could call You by name,
and I said “Elbow healer, Superhero,
come if You can,” and You said “I am”

Only 16, life is so mean,
what kind of curfew is at ten PM
You saw my mistakes, You watched my heart break
Heard when I swore I’d never love again

CHORUS:
When I was weak, unable to speak,
still I could call You by name,
and I said “Heart-ache Healer, Secret-keeper,
be my Best Friend” and You said “I am”

You saw me wear white, by pale candlelight,
I said forever to what lies ahead
two kids and a dream, with kids that can scream
too much it might seem when it’s two AM

CHORUS:
when I am weak, unable to speak,
still I will call You by name.
“Oh Shepherd, Savior, Pasture-maker,
hold on to my hand,” and You say “I am.”

The winds of change, And circumstance
blow in and all around us so we find a foothold that’s familiar,
And bless the moments that we feel You nearer

Life had begun, I was woven and spun,
You let the angels dance around the throne,
who can say when, But they’ll dance again,
when I am free and finally headed home

CHORUS:
I will be weak, unable to speak,
still I will call You by name
“Creator, Maker, Life-sustainer,
Comforter, Healer, My Redeemer,
Lord and King, Beginning and the End, I am, yes, I am.” (song by Nichole Nordeman)

Resolutions

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

I hope you've had a good day welcoming 2008. We all celebrated at work last night with "champagne" (sparkling white grape juice - we were at work after all!) at midnight. Someone had brought a bunch of plastic champagne glasses and passed them out so we could all poke our heads out in the hall and have a toast to 2008. It was fun. And of course (as with any good nurse party), there was MUCH food to be eaten!! :) We may not have gotten to see the big ball drop in NYC (or the big acorn drop in Raleigh), but it was a good night. The babies were all fairly well behaved.

Did you write out New Year resolutions growing up? Do you still? We did, and then I must have stopped some time during the college years. I guess I didn't want ANY unnecessary writing or reading! :) I started back last January, but my list was short. I only had 3!! (fewer to not keep) Well, when I got up this afternoon, I decided to write another 3 for this year. On December 31st of this year, I hope to be able to look back and see that God helped me meet and keep these few goals.

I'm not saying that you have to write down personal goals for 2008, but I am suggesting that you set aside a few minutes to think and pray about what God would like for you to achieve in the coming year. I'm looking forward to what God has in store for each of us in 2008. I love the 1st day of the year because it's like we all have a fresh, clean slate to make something wonderful out of the coming year. It's exciting! It makes me think of the quote from Anne of Green Gables, "Tomorrow's a fresh day with NO mistakes in it . . . yet." :) I hope and pray that you have a wonderful year full of happiness, contentment, and love of family & friends. Have a fantastic 2008!!!!

I LOVE Christmas!!!!

As I'm sure I've said many times before, Christmas is my absolute FAVORITE time of the year. For the most part, everyone is in a good mood - other than in crowded stores. I was able to finagle my schedule to have 2 1/2 weeks at home over the Christmas holidays. The first few days were all about travel. I spent a couple of days in the Dallas area, and then we went down to Livingston for Sean's coming home party. (He made it safely home from Iraq last month. PRAISE GOD!!!!)

Just a side note on our brave Marines, Soldiers, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard . . . Please continue to pray for their safe and quick return home, as well as for all those who've been wounded protecting our freedoms!

After we left his party, we headed to Houston to visit my nursing school roommate. We all went to church together that Sunday morning - where the hand bell choir played some Beautiful Christmas carols, - and then we went to GRINGO'S . . . some of the BEST Tex-Mex in Texas! YUMMY!!!! :)

Monday & Tuesday were filled with shopping. Unlike most people, I actually enjoy going to the stores/malls during the Christmas holidays . . . for short periods of time. (Even I'm not that insane!) Then, Wednesday was "spa day". My mom, mamma granny, and I went to a local salon for some fun. My granny's birthday present was to get a facial & massage, so my mom & I decided to join her - rough life, huh? :) I was SO excited because my hair had finally gotten long enough to donate again. YEA!! In case you've never heard of doing this, there is an organization based in Florida called Locks of Love that makes wigs for children who've lost their hair due to some illness. They take donations of hair (or money if you can't grow your hair out), and I believe the wigs are free for the children. I've been able to do this a few times, and it's always so rewarding to think that some little girl won't have to be bald! Thursday, I got to spend some time with one of my good friends in the Dallas area and her two little boys (my 'nephews'). They're ages 2 & 4 and SO FULL of energy!! I always have a blast playing with them. :)

Starting on Friday, it was time for baking!!!! I baked . . . and baked . . . and baked . . .well, you get the idea. SO MUCH FUN (& food)! :) My parents and I spent most of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the kitchen. We all had a good time. All good ways to pass the time until the BIG DAY . . .

Christmas Eve, we spent some time with my Grandaddy and Granny Shirley at my aunt's house. It was good to catch up with the family again since I hadn't seen this side of the fam since the summer. Then, came CHRISTMAS!! I guess I'm still part kid, because I just CANNOT sleep in on Christmas morning!! I was nice and let my parents sleep until about 7:30, but then I couldn't take it anymore - it was time to start the fun! I love watching people open the presents I've picked out for them and seeing their reactions. It's one of my favorite things about Christmas. Later that day, we got to spend some time with my Mamma Granny and Papa Art, as well as some aunts, uncles, and cousins that I don't get to see much. Good times.

Wednesday was one of the best days of the 2 weeks since I got to go see my little Sam. He's so precious! He's really big into the matchbox cars right now, and he MUST have them lined up end to end. If one gets turned sideways, he'll just stand there and scream at it until someone fixes it. TOO FUNNY!! :)

Then came Friday . . . as a Christmas gift, my parents were given tickets to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra performance in Dallas. Thankfully (for me) there was an extra ticket that I could have. There aren't words for that show!! It's "80's punk rock band meets classical music." Along with the phenomenal musicians, they had constant laser light shows, pyrotechnics, snow, or all of the above perfectly in sinc with the music. Lot's of people have started timing their Christmas lights to flash along with the music. I've attached a video of one of them. Just multiply it by about a 1000 and throw in the live musicians, and you'll have something similar to the concert. If you EVER have the chance to go to one of their shows (and aren't prone to seizures from brightly flashing lights!), I'd highly recommend you go!!!! :)

I hope the video works for you. If it doesn't, just go to this website.

So, that was my Christmas vacation in a nut shell. It was VERY busy, but also VERY fun! I hope your Christmas was just as wonderful!

Kids & Christmas!

One of my FAVORITE things about the Christmas season is watching the children's programs! This year, I got back to Texas just in time to watch one of my "nephews", Evan, in his preschool Christmas program. What a treat!!

Evan's in the white shirt with the navy vest.

Evan singing his heart out!

Almost all the songs had hand motions :)

After the AMAZING performance, we all went back to their house for hot chocolate & visiting. While Steve, Melissa, and I visited, the boys ran circles around us . . . literally! It was so cute to watch them play with each other. :) The boys found the Alabama Christmas cd on the stereo and started blasting it as they danced around.

Joel dancing . . . His eye's a little red after he poured some of his hot chocolate in it earlier. :)

I had SUCH a great time that night catching up with friends. Then, I got to go over to my sister & brother in law's house. It was nice to visit with them that night and all day on Friday. I hadn't gotten to spend much time with Amy this year, so we had a wonderful visit Friday morning! I've been going non-stop since I arrived back in Texas Wednesday night, but it's been a BLAST!

A Stress Free Holiday

A pipe dream? Well, not when it comes to my work this year. For the first time in over a year, I had the details of my next assignment worked out LONG before it started. YAY!! :) I'm working 3 more days, and then I'll be home for TWO WHOLE WEEKS to celebrate Christmas with the fam!! Since the Christmas Day Celebration will be at my parents' house, I'll get to help with the baking - something I truly missed last year. I've already been thinking about cakes to bake! Can you tell that I'm excited?!? There's nothing better than baking during the holidays with my favorite Christmas music in the background - it's the recipe for a perfect day. (go ahead & roll your eyes at that one - I just couldn't help it) :)

I'll be coming back here to Greenville, NC, for a 3 month contract after Christmas. I enjoy working at this hospital, and let's face it - it's easier to stay here than to learn a new hospital, again. :) I'm just hoping that North Carolina doesn't have a record breaking cold winter in 2008!!!! But, even if they do, it's all part of the adventure, right?

On a side note, I had a fun experience this afternoon - one that should NO longer surprise me, but it does every time. Since my current contract is only 3 weeks long, I am staying in a hotel instead of an apartment. The plus side is that someone else comes in to change my linens and bring fresh towels whenever I want. The minus side is that I have to find someplace to go for them to do this. Well, I finished all my errands today before they finished my room, so I decided to work on my Christmas cards in the hotel lobby. While there, an interesting lady who works here (doing what, I'm not quite sure) spotted me sitting there and decided to come "visit". Lucky me! :) Now, to make things even better, I've been working straight nights the last 2 weeks, so being awake and coherent during daylight hours can be somewhat of a challenge. This lady proceeds to tell me her ENTIRE life story - complete with reports of visions of her dead mother "in the green". I have NO idea what that's supposed to mean, and, honestly, I was too scared to ask her for an explanation. I learned of her life, the lives of ALL her siblings (7 of them!), her mother and 12 aunts/uncles, her children, 14 grandchildren, and her stepchildren. Please tell me, what about me sitting alone in the back of the hotel lobby at a table writing Christmas cards BEGS a complete stranger to come and talk for FORTY FIVE MINUTES?!? I honestly don't understand how I get to be so lucky. But, mom you'd be SO proud - I held my laughter in until she left and I could get back into my room. This was quite a feat on my part, considering some of the strange parts of the story which are not appropriate for my "family friendly blog"! Anyway, thank God for having a room to retreat to with a door that closes & locks! Boy, can I attract them! :)

By the way . . .

18 Days & Counting until Christmas!!!!

Thankful

My "Sam" turned 3 a few days ago! This is a day many of us caring for him in those initial months of his life never thought would get here. It hasn't been an easy road for him, and he has more trials ahead, but I am so grateful that God has lent him to us to enjoy for a little longer! I'm so grateful for his wonderful foster parents who love him like their own son and provide a Godly home for him. I spoke with his foster mom on his birthday, and she said that he was having a great day just laughing and laughing while pulling his socks off that morning. I love seeing the world through the eyes of children - where everything is new, exciting, and so entertaining! Thank you for all your prayers for him over the years, and please continue to pray for his health and comfort.

I've fallen in love . . .

with Tennessee, that is. :-) What a pretty stretch of the country! Let me start at the beginning:

My contract in Greenville finished last Saturday, and I caught a VERY early flight home last Sunday morning. Perfect timing for me to be able to spend Thanksgiving at home with the fam. (amazing how that worked, huh?) My sweet parents picked me up at the airport, and we headed to one of my FAVORITE Tex-Mex restaurants to meet Amy & Ronnie for lunch. YUM!!After a good visit with them and filling my belly, we set out to return to my parents' house. Monday & Tuesday were "all business": unpacking summer stuff, packing winter stuff, and sorting through a bunch of mail - some junk, some not so much. Monday night, I did get to go to my parents' dance lesson. HOW FUN!!!! :) We were doing some form of swing dancing - one of my favorites. Poor dad had two partners that night, so he never got a rest, but we sure had fun! Tuesday night, after my parents got home for work, it was time to start the decorating process. YAY!! When they walked in the door, I was surrounded by Christmas lights I'd been checking. We got a lot done that night, and I got a few pictures. (shocking, I know) :)

My parents' tree all lit up!

Most of their collection of Nativities

Wednesday was "grandparent day". Dad & I ran a few errands that morning until mom got off work around lunch time. Then, we were off to visit two sets of grandparents. We first went to my Grandaddy & Granny Shirley's house. It was so nice to visit with them. After this, we went over to my Papa Art & Mamma Granny's house. As an extra bonus, one of my cousins, Jason, and his friend, Angie, were also there. It was like a mini family reunion. :-) He had just come from the north east on business and warned me about the "unforgiving" I-40 through TN & NC. Boy was he right! It was so much fun to visit with them while eating some of Papa Art's famous fish. :) While the guys were in the garage cooking, the girls were inside decorating the Christmas tree. I didn't get a picture of this one, but it turned out VERY cute. When we got home, we put up my little tree in the game room that has all my ornaments I've gotten while traveling - my souvenirs.

Yep, that hat says "I believe in Santa Claus!"

Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, was at my Papa Joe & Mema's new house. It was delicious as always and so nice to see the family again! Everyone got involved in the preparations and the clean up, which made it fun and go much more quickly.

Jenna & Chloe washing the dishes . . . & counters & walls & floor etc. :-)

Friday was all about finishing the last minute details before leaving Saturday morning on my return trip to NC and being the 12th Man from afar for THE GAME that afternoon. How proud was I of my Ags that evening after their win against t.u.?!?!?!? Words cannot express!!

TEXAS A&M 38

t.u. 30

So, Saturday morning, I headed out on my trip back to North Carolina. My plan was to make it to Nashville, TN, by Saturday night. It was amazing . . . the trees started showing amazing colors as I crossed from Arkansas to Tennessee. I got to meet with some of my friends for dinner in Nashville as they headed home from spending the holidays with family in Chattanooga. This morning, after a small "Jenn detour", I found I-40 and headed east. I'd hoped to finish my journey and end up in Greenville tonight. But, after 11 hrs in the car, I had to stop driving about 2 hours short of my final destination. All this to say, I love the views in TN! The drive from Nashville, TN, to Asheville, NC, is absolutely amazing!! I wouldn't recommend it in the dark or when you're tired because it's full of tight curves and hills. But, the trees and rocks are AMAZING!!

So, that was my trip in a nutshell. After doing a few things here in Raleigh tomorrow, I'll be heading back to Greenville to start another 3 weeks of fun with miniature babies!! I hope your Thanksgiving was a great as mine! :)

WOW!

I finished packing up and cleaning my apartment early today, so I decided I should play the rest of the day. So, I went to my favorite mall and walked around for a while. I almost cut all of my hair off, but I was one inch short when she measured it (I need 1o inches). Guess I'll have to wait another month. After I checked out all the Christmas decorations the mall had to offer, I headed to a nearby state park. The drive along HWY 540 was absolutely GORGEOUS with all the colorful leaves! The park was just as pretty, and it's much safer to stop & take pictures! I'd been told over & over that the leaves wouldn't be pretty this year because of the drought. Well, if these are the bad ones, I can't imagine what they look like on a year with plenty of rain!

Another 13 Weeks Flown By

Hard to believe it, but my contract here in Greenville finished today! I must REALLY be getting old because time is absolutely flying!! :) It's been a great 3 months. So great, in fact, that I'm coming back after Thanksgiving to work here a little more before Christmas. I'm flying out early Sunday morning - my flight LEAVES at 7:30, which makes for an early start even for me! - to go home for Thanksgiving. I'm so excited to get to spend the holiday with my family. Have a wonderful weekend!

Trees that "POP"

There's this tree across the parking lot from my apartment that turned this gorgeous, bright red color a few weeks ago. I've been watching it in amazement as it was the only one that had changed. Yesterday morning, on my way home from work, I noticed that the rest of the trees had finally turned. But, they were all orange. Being that it's my last week in this apartment, I decided to get a picture. :) Hmmmmm . . . Random observations from Jenn. Have a great day!

Fall Colors

I went back out to the garden at Duke University yesterday. It was a beautiful day, and I just felt like walking around outside. What better place than an area where I can be surrounded by pretty flowers? :-) I hope you enjoy the pictures!

Incredible Perspective!

A friend of mine just sent me "Eliot's" story, and I thought - a perfect story for my blog. Eliot is truly a miracle. The faith of his parents is amazing and inspiring. I've only seen a few trisomy 18 patients at work, and NONE of them made it out of the nursery alive. What a blessing for us that his parents shared God's gift with the rest of us! To see his story, just click on his name above. But be warned . . . you're gonna need some tissues to get through it!!

Halloween Warm Fuzzies

We were sharing trick or treating stories today at work, and a friend of mine had THE BEST! After a long night of going door to door with her 2 kiddos (5 yrs. old & 7 yrs. old), the kids were hyper and less than obedient. So, as a last resort, she threatened to take away all of their candy and give it to the kids at the hospital. Her son (the 5 yr old) looked astounded and asked her, "Are there really kids in the hospital? I thought kids just went to the doctor." Paula then explained to him that there were kids of all ages that had to spend holidays in the hospital. A little while later, both of her kids had collected about half of their candy for her to take to the kids at the hospital!!!! How sweet is that?!? :) I hope you had a great Halloween and got a lot of good candy!