Research . . . or Roadtrip?

Yesterday morning, I decided it was time to hit the road again for a little "exploring". :) Since I have family coming for a visit this next week, I thought it might be good for me to have some fun things we can do. So, after looking online for a while on Wednesday, I set out to explore Raleigh some. North Carolina State University (NOT to be confused with UNC!!!! - a very serious offense) is located in Raleigh and has a small arboretum, so I decided to check it out. There were still a few roses blooming, which made me happy.

When I arrived, I stopped in the visitor information center to get a map of the grounds. A sweet older man was in there and decided to give me the history of the gardens. In what seemed like a warning, he told me that these gardens "aren't for pleasure, but they're for research." It was hard not to laugh!! Can these two things not co-exist when it comes to flowers?!?!? Anyways, I listened to his story, thanked him for the maps, and headed out to NOT enjoy the walk through the garden. :) What an odd thing to tell someone! I almost stopped back by the center to let him know that I'd enjoyed the gardens even if they are solely for research, but decided against it.

Just down the road from the garden is the North Carolina Museum of Art. They're doing construction all around it, so it was a bit of a challenge to get to, but it was well worth it. I spent most of my time there in the European art section. As you know, I have a fascination (some might say obsession) with hands. :) I was amazed at the detail some of the artists put into the hands in the portraits & pictures. Some, you could actually see veins and tendons! Of course, having the morbid thought processes that come along with my line of work, I was judging how many sticks it would take to get IV's in all these pictures' hands. :) I also thought it was funny to see how some of the artists totally side-stepped the difficult job of painting detailed hands by making just that section blurry. Or, sometimes they'd make the back of the hand "fat looking" so you wouldn't expect to see the detail. The only problem with this method was that some of the "fat" hands were on otherwise skinny people. All in all, it's a nice museum, and I thoroughly enjoyed wandering around inside it for a while.

Before I went downtown, I decided to stop & get some lunch at this Mexican fast food restaurant I was introduced to while living in Birmingham . . . Qdoba's. YUMMY!!!! After having my innards set on fire by lunch, I set out for downtown. :) The beach had been brought to Raleigh the week before where someone had done this sand sculpture in the mall area. I found the Raleigh Visitor's Center, mainly looking for a downtown map since I'd forgotten to print one before I left that morning. Well, I met a "Chatty-Cathy" behind the information desk! (shocking, I know!) Amidst learning about where she & her husband are from, where all they've lived, how much she loves NC, and what she gives her friends for Christmas, I got a map of the downtown area and a couple of my questions answered. :) If she didn't have to stay at the desk, I'm afraid I might have had company on my self guided tour of Downtown Raleigh! After spending so much time with her, I didn't have much time left before places were going to start closing, so I just hit the highlights - namely the old capitol.

The NC flag still catches me off guard. It looks like someone turned the Texas flag upside down and put a few letters around the star! It messes with my head. :)

Since I was parked in a public lot, I thought I should probably get back to my car by 5pm just in case they closed the lot then. The lady at the visitor center didn't know anything about when the public lots closed, so she told me where she parks everyday and what time she leaves. So very helpful! :) I remembered driving through Oakwood when I came through here back in the spring, so I thought I'd go check it out again. The majority of the homes have been refurbished and are beautiful! Sorry, no pictures of them as I haven't mastered driving through a neighborhood and snapping pictures without running into cars and/or people. :) Maybe I'll get a chance to walk through it someday.

Between this neighborhood and the governmental district sits the Governor's Mansion. I did get information from the visitor center lady about how to get a tour of the mansion - which requires 2 weeks notice. That will be put on my "To Do" list . . . especially if I extend my contract and am here after it's decorated for Christmas!! Unlike the White House, I'll be allowed to take pictures inside of all the Christmas decorations. :) How fun! I did get a couple pictures of the outside of the mansion. The detailing on the roof is interesting. I'm sure there's a story behind that, and I know where to go to get more information if I don't mind having to sift through a LOT of personal history to get it.

While looking online, I also saw a newer mall not too far from there that has some of my favorite stores. Unfortunately, I'd forgotten to write down where it was, but I remembered it was along HWY 540 (which isn't a very long highway). I found it without too much difficulty and discovered a great coffee shop! Caribou Coffee YUM!! I'd put it above Starbucks on my "coffee ranking scale". I told them that they needed to expand into Texas and share the wealth! :)

After getting my mint chocolate coffee and a cookie, I headed home so I wouldn't miss the Grey's Anatomy premiere. A very fun day!

Shoes, Wine, Soap, Tides, and Seahorses

Tuesday, I set out to find some new "work shoes". As anyone who works long days on their feet knows, comfy shoes are an absolute MUST!!!! I'd squished all the comfy out of my current ones. :) I found an outlet mall about an hour south of here, so I headed out. On the way there, I saw a sign advertising a local vineyard/winery that offered tours and a sign for a lighthouse I hadn't seen yet. So I thought, I've come this far, might as well see what else is around here. After lunch, I went and toured the winery. It's family owned and operated. I'd never toured a winery before, so it was pretty interesting.

After the tour, I explored a couple small towns in that area. One of them had a homemade soap store. I went in to see if there was anything I might "need". :) Well, I got to visit with the owner of the store, and that was TOTALLY worth the stop for the entertainment I received!! He's the one that "creates" all the soaps and other wellness products on the shelves, and boy did he have a LOT of self-proclaimed expertise in wellness/healing. I ended up buying a few bars of soap because I felt I should pay something for all the laughs I would enjoy every time I thought back about our encounter! As anyone who's gone in public with me knows, most people I meet have NO problem telling me more about themselves than I asked or EVER wanted to know. This man did not disappoint! :)

Since I didn't think I could stay in that store much longer, I got back on the highway and started toward the lighthouse. Unfortunately, the next sign I saw said it was 2 1/2 more hours down the road. Not wanting to make this a full day trip, I decided to catch one of the other highways that led back to Greenville so I could see new territory and not have to double back. Well, between phone calls and zoning out for a bit, I missed my exits. So, as a friend of mine put it, I had some "unplanned sightseeing" (which sounds better than saying I got lost, again!). :) The next thing I knew, I was 20 miles from the beach. At that point, I couldn't NOT go! I went and sat on the beach to watch the evening tide come in. Probably the MOST peaceful way to spend an hour that I can think of.

Near that beach, I saw a sign advertising an aquarium.

Yesterday morning, after watching a Bob Ross episode (the owner of the original white man fro) and a Vegitales episode (King George & the Great Pie War), I decided to go back out there and visit the aquarium since it was closed by the time I got there on Tuesday. It was a nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon. I got there in time for the 3PM feeding frenzy in the big fish tank. It was fun to watch the fish go crazy while the big sea turtle (who eats at a different time) just kinda floated around. Sea turtles are SO much fun to watch! I couldn't get a good picture of him, but I did get a good one of one of the seahorses. I've never seen such an active seahorse! He was swimming around almost the whole time I was standing near his tank, which made for some blurry pictures. :)

Autumn

Today was an absolutely GORGEOUS, autumn day! I had all my windows open and completely enjoyed the breeze coming through my apartment as I listened to my music and read a great mystery. Don't you just love how God gives something beautiful to enjoy when situations in life can be a little discouraging?!? No rainbow, but a promise kept none the less. :)

"I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt.

Open wide your mouth, and I will fill it."

-Psalm 81:10

TRUST

"Living a life of worry guarantees a shrinking soul. When we try to be

God by grabbing control, we shrivel because we cannot bear the weight.

Enlarged souls live comfortable with the unknown because

they choose to trust God."

- Paul Borthwick

Weekends

For the most part, weekends are ALWAYS great! It's usually synonymous with PLAYTIME. :) Well, this past weekend did not disappoint. Saturday, I met up with a friend in Richmond, VA, for a girls' day. Good food, fun times at the spa, and some shopping made for a wonderful time!

Then came Sunday . . .

One of my FAVORITE (probably my #1 favorite, come to think about it) artists, Bebo Norman, was in concert with Shane & Shane (Gig'em, Ags!) in a city not too far from here. So, I set out to hear him live. What an incredible time of worship! I'd recommend going to the Pages Tour if it comes to a city near you. I can almost assure you that you'll be blessed from it! :)

(Sorry, the pictures came out a little dark.)

Bebo Norman singing :)

Shane & Shane

Happy Labor Day!

Well, it's now September, which means the beginning of fall! This season brings happiness and yummy turkey. :) Cooler weather - for those of you who enjoy that - is just around the corner. Pretty leaves and fall colors are headed our way, so get out your cameras. For all of us baseball lovers, the season is winding down, which means playoffs and the world series!! :) Last, and most importantly, the weekend before Labor Day marks the beginning of COLLEGE FOOTBALL season! GIG'EM, AGS!!!!

The season got off to another good start with a win this past Saturday night at Kyle. And, we started the season ranked! WHOOP!! I'm excited to see how we do this year. :)

I hope you have/had a terrific holiday!

OBX

Yesterday, I set out to see some of the Outerbanks (OBX) lighthouses! It turned into a long day, but it was well worth it. :) I started by catching the ferry to Ocracoke Island and finished by making a u-turn up by the Currituck Beach Lighthouse to head home. I had planned to take some pictures from the ferry since it was a two hour ride, but I found out too late that my camera batteries were dead. Oh well. Just take my word that the ride was through some beautiful, blue water.

Once I arrived on the island, I found a grocery store to get some batteries and then went in search of the lighthouse. You wouldn't think it would be difficult to find a lighthouse, I know, but I must admit I passed this one completely missing it the first go round! It's literally in between a cluster of houses with a little boardwalk that goes out to it.

Ocracoke Lighthouse

After a few pictures, I found a fun little cafe for lunch called the Flying Melon Cafe. I had a blue fish sandwich (apparently blue fish aren't just in Dr. Seuss books!). Of course no trip to an island is complete without a little stop off at the beach - at least in my opinion. I never get tired of the ocean and waves! This picture just can't do justice to the beauty of that beach!!

Ocracoke Island Beach

After a little while of watching that beautiful scene, I got back in my car to continue my lighthouse tour. The island, after you pass the "metropolis" of Ocracoke, is pretty much Highway 12 with the beach on each side of you! It's a great drive. I caught the next ferry over to Cape Hatteras. This is my favorite lighthouse so far with its diagonal stripes! :) You can pay a fee to climb this lighthouse, but I didn't take that option yesterday.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

From here, I got back on Highway 12 to go to Bodie Island. This stretch on the highway actually had towns on it, so I couldn't see as much of the ocean. But, for all you Nicholas Sparks fans, I DID pass through Rodanthe (great book!). :) There's a long bridge that crosses the ocean between Cape Hatteras and Bodie Island. As you drive, you can see the Bodie Island Lighthouse the whole way. This end of the island is mostly unpopulated - I think because it's marshy, but I'm not completely sure.

Bodie Island Lighthouse

The last stretch of Hwy 12 is a long one that goes up to Corolla, NC, which is close to the VA border. But, that's where the Currituck Beach Lighthouse sits, so I went. :) A long time ago, my parents gave me a ceramic lighthouse that lights up, and I'm pretty sure that it's this one. I couldn't remember the name, but when I saw it, I immediately recognized it. :) Located in a park surrounded by trees, it was hard to get the entire lighthouse in a picture, but I tried.

Currituck Beach Lighthouse

There's also the option to climb this lighthouse, but I got there just as it was closing for the evening - not that I was planning on climbing hundreds of steps anyways. :) To get back to the mainland, I crossed a couple more long bridges. For me, the most impressive thing about the Outerbanks is that you can see both the sunrise and the sunset over the ocean - especially down around Ocracoke Island. What's better than that?!? This is a view of the sun setting as I drove across one of the bridges back to the real world. :)

Well, that's a MUCH abbreviated version of my trip yesterday! Have a great day!!

Jenn Goes to Washington

That is, Washington, North Carolina. :) I had today off, but it was TOO pretty to sit around inside. So, you guessed it, I headed out on a mini road trip!!

The other day, a girl at work told me about a little cafe that has live jazz groups playing during the week. Well, this was one of my FAVORITE things to do while at A&M! A group of us from church/ABS would meet at this local coffee shop called Sweet Eugene's House of Java for caffeine, games, and great music. Spades was usually the game of choice when it was just us girls. :) I fell in love with one of the local bands - Big Apple Trio - so much so that I bought their CD. Good memories. This morning, after a healthy dose of coffee, I set out.

I did find the cafe, so I'm sure that's where I can be found most Thursday nights from now on. Also, in my wanderings in downtown Greenville, I found an adorable little park. It has several flags - I'm guessing all the flags that have flown over NC in its history - surrounding a memorial listing all the names of people from Pitt County that have given all for our country since WWI.

Another great thing about Greenville is that they have FREE street parking!!!! It's been a long time since I could just park on the side of the street and not do the "quarter search" through my car and belongings to try and avoid special notes from Rita-Meeter-Maid. I got out and walked around the park for a while, and I came across a HUGE sundial! As you know, I have a great fascination (or some may say obsession) with clocks of all styles. :) This sundial was called the "Millennium Sundial", but it wasn't done until 2006. (a little confusing to me) There's not a "stick" in the middle, but there is a big plaque that tells you where to stand according to what month it is. Then, your shadow will fall on the correct time. In other words, you get to be the stick in the center of the sun dial. :)

This morning, while watching the weather on the news, I saw a live camera shot of a city near here called Washington that had what looked like ocean water. :) I'd seen signs pointing to Washington before, so I headed east to see what I could find. Not that I'm a geography genius, but I do know that the ocean is somewhere east of here! :) Well, the ocean isn't at Washington, but they do have a very cute downtown. Apparently, that stretch of the Tar River (which they renamed the part that goes through their town) is famous for blue crabs since it's where the fresh and salty water starts to mix. I bring this up because I saw several rather large crab statues as I wandered around downtown Washington today!! :) Of course, I took pictures of almost all of them. So, here goes . . .

Yep, that's a picture of our first president. :)

This town is the 1st in the US to be named after him.

This was my favorite, Forestacean!! I thought that was a very clever name.

I know that's only 2 pictures, but you get the idea. My internet connection isn't cooperating tonight. :) Anyway, it's a great town with some beautiful old buildings, and they are continuing to restore more of them. It was a very fun little trip.

Three things that make life Wonderful!

#1 BABIES!! - I love working and playing with babies. After taking two weeks off of work and then sitting through a week of orientation, I FINALLY got to play with some babies again today. :) There's nothing like wrapping up a little one and holding him/her for a few minutes. I know this probably sounds strange to most people, but I really miss my job when I'm gone for too long. I'm so glad to be back in the land of the tiny humans!!

#2 Short Commutes - Time left for work from my apartment this morning: 6:15AM; time arrived at the hospital: 6:20AM!! UNBELIEVABLE! :) I'm not sure I've ever had a 5 minute commute before. Granted, it's a Saturday, so Monday may take me a whole 10 minutes or something. Quite a change from last month! How great is North Carolina?!?

#3 mini Moonpies - My first two years of college, I lived with one of my best friends, Camille, down in Aggieland. We'd take "study breaks" to run down to the corner Circle K for energy boosts. Mine always consisted of a Sprite and a chocolate Moonpie. Well, when I went to the grocery store the other day, I found a box of mini Moonpies!! What a treat. :)

Jammy Day vs. Explorations

This was my "dilemma" this morning. :) (I know, rough life, huh?!?) I had today off after a week of hospital orientation and before I start my unit crash course orientation tomorrow through Monday. As usual, this has been a bit of a stressful week with moving, learning a new area, sitting through HOURS and HOURS of boring orientation classes, and that AWFUL test on Tuesday morning. So, I thought it would probably be wise to have a Jammy Day (my version of a lazy day; AKA "Me Day") today in preparation for learning a new unit over the next few days. But, because of a high endorsement from one of my friends, I also wanted to go see the Simpson's movie. What to do . . . what to do. :)

Well, I did a little of both! :) I found a showing of the movie in a town about 40 minutes from here this afternoon, so I set out on a mini adventure. I don't quite understand why, but there's a HWY 264 and an Alternate HWY 264. They both go in the same direction, but the alternate goes through some small towns and farms, so you only get to drive 55MPH. The other one, you get to drive 70MPH. Well, just for kicks, I took the Alternate (not realizing the speed difference). I discovered that this area of NC isn't all that different from East Texas . . . except that you need to trade a few hundred pine trees for a few hundred tobacco plants. At least I think that's what they were. I'm not sure I've ever seen a real tobacco plant other than on Gone With the Wind. Along this road, I saw TONS of old, rusty barns & silos. I'll have to remember to travel this area again with my camera. These would make great pictures for my dad to paint once his shop is built!! :)

I did finally arrive at the movie theater, got some Junior Mints in honor of my sister (or should I say "hunior meentz"?), and got ready to laugh. Well, I'm not a particular fan of commercials at the movie theater, but the Coke vs. Coke Zero commercials crack me up EVERY time I see them. Well worth the drive by itself!! :) After the obligatory 30 minutes of commercials and previews, the screen went blank and that was it. After a few minutes, I realized the movie wasn't coming on (I know, slow learner!), so I went out to let someone know. About 10 minutes after that, the lights came back on in the theater and the "in between movies" stuff started playing again. I ended up just getting my money back and coming on home. I guess I wasn't supposed to see the movie today after all! All in all, I drove almost an hour and a half to see some TV commercials and movie previews . . . and to get some Junior Mints! :)

So, when I got home, I put my jammy pants back on and decided to rest the rest of the day. What a fun day! :)

Tests and Storms

Here are some pictures of my adorable apartment! This is the first one I've been in that actually has decorations on the walls and a throw in the living room. How cozy!! :)

Check out the huge candle for me to use!! It's like they know me. :)

The 4 doors on each side of this walkway are to two walk in closets. I'd SO pick this apartment for myself!!

More fun decorations in my kitchen. Yeah, that's a rooster in the corner. :)

Very pretty room with a flower arrangement and fun tea light, tiered candle holder!

I officially started my new job today. I was welcomed to the hospital by taking a 5 hour essay test about all things NICU (well at least most of it was about babies). :) With my great love of tests, this just about did me in. So, I was very grateful that the day was complete once I finished writing! After having lunch with my new friend (who - intentionally or not - basically called me "old" to my face, TWICE) at a fun little place called Bear Rock Cafe (or something similar to that), I came home and did pretty much nothing while I waited for the phone call telling me whether or not I passed the test. My nurse manager from the hospital finally called tonight around 7:30 to let me know I get to stay here in NC for the next three months!! YEA!! :) If I hadn't passed the test, my contract would have ended, and I still have a long list of things I want to do here. That would have been bad. While talking to her, she said that she'd try to get me in the unit either this weekend or first thing next week. That made me happy because babies are SO MUCH MORE FUN than orientation, sitting in a classroom, and taking tests!!!!

Tonight, I encountered my first North Carolina storm. It was a pretty impressive show of lightening and thunder with a little rain, although very short lived (about an hour at most). It was a perfect excuse for me to stay in with a movie in stead of running the errands I needed to - Pride & Prejudice is my reward tonight for taking the test earlier. There's always tomorrow for errands, right?!? :)

Claudia

One of my friends' foster children passed away this Tuesday. She will be missed, especially her gentle, big eyes and her beautiful smile! But, for the first time EVER, she is healthy and getting to snuggle with her Creator.

Wayne Watson - Home Free

I'm trying hard not to think you unkind

But Heavenly Father, if You know my heart

Surely You can read my mind

Good people underneath a sea of grief

Some get up and walk away

Some will find ultimate relief

CHORUS:

Home free - eventually

At the ultimate healing

We will be home free

Home free Oh, I've got a feeling

At the ultimate healing

We will be home free

Out in the corridors we pray for life

A mother for her baby A husband for his wife

Sometimes the good die young

It's sad but true

And while we pray for one more heartbeat

The real comfort is with You

Pain has a little mercy

Suffering's no respecter of age

Of race or position

I know every prayer gets answered

But the hardest one to pray is slow to come

Oh Lord, not mine But Your will be done

CHORUS:
Home free - eventually
At the ultimate healing
We will be home free
Home free Oh, I've got a feeling
At the ultimate healing
We will be home free

Comfort Zone

I know you've been anxiously waiting for the conclusion to my road trip back home. :) I made it back to the Tyler, TX, area Monday evening!! HOORAY!! :) As much as I LOVE my car, Roony, I was totally ready to get out of it for a while once I arrived home. All in all, I believe my trip home consisted of about 25-26 hours in my car spread out over 3 days. It was a beautiful drive, and I got to see a lot of North & South Carolina that I hadn't seen before.

The last part of the trip home was pretty uneventful, which is good since I was exhausted by that point. It's great to be back home with the family - my personal "comfort zone". I took the short drive over to Dallas yesterday to have my 6 month dentist check up. YUCK! My dentist is VERY sweet, and he's so excited about my next assignment in NC. He & his wife recently took a driving tour through North Carolina, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. With his fingers busy in my mouth, he was telling all the things I needed to "be sure to see" while I'm out that way. :) While in the area, I was able to visit with some friends from where I used to volunteer at the March of Dimes and also at the hospital where I started my NICU career. (They're my NICU family!!) It was great to see them & share stories. I got to have lunch with my sister, which was great because I haven't gotten to spend much one on one time with her since I left Texas last January. Sister time is the BEST!! :) Lastly, on my visit to Big D, I got to see my precious "Sammy". He's just started walking, and it's absolutely ADORABLE! He's still so unsteady and preferring to crawl if he's in a hurry, but the few independent steps he took just warmed my heart! He's such a miracle! I can remember SO many times while taking care of him in his first year of life that we weren't sure he'd even make it out of the hospital. Now, 2 1/2 years later, the little stinker is starting to walk! What a special gift from God to share him with us this long! :) Please continue to keep him in your prayers as he continues to struggle with serious health issues.

Needless to say, I'm having a great time and making the most of the 2 weeks I have back here at home! I hope to be able to visit with everyone here, but if I don't get to see you in person, please know that I love & pray for you!! Have a wonderful rest of the week! (I know I will!) :)

Back to Birmingham

Today, I spent several hours in the car, again, ending up in Birmingham, AL. It was fun to see the area again! :) No fun excursions today really, so I just thought I'd put up some of the random thoughts that went through my head as I drove. I didn't start my 2nd book on tape today because I just wanted to listen to music. What better way to spend a Sunday than to listen & sing along with about 4 hours of worship music. And then, to listen to another 4 hours of Josh Groban. All the while, seeing beautiful (& some not so pretty) countryside. :) So, here are some of the thoughts that amused me today:

Dr. Pepper vs. Mr. Pibb: For some STRANGE reason, people outside of Texas seem to think that these two drinks are one in the same. Well, they don't taste the same. When I stopped for some lunch this afternoon in South Carolina, I ordered Dr. Pepper with my meal since it was listed on the menu. Well, the screen where you verify your order (yeah, it was a McDonald's) said I'd ordered Mr. Pibb. When I brought this to the guy's attention, he said that they were the same so the screen displays "Mr. Pibb". I corrected him and told him that I'd take a Diet Coke instead. Not wanting to change my order, he told me to pull up to the window, and we'd discuss it there. Again, he tried to make me take the Mr. Pibb, this time explaining that "Dr. Pibb" (Did he honestly think I'd fall for it if he changed it from Mr. to Dr.?) was the same as "Dr. Pepper". A little irritated at this point - both from having a stupid argument over this and from waiting too long to eat - I told him to change my drink to Diet Coke - "just in case there is in fact a difference between the two!" :) After a sigh, he changed my order. I paid, pulled up to the next window, picked up my food, and left (AFTER verifying that I'd received a Diet Coke!). I know, it was stupid of me to get into a discussion with the guy working the drive through over this, but WHERE's the customer service?!? A little ways down the road, I just had to laugh at the whole scenario!!

Inappropriate Signs: There's a billboard in the Houston area (or probably several of them) that advertises "Budget Funerals $99.99"! NO LIE!! :) The first time my dad and I saw it, we both nearly died laughing. Well, that still holds the #1 spot for inappropriate signs, but today, I saw one that came as a close 2nd. On a sign advertising help for people suffering from alcohol &/or drug addiction, the add read: "Contact the Breakthrough Addiction Recovery". Seriously?!? They couldn't come up with three other words to express their message without the initials spelling the word "BAR"?!? Maybe they did this on purpose - had some reasoning beyond what I can comprehend. But, I found it hilarious! :)

Appropriate Sign: "Flying" around the loop in Atlanta, GA, I saw a sign that said we were on the "Silver Comet Trail." As people flew by me like I was riding a bicycle on the freeway, I thought: Well, that sign is VERY fitting for this stretch of road.

License Plates: As you probably know by now (if you've read my entries from my road trip about 3 months ago), I have a habit of looking at license plates every time I'm on the road. Last time, I even kept a tally of the Illinois license plates. Well, today I saw 5. But, that's not the point of this. Coming from the DC area, where I saw license plates from probably 40 of the 50 states in America, I was noticing how much more infrequently I see out of state license plates the further south I go. More impressive, though, was that once I got out of the northern part of North Carolina, I haven't seen ANY DC plates. It just made me wonder - do they ever leave that area, or do they just fly to wherever they are going? It was nothing to see them throughout VA & MD, and sometimes even PA. But I can't think of a time when I've seen one further than that. Curious.

So, that was my day: driving, listening to/singing with music, and random thoughts! I did, however, have a WONDERFUL burrito from Qdoba's after arriving here in Birmingham tonight. Good times. Tomorrow, I start the final leg of this journey home!

Have a great week! :)

Moving Day . . . Again

Yesterday was the last day of my contract in DC. So, I packed up and started my LONG trip home this morning. I had no intention of spending the whole day in the car today, but I had that opportunity anyway! :) The stretch of I95 between Arlington & Richmond was incredibly slow today for some reason. What would normally take 1 1/2 hours to travel took me about 4 hours today. Quality time with Roony and strangers on the highway! Thank goodness for interesting books on tape. I started the new James Pattterson book as I left Arlington, and it finished tonight as I was returning to my hotel. It's VERY good, by the way - lots of twists & turns!! I also practiced contortionist moves as I tried to reach snacks and drinks in the cooler behind my seat while sitting on the highway.

I stopped in Raleigh, NC, this evening after spending about 7 1/2 hours in the car. Since I was so close, I decided to go over to Durham to see the Durham Bulls play. They won - Hooray for the Home Team!! :) It was kinda a slow game until the 8th inning when the pitcher from the other team couldn't find the strike zone. This made life great for the Bulls! I met a sweet family at the game with a 21 month old little girl. She was ADORABLE! We had a good time visiting, and I loved watching her cheer. The only negative from the experience is that I couldn't find my collector baseball hat cup of ice cream there. Granted, I didn't spend a lot of time looking for it since I'd arrived to the game so late. None the less, I was a little disappointed. I had intended to take my camera to the game, but I forgot. Sorry for the lack of pictures. :)

Well, I'm off to Birmingham, AL, tomorrow for the 2nd leg of this 3 day journey back home. Have a terrific Sunday!

Thoughts, Vulnerability, & Scriptures

It's late - especially for me! I have WAY to many thoughts flying around in my mind right now, so I decided to write them out and find scriptures to combat them. So, basically, this is just a blog to help me find peace tonight and get some sleep. Probably won't be too interesting for you. :)

My precious little "Sammy" is sick and in the hospital, again. This breaks my heart since it is most likely a picture of what the rest of his life will be. One infection after another until he finally succumbs and goes to spend eternity with Jesus. He is such a happy little boy, and we've all been so blessed that God has allowed him so much time here on Earth. I just hate to see him sick and in pain. I know that God loves him even more than I ever could.

Mark 10: 14, 16

" 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.' . . . And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them."

My sister is struggling with her health, also. She's been fighting with this disease for years, and it seems to be getting worse. Numerous doctors have tried different methods to no avail. I know the frustration of hearing a doctor say, "I don't know what to try next." I also know the frustration of being on the other side - someone in the medical field and being absolutely helpless in a situation. I see that side many days at work when we've done all we can, and it's still not helping. All I can do is pray for her release from this. I know that's a very powerful tool to have, but sometimes it doesn't seem like much to do - especially for someone who likes to have an answer and a way to solve problems. (It's the analytical/problem solver part of me that struggles with this situation most!) My dad shared a song with me by Nicole C. Mullins called One Touch

(WARNING: Be sure to grab your Kleenex before listening to the song!) The story in the Bible that this song came from can be found in Mark 5: 25-34

(vs. 28) " 'If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.' "

(vs. 34) " 'Daughter, your faith has healed you.' "

Today was my last Sunday here in Virginia - at least for a while. I'm not closing the door on coming back here for another stint in this NICU, but I don't see myself moving up here permanently - at least right now. I don't know what God has planned. On to the point . . . it was my last Sunday here, which means it was my last time to go to the church I fell in love with last summer. Honestly, it was one of the major reasons I returned to this area a second time. God is doing amazing things in this area of the country through the faith of His people here at MBC. Once again, I'm sad to be leaving this church. It's been such a blessing to me. As you know, music is a HUGE part of my life, and the music at this church - whether attending the traditional or more contemporary services - is always incredible. The worship leaders are so gifted. And then there's the pastor. What a man of God with a heart the size of Texas! Granted, it took a little "getting used to" last summer. (He's naturally a 'loud' person, which doesn't really agree with me.) He gives such insight into the scriptures. It's always a pleasure to listen to him teach! I also love the mission focus of the entire church. The Sunday night worship service, Frontline, "sent out" six different mission groups tonight - some local and some foreign missions. How amazing is that?!? I've been so blessed to get to be a part of this church!


Matthew 18:20
" 'For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.' "


Marriage . . . A friend of mine recently suggested I take an assignment in Alaska. The reasoning behind this is that there's a 12 to 1 ratio of men to women there. It made me laugh because when we took a family cruise vacation there, the running joke on board was that "the odds are good, but the goods are odd!" :) It's not the first time people have hinted about me still being single and pushing the BIG 3 - 0 (or, as I like to call it, 20-10). Some friends back home went so far as to suggest that I only travel for a year or two so I'd have time to get married and raise a family. In other words . . . "You're getting on up there - not so much time to play anymore." Well, I still don't know what God has in store for me in that respect. And that's OKAY! :) I honestly believe I'm where He wants me to be, doing what He wants me to do right now. So, my plan is to continue on this path, even if it sends me into my 30's, still single. I do want to eventually get married (IF that's what God has planned for me) and raise a family. I don't know if I've already met my future husband and just don't realize it or if he's waiting around the bend. It's all a mystery and kinda exciting. I recently bought a cd by Bebo Norman. It's one of his earlier works. The song A Page is Turned is on this cd, and I've decided that I want it played at my wedding someday! Below are the lyrics:

A page is turned by the wind to a boy in curly grin With a world to conquer at the age of ten

But as history unfolds and the storybook is told He finds salvation but not at the hands of man
And the God of second chance Picked him up and He let him dance Through a world that is not kind

And all this time, preparing him, the one To hold him up when he comes undone

Beneath the storm, beneath the sun And now a man, here you stand Your day has come

A page is turned in this world to reveal a little girl With a heart that's bigger, as it is unfurled

By the language in her soul, that's teaching her to grow With a careful cover of love that will not fail
And the God of second chance Picked her up and He let her dance Through a world that isn't kind

And all this time, preparing her the one To hold her up when she comes undone

Beneath the storm, beneath the sun And grown up tall, here you are Your day has come

Beneath the air of autumn, she took him by his hand And warm within the ardor, she took his heart instead And high upon the mountain, he asked her for her hand Just for her hand

A page is turned in this life, he's making her his wife And there is no secret to the source of this much life

When the grace that falls like rain is washing them again Just a chance to somehow rise above this land
Where the God of second chance Will pick them up and he'll let them dance Through a world that is not kind And all this time, they're sharing with the one That holds them up when they come undone

Beneath the storm, beneath the sun And once again, here you stand

And once again, here you stand Your day has come

A few of my scriptures on this topic (and I have a LOT, so these are just a few) are below:

Jeremiah 29:11

" 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' "

Esther 4: 14

" 'And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?' "

Job 1: 21

" 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.' "

Psalm 15: 5-6

"Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance."

And last, but not least . . . my theme verse:

Lamentations 3:24

"I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.' "

As my friend in college, Jen Seeker, pointed out - the use of the word "portion" is critical in this verse. It's used to describe the exact amount that I need. Just like a portion size in a meal, Jesus is the exact right amount of everything to fulfill me! That gives so much peace. :)

Well, after rambling for an hour and a half on here, I feel much better. Like I said, this is how I work through my anxious thoughts when they keep me up - pray through them with scripture.

Birthdays & Friends

A new year has started - at least in my little world. :) I had my 29th birthday a couple of weeks ago. Looking back over my 28th year, I have to say that it was a great year! Full of adventure, new & old friends, and learning. I left on my first travel nursing assignment 2 days after my 28th birthday, and now, I'm a "seasoned" travel nurse (having done it for a year). I'm looking forward to what this year brings into my life as I continue on this journey.

My birthday was a great day. I got to sleep in (very important after working 4 days in a row!!), cleaned a little/did a little laundry, and relaxed - pretty much a "me day"!! :) Since I'm not a huge fan of cake, I decided to make my own birthday concoction of ice cream, fudge sauce, and peanut butter M&M's. (the picture below)

It doesn't look spectacular, but it was YUMMY!!!! :)

Late that night, one of my best friends from Texas flew up here to spend some time visiting our nations capitol. How fun!! To be able to stay up late enough to pick her up from the airport, I drank LOTS of caffeine. So, needless to say, after picking her up, we were both still WIDE AWAKE!! We decided to drive downtown and take some pictures of the monuments all lit up. I drove around and she poked her head out my sun roof or out of her window to snap some pictures. Luckily, there's not much traffic around 2AM downtown!! :)

The Jefferson Memorial

Over the next several days, we proceeded to see most of the sights in Washington, DC . . . much to the dismay of Mandy's tired feet! :) We got to go to the International Spy Museum. I highly recommend this museum (even though it's not free) if you like spy movies/books or mysteries. It's very fun and interactive. My "personality" was Gretta, a German astronomer. :) Being a lover of mysteries, this was probably my favorite thing we did!

Me & Mandy in front of the International Spy Museum

Another day, we rented a paddle boat and played around in the Tidal Basin in front of the Jefferson Memorial. Per Coast Guard regulations, we "got" to wear very cute life vests, which you'll see in the picture below. :) It was a little windy that day, so steering and paddling was a bit of a challenge, but it was VERY fun! Mandy was able to get a few more pictures of the Washington Monument (making the total somewhere near 20) :) while we were out in the water.

Me in the paddle boat in front of the Jefferson Memorial

The last day of tourism, Monday, we got to take a Capitol tour and then went to the Library of Congress. On the short walk from the Capitol exit to the Library of Congress, we passed a woman on the sidewalk trying to feed one of the squirrels running wild there. Amazingly enough, the squirrel bit her instead of taking the food. (shocking, huh?!?) :) The part that blew my mind is that she didn't learn her lesson from this pain and went back for more!!!! As we passed her & her friend, she was leaning down to try again. When we were a little ways down the sidewalk, we heard her yelping again in pain - from what I'm assuming was yet another bite from the squirrel. The phrase that came to my mind was: Bite me once, shame on you; bite me twice, shame on me!! Some fools never learn. :) Anyway, we went on (full of laughter & amazement at some people's stupidity) to the Library of Congress. (Kinda ironic if you think about it - leaving ignorance behind as we enter the Library) This is a GORGEOUS building!! Apparently, I have been there before - a LONG time ago when our family came up here on summer vacation. My focus that trip was counting ALL the stairs we went up and down (totalling around 2000?). :) So, not remembering this building, I was very impressed this time with the detail of the decorations. I read a great book by David Baldacci earlier this year (The Collectors) where one of the main characters worked in the rare books division of the Library of Congress. Because of this, it was especially fun for me to see this building. :)

Inside the main gallery of the Library of Congress

It was a wonderful week catching up with an old friend and seeing the sites of DC. What a fun way to start out the 29th year of my life! I can't wait to see what God has in store for me in the remaining 11 1/2 months of this year. :) Have a wonderful day!

Night Life

It's back to night shift for me over the next two weeks. So, I probably won't be doing much exploring/sight seeing during that time. Fortunately, one of my good friends from Texas was here for the past week, and we did "DC in Six Days"!! :) Much to her amazement (and VERY sore feet), I drug her around most of Washington DC over the past week and took hundreds of pictures. We saw the usual touristy stuff and some things I hadn't yet seen. I'll post some new pictures and funny stories later. I hope you have a wonderful day, and I'd appreciate your prayers as I work nights for the next little while again!

Looking Back/Looking Forward . . .

I've been gone a year today! Last year, on Thursday, July 13th, my dad was driving me to DFW to drop me off for my first BIG ADVENTURE. It's hard to believe I've been travelling for a year already. I had such mixed emotions that day: fear, anxiety, sadness, excitement, hope, . . . I can still picture landing at Reagan, traipsing through the airport with my 100+ pounds of luggage to the rental car place, and then the real excitement beginning as I tried to navigate the roads of the DC Metropolitan area - NOT a task for the novice!! :)

So much has happened over the past year - good and bad. I feel like I've learned so much about myself and depending of God. My hope is that I've grown closer to Him through these experiences. I know I've learned a TON more about neonatal nursing, and much to my dismay, I've had to learn more about pediatric nursing as well. :) It's been a great adventure, and I'm so glad my friend at Medical City, Trina, suggested I try it. I've now had the opportunity to pass on the idea to a new nurse looking for an adventure of her own. God has blessed me with a wonderful church here in the DC area that I loved so much last year when I was here, I was all but giddy at the thought of getting back to it on my return 'tour of duty' here in DC. He's also put wonderful people in my life that encourage and teach me along the way. I've made some great, lasting friendships through my travels, as well as seen some parts of the country I would have probably never seen if not for travel nursing.

I don't know what God has in store for my future, - honestly, who really does? - but I believe I'm going to continue travelling at least for a little longer. I've been an East Coast Beach Bum for the past year, so I think it might be fun to try out some West Coast Sand. :) We'll see where God puts me next. Thank you for going on my journeys with me, and I look forward to sharing more with you in the future! Most importantly, thank you for the continued prayer support!! I would be such a mess without your prayers! The other day, a girl at work asked why I was always smiling. I was able to say that I have a wonderful family and group of friends that love me and pray for me daily, and that helps me get through even the most difficult of days. You are a blessing to my life! Have a wonderful weekend!!

Silver Linings

I've always considered myself somewhat of an optimist. I can usually find the "silver lining" to a situation - a must some days in my job. :) Well, today I woke up a little irritated with life, and that makes it hard to find joy the in little things. On my way home from work this evening, after a bit of a rotten day, I was grumbling at God. Then, as He always does, He showed His love & faithfulness to me - tonight, in a literal Silver Lining! As I looked up to the sky, the sun was just behind a huge cloud. The entire top of the cloud was lit along the edge with rays shining up towards heaven. I wish my camera had been in the car with me so I could share the picture with you! Suffice it to say that it was BEAUTIFUL!! :) Talk about an attitude adjustment.

"But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,

slow to anger,

abounding in love and faithfulness."

-Psalm 86:15