DAY 13.

Today I will wake up thinking I'm in a horrible dream, because it is just 0430, and have to quickly remind myself to get up and get moving, to make it to the hospital by 0630. However, I will hit the snooze just a few more times. The drive will be horrible, because the weather is frightening, and tornadoes are lingering throughout the cities. But I make it. I get my very last clinicals over with for this semester, and I will be thankful, although, the killer allergies are only getting worse. I will leave clinicals, and make it to my car partially NOT DRY thanks to some more rain.

However, I will still be thankful, because

no more clinicals until the next and FINAL semester.
I will go home, crack open chapter 34. Its the one about Coronary Artery Disease and Myocardial Infarctions, and I will diligently read, make note cards, answer every study guide question, and absorb, until I go to bed. Of course, I will eat sometime, and maybe even watch Glee. Then I will go to bed, and 

cross my fingers that there aren't enough sick people 

who need me at work in the morning. 

But we all know it is still 13 whole days
until the end of this semester. 

And I remind myself, I CAN do this.

DAY 14.

The next two weeks I will give you, or try and give you a small little glimpse into the life of a nursing student. Although some have husbands, wives, and/or kids, and work.... I just have work and school.  I counted the social life out 4 semesters ago. And I still haven't figured out how people do this with added pressure, but it makes them all that much more awesome.

So for me, on my 14th day until the end of the 4th semester, I will go to school, and do my best not to be late. We will learn of heart monitors, and ECG strips, and V-tach, OH my! Makes me cringe too. We will listen, absorb, take notes, and do our best to stay alert for the entire 2.5 hours.

Then, because it is monday, I will eat lunch with my daddy. We will eat at a chinese restaurant, and I will hope my fortune is correct.

Then I will head back to school and study//gossip for 2 hours with my buddy, kelli. We will get hardly anything done since we haven't seen each other in quite a while. I will learn a little more about dysrhythmias though. Excitement!

Next up is preclinicals. You know, go to the hospital, pick a patient, meet patient, fill out tons and tons of paperwork on sans patient. Blah blah blah, that's all I hear these days too. Its all about as much fun as it sounds. Promise.

Then I make my 40+ mile trek home, to begin paperwork. Another deep breath, because I woke up with some killer allergy nonsense this morning. Let's not forget this lovely Bama weather. 72 on thanksgiving and 49 the day after, or something like that. Either way, one other reason I love summer!!! 

So Ill do paperwork, I will study, and I will go to bed. And I will wake up tomorrow and start a brand new day. But today is still 14 days away. Sigh.

TIS the season

I love CHRISTMAS time. 

However, I still have TWO rather 

BIG 

TESTS 

coming up, 

that I am NOT looking forward too.

However, I will get through it.

So let's count down the days until

DECEMBER

the 

13th. 

or the END of the FOURTH semester.

15 days.

Fill in the blank Friday

 www.thelittlethingswedo.blogspot.com

 

1.   Black Friday is  NUTS, experienced first hand at midnight last night.

2.  Christmas shopping this year will include   buying a little here and a little there

3.  Holiday shopping makes meanxiuos. i am that person standing aimlessly in the middle of the store. i completely lose my train of thought when there is a crowd.

4.  This year my Christmas list will include a gift card to charming charlies and some new tennis shoes and over the shoulder purse. 

5.  Bargain hunter, or full price shopper?     i love bargains, but i don't like crowds or searching for the bargain.

6.  The best and worst things about shopping is     i love shopping by myself, its relaxing, but shopping with people in a hurry gets me in a tizzy .

7.  Online shopper or in-person shopper?       either or is fine, depends on what i am looking for .

new.

i have a new button, very similar to the last, 
but with a little more meaning. 

---Sometimes it takes one big bolt of lightning to show you everything you needed to see in a person. And that lightning strike takes you to your knees because at one time that was everything you ever knew. But it struck fast and then the rain came pouring down. But with that came peace, and a sense of who you are going to be, who you knew you were always supposed to be---me.

if you take it let me know! i have a few buttons listed under "blogs i love tab," and if you would like me to post yours, just let me know!!! 

i will grab it and post! 

HAPPY 

THANKSGIVING! 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

TODAY I AM THANKFUL FOR WORK and WHOEVER DIDN'T CALL IN so they could  call ME OFF! WOO HOO which is AH-mazing, considering I worked last Thanksgiving!

I am so very thankful, beyond thankful, because

I

LOVE

THANKSGIVING!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!

Dos, as in number Two.

Baby # 2 may not have a name, although i have given several very cute suggestions, he does however have a very cute new pair of converse. not real of course, 

but just as cute. courtesy of target.

and THIS TOO SHALL PASS.

that is what someone near and dear told me tonight. they didn't say it because i got a bangin' new do. yes, that is right. see this curly hair of mine has two looks, short or long. with a little tapering action every now and then. im pretty boring because i am never one for change or out of the box type of things. throws me out of my comfort zone and into a tizzy, an anxious mess. im just not an on the spot, need an answer right now sort of person. unless it is clothes of course. im an impulse buyer to say the least. however, i have been known to walk around one store numerous of times with one item, have myself talked into buying one sans item, then putting it back, and running out the door. so maybe i do weigh the pros and cons, maybe i do have some sort of rationalization, sometimes. but with my hair, im a rationalizer, a keep it simple, don't stray from the ordinary, i like it like this and not like that kindof person. this doesn't mean i have wants and ideas for my curly headed mess, i just usually will not follow through with them. simple as that. however, tonight, i had a picture of a cute little do that i hoped would look fab on me. sure, i have cut my hair this length before, and sure i have a had a few tapered layers, but no where near those cute little swooshy side bangs. i pretend to have them, courtesy of a bobby pin, but really i don't. NOT ANYMORE FOLKS. i have partial side bangs. or that is a term i will use. to some not too drastic, to me a life changing moment. almost, well not really but sort of. my hair. my nappy curly mop of a hair do lay on the ground, and i have partial side bangs. what is a girl to do? okay wait just a minute. it isn't that drastic, but its a difference. its not that big of deal, but its a change that hasn't sunk in just yet. and they don't look half bad after i got my lovely straightener after them. so im okay, i will be okay, and this too shall pass. however, that strong 5 word statement was not intended for my superficial new do, it was because someone is actually losing their hair. not because of old age, or because of a new picture they saw in a magazine, or even because the scissors came finding them. but because their body can no longer withstand the demons of chemotherapy. and you know what. they are a-okay. why? because it is JUST HAIR. its not who we are, it isn't who we know, its just part of our appearance. sure, i might know this person because their do always looks fab and since i have known them it has never been less than superb. not to mention, they do hair for a living. so of course one of the things i always think about when they come to mind is their hair, so to know that it is slowly coming out is a big change. is that weird? is that crazy? or odd? or too superficial? i hope not, because it is just how i know them, and to see them in a different light because they are suffering, well it is sad. it is rather heartbreaking. although they weren't much concerned with the hair coming out with each slight movement of fingers through it, i could feel the concern. i could see the sadness. maybe because everyone knows what that means. everyone knows that something is wrong. and everyone assumes the worse. but it is just hair. how can something so superficial mean something so big. because it is a change that means something far deeper than just seeing someone without their usual do. it is a change that the whole world knows. and it is a change that im not ready face. another selfish moment. because this isn't my battle to fight. i can only encourage, be there, and know that someone far greater than me is IN CONTROL. no matter the outcome.  whoa, i think i am rambling. i just felt so very selfish for being so taken aback by my new do, that i didn't even take the time to think that some people would be praising the Lord for it. and this too shall pass had nothing to do with the hair, but everything to do with overcoming this mountain as a family. and we will, because this too shall pass.

image

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Friday fun

Today I had a nice little lunch date with a long lost college friend. 

We went an awesome little mexican joint

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Then we walked and walked and walked.

And we walked all the way into

Urban Outfitters

where I found the

absolute

cutest

mittens

EVER.

See for yourself.

sweet little sock monkey mittens. so cute. it melts my heart

Fill in the blank Friday

 coming to you from  thelittlethingswedo

1. My Thanksgiving plans this year will include      working (it's either Thanksgiving or Christmas,) then eating tons of food & spending time with family and friends.

2.  My favorite Thanksgiving was   when my Grandpa was still alive. We would always go to his house and have a HUGE Thanksgiving feast.

3.  My signature Thanksgiving dish is     greenbean casserole, although I am usually not the one cooking it, just eating it of course!

4.  My favorite Thanksgiving food is   honey baked ham & greenbean casserole!!!!

5.  Thanksgiving free association!    big blow up turkeys in the yards, the cruchies on top of honeybaked ham, ROLLS, quality family time, and plenty of laughing to go around!

6.  Thansgiving is one of my most favorite holidays .

7.  I am thankful for  my family, my friends, my bf, school, the bullet, my belly for allowing me to eat all that I want, the Christmas music already playing, my flat boots, nursing school, and my faith, because without it, I would have none of the above. 

take YOUR PICK

okay here in sweet home alabama, we not only support our alabama football team, some would even say they worship them. we have a fight song, couple of mascots, a song for the end of the game (when we win of course), and EVEN have a fabric that corresponds with it all! yes, a FABRIC. the beloved houndstooth. So I present to you an avid fan.  

Too MUCH???

Personally, it is a little MUCH for my liking. You never though, maybe they work for the football team or something. Hopefully they do, or maybe, just maybe, they hold UA that near and dear to their precious little heart. PS sorry if you know this person.

A picture is worth 1000 words.

Then again, I could probably write 1000+ reasons why I just love this picture, and 

just what it means to me.

But I won't. I will just let you take a looksy

at my favorite little niece 

and I at the park this past Saturday.

It's my party life and Ill cry if I want to.

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I'm over driving 40+ miles back and forth almost every single day. I'm over this whole school thing. I'm just over it. For someone who despises driving as much as I do, it is rather ironic that I made the decision to move home, and make the long i-459 until it changes into i-59 drive way too many times. The drive is draining. Its long, and I can only sing and talk to myself for so very long, until the voices start talking back. Okay there aren't any voices, just mine, and I do talk to myself. On occasions of course. But to see the long road ahead of me in the distance, and never feeling any closer to my destination is rather disheartening. Its frightening to say the least. Its a lot like my journey through school as well. I was almost there, then a major road block derailed that. But we all know that story. I waited, sometimes not so patiently, refilled up the gas tank, and started on the long journey one final time. The journey for school, not the one to school. I still trek that journey a lot, and will continue to do so until may10,2011. I'm not going to all of sudden just love driving. I have never liked it, never will like it, and would just rather have a magic wand that taps me to my next destination. Problem solved, there is my million dollar idea. Too bad I don't have time for any extra ideas.

Okay I get I'm throwing myself a minor pity party, but once I vent, I shall be fine. And I know, why don't I just stay with friends down near school? Well I could, and I have. There is just something about the comfort of your own bed that makes the long drive a little bit worth it. I'm just a homebody. Always have been. Not that I'm not comfortable anywhere else. Its just I want to feel like I'm somewhere that feels like home. That warm, throw some fuzzy socks on, grab a blanket, and lounge on the couch, with no worries, no interruptions during my favorite tv shows, and no passing over into my personal space bubble kind of feeling. I'm sure you all know the feeling. But really, I can't wait to call my own place home. Ever since we have moved out of the house we grew up in, I've been quite the little nomad. That's okay, I don't mind. Let's set this record straight first: I am beyond grateful I have a roof over my head as some don't. I'm very grateful to have heat and a/c because some don't. I'm very thankful I have a nice and comfy bed with bright pink sheets, because some don't. And I'm very thankful for my parents who make the dreams a reality. All I'm saying is I want to feel like I'm at home, not at someone's house that ill move out of in the next year or two. Just saying, I'm looking forward to making a home for myself. I already have the warm fuzzy socks and all. So here is my pity party. But just so you know, I completely understand that how my life has turned out, and where I am at right this very minute was all based on the decisions I have made. I may never be okay with some of those decisions but I am slowly learning to deal with it like a big girl. I always say I can't wait to start my journey, but it has already began, a very long time ago. And it can be taken away very fast, as proven in another tragic accident in my home town. They need your prayers, and not my pity party. Because someone is always going through something a little bit harder than we are.

oh Monday

Terms to know:
Clinicals: those are days when we nursing students go to the hospital, and get to almost be the nurses. We have 1 patient, and do total care for that one. Its pretty exciting. No really, I love clinicals for the most part.
Clinical Paperwork: well there is always a bad to a good. And this is the bad, only because it takes a lot of time. See, nurses do care plans. That's where we give our "nursing diagnoses." No, no medical ones, like stroke, asthma, the flu, etc etc. Ours are more like this: say the doctor diagnosed you with the flu or pneumonia. We would give a diagnosis of "impaired breathing pattern related to pain, as evidenced by crackles on the lungs, and shortness of breath." We then set goals, interventions, blah blah, blah. It is about as much fun as watching paint dry.

Okay, so the only good thing about this monday, is the Christmas music on the radio. Yes, they are playing Christmas music ALL the TIME, and I LOVE IT. I love Christmas. Sure the gifts are fun, but I love the decorations, could sit and stare at the trees and ornaments FOREVER, go googled eyed over all the lights, and can't get enough greenbean casserole and honey baked ham. 

The cruchies on top are AMAZING.

 image

okay so we all know about last monday. 

The bullet got into a fight with a curb and resulted in a new tire. 

Well what is on this monday's agenda, besides raining non-stop?

 image

One 40+ mile trip to school for a fun filled class of cardiac. One brain fart to remember that I have forgotten my clinical paperwork, back at home 40+ miles in the opposite direction. One HOLY CRAP moment. One U-turn. One 40+ mile trip back to get the forgotten paperwork. One potty and refill on the gas break. And one final trip back to school to drop off this sacred paperwork. Phew. Let's not forget I will have to make this drive one more time today to go home. One more time tomorrow. One more time Wednesday. And one final time Thursday. But I'm not complaining. No, no complaining here. Because Thanksgiving is next week.  
Which means just one more clinical day after that, 
then one test and one final before Christmas break!

Happy Monday.

THANKFUL for Thanksgiving

so Thanksgiving is one of my FAVORITE holidays. so I will try and list most of the things that I am thankful for...but we all know the pages aren't long enough to list EVERYTHING. Becca over lifeintechnicolor is doing a thankful series, so I will just pick up in the middle. 

days 1-15, for november 1st thru right now. 

GOD: because HE is amazing, to say the least

my mom & dad: because they haven't given up on me yet

my brothers & sister: because they are the greatest friends

my niece & TWO nephews: because they put life into a whole new perspective

my family ie cousins, aunts&uncles, grandparents: because they are awesome

my boyfriend: because he makes me laugh

the friends: because they understand me

my pup, Tallulah & pretty much my pup, Stella: because they are the best furry friends a girl could have

nursing school: because second chances are possible

my JOB: because it teaches me about life and the people in it who aren't as fortunate

the Bullet: because its my beloved little ride

caffeine, ie DR PEPPER: because it keeps the headaches away

brownies: because i love them

my cellphone: because it is THE life line.
MUSIC: because it keeps me SANE

take a deep breath

okay, breathe & look at this gooey goodness. 

i LOVE cupcakes.

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Like obsess over their amazingness

image

I mean, I'm DROOLING over here

image

my weekend in photos.

really it was just my thursday night, then one of my clinical days.

thursday we celebrated my bf's brother's birthday. 

we had an ABSOLUTE blast.

me and one of my favorite roomies...lauren

 chace & me

 me & kyle

 my clinical group.
okay
sorry for the bland update, but right now
my life is just moseying along.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner!!
OH MY! I LOVE THANKSGIVING

Fill in the blank FRIDAY

1. The most spontaneous thing I've ever done was     no idea...life is too spontaneous around these parts...or maybe not for me...im a plan ahead kinda GAL...

2.  The best gift I've ever received was   my niece & nephew...and my newest nephew come april. and the gift of second chances. FOR SURE.

 

3.  A time that I was truly and genuinely surprised was   all the time...something always happens that takes me off guard just a little bit...

4.  I can't leave the house without        my cell phone and check card.

5.  My favorite day of the week is     Saturday...because right now it is still game day and its also a time to relax!

6.  Something that can always make me laugh is     ryleigh moore.

7.  My perfect day would include     sleeping in, then walking out and being AT THE BEACH!!!! 

*****fill in the blank friday///thelittlethingswedo check it out & link it up!

drumroll PLEASE

  Last night I had a dream...

image

 I dreamed that J&J were having a little boy.

I had been asking to be put on speaker phone, because I had clinicals today.

Well in my dream, they put me on video chat.

Sweet. Even better.
I mean the entire time I've thought the little peanut was a girl. 

Just a feeling really.
Well today was the BIG day.
Today we found out what we, they, OUR family 

is going to be welcoming into this world here in april. 

My daddy's birthday. Or maybe they will come late March. 

My mom's birthday is in March.

Hmmm, well it doesn't really matter as 

long as they are healthy, happy, and screaming. 

That normally means they have good lungs, but we all knew that already. 

Oh, so back to the BIG reveal. 

J&J and miss Ryleigh are going to have....

a little

baby
BOY.
OMG.
I would have been way excited either way. 

I cannot wait until HE arrives. So that I can hold HIM, 

and give the sweet little handsome FELLOW all my love.
God Is So Good!

Cinderelly, Cinderelly

Friday I went with my sister and niece, and her little friend from school to Disney on Ice: Princess Wishes. We had an absolute blast. Here are few pictures from the day. 

 

of course I was able to see my favorites.

Where in the world...

image

have I been??

Everywhere but here.

 Well, not so much.

But I have been rather busy.

I had test number 3 today.

Which means what?

Oh yeah...

1 more test and 1 final and I will be heading

to the awesomeness of FIFTH SEMESTER.

to anyone keeping track,

that is the last semester of 

NURSING SCHOOL. 

WHOA.

all NATUR-AL

so I did an entire post about hair, and no one even saw my natur-AL do.
so here ya go. sorry for the blurry-ness.

daily INSPIRATION: PART TWO

i put this in my THIRD blog that I ever posted... i wrote it a while ago, but is great for the mood of yesterday's post.

Yesterday:

Let the past be the past

Its the only place it belongs

It was left there for a reason

It should no longer tag along

Let the present be today

For it is the only day that counts

Tomorrow is a new battle

So dont let it bring you down

We live for the future

But have yet to live today

Tomorrow will bring its own troubles

And soon it will be another yesterday.

Fill in the blank Friday

1.   My last haircut was      probably a couple of months ago.... right now I am letting it grow out so I only get it cut every once in a while .

2.  My most daring hair moment was     when i got my hair cut super short, or it was super short for me....

3.  A hairstyle I'd never be brave enough to try is       a pixie...my cheeks are way too chubby  .

4.  I've always dreamt of being a (blonde, brunette or red-head)   a lot darker...close to black.


5.  My go-to hair do is   curly, because that is my natural do...with a braid    .

6.  My biggest hair disaster was     all the time...im still not a fan of my curly hair mop.

7.  A hairstyle I am dying to try is   the beach wavey look. yeah its been around a while, but i would love for my hair to look like that just once.

8.  My best hair day was    when i was in pageants in highschool... or anna's wedding.


9.  The worst hairstyle I ever had was  everyday before highschool. i had a major bowl cut, then it was just chin length without a straightner. YIKES


10.  My hair is   a curly mop.