Has it really been a month since the last post???

For Today... December 8, 2009

Outside my window...  Snowflakes

I am thinking...  How nice it is to have my microbiology final done!

I am thankful for...  Great friends to laugh with and almost drown in the sink.

I am wearing...  Blue scrub pants and my “we are safety” hard hat shirt from Lincoln Paper and Tissue…..gotta love freebies J

I am remembering...  How intimidated I was at the beginning of the semester about being an RA, I love it now!

I am going... To get my license in the morning!!!!  YAY!  No more driving illegally!

I am reading... Other people’s term papers….oh the life of a tutor!

I am hoping... Katrina’s hair comes out okay.  I just dyed it purple J

On my mind...  The blessings and cons of being single…… sometimes it would just be nice to know I’m not the only person like me…..

From the learning rooms... Today’s Microbiology final was a perfect example of cramming at its finest J 

Noticing that...  I have a bit of a mess to clean up before I go to bed tonight!

Pondering these words...  

And the arms that hold the universe

Are holding you tonight

You can rest inside

It's gonna be alright

And the voice that calmed the raging sea

Is calling you His child

So be still and know He's in control

He will never let you go

“Arms That Hold the Universe” --Fee

From the Kitchen...  Mini Chips Ahoy and Lactaid Milk J

Around the house...  A MESS!   Textbooks are strewn from one end of the apartment to the other and there is hair styling stuff everywhere, too!

One of my favorite things...   Banilla yogurt from Stonyfield Farms

From my photo journal...  Some friends and I at the Corn Maze this fall

Woosh. Momentary lapse back into the old blog habits!

For Today... November 18th, 2009

Outside my window...  Jet black, cold, and stinky…. Pepé la Pew seems to have been out tonight

I am thinking... About how much I’m looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow!

I am thankful for... my family’s mental health

I am wearing...  socks, rolled up jeans, coral tee with a big flower on the front and my black half-zip pullover…….it would be jammies but I’m on duty tonight

I am remembering...  that I forgot to call my dad last night

I am going...  to clean my room in the morning.  It’s a little messy in here.

I am reading... the scarlet pimpernel still :) I like it a lot so far :) :)

I am hoping...  that the smell in the hallway goes away…I’m sick of the sewer smell and of dumping hot soapy water down the drains!!

On my mind...  not much.   It is pretty flatlined and burnt out right now.  I hate this time of the semester.

From the learning rooms...   Learned about drug diversion among nurses and about the Maine Board of Nursing this afternoon.  Drug diversion is just a fancy way of saying stealing meds from patients, med carts and the hospital. 

Noticing that...  I need to make a worship playlist for itunes…..  

Pondering these words...  “I will be a sanctuary to you”  (paraphrase of Ezekiel 11:16)   O I am so thankful for that.   Sometimes I really need a hug and I’m so thankful for those God-hugs.   I don’t know if it is just me but I LOVE my sanctuary.  My introverted-ness breaks through my carefully maintained protective layer sometimes and just overwhelms me.   I hate it when I can’t just have my decompression time and when I just need somewhere to go away to.  I’m so thankful he is there as my sanctuary everywhere, all the time.   I’d be lost.

From the Kitchen... pizza for supper tonight :)

Around the house... very quiet……but pretty smelly….that sewer smell isn’t so hot

One of my favorite things...   just laying flopped on the floor, couch or bed and talking or just “being” with the people who get my head.

From my photo journal...

My finished card I made for my grandparents :)  kinda rusty but it came out okay.

ARGH. I hate it when i lose posts!!!!!!

Poo.  I just wrote this and then it vanished into cyberspace.   I hate it when that happens!


For Today... November 1st, 2009


Outside my window... Inky black with a lone streetlight reflecting creepily off of car roofs


I am thinking... about how people can vary so widely on morality and worldviews......how do we do it?


I am thankful for... a family who is crazy but loves me and friends who love me even tho i'm crazy, too :)


I am wearing...  Comfy boxers and my ACS Survivor shirt (purple :) )


I am remembering... thinking Kathy H. was old when she baby sat me......and she was only in high school!!!


I am going... to VOTE...even if it means i have to drive home on tuesday afternoon and back again!!!


I am reading... The Scarlet Pimpernel.....actually it's Librivox


I am hoping... that Avril Lavine and Kelly Clarkson get turned off soon.....ICK.   (but if the room gets cleaned they can stay on till she's done!!!)


On my mind... how to make time for art every weekend......


From the learning rooms... I can put IV's in.....even tho i have NEVER practiced on a live person....EEEEEEK!!!


Noticing that... My room finally looks like mine....not just white walls.


Pondering these words...  "Asking God to work in your life without believing he will is like askin' yo mama for money and walkin' away without it!"  ~Annie (What an awesome lady!!!)


From the Kitchen... Chocolate Coke Cake:  1 box choc. cake mix.  1 Cup Coke.   Stir (will be VERY thick) spread in greased 9x12 pan.  bake at 350 for 30 mins.  EAT.



Around the house... Mostly clean?   it is nice....



One of my favorite things... Laughing


From my photo journal...

Half finished card for my gram and gramp :)

The catch-up daybook!

For Today... October 22nd, 2009


Outside my window... Dusky, but the snow is heavily dragging down the branches of the pine tree up against my window.


I am thinking... wondering who invented candy corn.....it is one of the best things ever!


I am thankful for... No class for me tomorrow!  That means I get to go home early!!!!


I am wearing...  jeans...the purple gap shirt from hillary's closet and my white and purple trackie


I am remembering... Being in Grove City when it snowed and how pretty it was....like living in Narnia


I am going... HOME to see hillary and my family...i just hope the roads are good in the morning


I am reading... My microbiology lab manual


I am hoping... that this next nursing test goes okay!


On my mind... if I am doing a good enough job balancing my jobs, school, and life


From the learning rooms... It was WICKED fun to play in the medical simulator today!   We had a real breathing heart rate patient who "coded" and we saved him...technology is so cool....but it really drives home how inadequate i feel as a nurse sometimes!


Noticing that... I need to make a new "to do" list for this week's homework


Pondering these words...   that quote from Chuck Swindoll about attitudes.  I really want an attitude of serving and not getting frustrated with people who just "don't get it" or who get on my nerves.  I really wish that I could react mildly and kindly to those situations.   Mmmmmm I guess that is something to pray about and work on!


From the Kitchen... Just had a good "bloating" in the words of Grim.   Took one of my roommates out for her birthday....we had fun but o man....we ate WAY too much! :):)



Around the house... Thankfully the dishes are actually getting done now....sort of.  She's washing them but they aren't getting put away.  Sooooo no tv for her!   Man I feel like a mom sometimes!  I would much rather just be a friend....but then the suite would NEVER be picked up or even remotely clean!



One of my favorite things... Sharing a good meal with fun people


From my photo journal... If my camera wasn't broken there would be a pic of snow clinging to cold, black, bare branched trees and almost snow covered fallen leaves that have now lost their crunch.  there would be snowflakes softly falling and old filled footprints leading down the path to the dining hall.   

Forcast = LONG WEEK

Please be praying I have the energy, motivation and determination to pull off this week.  I am wicked mentally drained right now and it is beginning to manifest itself physically.   2 people told me today that I looked exhausted (one who I don't even know!) and was I doing okay.

I am doing well so far and have been able to keep myself on track.  I just need to keep up and I'll be okay.

Thank you!

And on we march....

For Today... October 14th, 2009


Outside my window... Dark, windy and cold.....the snow is coming!!!


I am thinking... about how cool it is to have so many open doors...and it isn't freaking me out!


I am thankful for... Mr. Price deciding to have an open book test this morning--since I completely spaced that I even had a test............................story of my life.


I am wearing... skinny feet socks, stretchy jeans :) and the pink stripey shirt that I got from Hillary's drawer :)


I am remembering... that I forgot to make the month of October event calendar for the hall.....and now the month is half over.


I am going... to make a pros/cons list of options this weekend :) YAY! (thank you lissa for the great idea!)


I am reading... 2009 Edition: Delmar Nurse's Drug Handbook----and getting really frustrated because 2 of my 6 drugs to look up aren't in there


I am hoping... to not be too nervous for my flu shot clinic tomorrow.....I don't want to be the awful nurse who gives the worst flu shots!


On my mind... how much I'm drowning in homework and I don't know where the hours will come from to do it all!


From the learning rooms... learned about SIDS today, what a sad thing :(


Noticing that... a friend has been MIA for a while...hoping he didn't bail on school...I need to track him down.


Pondering these words... "For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he has already seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it." 
Romans 8:24 & 25


From the Kitchen... Wishing I had a piece of that pumpin pie mom made....



Around the house... looks like my dressers puked.....clothes and bags everywhere......I need to clean!



One of my favorite things... Woodsmoke on cold, crisp air.....mmmmmm smells like winter :)


From my photo journal... The Desk of Inspiration....and pretty much my life summed up tonight...candy corn, on duty radio, drug handbook and all the sticky notes to keep my mind in order....or at least attempt to!

Finding something to smile about in the Rainy days...

For Today... October 8th, 2009

Outside my window... Wet and cold...but the leaves are soooo pretty


I am thinking... how could I forget that packet after I reminded another student about it!


I am thankful for... rubbing alcohol and iodine--microbio lab today was kinda icky


I am wearing... socks, my "new" jeans, my favorite purple shirt, and my Tucson earings


I am remembering... warm, desert weather


I am going... to hunter's safety class tonight :):):)


I am reading... Bergy's Manual of Determinate Bacteriology


I am hoping... that I didn't fail my nursing test.    Odds aren't in my favor, I haven't heard a good thing about that test from any of the other student nurses.


On my mind... how much I am loved....it blows my mind


From the learning rooms... trying to stay motivated to get my day's homework done


Noticing that... Estella has been gone for 12 hours and nobody has a clue where she went--o the adventure of living with an African!


Pondering these words... "I know it seems like this could be the darkest day you've known, but believe you me the GOd of strength will never let you go, he will overcome, I know.  And the arms that hold the universe are holding you tonight you can rest inside it's gonna be alright.  and the voice that calmed the raging sea is calling you his child, so be still and know he's in control.  He will never let you go."  Arms that Hold the Universe -- Fee


From the Kitchen... Realizing last night that I ate a whole tub of cookie dough by myself over the past 10-14 dyas........lol



Around the house... sickness....blah



One of my favorite things... my new camelbak better bottle.....such a cool thing!   I've drank almost 2/3 a case of water in the past 2.5 days!!!!

From my photo journal... my "pet" from microbio lab...I have to keep it alive and feed it...

Daybook?

I've read Stephanie's daybook for a while now and I really like the idea....I think I want to TRY this .....and see how it goes :)

For Today... October 5th, 2009

Outside my window... Gray and breezy, kinda cold and damp....not my favorite fall weather.

I am thinking... about everything BUT my test tomorrow

I am thankful for... good friends who don't write me off when my life is a mess

I am wearing... my yucky green chucks, comfy jeans, "church isn't a place to pick up girls" pink shirt and my black pull over sweater

I am remembering... being in this state of mind before

I am going... to have to push my self to stay focused on what is at hand

I am reading... a lot of nursing notes and a book called Dr. Ida that Libby loaned me :)

I am hoping... to someday be able to thrive and not just survive through what comes my way

On my mind... the future and graduation....and then what? woosh.

From the learning rooms... trying to continue to be more organized so I can be ready for each day

Noticing that... something is "off" in the suite today....I don't know what it is yet though

Pondering these words... 'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.' Jeremiah 29:11-13......really trying the praying and listening part....

From the Kitchen... very disappointed in the v8 butternut squash soup....it tastes like bad canned tomatoes... :(

Around the house... I like that everything is picked up and put away and the whole suite smells clean

One of my favorite things... partridge stew......wouldn't that be good right now :)

From my photo journal... what I should be doing right now...

Underway and beginning to breathe

Man, I am just BAD at blogging! lol

Well, my year has thankfully settled into a rhythm...not really a very slow or relaxing one, but a rhythm none the less! I LOVE being an RA and really getting to interact with a lot more students than last year. It is such a rewarding job but man there are definitely some not so fun parts. For Example: having students who decide this is not for them and go home, it is hard to watch and realize that sometimes there is nothing I could have done to change their minds....but there is always the "what if i had..." in the back of my mind. Then there are the great phone calls that a toilet is overflowing and could I please call maintenance...except maintenance doesn't work weekends...so I can stick an "out of order" sign on the door until monday and make the guys use another bathroom (because the toilet has been plugged and overflowing so long it has gone from one end to the other!) or i can go track down a plunger, unplug the toilet, and then mop up the whole floor.......they better enjoy their clean bathroom!!!! I won't lie, it is intimidating being a female RA on a majority male campus (and all the rooms on my hall are men's rooms) but I'm really blessed to have this opportunity to get to know them.

Nursing this year is still hard, but it sure feels a lot different! It is nice to kind of have a handle on what to expect for test material. The instructors for this year are SOOOOOO different from last year, everyone is wicked soft spoken and really is just trying to help you along, every step of the way. O O O! Second year you have a different advisor from first year....and mine is my last advisor's sister! How funny is that? BUT there is a big difference between the two....Eileen is MUCH more relaxed and sweet than Janice....it is hard to believe they are related!

Big nursing test on Tuesday, back to the books!

I Don't Understand

How can life be soooo exhausting sometimes?  I don't get it.  This past week and especially today has been quite rough.  While I was digging through a card box yesterday I found a quote that was quite fitting: "If adversity builds character, yours has been getting quite a workout lately".  I can only pray that I will learn and become stronger in Christ.  The fight to remain sensitive to Him and not to snap back at the people and circumstances of the day is a constant struggle for me.  I need help from Him.

It's almost April?!?!?!

When did that happen!?!?

It is hard to believe my first year of nursing is almost over, as well as my 3rd year of college. I can barely comprehend graduating in a year. I don't feel near prepared enough to actually be nursing on clients with no instructor to bounce questions off! I'm doing well in my classes, so far I'm on track for my goal of a B in nursing this semester, but it doesn't mean I don't stress about it!!! haha

I like being back in Maine and closer to my family, but there is a part of me that still itches to be somewhere else sometimes. Maine will always be home, I'm just not sure I will always be home. But, I now have friends scattered throughout the US so I guess I could take off and visit them and nurse in their areas for a while, aye? Or go to India and work with the hospitals and out reaches there! (Slumdog Millionaire got me thinking about that one!!!)

For the time being though, I'm enjoying most of my time here, I've been blessed to meet some more friends here and I would be lost without them. I'm applying for an RA position next year. I would love to do that!!! It is a little nerve wracking during the process though because my mind is thinking, "What if I don't get it? Then what?". I'm also praying about my summer job, the economy up here isn't looking so hot and there have been temporary cut backs and pay cuts at the mill. God only knows if they'll actually hire students or not. The applications are up.......but that isn't much reasurrance, last summer we went all the way through orientation before they told us we'd be laid off for a week!!!

My spring break starts on Friday, I can't wait to go home and spend time with my family and friends downstate! And to sleep in a comfy bed that doesn't have springs poking me in the back!!

In April my friends Adam, Estella, maybe Pam, and I are going to PEI to visit a friend of Adam's and to see the Watoto children's choir! We are wicked excited!!!

I can still barely wrap my mind around only having about 7 more weeks until we are out of school, but I guess I better keep focused!!

Hugs, love, e.

Record Highs!

WOWEE! Yesterday the vast majority of the state had record high temps......Portland's record high was 51.......however up here in the far north our record high was a whopping 37....woot. lol

I started clinical in at The Aroostook Medical Center last week. For my first day I got to follow a wound care nurse around during a wound care clinic. I got to see a lot of venous stasis ulcers and a very bad case of frostbite. Wicked cool and extremely interesting!

This week is going to go quickly I think, I can hardly wait for friday!!! I'm WICKED excited to see my grover peoples :):):):)

I went skiing on Saturday with another guy I tutor with. The conditions were PERFECT and the weather was GORGEOUS!!! I don't think there could have been a better day! It was fun because he could ski well too so we just skied hard and fast all for about 4 hours!! SOOOOOOO fun!

This semester due to some major budget cuts the position of activities coordinator here on campus was cut. That meant we lost our open gym, movie nights, pretty much all on campus organized activities. Stink. A few of us students have formed a student activity committee. We had our first meeting on Saturday afternoon and I think it is going well. We are set to start after we get back from break in a couple weeks.

I had to take a woman to the ER last night. She was really sick and vomiting blood. Thankfully I brought my schoolwork because we were there for a very long time. Turns out she has Bacterial Gastroenteritis which is very contagious.....I've been washing my hands TONS and I'm about ready to clean the bathroom with bleach....lol I guess the incubation period is 72 hours.....I'm praying I don't get it.....that would make me sick over the weekend when I'm supposed to be in Grove City. :(

Well, back to studying, hugs, e.

New Year, New Semester, New Snow

I'm not a big believer in "new year's resolutions", but i decided to make a few "goals" for myself this year. They are in no particular order:

1. Cut all dairy from my diet (I'm allergic and it is making me sick--don't worry I'm taking Calcium!)
2. Blog more frequently.....boy that one is going well!
3. Complete at least 75% of my nursing reading by the day before the class
4. Learn how to play racquetball....but I need a racquet :)
5. Keep my room mostly picked up and clean ALL the time
6. Refresh my Spanish

Not too long or overly exciting but something a little different not the less.

This semester is in full swing. Last week was miserably stressful, I had return demos for injections, clinical site orientation, I almost got in a car accident (gotta love 180s), and I had a Nursing Exam. UGH. Everything turned out okay and I actually did pretty well on my exam :)

I came back this semester expecting to have no hall-mates as my last one moved out at the end of last semester. I was pleasantly surprised to find 3 new women in Heather's place! I like them all and we get along well! Estela is from Portland, it took me quite a while to figure out the reason I couldn't understand her was because she has only lived here for 5 years and before that lived in Egypt and Sudan. She's a hoot and went home with me this weekend. Ashlei is from Jonesport. She's a nursing student, too, and has a thick downeast accent :) Candi is my mom's age and is from Oklahoma. She's pretty overwhelmed with all the studying but is determined! I have to help her every now and then with her computer and DVD player....it is just like being at home! haha

God's been pretty cool thus far. I was really not wanting to live on campus this semester but God didn't give me any peace about moving off. I stayed and God has given me so many opportunities! Last weekend I decided to do an impromptu game night with a few friends, i think there were 5 of us total. We had a blast and a couple of them have approached me about doing it again soon, maybe this weekend! :):):) Sooooo excited! :)

Well, I still have a lot of reading to do. I get to dissect a sheep eye this afternoon in anatomy, woohoo! My lab partner is grossed out and is bringing a mask. heehee

hugs, e.