Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Gruene







Did you know that Gruene has the oldest dance hall still operating in Texas? Yup. Looks like these girls were fixin' to dance. If only they could figure out how to get in...

We had a great time with my family (Molly we missed you) and a great meal at the Grist Mill (a turn of the century cotton mill turned restaurant). The lovely old homes and quaint little stores are right up my alley. Gruene (pronounced green) is one of my favorite spots in TX. Take a tube ride down the river and you will soon understand why.

Shriners



Oh, those Shriners. They are still at it - continuing to brighten the lives of children and their parents. Bravo Shriners for all your years and years of work supporting those children in need of medical attention. As a school nurse I have a special place in my heart for those wonderful folks who work tirelessly to raise money for children who otherwise could not afford their medical care.

As a parent, thanks for the face painting and the balloons. You made their day!

Friday, April 24, 2009

Never say "I can't"

This year, with great trepidation, and some serious convincing to an admissions office, I started graduate school. I don't actually have a really clear idea of what I will do with this when I'm done, I just knew that it was time for me to get my master's in nursing. Now, if you had asked me 8 years ago if I would be going back to school I would have said NEVER. And I would have meant it, especially to further my education in nursing.

I wrestled with my identity as a nurse since day 1. I even had a professor tell me I would never make it as a nurse. I carried her voice with me around in my head through my first several years. I questioned myself, was this really my calling? Only after school and emergency room nursing, years into my career did I begin to feel like I fit in to this profession. But, still, why grad school?

After course work began I was seriously doubting I had made a good decision. Still, week after week I seemed to still be in the game. Then the paper came up. Now, you have to understand scholarly papers were the bane of my college existence. I could not write them. More importantly I could not write them and turn them in on time. I would write a questionable paper and turn it in so late that I would lose ridiculous amounts of points. Put me in creative writing circles and I had an easy A. Make me write a thesis driven research paper, Lord help me. I wrote my professor an overly dramatic email about how I was completely paralyzed and could not write the paper.

Despite the overwhelming odds against me, I began that paper. I turned in several drafts the week before it was due and my prof helped me do just some minor tweaking. Then, I took a deep breath, and 24 hours before it was due, I turned it in - a complete and hopefully articulate paper. I know, you can all fall over in disbelief now. I did.

Now, I would have been OK with just the accomplishment of writing and turning in the paper alone. Mission accomplished. I had done the impossible. But, it gets better! I got an email from the professor returning my graded paper. 100%! I think now that you know, I will have officially told everyone. This is how amazed I am. I guess I will stick with grad school for a bit longer. Perhaps you will see that day when I become an advanced practice nurse. So much for never making it... If I never do anything else with my Master's Degree, one thing I know for sure, I will have conquered a long time belief that I could not do something that apparently I can.

The Post Office Miracle



April 13 at 3:37 pm I sent a package from my local TX post office to Pasadena, CA PRIORITY. This package contained my BFF's (Best Friend Forever for those of you that haven't had a BFF since your pre-school days) laptop computer (recently repaired by Brian) wrapped in some packing paper wrapped in a quilt that I made for her. This was no ordinary package. This was a very important package. I told the post office lady this several times. We agreed that Priority was the best way to mail it. I got a tracking number to be on the safe side.

Fast forward to April 21. I get a text from BFF. "Should I be concerned that I haven't gotten the package?" YES!!! PANIC!! Several phone calls later I get to the Pasadena post office guy and he says to wait a couple more days - like 2 - like the amount of days it should have taken for the package to arrive at it's destination. Arrgh. I wait.

Then I prayed. Yes, I prayed that my package would get to her. We teach our kids to pray about everything that concerns you, but how often do I do it myself? I am not sure what I was more concerned about, the computer or the quilt. She wanted the quilt. I already had plans to make her another one. I worried about the computer, identity theft, the cost, the inconvenience... Then I prayed. Why, oh, why didn't I pray first?

Today I got a phone call, "I got the package! And I scared the post man half to death!" What do you know? Answered prayers. About a package. A PRIORITY package filled with hours of love and hard work so that the person on the other end would know how much I care.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Relay for Life



In memory of Grandpa Bill, we lost you too soon. In honor of Cheryl, fight on. We walked for you last night.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Haircut Documentation



The haircut process... Sorry it took me so long. These were on the iPhone and I just took forever to email them to myself. Pathetic, I know.

Bunny Ears

I am definitely delinquent on posting about this - sorry Grandma. A couple of weeks ago (just before the haircut and the tooth pulling) we were on our way to COSTCO (I have a whole other post on why COSTCO is my favorite place) and we stopped to get the mail. In the mail we found a key to a package box! These are the days we live for around here. A package box key is cause for great elation among 5 & 6-year-olds (also 30-year-olds - if you want to know the truth).

This package was a special delivery from a CA great-grandma. Leave it to Grandma Luce to fill a box full of little wonders that my kids would love. There were chicks and Easter hats and coin purses and bunny ears. The kids were tearing through the box getting all excited. Brian and I were happy they were entertained on our 20 minute car ride to COSTCO.

Suddenly I realized that more than one car of folks had passed us just laughing hysterically. What the heck was so funny? The radio? A conversation? What? Then I looked behind me and in my very own back seat I saw this:



Ah yes, hysterical. They wore these into COSTCO and then on several other trips out as well. Seems we leave a trail of laughing people in our wake. Grandma, you have brightened not only the day of these two but many more who shop where we do.