Vacation Checklist

Here are the pics (finally) that I promised! It was a
wonderful (albeit quick) trip home, and I'm looking
forward to heading home again in a few weeks for Spring
Break!

Departure before dawn? Check.

Breakfast? Check.

Coffee? Check.

Exciting weather? Check.

Beautiful display of God's majesty? Check.

Gorgeous homecoming queen sister? Check.

Epic balloon arch? Check.

Viral bronchitis ridden sister to greet us? Check.
(Update: Kate is now sick also, but I have managed to avoid it.
Ah the benefits of working with sick people every day.:o)

Going North For the Winter?

Seems a little odd, but that's precisely what I'm doing tomorrow. Turns out I'm not a goose...:o) My younger sister was crowned homecoming queen last year, so I'm driving her to Nor-Cal tomorrow morning to pass on her crown. Looking forward to some quality sister time, and excited to see my parents and Sarah. It will be a super quick trip (driving home tomorrow and back on Sunday!), but it promises to be full of fun and memories nonetheless. The timing is perfect also, since I really feel that I tanked the nursing midterm I took this morning. Few things are more disappointing than failing a test you spent hours of your life studying for. When I think of all of the late nights, writer's cramp, missed blogging time;o)...but I digress. I have decided to look at it as a learning opportunity. I still feel that I really put a great deal of time and energy into studying, and that I have learned the critical information needed to care for a patient with renal failure. Which is the point of all of this learning I suppose. So, I'll take a vacation, study hard for the final, and move on with my life. Good thing my hope is found in the Lord, and not dependent on myself or my report card! Not sure I'll have any spare time to blog this weekend, but hopefully I'll return Monday with some fun pictures. Any big plans for the weekend?

Recovery and Addiction

The good news is that I'm finally starting the recovery process and feeling a bit better. The bad news is that I am now quite addicted to Lipton's Cinnamon Apple Tea with honey. I've never been a big tea drinker prior to this cold, but now I might willingly subject myself to another one if it means unlimited access to this beverage. I know, I know. I'll get help. Just as soon as I finish what's currently in my mug.:o)

This weekend was an amazing time to relax and recover. After being canceled from work on Saturday, I spent the day rather lazily in my pajamas. I did get some homework done, but I actually spent some time curled up under the electric blankets of my bed reading a book for fun. (I'd almost forgotten what that's like...:o)

Sunday brought a wonderful church service and sermon from Rick Holland. During second service I attended an Evangelism class with Justin and Rebecca. I'm so excited about it! Can't wait to learn more. After church Becky and I went grocery shopping, which is always a treat. Amazing what we can find to chat about while comparing the price per ounce of various chicken products...

Today has been business as usual. Slept in a little. I haven't really been sleeping through the night since I got sick, so when I wake up in the morning and feel my sore throat and stuffy nose the thought of burrowing deeper in the covers is incredibly enticing. (Just have to make sure that this new habit doesn't continue tomorrow when I have to be out the door before 6 am.:o) One thing that was unusual was the rain and even hail, yes I said hail, that we had today. There is even snow up on the hills by my aunt and uncle's house. It's been raining for a few days, and although I realize that moisture falling from the sky is not at all unusual in certain parts of the world, it is quite extraordinary in the land of the perpetual drought. Well I'm off to make a plan of care for a patient I had last week. Make sense to you? Me either.:o) Happy Monday!

To the north was blue sky, clouds, power lines, and snow. Gotta love Southern CA.:o)

To the south was this. Naturally this was the direction I was headed...

Perfect day for a scarf!

Sick Day

sleeping in. hot tea with honey. fuzzy socks and slippers. electric blankets. kleenex. beginnings of a Rudolph nose. warm shower. comfy sweats. unmade bed all ready for a hasty retreat. thank you Lord for another unexpected day off to recover.

Go my favorite sports team!

So apparently today was the Super Bowl. Actually, surprisingly, I watched it. Well most of it. For the first time! Due (pretty much completely) to the fact that my aunt and uncle watched it, and I was home. Can't say I was rooting for a team. But (thanks again to my aunt and uncle) I do actually know what teams played. So, here is a pic to prove my enthusiasm.

This one's for you Justin.:o) (For the rest of you, you'll have to listen to comedian Brian Regan to fully appreciate this picture.)

The part I definitely understood was the amazingly delicious food my aunt and uncle whipped up.

After eating approximately twice our weight in food we each got comfortable and enjoyed the commercials...I mean the game.

My aunt is actually a pretty incredible recliner referee. She pretty much always made the right call the first time, even when the actual referees didn't.:o)

And I multi-tasked. Doesn't it put you at ease to know that your nurse may have studied her drug cards between commercials?;o)