A different kind of nurse

I started this journey twenty years ago, when at the age of eighteen I walked through the halls of The Christ Hospital School of Nursing and signed up to learn the art of being a nurse.  Two years later, cap and diploma in hand, I graduated and entered the world of critical care nursing.

I have worked in five different ICU's, labor and delivery, floated throughout the hospital and worked on just about every unit there was (except the operating room and the nursery).  For the past three years, I have been the nursing supervisor over the entire hospital, walking those halls night and day, ensuring the safety of the staff and the patients within those many walls.

And now the time has come for a change.  My kids are grown.  I'm tired of working night shifts, and spending weekends and holidays away from my family.  I'm tired of the politics I see each and every day.  I'm tired of being caught in the middle, trying to do what's right but being told not to in the name of the budget.

A new opportunity has come my way.  The chance to work with patients again in a case-management setting, via telephone, from the comfort of my own home.  Yes, I will be working forty hours a week, which I haven't done in ages.  But I will be at home!  Traffic jams, bad weather, wardrobe malfunctions...they won't affect me.

I have five more shifts left at the hospital.  It is bittersweet.  I will miss the friends I have made there over the years, especially the many people I have met as a supervisor.  I will not, however, miss the ever-increasing stress of the job.

The best thing about nursing is the opportunity to do so many different things with your degree.  There is no reason to get burnt out...get out and move on.  That's what I'm doing...and I can't wait!

Sixteen years and counting

October is a great month in so many ways.  The cooler temperatures, the gorgeous colors, the ability to wear boots with every outfit...

We have lots of reasons to love October this year.  Our 16th wedding anniversary, our family cruise vacation coming up, my last-year-in-my-thirties-birthday, a booming photography business with lots of photo shoots scheduled during the month.  I am loving October of 2012 so far, and we're only four days in!

Joe and I kicked off our celebrations with a day trip to Caesar Creek State Park, hiking and taking pictures and being silly together.  I love that we can still have so much fun, probably even more fun than we had while dating.  We are so comfortable with each other; even when we get on each other's nerves, we know that we are in this for the long haul and we learn to just get over it.  As his beard gets grayer, and my hair requires more frequent coloring to hide my own grays, I hope that we have even better days ahead.

Happy anniversary, honey.  I love you like crazy, even when you leave your dirty laundry on the floor :)

Summer 2012 (Walking off the pounds)

It started with a prompt on Facebook.  A group called "Get into your jeans regardless of your genes".  Led by a friend and joined by other friends, I checked in every day and followed the "rules".

Drink lots of water.  Eat lots of protein.  Eat less sugar/carbs.  Eat every three hours.  Move.  Do different exercises.  Measure.  Weigh.  Support each other.  Succeed!

August 1st was the first day.  I had a goal of 15 pounds to lose (the weight I gained while back in college).

Kay joined me.  We modified our eating habits (never once calling it a diet...I hate that word.)  We walked at least three miles a day, five or more days a week.  At least three days a week, I lifted weights and walked an  additional three miles on my own.

As of today, we have both lost weight and inches.  We are energetic and happy.  We are having fun, feeling great and looking better than we have in years.  I have three pounds left to lose to meet my goal, and I hope to even beat that goal in time for our family vacation in October.

From now on, the summer of 2012 will be remembered as the summer of weight loss, Kay-and-Heather-style!

Hurry up, Autumn!

Officially, the calendar still says "summer".

The weather outside screams "hot and humid".

The flowers in my pots are tired and spent, ready to trade places with mums from my favorite local nursery (I prefer the rust and maroon...what about you?).

I had the house to myself yesterday.  I couldn't wait one more day...I headed downstairs, braved the spiders in the storage room, and got out the containers brimming full of fall decor.

I scattered pumpkins and leaves and spiced candles all around, from the entryway to the kitchen, the living room to the guest bath.  I got out my favorite fragrances from Bath and Body Works:

And I got recipes for turkey-pumpkin chili from a friend:

As long as I don't step foot outside into the sweltering heat, I can convince myself that fall is here!

When do you decorate for fall?  Is it still hot where you live?  And have you ever tried pumpkin chili?

Almost End of Summer Pool Bash

Trying to coordinate the schedules of three busy sisters AND their children is a near impossible task.

Somehow we managed to pull it off and even had a gorgeous day to go along with it.  Rhonda and I carpooled to Michelle's backyard paradise on the west side of town, kids and suits in tow.

We ate LaRosa's pizza, drank gallons of water and lemonade, and laughed (or screamed if your name is Gabe) the afternoon away.

Our only question at the end of the day?  Why on earth didn't we do this more often?!

Getting all five kids in the picture at once while in the pool proved darn near impossible.  This was the best attempt.

"Take a picture of me being crazy, Mom!"...um, that's all the time, Gabe.

Our girls...oh, my.

Artistic attempt :)

Love the age of missing teeth!

Love these sisters of mine.  Seriously blessed.

Now it's back to school, back to work, back to the daily grind.  And although we are all about 45 minutes away from each other, we know we will see each other again soon (as in, Saturday for Gabe's birthday!).  Can't wait!

Seasons

Just like seasons, some friendships come and go.  There are a select few that stick around for the long haul, and then there are acquaintances who fade out as time moves on.  Sometimes it's sad; other times you barely notice from under the piles of your hectic life.   The trick is weeding through those superficial friendships and finding the ones that are worth nurturing, the ones that will nurture right back.

Isabel and Elijah both have many friends, in different groups (school, sports, neighbors).  I love that they can hang out and have fun with such a variety of personalities, no matter where they are.  Gabe is still at the age where he has one best friend (a neighbor), but many other friends at school.

As a busy wife/mom/nurse, I have friends in many places, too.  Co-workers, neighbors, parents of my kids' friends, family.  My sisters and my mother-in-law are the ones I talk to on an almost daily basis; they are the ones who nurture me as much as I nurture them.

How do you balance friendships and acquaintances?  Do you still have childhood friends in your life now?  Could you be best friends with your mother-in-law?

Blur

This time last summer, I was knee-deep in work and school and clinicals and trying to muddle my way through papers and care plans, praying that I would make it to the other side, with my Bachelor's degree and my sanity intact.

I did.  I made it.  And I'm standing here on the other side, wondering how on earth I managed it.

This summer is halfway over, and it has gone by in a blur.  But instead of papers and exams, it has been full of hiking trips, Kings Island days, pools and sun and trips to the library.  Time with my friends, my husband, my sisters and most importantly, my kids.  And though those 2 1/2 years were hard, they did have a way of making me appreciate this time even more.

What have you been up to this summer?  Has the time flown, or been dragging on?  And are you ready for back to school yet?

Beauty

Her spirit.  Her personality.  And yes, even her outward appearance.

Isabel is a beauty in every sense of the word.  And I am privileged to be her mother.

We had so much fun together, making our way through downtown Cincinnati, changing outfits (her) and taking over 450 pictures (me), along with Michelle and Danielle.

The best part:  spending hours walking, laughing and talking, being together.

Just doesn't get much better than that.

Summer equals

lazy mornings, late nights, playing with friends, lots of books for the summer reading program, and afternoons with cousins at the local Nature Center...

gawking at the one-eyed goose,

playing with clay at the creekside,

posing for the camera to capture the moment (these kids grow way too fast!),

risking poison ivy to get the perfect photograph,

exploring the authentic log cabin, inside and out,

Just a peek at what's happening around here, now that summer has officially arrived!

What does summer mean to you?

Fourteen

Dear Elijah,

Fourteen?!  I simply cannot believe you are fourteen years old today.  I know, I know...I sound like an old lady talking about how fast time flies (when it seems to go so slowly to you).  But seriously, I remember the day that you were born like it was yesterday.  Every single detail (which I promise not to scar you with, but believe me, I remember every.single.detail.).  You were loved from the moment you were born, just because you were our son/grandson/nephew/cousin.  And now you are loved for so many other reasons.  Your sense of humor; your laugh; your intelligence; your love of baseball; your athletic abilities; the way you love and respect your family (okay, most of the time).  All of these things make up the personality of the one teenager on the planet that I love most...you.  It has been an awesome experience so far, being your mom.  I can't wait to see what the future holds for you!

First time pitching...second grade (over 6 years ago).

Looking much more serious.

Elijah Joseph, just shy of fourteen years old

Happy 14th birthday, Elijah!  Hope this one is the best yet!

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day, Joe!  You're one of the best dads I know!  And these guys think so, too:

Now, can we please get a puppy?

:)

Kings Island

Living less than ten minutes away from Kings Island is one of the best things about our town, especially in the months of April through October.  We love hanging out there with friends, family, and sometimes even just the grownups.

This week was Cousin Day, where we spent over seven hours and walked over seven miles, riding rides, eating pizza and pretzels and Dippin' Dots, and laughing and giggling our way through it all.  Making new memories and just plain having fun.

Seriously, isn't their happiness contagious?

The train is still a favorite!

Difficult decisions:  the green one or the purple one?

My sister, Rhonda, and me

I hope our kids remember these fun days with a smile...I know we will!

Seasons

At twenty-four years old, I became a mom for the first time to a sweet boy, Elijah.

Eighteen months later, Isabel joined the scene.

Four years after that, Gabe made his entrance.

Life was pretty hectic for awhile.  Working night shift, not getting much sleep, coordinating our schedules which meant not having much time together for Joe and me...I loved those babies like crazy, but it was hard and exhausting work.

Fast forward eight years.  We have a sports-tastic teenager, a fashionista preteen, and a rambunctious little brother.  I still work nights, but only part-time.  We no longer need a babysitter.  We can go to the adult section of Kings Island together as a family and all have a great time.  

They're smart, they're kind (most of the time), they're funny, and they are just plain good kids.

Joe and I have survived the baby season, the crazy toddler season, the just-starting-school season...and now we're entering the nearly-independent-but-still-need-parenting season...and we love it!

What season of life are you in?  Any favorites?  Advice on surviving the difficult seasons?  On making the most of the best seasons?

Summer!

It's the last day of school, and summer plans are in the making.

I usually have the kids make a list of the top 5 things they want to do over summer break, but this year, they fought me and didn't want to do it (it feels like a chore, Mom).  So instead, I am putting a list up on the fridge, and when any of us comes up with a good idea, we will write it on the list and try to do it before school starts again in August.

A few things I know that we will be doing...

Spending lots of time here, riding rides and swimming and people-watching and eating:

King's Island in Mason, OH (seven minutes away!)

 Enjoying summer drinks on our new pergola, enjoying our garden and time with friends and family:

Grapefruit margaritas...yum!

Watching Elijah play baseball, attending a few Reds games, grilling out, hiking, reading lots of books, planning our October cruise, working (no time off  for the parents...bummer), and just enjoying a break from the routine of packing lunches/overseeing homework/waking up early and enforcing bedtime.

Summer break, bring it on!

What are your plans this summer?  Vacations?  Good book suggestions?  A new summer drink?

He is...

the youngest of three, and although he is nearly eight years old, my baby he will always be.

quite the reader, progressing much farther in first grade than I thought he would.

a lover of roller coasters, and video games, and Dr. Seuss, and bugs, and his mom.

a brown bear already, and summer hasn't even begun (thank you, Dad, for sharing your awesome ability to tan with your grandson).

an adorable boy who I am over-the-moon crazy about.

He is Gabriel William and he is amazing.

Baby of the family

An older sister is a friend and defender -

 a listener, conspirator, a counsellor and a sharer of delights.

  And sorrows too.

  ~Pam Brown

Me and my "big" sisters

When I was growing up, divorced families were not the norm.  My own mom and dad weren't divorced, but they had each been married and had daughters from their first spouses.  Trying to explain my family tree was complicated at best...I have three half-sisters, two from my mom, one from my dad; when my parents got married, they had only me...therefore, I have no "full" siblings.

That, however, is nonsense.  Half, full...didn't matter then, doesn't matter now.

When I was born, Michelle was nine years old; Rhonda, seven.  They doted on me like no other; I know, I've seen the pictures and heard the stories.

Michelle would sneak into my room when I was a baby, waking me up in the morning and pretending that she was my mom.  She taught me how to read when I was only four years old.  She got married when I was nine and moved out on her own, providing me with a safe haven during my teenage years.  I was there for her when her babies were born; she was there for me years later when I had babies of my own.  We have discovered the joys of scrapbooking and photography and blogging together.  We have taken road trips and talked about the books we love, laughed over the silliest things and just enjoyed being sisters.  I have so many memories of our relationship, they wouldn't even fit on this blog.  Knowing that Michelle is there for me, no matter what, is a priceless gift that I am forever grateful for.

Rhonda is the only daughter of our dad's first marriage.  We have never lived in the same house, but I remember clearly the weekends when Dad would pull up in the driveway with Rhonda in tow, and I would run outside, shrieking, "SISSY!" and throw myself into her arms.  I loved wearing her hand-me-downs (I always thought she was the most stylish teenager ever) and I especially loved when she would fix my hair and take me out "on the town" (usually dinner at a Mexican restaurant) when she got her license.  Now that Rhonda is married and has babies, too, we do our best to get our families together for cookouts, card-playing, and fun cousin time.  I treasure our annual sisters-only Kings Island days, and our movie dates, and our hiking trips.  We joke that our almost-psychic ability to read each other's minds will someday lead to us sitting side-by-side in the old folks' home, not needing to talk, just nodding and smiling and knowing exactly what we both mean :)

Never have I not liked being the "baby of the family".  My sisters made sure that I always felt loved and treasured, and I am so grateful for that part of my life.  I'm so glad that we live less than an hour away; that we have interests in common and still love getting together as often as we can.  They have helped shape me into the person I am today, and I love them for it.

Want to read more stories about being grateful?  Head over to "Learn with Jenny" and have a peek...maybe even write a grateful post of your own...

The Garden Effect

Friday was a horrible-no-good-terrible day at work.  Tons of sick patients needing ICU beds, not enough nurses to go around, and half of the phones in the hospital stopped working at 3pm.  And continued to not work for the next eight hours.  My phone, however, did work and rang three calls at a time for the last four hours of my shift.  It.Was.Awful.

After a restless night of tossing and turning and reliving the stressful day, wondering what I could have done differently, I finally gave up and made some coffee, turned on my computer and decided to play around with some of the pictures on my camera.

I found this one that I took a couple of weeks ago.

Instantly, I felt better.  At peace.  There are things within my control and things out of my control, and God often has to remind me to figure out the difference between the two and let Him take care of the rest.  Working in my garden brings me closer to Him, and the simple process of editing this photograph had the same effect on that early Saturday morning.

I think I need to frame this one and put it in my office at work, so I can have that same feeling when everything around me is falling apart...

"Be still and know that I am God."  Ps 46:10

Fairy Garden

After seeing a fairy garden at a friend's house last summer, I knew I had to make one for myself.  Isabel, Gabe and I had so much fun picking out the furniture and the plants, and Joe and Elijah bought me the planter and dirt for Mother's Day.  I bought the fairy garden kit on Amazon.com for under $40 with shipping; well worth it, in my opinion!

Here is the finished result, sitting on the back deck, just waiting for that special fairy to come along and discover her new home :)

Come on, you know you want one of your own!  Such a fun project to do with little ones!

Wishes

Remember those fountains at the mall?  The ones where you stood hopefully, holding your penny tight in your fist, eyes squeezed shut, thinking of the one wish you wanted to come true more than any other wish you could think of?  Then you threw your penny in, praying and hoping and wishing that someday, that wish would turn into reality?

You're looking at the result of hundreds of pennies thrown into the waters of such a fountain....

From the age of eleven, I would throw in my penny and wish for a baby.  I knew that I couldn't have a baby right now, but more than anything, I knew I wanted to be a mom.  More than a new Barbie or Cabbage Patch Kid.  More than a pair of Guess jeans or black high-top Reeboks.  (Although there may still be one of those pennies with such a wish attached.)

Fast forward thirteen years.  I had my first son, Elijah, when I was twenty-four.  Isabel, when I was twenty-six.  And Gabe, when I was thirty.

Fast forward another thirteen years, and here we are today.  My thirteenth Mother's Day.  Each one sweeter than the last.  Being a mom is everything I had ever hoped for.  Some days are exhausting and frustrating and worrisome.  But most days are filled with love, laughter, and joy.  Watching them grow into these amazing people from tiny babies, knowing that their spirits have thrived under my consistent care.  That is a gift greater than any wish I could have ever hoped for.

Happy Mother's Day, to every mom out there, and to every girl who right now is clutching her penny close to her heart, wishing for the chance to be the mom she most wants to be.

Hey Girl photo challenge

"I Heart Faces" has a great photo challenge each month...this month is "Hey Girl", which must feature a girl in the photo.  What better girl to photograph than my preteen beauty, Isabel?  For only being twelve, Isabel possesses a grace and sweet spirit that most people will never achieve.  I'm not sure how I managed to be blessed with such an amazing daughter, but I am grateful for her each and every day.

"Wise beyond her years"

Love you, Isabel.

My Baseball Boys

It's April, and around these parts, that means baseball season.

Joe is coaching Elijah's Div III select team, the Bombers.  

Elijah is a lefty pitcher and first baseman.  I can't tell you how much I enjoy watching him play...he pitched the entire game yesterday, and although they lost, he had a great game.  His skill, composure and knowledge of the game astounds me; I go to him for questions and he always has the answers.  I love this kid!

We have over twenty games plus tournaments this season, and I hope to be cheering from the sidelines at every single one!

Another baseball fan in this house is Gabe.  While he isn't ready to play yet (I wanna wait til I'm eight, Mom), he did become a member of the Reds Kids Club and got a backpack full of great gear.  And although the Reds are not off to a good start this season, they do have one of the cutest little fans hoping for a winning game!

Do you enjoy baseball season?  Have a favorite team?  Go hoarse from cheering your favorite team on?

Time

Now that I'm finished with school, I have all sorts of time on my hands.

The question is:  what to do with it?

Finally, after 2 1/2 years, I have time to...

figure out my new camera and Photoshop.

plant a bigger garden, full of fresh veggies and fruit for my family.

re-do Elijah's room, making it more "teenager-y" and less "school-boy-like".

plan new window treatments for the downstairs.

plan some new landscaping for our backyard.

visit with friends, old and new.

clean my house (aww, do I have to?).

surf Pinterest for new ideas, and have the time to carry them out.

Mixed in with all these big plans of mine, though, are the things I have to do, not just want to do.  Work my 24-plus hours a week at the hospital.  Take the kids to their various school/sporting events.  Volunteer at Isabel's and Gabe's schools.  Take care of the house, the groceries, the kids, homework assignments, etc.  Make time for Joe. Really, I don't know how I managed to squeeze getting my Bachelor's degree in with all of those things.

I'm excited for this new chapter of my life, having time to do the things I want to do and managing my time to do the things I need to do.  The trick is mixing the two things together, I think.

What's on your to-do list this spring?

It's sprung!

Spring has definitely sprung around these parts, which is unbelievable since it doesn't usually come this early in March!  I already have tulips and green grass and blossoms on the pear tree...I love it!  (Some folks have already turned on their a/c, which I refuse to do this early in the year.)

We have spent many warm afternoons and evenings outside, making paper boats and having races in the backyard:

Practicing my new photography skills on long walks in the neighborhood:

Admiring the warm sun as it beams its way through the trees:

Loving the gorgeous flowers on the pear tree, the crabapples, the dogwoods...

and getting our garden started with seeds and a mini-greenhouse:

Is it spring yet where you are?  How are you "getting your spring on"?