Tennessee Getaway

I got an email today from my friend, Suzann, wondering where I'd been and making sure I was okay (thanks again, sista-chicka...glad to know I'm missed :).

So for anyone else who may have missed my presence in blogland, this post is for you.  It's also for my friends who joined Joe and me on our spring break vacay to Gatlinburg, Tennessee.  Diane and Monica, I am blessed to have such fun and wonderful friends...and I can't wait to do it again someday!

Despite the gloomy, rainy and chilly weather, we managed to have a great time.

We hiked to Laurel Falls...

We rode the Sky Lift in town, where Gabe made me smile with his comment:

"This is the life, Mom.  I feel rich!".

We competed against our daughters at Just Dance 2 on the Wii (and though we thought we had the moves, the Wii was biased and gave the girls the winning scores).

We escaped the rain and explored the wonders of Ripley's Aquarium.

And we finally got to see the sun as we packed up the vehicles and prepared to head back home.

Although the drive up to the cabin was treacherous to say the least (yes, I got our van stuck on the way up, making Joe back us halfway down and striking fear into all of our hearts until we were safely on the mountain top); it was worth it.  Gorgeous, only two years old, and full of every amenity a group of thirteen adults and kids could ask for.

We did make a pitstop at the Nascar go-kart speedway, in order to fulfill Gabe's vacation dream.  ("I'm a BIG FAN of Car Number 9, Mom!").

The van is unpacked, the laundry done, and now I am deeply ensconced in my crazy work/school schedule.  If I'm absent for the next month, that is why...

Thank God for vacation.  When I'm exhausted and weary in the weeks to come, I will come back and visit this post and see that it was all worthwhile!

No wonder...

our generation turned out like it did.

Look at the advice our moms were getting from advertisers...

And I knew there was a reason I've never felt the need to limit my kids' screen time:

It's also no wonder that there were such conflicting emotions about staying at home versus going back to work, not to mention "looking good for your man":

Wonder what current ads will have our kids scratching their heads someday...

Now I need to go eat some Total, drink some beer and watch some TV with the kids.  Mom of the Year award coming right up :)

Laughing out loud

Thanks to the joy that is Netflix, I had a new movie waiting for me when I finished my 3 night stretch (and oh, what a stretch it was).  I was sorely in need of a good laugh, and this show totally fit the bill.

Joe and I were literally laughing out loud through most of the movie.  We could identify with this married couple (although we're not nearly as funny as Tina and Steve).  Being the girl who usually falls asleep while watching any movie, I was wide awake through the entire thing.

Isabel asked me this morning what movie we were watching, because she could hear us laughing all the way upstairs.  (Can you imagine what a great sound that must be for a kid...the sound of her parents laughing together?)

Have you seen Date Night?  Seen any other great comedies lately?  Do you routinely fall asleep before the end of the show?

Self-scheduling

I usually work two night shifts a week.

One of our fellow night shift supervisors took a day shift position in another department, so that leaves two of us to cover seven nights.

Against my will (although good for the paycheck), I have picked up extra these past few weeks.

Our department is small (only ten nursing supervisors), and we make our own schedules, allowing for switches if someone can't work a certain shift.

Why, then, am I working three nights in a row over a full moon weekend AGAIN this month?

I did it to myself; clearly, I need to consult the lunar calendar before I decide what shifts I am going to work...

That full moon over Cincinnati is bound to bring the crazies out in full force.  At least it will make for some good blog fodder, right?

Go ahead and pinch me.

Green may be the color of the day (well, hello there, St. Patty), but I only have eyes for these spring-y yellow pieces today...

all pieces from Ruche

The forecast is 60's to 70's with sunshine and blue skies.  Exactly what the doctor ordered to cure the winter blues.  And this Sunday is the official beginning of spring!  I can hear the hallelujah chorus now :)

What is your favorite thing about spring?  Will you be drinking green beer today?

Questions

Family drama.

Nearly everyone has it at one point or another.

My family's drama has almost always centered around one of my older sisters.  I don't have any pictures of her, because she doesn't come to family events and hasn't for years.

She has had abortions, given up a baby for adoption, relinquished custody of three of her kids, then proceeded to have two more babies (whom I have never seen).  She lives off of the government, never taking any responsibility for herself or her actions.  She does drugs, gets clean, then gets back on drugs.  She has put her children in unmentionable circumstances, and she breaks my mom's heart on a daily basis.

Yet, she is my sister.

I am the baby of four girls.  My other two sisters and I are very close, getting together for holidays and scrapbooking and days at Kings Island.  Getting hooked on Twilight and swooning over Edward and Jacob together.  Loving each other's kids and just loving each other.

I am sad that our other sister misses out on this love.  She has driven all of us away, and everytime we even begin to consider to letting her back in, she does something horrible.  We don't want drugs around our kids, we don't want any more drama in our lives, and we don't want to be doormats to her needs.  She only knows how to take, take, take; never how to give.  It's a crying shame, but I have no idea what to do about it other than to pray.  For her, for her children, for our mom.

I have to admit, though, that I find it easier to pray for the injured, lost and dying in Japan right now than for my sister.  All of the hurt, the anger, and other ugly feelings rear up their heads everytime I get down on my knees.  I wish I had the heart of Jesus, to take her in my arms and forgive her and let her back in.

But I don't.

I only hope I can be forgiven for that when I make it to the other side.

Weekend plans

Starting tomorrow, I will be working a marathon stretch of three 12-hour nights in a row (hopefully with a bit of sleep in between).

Walking miles around the hospital, putting out "fires", dealing with staffing issues, placing ICU patients in the appropriate location, handling disgruntled patients/families/doctors/nurses...you know, the usual.

If only this guy worked there, it would make the job much more enjoyable.  Just sayin'...

Who's your dream co-worker?

Just because...

sometimes we all need a little bit of protection from the bad guys.

This boy always knows how to make me feel happy.

And safe.

On my mind...a rant.

Imagine if I drove my car for ten or twenty years, and never did one bit of maintenance.

No oil changes, no new tires or tire rotations, no new air filters.  Only the cheapest gas, maybe the occasional car wash or new headlight, but nothing more.

Imagine me pulling this car, on its last leg, into the mechanic's garage and demanding that he make it "good as new", because that's his job.

Ridiculous, right?

Here is my rant:  people do this ALL THE TIME, with their bodies.

They abuse their bodies for years.  Poor diet, no exercise, noncompliant with medications or treatments ordered by their doctors.  When their organs start to fail, and they can't even perform simple daily tasks, they drive to the hospital and demand for us to make them "good as new".  And when we can't, when the damage is too far gone, they can't understand why.

Medicine has come a long way.  There are many things we can do to prolong life and even improve quality of life for some.  But we can only work with what we have.  If a patient has mistreated their body for forty years, we cannot erase that damage.  We can only treat the symptoms.  And when they have an attitude about the "incompetence" of the health care professionals, that really only ticks us off.  Would they be cussing out the mechanic who can't fix their mistreated car?  (Well, maybe they would...)

I don't know when responsibility for taking care of our bodies went by the wayside, but it's time to bring it back into style.  And stop blaming the doctors and nurses for failing their patients, when they're only failing themselves.



Thus ends my rant.

She's 19!

Danielle, there are many things we love about you.

Your sweet nature.

Your intelligence.

Your kindness.

Your beauty (just ask Gabe!).

The way you love your momma.

The fact that even as an adult, you still blend right in with your little cousins...

(maybe you need some higher heels?).

Hope your nineteenth birthday is your best one yet.  We are SO PROUD of you!

Love,
Aunt Heddy

A new start.

For years, Joe has had a dream of owning his own business.  He is extremely talented at home improvement, and has done so much to our own house over the past decade.  From fixing a leaky sink to building a new deck to finishing our basement...he has done it all.

Finally, we have reached a point where we could afford for him to take the chance and make a new start.  He is now the owner/operator of Vista Tile and Remodel, and is already hard at work on his first job:  a basement remodel for a former teacher of Elijah's.  He has a Facebook page (and even his own blog!).  If you want to check it out, the link is www.vistatileremodel.blogspot.com .

I am so excited for my husband as he starts this new journey.  (Though I must admit to being a tad nervous, as well).  I have been blessed to have a career that I love; I hope this new opportunity gives Joe that same satisfaction.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as he embarks on this new endeavor...

The hope of March

It may be chilly outside, and gloves/hats/winter coats still necessary, but the mere fact that March is here warms my heart.

Tulips and hyacinths are bravely poking up through the mulch in my flower beds.

The pear tree has fuzzy little buds all over the top.

The sky is light when I go to work in the evening (this is a HUGE mood-lifter).

The air even smells different, full of things growing and changing and coming back to life.  I am counting down the days til we can plant our garden and dig up earthworms and boost up our compost bin and design our flowerpots for the year.  (The rule of thumb around these parts is no planting in the ground until after Mother's Day).

Does March bring you hope?  What are you itching to do this spring?