Promises

I have a book sitting in the cubby on my desk. It was a gift, and although I don't look at it every day, when I do open it up, I am always able to find meaning and comfort in what I read. The title is "Joy for the Journey, A Woman's Book of Joyful Promises".

After my hard days this weekend, and even today, I needed some joyful promises. So I pulled this book out, and read the page it opened up to:

"Promises about enjoying friendship: 'and if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it' 1 Corinthians 12:26"

Wow, if that one wasn't just perfect. You all rejoiced with me on my SITS day in the sun, just as you "suffered" with me yesterday on my Sigh post. While blogging started out as a fun hobby, you all have become friends I can count on to lift my spirits when I am down. And I thank you for it. I especially thank Becky, Lula and my sister, Michelle, who always have my back and know how to talk me down when I have reached "that" point, or who know how to just listen and commiserate when the time is right. You all are the best!

The next page I opened to was this one:

"Promises to help you find fulfillment: 'Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.' Psalm 37:4"

As much as my husband grieves me at times with his lack of understanding about my night shift sleep needs and his obsession with things of the computer world; as much as Gabriel tests me, learning how to grow into a young boy and stop being a baby; as much as Isabel worries me with her beauty; as much as Elijah exhausts me with his many sports...this family of mine IS the desire of my heart. God knows that even when I forget it sometimes. Thank you, Lizzy, for reminding me to look at the bright side of things, smack in the middle of a bad day.

We had these family pictures done this summer by a friend of the family, who is starting her own photography studio. When she has her website up and running, I'll give her a shout-out, but until then, I'll just let you take a look. They were a perfect complement to this post.

My heart's desires:

Thanks again for your comment love and support. I'm already feeling better!

Sigh...

Sometimes a sigh is all you can manage to say.

Today is one of those days.

This is how I feel today, and this whole weekend:

No, it wasn't the hospital, other than having to work those two shifts. It was the sleep (or lack of) I got this weekend. For no reason other than the fact that my family cannot stand for me to be in my bedroom sawing logs while they are awake and wanting to play.

I only have one week of night shifts left. Thank God. 'Cause I can't take much more.

I have zero patience with my husband (who contributed significantly to my sleep deficit by allowing Gabe to sneak into my room and put Certs into my mouth after I had slept two hours...guess he didn't like my "morning breath").

I have almost zero patience with Gabe. I need oodles of patience to be a good mom to Gabe. Church was a disaster yesterday. Having to discipline him in the womens bathroom in front of God and everyone...not a great experience. He seems to know I am in a weakened state today, and is testing me beyond what he normally does. God, please help me.

I have to work again tonight. And not sleep much tomorrow. Sigh again.

Sorry to be such a downer today. But this blog of mine has always been "real", and a place for me to write down exactly what I am feeling and thinking. I'm sure once I get some sleep, I'll be back on my "happy" track. Maybe Wednesday?

Nursing Humor

Since I am going to be spending my weekend at the hospital working two twelve-hour night shifts in a row, I thought I'd find some funny stuff to get me in a better mood about it. Here's one:


A short history of medicine


I have an ear ache.
2000 B.C. - Here, eat this root.
1000 A.D. - That root is heathen, say this prayer.
1850 A.D. - That prayer is superstition, drink this potion.
1940 A.D. - That potion is snake oil, swallow this pill.
1985 A.D. - That pill is ineffective, take this antibiotic.
2000 A.D. - That antibiotic is artificial. Here, eat this root.


Sometimes, when the unit is not too busy, we actually have a lot of fun together. Julie and Roel, I hope you don't mind that I borrowed your likenesses for these photos:)

On this particular night last summer, we were all feeling left out from a party that everyone else was at, except for us poor folks who had to work. To help make us happy, we ordered Larosa's and brought in yummy treats (nurses love to eat). Then we all modeled for my camera. This was before my blogging days, so I just envisioned a great scrapbook page for these pics at the time.

Poor Roel. He was just out of orientation here, a brand new nurse from the Phillipines, learning the ropes of the ICU and all the American slang we were teasing each other with. Being his preceptor, it is ALWAYS up to me to explain to him the real meanings (like the "corksoaker" skit from SNL). Man, I hate that. God love him, he is one of the best nurses in our unit, such a hard worker and so stinkin' sweet.





Okay, for those of you who don't know a nurse, I have to explain that we have a really strange sense of humor. And some things are just funnier at 3 o'clock in the morning. Like a bedpan full of chicken wings...

or an emesis basin full of guacamole...

Seriously, we do a lot of hard work in our unit, saving lives and comforting families when lives can't be saved. But we also work hard to support each other. Because our spouses/families/friends usually don't understand how exhausting our jobs really are. And that's not their fault. I had no idea what a nurse did until I became one. My job is not glamorous. I have never met Dr. McDreamy. We do not have sex in the broom closets (3 North, maybe, but not the broom closet...just kidding, really). Usually our jobs on night shift are a little more laid back, but not always. Sometimes you have a night where you don't eat, drink, or pee until the next shift arrives. But always, we are helping each other, physically and emotionally. My coworkers make my job so much more enjoyable.

So wish me a happy weekend, and I promise, if you end up in our unit, you'll be well taken care of.

Twelve years...

July 1995. I had just ended a long term relationship. I was twenty-one years old. I went out with my sister, Rhonda, looking forward to meeting new people. My plan was to date around (I had been with the same guy for eight years). Fifteen minutes after arriving at the volleyball bar and finding Rhonda in the crowd, a friend of hers comes up and says "who's this?" (about me). Ten minutes later, I am being introduced to this smokin' hot volleyball player, Joe. We end up talking until they close the place down, then go to Perkin's for a middle of the night meal. A month later, we are dating. Three months later, we're in love. Fifteen months later, we are married.


We have lived in six different homes. Six years ago, we built our "forever home" in a great community with excellent schools and terrific (for the most part) neighbors. Three babies, countless job changes (Joe), a little bit of drama here and there, vacations, an anniversary cruise, the deaths of loved ones, three pets (four, if you count the hamster), a new church family...just a summary of the last twelve years. We were only twenty-two when we were married (what were we thinking?). We have grown up together since then, and honestly, I wouldn't have had it any other way. What a blessing to be able to look back and say, "I wouldn't change a thing". God has had His hand on our marriage from the start, and in this day of short marriages and easy divorces done online, it's obvious that He is the reason we are still standing here today.

No, not every day is romantic and sweet. My husband does not leave me love notes throughout the house. I don't lovingly do his laundry while he is playing computer games. In fact, there are times that this marriage gig is just plain hard.

But then, there are times when he uses his hard-earned money to buy me a laptop computer, knowing how much I want one. He can build anything, fix anything, and all it takes is a suggestion from me, and ten minutes later he is on his way to Home Depot to buy the supplies. He is an awesome father, and our kids mean the world to the both of us. This family is our priority, and our job choices alone highlight this. Joe is a high school math teacher for teens with behavioral issues; I am a nurse. We hardly ever need a babysitter; our schedules allow for one of us to be home all the time.

God knew what He was doing when he joined the two of us together, even if we were too young and immature to know it ourselves. We are now surrounded by friends and family who love us and love each other, and it's a great place to be. Happy Anniversary, honey. I love you!

(Though this picture is blurry, I love it just the same. Our whole family, hiking at Hocking Hills, loving being together and being out in the "wilds of Ohio". We have made so many memories together, and I look forward to making many more in the years to come.)

WOW Widow

It has taken a year for me to face the fact: I am a World of Warcraft widow.

My sweet husband has succumbed to the siren of the computer, calling for him from the depths of his basement office. The number of hours he has spent playing this game astounds me.

Now don't get me wrong. When I'm blogging, or scrapbooking, or reading a great book recommended by Lula, then I'm all for him doing his own thing. Really, I kind of like the peace and quiet.

But when I'm doing laundry, or cooking dinner, or trying to entertain Gabe, or like most days, doing all three at the same time; that's when I have a major problem with it. When I call him up for dinner and he tells me "ten more minutes" which then turns into twenty or thirty; ummm, that's when I start feeling a bit homicidal. When I have to beg him to help me get the kids to bed, and he puts me off for "just another battle"; ewww, I just wanna scream!

So this weekend when we went hiking with Mike and Becky, and climbed up the "dam" hill , and got to the top where Joe was short of breath and holding his chest, I really wasn't too surprised. My husband, who has always been into fitness and exercise, who used to go to the YMCA three or four days a week, was actually winded. More than me. And that's saying something. I hope that this was the wake-up call he needed to spend less time on the computer and more time getting healthy. I'm not saying quit all together; I'm just saying, set some limits. It has worked for me. Joe is only 34 years old; way too young to be a couch (computer) potato who can't hike with his family without a struggle.

I'm wondering, how many other women are in the same boat as me? What have you done to get your husbands away from an addicting game/situation without totally alienating them? I try to use gentle persuasion most of the time, but I will admit to succumbing to an occasional screaming urge now and then. Truly, I'm glad he has found an interesting diversion that he loves (like me with this blogging business). I just don't want it to be to his detriment...

What's a girl to do?

*Update: Joe did go to the YMCA this evening and exercised while Elijah was at football practice. So that's a start... Although, right now he is WOW'ing while I am blogging. Baby steps, right? Baby steps.

Free Handbags

Holy crap! Found this site from Tiffany. Yep, free. Every hour. I might have a chance to win. Who knows?

Go check them out!

What Katy Did!

For those who don't recall, a while back I posted about an exchange I was doing with a fellow blogger from SITS, who happens to live in Australia. I sent her some fabric and homemade cards and other goodies, and she sent me all this:
Hand-sewn sausage dog, hand-sewn Nintendo DS pouch, hand-sewn bird mobile (seen below), books and bookmarks, and some Australian money. The only thing missing was the kangaroo!

This exchange was so much fun! I would love to do it again. It taught my kids some geography (and me, too, to be honest), and it was so fun to take part in. Katy, thank you ever so much!

I hung my bird-mobile right over my kitchen sink, to cheer me up when I am doing my least favorite and never-ending chore...the dishes. Now I will see these little lovelies, and they will remind me of my sweet friend, Katy.

Katy has opened her own Etsy shop...you all need to check her out! A.Dor.A.Ble. Here's your shout-out, Katy...hope it helps!