Christmas 2011

Dan and I celebrated our first Christmas together since we met. We had dinner and opened presents with Dan's immediate family on Friday the 23rd then headed to Ft. Wayne to celebrate with my parents, Brielle and of course, Maggie (Brielle's dog). I would say both celebrations were a success. It's good to be with family. Mom made all of our favorite traditions and Brielle made our newest tradition Buche de Noel.

Big Happenings

This has been a big week for Dan and me. Wednesday Dan made a delicious steak dinner complete with candles and rose petals in order to ask me to marry him. I said yes! I spent the rest of the night calling family and friends to share our exciting news. Dan closed on our new house yesterday morning. He moves in next weekend. When my lease ends in February, Dan will move out of the house and I will move in. We are planning a wedding for October of 2012. We are super excited and thankful!!

A few days of fun

Since my last day at Drake was Tuesday the 23rd I have a few days off before I started my new job on the 29th. Dan and I went to Nashville, IN yesterday and visited a lot of neat shops with handcrafted items and what not. We also got to visit with a couple that worship with my parents in New Haven. We had a great dinner at the Farmhouse restaurant in Bean Blossom, IN. How cute! All the vegetables are grown there and the peach tea tasted just like I was eating a peach. Today I got to visit one of my best friends Lindsey and her family. Her husband just started at the police academy in Louisville. We had a great lunch with some delicious gyros then headed to Cherokee Park for a walk and some play time with her precious little girls Kaylee and Grace. They are both very good and generous with giving hugs and are always smiling. They are such a joy to be around and it's easy to see why when you know their parents. It's been a great past 2 days of visiting and spending time with some of my favorite people.

New and Exciting Things

After accepting a position at Children's I found out my good friend Erin and her husband bought a house and she had 5 interviews for classroom teaching positions. She wasn't expecting to even be able to interview for classroom positions when they moved to Houston due to budget cuts. However one school district was able to re-hire for positions they actually could afford and those people already had new jobs which led to postings for new candidates. Among other good news my best friend Lindsey and her husband Logan accepted a position in Louisville which has been in the making for quite a few months and are moving next weekend. Another friend of mine Sarah is leaving her overly stressful and dangerous job for a much better one. My best friend Kristin and her husband Matt have also bought a house. It seems like a lot of changes with jobs and homes/moving as been going on this past week. It's exciting for all of them with answered prayers. When it rains, it pours blessings.  

Perlman Center

It's official...I have accepted a position with the Perlman Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. My last day at Drake will be August 23 and then I start at Children's on August 29. I have waited almost a year for this position and the timing is finally right. God is good.

Distractions

I find myself easily distracted by TV when I get home from work. I usually walk in the door go to the coffee table to grab the remote to turn it on then walk to the counter to the computer. I have this need to have constant noise and distraction. Sometimes I think it's to drown out things God may be saying to me. Why? I have no real good answer other than that maybe I won't like what God is telling me. Sometimes I think I have become so conditioned to having constant noise in the background and I can't stand to be alone with my own thoughts or just with the quiet. I forget that it's in the times of quiet I can hear my heart and longings and God's voice. Along with trying to save money, I have decided and called to cancel my TV cable services. I am looking forward to the new ways I will spend my time, hopefully more productively. Maybe I will spend more time reading, listening to sermons, keeping in touch with people...I think this is a change that has needed to happen for a while. I know for some people TV is not a big temptation or they have maybe never had cable but I can see the negative impact it's had on how I spend my time. When I called to cancel my services the person I spoke to (I felt) tried to make me feel guilty: "Do you not watch that much TV?" "Why do you want to cancel your services?"  I'm trying to save money..."Well you're saving by bundling your internet and cable." Yes, but $53 is still less than $112, right? That's the point...less money. Anyway, I am looking forward to being cable-free next week!

Cincinnati Visit from New Haven and Nashville Confers

Denver, Audrey, the boys and my parents came to visit this past weekend. Dad, Dan and I went to Harry Potter Thursday night and Friday consisted of the Zoo and a Reds game. Saturday included EnterTRAINment junction (the largest indoor train model display) which the boys loved! We had a great time. Hudson is talking and they are both into exploring. This is such a fun age!

Lakeside

This weekend Dan and I went to Lakeside which is on Lake Erie (appropriately named) to spend the 4th of July festivities with Dan's family. We had a great time with all the kids and siblings. Lakeside is very cute and charming. The best part of the weekend was Dan's baptism right before we left to come back to Cincinnati.

Ohio Blast from the Past Weekend

This weekend I went to central Ohio to visit my life-long friends. My best friend Lindsey is transitioning right now with her husband Logan and precious twin girls Kaylee and Grace. I hadn't seen her in 2 years and had yet to meet her little girls. So this weekend was the weekend. I got to Centerburg, to Lindsey's childhood home and stayed with her whole family. I also go to go to the Martin/Willison homestead that has been under construction for a little over a year. This is where Brielle and I both spent a lot of time too. It was coming home for me. The houses I grew up in when I lived in Westerville I can't stay in so going to the Bumpus/Thrasher house is another home. We had a cookout with the Frames, Willisons, Thrashers, a Bumpus and a Confer :) It was so sweet to see Kaylee, Grace, Claire and Colton play together. Colton was especially fond of the Thrasher girls and even invited them to his home. So sweet!

Last night I was thinking of the places I've lived and the homes I've stayed in and the families I have been so graciously adopted into. While where my parents are is ultimately home, I am also so blessed to have family in Christ wherever I have lived. I was able to see a good group of people I grew up with and am always overwhelmed by the warm reception I get whenever I see them. I am always so excited to see them and I think the feeling is mutual. And I know that I don't deserve to have all these wonderful people in my life who are truly extensions of Christ and his love. I am so full of love and encouragement from this weekend. To have grown up with Lindsey and Christy as long as I have and to continue to call them best friends is truly a gift given by God. These relationships have nourished and strengthened me through the years despite having moved away 10 years ago. These are 2 of the most special and precious women in my life. Thank you Lord for life-long friendship through the years and miles.

Nashville Visit

I hadn't been to Nashville since January for the boys' birthday party. I needed to see my sister and spend time with her. I wasn't sure I'd get to see Denver, Audrey and the boys as they've been under the weather but thankfully they were feeling well enough for a visit from Brielle and me. We had a great play day!! Who doesn't love these sweet little faces??

 Hudson just sat down like this right in front of Dean

Frankfort Visit

Yesterday I went to Frankfort to visit Granny and Pappy. Mom came down Thursday night and spent the night with me and went to Louisville Friday to meet up with Denver, Audrey and the boys. Then they went to Frankfort where I met up with all of them. It was great to see Granny and Pappy with Hudson and Dean. The last time they saw them the boys were wee little. It was a good Saturday :)

Long Weekend at Mom and Dad's

I had taken Friday the 18th off and also Monday the 21st as my best friend from CT was going to come to Cincy for a visit. However she was unable to make it :(  So I decided to go ahead and keep my PTO days and go somewhere instead. My best friend in Cincy decided to come along with me to New Haven for a long weekend. We have had a ton of fun! We went to Frankenmuth, MI which is called Michigan's Little Bavaria with neat German-style buildings, food, and shopping. We had a lazy Saturday and ate some super delicious treats: giant cupcakes which were as I said, delicious! Tomorrow will entail worship service and the birthday/anniversary celebration at church. Monday, per Elina's request will include a visit to Sonic. Yes, we have them in Cincy however they're not close at all to where Daniel and Elina live. This weekend has been a much needed weekend of fun, rest, and relaxation and some quality time with some of my favorite people :) Thank you, Lord for these cherished moments.

Birthday

My parents came for my birthday last weekend and we had a great time! They always spoil me and make me feel special :) I guess that's what parents are for. We did some shopping Friday night. We had lunch Saturday afternoon with my friends Daniel & Elina then we went to the movies. Mom and I went to Kohl's and then we went out for Mexican which was delicious. So yes, most of the weekend revolved around food. We went to church Sunday morning at Central. My dad was able to get someone to preach for him. Then we went to life group Sunday afternoon. I'm really thankful they were able to stay Sunday and meet my church family and my church family to meet mom & dad. It was one of the best weekends I've had in a long time. I got cards from some far away friends and some beautiful earrings Brielle got me that my friend Erin made. Then Erin sent me a beautiful necklace she made. I got a sweet e-card from Audrey with my nephews pictures, it was precious!

              Flowers from Mom & Dad

                                     Flowers from Daniel and Elina

Haircut

A new haircut makes me feel so much lighter :)

Alzheimer's Disease & Random Thoughts

I went to visit my grandparents today that live in Frankfort, KY. Their health has been poor for a while now and the Alzheimer's is progressing in both. While it's a tragic disease, in their current state, I've had more enjoyable conversations and time with them than I ever did growing up. I didn't remember my Granny being one of those warm/cuddly type grandmothers. I remember being afraid of her mostly when I was young. Now, I find her crazy/perseverating rants much more endearing. Not to say that I would rather her have Alzheimer's and be the way she is now than to not have it and be her old self. But it's just interesting how this disease affects everyone so differently, and so differently day to day too. As an adult, I have a much greater appreciation for both sets of my grandparents. Well 2 grandmothers and 1 grandfather. I've gotten to spend  more time with each as more of an adult and have gotten some more quality one on one time with them, something I didn't get as a kid. I find that I want to know more about their families and history.

The random thoughts have nothing to do with Alzheimer's but rather my own random thoughts today.
1)Food
I've had breakfast 3 times today. I will have breakfast 2 times tomorrow. So, in the past 2 days I will have had breakfast foods for 5/6 of my meals. Don't get me wrong, breakfast for dinner or "brinner" is one of my favorites. I was not expecting to have it so frequently in such a short amount of time. I also wonder when will I become diabetic due to the massive amounts of sugar I've been consuming lately. Sugar is my weakness.

2) Running
I'm happy with my 1/2 marathon training so far. My left shin hurts but I'm learning to run through it. I never thought that would happen. The runner's mentality is slowly working itself into my head.

3) Friends
I'm so glad my best friend here is back from her South American 5 week long trip. Just seeing Elina last week after she got back brightened my day and really refreshed me.

4) Struggles
This past week there's been a lot of heartache and struggles going on in the lives of people I'm close to, well the people that are close to the people I'm close to if that makes any sense. There's been a lot of hospitalizations, 2 deaths, and just other heart-breaking things going on. My parents' church is included in that list of struggles with those I just mentioned. And people my sister is close to as well. My week was long, but good. I hear about these burdens and just wonder what can I do? My first response is prayer, then cards. My mom has always been great about sending cards. It is (now especially) an undervalued and under-rated service. I'm thrilled when I get a piece in the mail that someone actually addressed and signed. It's nice to know people took the time and effort to pick out a card, write something, and go to the mailbox for you. It means a lot to me because I'm extremely lazy when it comes to taking things to the mailbox, even though I just have to drive right up the post office station and walk 10 feet to the box. Laziness at its finest.

5) Conclusion
This is the MOST unorganized and barely comprehensible thing I've written on here thus far. These are my ramblings. Enjoy and good nite :)

Tired

This week has been a very busy week at work. Our census in the hospital had been very low for months on end. This past week my floor is completely full. A good problem to have considering how much debt Drake is in each month.  I'm thankful to be busy and seeing patients. It seems that most of my patients are severely deconditioned and require at least 2 people to help them transfer. A majority of them are in the "morbidly obese" category. Needless to say, my back is feeling it this week. It seems like when it rains, it pours. And we may have a flood soon. The point in all this is that some weeks I would feel totally overwhelmed with trying to get all my patients seen and making sure everyone is getting the amount of therapy I have prescribed for them. On weeks where I am not focused and do not give my problems to God, are the weeks I feel so stressed and just aggravated and slightly defeated. Today was a physically draining day. This week, a key difference has been a prayer I have been praying on my way to work: to commit my day and problems to God, to know and trust that He will take care of them. A simple prayer that has made a huge impact on my time at work. When things seem to get a little out of control, I remember who is really in control and I can continue with my day less distracted and in the infallible hands of my God.

Birthday Bash

January 21st is Denver's birthday as well as my nephews' Hudson & Dean. We celebrated Denver's birthday Friday night at Audrey's parents' Jim and Gale. We had a great dinner of lasagna, salad and bread and with some yummy cake. It was good to have the whole family together. Happy Birthday guys!!!