My little star

I know what you're thinking. If only there was Preschool Idol...I could kiss nursing school goodbye!

Wonderful day

My first successful code, my first successful code, my first successful code!

Let me explain: Codes are what you would hear in an instant when a patient is crashing, like "Code blue, rm 102," All code nurses and physicians respond and the team works together to start CPR, intubate, shock/defibrillate if necessary, give emergency IV meds to stabilize the patient, and hopefully- transfer to ICU, if they're not already there. I have heard and read that only 10% of codes actually have a positive outcome and the patient is rescued.

So, to be involved in a successful code is truly a miracle and I was grateful for the experience. Several hours afterwards, my friend and fellow student says to me, "You're still smiling!" I was so excited and thrilled to be a part of this amazing profession. On the good and bad days, I see my parents and grandparents in my older patients. I see Avery in the children that come through the ER. I can identify with the family members that are hoping and praying I am doing everything within my knowledge and power to help their loved one. I hope that doesn't change and that I never let anyone down.

Sums it all up

I just read this story on another blog and had to share. I think the author wanted to convey to the readers what its like to be a parent of a child with a disability. I think it can work for anyone either as a parent or someone trying to realize their life doesn't revolve around their ideal circumstances, but it is still Holland. For me, its what its like being a single mom. It may not be my original plan but Avery makes this the sweetest adventure and I am so glad that she is mine.

"Welcome to Holland"

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome To Holland".

"Holland?!?" you say, "What do you mean "Holland"??? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy"

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills...Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy...and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned".

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away...because the loss of that dream is a very significant loss.

But...if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things...about Holland.

© 1987, by Emily Perl Kingsley.

Halloween:Part 2

We had such a fun Halloween! Avery dressed up as a Strawberry Fairy and she looked so cute (thanks Christina for the adorable costume)! Avery loved the wings the best and the "fairy dust" in her hair. I am so glad she is a little girl...I honestly look forward to years of princess, fairy, and other girly-girl costumes.

We went to a Halloween carnival at our church and then went trick-or-treating with my mom in her neighborhood. Because Ave had decided to for go the nap that day at school, out night ended early. The next morning, Ave wakes up and the first words out of her mouth were, "I want to go trick or treating, Mommy." Kinda hard to explain the once a year festivities to a 2 year old. Also, now she'll tell me, "Mommy, say trick or treat" and she'll pretend to give me a treat in my hand....I'm hoping we're not still doing this in December...

I was amazed by the people in Texas that get into Halloween. One lady was sitting in her front lawn dressed as a "pretty witch" and was stirring a cauldron pot with a stick. The kids would come up to her and she would hand them out a bag of goodies from her pot. And the weather was so nice- 60s. A lot of people were sitting out by their front doors and waiting for the kids which was nice could you could actually talk to them. A little different from the cold Halloweens I remember as a kid- when layers and layers were a necessity. I can recall one year in Minnesota where snow was coming down but that didn't effect our Halloween agendas.

Happy Halloween!

Avery had her first school party today and, boy was it a hoot. I was able to join in on the fun, a little late, but just in time for goodies, games, and dancing. It was fun getting to see more of the friends that Avery talks about and some of their moms.

The little girl sitting by Ave in one of the pictures is her best friend at school, Katelynn. They are best buds and whenever Katelynn sees Avery in the morning, she runs up to her and greets her with a big hug and a "Hi Avery!" It makes Ave's morning and I am so glad she has a good friend to welcome her to class! Every once in awhile, the girls have to be separated from eachother during naptime, as they are little chatterbugs that keep all the other kids up.

I loved being able to see Avery in the school setting and how she interacts with everyone in that environment. I am so glad she likes her school and her friends!

Poor college student

So, everyone knows the economy's not in the greatest shape...Kinda a scary time to be in school but also a great time to be in school, especially for nursing...I am glad I know I'll be able to find a job after school...My education is probably the best investment I could make right now...

Just received a random e-mail from my school's financial aid office...Over the summer, I had applied for a bunch of different scholarhips along with financial aid..At that time, I was more than happy to find out that I would receive pell grants to more than cover my tuition and $200 a month to help with Avery's daycare costs...Since then, I've just been trying to change my money spending habits and live with less. I knew I wouldn't be able to go to school full time, work full time, and be a single mom full time...And that would just not be fair to Avery...So, I am o.k. with burning up my savings as long as I get through school debt free...So, TODAY- I open up this e-mail and find out that I was given a nursing scholarship for $1500 this semester and would more than likely receive another scholarship for the spring! Such wonderful news.....Just another example of how much Heavenly Father is aware of our situation and has helped ease my worries! I am grateful!

A GREAT WEEK!

Well, this week has been a blast...I don't even know where to begin. Last week, we went with my friend-Ruth, sister-April, and kids to the Texas state fair. We had so much fun tasting the food, seeing the animals, going on rides, and watching the kids help out on a play farm.

All in all, the day was exhausting...But, later that night....We went to a wonderful show. My sister, April, had given my mom and I tickets for the Broadoway show-The Color Purple. I am a huge fan of live shows and musicals, so I have been eagerly anticipating the month of October for this very reason. I had never seen the movie but had heard a lot of great things about the story. I was not dissapointed in the least bit. It was a wonderful story about a girl that had to deal with trials upon trials in her life but learned to put her trust in God and never forget the love of her sister. At a low point in the main character's life, she is told to remember God when she sees the color purple in a beautiful sky...What a simple way of stating how important it is to see Heavenly Father's hand in the small wonders of our life...It also helped me to see some perspective...My life is not perfect but its not hard. I am blessed to have a wonderful Heavenly Father that knows my worries, frustrations, and desires....and family that is supportive of my choices and dreams...including a wonderful sister! Thanks April for the memorable night!

We are now officially into our mid-semester point in school and were given a fall break with one day off from lecture this week...Avery was able to stay home with me for four days! We had a lot of fun and had a visit from our friends from Utah. We went to a state park for a picnic on Sunday and took them to the Dallas Arboretum on Monday where we enjoyed the kids concert and the fall festivities around the park.

Time is flying by and I am loving this season!