...And a Partridge in a Pear Tree.

Oh, what a week! In the last 7 days, I have been to work once. Why, you ask? Well it all started Sunday, the day we went to the Chief's game. (Sprint provided us with some wonderful box seats, inside a heated room 'n all!) I had had the sniffles for a few days, but nothing really alarming. I went to bed that night with a box of Kleenex by the bed, thinking nothing of it. Well then somehow, 4am rolls and around the next morning, and I wake up feeling like I am on my deathbed. For real. I got up and walked around, moaning and groaning, trying to figure out if this "feeling" is the real thing. Well, it was. I called in sick to work thinking, "ok, I'll stay home today to kick this nasty bug, then I'll be all ready for work tomorrow." Well it turns out that my next night of sleep was even worse. I tossed, coughed, turned, sat up to cough some more, turned, took a drink of water, tossed again to make my head feel more comfortable...and so on, and so forth, all night long. So turns out work didn't work out again. Well then I had the last 3 days off anyway, so I've been able to recover all week long. I am, though, working the next 3 days, starting tomorrow, so I have a feeling that 5am tomorrow is going to be a rather rude awakening. But I'm ready. Ready to get it over with. Ready to go home for Christmas. Ready to get through this winter sick season. (Ready to be done with my job, really. Wait, did I say that out loud??!!)

Anyway, on a more positive note, I am feeling wonders better. This was my first URI (upper respiratory infection) in probably over a year. That is amazing, if you know how often I was sick before! And I recovered from this one in record time, too. Usually these bouts would go on for weeks-forget a couple days! Although I still suffer from headaches, anxiety, asthma and allergies, I think the way my body has handled these illness' has changed drastically. Let's hope that this is a sign that all my hard earned cash that I'm shoveling into making myself well again is helping. I think now I'm onto changing my lifestyle to help my body-namely, my career. I love nursing, don't get me wrong, but I think my job is really taking a toll on my body. So I am on a mission to fix it. In whatever way that may be. Wish me luck.

So I bought a Christmas tree this year. It's a 6 1/2 footer from Wal-Mart; pre-lit too! It's a little bare in some spots, but I suppose that's what you get for buying a 35 dollar tree from Wally World. But it will do.

I think I've got most of the Christmas shopping done, just a few odds and ends yet to get. I think I'll make a stop at Kohl's today-they're having a 2 [or 3] day sale. I'm tellin ya, shopping for Christmas in a big city is so much easier than when you live in a small town. This way you don't have to drive miles and miles to get to your nearest Christmas-present-outlet. Although, the crowds are ridiculous. That's what's nice about having days off during the week, though.
Alright, must go. I've a got a few things I need to do today, including trying to finish the book Marley and Me. Movie comes out Christmas Day! Who's excited for that?!! Merry Christmas everyone!

Post-Thanksgiving Woes

Well the turkey holiday is over and everyone is back to work, except for me of course. I've got one more day of rest before I'm back to the grind. I had an exceptionally wonderful Thanksgiving this year. I got canceled on Thanksgiving day (as I had ever-so-anxiously hoped for) and got to head home that morning and join in with the fam for the traditional lunch time feast. Everyone was so shocked to see me, and I was so glad to be home. I joined Alex after lunch to visit with his family for awhile and then we both made our way back over to the Holthus' for a fun evening of Catch Phrase and Engergizer bunny-like stories from my dear cousin Henry. We really did have a good time.

The rest of the weekend ended up being pretty laid back. Friday night was spent watching movies at the Koehn house. Then after a yummy breakfast at Neighbor's Cafe with gramps, Alex took me out shooting (a gun, that is) for my first time. We went out to the ol' pasture out by the farm (of course) and shot at some pop cans and hedgeapples. I must say I did pretty good for my first time, although as expected I came out with a nice big bruise on my arm the next day, as well as one giant body ache. I've been told that shooting the 12-guage may have had a little less kick-back then the 20-guage. Oh well, we had fun and it was a decent day to be out on the range.

Saturday night we went out to dinner with my parents and then out with some friends. Alex loves to hang out with the boys and play pool when we're home. I think we're both pretty content with our back road, country-singin, football-watchin, beer-drinkin friends. We might live in the big city, but we are country people at heart :)

Anyway, we had one more Thanksgiving meal yesterday with Alex's parents and grandparents. I think secretly Jana felt bad that I couldn't make it to their family Thanksgiving, so she whipped up one just for me. Or maybe it was that she couldn't get enough of all the wonderful food, so we had to eat it again. Either way, it was delicious. It did make for the drive home to Kansas City a little tiring, but the food was greatly appreciated.

Alex is going back to McPherson yet again next weekend to help at his grandma's house. I guess they have to crawl underneath the house and do some repairs. Sounds like a good time to me, but I'll be working on Saturday.

As we all know, Christmas is only a few mere weekends away. I still have Christmas shopping to do and decorations to put up. Well, actually I need to buy a tree, too. I was gonna buy one last year but just never did. But this year it's for sure. If I could only find a way to keep the dad gom dogs from chewing up the ornaments....

Alright well that is all for now. I hope all the families made it safely back to their respected parts of the country. We returned back to Kansas City only to find a fairly thick blanket of snow! Anyway, Happy Holidays and thanks for stoppin by!

Another Day, Another Dollar

After much hounding from friends and family about not posting, I suppose I'll give a quick update.

Really not a whole lot of new and/or exciting things having been going on in this neck of the woods. Alex's house is coming along very slowly, to say the least. And I must say, Hannah, the repairs that you guys are doing to your new abode is nothin compared to Alex's house. Not that this a contest or anything, but just in case I've never filled you in on the list of needed repairs, here it is:

-New wiring throughout the house
-In need of garbage disposal and dishwasher (including the wiring as well)
-No air ducts/vents to the bedrooms
-All walls need painted (Can't do that until the wiring is done)
-Wood paneling needs "work" to say the least
-Nasty, awful carpet in kitchen needs pulled up and replaced with tile, or something of the sort
-Front living room has no molding around windows, doors, etc
-Need new kitchen countertops
-All doors need to be sanded down to fit door jams
-2 car-garage; one opener needs replaced
-Bathroom needs completely re-done
-At least 2 windows need replaced due to some rottage

And this is only a general list. I guess the thought of a nice, big fenced backyard and a lovely 2-car garage was overwhelmingly appealing at the time of deciding to buy the house. And yes, all of the above repairs are very fixable and Alex has many friends that are very willing and able to help out, but one must have 2 things: 1. Time and 2. Money. Neither of which Alex has. So needless to say, the house is coming along very slowly.

In other news, the hospital I work at has seen some tough days lately with the closing of 2 units and a total of 68 people being laid off within the hospital system due to budget cuts. Sadly, one of those laid off was one of our full-time social workers who was very good and always busy. I guess you just never know who really has job security in times like this.

Work has been same-ole same ole, with one exception to my normal routine last week. (Wait, is my work ever a normal routine?) Last Friday, I had a patient of mine pass away about 3/4 of the way through my shift. She was a "do not resuscitate" and "do not intubate" (DNI/DNI) patient and was refusing to take any of her meds or eat, so it was something that was bound to happen in her situation. There was nothing I could do for her and was only able to make her as comfortable as possible. Oh and by the way, it was also my 4th day of work and I was already exhausted. So needless to say a death was the last thing that I really wanted to handle, but in my profession, it's something that unfortunately was going to happen eventually. So anyway I learned the death process, including paperwork and preparing the body, so I guess all in all it was a good learning experience.

It's cold here, and obviously it will only get colder. I think a little bit of the traditional winter depression has already set in on my body. It's so easy to tell how much my body appreciates sunglight when I don't get it. I bought some stronger light bulbs for the lamps, though, in hopes to make my days a little brighter :)

Well, must go. Appointments to go to and errands to run. Hope all is well! And yes, I'll be home for the holidays-I'm working Thanksgiving day but am thankful to be able to return home either that evening or the next morning and be able to spend the rest of the weekend with family. Can't wait to see everyone!

Changes are in the air...

Remember my new plan? Well, I did it. I joined the 24 Hour Fitness down the road and have already attended a few times. I must say that going to the gym was the very last thing I wanted to do after work, but in the end I felt so much better about myself. And even though I only spent 25 minutes working out after work, that 25 minutes really did me wonders. So far my plan is working! And since my plan started mid-week last week, this week will be the first week I will be able to fully "go at it." My goal is to go Monday thru Thursday, leaving my weekends free.

In other news, I got canceled from work yesterday-only the most glorious feeling ever! It was nice to be able to enjoy my Sunday by watching the race and doing laundry, a weekly tradition for Alex and I. We also got to take the dogs on a walk in the beautiful 70-degree weather.

And the leaves...oh the leaves. They're all shades of yellow and orange and brown, so gorgeous. But I must say they are everywhere! The dogs just love romping through them and hearing them crackle and wushh..and they love chasing the squirrels that seem to scurry through them as well.

Alex's house is still ever-so-slowly coming along. In the last couple weeks we've gotten the garbage disposal in, the carpets cleaned, a doorbell and motion-sensor light installed and the garage door opener is almost ready for use. Yesterday Alex unpacked more boxes and hung a picture in the living room to cover some of it's current "ugliness." Jana, my mom and I got curtains hung over the front window and re-arranged some of the furniture to open up the living room space a little more. So all in all, things really are coming along nicely.

No pictures to post, I've been bad at bringing the camera anywhere lately.

Alex and I went on our first date since the day before my birthday on Saturday. We went out to dinner at this little Mexican restaurant in Brookside. It was a lively little joint and the food was pretty decent. I enjoy spending a little quality , one-on-one time with him every once in awhile! I told Alex at least once a quarter would be good for a date. I think it's just a matter of setting aside the time-that seems to be a tough task for both of us!

Must go get my day started. Thanks for reading!

Post-Mineral Treatment

As many of you know, I have been getting weekly allergy treatments with Dr. David. It really has been a roller coaster ride of experiences and new feelings, but this week was an especially big treatment. He treated me for minerals...this means all types minerals. From chlorine to molybdenum to phosphorous to potassium. Usually with these treatments, I have an "avoidance" period in which I have to avoid certain foods that contain what I was treated for, but this was one was especially tough. With minerals, I had to avoid all metal surfaces. It wasn't so much about what foods to avoid, but I was supposed to use rubber gloves all day to avoid touching anything metal. I was not even supposed to use metal cookware, utentsils, or even the zipper on my hoodie jacket. I really did the best I could, so I guess we'll see next week if I "cleared."

Since minerals is such a big treatment, I experienced a few side-effects yesterday and even today. Mainly I'm feeling fairly exhausted. I've done a few things this morning, including paying a bill and getting my ballot ready to mail, so I think I deserve a little rest before moving on with my day :)

So I've deviated a new plan regarding my workouts. This has been an ongoing battle since I started working 3-12 hour days over a year ago. I've always been a workout freak and still love it. But my work life has really put a damper on my regular Monday thru Friday schedule, so I have been trying to figure out what to do. Well a year and 3 months later, I've finally decided to try something new. I had a pep talk with a girl I work with about working out [she is a former gymnast] and have decided I just need to do it. I've found a 24 Hour Fitness that is very close by and they give discounts to Saint Luke's employees so the monthly price is very cheap. I've decided to go back to working out at least 4 days a week and forcing myself to squeeze in even a short work out after work. I've tried this before and it only exhausted me, but I also only did it a few times before I quit. I think this will make me feel better about myself and my health. I'm such a health and body conscious person that I think this is what I need to do for myself. So anyway, stay tuned on my progress.

Like my new blog page? I'm working on making it a little more exciting. We'll see how long that takes me.

Must go eat some vitamin c and lie down. My body is tired!

I Got an Interview!

So for those of you that have been following my blog at all, you know that my current job situation isn't exactly ideal. So I have been hunting and hunting and hunting for new job opportunities, and just recently applied for about 4 jobs in the last week or so. And today, just as I happened to be ranting and raving to my mom on the phone about my next schedule and the holiday scheduling, etcetera etcetera, I got a "beep," alerting me that I had another call. It was a number that I didn't recognize, meaning that A) it was someone calling about my car or B) someone calling about a job. So no quicker than I could say "Mom, I'll call ya back," I clicked over, and low and behold it was a recruiter from Truman Medical Center wanting to set up a job interview. I put on my happy face and dug out my most cheerful, friendly voice and set up the interview for Monday morning. If you can't tell, I'm more than just a little excited-but I really don't want to get my hopes up yet. But yet I am hoping, just a little :)

So anyway, I'll work my Saturday this upcoming weekend...and oh yeah, the Sunday, too, that I somehow got switched to unexpectedly. Wasn't that nice of them. And then come Monday morning, I will tote myself off to this interview with all the bounciness and loveable-ness that I got-and hopefully get myself out of this toxic job. Everybody cross your fingers!!! I'll keep you posted...

Arthritis and Cinnamon Rolls

Just a little note to update and blog about some of my recent encounters.

I continue to see Dr. David here in Kansas City for NAET, and I have had quite the time. So far, my symptoms are nothing like I could have ever imagined. In my second week of treatments, I began to feel the tremendous, overwhelming feeling of absolute exhaustion. The last time I remember feeling this way was in nursing school when it was all I could do to get through the day. This lasted about a week and a half, and then came on my next symptom which I have been experiencing for the last couple weeks.

Joint pain. Utter pain and throbbing throughout my whole body. It's in my fingers, my wrists, my shoulders, my CLAVICLES, my ankles, my toes....it's everywhere. I suppose this is what it's like to have arthritis. My question is if this means (which I assume it does) that my body is detoxing itself, is it safe to take some ibuprofen for pain and inflammation? Because it hurts. Bad. I came home from work last night and it was all I could do to just lay there. And throb. What can I do? Is this a natural thing to expect?

So Alex is made cinnamon rolls with orange flavored icing for breakfast and I put together a little fruit salad. Isn't that cute. He's quite the cook...at least one of us is a good cook!

Anyway, we're meeting up with a lot of friends tonight, so I suppose I better start getting ready. Besides, my fingers are starting to hurt.

Any comments are welcome!

Water and a Chewable Vitamin C

The last couple days I've been feeling a little "worn out." I can't tell if it's a side effect of the NAET treatments, or if I'm just getting a bit of a cold. My head is really congested and like I said I'm feeling run down, but other than that I'm ok. I know people are catching colds right now like nobody's business, but I also know that Dr. David told me that this feeling may be a result of my treatments. So who knows. Thankfully I've got a few days off to rest, then back to work.

The weekend was completely non-eventful since I had to work Saturday, but really that was fine. I can tell my body is screaming at me to rest, so that's what I'm doing. It's cold outside anyway, so it gives me more of a reason to snuggle up on the couch with a warm blanket :)

It's finally stopped raining here, for now. We (as in Kansas City) have just been getting poured on for days, and now it's finally cleared off. The poor doggies are so upset that they can't be running around the yard in this beautiful 60 degree weather, but it's hard when the ground is all muddy and they come in looking like they've taken a mud bath. So they get mini-outings for now along with a few walks around the block to keep them happy.

No other news, really. Work is still work; still shopping around for a new job. I've applied to several places, and either I'm too late with the application or it's been filled by an internal employee. These outpatient surgery jobs are hard to come by, so I'll just keep looking. Shawnee Mission is still a possible option in the future, but I guess no positions right now. Supposedly the recruiter will call when a position opens up. Who knows when that'll be, though. Our census on my floor has been fairly low lately, so the possibility to be canceled is greater. It's sad when you look forward to those days every week. They actually did try to cancel me one day, but either they were calling the wrong number or my phone wasn't working right, because my phone never rang and they ended up canceling someone else. Now that was a bummer.

Anyway, better get back to my water and vitamin C. Hope everyone is well!!

Another Wedding Weekend

Alex and I went to another wedding this weekend...I do believe we've been to 6 weddings so far this summer and have a least 2 more to go this fall, depending on our schedules. We both love going to weddings, mainly because we get to sit back and relax with friends that we probably haven't seen in awhile. So all the driving we have to do to GET to the weddings is just a mere bump in the road for us!

We got back last night and had just enough time to make some pizza and salad, and that was about it. We both have been so busy lately with work, deciding what projects to take on with the house, and weekend adventures, that we really have not had much time to sit around and relax.

I had mentioned in the last post that I was going to a NAET doctor here in Kansas City. I had my first visit last week, and came back with a bundle of information concerning my health. I have been to this sort of doctor before in hopes to get over my seemingly chronic illness', such as allergies, asthma, headaches and anxiety. According to Dr. David, my current NAET practitioner, my body is in a state of serious illness and is possibly on the verge of a stage 1 chronic illness. My body is "allergic to" and malabsorbing everything from minerals, B vitamins, sugar, proteins and calcium, which is why I am having such constant, outward symptoms of hay fever, asthma, anxiety, and headaches. And as sad as it is to hear that your doctor hasn't seen anyone this sick in months, it really is encouraging to hear that there is something that he can do about it. I've really been getting fed up with traditional MD's not believing my symptoms, and alas having no answer to them. It seems as though any medical doctor in the western medicine field has an answer to your symptom, and of course a pill to go with it...but never an answer to the root of the problem, and therefore making the basis of all problems, worse.

Sometimes I wonder to myself, "Why am I, of all people, the one with all the health problems?" I feel like I am the one who has always been self-conscious about my weight, always eaten a fairly-healthy diet, and had somewhat of an interest in nutrition and health. So why me? Why isn't it the average Joe walking around the streets that eats fast food for every meal, never exercises, and doesn't give one hoot about their health? Sometimes it really seems as though that's the case. And of all the things that I have tried to trace my health problems back to, the only thing that I can come up with is my prenatal care. I really have no idea what kind of nutrition and care I had before I was born, but why else would a health-concious, nutrition-driven 25 year old be on the verge of chronic illness? It just doesn't make sense.

So anyway, I guess I'm on the road to a healthy recovery. I know it's gonna be a lot of work and I know I have some long weeks ahead of me. But let's just hope this time it works. I don't know how many other options there are out there....

Well, better get going. Please pray for me in the next few weeks, as I'll be starting my intensive treatment with my doctor. Have a wonderful week and thanks for stopping by!

Baby It's Cold Outside

Well, they say summer is over. It's currently 61 degrees, looking forward to a high of 68 today. All hopes of 90 and 100 degree weather are gone for they year, so they say. And sadly enough, I didn't make it out ONCE to my apartment complex pool to bask in the heat and get a beautiful, glowing tan. Where did the summer go? I guess it went to work, it went to a lot of weddings, and a whole lot of running around Kansas City. So I guess my tan will have to wait til next year.

Went to a wedding down in Wichita this last weekend. It was really fun, mainly for the fact that a trip down to Wichita for the weekend, for us anyway, is like a vacation. We got to see lots of McPherson people and it was good to let loose and be away from Kansas City/work for the weekend, for the both of us. Alex has been working ridiculously hard lately, which in turn has for some reason really wore me out, as well. But all is good now; Alex is working less hours and the summer madness is slowing down.

Here is the uninvited guest to the wedding this weekend. He was a precious Great Dane, (which most Great Dane's are wonderful pets-just big) but was bigger than anything that I have EVER seen. I really wasn't scared of his "bigness" at all, just a little scared of that tongue that could've jumped out at me at any time! Thus, my facial expression showing this fear. Found out it was owned by one of the workers at this little farm, and was taken home by a kid by getting on a four-wheeler and tying him to the back to jog behind. What a beast! By the way, his paws were a little bigger than my own hand.



Alex is moved into his house, now just organizing and prioritizing what project to start on first. The doggies love their back yard, but also have the luxury of sleeping on their own little beds in the spare bedroom. They're so spoiled. Look at those eyes!



One of the first projects that Alex took on with the house was hauling off some rotting wood from the back yard, leftover from an old fence, or something. This was actually quite the task because of some questionable termites underneath that could have the potential to migrate towards the house, if he wasn't careful. Oh and by the way-here is one of the many SNAKES that was found underneath it, too!! How disgusting. I don't have any pictures, but there has also been quite the slug problem around here, too. We have spotted many of them at a time in the front lawn, sidewalk, and walkway, and terrifyingly enough-inside the house, as well. I've had two run-ins, myself, with slugs on the kitchen floor and on the wall. They absolutely terrify me, to say the least. They look like small aliens, for heavens sakes! What do they want??!!! and Why are they here??!!!




Last but not least, the ole Eclipse is still for sale. Will someone PLEASE buy it? It's a good little car, I promise! Check it out on craigslist.



Must go for now. Have an appointment with a NAET doc in a couple hours. We'll see if he can do anything about my allergies/asthma/headaches/anxiety....

Side Note

Just wanted to post a quick thought.

In the last couple weeks, I've been mulling over some life issues that seem to be growing bigger and more important every day. They are issues that have no easy answer, and whatever the answers are, are very life-changing. They really are not negative or harmful issues, just decisions about where my life is going.

I just read a quick comment from my cousin Cheri. She was wishing me a happy birthday, but also gave me some "birthday advice" which I found to be very thoughtful. She said: "Treasure every day. Time goes so fast! My birthday advice is don't be in a hurry for what comes next, be present in each moment and fully enjoy today! Every season of life holds such joy." I feel that that this is not only advice for me personally, but for everyone.

In addition, sometimes I wish I was one of those people that just didn't care about the decisions in life, and just flew by the seat of my pants. But then who knows what this world would be like if there wasn't anyone to care? And what would my future look like? Umph, being 25 is harder than 24 was. Rats.

So in closing, please pray for my guidance. I am attempting to really take in cousin C's advice, but also hope for a "right" answer, preferably sooner than later :)

Night night everyone.

A Birthday Blog

As I roll into the ripe age of 25, I'm thinking to myself everything that I have been through to get here. Even in the last year, the experiences and everyday challenges that I have encountered have made me into a whole new person. I'm thankful that I am alive and breathing and looking forward to another quarter of a century!!

I've tried starting this post several times, only to be interrupted...so my goal today is to post something. August has been one of those months where you think yourself "I didn't think life could get busier than it already was!" Oh but it did. Not only did Alex finally close on new his house and get all of his stuff moved, I bought a car (finally) and have put my 'ole Eclipse up for sale. I also just found out a couple days ago that I was approved for the promotion that I had worked so hard on to become an RN II. This basically means I take on a few more education hours, but I also get a bit of a pay increase. This is good, partly because any new job I take, I can now say that I was an "RN II" instead of an "RN I," and they will also have to match my new pay. So this is good, for many reasons.

I've been trying to help Alex as much as I can get settled into his new house, but it has been a bit difficult because he is doing a lot of the "updates" after moving in. So it becomes frustrating when things have to be fixed before you can settle in! Such as: no vents/ducts for the AC or heat to the bedrooms; otherwise a central air and heated house. Carpet in the kitchen is dah-scusting!! We'll pull it up eventually and put down some tiling, or something. Wood paneling intermittently throughout the house needs something done to it. I hate wood paneling. Need a couple more ceiling fans. Need to haul out the decaying pile of wood in the back yard. Needless to say, there are termites underneath it. (Thank goodness not in the house yet, but Alex has set up a home-yard-system to prevent the little devils from migrating.) Probably every room needs re-painted. Bathroom really needs re-done, but at least needs an exhaust fan and some new lighting for now. Needs molding around the front inside windows along with some curtains. (Very scary at night to have that open for everyone to see in.) And the list goes on....but you get the picture. So there are projects for Alex [and I] for about the next 5 years, if we're lucky. I am grateful, though, to be able to be partaking in this exciting time in Alex's life. (I do [secretly] hope that we'll someday be able to make this "our" project, if you know what I mean. Anyway.

So, my birthday is today. Alex and I celebrated together last night with dinner at my favorite restaurant (Olive Garden) and then a free movie, thanks to a gift from the credit union that I got my car loan from. We saw Step Brothers, a ridiculous comedy with Will Ferrell and John Reilly. We had to see a stupid comedy, I guess, because that's what Alex and I traditionally go to. We couldn't break the tradition now, I suppose! It was funny, though, just not movie of the year. So then tonight Alex is going to a bachelor party for one of his best friends from high school and I will probably meet up with some of my friends for some good old food and frolicking.

No pictures of the house or car yet, but when they come available, I'll post a few. Here's a few from the past month.

This is Jake, at Alex's old apartment, laying with his head sticking out the blinds. He loved to be able to see outside.


My little loves, resting on the couch. It's been a tiring couple of months.


One of my good friends from college, Jennifer, and I at a sorority sister's wedding. She is actually getting ready to start her PHd program in history at the University of Florida in a couple of weeks.


That's all I got for ya for now. I'll keep ya posted on the newest renovations to the house. And don't forget to pray that someone buys my little MicroMachine-and soon! Cheers to everyone, enjoy your weekend!

All Is Calm

Today is the first day in literally MONTHS that I have spent a Saturday ALONE and at my apartment, vegging on the couch. And I must say that it's been kinda nice. Unfortunately, Alex is home yet again, but sadly because his Grandma Kathy died a few days ago. So the pups and I are having some quality mom-dog time and I am taking full advantage of this quiet, rainy afternoon. Needless to say, though, my allergies have taken over me today, so I haven't had much of a choice but to rest my weary, watery eyes and clean the 'ole air purifier. I'm hoping sometime today I'll get around to do some other things around the apartment, like laundry, dishes, and vacuuming. We'll see what happens.

In other news, my teeth have been the center of my attention for about the last 7 months, and unfortunately they still are. After numerous trips to the dentist, I still have teeth and a couple jaws that are killing me. I've heard every excuse from that I grind my teeth at night, to that the filling wasn't sanded down right, to finding a fracture on the top of my tooth, to my old silver fillings sitting on top of a nerve. But yet it still hurts. It's a good thing I have dental insurance, but this is still costing me a pretty penny. I'll keep ya posted on how things turn out.

So my search for a car has begun-well at least it's actually active now. I've been researching the web for months upon months to decide what I would like to buy to replace my MicroMachine of a car. I think I've got my choices narrowed down and am on a mission. I did find a beauty of a Jeep the other day, but we'll see how it works out. It would be one of those cars that when I roll up in your driveway with it, I would be like, "Did you see that car? Yeah, it's mine." Let me give you some quick stats, and you can be the judge of whether YOU would like it.
-2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited
-Charcoal colored (a black/gray mix-absolutely beautiful)
-all-leather seats with heated driver and passenger seats
-built-in, in-dash navigation system
-DVD player in the back seat
-here's the kicker: HEMI v8 engine
It has a HUGE engine and TONS of power which I really don't need, but the thing is beautiful and it has every option I could ever ask for.

Anyway, here are some New Orleans pictures, like I promised. We were so "on the go" the whole time, that it was tough to stop for photo-op's. But I did the best I could.


Here is some quick pics of our time on Bourbon Street. Aaron manages a 3 bars down there, so we made our way down there on the nights that he worked. The neon sign is a classic example of the "classiness" you would find down there. Lots of strip clubs and gay bars, in case the need should arise. HA



Here is the classic hurricane-hit house. This is actually 2 houses down from Aaron, and is sadly not uncommon. See that orange "x?" That is the symbol for when they inspected it, when it was evacuated, how many animals were found, and also how many dead bodies were found. This one actually had 3 bodies found in it. It's so very sad, but these people really had no idea what was coming.


Here is the inside of that house. All houses that were damaged most likely had to be stripped down to the studs and basically rebuilt. I wonder where those bodies were? (By the way, Alex would have NO part of inspecting the inside of the house with me! Too creepy, I guess.)


Here is the house next the one from above. It looks decent, but do you spy the FEMA trailer in the front lawn? Yeah, not unusual.



And the house on the other side. There were so many beautiful homes around there, right in between the ugly, hurricane-damaged shacks.


A typical scene from Bourbon street-on a Wednesday night. It's a pretty poppin place.


And who can forget Aaron and Rachel's precious little dog that we spend oh-so-much time with. Meet Gypsy, a mutt that appears to be a mix between a terrier or some kind and maybe a lab, or something.



Here's the view looking towards the French Quarter and the French Market. Lots of vendors, souvenirs and festivals that take place here.

And here we are overlooking Lake Pontchatrain (sp?). I guess people can take cruises out of here.


Alright, must close. My head is pounding and my sinus' are screaming. Time to lay down again.

What a Day. What a Week. What a MONTH!

I'm apologizing now for my absence in the last month, but after you hear what's been going on, you'll understand!

The end of May kicked off wedding season for the summer of '08. Alex and I have attended 2 weddings so far and still have about 3, maybe 4, weddings to go! I guess we are at the point in our lives where everyone is getting married. Huh, what a concept.

Well, Alex's cute little house that he originally put an offer on finally got nixed. He has, though, found another house very close by that he apparently put in an offer in on Tuesday and just found out today that he GOT IT! He should be closing by the end of July and all moved in. It needs about a weekend's worth of renovations and a good crew of family to help out :) But it does have a 2-car garage and a wonderfully fenced in back yard. It's in a cute little neighborhood, actually a couple houses down from a nurse-friend of mine. So this really is a good deal.

My car is so close to its wit's end that I can taste it going bad. I had to add a full quart and another half of oil the other day just to keep the poor thing a-runnin. By the end of July I HAVE to be in possession of another car. I can't hardly stand it anymore!

We did just get back from New Orleans this last weekend and it was wonderful! I'll post pictures soon, but I don't have the energy right now to do that. We spent a fair amount of time down on Bourbon Street since Alex's brother, Aaron, is a manager of a bar called Razzoo down there, which in fact is one of the busiest bars on the strip. So that was quite the experience. And besides that, we spent time in the French Quarter, we attended the New Orleans Aquarium and watched a cool Imax film on the hurricane, and ate LOTS of fresh, oh-so-delicious seafood. I loved it! But coming back to work after a week off has been pretty rough this week, to say the least.

The weekend before our New Orleans trip, we went back home to McPherson for a quaint little wedding in Lyons, Kansas. It was Eric Duerksen and Cora Coleman's wedding-two people which we are really good friends with. Cora used to be my neighbor and Eric is one of my really good friends from high school. We used to eat "family dinner" together with them every Thursday and watch Grey's Anatomy. They now live in Wichita and we are very sad to see them go, but extremely happy for their marriage!

I have one more day this week and then I have the weekend off, and then yet another wedding to attend the weekend of the 4th, so our busyness will only continue.

Things with work are fine, still ready for a change and actively looking for "it."

Anyway, I'm on my own for dinner tonight. Think I'm gonna go whip up a Spinach and Asiago pasta dish. I know, sounds good, doesn't it. I'll post pictures sometime very soon, I promise!

Hope everyone has a good rest of the week!

Ho hum

Well, it's now ANOTHER new month and I'm once again behind on my postings. I'll tell ya-the last month has been CUH-RAZY! I've interviewed for a new job, but don't think I'm going to take it. It's a lot of commitment and I don't really think it's something I'm willing to take the risk on. Orientation would be almost a year and I don't even know if this is "the job" I'm looking for. So, on to other opportunities. My applications are open for business and in full effect. To put it simply, I'm ready for a change.

Alex is still waiting to finalize a deal on the house he put in an offer for. I think he might have it, it's just a matter of tie-ing up the deal. Lord knows he needs this house.

Speaking of which, did I tell you that we inherited two-not one, but two medium sized dogs in the last few weeks? We have friends that have moved away and Alex "volunteered" to take both of them. One is Jozie, the full-bred Boxer who appears to look 1/2 Boxer and 1/2 Lab. And then there's Jake-he IS full Boxer and he is a BRICK HOUSE, as we like to call him. He's got a huge chest and he's the boss. Don't mess with his bones. Oh, and did I also mention that they are sharing OUR households? Uh-hem, our APARTMENTS with US! Yep, they live mainly at Alex's but they come and visit aunt Emily's apartment quite often. I mean, they are good dogs-but they are too big to be an apartment. Hence the need for Alex's house.

Anyway, we just got back from an exhilarating weekend in Weatherford, Oklahoma and I am pooped. My bed is full of clean clothes that need hung up so I suppose I need to hang those before I hit the sheets. Wish me luck. Oh, and wish me luck on my newly purchased Nutri-Calm. This has GOT to be the key to helping me sleep. I can't take Xanax forever!

A New Beginning

Well although the month of May is just beginning, I am already feeling many changes in my life. I went ahead and applied for another job, but have yet to hear anything. It would be a totally different kind of nursing and would require about a year of paid, in-house training, but I am totally up for the challenge. My hours would be wayyyy better and I would only take two nights and one weekend day of call A MONTH. The position I'm referring to is as a surgery nurse in the main OR at Saint Luke's, the hospital I am currently working at. I'm not getting my hopes up yet but I am HOPING! I informed my manager yesterday of my interest in that job, but only after I had heard that she has hired 7 new nurses in the last month or so to fill all the shoes of everyone who is leaving. I approached her calmly, saying something to the affect of: "Susan! I hear you hired 7 new nurses!" At this point the two other people in the room said, "uh, I'll see ya later!" It seems that a good majority of the nurses on my floor are feeling the same urgency as I am to look for another job, hence the fact that my manager has hired so many more nurses. I think East 7 (the floor I am on) is just so diverse and SO busy that it is a good starting point for a lot of nurses, and then after awhile they find it's time for something else. So anyway, I guess I'll keep you posted on this situation.

I'm feeling MUCH better than I was about a week and a half ago, but I still fight a slight sore throat every once in awhile. I've decided that these frequent, drastic changes in weather aren't helping, but I've been taking this Super Trio of vitamins from NSP and so far they seem to really be helping.

Well Alex just called and said he was on his way back to work from the Truman Medical Center ER because he was having a really bad jaw ache, enough to hinder his chewing even. Apparently he has an infection somewhere under his teeth, so I get to be the lucky one to go pick up his antibiotic. I guess I need to make a trip to Wally World anyway to pick up some new pillows. Mine are getting to be flatter than a pancake. By the way, Alex has put in an offer on a house only a few blocks away from me. We're hoping that that the fact that his offer is about 25 thousand less than the asking price will be bypassed. hehe I mean, it is going into foreclosure, so surely they'll take it. Surely.

Oh, in other news-Kansas City had a mini-hurricane last night, as I like to call it. Winds were up to almost 80 mph and I guess a lot of areas had some substantial damage. Thankfully, nothing in my possession was affected. But unfortunately, my car was still there in the morning. Darn. I was hoping it would either get magically swept away by the wind and rain, or hail would somehow pummel it to its last death. But no, just a few leaves to scrape off the hood. Maybe next time.

Alright, off to Wal Mart. Updates to come.

Where did April go?

Can anyone believe that we are in the end of April? I mean really, where did the month go? I guess so many things have been happening lately that I've kinda lost track of time. This month has brought many fun times, some bad times, and a lot of new ideas. The first weekend was Alex's 23rd birthday (I know, he has SO much to learn at his young age) and we celebrated with a few friends. Here we are at a deserted bar pretending to be like the picture on the wall. Oh what we'll do for entertainment :)

The second weekend in April was the Sigma Tau Gamma White Rose Formal in Pittsburg, KS. This is a bi-annual dance that is put on by Alex's fraternity at Pitt State and all members and alumni are invited. It's usually a good time for everyone to get together, get dressed up and have a nice dinner/dance. Alex and I went in October this last year and had a great time. I guess this one was extra special because a lot of Alex's friends that are still there will be graduating this May, so it was the last time a lot of them would be able to get together for awhile. Here are some pics:


So that gives you an idea of our evening. We had a lot of fun with all of our friends!

On to the 3rd weekend in April....
Alex and I went to a Chevelle concert with a guy that Alex works with and is also a fraternity brother. Jon, the guy that went with us, was going to bring his wife (to keep me company) but she wasn't feeling well, so it was just the 3 of us. Keep in mind this was my first real concert EVER and Chevelle is more a hard rock kind of band. Not typically my kind of music. To make a long story short, Alex and Jon made their way to the front of the concert and left me in the back all by myself. Granted, I wanted no part of the "mosh pit" that was happening up in front, but I also didn't think I would be left all alone, not knowing a single lyric to any of their songs. Let's just say Alex and I had words after that evening of "fun." Don't think I'll be listening to anymore of Chevelle's music.

After a long last week of being sick with something like the flu on steroids, I finally decided by Saturday that it was time to venture out of the house. Alex got tickets from his work to the Nascar Truck Series race and the speedway here in KC. So even though it was a bit brisk with a 60% chance for scattered thunderstorms, I decided to take a chance and go. It turned out to be a beautiful afternoon/evening and as long as I had my bag full of sweatshirts, raincoat, gloves and a few more layers, I was perfectly fine! It was fun to actually experience a race in real life- it really is a fascinating sport if you know a few things about it, and Alex sure does. After we got out of the bumper-to-bumper traffic afterwards though, I had about an hour left in me and I was EX-HAUSTED. I worked the next day, so needless to say I am still working on regaining my strength and energy after such a long stent of being sick. Don't worry family, I've got plenty of herbs!


In other news, my urge to find a new kind of nursing seems to be getting stronger and stronger. It's not that I don't like my current job so much as that it doesn't seem to be a job that is fitting in my lifestyle. The fact that in the 8 almost 9 months I have been working, I have yet to figure out a workout schedule that suits me. Basically my workouts have gone kaput. And for those of you who know me, working out is very much a priority in my life. On top of that, I can't seem to leave my work, at work. In the last 6 months, it seems that I have lost my ability to sleep soundly. It takes hours to really get to sleep and then when I am asleep, it seems that I wake up every time I roll over. I am generally getting tired, physically and emotionally. So at this point I am looking for a job that will leave me a few extra hours in the day to work out and have time to fix a decent meal. I am looking for more structure and something that would *hopefully* not require as many weekend hours, although if the other standards are met, working a weekend or two wouldn't kill me. I am currently looking into a position in surgery and continue to search for anything that jumps out at me. If anyone knows someone or of an opportunity in the Kansas City area, any heads up would be GREATLY appreciated. I'm starting to get very anxious about finding something new. Too bad money has to be an issue-otherwise I'd be working in a cute little doctor's office in a slow-paced, sociable environment! I guess I'll have to wait on that idea.

The only other news (finally) that I have is that Alex is looking to buy a house in the near future. Him and his family were looking this last weekend all around Kansas City and have yet to find something. He did find one, though, that is actually VERY close to me and is a cute home, but is a little over his budget. He extended a very low offer in hopes that maybe since it is a foreclosure, a lower price would be acceptable. We'll see. Let's just say both of us will be thankful when we are closer together so that we don't have to drive 20 miles one way every day to see each other! That's like driving to Hutchinson! It will save us both a lot of time and gas money.

Well, I suppose I will close. I have phone calls to make (including one to haggle with my apartment on WHY they are raising my rent by $60 a month when the market rate on my specific unit went DOWN. WHY??) and I'm going to attempt a mini workout for the first time in ages. I thought running up and down the halls at work was exercise enough?? And maybe a trip to the grocery store is in order...and Wal Mart for some new pillows...oh my, I need a Xanax.

Recap

Just a quick note to give you a recap of my recent experiences. Here it is:
Went to a seminar on Saturday about getting involved in a lifetime time share/vacation opportunity. Won a trip to Las Vegas, we pay only $95 in taxes. Alex and I have considered going for my birthday in August.
Worked the last two days. Had my first drug-seeker in awhile. Called my first "Rapid Response," the step above a Code Blue. Admitted my first "status post" Cardiac Arrest patient. Am picking up my new shoes today. Getting my hair cut on Friday by a co-worker who is a hairdresser. Leaving for Pittsburg on Friday afternoon. Going to the Sigma Tau Gamma White Rose Formal on Saturday. Working three days in a row next week so I can go to the dentist and eye doctor. Can't wait to retire.

The End.

I Need a House. Period.

I bought a new Crock Pot this week, and as I was trying to find a good home for it in my kitchen, I realized something. I need a house.

It seems these days that kids my age are more and more likely to buy homes. They tend to graduate from college, spend a year in a city of their preference, and then settle into a little nook-like house somewhere in a suburb. And although I've always had in my head that a house is a step into the big-kid world that I'm willing to put off, I'm starting to think that maybe a house would be more practical.

I mean really, I don't even have a place to put my box of Magic Bullet accessories and parts.

You think I'm kidding. Here's my only substantial storage area in my kitchen:

Oh, and let's talk about my mini-size refrigerator....

And how bout the weird corner on the counter that seems to collect water. Where does the water come from, you ask? Who knows. But it collects it. And the water turns gross. Weird.
See it? Gross.


But back to my Crock Pot. Here's the old one:
Sad, isn't she?


And here's the new one:

Isn't it cute? And it's RED!

Anyway, that's my thought for the day. Any thoughts on how to better my apartment living space and storage methods, let me know. Oh-and Alex's birthday is next week. Any ideas on gifts? I really am clueless.

Ahhh, Such Is Life.

As I sit here sipping my Chai Latte with the sounds of the dishwasher and washer going, I think about all that God has brought me, as well as all the things that He has shown me in the last few months.

I've been a nurse now for about 7 months, and let me tell you, all the stories "they" tell you about your first year as a nurse seems to all make sense now. They were right. Huh. How did they know? How did they know that I would feel like a ball of stress every night after work? How did they know that some days my job could make me cry? How did they know that even though I have a "dream job" of working 3 days a week and scheduling myself, work would be so hard?

I started pondering the real meaning of working in the real world, just in the last week or so. And I've figured out that not only does working in the real world, along with having a so-called real world boyfriend, mean working on days that you really don't feel like it, but it also means keeping up with the rest of your life on the days that you don't work.

As many of you know, (or have read in previous blogs,) I am saving up to buy a semi-new car. My current "MicroMachine" doesn't have much life in it and is already showing some signs that I really need to put her out to pasture as soon as I get the chance (and the $.) Thus, I have putting away as much of my paycheck into savings as possible. Add in the monthly bills and loan repayments, my financial status is a little dwindled right now. To make a long story short, I was recently asked by a very close friend for a one-week loan so that he could pay his overdue car payment. After much investigation of the situation and a post-dated check in hand from this fella, I agreed. I agreed to give him money for a ONE TIME ONLY loan. I also agreed to never give money to him again. I also piped in that I don't feel comfortable giving any friend a loan. 'Nough said. But ever since this little stir, I have really been evaluating how hard life can be. Not just for me, but for many other out their like "him" who work 50-60 hours a week, hate their job, and can find no time or money to even look for something better. So I find myself thinking about what all life entails. And who teaches people these skills? Who teaches people how to go to work 5 days a week, (well, most people,) keep their living space livable by vacuuming, dusting, etc, wash their clothes, dishes and whatever else may need washed, buy and cook any sort of meal(s), have a significant other, and still have money to pay bills and have a life? And why do some people learn these skills with or without any teaching, and some people don't?

As a disclaimer, I must add that I may not be the perfect "life skills" representative, but I do know that I am surviving very comfortably and am lucky to have a family that will support me, if/when I'm in need. But not all of us have that, and that's what makes me ask such questions.

Well now that I've got my head in a blunder, I'll move on to a more positive note. To summarize the last month or so:
1. Had Lasik. I'm seeing wonderfully and am hardly having any dry eyes anymore!
2. Went skiing with the Koehn family; came back with LOTS of bumps and bruises.
3. Got back to work, although I took a day off this last Sunday due to a "may-ja" headache
4. Been couped up in the apartment the last couple days due to a steady rainstorm
5. Am already investigating my next vacation: San Diego, CA; New Orleans, LA; or Pensacola, FL. Any preferences out there?
6. Am pondering the idea of becoming a travel nurse within the Kansas City area. Only 5 months to til my first year of nursing is up!

To close, I will post a few Colorado ski trip photos. If you want to see more, you'll have to email me.

I think this my favorite pic of Alex and I. Ever. (And yes, he was my perfect angel that took care of me on the mountain. He even helped me up after my numerous falls!)


Alex and I rejuvenating over lunch. Well, maybe it was just me that needed rejuvenated. (Unfortunately, I was not aware that I still had goggles on my head.)


Bags and Jana don't even look phased from all of our morning skiing. Probably because they were waiting for me the whole time! haha
This is the exit to Granby/Winter Park. It takes you through Berthoud pass. This is where we go every summer. Looks a little different in the winter, eh?