Eagles Ranked No. 1

Biola's cross country team is coming in to the season ranked #1!! We were hoping they would after a strong season last year. Yet, I know that even with a high ranking it doesn't guarntee success. The girls will have to train hard and run competitively. For today, though, we can relish in the high ranking. :)
I know that I am excited to attend races this year...it should be a fun season. Erika is not 100% sure she will run or if she will 'red-shirt' this season since she is coming off of her crazy illness over the summer. Time will tell and she could always run next year since she plans to do grad studies at Biola also. I've added the article from the Biola website for your reading pleasure. You can keep track of the team by clicking here also.

Eagles Ranked No. 1 in NAIA Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
Cross Country team strives for excellence on and off the field

Coming off an impressive second-place finish to close out the 2009 season, the Biola University women's cross country team was ranked No. 1 in the 2010 NAIA Preseason Poll released on Wednesday.
The Eagles return the entire 2009 squad which stunned the field and finished second at the NAIA National Championships, just three points out of first place. That includes a pair of NAIA All-Americans and four All-GSAC representatives.
Following behind Biola in the rankings were last season's champions Cal State San Marcos, Malone (Ohio), Simon Fraser (B.C.) and defending GSAC champion Azusa Pacific.
“There are so many outstanding cross country programs right here in the GSAC, that we feel honored to have been ranked where we are,” said Head Coach Jonathan Zimmerman. “Competing against them truly brings out the best in us.”
The No. 1 ranking is a first in program history and a far cry from four years ago when Coach Zimmerman took the reins of the program which struggled to finish in the top five in the GSAC.
“Each year we strive to become united as a team, to keep getting a little bit better and continue to raise the bar high in both athletics and academics,” said Zimmerman.
The Eagles return an impressive group of runners from the 2009 squad, including seniors Katie Thede and Sarah Brooks. Thede placed 22nd and Brooks was 25th as both earned NAIA All-American honors at the National Championship race last year. Joining the pair are All-GSAC representatives in junior Nychele Fischetti and senior Kelsey Gasner, who placed 39th and 45th at the NAIA race last year.
Biola's schedule is once again a tough one as the Eagles prepare for a chance at the NAIA Championship. Among the big races are the Biola Invitational that should feature a number of top teams and the GSAC Championship in Fresno.
“We've got a nice balance in our racing schedule this year with some local meets and some that involve a bit of travel,” said Zimmerman. “We also have a superb group of veterans on the squads who over the years have really set the standard both on and off the field. Add to them our freshmen and transfers and it really builds into a fun group that I really feel blessed to serve.”
Read the complete press release from the NAIA.
Written by Jeff Hoffman, Sports Information Director. For more information, Jenna Bartlo, Media Relations Coordinator, can be reached at (562) 777-4061 or through email at jenna.l.bartlo@biola.edu.

This picture is from last years Nationals. All of the girls are returning this year. My sweet little Erika is the second from the left on the bottom row.

GO EAGLES!!

Back to School

I started back to school today. I am taking Math for liberal arts students and chemistry. My last two classes before I enter the RN to BSN program. 16 weeks. 32 days. 256 hours of class and countless hours of homework...since you know, I just have to get an A! I like both of my instructors so that is a plus. Most of the math homework is on the computer, so that will be interesting...

Michelle is trying to add the chemistry class. She is #8 on the wait list. so many of the classes at Long Beach state and at the community college are impacted and she is having a hard time getting in to the classes that she needs. Pray for her that she can add...we tried to make up a sad story with the professor. I'm not sure he was swayed.

The best part of the day was when I was sitting in my math class. (I sat right in the middle of the class). I was waiting for the class to start and just sort of looking around the room, seeing who else was in the class and I noticed that I was the oldest (by far) in the class and the only Blonde! Not a single other light haired person in the room. Not even the instructor. I thought that was kinda funny. I felt so out of place. I like the diversity of the class...but that made me feel like an alien! So my goal is to get the highest grade in the class...just to prove that blondes are not dumb.

Debbie

A Lily Day

I love it when my granddaughter Lily comes to spend the day with me...especially when we have nothing to do except hang around home and play. We had one of those leisure days this past week.

Catching Princess the cat. Normally the cat runs away from Lily - you can see how proud she was to have actually caught her. She kept saying, "Lita, I got her!". You should of heard the cries of despair coming from the cat!

Princess being held captive. Lily sat in that chair for a long time just holding on to the poor thing.

Since it is finally getting hot here in Southern California we decided to go for a swim. Here's the model pose before we got in. Lily just learned that 'floaties' will help in the pool.

She thinks it is so cool that she can just hang out and float without sinking.

She wants to swim by her "Self!". She pushes me away and says, "I can swim!"

Check out the short little video below - listen for her fake 'pants' of exhaustion. Fun times!!

Debbie

Welcome Baby Rylee

Wow, I haven't blogged anything in a week. Not because I have been sitting around eating bon bons - quite the contrary - I've just been super busy and coming home exhausted.

I have three new patients in our comfort care program and work has suddenly gotten super busy. That crazy busyness of summer. Yet amidst all of the craziness and tough things that were going on - there was one really happy event.

I was one of the first people to see this sweet little face:

Her mommy, Jennifer is a nurse that I work with. Earlier this year, I trained her to work in labor and delivery. She was a recent transfer from our antepartum floor. She picked up on things in L&D quite quick and is a great nurse. Of course, when you work so closely with someone like we did for all of those weeks you really get to know each other. And once that nurse 'graduates' from the program, it is customary to get them a little gift. I wasn't sure what to give her, but finally decided I would give her this little statue of a pregnant woman - since that is the type of patients that we work with. Well - Jen says that the little statue was an omen and it is what lead her to soon be pregnant herself. I was so excited for her. Not only is she a good nurse, but she is happy, energetic, smart and an all around cute girl. Just one of those kinds of people that you want to hang out with.

At one point during the pregnancy, she asked if I would take care of her when she came in. Of course I said yes, even though it made me really nervous. It is hard to take care of someone who is in the same field of nursing that you are. What if I made a mistake? What if I don't interpret the fetal heart rate strip correctly? What if I miss her IV? (luckily I didn't have to start that...got someone else to...) Even with all of my hesitation, I knew I would care for her when she went in to labor...I'd do my best to provide her with a good delivery and just get over my own nervousness. What an honor it is to be trusted by someone that you work with.

The day started out all wrong. I was working antepartum, was actually in tears about an hour in to my shift and told my charge nurse that I thought it was time for me to change careers and go work in a grocery store. About an hour later, she called me and told me that Jen was coming in and that I was to change my assignment so that I could take care of her. I was happy to have a change and prayed that it would all go well.

How could it not go well when you are as cute as this couple is??? She doesn't even look like she is in labor...but she is...and she stopped to get her nails done before she came in. Hey - it was her first baby - she knew she had a little time.

Jennifer and Jason chose not to find out what they were having. It only made the delivery that much more fun. I thought for sure she was having a boy. A few hours after Jennifer came in she delivered the cutest little GIRL.

Rylee Shae was born at 5:36 pm.

She was crying, healthy and went right to her mom where she did skin to skin and got to know her parents.

I love this picture of Jennifer checking out her new little girl.

A whopping 6 pounds, 5 oz

The delivery team.

Women in blue - it is fun when it is one of 'us'

Welcome to the world little Rylee and Congratulations Jennifer and Jason! It was a pleasure to take care of you and to be one of the first people to see your sweet little baby. May you have tons of fun raising her and enjoy dressing her up in cute little girl clothes. You were an awesome patient!! I'd take care of you any day. Thanks for making me want to be a nurse again.

Give her lots of kisses, hugs and just the right amount of discipline. You are going to be great parents!

Debbie

Home

My friend's daughter, Alicia is home from the hospital. We are of course relieved. She still has physical healing to do (broken arm, facial burns and cuts) along with the emotional healing. I can't even begin to imagine what those athletes saw on the side of that dark road. Alicia also knew the coach that was driving and who lost her life, so she needs to be able to process all of this.

School starts in 3 weeks - so please pray for healing She is starting the nursing program this year. Guess I must have rubbed off some where - I know she doesn't remember that I was at her delivery but her mom and I do.

Also keep the other athletes in prayer - there are a few that are still hospitalized.

Here is one article on the athletes and one on the services held today for Coach Rice.

Debbie

Personal Connection

Earlier today I posted about the crash involving the Cal Baptist University Cross Country team.

At the time that I wrote that post we were hearing of the crash and of course were concerned for all of the athletes and the coach that was killed. I wrote that as a mother of a fellow cross country runner. A mother who ached for those other mothers as they were finding out about their athletes / children. A mother, involved in the running community and who is concerned for those fellow athletes.

When a local team is hurt like that, you can't help but be concerned - especially when they run in the same league with your own children. They are athletes that you have personally seen run and it just really hits home. You sit there and think - "wow, that could have been our team".

As I read more articles on the crash today, and saw news casts on the TV, I saw a name flash on the screen of one of the more serious wounded. That name was Alicia Catanese. My first thought was, "I know an Alicia Catanese" I wasn't aware that the Alicia that I know was running for Cal Baptist. To see the name of someone that you know on a TV screen was a little surreal. To think that she was seriously wounded just about sucked the air out of me.

I went to church with her parents years ago and was in the delivery room with Vivian when she gave birth to Alicia. Now, it has become personal. It isn't just a name on a news story, but someone that I know. All I could think about was the family and how they are dealing with all of this and is Alicia 'OK'?

All I know right now is that Alicia was in the front seat of the van that was hit. I know she has a broken arm and what sounds like some head trauma. She is still hospitalized and her parents are with her.

The most recent news that I can find on the accident is here.

Please continue to pray for the entire team and student body at Cal Baptist University.

Debbie

Praying for The Cal Baptist Team

Most of you know that my daughter Erika runs for the Biola University cross country team. As a runner, she tends to know alot of other runners - locally and nationally - and when something happens to another team within our California section, it can be overwhelming. Not only are these students competitive athletes but they are friends - especially when you see the same people at all of the local meets.

Monday, the cross country team from Cal Baptist (in Riverside), was heading up to the mountains for some high altitude training when they were involved in a tragic accident. One of the team vans was hit by an SUV that had lost control, flipped on to them and that car burst in to flames.

We are praying for the team - no team members have died that we know of, but some have needed surgery. The driver of the Cal Baptist van did perish.

Please join us in prayer for this team. Below is an article off of the Cal Baptist web site.

(RIVERSIDE) -- The cheerleading coach of California Baptist University was killed and a dozen cross country team members were injured August 9 in a three-vehicle multiple-fatality accident on California Highway 395 near Bishop, CA.

Wendy Rice was driving one of three vans carrying CBU student athletes to a high altitude training camp in Mammoth. She died when the van was struck by an oncoming SUV that apparently ran out of control, overturned and burst into flames on impact.

California Highway Patrol Officer Dennis Cleland said five people in the SUV also were killed, but no one in the other two CBU vans was injured.

Officer Cleland said the collision occurred about five miles south of Bishop at 8:20 p.m. on a divided four-lane stretch of highway. He said 12 CBU student athletes in the van were injured and transported to area hospitals, but the extent of their injuries was unknown.

University officials contacted the families of all of the cross country team members to inform them about the accident.

“We are deeply saddened by this tragic event,” said University President Dr. Ronald L. Ellis. “We have lost a beloved member of our CBU family,” Ellis said. “On behalf of the university community, I want to express our deepest sympathy to Wendy’s husband and their two young children.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost loved ones in this terrible accident and with those who were injured,” Ellis said. “We pray for their speedy and complete recovery.”

Officials said a memorial service for the CBU community will be scheduled on the Riverside campus.

—30—

For additional information contact:
Dr. Mark A. Wyatt, Vice President for Marketing and Communication
951.343.4474
mwyatt@calbaptist.edu

Here is an article off of the Biola athletic website

LA MIRADA, Calif. --- The Biola University Athletic Department today is joining California Baptist University and the rest of the Golden State Athletic Conference in mourning the tragic loss of CBU Cheerleading Coach Wendy Rice in a traffic accident on Monday night.

Rice was among six people killed in the accident which also left 12 Cal Baptist student-athletes injured. Rice was driving one of three vans of Lancer athletes to high-altitude training in Mammoth when the accident occurred.

The Biola Athletic Department issued this statement earlier today: "Our thoughts and prayers are with California Baptist University, the Lancer athletic department and the entire Golden State Athletic Conference family during this incredibly difficult time."

Biola Cheer Advisor Tina Jasso said "We are so heavy hearted over this news! I only met Wendy a couple of times but was well aware of the outstanding progress she was making with the cheer program and overall in the realm of Christian cheerleading. She will be greatly missed!"

California Baptist University officials said a memorial service for the CBU community will be scheduled on the Riverside campus.

More information is available from the California Baptist University website at http://www.calbaptist.edu/about/media-center/sub-page/default.aspx?id=14123.

Erika's team starts team building tomorrow and I am sure the fellow Cal Baptist runners will be on all of their minds.

Debbie

Calm to Crazy in Seconds

I worked today. We have been slow for summer time. The slowest I can ever remember for summer. This is normally a crazy time of year. I can remember, in past years, where we had to work mandatory extra shifts just to get by during the summer. Not this year - it has been weirdly quiet and we are actually leaving people home on-call each shift.

At the beginning of our shift to day we had about 3 patients. After awhile we were left with one laboring mom. There were 5 nurses at home - waiting to see if they would get called in.

A couple of hours pass...and boom - all of a sudden we have 10 patients. Ok - it happen in an hour or so...but geez, one patient to 10. I called nurses in and finally told my clinical coordinator that we were a little tight, so she came out and took over the desk so I could go take care of the two patients that did not have a nurse.

By the end of the night we were back down to 3 or 4 moms left to deliver.

It never ceases to amaze me how we go from nice and calm to crazy in just a short amount of time. We sure know how to be flexible and do what we need to do to care for our patients. But if someone could figure out how to make a labor and delivery unit more consistent instead of moments of calmness followed by sheer craziness... then I'll give you a huge star for the day :)

Debbie