Free Time??

So I thought that when I finished school I would suddenly find myself with tons of free time...

Boy was I wrong!!
I seem to be lost in the "pace of life" game ~ just can't seem to get on top of things.
Hence my absence in the blog world.

I'm a big believer in living life before blogging life...and I am purposefully trying to be more 'present' in the things that I am doing versus thinking about the next blog post or checking facebook or texting or reading, etc.  Therefore, I just haven't found the free time to blog.

Life has moved forward.
Forward at a faster pace than what I would like it to.

I have been:
~ working lots
~ watching Lily
~ teaching perinatal comfort care to other nurses
~ attending a March of Dimes conference
~ presenting our comfort care program at the March of Dimes Conference
~ trying to organize things at my house
~ going to pinning planning meetings at the school - (so I'm not totally disconnected from school)
~ presenting our PCC program to local nursing school programs (Asuza Pacific, CSUF, Vanguard)
~ planned a wedding shower for Erika
~ enjoyed Erika's wedding shower
~ meeting my school buddies for dinner once a month
~ walking my dog more
~ checking out MSN programs
~ thinking of taking the new certification exam for perinatal hospice care...

So you see, life has been full.
I actually sort of miss school - as weird as that sounds.  I guess I enjoyed the stimulation of learning and enjoyed being with my classmates and instructors each week.

The one thing that I have enjoyed more (since I no longer have homework to do) is going to the library and reading just for the fun of it.  I can't tell you how many books I've gone through in the past month or so.  I have always enjoyed reading and this has been a nice little treat.

Maybe I will never find that free time that seems so allusive to me.  Yet, life is good and full and I will keep on trying to be present in the moment.
Debbie

Randomness

I was blog surfing late last night...needed a breather after working on Statistics homework all day. 

And I mean all day. 

I didn't leave the house. 

I started at 9 am. 

I did a few chores around the house for an occasional break and fixed dinner so we wouldn't starve over here.

I put the books away at 10pm.  

Can you believe that one class would take that much work to get through it?!?!  Well it does.  And some of my friends that are in my group struggled with it so much that they never finished the work.  At least I was able to finish mine. I'm not sure it is correct - but it is done!

I was finally relaxing...

I saw a post on a blogger - friends site ~ so I copied and pasted it.

Just for some randomness~

{a} age :: closer to the BIG 5-0 then I am to 40 any more...

{b} bed size :: Queen.  Not quite big enough for the two of us but a King won't fit in our room!

{c} chore you hate :: sweeping all of the dog hair - needs to be more than once a day!!!!

{d} dogs :: My love - Penny, a 90 pound yellow lab and the crazy Sydney-a mixed up sheperd / husky,wild thing

{e} essential start to your day :: Coffee

{f} favorite color :: purple (funny that was Grandma Ruth's favorite color too)

{g} gold or silver :: Silver

{h} height :: 5'7"

{i} instruments you play :: None - though I did take piano lessons for many years ~I just never "got it".

{j} job title :: Clinical nurse II in Labor and Delivery, Perinatal Hospice Nurse, Mom, Housekeeper, Cook

{k} kids :: Jon (28), Erika (22), Michelle (21) 

{l} live :: California

{m} maiden name :: McCarty

{n} nicknames :: Debbie, Deb

{o} overnight hospital stays :: only a couple.

{p} pet peeve :: messy people.  writing of others on my perfect paperwork at work...

{q} quote :: "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God" - Corrie TenBoom

{r} righty or lefty :: Righty

{s} siblings :: One older brother, 2 younger sisters

{t} time you wake up :: work days - 0530. non work days 8-9.

{u} university attended :: Biola Univ., Santa Ana College, Vanguard University

{v} vegetables you dislike ::  I like most vegetables.

{w} what makes you run late :: Not much - I tend to be pretty prompt.

{x} x-rays you’ve had :: only a few - never had a broken bone

{y} yummy food :: Mexican food 

{z} zoo animal favorite :: Giraffes

Now it's your turn~ post some randomness  :)

Debbie

The Help

I read the book when it came out and this weekend Erika and I had a mother - daughter date and went to see the movie.

It was very good.

Well, not quite as good as the book but I will probably buy the DVD version when it is released. It is so hard to imagine that people actually lived like these black housekeepers did. In our country. And not so long ago.

I grew up with, and still have, many black friends. When I was in high school, I played on a field hockey team that only had two white girls on the team. So to see a film where the was such division is a little foreign to me. I know that it was and probably still is like this in many areas of our country. But, to me, they were all my friends. There were no differences based on skin color. I am glad that I was able to grow up in an area that is so diverse. It has helped me be a nurse that can give care ~ regardless of race or status.

Being a bit of a rebel that I am, I think I would have been like Skeeter. I would have been looking for the truth and trying to make a difference. I could never see myself as one of the bridge club players or having a maid to raise my children. I'd be the one trying to expose the lies of that time...

If you want to see a good chick flick - The Help is one to see.

~Debbie~

For some it isn't so Happy

Tomorrow is Mother's Day.

A day set apart to honor our mother's and to celebrate our own motherhood.

It is intended to be a special day.

But for some it is not so special or happy.

There are those who have not had a good mother image. A mom that was abusive or neglectful. How do you honor a mother that was not there for you? How do you forgive and become a better mother your self?

There are those who have recently lost their mother's and this is can be a sad day of loss and a wish for what once was.

Women who want to be mother's and can't conceive.

Mom's who have lost babies or young children....it is hard to celebrate when your heart is breaking. I try to send cards to my patients who have lost babies throughout the year. A card to say I remember their special child. A card to say you are a mom, even if your little one is no longer here...but I know it is difficult for them to celebrate. This is one of those holidays that sort of smacks you in the face. It is tough to stand up let alone see and hear everyone else having a "happy mother's day".

If you know someone who has recently had a loss be sure to call them, send them a card, recognize that they are hurting. You may think that you will cause them pain by bringing up their lost loved one~ but trust me, they are already thinking of them and sometimes it just helps to know that some one else remembers too.

Debbie

LAKERS!!

Need I say more?!?!? They rock and are champions again!
Great game tonight!!!!

The MVP - Kobe Bryant

Now if I can just get a Lakers sugar daddy to take me to the games next year :)

Or even better - Kobe and his wife need to have another baby but they need to have it at our hospital this time...not the one down the freeway! And after I take care of them I can have season passes..wouldn't that be a cool dream come true!!

Debbie

On-Call

I got an unexpected day off today - well, so far anyways.

Work called this morning to ask if I wanted to stay home. I said yes, without hesitating. Normally I refuse the on-call and just go in to work. But, I was ready for an unexpected day off.

I've been so busy with work, school, and extra stuff at home that having a little free time has been quite nice!

I organized some work stuff on the computer.

I booked my flight and hotel for an upcoming conference.

I read some of this past weeks newspaper.

I played with Lily.

I started to clean off the kitchen table (so we can actually eat there!)

I re-organized notebooks for school and tossed out the stuff I no

longer needed.

I organized a few things for my parents anniversary party.

Productive? - yes Needed? - yes Wasted? - no

I think I will be ready to go back tomorrow :)

I heart AAA

This morning Lily and I met my good friend Heather for breakfast at this cute little spot in Old Towne Orange called Kimmie's Coffee Cup. The food was quite yummy and I really enjoyed being able to catch up with Heather.

Heather and I started our relationship as a nurse / patient one....but we quickly changed that to a friendship. Heather has 3 boys (whom I got to help deliver) and a great husband. She is one of those people that is always there for you and we can go weeks without seeing each other ~ but the minute we get together it is like we just saw each other the day before. We talk and laugh and just share our life stories.

It was great seeing her again!

Lily was so well behaved and loved her mickey shaped pancakes. I always have fun when babysitting that little girl. She is turning in to quite the social one and loves to get out and do things. It is getting easier to take her places since she is older. It is just too fun!

After breakfast I wanted to go run a few errands with Lily and then go to the park. So, we get to the car, get her all safely buckled in and I go to start the car.......and nothing.....my car just made a weird sound and was dead. I glanced back at Lily and told her we had a slight problem. The car was broke and wouldn't start. She just smiled and thought that was pretty funny.

Luckily I have a membership to AAA. I am so thankful that I do. I called them and they were there within 30 minutes. Not only did the service man test my battery to jump start it for me but he replaced the battery right there on the spot. It was so nice to have such prompt, quick service! I would have totally stressed if I was stranded there with a little one!

AAA - you have my heart and loyalty for years to come!

Debbie

Buttons

I played around today and was finally able to figure out how to add some buttons to my side bar. You can click on them and it takes you to those sites...special women, special babies and I go to these sites frequently for inspiration for the women are such great writers and are good about expressing what is going on in their hearts and lives. Open and transparent - how I imagine myself to be at some point....
I also added a couple of blogs to 'my daily blog fix' that I couldn't figure out how to add as a button...so check those out also.
You can see what I do with what free time I have - which lately is very little since I should be studying and not playing on the computer!! :)
I'll keep playing around for there a couple of others I want to try and add.

If you know me well

If you know me well :

You know how much I miss having Erika around home every day. I was again reminded of this fact when she was here last night (choosing to spend the night at home and take a small break from school. She has a tough semester this fall - carrying 17 units and running). I just relaxed in the fact that she was in my house, even if she was doing homework most of the time she was here.I think she enjoyed being able to meet the new dog, Penny and to spend time playing with her niece, Lily (who also spent the night last night). But I will say, that having a daughter who is involved in school has its benefits too...like when I am missing her too much I can click on the school web site and hopefully find a picture of her...as was the case tonight :)
You too can see her if you go to http://www.biola.edu/ and click on athletics - she pops up in the most current cross country story. She is the one on the right side of the picture wearing the # 308. Ahhh...just being able to look at her...

You know that I like animals, and that my house is its own miniature zoo - thanks mostly to Michelle. But I never planned to get a second dog! A big, lovable yellow lab we call Penny. We are enjoying her and she gets along pretty well with Sydney. One of the hardest things is taking them both on a walk...they walk me, vs. me walking them! I must be just a little bit crazy.

You know that I like my job...but I like being able to do my job and go home. I don't like having medical issues at home. I guess I want to be able to go to work and leave it all behind. But lately that hasn't been the case. We are still dealing with the ongoing foot battle. Though it is closing up. It is taking for ever! Buzz has been off of work since July - hopefully he will be returning by the first of the year. He is back on antibiotics (pills this time not IV) - for his white count was elevated. Not only does he have all of his health issues, but Michelle has her kidney issues. It is time for her do obtain another 24 hour urine sample. So we have that lovely container sitting in the bathroom. She is oh, so excited to get to stay around the house a full day and collect pee...! So fun. And to top if off the new dog has a hematoma on her spay incision site that we have to apply warm compresses to twice a day. I guess once a nurse, always a nurse. It is hard to turn off!

You know that I am passionate about our perinatal comfort care program at St Joseph's. I frequently read blog sites of other parents who have carried a baby to term, knowing full well that their child will not survive long term. I read them to try and understand how parents feel and how best I can serve our parents. Well - I just found out that the Mooney's story will be airing on Oprah this Tuesday, October 28th. It is an episode on miracle children. You can learn more about little Eliot by watching 99 balloons or visiting his blog site. What a special couple they are, and what a special way they have found to honor their little boy. He may have only lived 99 days but he has touched so many lives.

You know that I cram way too much in to my life...hence I never get the sleep I need...wonder if that is why I am dragging...So, I better end this post and call it a night :)