Decisions decisions

Well I finally did it...I decided what I want to be when I grow up. Drum roll please...

An OB nurse!

I feel at peace with the decision and am really looking forward to taking the OB class to see what I really got myself into!

Family

Wade and I have a new addition to our little family--a four legged addition! We've been looking for a puppy for a while and couldn't decide on a breed we liked. We went through everything, took every "what kind of puppy fits your lifestyle" quiz that has existed, and sent countless hours looking up information. We were out looking at basset hounds at a meet and greet event and were totally discouraged. They just lacked the personality we were looking for. We just gave up and resigned ourselves to waiting for a while when we saw a sign for the Humane Society. We figured why the heck not and went on out to their no kill shelter. We found our guy sitting calmly in his kennel while all the other dogs were pitching a fit. After taking him out to play we knew we wanted him but were hesitant to take him just because of his energy level while he played. We left without him and decided to go home and talk it over. Good thing he's such a sweetheart--we just couldn't leave him there! Now we have a 6 month old 50 lb Rhodesian Ridgeback without a ridge. He's shockingly calm indoors, is potty trained (which we did not expect) and an all around sweetheart. Hooray for embarking on another adventure!

Almost there

The last Monday has finally come around....almost done! It's amazing how quick and slow it's passed. I must admit though, there are a few things I'm looking forward to:

1. Extended quality time with Wade. It never occurred to me that I'd miss my husband this much. We dated long distance, but it's not the same. I can't wait to just spend time with him.

2. Homemade food. Willford Hall's cafeteria doesn't even come close.

3. Weather in the 70s! Helllooo Laramie!

4. Seeing my best friend.

I will miss everyone here though! I've had a blast! It will also be hard to leave my family. It's been so nice having them close.

Blessing in Disguise

"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast" Psalm 139: 7-10

God has really shown me the truth of this verse the past two weeks. I grudgingly came to San Antonio for this PDT but low and behold God has used it to catch my attention. In my group of 11 people, there are at least 5 girls who are strong Christians. We pray for each other, talk about the things of God, and are starting a small Bible study. In this time, He's really given me direction and peace about where I need to go. It's more than just what nursing track to go too, it's God nudging me to a deeper relationship with Him. I'm begining to think the only reason God has me here is not to experience the different aspects of nursing, but to grow in a relationship with Him. It really has been a blessing.

Not only has this been a blessing for my faith, but God has really given me peace about being a L&D nurse. I love labor, I love coaching women, and I love babies. Funny, I never thought I'd consider going into OB, but when I walk onto the OB unit I just have this amazing peace. Not only that, but I am comfortable there, I feel like I can really help and make a difference. Funny how God uses us isn't it?

Playing Catch Up

Despite my best efforts at maintaining this, here I am again playing catch up. So much has happened lately and I haven't bothered keeping up with it here. Wade and I just moved to a new apartment that would let us have a puppy! It's bittersweet for me, in a way it was hard to leave the place we first called home. It was the first place we got to be a family of our own. When we were packing I had to smile and remember unpacking a few months ago. We were so excited to live together and spent so much time arranging and rearranging everything until we felt it was just perfect. The first night we slept there, we spent the night on the floor. We ended our time there with slightly more style. Wade and I had wanted to go camping before we moved, but we just ran out of time. Instead, we pitched a tent in our empty living room and slept there. Such great memories!




We barely got moved in when I had to come to San Antonio for a nursing PDT. It's interesting here, much hotter and much more fast paced than home. I'm feeling left behind by my peers in that their enthusiasm for nursing and their passion for being here is immense. I'm still trying to figure out where I want to go, what I want to do, and eventually where I want my life to lead. It's not that I'm not excited to learn new things, it's just that I need to process everything else too. I'm still trying to decide OB/Medical-Surgical. I enjoyed the Internal Medicine floor, but I'm just not sure that's what I want. I was stressing about it earlier and God reminded me that He has sent His Holy Spirit to be a Counselor and to guide me. God's timing is truly good.

Love is Patient

God has blessed me so much with the most amazing husband. He knows me and attends to my needs, understands I when I need gentle words spoken softly in my ear and when I can listen to the truth spoken bluntly, he is gracious and accepts my faults, he works hard to provide for our small family, and plans ahead for the future that will come. My beloved treats me as if I'm one of a kind, invaluable and irreplaceable. He is strong, patient, and kind. I am blessed.

Choices

I got an email today from a Col wanting to know what nursing track I'm choosing...obstetrics or medical surgical. I'm torn. I love OB but I feel med/surg is the bread and butter of nursing. I just don't like it. So the question is do what I love or do what is career building. It reminds me of a story I heard when I was a kid about a mom who named her child "Do as you're told" "Do as you wish" and "Do as you love"--do as you love was the one who was happiest and who truly loved his life. He wasn't rich or famous and he didn't have high stature in society, but he did as he loved and was happy. Fortunately the Col was kind enough to extend my decision until July 1. Time to hit my knees and talk to the one who knows what's best.