Adios alarm clock

Well I did it. I survived 6+ months on day shift. I use to say I would never go to day shift, the thought scared the living daylights out of me. But once I got a good routine down I must say I mastered running the segregation wings. I got to know some of the nurses quite well even though I spent 90% of my time alone in the hole. Sick call use to frighten me, but once I learned the protocols it was a piece of cake.

But ever since I came back to the prison, I have been waiting for an openings on evening shift. My bosses even told me to run off a nurse so I could go back LOL. Needless to say it's where I belong. With Andrea, Becky Roo, Sheila, Lisa and Melissa. The 3+ years I spent on evenings as a brand new nurse shaped me into the nurse I am today. Tomorrow I return to evening shift. I am tickled pink. I will still be in segregation, still have to do all the behind the scene paperwork, ordering meds and restocking... at least until they find someone to take my spot full time on days. But that's ok.

The best part of all is hopefully not seeing 0530 on my alarm for quite awhile. I am so not a morning person. Now here is to adjusting back to staying up to midnight...

Random Update

I officially kinda stink at updating my blog. It has been weeks. It seems like the new year has been rushing by. My last post was a month ago, and man how life has changed. A month ago I was stressed and frustrated and seemed that life was in a rut. Not the way I wanted the New Year to start off, but that's life right? The past month seems to be the roller coaster that we were living on is slowing down to a normality. Our house went back down to 3 with saying goodbye to Brittany as she moved on to the next part of her adventure in her life of healing. It was very strange at first to not have her around. She was with us for about 2 months give or take. I pray that we were a blessing to her and that she knows she will always have a special place in our life even with the distance that separates us. Jessica and Steve both got jobs that keep them hopping. The 3 of us have been working crazy hours with everyone going every which way. It seems odd to have all of us at home at the same time anymore. I am thankful for the jobs that God has provided them. They came in a much needed time. My husband is learning how to juggle 2 jobs and a married life. I say he is doing a pretty darn good job at it. These jobs are really good on his health, and he is doing something he loves...yep back in the mental health field. We filled taxes as a married couple, very odd by the way...we received all 3 of our refunds. Thanks to Missouri for the $12, it bought us a bag of dog food! We managed to get some bills paid, bought some stuff, and are patiently awaiting the news of the cost of repairs on the overheating of my Sebring. Hopefully it won't be too much so we can buy a new couch that we are in love with. Speaking of our house, we have been doing some diy projects and making it more cozy and homey. We got a bistro table at a thrift store. It makes me want to do the coffee theme in our kitchen. But I kinda also like the wine theme. Oh the choices...Let's just say I love making our home, well homey. I have experienced reconnection and fallen more in love with my husband then I thought was possible. We celebrated our first Valentine's Day together. We enjoyed a day of thrift/antique shopping with Jess, then headed to Columbia for some shopping, dinner at our favorite place, and a scary movie. It was nice to get out and enjoy time together. My husband spoiled me rotten, bought me some fun stuff, and I found that I really liked it. I found myself on Valentine's Day reflecting over the past year. A year ago exactly I said goodbye to Steve, well I couldn't actually say goodbye, but I left him and moved across country. Fast forward a year, we have been together as a couple for 9 months. Tomorrow we will be married for 4 months. Speaking of marriage, we should be getting our wedding pictures very very soon. But anyways I am at awe at how far God has brought us in the past year. God has blessed me with a man who cherishes and loves me unconditionally, even when I have the flu and am puking all over the living room. Thanks babe! The biggest news in my life at work is that on March 1st, I am going back to evening shift. Not a lot of people know about it yet. I have wanted to go back to evening shift ever since I moved to Virginia. But I came back and went to days. I have gotten a good routine down in segregation and enjoyed getting to know the day shift nurses. But I am ready to go back to evenings. One more week, and then I go back. I love the hours (3-11:30) and am hoping to get back into my old routine of the gym prior. I just need to learn how to not wake up at 5:30 am every day...

Blessed

I am sitting here this morning, just finished showering and eating breakfast and find myself with a few extra moments before I have to leave for work. I am sitting here enjoying the warmth of my house, the quietness of the morning and Pandora playing softly in the background. Our life seems like a rollar coaster of never ending stress. Most days I can handle it. Last night wasn't one of them. But this morning I was reminded by a precious note of the promise in Jeremiah that all of this stress is part of God's plan for my life. I was also reminded that I am loved. I am loved by God who wants to be a active part of my Life. Loved by a husband unconditionally who sticks by my side even when the stress seems overwhelming, who has helped clean the house when I am at work and goes along with my DIY projects. Loved by friends even when I am not the best of friends. I have a roof over my head that has become my home, heat in the Vents, food in the fridge, gas in the cars, and a job I enjoy. I am divinely blessed.

Writing Table!

Yesterday when I got off of work, I found my hubby waiting for me in the parking lot. Yay for me! I guess my car is acting up again with overheating and he was concerned enough that he wanted to follow me home in it...ironically only when he drives it though. This month we have the last car payment, the light at the end of the tunnel is shinning brightly. I got to meet the hubby's barber that he has been raving about. Supposedly he is the best in town. He does a pretty spiffy job on the hubby's hair and I guess is old school about it. After the barber we ran to Walmart to grab dinner, and after what seemed like forever finally settled on fried chicken. Ehh not the best in the world. Somehow my husband has a way of convincing me to let him get stuff for the house, I guess you could say he has me wrapped around his little finger. We managed to come home with a writing table. Though I am not sure why it's called it. It's lay man's terms, it's an entrance table by my front door to hold our wedding sand. It looks perfect. It goes with a coffee table/end table set that we are going to get probably come pay day. Now that the wedding/holidays are over we are trying to focus on making our home more homey. Last night we got word that Steve's dad had a MI with 100% blockage in an artery. After a stent placement, the rumor around the family is that he is doing good. ICU for a few days I imagine. It sometimes stinks us being so far away from family. Especially when I can see how much Steve would have like to be with his family last night. Se la vie. I started using MFP again. Depending on how today goes, I am going to try and go to the gym today...if not at least tomorrow since I am off. I need to go. I need to stop making excuses. I know me well enough, that all I need is a day or two to step foot back in the gym and then bam routine will hit. I think I started grinding my teeth last night. I woke up this morning with a headache and teeth hurting. Go me! My ringworm has been itching more in the lat 24 hours. It's all driving me crazy! Oh well off to the popo I go. But hey at least I have tomorrow off, right?

Rambling Early Morning

The last 2 days I have woken up plain exhausted. I crashed in bed last night. Bed time seems to be getting earlier and earlier. I think I am getting old. I think I managed to almost push Steve out of bed last night like several times...whoops. I am sitting here drinking like a pot of coffee trying to get energy to cook breakfast. I don't think it's working. McDonald's may have a customer...but shh don't tell my husband since we are suppose to be not using money. Last night the Postel's were over, and I couldn't decide what to make for dinner... then it hit me. Homemade manicotti, well really homemade lasagna roll ups. It turned out quite yummy, but then really when it noodles, cheese and spaghetti sauce not yummy? I really do like cooking, it's just I never have the motivation and I make the same thing over and over; which is why yesterday was yummy, cuz it was different and new for the hubby. Anyways I really should start looking for new recipes I think. When I was making dinner last night I heard on TV that this girl has a blog that's titled "overanalyzer" and I thought to myself umm that should be my blog's name. I may even change it to it. LOL. And then I thought, could you imagine if I actually blogged about what was on my mind half of the time? I would be in soooo much trouble. There is a reason my blogs are far and few in between, because I have learned to keep my mouth shut. Yesterday I actually contemplated going to the gym. I really want to get back on track with a healthy lifestyle. And I know it would benefit Steve's health, our marriage, and everything else in life. I was going to go to the gym after work. But then we had company and I made dinner. So scratch that idea. I need to figure out a routine. I need to step foot back in that ymca. I need motivation. I need to stop drinking coffee and tea. The tea at work and the tea at home is like McDonald's sweet tea...yah not so healthy... Anyways I am not sure why I wrote this blog, I guess to pass time as I am sipping a cup of joe. Anyways off to work for another fun filled day in the life of the DOC.

Goodbye 2011!

2011 is quickly flying out the door. Within a few short hours we will be celebrating the beginning of a new year. Well most likely I will be sound asleep when the new year rings in; however you can't properly say hello to the new year without saying goodbye to the old one. So here is a tribute to 2011.

The past month has been a blur. With 4 people living under 1 roof life's been crazy busy as we have all adjusted to living together. We celebrated Christmas with Steve's family visiting for a quick minute. We had a splendid time. I worked and it dawned on me that I had spent the past 4 Christmas's in segregation. Baf had her first Christmas with us. I got a beautiful and meaningful present from my hubby that I absolutely loved. And we enjoyed some great cooking from his mama. Yesterday I found out I had ringworm. Go me! Enjoy the couple of Christmas pics...but seriously enough about the past month...

This past year can be classified in one single world..."change". This year has been a roller-coaster of changes. It has been exhausting. I started the year off right, on track with getting my life healthy...thinking that I was doing the right thing by preparing to give up my life in Missouri and trek across the good ole' country and starting life over near my family. I left Missouri burned out, heartbroken and desperately needing a new start. I needed to get away from some stress. Little did I know that God would find humor in my plan and reroute it causing me to go full circle...during that 6 month sabbatical in the desert of the nation's capital I lost, reconnected and fell in love with my best friend and found myself driving back across the good ole' U.S. of A. returning to my nursing job at MCC but this time with a ring on my finger with the best road trip partner ever planning our future. I got hitched to my most favorite person in the entire world on a beautiful October day (in which I still say I won the bet...just sayin') and have been in marital bliss for just over 2 months now. Sure we have had our bumps in the road as we have merged our life's as one, but it's been worth it.

As 2011 was the year of change, I am praying and 2012 will be the year of panning out the bumps in the road. I pray that we will be able to figure out Steve's health problems; that finances will calm down and we will be able to pay off debt and grow a savings account; get back on track with striving for a healthy lifestyle; reconnect with my family; continue to fall madly in love with my husband and maybe just maybe start preparing for a growing family; but most importantly that I will make God first in my life and in my marriage. That's my goal for 2012.

Saturday Morning Cartoons

I am sitting here as I type this blog watching cartoons. I remember those many Saturday mornings growing up where all 5 of us kids would end up on the couches watching cartoons without a care in the world usually with a cup of hot coco and toast. Where eventually mom and dad would wake up around noon and we would make a family brunch; and as we got older we would skip the parents part and we would just make breakfast. Usually pancakes or french toast. Even this summer when I was in Virginia I still found my younger sisters watching cartoons in the morning with a cup of hot coco and toast. Some things never change, especially a good old lazy family day, without a care in the world. This morning reminds me of it. Steve is in bed sleeping thanks to some stupid stomach crap, and Baf, Cady and I are on the couches watching cartoons without a single thing planned in our day. I love mornings like this.

This week our home has went from boring and quiet to full of people. Baf FINALLY came to visit us on Monday. It seems like this time would never come, but she is finally here. I love just having her around. She has been a big part of my life the past few months. I think there was only a couple of days where she didn't keep me company in the evenings when I was home alone. I am now trying to come up with a plan on how to secretly keep her here... Jess moved in with us on Wednesday. She finally decided it was time to return to good ole' Misery. So she is renting out our spare bedroom as she is getting back on her feet and starting a new chapter in her life.

Thursday we went to Living Windows downtown. It was extremely boring and lame compared to the past several years that I have been. Oh well.

This past week at work has been rough. I had my first hanging last Saturday - successful for him, not for us with CPR. Sunday I had a guy on suicide watch who attempted suicide by cutting. He had multiple cuts up and down his hand and wrist and cut his right antecubital deep enough to expose his vein. I had a new nurse I was training all week and kept her hopping with more suicide watches, a new guy with Huntingtons-Chorea, 3 people who decided it would be fun to hit walls and break their hands, lots and lots of pepper pray, refusals of mandated TB meds, several self declare emergencies, death meetings and a ton of MSR's.

On top of it my headaches have returned full force. A few of them have them full blown migraines with the light sensitivity, nausea, dizzyness, etc. 4 of the past 7 days...not fun! Sleep is the only thing that helps.

I have been fighting with Verizon all week. I am trying to get them to waive the early termination fee. Considering I have been with them since 2005. My phone sucks in Moberly. I might as well not be paying for the data plan. Why have a smart phone with I cant use the smart part of it. Yesterday my lovely husband decided it would be a grand idea to reset the phone. What he failed to realize is I have to be in Verizon towers to reactivate it (which Moberly isn't thanks to the lovely extended network and Sprint towers). So now I am without a phone. I wont lie, it sucked last night. Today I am just like "eh whatever". The two people I want to talk to are in my house with me, so it's all good. Steve did go ahead and ordered me a phone through Sprint. It's suppose to be here sometime next week. I am soooo done with Verizon, even if I do have to pay the early termination fee, it will still save a ton of money in the end by having us on a family plan instead of two individual plans.

This weekend I am hoping to not have much go on. A nice relaxful weekend at home is just what the doctor ordered for the sick hubby, the healing Baf, and the exhausted me. LOL!