Changes Ahead!

I don't know why, but at work a lot of the time I feel the "hurry up and wait" feeling. Whether a patient is supposed to go to a procedure or be discharged to another floor I feel like I'm working really hard and really fast and then for some small reason, I'm waiting. It happened last night. My patient got a bed on the floor at about 8:15, I called report, got him all packed up, I even got the annoying cage for the oxygen tank (this is the dumbest rule of all time). I was getting a patient from the ED that really needed to come up and get dialysis and the transporter was taking f.o.r.e.v.e.r. to get the patient out of the room and she kept making phone calls. I was trying to get my other patient settled so that when the patient from the ED came up everything would be taken care of, but I finally asked her if she needed anything, and she said she needed help pushing the bed. There weren't any extras to push (IV poles, bipap machines, etc.), just the patient in the bed. I offered to help and she said "it's ok, I can do it." Grrrr. If only she would have thought of that 20 minutes ago. Anyway, after waiting for her to get the patient out of the room and waiting for it to be cleaned I got my patient. The night went great, but it made me think of other "hurry up and wait" moments in my life. 

Lately, I've had quite a few. I've been living at home for the past couple of months (thanks mom and dad!) and I finally found a place! I'm so excited, it's so cute and in a great area, and much closer to work! We found the place (hurry!) and tried to find roommates (wait). Found two! Looking for one more. We get to move in oh, like yesterday (hurry!), but the house needed to be cleaned and the carpets needed to be cleaned (wait). 

I guess there are a lot of parts of life that I need to work hard, do my best, and then be patient and wait for the outcome. That patience thing, I'm not so good at it. I think that's one of the lessons the Lord lets me learn over and over again. I have to put forth the effort, do the work, and he lets me wait on Him and have a little patience, but it's always worth it. 

This has been a really great/busy year, including . . . graduating from BYU . . . NSNA Convention/lots of meetings . . . passing the NCLEX . . . getting a job . . . missing my nursing school classmates (spending the last 3 years together and then everyone moving away = I miss my friends!) . . . Fiji with the family . . . moving out of Provo (not easy) . . . deciding who I want to be and what I want to do . . . moving home (not what I thought I would be doing, but grateful for the time at home with my family) . . . watching Alyssa rock nursing school . . . having my first real job . . . not being in school (I LOVE school and not having that in my life this past year has been an adjustment, and it makes me want to go back) . . . hearing about Taylor's freshman year (oh the memories) . . . going to Maddie's basketball games . . . moving out!

This next year has a lot of potential and I already have some great things planned, I'm really excited. I am going to do great things, visit exciting places, and hopefully make some great changes. I can't wait to tell you all about it!

Pretty Work Out

All my sisters are home for Christmas (hooray!) and this morning we all headed to the gym. As we were getting ready, one of my sisters (whom I will not name, but if you know my family I'm sure you know which one I'm talking about) says "I just don't get those people who go to the gym looking like crap", as she is putting in her hair extensions and applying mascara. I'm pretty sure she had earrings on too.

I guess I'm one of those people who look like "crap" at the gym. Or my mascara budget is a little tighter.  

The Gym - Where Nobody Knows Your Name (Repost)

I wrote this post about 18 months ago and it still applies!! Just thought I would double share it :) [everyone except the biggest loser group still comes!]


I love people watching, whether it's an old couple sharing an ice cream, girls trying on clothes in the mall and thinking they are the only people in the whole store, or some guy in his car picking his nose, it's just fun! Sometimes we will make up little stories about those we are observing from a not-creepy distance. My mom, my sister, and I go to the gym together every morning. It's our little "thing" and I really look forward to it. There are also others who come everyday at the same time as we do - the morning regulars. We don't know them and they don't know us, but they are definitely familiar faces. At the gym, we have come up with nick names for some these more memorable "friends" of ours and I thought I would share a few and the origins of their names. (DISCLAIMER: These are not meant in any kind of mean way, they are simply observations and we can have conversations about these people because we use this set of common names. If you can read these without casting bad judgment on those who came up with them, please enjoy! If not, wait for the next post!)

1. Patti Peruvian - she is actually one of our real friends now, but before we knew her, we didn't like her much. There was an unspoken duel between her and I - we liked the same equipment for the same classes. At times it became quite immature as both of us would walk quickly to the desired machine at an unusual pace. For tread class I would want to be on the treadmill next to my mom, but she liked that one too (I have no idea why), but she would always come and be right between us, so we just started coming earlier. Of course, I won. I don't remember how it came about, but we started talking and she's actually really great! She is from Peru and goes back every year for a month or two. We love you Patti Peruvian. (Oh, and her name really is Patti)

2. BYU Boy - this is probably the stupidest of our names. He is actually a well-known former BYU football player, but hey, who knew? Well, we didn't at least. He would always wear BYU t-shirts and he looks so young, we used to debate if he was pre- or post-mish. Yes, post-mish, post-college, and married with children. Oh well! We still call him BYU Boy.

3. Onion Man - I'm sure onion man is very nice (he was also mentioned in a previous post), however, he sweats profusely - PROFUSELY - and it smells like onions, really bad. If you're within a 10-foot circumference of him, it's so bad you can't breathe. He always smiles and the stench doesn't really appear until he has worked out long enough to create large sweat marks all over his t-shirt, so you just casually move to another area when the time comes, no big deal.

4. Princess Leia - ahhh, one of my favorites. She appeared at the gym about 2 years ago when she was either engaged or newly wed. She would wear the rock her husband bought her, a new work out ensemble every day, make up (of course), and her hair up in these ridiculous buns waaaaay on top of her head. I'm not sure about these people who wear make up to the gym, if you're working out, it usually just sweats itself off, but whatever. Anyways, because of her quaft of hair (which is still present to this day), she earned her code name of "Princess Leia".

5. Booby Mom and her Booby Daughters - a few summers ago this mom and her two daughters got new boobies together (or that's how it appeared). I'm guessing they were recent high school grads and this was maybe a graduation present? I don't know, but that could be a feasible scenario for these three. They would come in their tight, revealing tops and work out in the area with many many mirrors. They would usually lift really light weights that would show off their new purchases and stare at each other. It was hard not to stare, it was quite a sight!

6. Frizzy Mom - typical mom in her early- to mid-forties. Usually wears running shorts that are too short and some work out top that looks like it just doesn't match (usually one of those outfits that make you tip your head to the side and say "huh?"). Very friendly, well, friendly to the skinny hot moms. She thinks she is all that and a bag of barbecue ruffles with ridges. And she has really frizzy long hair that she thinks looks really good. Most of the people I have described I quite like, they seem nice and it's just kinda fun to have a code name that fits them. However, this one is different. She isn't very nice so I don't feel as bad calling her frizzy.

7. The Biggest Loser - this is a group of people, actually, and they all pay to come live in a house and get personal training and nutrition assistance (like the biggest loser) for about 8 weeks at a time. They basically spend all day at the gym and they work really hard. It's kinda fun to see people so dedicated and working so hard for a common goal - quite motivating sometimes!

8. Old Golf Man - he is one of my favorite people. He comes to the gym and lifts weights everyday and then gets one of the 25-pound bars and works on his golf swing for at least 20 minutes. One day he even asked me if I was a volleyball player because I'm so tall - thank you golf man, I love compliments! :)

9. The Dads - this group is never the same group of dads, but there are always a few from the group that are in the weights area together. They aren't in fantastic shape, are starting to get guts that hang over their basketball shorts, and try to lift like the high school boys. They still think they are in their "prime" and it's charming. My favorite is when they are talking about their kids but don't want to sound un-masculine so they usually do it while curling some heavy-ish weight and using a deeper voice. News flash - you're still taking Katie to kindergarten and talking to your other gym dad friends about how much you miss her while trying to lift.

This video helps illustrate my point:

The Case of the Quesadilla

I worked 6 of the last 8 days. SIX! That's a lot! Especially when they are 12 hour days. Anyways, yesterday, my last of these past few busy days, was really really busy. I was so excited when I transferred my second patient to the floor at 4:15 and I finally got to eat lunch. Because I woke up late (ah! I hate this!! Definitely a New Year's Resolution will be to be early for work-ok, at least on time), I didn't have time to pack a lunch, but I did remember cash (which I usually forget whenever I need it). I had been thinking about a turkey wrap on the yummy spinach tortilla thing all day and when I arrived in the cafeteria I was sorely disappointed. They were closed. At 4:00. It's a Sunday. So I just stood there, I don't know what else to get. I always get the turkey wrap or the Mexican food on Fridays. Then the little Asian woman walked over to the counter where they make the delicious wraps, I totally thought I had a chance. I asked her if there was any chance she wouldn't mind making one more (nothing was cleaned up, everything was out and ready), she said "no, we are close, I go home". Seriously, that's what she said. So I asked again nicely, "so you can't make just one more?" - let's be honest, I'm starving, it's late, and all I want is a turkey wrap, I would make it myself if they just let me behind that little counter. She responds "I say no, I go home." I almost started laughing, but I thought that might be rude, not like she was being very Christmas spirit-y, but I didn't. I turned around wandered around the cafeteria about four more times, and decided on a quesadilla. After I made my decision, to my chagrin, the same Asian woman was now behind the grill counter! Didn't she have to go home? Anyways, I ordered a quesadilla, the cheese was all melty just how I like it, and I grabbed a little pico (I love pico). I was over the turkey wrap, they will be back on Monday. I said "thank you!" she said "mmhmm, you  like extra sassa?" [I'll translate, sassa = salsa] What?? Now she is being nice?? I said "yes please, thanks! Have a Merry Christmas!" to which she said "mmhmm". I was so confused.

Links I Like

This week there have been a lot of links for things I have actually read/enjoyed! Here is a small sampling:

"Lessons In Manliness: Atticus Finch"

http://artofmanliness.com/2011/02/02/lessons-in-manliness-from-atticus-finch/

15 Winter Dating Ideas (these look really fun!!-hint, hint)

http://www.eastercloset.com/2011/12/15-winter-dating-ideas-guest-post-by.html?spref=fb

This is HI-LAR-IOUS! I love it!!