Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Signs of Spring



I'm especially excited about pretty juice, new hand soap, and flowers. And not-too-hot weather.
Can you tell? 

Spring smells and looks really good.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

A stroll along the Pacific

Did I ever tell you about my Christmas present?
I didn't think so.
Remember the bike I wanted?
J got it for me! :) (thanks hun!)


I love it! My beautiful green bike. So how often have I ridden it? Not very many times. A few! But not too many. I look at it every day in my garage though and think, where am I going to go ride that beautiful bike?


Today was the day. My good friend and I rode our bikes around Fiesta Island and along the water. It was beautiful out (I thought - nice and cloudy, not too hot and not too cold). And we had the best time. Katie + anything = ten times better.


I'm thankful for my friend and fellow future nurse.
And I'm thankful for Spring Break, so I can finally hang out with her. :)

Dear John,

Thank you for my oh-so-beautiful and perfectly-colorful-organizing tub/bucket (I mean, "updated storage container" or whatever you called it, that made it sound much fancier that "tub"). :)


I'm still deciding what I'm gonna do with it. But don't you worry, it will be perfect for whatever it gets used for. And oh so cute.

I love Target trips with you almost as much as I love you.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Breakfast, coffee and desert in one

I had the pleasure of having coffee with my grandma this morning. We had coffee and breakfast, and then 'dessert' as she said. :) All in one.

My grandma always reminds me of the joy in life. I love spending time with her.

She also went with me to the dry cleaners, when we found out they were going to charge $45 to... not dry clean... stick it in their big washer. We both said, forget it. I will find my own large washer. :) And Grandma offered to clean it for me. She's always offering herself.

I got her on my "pray for a nursing job" prayer committee. I am excited. I am praying too. But when my Grandma prays, things happen. Watch out, world.

She's simply the best!!

The joys of paper writing

Writing a family theory paper is really not fun. In fact, it is totally boring and completely frustrating. And incredibly slow-moving.



But springtime snacks (pretty pink pomegranate lemonade and oranges), a cute mouse, and sweet animals sure make it a bit better.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

They love their auntie

I'm pretty sure there isn't anyone who loves animals as much as my sister.

She's not afraid. Of any animals. In fact, animals are drawn to her. We grew up with animals (many), and she was never shy to get down and dirty with them. She meets them where they are.

If she could, she would have a zoo of dogs in her house right now. She would adopt one every Sunday. I have no doubt one day she will. :)

Just related to our animals...
She convinced J and I to keep Luigi. She loved that little bird the moment she saw him.
She took care of our Emma bear week 2 of us getting her while we went on a trip we had already planned. Carly is still Emma's favorite person.
She actually asks about Aqua and Tic. No one asks about our fish. But Carly does. :)
She came to meet Baker at Petco and loved him. Then she came over to make sure he was settling in ok.

Yesterday, she came over to say hi (I like to think she came to see me and J. But I'm not sure). And Baker crawled right up in her arms and cuddled with her.

And Emma was right behind him. Literally.

Em and Bakes showed her how much they love each other.

They both love her.
We all do.

You're gonna be a great vet, sis. You're perfect for the job.

Girl's Night Out

Friday night, I called up my mom and sis and invited myself along on a girl's night extravaganza at church. It was so fun to go back to my home church with the girls for a night of pampering. I most definitely forgot to take pictures, so my not-so-articulate words will have to suffice for explaining the evening.

Well, that's what they called it. They did have a massage table, but the line was like an hour long. And they told me how rude it is to wait to RSVP to things. I know, I'm not a fast RSVP-er. It's my way of being free spirited and "going with the flow" ... I know. I'm ridiculous (and wrong). They did have some yummy snacks, though, and these amazing cupcakes (poor Mom's fell off her plate, and then I kicked it to make matters worse, which spread the frosting all over the carpet. Aren't we a pair!).

Mom bought me the prettiest flower homemade earrings (thanks Mom! I already wore them once!), and I picked up a colored flower chocolate. I am a sucker for all things chocolate. And spring time colors. And anything with flowers. We learned how to fold napkins into bunnies. Guess I should buy some fancy linens now so I can fold bunnies in the comfort of my own home. :)

There was a raffle, and we got to pick which two raffles to enter. Well wouldn't you know it, but I won the tea bag of goodies!! I hardly ever win things like that - it was totally cool! I got tons of flavors of tea, a pretty pink mug, a book, a ring pop, and a lipstick set (not totally sure how the last two fit in...).

What a fun night of randomness, laughs, food, encouragement, and my mom and sister. I love being a girl.

Thanks for letting me tag along, guys! And if anyone is in need of new lipstick, I have about 10 beautiful new colors which I am totally willing to donate to a good cause ... ;)

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Rags to Riches

Yesterday was a frustrating day. Like, one of those days when you remember all the annoying moments and fail to see the good moments.
- I was irritated with my professors.
- Theory class was less than productive, and ethics class was moved to I couldn't go to bible study.
- I was late to meet my friend.
- I smashed my finger in the door of my car (like, it was stuck in my locked closed door. So now it's basically out of commission for awhile, which is a huge disadvantage, seeing as I work with my hands at the hospital, especially my right pointer finger!).
- I didn't feel good after lunch.
- And I have a zillion papers to write. Ok, maybe just 6, and 3 presentations. But it feels like a zillion. In 4 weeks.

But in the midst of that, I was reminded that God is faithful. And His grace prevails in the midst of life's frustrations.
- I went for a morning sunrise walk with my husband and pups.
- My dogs are becoming best friends.
- I had the best lunch with my mentee.
- I saw another arena of nursing - palliative care. I heard testimony after testimony from an MD about people who found hope in Jesus in their last days, which brought a period of peace. I was reminded that Jesus brings true peace. And he changes lives.
- I got out of class early.
- I got to go to bible study after all, and be encouraged by some amazing ladies.
- And J welcomed me home with the sweetest hug.

I wish I had seen those blessings a little sooner in the day.
But that's ok.
Thank goodness God's grace is sufficient to meet me in my selfish frustration, and remind me of his joy.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
2 Corinthians 12:9

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."
Colossians 3:15

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Early to bed

Yes, it is 8:00pm and I am headed into bed to watch 24 on my laptop with J.

Then, to bed to bed I said I said.
(that's how I knew it was bedtime growing up)

I like that J is tired early this week.
We are finally on the same schedule!

I'm an old lady.

Actually, I'm just my mom. :)

Monday, March 22, 2010

All dressed up

Could he be any cuter?

I can't wait for him to come home so I can hear all about his first day!

Hidden costs of dog ownership

It started with Emma's kitchen days.
She climbed over the counter and greeted us at the front door when we got home.
Our dishwasher only works half the time.
And our cabinets need some desperate resurfacing.
But it was ok because she was cute. She just wanted to get out of there.
Needless to say, that was her last day in the kitchen.
She won.

And most recently, Baker continued the tradition. In our bedroom.

Day 1:
Day 2:
Yep. We made a Home Depot trip that night for more blinds.
And Baker got to be in the living room with Emma.
He only ate a couple blinds in there.
Which required another trip to get a second set of blinds.
But it's ok because he's cute and just wanted to get out of the room.
He won.

The adoption people don't tell you that part.

But we knew. And we adopted them anyway. And we love them in spite of it all.

Our hope is that they will expend their energy playing with each other from now on. :)

Welcome home, Baker!

Our second little Terrier mix pup, Baker, came home to live with us on Wednesday. He was so sleepy and still under effects of anesthesia, since he had gotten neutered just that morning. Poor little guy was so out of it, but still smiled and wagged his tail.
We tried to put him on his bed, but he rolled off.
Once he began waking up, he started moving slowly and made it halfway between his and Emma's beds before he got tired.
Emma was really not sure what to think about him.
Then she got brave enough to sniff him. Their first interaction.
Learning how to go outside to go potty. Emma: "Mom, what is he?"
Since Wednesday, he has quickly become a part of the family and showed some of his personality. He likes the bathroom.
He likes his head scratched.
He looks like a sea otter when he stands.
Bear still watches him closely.
But they have started to play a little. And they lay together.
I love our little family of canines. :)
He's healthy and healing nicely, he lays at our feet, he follows us, and Emma, he's fairly potty trained, he eats when I feed him, and he is darn cute.
Welcome home Baker boy! You have already added so much joy to our family. I love you little one!

Saturday, March 20, 2010

The real graduation

Yesterday/Friday, John had his final day at Point Loma Nazarene University. He worked for 6.5 years in varying roles: student tech, student network systems programmer, network administrator, and most recently the university's network engineer.

What did he do while working there? In my best technology words, I'll try to show you.

He organizes all these cables. He knows what they all go to.
He did lots with macs. I think he brought these. And wireless internet. But I don't know what that looks like.
He changed the entire university's phone system from looking like this (behind the scenes):
to this! (the little blue square boxes... it is much simpler! Go Cisco VOIP).
He managed to get a computer like this (he taught me this is not two computers, but one with two monitors).
His sweet telephone - with me speed dialed. It pays to be the wife ;)
He ran this. This is the 'core router' and all the little cable plugs go to all the different places on campus, and he knows which one each goes to and what it does... etc.
He mentored these two, his own private student workers. ;) And they have learned so much! What great guys.
Point Loma has truly been such a blessing in so many ways, and the people J has worked with will always be so special to him, and me.

Paul, Corey, and John are the three musketeers, basically. They all worked together initially. Paul was John's preceptor, and Corey is now the manager at PLNU. What great friends. It's so neat that we've all kept in contact. We have dinners together periodically (Paul and Amy, Corey and Nicole, John and me, and the kids), and it's always so great to catch up.
They enjoyed breakfast together bright and early on Friday. Corey is John's very best buddy, and Paul is just the glue of the friendship. Seriously the funniest interactions happen between these guys.

Then the team went out to lunch.
And had an all-ITS get-together farewell party for him in the afternoon. John loves these guys, and they love him.
And he got this beautiful clock from the university. What a beautiful and generous gift. It is so special.
And a hug on paper from me when he got home, until I got home from clinical to give him a real one.
Farewell Point Loma. Thank you for taking care of my husband in his time there.
And honey, happy graduation... part two. :) Here's to the next big adventure.