Sharp Race Towards Brain Aneurysm Awareness

On Sunday I participated in a 5K that was truly special. Sometimes you sign up for races weeks in advance and the morning of the race you are thinking to yourself "why did I sign up for this..I just want to sleep in" but I'm really glad I got my butt out of bed for this one! One of the race sponsors was The Nebraska Medical Center so I had seen the signs posted in our break room and figured it would be a very worthy cause to donate to. Anita Sharp was a patient at TNMC after she developed a brain aneurysm during the holiday season last year. After the help of Dr. Thorell, a neurosurgeon, and numerous health care professionals she is doing remarkably well and is on her way to recovery! 

Working on a unit where patients don't stay very long and usually head to a rehab facility, I don't get to see my patients after they leave the hospital. So it was inspiring to see a patient that had once been in the ICU and was now enjoying a gorgeous day outside! 

Beautiful Day for a run at Lake Zorinski 

Dr. Thorell announcing that over 20 survivors were present for the race. 

 The race itself was a hot and muggy one! I finished in 31:24 which wasn't bad considering the hills and the heat. Each participant got 2 raffle tickets they could choose to place in different prize jars. They announced the winners of various raffle prizes but the REAL winners that day were the many survivors that showed up! Some even ran the 3.1 miles, which is an amazing testament to the endurance of the human spirit! 

The Power of Prayer

I have said many times that the closest I have felt to God was when I was in Africa. God is always just a prayer away but there is something really amazing about feeling a certain connection to a place that sets your faith on fire. That place may be in a small church, near a calm lake or even halfway around the world in an impoverished country. However you don't even need to be in that certain nostalgic place to be close to God. Even though the world around you may be spinning with to-dos, computer screens, and heavy traffic there is always one calm place that is only a prayer away. Prayer is a unique gift that I believe is a Godsend (Literally!)

For some people it may not come natural and for others it is a necessary form of communication. I have learned to open up more in prayer and welcomed the notion of praying out loud before my shift at the pregnancy center with the other wonderful women there. And I wholeheartedly believe that prayer is a powerful thing! Prayer can heal a broken heart, cure a condition that was thought to be hopeless or bring two people closer together. I don't really have to go into a lot of detail but asking, thanking, worshiping, or connecting with your Lord is a tool that comes in very handy in a busy, busy world!

And even though I felt closest to God while I was in Africa, I feel day after day God working to bring special people into my life even if our paths cross for just a short amount of time. These people could be patients of mine, coworkers or even just someone in line at the checkout of Target. I found myself thinking the other day that as much as I attempt to work on a higher acuity unit to gain more experience, I am on my unit for a very important reason. I am in the spot God wants me when I meet a special patient that shares my faith and also when I struggle with finding the reason for such illness and pain in the world. I can grow closer to the Lord through other Christians but I can also grow closer to God when I use the compassion He has taught me. 

Some shifts are frustrating and beyond tiring but when you hear a patient's testimony and see her struggle but know that she will prevail because of God's glory then it makes it all worth it! Some nurses may not find the depth of their work as a caregiver. I hope I never become blinded to the good in every shift at the hospital and knowing that a little prayer can make all the difference! 

Posting to stay awake..

Hi everyone and Happy Hump day! If you have seen the commercial with the camel going around the office on Hump Day I'm sure it has made you smile! I always think of it on Wednesday now :) I'm finishing up my first of three shifts and trying to stay awake for the remainder. My bed is calling my name and even though the shift has gone by fast, it now seems to be dragging. I had some interesting patients tonight and wanted to write about a few new diagnoses that I had never heard about before. This may seem boring for you non-health care workers but I found it to be pretty informative.

 

Concrete Burns // This patient had significant burns from concrete years ago and he is still having difficulties with them. He had to have a skin graft which is pretty common treatment for extensive burns. When concrete is dry the compound in it is harmless, however when it is dry the Calcium Hydroxide is very alkaline and creates a burn on the acidic skin. Burns can come from concrete, grout, stucco, plaster or mortar. This is why people who work with cement need to wear long sleeve shirts, gloves and pants at all times. I was going to put pictures of the burns on here but I will let you Google image it if you are really curious because it is not a pretty sight.

 

Smouldering Myeloma // Another patient of mine had a history of this specific type of myeloma which is in essence dormant but can cause 4 specific things - elevated calcium level, renal failure, anaemia, and bone lesions. This type of myeloma is a type of inactive multiple myeloma which people are more familiar with. There can still be many complications with smouldering myeloma and follow-up with a doctor is recommended every 3-6 months. People with smouldering myeloma have a higher risk of developing multiple myeloma anywhere from months to years of a diagnosis of smouldering myeloma.

 

So yes that I what I do when I am bored at work and trying to stay awake. I sometimes like to compare my patients' symptoms to research articles. I know..I'm a nerd! I will have more interesting things for you later this week like a recap of our wonderful vacation in Boji :)

#1 Cause of Death in America & {Topic Tuesday Link Up}

I have to share something that has been on my heart a lot lately. Yesterday while at work at AAA Center for Pregnancy Counseling I picked up a book that I noticed on one of the desks there. It was called "Unplanned" and tells a story of a women who worked at Planned Parenthood for 8 years before realizing what was happening right before her eyes! Right away I started reading the book because I was curious as to what she had to say about this unique change of heart experience she had. I couldn't put it down and was almost brought to tears by just the first few pages.  I will continue to read it and do a book review in the months to come!
We had a difficult case while I was working yesterday too. A woman came in that was pretty determined that she knew the outcome of her pregnancy would be an abortion. But by the will of God her heart opened up and she was willing to consider being a parent! I see things like this all the time at the center and am so over-joyed to be part of this great organization.

Last night I went for a little jog and did a HIT workout that lasted about 20 minutes. After that Alex and I watched Identity Thief which we both found to be pretty hilarious! I loved all of Melissa McCarthy's little comments like "Stop being a Vagina!" 

Then right before heading to bed I stumbled upon this blog post and found that yet again God was placing these poor women and helpless babies on my heart. H.R.1797 is a House Bill that, if passed, would ban abortions after 20 weeks due to the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. At 20 weeks if a woman is going to have in-utero surgery, the doctor would administer pain medication to the baby, however if an abortion is performed at the same week gestation, the baby would receive NO pain medication! Astonishing isn't it? Thankfully, Congressman Jeff Fortenberry who is the representative of my district and Congressman Steve King who is the representative of my hometown district both co-sponsor this House Bill so I know their stance on the issue! I had to do some research and it was interesting to see that on this site  you can follow the bill as it goes through legislature. I pray that these lawmakers defend these women and babies!

On a MUCH lighter note.... I am linking up again for Topic Tuesday! This week is 6 Favorite Products.

1 // Caribou Coffee - Just the best! Unfortunately the closest Caribou coffee shop is in Sioux City but luckily I can still buy the grounds at Hy-Vee

2 // Advocare Nutrition Bar - best tasting energy bar I have tried and I really do think it fuels me for a workout! (sometimes you wonder if it is just all mental) This is the Double-Chocolate flavor I got from my Mom for my birthday. Each bar has 140 calories and 10 grams of Protein 

3 // Mod Podge - A must have for me with all my DIY projects!

4 // Kindle - Great summer accessory poolside or long roadtrips. Currently reading "Gone Girl" 

5 // Soysationals Inspirations Candle - This was a gift from Alex. One of his co-workers makes these and I have to remember to get more! These candles actually smell continuously whether they are lit or not! They have a strong warm fragrance that fills up my basement bathroom.

6 // Psalm 51:10 Mosaic Decor -  Shameless plug for my Etsy Shop :) This honestly is one of my favorite products in my shop and if you want your very own feel free to contact me or comment below!

Have a great & blessed Tuesday everyone!

This & That {Mid Week Thoughts}

Hi Everyone, after I posted a recipe and tutorial plus weekend events I thought I would just share some random thoughts. First one has to be a funny moment at work. I was helping a co-worker turn a patient and this lady was yelling out "Help me Jesus..Oh Lord!" because she was hurting pretty bad. I think to myself..Oh this women must be a believer and a nice Christian lady. Well I was a little wrong. The next statement out of her mouth was "You know you are going to burn in hell for all the stuff you are putting me through!" Wow Lady! that is a pretty strong statement for 3 in the morning. Of course statements like this aren't rare up on the 9th floor so my co-worker and I just laughed it off. I should report that this lady was pretty confused too! The lady then continued to say that she was going to smack us and my co-worker reminded her that assaulting a health care worker is a felony (One of my favorite laws!)

 

I'm really liking this song right now by Chris August. The song has really grown on me and as a newlywed I like how it tells a story. I get goosebumps every time I listen to it and it has a strong message that couples really do give up to easily on their marriage and need God in the center.

Part of the Lyrics say
He said with this ring I promise, and with I do she said forever
But right now if they're being honest they don't know if they'll stay together
Let's fast forward to the future after struggling on their own
They finally figured out they needed Jesus in the middle
Now I'm watching God rebuild their home

 

And I have a confession also. On this blog I talk a lot about the pregnancy center and some people may not believe with some of the stances I take on issues of abortion and pro-choice. But I can say that I have not always been fully one side or the other. My mother is liberal and just like many teenagers, you develop a lot of your beliefs based on what your parents think. My mom expressed the importance of pro-choice and how it is a women's right to choose what she wants to do with her pregnancy. And for a long time that made sense to me, but now I can strongly say that you don't have to be pro-choice to still be a feminist! Being a feminist can span as far as fighting for the right to live of that unborn baby GIRL!

The first time that I heard about the pregnancy center it was at King of Kings Church. The director at the time was giving a speech on what the pregnancy center does and right away I felt drawn to that place. I still had my reservations about the whole pro-life/pro-choice thing but once the director said a specific part of her speech I was forever convinced. She explained that those babies that are aborted could have been the next President or the person to find a cure cancer. Those lives that God had planned out were lost though and their opportunity to do good in the world was no more!

Quick Post..Please Pray!

Hi Everyone! I just received an email from the Pregnancy center that I work at concerning a call for prayer. Lately the center has been sending out emails to the employees with tid-bits about some of the women's stories and situations. I like getting these emails because I haven't worked there in a couple weeks and it keeps me in touch but this last email was pretty sad, however there is still time to pray for her!
This specific 16 year old girl that is 5 weeks along is very scared to tell her mom. She even has asked for information as far as contacting a judge so that she can bypass telling her parents when she gets an abortion.
A little background information, the state of Nebraska requires girls under the age of 18 to have their parents permission before getting an abortion at any clinic in Nebraska. This is an amazing law that I  believe every state should have however just with any law there are loopholes. If a teenager goes before a judge and justifies that it would be dangerous to her health to tell her parents (meaning she would get beaten or severely punished) the judge can waive her need to notify her parents. I think this would also be in the case where parents are unfit such as into drugs and alcohol but the teen would have to have some substantial evidence to back her up. 
As of now this scared young woman has an abortion scheduled for TOMORROW! So please please pray for her and let her know there are people that are willing to help her and that God has a plan for the precious being inside of her!!

Happy Friday!

Hey Everyone!
Just wanted to share some fun news..I am currently working on getting an ad made for my etsy shop and when I do I will be helping sponsor Hope Engaged which is an awesome and inspiring blog by Katie who documents her travels and faith in God. I'm really excited to get the ball rolling on advertisement for my shop! I am going to have a Morningside friend hopefully design an ad for me :)
Today after work I will be traveling to West Omaha where my Aunt Julie is having a garage sale. I am going to pack up all of my etsy shop items and business cards and set up a little table at her garage sale. My hope is that if people see my product in person they will really fall in love with it. Even though I will be pretty tired I always love garage sale seasons and might try to do my own browsing in her neighborhood. She lives in a very nice part of town so they always have decent stuff on sale ;) My goal is to find some thrift items to re-do and feature on my blog!
Another new tid-bit is about going back to school for my masters. I have been throwing around this idea for a few months now and have decided that right now with all the new endeavors in my life like my shop and working at the pregnancy center that I will hold off on grad school. Luckily grad school will always be there and they have not changed the requirements for Nurse Practitioners yet because they were going to make all future NP's get their doctorate (which is very silly)
I eventually want to become a nursing professor and teach at the Bachelors level. I really enjoy teaching (even though I haven't done much of it..haha) and would like to have my very own class of aspiring nurses. And then many years down the road I would really like to become a nurse practitioner in mental health so I can diagnose, treat and perscribe medications to people suffering from anxiety to bipolar disease. And of course I would like to get started on on at least my master's degree before a little Baby Williams arrives :)

Found this idea from The Sweet Season blog and have seen a lot of bloggers doing it so I thought I would give it a try.

 



 

Dear Summer Can you hurry up and get here already. I'm in the mood for hot&humid runs, mixed drinks by the pool, bronze skin and Okoboji trips. This rainy weather, although helpful when I need to sleep during the day, is way too depressing! Dear Husband Can I please see more of you! Sometimes I worry I will forget what your face even looks like. Seeing you for five minutes while you are waking up and I am heading off to bed after a long night at work is just not enough time together! I'm ready for a good 5 days in the black hills with my family so we can spend more time as a couple and not just roomates ;) Dear Theresa You work on the night shift with me and always make Folgers coffee right when I need a pick me up. And Folgers is just so much better than that Maxwell House coffee the hospital has. Thank you for making me a cup of joe to get me geared up for more charting! Dear Patients Please understand that it is nice to treat your nurses and care techs with respect and makes our lives that much easier. Also know that IV catheters and foley catheters come in sizes that WE choose and you can either get the big guage or the small one...the choice is yours ;) and 80 year old unsteady dementia patient - you scare the Shit out of me when you get out of bed by yourself and peek your curly haired head out the door! Get back into bed and don't try that crap again! Dear Etsy Shop congrats on your first sale from a complete stranger and good luck in futures orders!! Dear women of AAA I thank God over and over for bringing you to our center so that we can educate you on your pregnancy and hopefully pull at your heartstrings so that you choose life! Please be strong and know that many women are praying for you. Know that you have a safe haven at the center and that God has BIG plans for you and your precious baby Dear Blogworld Thanks for always giving me something to do during my slow night shifts and for inspiring me to add new things to my blog. Dear Tanzania I miss you...Oh boy do I miss you! My sister posted a picture of her time there with a sweet african girl and I want to go back to the land of Mt. Kilimingaro and spend time with your heartfelt people! I miss all the beautiful nature and the warm feelings in my heart that your country gave me! I will be back soon! Dear hot glue gun I promise I won't underestimate how hot your glue can get so that I don't end up with another burn blister on my finger..OUCH! I have a love hate relationship with you but I must say you do come in very handy. Dear Lord Thank you for this week and for all of its blessings. Thank you for #SRT and the lovely ladies that post daily on the devotionals there. Thank you for keeping my family safe and healthy and please continue to be with all the people affected by the Oklahoma tornados. I love you Lord and I pray that my life is lived as an example of how you love us!

~ Thankful Thursdays ~

Psalm 30:11-12 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou hast loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness; That [my] soul may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to Thee forever.

I went to look up bible verses online that have to do with "thankfulness" and this one happened to be the first one that popped up. What a great reminder from God because Psalm 30:11-12 just so happens to be my confirmation verse :) Oh the little things! I can still remember flipping through my bible looking for a verse to have to commemorate my confirmation way back in my 8th grade. I wanted to find something that had to do with dance because it is so dear to me and I always thank God for my talent of being a dancer.

I wanted to write a short post of the things I'm thankful for Today. These are a list of both big and small blessings that make me want to shout to God how truly thankful I am for what He has given me right this moment in my life.

My Husband: As you can tell from my previous post we have a great relationship going on. And even on the hardest days of our marriage I am so very thankful that he is by my side. He is my encourager, protector, and best friend for life! He never lets me leave the house without saying "drive safe" and his hugs mean the world to me :)

Caribou Coffee: Since I have given up Starbucks for the month of June I have relied on brewing my coffee at home and I always choose Caribou. I got hooked on it while in Sioux City for college. I especially like the atmosphere in their coffee shops because it has a rustic cabin feel and am just sad there isn't one in Omaha...Who wants to open one up with me?!?!

My funny Patients: It never fails that I get a good laugh every shift at work. I like how my patients (usually) appreciate my humor and despite being ill they usually give me a few laughs. Sometimes they don't know (dementia patients) just how funny their comments really are. Today one of my patients' friends was talking about how the patient has to have catheters all the time in order to urinate. She said "And she can pee just like the big boys, even write her name in the snow!" Oh the funny image in my head!! Laughter really is the best medicine!

My Family: I know this seems like a given but I can't emphasize how much I adore my family and just how wonderful they are! My family is very close, I grew up on a farm and we always took a big family vacation every year which made for some interesting car rides. Each member of my family adds a perfect piece to the puzzle of my AMAZING family! My sister, who I am extremely proud of, had her first day at her Mayo internship and is also studying to be a nurse. My brother just graduated from high school with "high-achievement" and will go to ISU in the fall but more importantly he is a strong Christian guy that always makes me laugh! My mom is the sweetest person and even though she can have her "blonde moments" she really is one smart cookie! And my Dad is the Rock and Provider of the family. He works his farmer butt off so us kids can go to college but more importantly he has taught us values that you can't learn in any classroom. He raised us in a Christian family and has been my biggest supporter through every aspect of my life! (and even though I know he reads this blog I'm not just saying those things to get brownie points..haha)

Running: Whenever I go on a run I'm reminded that not everyone has the ability to run for miles and miles. There are people who don't have the money for tennis shoes or can't run because they have lost a limb. So I always try to run a few laps for them! God has given me this ability and even though sometimes I have a love-hate relationship with running I always feel great after my workout. I love that in the spring & summer I can multi-task by getting a tan and run in at the same time ;)

AAA CPC: I'm very thankful for my job at the pregnancy center and for the wonderful women I have met there! This job was just what I needed to fill some gaps in what I wanted as a nurse. I love that I can reach out to troubled women and have the best co-workers ever!

Kobe: I'm so thankful for this lil furball! He constantly makes me laugh by the way he plays fetch like a dog or goes spastic over birds outside. When I think about the horrible conditions he was in as a kitten I am so thankful that God crossed our paths and I was able to take him home and call him mine!

M&M's: Tonight at work I really wanted some chocolate so I went with good ol' M&M's and when I had my first taste of the yummy chocolates it instantly reminded me of times at my Great Grandma Marie's house. She always had a container of M&M's in her kitchen that was a go-to anytime we were there. It's funny how something as simple as the taste of that certain type of candy can send me back into the past! I still have memories of playing Chinese Checkers or taking a nap on her cough curled up in her afghan blankets. She was the sweetest most caring woman and you just felt better being in her company. I miss her a lot and like many Great Grandmothers she was the tie between two families that now rarely see eachother. We all adored holidays at Grandma Maries and she got such joy out of watching her grandchildren grow up!

Nursing Funnies & Random Thoughts

I have updated my #shereadstruth page...so check it out here: http://somethingbeautiful19.blogspot.com/p/shereadstruth.html


So I had to share a few things I found humorous at the beginning of my shift. I went into a patient's room to introdue myself and he had a pretty decent sized beard. I told him my name and he said "I have been here for awhile, I didn't have this beard when I got here!" Oh that made me chuckle :)
The second story was a joke from my patient's friend. She isn't "all there" so I figured the joke would be a little odd ;) She said "I was riding in my car with my friend and we saw a house that was on fire, and then a lady came out of the house that was on fire, so I turned to my friend and said - "This ..Girl ..is on Fire.." (in the tune of Alicia Keys song)" Oh Wow! never a dull moment in the life of a nurse!






__________________________________

And now for the serious stuff. I was catching up on some blogs and found a post that this mom wrote concerning why they don't allow their children to say "I'm Starving". Her husband went to Africa and has seen "starving" first hand. She describes how it is ok for your children to say they are hungry or that they would like to eat something but starving is a whole different thing. Starving means that you have not eaten in DAYS. This is a lesson I would definitely like to teach my children when they are old enough to understand and I can explain how their mom went to Africa and saw children that were very hungry and didn't have the proper nutrients in their diet. I will explain what those kids had to eat and that they were most likely always hungry. Here is the link to her post http://themarathonmom.com/why-we-dont-allow-our-children-to-say-theyre-starving.htm
I really need to also explain this to Alex because most of the times when he gets home from work he says that he is starving and that really isn't the case.

Last Week in May & My Life this Second

Hi Everyone! this past week has been a great one! Mostly because I have had 4 out of the 5 days off :) Wednesday consisted of running a lot of errands which included ordering my new glasses. They will be here in about a week and I'm excited to embrace my new nerdy spectacles. I envision myself blogging & reading at Starbucks with other Hipster 20 year olds ;) Wednesday night was spent cleaning in preparation for family visiting, buying flowers and grilling savory marinated steaks.


Flowers from Mulhall's (thanks to our gift card to there) and garden globe from my wonderful Mother-in-Law

Marinated Steak - 3 simple ingredients: 2 tbsp Dejon mustard, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp brown sugar. Recipe via IGE

Thursday I enjoyed sleeping in and then went for a 2 mile run before heading to work at the pregnancy center. My last patient of the night was a troubling case because she had an ectopic pregnancy. For those of you who don't know an ectopic pregnancy is one where the embryo doesn't make it all the way to the uterus and starts developing in the fallopian tube which is between the ovary and the uterus. We check for this in our "limited" ultrasound but due to liability reasons can not tell the woman she is having an ectopic pregnancy because the center is not trained to offer that information. However we have a wonderful and very experienced sonographer Sherri there that saw the ectopic right away. I had to look this poor woman in the eyes while stressing the importance that she see her doctor ASAP. I explained that we were not seeing what we were supposed to see and told her that she needs to go to the ER either tonight or tomorrow. All I can do now is pray that she took that advice and trust the medical providers to find the ectopic and treat her. Ectopic pregnancies unfortunately do not continue because if the baby continues to develop the sac will grow larger and larger and rupture the tube leading to hemorrhage.

After my shift I went straight to The Cheesecake Factory to meet up with my mom and sister. They were in town to do some shopping and pick up scrubs for my sisters internship at Mayo (She leaves tomorrow!!) I was very proud of myself because I knew with my low carb diet I couldn't have any of the bread that they serve you when you first sit down. I refrained from the bread and chose a salad despite really wanting BBQ pizza ;) The luau salad was delicious though and had a tasty vinaigrette dressing on it. But of course I was at The Cheesecake Factory and I knew I would feel very deprived if I didn't have a slice of cheesecake, so after asking the waitress how many carbs were in the "low carb" cheesecake I decided to order that knowing I wouldn't be able to have all of it because it was 40 grams!!! I don't know how they can even advertise that as low carb...but I had 3/4 of it and also a few bits of my mom and sisters REAL cheesecake ;)

Since my mom and sis were staying the night at our house we just hung out with Alex, watched tv and my sister and I browsed Pinterest (yes that is the lame thing we like to do together) I showed her all the ideas I had for her wedding..haha (she isn't even engaged yet) I couldn't sleep because I had coffee late in the day so I stayed up until 3 looking at blogs. I came across these two http://www.sawdustandembryos.com/ and http://www.homemakerinheels.com/ and sent emails to them for a shout-out on their blog about my Etsy Shop. I am very excited to say that I am currently making a glass block for a giveaway on this blog http://themarathonmom.com/

Friday mom, Megan and I went shopping at Village Pointe. We stayed at Charming Charlies for a loonnggg time and I ended up getting two pairs of flip-flops for only $12 total.

Mouse & Cheese earrings at Charming Charlies. Meg and I were laughing hysterically at these!!

Meg got a swim suit at Scheel's and soon it was time for them to head back to Marcus :( I will miss my sister so much and it stinks knowing that she is so far away. We will have to facetime and text frequently and I know she will have many great stories to tell about her experiences at one of the best Hospitals in the Country! We are planning on meeting up back home though the third week in June.
After walking around the mall I was ready to relax by the pool!

First Day Poolside of the Summer!!

When I got back from the pool our guests were on their way! Alex's grandma was in town so she stopped over to see our house for the first time. She is so sweet and kept saying what a lovely home we have. We enjoyed eating pizza with Alex's family and Cody, Kyle, and Jack. The boys played outside in the yard and Easton was humoring himself by peeing on the tree instead of going inside to pee and he was running around with a pickle and giggling! Oh Boy!! After mostly everyone had left Alex's parents and grandma and I sat on the patio and just enjoyed the relaxing, beautiful evening. Since this is only our second summer here at our house we always notice new flowers or things growing that we didn't know were there before and here is a cute little strawberry patch that the previous homeowner had planted.

Who knew we had Strawberries!! Too ripe to enjoy but should be ready soon!

So now it is almost 3 pm and my weekend is essentially over already because I work tonight and tomorrow. After having several days off of work I am usually ready to get back to the hospital though. Plus it keeps me from hitting up Dairy Queen or consuming too much chocolate while I lay around the house ;) Kobe is currently snuggling with me on this rainy afternoon and I'm gonna miss this lil fur ball when I have to leave tonight.
Just a quick update: there was another tornado in OKC last night and my aunt Julie and cousin Linda were there for the WCWS. I texted them right away to see if they were ok and they said they were eating at a restaurant and had to go to the basement of the restaurant while the storm passed. The tornado hit about a block away from where they were! Thank goodness they are okay! Please continue to pray for those poor families. I really really hope and pray they can get a break from all of these storms!

My Life This Second

Favorite Run of the Week

 
Not going a run in a week really must have gave me motivation to run a long ways! In a couple of weeks I run a 5.8K for Child advocates

Favorite New Blog

http://www.hello-anna-and-mo.com/

Favorite (Not So Favorite) Goal

NO Starbucks/Specialty Espresso for the month of June. Why? you might ask..well I'm asking myself the same question! But in an effort to save money and to save carbs I'm going to try to avoid coffee shops. And I'm POSITIVE it will only last a month :) 

Favorite Truth:

Have a Blessed and Happy Weekend!!!

Bring on Spring..For Real!

I haven't been running outside lately because it has been so chilly! Who would have thought that during the middle of spring we would have SNOW! yuck! But I have gone to the gym to take zumba classes and also done a video at home that I really like! It is an HIIT video and I marked down how many reps I did each interval and will see if I can beat my reps next time around. I thought I would recap the week since I got called off tonight which worked out great since we got the paint for our bedrooms. Tonight we have already painted a bunch and just need to put one more coat on the accent walls. The blue is very bright. More bright than expected but I think we will get used to it. Alex said "What are we painting a nursery?!?!" Which we probably could use the extra paint in a few years for a nursery because the color is so bright and youthful. It is really modern looking against the tan walls and it is a much needed update from the boring beige walls. Jack came over to help us and move furniture. Alex and him went for a McDonald's run while I slaved away painting ;)
My big story to share happened at the pregnancy center on Tuesday night. It was the last appointment of the night and was supposed to be pretty quick because we weren't going to do an ultrasound because she was only 4 weeks along (we do an ultrasound at 5 weeks 1 day). But during my time with her I realized that her last period may not have been a true period which would push her back to the previous month and making her possibly 8 weeks along. She really wanted an ultrasounds in order to find out how far along she was because if she was less than 8 weeks she was going to have an abortion by taking a few pills, but if she was over 8 weeks they would have to do a procedure and she did not want that at all. It is odd how two different effects that cause the same outcome can be rationalized so differently in the mind of a troubled woman. But I have never been in that situation so I can not judge and everyone's perception of that incident is different. So we went ahead and set her up for the ultrasound as I prayed and prayed that she was farther along than 8 weeks. The ultrasounds was taking longer than expected and I was waiting to hear the sound of the heartbeat because sometimes that is enough to sway a woman's decision. When the sonographer finally was finished I was notified that she was only 4 weeks along....however instead of seeing the typical solo yolk sac there were TWO!! The woman's exact words were "this changes everything". Abortion was no longer an option and although the woman was in tears and very shook up, there was hope for those two little babies! The advocate helped the woman by getting down on her knees and praying for the woman and the big changes that were coming her way. I have been praying for this woman and her boyfriend, that they continue with their choice to carry these twins to term! Please pray for them too! It is a remarkable story that was truly at the hands of God! With goosebumps and tears in my eyes I felt that I was surely being the hands and feet of God and that his work was being fulfilled through me!
It was the best night so far at the pregnancy center and in just my short time working there I have so many wonderful stories! I know I have said it many times, but It is a wonderful place to work and I'm blessed to have landed a job there! It is a job that I look forward to going to and is so amazing for the community of North Omaha.
Thursday night after I woke up Alex, Jack and I went to Lot 2 in Benson. It is a little restaurant and bar that is open pretty late each night. They have "boards" that are large scale meat and cheese platters. It has a great atmosphere and luckily we all ordered the cheeseburger because it was Delicious!!! The meat is ground there in house and they put American swiss on it which just makes it so good! Alex said that the burger was so good that it was like a desert...a meat desert! I can't wait to take my dad there because I know he would love it. After dinner, Alex went home to bed since he had to work the next morning (like normal people) and Jack and I went to a midnight movie. "A place beyond the pines" just came out with Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper. I was pretty good and had a lot going on in it.
Last night Alex and I went to the Funnybone Comedy Club with Josh and Bailey because they invited us. Bailey got tickets and we met there to eat and have a good laugh. It was good to do something out of the ordinary and we all had a great time. I laughed non-stop! There were 2 opener comedians and the headliner was Bert Kreischer. I had never heard of him but he has been on Comedy Central. He opened the night by dancing and lip sinking shirtless to Keisha's song "Die Young". Here is a link to his stand-up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpespZ7UmBg

Thoughts stemed from Work

I got an email from work the other day that really made me think. Along with an email stating that we should go into a time of prayer and fast for our center and for the upcoming new center in West Omaha, which made me really think of how maybe I should write down my prayers like Aberdeen (sp?) in The Help. I really need to pray for these women and maybe I should just write some prayers right now.
I pray for these women to find strength and to find a hope in their future during the darkest, gloomiest times. I pray that they find the words to tell their family and their significant others the importance of their child's life. I pray that through this experience they come closer to God and to know their path for Him in their lives, to know that He IS their life. I thank god and give him all the Praise that by some twist of fate a young lady came to our center thinking she could get an abortion there. Little did she know that it was not an option and we were able to tell her the gospel and possibly save her child's life. I pray for those women whose children may be born in poverty, in single parent homes, or in homes with little love in general. I pray that the cycle is broken with the help of God so that they can have a bright future and happy childhood that they so much deserve. I pray for healthy pregnancies and healthy life choices for the women that come to our center. That they may hear our words and understand our teachings about harmful substances that are bad for their baby. And I thank god for this wonderful opportunity to help these women. I honestly feel a peace in my heart and that I am in exactly the right spot! Thank you Lord and all the Glory be to you!!!

Not Your Typical Friday Night

Well I should have known the night was going to be a little bizarre when I left the house and got in my car but the car wouldn't start! Hmmm, that's not convenient! Luckily Alex could sneak away from work and get me there with the help from his friend Joel. After I got to the Med Center I realized that I had a 1:1 patient (which is never a good sign). See a 1:1 patient can only mean one thing....Restraints. Which means documenting every 15 minutes and usually the patients have a very good reason for being in restraints. My patient happened to be detoxing from Meth. He was bi-polar, alcoholic, and very violent. Thank goodness his arms and legs were locked down but it sure was a sad sight to see. As he was spitting and yelling profanities at me I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him. What a horrible drug and what a horrible life. Of course he did not believe anyone in the hospital was helping him at all and with every other word from his mouth being a not so nice 4 letter word, I took a big breath and go ready for the remainder of my shift. It was a night of many firsts. First time I witnessed a grown man throw his own feces at someone, first time I had to call on security several times and first time I was a little scared for my life at my job. But with only a little over an hour left in my shift I'm so glad it's almost over! He did say something unusual to me amongst the swearing and spitting. It was "You aren't a Christian!" which was a surprising choice of words for him. None the less I still took the opportunity to tell him that I was indeed a Christian and that I would be praying for him. Because what else was there to do. I showed him kindness and did my best to keep him calm throughout my shift and that is just the best I can do.