Heros

I spent my Saturday morning with a group of volunteers, cleaning and spiffy-ing up the local high school from top to bottom, inside and out.

I was not surprised to see that the majority of the volunteers were teenagers.
*This is only half of the gym. It was full of hundreds of green-shirted do-gooders.

For 4 hours these volunteers scrubbed, scraped, wiped, weeded, planted, and polished the school.

The teens that I worked side by side with were using this service project as their 'day date' for that night's M.O.R.P. dance.

I have never seen such hard workers. They took their assignments very seriously- wanting the work that they did to make a difference.

**Nicole is wearing orange because she was a 'team leader' for the event.

For M.O.R.P. that night, they dressed up as neon clad super-heros. I thought that was very fitting of who they really are.

It has been such an honor to have met and had in my home at one time or another, several of those teens who showed up to volunteer. They are such good, strong willed young men and women who amaze me with their talents and their determination to make a difference in this world.

In my eyes they are true super-heros who are just on the verge of a new adventure as they prepare to graduate from high school next month. I can't wait to see what they do next!

Pretty Girl Rock- Prom 2012

It's the last ever prom for my senior girl!

Here's how Nicole and her friend answered their prom dates. So cute!

(I have got to get Nicole's date to record how he asked her. It was awesome! He sat on our porch and played a song for her on his guitar. Such talent, and so brave! If I can get him to make a video of it, I'll be sure to post it. But for now, here's her answer...)



If you have an extra minute, you should watch the original Pretty Girl Rock video and see what a good job they did making a very similar version. :)

Today

Today was rough.

One of those day where you feel like you've been run over by a train and then dragged behind a bus.

I wouldn't have made it through the day if it weren't for....

the pep talk from an old friend who is a semester ahead of me in the nursing program,

homemade cookies delivered to my door (thanks Liz!),

a great big hug from my sweetie,

the smile from Ian as he patted the spot on the couch next to him telling me he saved "the best seat" for me to watch Cars 2 with him,

watching my daughter's far off look (I swear there were hearts in her eyes!) as she described an 'encounter' with her dream guy today,

my clinical instructor's comment on how much she loved my toe polish as I lay in a hospital bed as a 'patient' while she did a head to toe assessment on me (so thankful my toenails were painted!),

and re-reading (for the millionth time) the sweetest email I have ever received (thank you again Tiff!).

It's the little things in my day that I am finding are so important and so very needed to remind me that while nursing school is trying to take over my life- it never will.

It Begins

Tomorrow morning is my first day of Nursing School.

I have been looking forward to this day for many years.

I face it with much anticipation, nervousness, butterflies in my stomach, excitement, enthusiasm, and optimism. In other words, I'm full of emotion.

I have several friends who have gone through or are currently in the program and therein lies the reason behind all of my emotions.

I have watched them stress out and cry over grades. I have seen bags under their eyes due to lack of sleep. I have heard of their (and their family's) many fast food meals.

But I have also seen their enthusiasm for what they are learning. I have rejoiced with them as each step brought them closer to graduating with their RN. I have cheered for them at their graduation ceremony.

Tomorrow this journey begins for me.

I can't even begin to express how humble I feel to be joining the 80 other student nurses in my cohort as we learn together the art of Nursing. What a thrill! An experience of a lifetime for sure.

It all begins with one step and tomorrow I will proudly take it- in my brand new (whiter than white!) nursing shoes!

30 years old!

My favorite picture from our last New York City vacation.

Today as Ian walked down the sidewalk to my car after school, he motioned for me to roll down the window.

He leaned inside and asked, "Can I sit in the front seat today?"

"No", I replied, "you are still too little."

"I am not!", he forcefully said. "In cat years I'm like.... 30 years old!"

Gotta love how his mind works.

Clever. Very clever.

Holiday Wrap Up

Photo taken with my new iPhone! yay!

Today was the official last day of our holiday vacation. Boooo.

So that we never forget how great the Christmas of 2011 was, here's a little wrap up.....

Santa was so good to us this year- I think everyone was happy with their haul.

Ian especially loved his 'big' gift, an iPod touch. He kept saying, "I can't believe I'm old enough to have an iPod!! And, "This is the best Christmas EVER!" Made this mama's heart happy!
As I am posting this, I can't help but notice that somehow Nicole and I escaped Christmas morning photos...

We had a lovely turkey dinner which was (unexpectedly) prepared by Erik. I had been put on call at the hospital, but a few hours later I got called in. Were we ever sad!

I felt so bad leaving Erik with a turkey dinner to prepare. But we ended up having our own 'Christmas Miracle' after all! I was able to come home two hours earlier than my shift was supposed to end, just in time to eat dinner with Erik, the kids and my parents!

We spent the holidays surrounded by those we love, by many piles of wrapping paper and boxes and with literally nothing scheduled on our calendars.

Lazy mornings, a little shopping, a movie or two, dinner dates, time to read books, card games to play, and lots of time to figure out those new gifts was pretty much about all that we accomplished for 10 straight days. Ahhh.

And now the decorations are put away, the house is sparkling clean, and we all feel refreshed and ready to face the new year!

2012 will bring big changes to our family. Some I am looking forward to and some not so much. It will be an exciting year though, that's for sure.

So welcome 2012, because ready or not, here we go!