Well, Thomas is officially finished at Chili's, and I for one am very happy. It was nice to have the extra cash coming in, but I find greater fulfillment out of our time at home than with anything that extra money could buy. Also, with the greater responsibility I have at work with the committees means we REALLY need him to be home in the evenings so we can have time together now that I am away more.
We are starting to talk about buying a house. Nothing serious yet, but we are talking which is very exciting...and a little scary too. Since we know we don't want to stay here forever, we aren't sure if we want to buy now or not. However, if we stay four more years, we will have had a little time to build some equity into a home and that would allow us to be able to have a pretty good down payment on a home where ever we decide to move. Of course selling is always risky because you never know what the market will be when you want to move. Right now this area seems to be very much a buyers market, but that isn't good if you are trying to sell.
Possum is in his second session of swimming lessons, he has classes every Monday and Wednesday. He loves the classes, he takes them with my friends' daughter Grace and they are having fun. He is very daring, while Grace is more timid, so it has been interesting watching them progress. Speaking of Grace, when my friend was working a couple of weekends ago (Heather is also a nurse,) Grace got hold of a pair of scissors when her dad fell asleep on the couch and gave herself a haircut. Grace is three, she will be four in April, she is definitely not a hair stylist. Heather had to take her to get her hair "fixed."
Okay, so I am watching SVU as I am typing this, and John Munch is such a cynic. He is always going on about Big Brother, I think John and Thomas are related. Sofia is having "tummy time" while I am doing this and she is getting very unhappy. She doesn't like tummy time very much, but this isn't the first time I have had one of my children mad at me, and it won't be the last.
Tomorrow is grocery day, so it will be busy. We will go to BJ's and Kroger, and spend a fortune I am sure. We will go after swimming lessons, so we will have a long day. I am not too fond of our BJ's locally, which is a shame as the one in North Carolina was outstanding. I wish we had a Costco like we did in St. Louis, but there is not one close by, though there are rumors that one might be built.
Well, enough rambling for tonight.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Monday, February 27, 2006
Where Do I Want To Live For The Rest Of My Life?
This has been a big topic of conversation in our house lately. Where do we want to settle down and live forever? We like it here, but we know this is not where we want to stay forever. We LOVED California, but we will never be able to buy a house there as it is WAY to expensive. Small houses generally had $6000/month mortgage payments, I can't imagine what we would have to pay for a four bedroom house. So unless we win the lottery, I don't see living in California permanently as an option. Now, as has been discussed on this blog in depth, I enjoyed many things about St. Louis, but had a hard time with the lack of friendliness/ability to make friends. Also the fact that the nurses are paid crap doesn't help. If I could move the zoo, the museum, and the science center to an area of the country that was friendlier and paid better, I would have found my dream locale (as long as the weather suited!)
The weather is actually of significant discussion in our house. We would love to live in California as I said, and we could deal with the lack of four seasons for the payoff of a mild summer. However, as we can't afford to live there, this is a non-issue. Since we are living on the East Coast we really are living in an area with four seasons, which I love. However, I like a cold, snowy winter and that does not exist in Georgia. I hate hot, sticky summers, but I could deal with it if the trade off was a cold, snowy winter. This is why dealing with St. Louis summers was okay, we generally had cold winters even though there wasn't enough snow for my taste. I prefer cold to hot anytime, no matter the precipitation levels.
So, of late, we have been discussing the Northeast as an option. Now, I HAVE to have a pediatric facility to work in as I WON'T go back to adults, and to be honest, real pediatrics is done in children's hospitals, not on "pediatric" floors in regular hospitals. My experience with nurses who have worked on "peds" floors is that they say they take care of adult "overflow" patients more than they care for kids. So anywhere we would go would be contingent on the availability of a pediatric hospital. Of course, pay versus cost of living is of significant concern. My pay would have to be the same as it is here, based on the cost of living of wherever we moved to, meaning if it would have to increase if it was more expensive to live in the area, and it could decrease if the cost of living was less.
The other issue is Drew, we won't move ANYWHERE until he is out of high school unless he gives his approval. We have promised we will stay here until he graduates, which is four and a half years from now. However, he knows we won't be here permanently, so if he ever decides he doesn't like it here or he just wishes to move on, we will start looking.
My mom and my brothers live in Virginia, and though I don't want to move there, I do want to be "relatively" close. Driving, they live about ten hours from us now and I wouldn't want to be farther than that unless we win the lottery and move to California, but then we could fly back and forth frequently without money concerns.
We have discussed Philadelphia, as this meets most of my needs. Philly has cold winters and an outstanding children's hospital. CHOP is the number one children's hospital in the country, so there is nothing to complain about there, I just need to research how they pay.
We have also discussed New England, and some areas have children's hospitals, so again the issue would be pay, since I know New England has snowy winters.
Thomas is opposed to NYC, which is somewhere I would love to go. He would go to New York if it was outside of the city. I am not sure if there are any children's hospitals outside of NYC, so I will have to do some research.
It all boils down to not really having some place either of us really feel is home. Thomas would go back to Raleigh in a heartbeat, but I have no desire to live in North Carolina again. I grew up in Virginia, but its not home anymore, unfortunately I don't think I have found anywhere that is home. I will just pray that wherever we go is where we are supposed to be and we go when we are supposed to.
The weather is actually of significant discussion in our house. We would love to live in California as I said, and we could deal with the lack of four seasons for the payoff of a mild summer. However, as we can't afford to live there, this is a non-issue. Since we are living on the East Coast we really are living in an area with four seasons, which I love. However, I like a cold, snowy winter and that does not exist in Georgia. I hate hot, sticky summers, but I could deal with it if the trade off was a cold, snowy winter. This is why dealing with St. Louis summers was okay, we generally had cold winters even though there wasn't enough snow for my taste. I prefer cold to hot anytime, no matter the precipitation levels.
So, of late, we have been discussing the Northeast as an option. Now, I HAVE to have a pediatric facility to work in as I WON'T go back to adults, and to be honest, real pediatrics is done in children's hospitals, not on "pediatric" floors in regular hospitals. My experience with nurses who have worked on "peds" floors is that they say they take care of adult "overflow" patients more than they care for kids. So anywhere we would go would be contingent on the availability of a pediatric hospital. Of course, pay versus cost of living is of significant concern. My pay would have to be the same as it is here, based on the cost of living of wherever we moved to, meaning if it would have to increase if it was more expensive to live in the area, and it could decrease if the cost of living was less.
The other issue is Drew, we won't move ANYWHERE until he is out of high school unless he gives his approval. We have promised we will stay here until he graduates, which is four and a half years from now. However, he knows we won't be here permanently, so if he ever decides he doesn't like it here or he just wishes to move on, we will start looking.
My mom and my brothers live in Virginia, and though I don't want to move there, I do want to be "relatively" close. Driving, they live about ten hours from us now and I wouldn't want to be farther than that unless we win the lottery and move to California, but then we could fly back and forth frequently without money concerns.
We have discussed Philadelphia, as this meets most of my needs. Philly has cold winters and an outstanding children's hospital. CHOP is the number one children's hospital in the country, so there is nothing to complain about there, I just need to research how they pay.
We have also discussed New England, and some areas have children's hospitals, so again the issue would be pay, since I know New England has snowy winters.
Thomas is opposed to NYC, which is somewhere I would love to go. He would go to New York if it was outside of the city. I am not sure if there are any children's hospitals outside of NYC, so I will have to do some research.
It all boils down to not really having some place either of us really feel is home. Thomas would go back to Raleigh in a heartbeat, but I have no desire to live in North Carolina again. I grew up in Virginia, but its not home anymore, unfortunately I don't think I have found anywhere that is home. I will just pray that wherever we go is where we are supposed to be and we go when we are supposed to.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Random Thoughts
Last night was BUSY at work, but thankfully the group of nurses I worked with were big on the idea of teamwork. There were two new graduate nurses on the floor last night, and it reminded me how far I have come in almost seven years as a nurse. One of the two is doing pretty good for where she is post-graduation. The other just can't wrap her brain around the big picture and gets stuck on relatively minor details that don't matter much in the grand scheme, hopefully she will catch on. As I don't work on that floor often, it may be a month or more before I go back, so maybe there will be visible improvement.
I got an admission of a teenage girl, who by the what the ER told me when they were describing her symptoms, etc sound like she might have HIV, which broke my heart in thinking that it might be true. However, when she got to the floor and getting to talk to her and her mom, the symptoms sound more like an autoimmune disorder, most likely lupus. Thankfully there are tests for lupus, but I don't know why she has never been tested before as these are chronic problems, some symptoms since she was four.
However, thinking about HIV made me very aware that the kids AND their parents need some real education. Most parents and teens worry about pregnancy, which is legitimate, unfortunately sometimes pregnancy is the least of the problems. HIV and Hepatitis are HUGE problems, not to mention the many other STD's that kids can be exposed to during unprotected sex. I have had a few kids come in who are on birth control pills, with their parent's knowledge, but have had gonorrhea, pelvic inflammatory disease, or other issues.
As a parent, I want my children to make good choices and I don't want them to become sexually active while in high school. However, as a realist (and a pediatric nurse,) I realize that if they AREN'T sexually active, they will be in a significant minority. I also want to make sure that my children, should they decide to become sexually active, make safe choices.
On a more chipper note, Drew is in the kitchen doing one of his favorite things, he is baking chocolate chip cookies. Drew loves to make cookies. I like to bake, but cookies are tedious for me, I prefer to bake cakes, brownies, etc. I want to get my mom's recipe for "Death By Chocolate" Cheesecake to make sometime. I love that cheesecake, but I need to make it when we have company as it is VERY rich.
I am car shopping, not SERIOUSLY yet, but soon enough. I won't buy anything new at this time, maybe in a few years. However, we are a one car family at this time, which we have been for quite a while, so that is not the issue. BUT, our one car is a Chevy Suburban and my one way drive to work is about 26-27 miles. I want to buy a small car to go to and from work and for errands that I do on my own, or with just one child. I used to have a Honda Civic, which I loved and would be ideal again. My mom drives a 2000 Toyota Echo and gets about 40-45 mpg on average. The Suburban is necessary for all of us to fit, our Jeep only seated five and now we are six. I do miss the Jeep, though the gas mileage is about the same in the Jeep and the Suburban, but the Jeep was significantly smaller. The Suburban is big and cumbersome, I am getting used to driving it, and more specifically, parking it, but it seems like overkill for me to drive it by myself to and from work.
My other thought is that I blessed with my family, I have healthy and happy children and I am married to a man that I love more and more everyday.
I got an admission of a teenage girl, who by the what the ER told me when they were describing her symptoms, etc sound like she might have HIV, which broke my heart in thinking that it might be true. However, when she got to the floor and getting to talk to her and her mom, the symptoms sound more like an autoimmune disorder, most likely lupus. Thankfully there are tests for lupus, but I don't know why she has never been tested before as these are chronic problems, some symptoms since she was four.
However, thinking about HIV made me very aware that the kids AND their parents need some real education. Most parents and teens worry about pregnancy, which is legitimate, unfortunately sometimes pregnancy is the least of the problems. HIV and Hepatitis are HUGE problems, not to mention the many other STD's that kids can be exposed to during unprotected sex. I have had a few kids come in who are on birth control pills, with their parent's knowledge, but have had gonorrhea, pelvic inflammatory disease, or other issues.
As a parent, I want my children to make good choices and I don't want them to become sexually active while in high school. However, as a realist (and a pediatric nurse,) I realize that if they AREN'T sexually active, they will be in a significant minority. I also want to make sure that my children, should they decide to become sexually active, make safe choices.
On a more chipper note, Drew is in the kitchen doing one of his favorite things, he is baking chocolate chip cookies. Drew loves to make cookies. I like to bake, but cookies are tedious for me, I prefer to bake cakes, brownies, etc. I want to get my mom's recipe for "Death By Chocolate" Cheesecake to make sometime. I love that cheesecake, but I need to make it when we have company as it is VERY rich.
I am car shopping, not SERIOUSLY yet, but soon enough. I won't buy anything new at this time, maybe in a few years. However, we are a one car family at this time, which we have been for quite a while, so that is not the issue. BUT, our one car is a Chevy Suburban and my one way drive to work is about 26-27 miles. I want to buy a small car to go to and from work and for errands that I do on my own, or with just one child. I used to have a Honda Civic, which I loved and would be ideal again. My mom drives a 2000 Toyota Echo and gets about 40-45 mpg on average. The Suburban is necessary for all of us to fit, our Jeep only seated five and now we are six. I do miss the Jeep, though the gas mileage is about the same in the Jeep and the Suburban, but the Jeep was significantly smaller. The Suburban is big and cumbersome, I am getting used to driving it, and more specifically, parking it, but it seems like overkill for me to drive it by myself to and from work.
My other thought is that I blessed with my family, I have healthy and happy children and I am married to a man that I love more and more everyday.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
My Boss
I have to say that I am very lucky, I have the best boss I could imagine. I have been a nurse almost seven years and have worked under many different nurse managers, some good and some bad; Vicky is bar far the best.
I was hired in December of 2004 by a different manager and I didn't know that my department was getting a new manager when I accepted the job. I got very lucky, not that the other manager wasn't good. Vicky started a gradual takeover of our department in January and was fully our manager in April. I liked her immediately. When my mother-in-law died at the end of June, she was so supportive, telling me to take all the time I needed. When I went into early labor and got put on bed rest, she again told me not to worry, but to take care of myself and do what I needed to do to have a healthy baby.
Yesterday evening I called her office at 8:00 PM to leave her a message so she could call me next week. She was still in her office and talked to me for twenty minutes even though she had been at work all day long. She is very encouraging to me in my career endeavors.
I wish every boss could be like mine, unfortunately too many people who get into management do so because they are not capable of doing the jobs of those they manage. Thankfully, Vicky is not like this, she is an awesome nurse. I am very lucky to have a boss that I both like and respect.
I was hired in December of 2004 by a different manager and I didn't know that my department was getting a new manager when I accepted the job. I got very lucky, not that the other manager wasn't good. Vicky started a gradual takeover of our department in January and was fully our manager in April. I liked her immediately. When my mother-in-law died at the end of June, she was so supportive, telling me to take all the time I needed. When I went into early labor and got put on bed rest, she again told me not to worry, but to take care of myself and do what I needed to do to have a healthy baby.
Yesterday evening I called her office at 8:00 PM to leave her a message so she could call me next week. She was still in her office and talked to me for twenty minutes even though she had been at work all day long. She is very encouraging to me in my career endeavors.
I wish every boss could be like mine, unfortunately too many people who get into management do so because they are not capable of doing the jobs of those they manage. Thankfully, Vicky is not like this, she is an awesome nurse. I am very lucky to have a boss that I both like and respect.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Going to Church
Thomas and I have discussed going back to church numerous times. We have discussed where to go should we go, and because of my beliefs, I would only want to go to a Catholic Church and Thomas has said he would be very willing to go with me.
Most of my nursing career, I have worked every weekend or every other weekend which isn't conducive to church going, actually working EVERY weekend makes it impossible. I now work every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night. It is actually possible to go to church, but I am exhausted on Sunday mornings after working 36 hours in three days.
Thankfully, the Catholic Church has many options for Mass. You can go Saturday evening, any number of choices on Sunday morning (most churches have at least three Sunday morning Masses,) and some churches have a Sunday evening Mass. Unfortunately, some Sunday evening Masses are "youth" Masses, which is not a problem in theory, but I have been to some really bad youth Masses. In all honesty, I have not been to a youth Mass here locally, but I always have a bad taste in my mouth at the thought, because of past experiences.
The other "issue" is of course, we are living in the middle of the Baptist buckle of the Bible Belt. I can get in my car and drive two miles in any direction and I will come across at least one, usually more, Baptist Churches of one variety or another. I wish I could say the same for Catholic Churches, but that is on the other end of the spectrum. There are NO Catholic Churches within two miles of my house, I think the closest one is between 5-10 miles away and is an "old fashioned" Church in the sense that they still ONLY say Mass in Latin. I think the second closest Church is between 10-15 miles from here (and last time I checked on the website, they didn't have a Sunday evening Mass.) Which means that the closest Catholic Church with a Sunday evening Mass is quite a drive.
I know, I know, I shouldn't complain and I should suck it up and deal with it and just drive however far I have to drive. But, to get four children ready for Church, with the three youngest aged three and younger, it would be quite a challenge getting anywhere in the evening, especially since the little ones are getting close to their 7:00 bedtime.
unfortunately, there is no way I can change my schedule to make going to Church "work" better. I have to work every weekend for financial reasons. However, I am feeling the need to go back to Church. I want to go for the spiritual reasons, but also for the social reasons. I guess I will go back to the Diocese website and see what I can find during some down time this weekend at work.
I just ask anyone reading this to say prayers that I can find something that will work for my family. I don't want to go to Church by myself, so it really does have to work for the entire family. Just don't suggest we go to a different denomination because anytime I have looked into that, it has never happened because of my own belief system. Just pray for me during this time of looking to go back to Church.
Most of my nursing career, I have worked every weekend or every other weekend which isn't conducive to church going, actually working EVERY weekend makes it impossible. I now work every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night. It is actually possible to go to church, but I am exhausted on Sunday mornings after working 36 hours in three days.
Thankfully, the Catholic Church has many options for Mass. You can go Saturday evening, any number of choices on Sunday morning (most churches have at least three Sunday morning Masses,) and some churches have a Sunday evening Mass. Unfortunately, some Sunday evening Masses are "youth" Masses, which is not a problem in theory, but I have been to some really bad youth Masses. In all honesty, I have not been to a youth Mass here locally, but I always have a bad taste in my mouth at the thought, because of past experiences.
The other "issue" is of course, we are living in the middle of the Baptist buckle of the Bible Belt. I can get in my car and drive two miles in any direction and I will come across at least one, usually more, Baptist Churches of one variety or another. I wish I could say the same for Catholic Churches, but that is on the other end of the spectrum. There are NO Catholic Churches within two miles of my house, I think the closest one is between 5-10 miles away and is an "old fashioned" Church in the sense that they still ONLY say Mass in Latin. I think the second closest Church is between 10-15 miles from here (and last time I checked on the website, they didn't have a Sunday evening Mass.) Which means that the closest Catholic Church with a Sunday evening Mass is quite a drive.
I know, I know, I shouldn't complain and I should suck it up and deal with it and just drive however far I have to drive. But, to get four children ready for Church, with the three youngest aged three and younger, it would be quite a challenge getting anywhere in the evening, especially since the little ones are getting close to their 7:00 bedtime.
unfortunately, there is no way I can change my schedule to make going to Church "work" better. I have to work every weekend for financial reasons. However, I am feeling the need to go back to Church. I want to go for the spiritual reasons, but also for the social reasons. I guess I will go back to the Diocese website and see what I can find during some down time this weekend at work.
I just ask anyone reading this to say prayers that I can find something that will work for my family. I don't want to go to Church by myself, so it really does have to work for the entire family. Just don't suggest we go to a different denomination because anytime I have looked into that, it has never happened because of my own belief system. Just pray for me during this time of looking to go back to Church.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Nursing Humor
Nurses are an interesting breed and we have a very weird sense of humor, some might even say demented. I did a search online for some of my favorite nursing jokes and thought I would share them here. My comments will be added in a different color if I feel the urge to expound.
Top Ten Reasons To Become A Nurse:
1. Pays better than fast food, though the hours aren't as good.
2. Fashionable shoes and sexy, white uniforms. (Thank God for scrubs.)
3. Needles: Its better to give than receive.
4. Reassure your patients that all bleeding stops....eventually.
5. Expose yourself to rare, exciting, and exotic new diseases.
6. Interesting aromas.
7. Courteous and infallible doctors who always leave clear orders in perfectly legible handwriting.
8. Do enough charting to navigate around the world. (Twice.)
9. Celebrate the holidays with all your friends...at work.
10. Take comfort that most of your patients survive no matter what you do to them.
You know you are a nurse when:
~ Discussing dismemberment over a gourmet meal seems perfectly normal. (You mean its not?)
~ You compliment a complete stranger on his veins.
~ You find yourself betting on someone's alcohol level.
~ You know that KY Jelly is optional.
~ You believe every patient needs TLC: Thorazine, Lorazepam, and Compazine.
~ You would like to meet the inventor of the call light in a dark alley one night. (Amen.)
~ You believe not all patients are annoying...some are unconscious.
~ Your sense of humor gets more "warped" each year.
~ You can only tell time with a 24 hour clock.
~ Almost everything can seem humorous...eventually.
~ You've been telling stories in a restaurant and had someone at another table throw up.
~ You notice that you use more four letter words now than before you became a nurse.
~ You don't get excited about blood loss...unless its your own.
~ Eating microwave popcorn out of a clean bedpan seems perfectly natural.
~ You've sworn that you are going to have "NO CODE" tattooed to your chest. (Double amen.)
I hope everyone got at least a small smile from these.
Top Ten Reasons To Become A Nurse:
1. Pays better than fast food, though the hours aren't as good.
2. Fashionable shoes and sexy, white uniforms. (Thank God for scrubs.)
3. Needles: Its better to give than receive.
4. Reassure your patients that all bleeding stops....eventually.
5. Expose yourself to rare, exciting, and exotic new diseases.
6. Interesting aromas.
7. Courteous and infallible doctors who always leave clear orders in perfectly legible handwriting.
8. Do enough charting to navigate around the world. (Twice.)
9. Celebrate the holidays with all your friends...at work.
10. Take comfort that most of your patients survive no matter what you do to them.
You know you are a nurse when:
~ Discussing dismemberment over a gourmet meal seems perfectly normal. (You mean its not?)
~ You compliment a complete stranger on his veins.
~ You find yourself betting on someone's alcohol level.
~ You know that KY Jelly is optional.
~ You believe every patient needs TLC: Thorazine, Lorazepam, and Compazine.
~ You would like to meet the inventor of the call light in a dark alley one night. (Amen.)
~ You believe not all patients are annoying...some are unconscious.
~ Your sense of humor gets more "warped" each year.
~ You can only tell time with a 24 hour clock.
~ Almost everything can seem humorous...eventually.
~ You've been telling stories in a restaurant and had someone at another table throw up.
~ You notice that you use more four letter words now than before you became a nurse.
~ You don't get excited about blood loss...unless its your own.
~ Eating microwave popcorn out of a clean bedpan seems perfectly natural.
~ You've sworn that you are going to have "NO CODE" tattooed to your chest. (Double amen.)
I hope everyone got at least a small smile from these.
Causing Pain
The thought of causing, or inflicting pain, always brings to mind the idea of physical pain. However, physical pain is sometimes much easier to deal with than emotional pain or anguish. So this blog today is about causing emotional pain.
We are all human, and we have all hurt each other from time to time. None of us are perfect, and we can even hurt another person unintentionally. Thinking back over my life I can recall instances where I have hurt those that I loved or cared about. Sometimes it is unavoidable. I am thinking of a young person breaking up with their high school boyfriend or girlfriend. However, I think having our hearts broken is a necessary step in growing up. It is never easy to have your heart broken, but we do move on and do we even remember the names of everyone we ever dated and dumped or were dumped by?
I am having a difficult time putting my thoughts down on this subject because, though I know what I am thinking, I am having a hard time putting it into words. So bear with me if I ramble or don't make sense from time to time.
I am thinking of situations where people do things for no other reason than to cause pain, or they do it in spite of the pain they will cause, because it will make things easier or better for them, neverminding what it will do to someone else. These types of situations are what I have been thinking about (though I know I am not doing a very good job of putting my thoughts down.)
These types of situations are ones that I think a person must not only ask for God's forgiveness, but for the forgiveness of those they have wronged. Some injuries have more than one victim, those that are the obvious victim and those that are hurt, even if they don't seem to be at the time.
I am hoping that typing this will be cathartic, because I carrying around ill will towards people who have hurt me and those I love. I ask God to help me with the ill feelings I have, but as with most things, I try to "help" God fix me, which never works, and I know this. However, as a human, I have a hard time letting anyone "fix" me or things around me, even if we are talking about the perfect, all knowing, all loving God.
So, I ask God to help me forgive, even if I am unable to forget.
We are all human, and we have all hurt each other from time to time. None of us are perfect, and we can even hurt another person unintentionally. Thinking back over my life I can recall instances where I have hurt those that I loved or cared about. Sometimes it is unavoidable. I am thinking of a young person breaking up with their high school boyfriend or girlfriend. However, I think having our hearts broken is a necessary step in growing up. It is never easy to have your heart broken, but we do move on and do we even remember the names of everyone we ever dated and dumped or were dumped by?
I am having a difficult time putting my thoughts down on this subject because, though I know what I am thinking, I am having a hard time putting it into words. So bear with me if I ramble or don't make sense from time to time.
I am thinking of situations where people do things for no other reason than to cause pain, or they do it in spite of the pain they will cause, because it will make things easier or better for them, neverminding what it will do to someone else. These types of situations are what I have been thinking about (though I know I am not doing a very good job of putting my thoughts down.)
These types of situations are ones that I think a person must not only ask for God's forgiveness, but for the forgiveness of those they have wronged. Some injuries have more than one victim, those that are the obvious victim and those that are hurt, even if they don't seem to be at the time.
I am hoping that typing this will be cathartic, because I carrying around ill will towards people who have hurt me and those I love. I ask God to help me with the ill feelings I have, but as with most things, I try to "help" God fix me, which never works, and I know this. However, as a human, I have a hard time letting anyone "fix" me or things around me, even if we are talking about the perfect, all knowing, all loving God.
So, I ask God to help me forgive, even if I am unable to forget.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Child Abuse
A fellow nurse had mentioned this case to me, but I just saw it for myself in the paper. A mother in Texas was watching the news and said that God told her to chop her baby girls arms off and then chop her own arms, legs, and head off.
A local man, here in the Atlanta metro area, convinced homeless women to let him take in their children (girls) and then proceeded to rape and beat these girls. His own teenage son is accused of raping some of the girls and his daughter is accused of beating them. Of course, the mothers in this situation share some guilt, I can't imagine what it is like to be homeless and not sure when, or if, your kids will eat again, let alone where they will sleep. So, when a well dressed man talks to you about helping you out by taking in your children until you get back on your feet, I guess the offer might seem tempting. This man is getting ready to stand trial, but unfortunately the girls he harmed are going to be the ones to pay a terrible price for the the rest of their lives.
As a nurse in a pediatric hospital, I have had the unfortunate experience of dealing with abuse and neglect. I am grateful that I have not had to deal with this too much, well not abuse anyway. I do see more neglect than I could have imagined, and neglect is a form of abuse.
As a mother of four, I do understand getting frustrated with children. Believe me, I am human, one child can be frustrating at times, let alone two or three or more. However, I could not imagine hurting my children, especially hurting them in the extremes. I don't understand how one could beat,torture, or maime their children. I don't understand how anyone could starve their children, lock them in closets, deny them hugs and kisses, etc.
My children are the most precious human beings in the world. All children are precious and are gifts from God. God entrusts these fragile, innocent beings to our care and I have accepted His gifts, and while I fail to meet His perfection, I do feel I am a good mother. I try my best, and I know sometimes I fall short, but I could never cause harm to my children in any way.
I just don't understand how anyone can hurt a child. I pray for wisdom in caring for the children who have suffered the unimaginable. I also pray for wisdom in dealing with individuals who have caused this harm.
A local man, here in the Atlanta metro area, convinced homeless women to let him take in their children (girls) and then proceeded to rape and beat these girls. His own teenage son is accused of raping some of the girls and his daughter is accused of beating them. Of course, the mothers in this situation share some guilt, I can't imagine what it is like to be homeless and not sure when, or if, your kids will eat again, let alone where they will sleep. So, when a well dressed man talks to you about helping you out by taking in your children until you get back on your feet, I guess the offer might seem tempting. This man is getting ready to stand trial, but unfortunately the girls he harmed are going to be the ones to pay a terrible price for the the rest of their lives.
As a nurse in a pediatric hospital, I have had the unfortunate experience of dealing with abuse and neglect. I am grateful that I have not had to deal with this too much, well not abuse anyway. I do see more neglect than I could have imagined, and neglect is a form of abuse.
As a mother of four, I do understand getting frustrated with children. Believe me, I am human, one child can be frustrating at times, let alone two or three or more. However, I could not imagine hurting my children, especially hurting them in the extremes. I don't understand how one could beat,torture, or maime their children. I don't understand how anyone could starve their children, lock them in closets, deny them hugs and kisses, etc.
My children are the most precious human beings in the world. All children are precious and are gifts from God. God entrusts these fragile, innocent beings to our care and I have accepted His gifts, and while I fail to meet His perfection, I do feel I am a good mother. I try my best, and I know sometimes I fall short, but I could never cause harm to my children in any way.
I just don't understand how anyone can hurt a child. I pray for wisdom in caring for the children who have suffered the unimaginable. I also pray for wisdom in dealing with individuals who have caused this harm.
Monday, February 20, 2006
Divorce
Let me start this post by first stating that divorce is a terrible ordeal for everyone involved. It is even worse when children are involved. Thomas and I have both been divorced. We were both married once before we got married to each other. I never want to get divorced again, but thankfully I am married to a man who is absolutely perfect for me, so I don't ever foresee this marriage not working.
I am thinking about the subject of divorce because friends of ours are in the middle of splitting up. It is a strange place to be when you are friends to both of the parties involved. Thomas and I have not wanted to take sides, but offer our friendship and support to both. This is VERY difficult, especially when one of the individuals starts acting completely insane. I should say that neither of them are without blame, and both have done things that are rather stupid since they split up, but one of them has gone above and beyond the bounds of "normal stupidity."
I won't go into all the sordid details on this blog, but I do wonder how folks who managed to be married for almost 20 years all of a sudden start acting like teenagers, neverminding the fact that they have teenagers of their own. Heck, their own teenagers are acting more mature than their parents are at this point in time. Actually, part of the couple is doing worse than acting like a teenager, this person is becoming HUGELY irresponsible and becoming violent, to the point they have threatened their spouse's life. Yes, law enforcement is involved, so hopefully everything will be okay.
There is a heck of a lot more going on, but Thomas and I have discussed this and don't feel like I should put this on a blog in case the folks involved, or their friends, should read this. I do want to say that both parties are at fault and both have made bad choices since they split up. I do not think that, as far as the marriage is concerned, that either party is more or less to blame about its failure than the other party. I do believe that one of them is acting with much less sense since they split, but aside from the threats being made, I don't think anyone has the right to act like a victim as they have both screwed up the situation.
Now, should anyone involved read this, I don't want anyone's feeling hurt, which is why I have left out names, and even genders in my discussion. I also want both individuals to know that I still care for them both, if not the choices they have made, and that I am praying for them and their children. I hope both of them can put aside any hurt and blame they feel and start to work in the best interests of their children, and themselves.
I am thinking about the subject of divorce because friends of ours are in the middle of splitting up. It is a strange place to be when you are friends to both of the parties involved. Thomas and I have not wanted to take sides, but offer our friendship and support to both. This is VERY difficult, especially when one of the individuals starts acting completely insane. I should say that neither of them are without blame, and both have done things that are rather stupid since they split up, but one of them has gone above and beyond the bounds of "normal stupidity."
I won't go into all the sordid details on this blog, but I do wonder how folks who managed to be married for almost 20 years all of a sudden start acting like teenagers, neverminding the fact that they have teenagers of their own. Heck, their own teenagers are acting more mature than their parents are at this point in time. Actually, part of the couple is doing worse than acting like a teenager, this person is becoming HUGELY irresponsible and becoming violent, to the point they have threatened their spouse's life. Yes, law enforcement is involved, so hopefully everything will be okay.
There is a heck of a lot more going on, but Thomas and I have discussed this and don't feel like I should put this on a blog in case the folks involved, or their friends, should read this. I do want to say that both parties are at fault and both have made bad choices since they split up. I do not think that, as far as the marriage is concerned, that either party is more or less to blame about its failure than the other party. I do believe that one of them is acting with much less sense since they split, but aside from the threats being made, I don't think anyone has the right to act like a victim as they have both screwed up the situation.
Now, should anyone involved read this, I don't want anyone's feeling hurt, which is why I have left out names, and even genders in my discussion. I also want both individuals to know that I still care for them both, if not the choices they have made, and that I am praying for them and their children. I hope both of them can put aside any hurt and blame they feel and start to work in the best interests of their children, and themselves.
New Look
I decided it was time for a change. I liked the other look because it was very feminine, however it was becoming a little too pink for me. So, I will see how I like this look.
Fun Day
We had a really nice day today. We got up and went to Discover Mills, our local shopping outlet mall. I love this mall, it is very similar to the other Mills malls that I have been to, such as Concord Mills (NC,) Franklin Mills (PA,) and Great Mall (CA.) St. Louis Mills opened shortly before we moved away from St. Louis, so we never got to go there, but I am sure it is very similar to the four I have been to.
Drew's birthday was on Saturday, but I had to work, so we didn't really get to celebrate until today. He had already gotten part of his birthday presents on Friday and Saturday, but I bought him one today at the LEGO store. He had gotten money for his birthday from my mom and from us, and his uncle (my brother) gave him an American Express Gift Card, so he has quite a bit of money he could spend on himself. He bought a $10 book and a $5 poster and that's it, he is VERY stingy when it comes to spending his own money. He got a $25 Old Navy gift card from his grandmother for Christmas and he managed to get two pairs of pants, a jacket, and a scarf with that $25 and still got $4 back that they gave him in cash. He stretches money as far as it will go, which is a good thing, but I always remember spending my birthday money as fast as I could :o)
Well, we had a great day as I said. We got Possum's hair cut and Sofia got her ears pierced. We got Olivia's ears pierced at about this same age and it was great. They got to heal without her messing with them, so they never got infected. Possum and Olivia also got to ride the Coca-Cola Polar Bear Train, which they thought was way cool!
We finished up our outing by going to Chili's for dinner. Drew got his favorite, the ribs, which he only gets on his birthday. We then came home and had cake and ice cream, the cake had blue frosting so everyone's mouth and tongue is blue, which is silly. Well, Sofia didn't get any blue frosting, but I did give her a tiny taste of white frosting, which she seemed to enjoy by the way she kept licking her lips.
All in all, the day has been nice and Drew enjoyed himself, so I think the day was a winner overall.
Drew's birthday was on Saturday, but I had to work, so we didn't really get to celebrate until today. He had already gotten part of his birthday presents on Friday and Saturday, but I bought him one today at the LEGO store. He had gotten money for his birthday from my mom and from us, and his uncle (my brother) gave him an American Express Gift Card, so he has quite a bit of money he could spend on himself. He bought a $10 book and a $5 poster and that's it, he is VERY stingy when it comes to spending his own money. He got a $25 Old Navy gift card from his grandmother for Christmas and he managed to get two pairs of pants, a jacket, and a scarf with that $25 and still got $4 back that they gave him in cash. He stretches money as far as it will go, which is a good thing, but I always remember spending my birthday money as fast as I could :o)
Well, we had a great day as I said. We got Possum's hair cut and Sofia got her ears pierced. We got Olivia's ears pierced at about this same age and it was great. They got to heal without her messing with them, so they never got infected. Possum and Olivia also got to ride the Coca-Cola Polar Bear Train, which they thought was way cool!
We finished up our outing by going to Chili's for dinner. Drew got his favorite, the ribs, which he only gets on his birthday. We then came home and had cake and ice cream, the cake had blue frosting so everyone's mouth and tongue is blue, which is silly. Well, Sofia didn't get any blue frosting, but I did give her a tiny taste of white frosting, which she seemed to enjoy by the way she kept licking her lips.
All in all, the day has been nice and Drew enjoyed himself, so I think the day was a winner overall.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Christianity
Okay, let me preface this post by saying that my husband and I come from VERY different religious backgrounds. I was born and raised Roman Catholic. Thomas became a member of the Church of Christ as a teenager, he even went to two different colleges that are Church of Christ institutions.
As I am not one to keep my mouth shut (and neither is Thomas) we have had many interesting conversations about religion. While I still hold most of the teachings of the Catholic Church as true, I do disagree in certain areas (though this isn't what this blog is about.) Thomas has long since moved away from the teachings of the Church of Christ, but he did earn a degree in Bible, so he is very educated on what the Bible says. This has lead to many "interesting" discussions in our house, but I feel I have come away with greater knowledge, and sometimes greater conviction in my own beliefs.
Now, I am actually going to get to the topic of this blog. The religion both of us grew up in is Christianity, which is the "religion of Christ." I guess my main issue is that almost EVERY religious denomination spends too much time following the teachings of individuals who are NOT Christ. Jesus never minced words, he always said what he believed, so I think if HE wanted women to sit down and shut up, He would have told us to do so.
Paul's religous background was Judaism, which is very legalistic. Paul's beliefs changed after the "road to Damascus." However, I don't think Paul was very good at functioning in a situation that didn't have "rules." So, unfortunately, I think Paul created some rules that fit in with his "comfort level" with religous practice. I do believe that Paul was a good man and that he loved Christ, but I think he does what we all do, he made things fit into what made him comfortable. No one likes leaving their comfort zone, that is very scary, and Paul was just a man, a human with human failings.
Jesus however, is the Son of God. He is perfect in every way. He loves us. He never said that women could not participate, lead, serve, speak, etc. We need to remember what was said in John 3:16. It said "whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but live everlasting life." It didn't say that he who follows the "rules" best wins, it say "believes in Him."
As I am not one to keep my mouth shut (and neither is Thomas) we have had many interesting conversations about religion. While I still hold most of the teachings of the Catholic Church as true, I do disagree in certain areas (though this isn't what this blog is about.) Thomas has long since moved away from the teachings of the Church of Christ, but he did earn a degree in Bible, so he is very educated on what the Bible says. This has lead to many "interesting" discussions in our house, but I feel I have come away with greater knowledge, and sometimes greater conviction in my own beliefs.
Now, I am actually going to get to the topic of this blog. The religion both of us grew up in is Christianity, which is the "religion of Christ." I guess my main issue is that almost EVERY religious denomination spends too much time following the teachings of individuals who are NOT Christ. Jesus never minced words, he always said what he believed, so I think if HE wanted women to sit down and shut up, He would have told us to do so.
Paul's religous background was Judaism, which is very legalistic. Paul's beliefs changed after the "road to Damascus." However, I don't think Paul was very good at functioning in a situation that didn't have "rules." So, unfortunately, I think Paul created some rules that fit in with his "comfort level" with religous practice. I do believe that Paul was a good man and that he loved Christ, but I think he does what we all do, he made things fit into what made him comfortable. No one likes leaving their comfort zone, that is very scary, and Paul was just a man, a human with human failings.
Jesus however, is the Son of God. He is perfect in every way. He loves us. He never said that women could not participate, lead, serve, speak, etc. We need to remember what was said in John 3:16. It said "whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but live everlasting life." It didn't say that he who follows the "rules" best wins, it say "believes in Him."
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Women in Church
I was reading on another blog recently about women's roles in Church. I have a hard time with some of the discussion on this other blog, and had to be careful what I said because some of the responders had VERY different opinions from mine. The difference in opinion is probably due to the difference in religious upbringing and belief. My background is Roman Catholic and, while I am not currently going to Church, I still hold most of the beliefs of the Catholic Church as true.
Now, as for women in Church, I don't want to go to Church and listen to a woman preacher. Now this isn't because I believe it is wrong in any way, shape, or form, it is just personal preference; just like I would never go to a woman gynecologist, it would make me very uncomfortable.
I have always gone to Church and women have read scripture and served Communion and lead singing, etc. Nuns have very important roles in the Church and work very closely with the Priests. Now, for people unfamiliar with a Catholic Mass, there are three scriptures read from the Bible every week. The first is from the Old Testament, the second is from the New Testament (not a Gospel), and the third is from the Gospel. Members of the congregation read the scriptures from the Old and New Testament and the Priest reads the Gospel passage. Men and women alike read the Old and New Testament scriptures, all who feel called to read are allowed to do so. Of course, who reads on which week is pre-arranged, but anyone who wishes is allowed to join the Lectors (the group of people who do the readings.)
As for Communion, the Catholic Church is very strict in the teachings and beliefs surrounding the Sacrament of the Eucharist. The Priest prepares the bread and wine, and does the prayers, etc. As for serving communion, this is like the Lectors, anyone who wishes to serve may do so. There is a group of people who serve communion, and who does so on any given week is arranged in advance, but anyone may join the group of people who do this.
Women also lead singing on a regular basis. Most Catholic Churches have someone whose job it is to be the Music Leader, of course this is a job for which one applies. However, anyone who wishes to apply may do so. I have been to churches with men in charge of music and churches with women in charge of music. For me music is a very important part of the entire experience for me. I am not a fan of organ music, at least not if that is the primary form of music played. I prefer a much more contemporary musical ministry. I like pianos, horns, guitars, drums, violins, etc. Most contemporary music ministries welcome any type of instrument that one wishes to use in worship. I am not talking about music like Stryper or Petra (am I aging myself?) I definitely wouldn't want the feel of a rock concert, if I want to hear Bon Jovi play I will go see Bon Jovi in concert, not at Church. However, I do like (and require) a Church that has a very involved music ministry as part of worship. I have been to a couple of Churches with such superb music ministries, that this has become a necessity for me. I don't get much out of Church if the music is not top notch.
Now that I have gone off on a tangent, I need to come back to the topic at hand, which is the role of women in Church. I firmly believe that there is no reason for a woman not to have an active role in Church, in fact, I believe it is wrong to not allow a woman to be active. As I said, the official "leader" of the service/mass/whatever, in MY OPINION should be a man, but as for supporting roles, like scripture reading and serving communion and leading singing, should be open to men and women alike. The Bible says that men should lead, and for one who takes a literal interpretation of the Bible, then yes, only men should "lead" but I believe other roles are more supporting and, in no way, usurp the leadership of men.
Just my opinion.
Now, as for women in Church, I don't want to go to Church and listen to a woman preacher. Now this isn't because I believe it is wrong in any way, shape, or form, it is just personal preference; just like I would never go to a woman gynecologist, it would make me very uncomfortable.
I have always gone to Church and women have read scripture and served Communion and lead singing, etc. Nuns have very important roles in the Church and work very closely with the Priests. Now, for people unfamiliar with a Catholic Mass, there are three scriptures read from the Bible every week. The first is from the Old Testament, the second is from the New Testament (not a Gospel), and the third is from the Gospel. Members of the congregation read the scriptures from the Old and New Testament and the Priest reads the Gospel passage. Men and women alike read the Old and New Testament scriptures, all who feel called to read are allowed to do so. Of course, who reads on which week is pre-arranged, but anyone who wishes is allowed to join the Lectors (the group of people who do the readings.)
As for Communion, the Catholic Church is very strict in the teachings and beliefs surrounding the Sacrament of the Eucharist. The Priest prepares the bread and wine, and does the prayers, etc. As for serving communion, this is like the Lectors, anyone who wishes to serve may do so. There is a group of people who serve communion, and who does so on any given week is arranged in advance, but anyone may join the group of people who do this.
Women also lead singing on a regular basis. Most Catholic Churches have someone whose job it is to be the Music Leader, of course this is a job for which one applies. However, anyone who wishes to apply may do so. I have been to churches with men in charge of music and churches with women in charge of music. For me music is a very important part of the entire experience for me. I am not a fan of organ music, at least not if that is the primary form of music played. I prefer a much more contemporary musical ministry. I like pianos, horns, guitars, drums, violins, etc. Most contemporary music ministries welcome any type of instrument that one wishes to use in worship. I am not talking about music like Stryper or Petra (am I aging myself?) I definitely wouldn't want the feel of a rock concert, if I want to hear Bon Jovi play I will go see Bon Jovi in concert, not at Church. However, I do like (and require) a Church that has a very involved music ministry as part of worship. I have been to a couple of Churches with such superb music ministries, that this has become a necessity for me. I don't get much out of Church if the music is not top notch.
Now that I have gone off on a tangent, I need to come back to the topic at hand, which is the role of women in Church. I firmly believe that there is no reason for a woman not to have an active role in Church, in fact, I believe it is wrong to not allow a woman to be active. As I said, the official "leader" of the service/mass/whatever, in MY OPINION should be a man, but as for supporting roles, like scripture reading and serving communion and leading singing, should be open to men and women alike. The Bible says that men should lead, and for one who takes a literal interpretation of the Bible, then yes, only men should "lead" but I believe other roles are more supporting and, in no way, usurp the leadership of men.
Just my opinion.
Happy Birthday Drew
As I start this blog, the computer clock say it is 2:10 AM. At this moment, fourteen years ago, I was on my way to the operating room to have an emergency c-section. Drew was born at 2:24 AM, February 18, 1992. He weighed 7lb 2.5oz and was 20.5 in long.
After a very long labor of 20 hours and 2 more hours of pushing, Drew started to go into distress and the doctor determined that I would not be able to deliver a baby...ever. So, I had the first of four c-sections and I had a healthy baby boy. He and I both ended up with a fever and he was put on antibiotics for three days, but that was really the only problem that occured.
Drew has become such a fine young man. He is developing his own opinions and interests. He loves musicals. He is developing an interest in theatre and wants to be a part of the magnet program at one of the high schools in our county.
He is a great big brother, Possum and Olivia adore him. I am very proud of how well he deals with them (most of the time.)
I am enjoying watching him grow, I am interested in the man he will become.
So, at 2:20, four minutes before his official time of birth, I want to say "Happy Birthday Drew." I love you very much.
After a very long labor of 20 hours and 2 more hours of pushing, Drew started to go into distress and the doctor determined that I would not be able to deliver a baby...ever. So, I had the first of four c-sections and I had a healthy baby boy. He and I both ended up with a fever and he was put on antibiotics for three days, but that was really the only problem that occured.
Drew has become such a fine young man. He is developing his own opinions and interests. He loves musicals. He is developing an interest in theatre and wants to be a part of the magnet program at one of the high schools in our county.
He is a great big brother, Possum and Olivia adore him. I am very proud of how well he deals with them (most of the time.)
I am enjoying watching him grow, I am interested in the man he will become.
So, at 2:20, four minutes before his official time of birth, I want to say "Happy Birthday Drew." I love you very much.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Happy Valentine's Day
I want to wish my wonderful husband a very Happy Valentine's Day!
I am the luckiest woman in the entire world. I have found the only man that is 100% perfect for me, not many people are that fortunate.
So, Thomas, I love you very much. You are the best friend, husband, and lover I could have ever wished for. You are the most wonderful father a child could ever have, our children will count themselves blessed that they have you as a dad.
Thank you for all your love and support.
I love you.
I am the luckiest woman in the entire world. I have found the only man that is 100% perfect for me, not many people are that fortunate.
So, Thomas, I love you very much. You are the best friend, husband, and lover I could have ever wished for. You are the most wonderful father a child could ever have, our children will count themselves blessed that they have you as a dad.
Thank you for all your love and support.
I love you.
My Career
Okay, before I get started on the topic at hand, I have to note that my two posts that disappeared have never reappeared, so maybe I will work on those again at some other time.
Now for the topic at hand. My husband is a stay-at-home dad. He has been waiting tables to supplement my short term disability while I was on maternity leave and is still working, just till I get a couple of full paychecks. We had talked about him continuing to work a couple of nights a week, so he could get out of the house and so I could have some quiet, alone time that wasn't just during my commute. It is a great idea in theory, but things have come into play that make this so it won't work.
Last year the hospital introduced a new career ladder for nurses. We had to choose which level we wanted to work towards, we could maintain the level we are at or challenge a higher level. All new graduate nurses are automatically placed in the "novice" category and must challenge the "colleague" level for the next year. All experienced nurses (staff nurses, not management) are hired in at the "colleague" level and can either stay at that level or challenge for the "resource" level. I decided that I wanted to challenge for the resource level.
I am very grateful that I had the foresight to get my requirements done early as I had all my "points" completed and compiled before I was put on bed rest. Of course, for our first year in the program we were only required to obtain half the number of points they want us to get in the future. It was a challenge getting the 12.5 points I needed, but I managed to do so (I actually got 13 or 14), it is going to be more of a challenge getting 25 points this year. I needed the 12.5 to challenge for the resource level, if the career advancement committee denies my promotion for any reason, I need 25 points to challenge next year. If they approve my promotion, I need 25 points to maintain my level next year, so either way, I need 25 points which is a lot of work above and beyond the "basic" requirements of my job.
All that being said, I feel I am up to the challenge. Being the sole wage earner means I need to focus on my career and I need to look for opportunities to further it. I am planning on going back to college to get my Bachelor's degree as it will be a requirement for me to go any further at this hospital. Other hospitals don't necessarily make a BSN a requirement, but it definitely doesn't hurt. I do also want a Masters degree eventually. However, I don't want to become a Nurse Practitioner, which is what I used to want to do. I think I want to pursue my Masters in Health Care Administration as I do think I want to become a manager in the future. I don't need a Masters to be a Nurse Manager, just a Bachelors but I think my eventual goal is to work in the upper levels of hospital administration...............Someday!
So, for the time being, I am going to do all the committee work required of me and look to going back to college. Thomas has given his notice at work, so we can actually see each other. We like each other and we like spending time together, which means something has to give. Since nothing I am doing can be done away with, he is giving up his "job" so he can focus on his career as well, which is being a stay at home dad. We both love our jobs and we are both supportive of each other in our endeavors. I am a lucky lady to have this wonderful life and wonderful husband and wonderful family.
Enough rambling for now. Dinner is ready and these kids are tired, so they need to eat and go to bed.
Now for the topic at hand. My husband is a stay-at-home dad. He has been waiting tables to supplement my short term disability while I was on maternity leave and is still working, just till I get a couple of full paychecks. We had talked about him continuing to work a couple of nights a week, so he could get out of the house and so I could have some quiet, alone time that wasn't just during my commute. It is a great idea in theory, but things have come into play that make this so it won't work.
Last year the hospital introduced a new career ladder for nurses. We had to choose which level we wanted to work towards, we could maintain the level we are at or challenge a higher level. All new graduate nurses are automatically placed in the "novice" category and must challenge the "colleague" level for the next year. All experienced nurses (staff nurses, not management) are hired in at the "colleague" level and can either stay at that level or challenge for the "resource" level. I decided that I wanted to challenge for the resource level.
I am very grateful that I had the foresight to get my requirements done early as I had all my "points" completed and compiled before I was put on bed rest. Of course, for our first year in the program we were only required to obtain half the number of points they want us to get in the future. It was a challenge getting the 12.5 points I needed, but I managed to do so (I actually got 13 or 14), it is going to be more of a challenge getting 25 points this year. I needed the 12.5 to challenge for the resource level, if the career advancement committee denies my promotion for any reason, I need 25 points to challenge next year. If they approve my promotion, I need 25 points to maintain my level next year, so either way, I need 25 points which is a lot of work above and beyond the "basic" requirements of my job.
All that being said, I feel I am up to the challenge. Being the sole wage earner means I need to focus on my career and I need to look for opportunities to further it. I am planning on going back to college to get my Bachelor's degree as it will be a requirement for me to go any further at this hospital. Other hospitals don't necessarily make a BSN a requirement, but it definitely doesn't hurt. I do also want a Masters degree eventually. However, I don't want to become a Nurse Practitioner, which is what I used to want to do. I think I want to pursue my Masters in Health Care Administration as I do think I want to become a manager in the future. I don't need a Masters to be a Nurse Manager, just a Bachelors but I think my eventual goal is to work in the upper levels of hospital administration...............Someday!
So, for the time being, I am going to do all the committee work required of me and look to going back to college. Thomas has given his notice at work, so we can actually see each other. We like each other and we like spending time together, which means something has to give. Since nothing I am doing can be done away with, he is giving up his "job" so he can focus on his career as well, which is being a stay at home dad. We both love our jobs and we are both supportive of each other in our endeavors. I am a lucky lady to have this wonderful life and wonderful husband and wonderful family.
Enough rambling for now. Dinner is ready and these kids are tired, so they need to eat and go to bed.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Looking for a new blog service...
I have had two new blogs that I had saved, but not published disappear. I have also had a couple of replies to other people disappear, not show up as deleted, just not show up at all. So, I think it is time to find a new service. I will provide further info when available. I am just really frustrated by the events over the last week with my blogging.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
The War In Iraq
I know I am not alone in thinking it is time to get the heck out of Iraq. I understand why we are in Afghanistan, and I support that military action, but I cannot figure out why we are in Iraq.
The military action in Iraq has shown that there were no weapons of mass destruction. I am very relieved that Saddam Hussein is out of power; he was an evil tyrrant who had no respect of human life. Unfortunately, our President is not much better. Granted, we are not tortured in the streets of Washington daily, but we are subjected to illegal wire taps. I would much rather the wire taps over torture, but we are guaranteed privacy in our Constitution and I want to have my privacy. Not that I say anything on the phone that any government agency would EVER find interesting, unless they are interested in the goings on of my crazy kids, but I still want the rights I am promised.
Back to Iraq, this country is hemorrhaging money to support this military action. We are the greatest country in the world, but we should hang our heads in shame. How can we spend money to fight a war when we have people who have no food, no healthcare, no home, etc? How is it that we can PAY our farmers to NOT produce crops when we have kids going to bed with empty bellies? We have MORE than enough to provide for our own, yet we do not, we should be ashamed of this.
The funny thing is, I voted for Bush, and I generally vote Republican. I guess my political leaning would be considered moderate as I have leanings that are both conservative and liberal, depending on the issue. I am almost ashamed to admit I voted for Bush and 2008 can't come qiuck enough in my opinion.
Sofia says mama has rambled enough tonight and she is hungry.
The military action in Iraq has shown that there were no weapons of mass destruction. I am very relieved that Saddam Hussein is out of power; he was an evil tyrrant who had no respect of human life. Unfortunately, our President is not much better. Granted, we are not tortured in the streets of Washington daily, but we are subjected to illegal wire taps. I would much rather the wire taps over torture, but we are guaranteed privacy in our Constitution and I want to have my privacy. Not that I say anything on the phone that any government agency would EVER find interesting, unless they are interested in the goings on of my crazy kids, but I still want the rights I am promised.
Back to Iraq, this country is hemorrhaging money to support this military action. We are the greatest country in the world, but we should hang our heads in shame. How can we spend money to fight a war when we have people who have no food, no healthcare, no home, etc? How is it that we can PAY our farmers to NOT produce crops when we have kids going to bed with empty bellies? We have MORE than enough to provide for our own, yet we do not, we should be ashamed of this.
The funny thing is, I voted for Bush, and I generally vote Republican. I guess my political leaning would be considered moderate as I have leanings that are both conservative and liberal, depending on the issue. I am almost ashamed to admit I voted for Bush and 2008 can't come qiuck enough in my opinion.
Sofia says mama has rambled enough tonight and she is hungry.