Weekend in California

Unfortunately Nic's groom was unable to obtain a visa to get into the US, so their wedding has been postponed. However, we still enjoyed a lovely weekend in Central CA.

Friday was quite a blur between school, errands, and dealing with HR at the hospital. K's knock came all too soon and we headed out to navigate to the airport. Inevitably every time I go we get a little lost. Apple has revolutionized my life (I may be on the brink of entertaining the thought of getting a Mac when I graduate) and I carried with me all of my lectures from the past week in a device that fits in my hand. With all of my textbooks and lecture notes in my laptop I felt a sense of accomplishment as I studied in the airport even while walking between gates.

My plane sat on the tarmac of LAX for a while as we waited for a gate. It was nice to have someone else make the travel arrangements and I only needed to worry about going with the flow. (for more info on J's frustrations with Budget see his blog) We loaded up in our rented mustang convertable complete with GPS economy car and were off to Nic's house in central CA. Even after a stop at a shady rest area, where I demanded the keys whilst Jonathan left me in the car, we made it in once piece.

After a few hours sleep, I wandered into the kitchen where we sat for a few hours chatting with her family. Neighbors and grandkids came in and out for coffee and conversation. Ahhh, the pace of the country. Nic showed us pictures of fiance and her time in Mozambique. The big excitement was that I caught a neighbor dog taking one of their chickens and Mr. H went out with the rifle.

Around lunchtime we went to Trader Joes (yaaaaayyyy) and gathered supplies for a fabulous lunch on the beach. (Soy 'n' flax chips with hummus or pico...just to name a few of the items on the menu) It was a little overcast. We walked one beach then chose a quieter one for the picnic. Late afternoon we were back at the Hiltons and more people stopped by to chat. I spent some time on the phone with people I knew from various ministries that lived in the area while the menfolk went outside to work on Nic's water pump.









Saturday night we drove down to LA (after one more stop at Trader Joes and an emergency "dinner" at Starbucks) and stayed with one of the "kids" from our '98 trip to Venezuela and his wife. He used to sit on the kitchen floor in South America and hope we'd give him samples of what we were cooking. He's now a pastor and we got to hear him preach Sunday to a high school group. It was amazing to hear him speak so articulately and passionately.

2007 John & Kathryn

<-----Nic & John 1998


After church we were off to the airport and I began my saga of getting home to Lubbock. My classmates were asking me "but what did you DO?". We didn't do much but got to relax, sit in the sand, and talk to people. No late night clubs in LA or celebrity sightings. =0)) I had a great time and wouldn't have traded the time talking with friends for any club in LA! I have a feeling my long drive this weekend to go to my NRP class will just seem dull.

The Holiday That Would Not End...

This weekend was a whirlwind mini-vacation. (something like 470 miles in the rental car in 36 hours) Due to severe weather in West Texas they canceled my flight home. I had an extension on the vacation when American had to put me up in a hotel. I made it to school an hour late for class and just threw on some scrubs as I head out to the hospital. Pictures to come....

West Texas Medical Vocabulary

I had to laugh today as we were on the floor with our advisor receiving instructions in West Texas drawl. Thankfully, unlike other teachers, she does not refer to the duodenum as the "duu-ah-DAAEEYYY-num". However "y'all" and "fixi'n'" seem to be prominent fixtures.

"So, when y'all are fix'n' to do y'all's baaayyydd baaaath (bed bath)..."

We aren't doing to much on the floor yet, but its great to be IN the hospital for a good chunk of the week rather than just sitting in class.

Tonight about a dozen of us gathered Ben's and when we finished our prayer time for each other realized it was 1am. Wow! I need to go to bed!

Clinical Prep Day

Have no fear! The new students are here!

This was my view as I sat beside the reservoir studying note cards for tomorrow's exam. Yes, what a welcome back...a test first thing. My neighbor calls the water at the park "the sewer dump". I can see her point. The level is based on run-off from the streets and just today there was dead fish next to my tire. However it doesn't stink and I found its banks a nice sanctuary after a leisurely jog.

Kathy mentioned we are halfway...only 8 weeks left in the rest of the freshman semester. Wow, its gone fast, yet horribly slow. I spoke to another schoolmate about jobs at the hospital. Oddly, in the next few weeks I'll have all my paperwork in for my Texas midwife license. However, in the hospital as a nursing student I can't take vitals by myself, puncture skin, or do much more than hygiene for patients. Ironic place to be...

[edit: Kathy was wrong, we have 11 weeks]

New Find

Unfortunately no one told me about SXSW in Austin this week...I missed it! The next best thing is iTunes

As Heard at the Gym

Today I joined the fitness center at the hospital. As opposed to other gyms, this one seems more like my type of place (no egotistical bodybuilders with huge necks in sight). Most of the people there were employees or cardiac rehab patients. The various machines are all tied into a computer system that logs your time, range of motion on the weight machines, and likes to flash your weight in the opening screen. My hope is that before or after shifts I can just run upstairs and swim or lift some weights.

Though there may not be big body builders, it is always a blow to my own ego to have a 70-year-old kick my rear end on the elliptical or weights. When I'm running at the park, its inevitable, just when I get tired the man with the leg braces passes me on the track. =0))

While there I heard a country song that gave me a good laugh. (note to self...bring Shuffle to gym next time so listening to country music does not become a habit)

(This is for all you sophisticated ladies out there)

She grew up in the city in a little subdivision,
Her daddy wore a tie, Momma never fried a chicken,
Ballet, Straight A’s, Most likely to succeed

They bought her a car after graduation
Sent her down south for some higher education
Put her on the fast track to a law degree

Now she’s comin home to visit
holdin the hand
Of a wild-eyed boy
with a farmer’s tan

And shes ridin in the middle of his pickup truck
Blarin Charlie Daniels yellin, “Turn it up!”
They raised her up a lady
but there’s one thing they couldn’t avoid
Ladies love country boys

(You know its true)

Yeah, you know momma’s and daddy’s want better for their daughters
Hope they’ll settle down with a doctor or a lawyer
In their uptown, ball gown, hand-me-down royalty

They never understand
why their princess falls
For some camouflage britches
and a southern boy drawl...

You can train ‘em
You can try to teach ‘em right from wrong
But it’s still gonna turn ‘em on

Dad, if you're reading...don't worry I hang out with hippies. =0))

Signs of Spring

A few pictures I took at the park today.... My plans for a quiet afternoon reading in the sun were dashed by the sudden onset of wind gusts along the plains that threatened to overthrow my sundress and take me away. It was hard to picture Mindy in 1 degree weather in Alaska as I basked in the warm day.

This one is entitled "when sticks and poor lighting damage good attempts at photography"

Spring Break Continued

We had a glorious day today in the 70's with bright sunshine. Last night was small group and I stayed late talking to people. As I did B's dishes I chuckled to myself as I remembered the Asian tribal implications of that act. (And since we are in the US I suspect I need not ask pardon for having made such a bold move)

This morning I went with Andrea and the crew to the church near their old place to do a short work day with the neighbor kids. Afterwards I hit the highway to the next town. Wind in my hair I put on some new tunes recommended to me. If I had a jet plane I'd for sure jet off to Austin for Mr. Purdy's live set. After a few bank errands I was off to the park with a large portion of the neighborhood.

And as the sun set I dove back into study and went through some online courses pertaining to heart failure. Lovely day. Once again I was teased about my growing drawl, so I picked up a few BBC features from the library to get back to my English roots.

NOW I remember

Part of my break was to be dedicated to some sewing projects. While I might have images of Project Runway in my head...my $20 Shark machine and rusty sewing hands keep me grounded. Its been at least about 3 years since I seriously sewed. In Asia it was just more practical and fun to hit up thrift stores with amazing finds from Hong Kong. I figured it was best to start with a shirt before I went on to my "designer coat"

Tonight I remembered why I never excelled in sewing. My tunic was going great UNTIL I tried to put on a sleeve...a yes...this was always my thorn. I just can't do a good sleeve. Its too tight and puckered and I can't seem to work it out. Billy Blanks is working his magic on my arms, but since my arm is not likely to shrink I think I'll have to keep working on it...maybe tomorrow.

To a kinesthetic/auditory learner the directions I read online are NOT helpful. Here's a picture (DON'T laugh) As you'll notice its still rough with pins holding the edging and it needs to be ironed.

A Wet Week?

Rain continues to fall outside and the streets are flooded. I had grand plans to ride my bike to the running track (in pursuit of the illusion I could still run a triathlon this spring). However neither of those are options. I cleaned an polished my sinks and stove the other day so I'm left to study for my med/surg exam next week. What could be better than sitting in my hammock studying mucous and skin ulcers?

I had a funny conversation with the 3rd grade Sunday School class yesterday. One of the boys met me at the door of the church to take me to the room (I'd not been in the basement before) Our church is just recently moving from being a mission church to a permanent church, so we rent space at another church. When I walked in the room I noticed the pool table. Immediately my mind pulled up the song from the Music Man

a got trouble, folks, right here in River City
With a capital 'T' and that rhymes with 'P'
And that stands for 'pool

Towards the end of our lesson I was talking about how God looks at people's heart not just the outside or how good they appear. I was trying to show them how often its easy to do something nice for someone else, but we don't want to do something for our mom, like clean our room. I happened to say that in church there are many jobs and one is not necessarily more important if we are serving the Lord. I said something to the effect that the person who cleans the toilets is just as important to the Lord as Pastor Jim.

One boy piped up and said, "Being a pastor is WAY easier than cleaning toilets"

I told that to Jim later and said I told the boy I'm not sure he'd agree. Pastor said, "But I'm not sure I'd be so quick to disagree"

Its A Small World After All

[Warning: this post contains some name-dropping which will only be significant to a small group of people]

Church was rather empty today due to the beginning of spring break. After church we went to a local park to have a pot-luck. I sat with two ladies I'd not seen before. I soon learned the daughter worked in the postpartum ward of the hospital system in which I work. Her mom was in visiting from El Paso. We started talking and soon learned that we had common acquaintances as she went to school with some of the Walker kids and had plans to visit Hillary's clinic (as her mom had earlier). Her mom was at Jesus Chapel in the '70's and works with Sip Sr. Very small world...eating lunch with my little reformed church group talking about Vineyard people we knew.

Spring Break

IT'S SPRING BREAK!!! I expected to be working all week, but have ended up with the week completely off (minus the 4/hours a day of study, dozen online tests I need to finish, and the clinical prep work I plan)

Last night I stayed with Amber and got to sleep on a memory foam bed. That is wild stuff! But then again, any bed would impress me right now =0)) This morning Ben introduced us to Saturday morning live jazz at the local coffee place. The house blend was perfect and the conversation sweet.
As my friends made the mass-Exodus out of W. Texas I obtained a pile of sewing projects and plan to make the most of the beautiful weather on my bike and with my running shoes. ...it's the calm before the storm!

Communion by Candelight

One of my friends helped launch a small-group Bible study nearby and I've been able to attend a handful of times. Its quite a random group and most people met each other at the local coffee shop. No one goes to the same church...there are people with Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, non-denom, and Episcopal backgrounds. Its generally a pot-luck style dinner. West Texas meat and potato people sit with organic vegetarians. Last week we even had a girl who was Buddhist.

Tonight after going through some of James we celebrated communion by candlelight and spent a while praying together. I couldn't help but wonder if this was more the essence of the Last Supper...a "random" collection of people from various backgrounds sitting together on the floor.

Dedication

Yesterday was our class dedication. The main speaker gave the history of capping ceremonies and shared about the respectable vocation of nursing. A later speaker spoke of the role of men in nursing and how our school graduates 3x the national average of men.

After receiving a pin in the shape of a lamp from our adviser we had a candlelight ceremony acknowledging Florence Nightingale and the light of nursing (I'm not exactly sure the correlation there) All my other candlelight ceremonies have been at TMI training so it felt odd to be dressed up and not hear Bob Bland talk about one light (as camera flashes go off)

The picture angles aren't so great...I just had to ask someone in the crowd to take them....

This is me receiving my lamp pin







That's my backside as we go up to light our candles

Please Pray

Please keep me in your prayers. I have applied for a few scholarships and tried for financial aid this semester (I messed it up last semester) so please pray these will go through and I will have favor with the grant people!