Happy New Year's Eve....

2009 was a great year for the Carnes clan....I graduated from nursing school, we bought our first house, Jordan graduated from high school(and made it through her first semester of college), and none of our girls got pregnant(haha...kinda).

Some things we hope to accomplish in 2010....keeping up with my blog much better, losing a few(or a lot depending on how you look at it) of pounds, paying of debt..although this might take until 2011, but we'll give it our best shot, finish getting the new house in order, getting knocked up with a new addition to the Carnes clan, and none of our girls getting pregnant!

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful 2010!

I love my job......

but I'll tell you, it sure freaks me out about having another baby! I had three healthy children...with uneventful pregnancies. Then I had a surrogate pregnancy, which was also uneventful. That was followed by another surrogate journey, that included a miscarriage that shook me to the core. It was devastating because it was totally foreign to me....this is not what my body does. My body delivers healthy babies. After the miscarriage, 2 more surrogacy journeys followed resulting in two beautiful and healthy boys. Being involved in the surrogacy world, you learn what can happen...miscarriages before most people even know their pregnant, blighted ovums, ect. Now that we're thinking of having another child of our own, working on an antepartum unit has me totally freaked out about it(not to mention the blogging world)!

We all "know" that women can die in childbirth, even before and still afterwards, but I think unless you have it in your face on a daily basis, you forget about it, or think "nope, we've come too far for that to still be happening", because I know I did. But unfortunately, it still happens. Sitting in a Women's Center class yesterday, one of the instructors, who happens to also work on L&D comes in and asks if any of her L&D people can go to work after the class because it's crazy up there. Then another instructor proceeds to tell us a mom has coded. Those are almost the absolute worst words you can ever hear. You get the worst feeling in the pit of your stomach as you know that there is a mom who will never hold her baby, a baby that will never smell his mother or hear her loving voice outside of the womb. You know that there is a husband who has lost his wife, but has to somehow hold it together for this new life she brought into the world.

I'm a true believer in "when it's your time to go, it's your time to go." I believe when you have completed what God meant for you to do here in this life, you go onto the next. I don't understand why it happens in ways that it does, and I know it's not ever easy to lose a loved one. It just makes the thought of childbirth and pregnancy so scary for me, even though I have done it 6 times already! We are ready and willing to take these chances though, to hold a precious baby in our arms. They are more than worth every chance we take to get them here, but it is a scary thought for me. Let's hope I can hold it together if and when I get pregnant, without becoming a complete basket case....and if you have an extra minute in your day, say a prayer for this poor family who must now mourn and celebrate.

Let's Go Cowboys!

Snuggling in to watch "the boys" play Sunday night football! I won't make it for the whole game....not sure would make it through my 13 hour shift tomorrow if I did...not to mention the 2 hours of drive time. So not looking forward to work tomorrow, but guess if I have to go to work, there's no better place to be than surrounded by a bunch of pregnant ladies! Oh well, I'll be rootin' for Cowboys in my dreams! Let's Go Cowboys!

Life is Good Today......

Not really sure why I'm thinking life is good today....as I sit here with my windows open because my downstairs AC is on the fritz....I guess maybe because it's just one of those days when it hits me that it's MY AC that's on the fritz, and not someone else's AC that I'm just paying to borrow in the form of rent. Some days I'll be rolling along doing laundry and realize, "hey, this is my house....I finally own my own house," and it is still surreal. And luckily, it's only going to be 70 degrees outside today instead of 80...so there could be worse days for the AC to go out, right? My family is healthy, happy...for the most part, we have a roof over our heads, good jobs, and our bills are getting paid. What could be better? Life is good today!

The Oldest Chicken Has Left The Nest.

Long time no blog, right? Getting back into the real work of working 12 hour shifts, and driving an hour each way, is taking it's toll, and not leaving much time for blogging...no fair! Anyway, Jordan has been settled into her college apartment since Saturday, and is doing well....aside from all the stuff in her apartment that doesn't work, and waiting for the guys to come fix it(welcome to your own place J), she is doing good. I talked to her last night, and she said it's kinda lonely because she hasn't seen her roommates since Saturday, but I'm sure she'll get used to it. Strange being short one kiddo, but I'm sure we'll get used to it as well. I did much better than I thought I would...no tears...just a lot of "be sure you keep that board in your window, make sure you always lock the doors when you're home, always be aware of your surroundings", ect...but I'm a mom, so that's my job, right? I am sure we'll be seeing lots of her on weekends as she comes around for a home cooked meal, so I'm not even sure we'll have time to miss her! Love ya girl, and I'm very proud of you! Enjoy this time in your life!

Back into the work force!

Whew! I made it through my first 2 days on the antepartum unit where I'll be working. Last week was a full week of orientation. I'm pooped, but think I am going to love, love, love it! It is going to take some time to get used to these 12 hour shifts...and just when I do, it will be time for me to switch to nights. Oh well. I think it's going to take some adjusting from everyone around here, as Chad will have to take care of dinner and get the girls situated when I'm working, and the fact that I won't see him at all on the days when I'm working nights, but this is what I've been working towards for almost 20 years! And I have the next few days off before going back to work on Saturday, so I can finally catch up on all my blog reading. Guess blogging and Facebook reading will have to take place on my days off. Sigh.

Updated house pics....

Our house is starting to take shape slowly, but surely! Now that we have the new carpet in, I am loving this house! Here are some updated pics of the dining room:

Here are some pics of the work we've done in the living room. Overlook the dog crates that we're using for end tables...they are on the list as one of the things we still need.

Anyone that knows me, knows I love Hobby Lobby like a fat kid loves cake, so here are a couple of my newest finds for the living room:



I still need something big for one of the walls in the living room, so looks like another trip...or several..to Hobby Lobby is in my future!

And here is what we have going on in the Dallas Cowboys themed "man cave":












There is still lots to be done...painting the master bedroom and bathroom, and the guest bath downstairs, and all of the girls rooms, but hey, I guess I've got 30 years right?

What a weekend!

I totally love having guests, but the laundry and cleaning that come afterwards are not something I look forward to at all! Chad's brother, Ernie, his wife, Jennifer, and their son's girlfriend, Denisa came for a visit after seeing his son, Jeff, graduate from boot camp. While he was here, he was wonderful enough to replace my horrible downstairs carpet. I love, love, love my new carpet! It's so nice to be able to lay down on your floor and know it's not covered in someone Else's filth!!!!
Here's Chad:

Me and Ern:

Maddie, Kacie, and her boyfriend Derrick stacking play-doh:

Denisa...Jeff's girlfriend:

Jen, Kennette, and Denisa:

Ernie and Kenette:



We can't wait until they come and visit again!

Can't seem to stay out....

Of the Dr's office here lately! After spending yesterday morning getting Chad's eye stitched up, I fell in the yard while taking the dogs out, and re-sprained my ankle(I sprained it about a month and a half ago in the move). So, Chad had to come home from work and off to the DR again for us. Luckily, it isn't broken, only a mid level sprain, so no boot, no crutches, and I am good to start work on the 27th. OK, so after kidney stones, a split eye, and a sprained ankle, I am hoping our run of injuries...and my run of clumsiness... is OVER!

Puppies and Eyelids.....

Don't mix. Because this is what happens when they do......

A trip to the urgent care, and 8 stitches later. Apparently Layla has been taking boxing lessons from her brother, Luke!

Kristy Carnes R.N.

Holy cow, life is good! I just found out I passed my NCLEX exam, and I am now a full fledged Registered Nurse!!!!! Never thought this day would come! I am an R.N, have a new house, about to start my dream job, everyone is happy and healthy, what more could I ask for?????

Yet Another Reason to Hate Moving...

Moving means getting a new phone number. We would totally get rid of our home phone altogether, but with the girls, I feel like we need it in the event of an emergency(which with 3 teenagers in the house is a very distinct possibility)..although some people might consider the fact that all 3 of them don't have a cell phone an emergency...hey we're horrible parents, OK? Anyway, so I was horrified at the thought of having to learn a new phone number after having the old one for 5 and a half years. Luckily though, we got a pretty easy one, so I have that down, no problem. It does seem, however, that the phone number gods love to give us the phone numbers of the people who never paid their bills, sot hey changed their number so the collection agencies would stop harassing them. Well guess what, now they're harassing me! We get 10 calls a day looking for Mr. Timothy Gentle, whom I proceed to explain to them that he no longer has this number, and then I can feel it come over the phone line. That disbelieving tone of contempt when they ask, "well, do you know him"...um if I did I'd tell him to pay his dang bills. And then comes the suspicious, "How long have you had this number"...long enough for you people to be annoying! Oh well, hopefully people will start to get the message, or the bill collector super sleuths will be able to use their resources to track down Mr. timothy Gentle and harass him at his new number!

Kidney stones, vomiting, pain pills, oh my....

Looks like Jordan has a kidney stone. She woke me up at 6am this morning in horrible pain, and some vomiting. Now I have never had a kidney stone, but have given birth 6 times, and had a torn intestine, so I'm guessing I have something to compare it to,and I assume, and have been told it hurts like hell, but she...nor any of my children, are very good sick people. So, off we went to the "doc in a box", since I would rather chew off my own arm that sit for endless hours in an ED waiting to be seen while numerous other people with ailments wade in and out. She peed in the cup...yup, blood there. She had an x-ray...yup, "some type of calcification, but also looks like it might be in the intestine rather than the ureter"(this would be the down side of "doc in a box"). She had 2 injections in the bum, and scripts for Vicoden and Phenergan, a strainer for the urine, and directions to head to the ED if "she can't pee, gets a fever, or the pain meds aren't working"...um, ya think???

One good thing comes out of this. Jordan has now had a itty, bitty taste of what childbirth will be like and stated, "if this is what having a baby feels like, I'm never having one." Just what her mother wanted to hear...at least I hope she keeps that mind-set for oh, about 10 more years.

The Joys of Painting....

Well, we had our first painting mishap yesterday. We were in the midst of painting the "man-cave", and Chad went to pour more paint, and somehow, the can slipped, and I turn around to find a huge splat of Cowboys gray paint on the carpet, coffee table and sofa(luckily a sofa that is soon to be replaced). At that moment sheer panic almost set in when I realized we...meaning the children....killed our carpet cleaner in the move...as well as the one we borrowed from my mother-in-law...in the move. However, the Little Green Machine came to the rescue...thank goodbness! After about 45 miniutes of cleaning the spot, there is only a slight remnant of the Cowboy gray paint on the floor, and the rest is on the wall where it properly belongs. Although I'm not sure Chad will ever be allowed to pour the paint again.

Starting to Freak Out....

about this whole NCLEX thing. For those who don't know what that is, it's the licensing exam I have to take to become a real, grown up nurse. The first round of my classmates to take it are coming back with their responses, and they go a little like this...."I feel stupid", "that was hard", "I had to answer all 265 questions", and "I don't think I did so great." None of those were the responses I was hoping to hear like, "piece of cake", "no problem", or "that was nothing compared to nursing school." Where are those responses?????!!!!????? Those are the ones I want! I don't take mine for another week or so, so it looks like I will be in the throws of full fledged panic mode by then. Maybe I just shouldn't ask anyone else....although I know they'll share their misery with me anyway. Good times. Oh well, back to studying.

Facebook

As if blogging wasn't addicting enough, I now have a Facebook. I mean, it's not like I didn't already have enough stuff to fill my time...blogging, studying for NCLEX, blogging, fixing up the new house, blogging, cooking and cleaning, blogging....now I have to check my Facebook 10 times a day to see who's sent me a message, made a comment, added me as a friend. I have connected with old friends already, which is awesome, and I can seee that it will be a good way to keep in touch with people, but I'm thinking the main thing I will get out of it is more battles over the computer with the girls. Thanks Ernie!

B-day party

We spent yesterday afternoon at my niece Maddie's 3rd birthday party. Here's the birthday girl, who just woke up from her nap.



Here she is with Grandpa and the new backpack we got her.


And here she is playing with the Play-doh....not sure who is having more fun with it, Maddie or the adults. Grandpa was not happy with this choice of gift, but what is childhood without Play-doh, right?


Here's my nephew Brady being cute.....



Uncle Chad, Aunt Kristy, and the birthday girl......


And Jordan and the birthday girl.

I Hate Painting too!

I know that I've already complained about the horrible wallpaper, but for the record, I hate painting too! This is the state of my once clean and organized kitchen/dining area.....lovely isn't it?



.
And here is the 1 inch layer of dust that is on everything from sanding down all of the patched spots....and Max, whom I think must be in the need for a little attention
I know I'll love it when we're all done, but as of now, I hate painting!

Wallpaper

I think there must be a special place in hell for people who put up wallpaper! I have spent the last 5 hours de-wallpapering my dining area....and it's only a border!!!!!! One room down, only a hallway, half bath, and 1 kids room to go....sigh. Thank goodness I knew better than to buy that house with wallpaper in almost every room...there might have been bloodshed!

Welcome To The Neighborhood!

This is what we woke up to this morning.



In case you can't decipher it, it says, "welcome to the ridge, we all heart penis here." Isn't this lovely?!!???!!



I was going to post about Jordan's new ride. A Jeep that her dad got her this week(after she totaled her car back in February, 5 days after putting the $2500 he gave her for graduation into a new motor for it...good times, but apparently we have a couple of unruly, wayward lesbian girls who live in the neighborhood, and apparently, they have a strong dislike for Kayla, and Kayla has a strong dislike for them. And now they have decided to mark their territory like male dogs...isn't that mature???? They put an empty bottle in our mailbox shortly after we got here, and one day we were outside, and one of the local boys who wander the neighborhood was acting like he was going to kick over our trash can...but we were outside watching them, so they didn't do anything. I have been waiting for them to make their move. They do nothing all day but roam the neighborhood...there are 3-4 girls, and 2-3 boys at any given time...smoking and thinking they look cool, until all hours of the night, and their parents are not apparently that interested in being parents and knowing what their kids are doing.

Well, let me tell you one thing. While I'm sitting around waiting to take my NCLEX, I've got nothing but time on my hands, so I will sit my happy hiney on the front porch every flippin' night, all night long waiting for them to pull something else. I understand "kids will be kids" and all, but this is a nice neighborhood, and this is ridiculous! And sitting at home all day long, unpacking boxes, painting, and stewing over when I am going to be able to take my test, is making me VERY cranky(you can ask my poor kids and husband), so I am really not in the mood to put up with any juvenile crap right now, and would not be above calling the po-pos on 'em if I catch the little terrorists.

Anyway, here's a nicer view of J's new ride....minus all the penis talk.

One down. Two more to go.

My baby graduated high school today! I cannot belive that I am the mother of a high school graduate. Seems like only yesterday she was keeping me up all night screaming with colic, and now she's all grown up. She graduated with High Honors, and is a North Carolina Scholar(although she said, "I'm a North Carolina Scholar, but I don't know what that means"...LOL), so needless to say, I am very proud of her! She will be going to UNC-Charlotte in the Fall.

Rough Day Yesterday.....

It started of with swimsuit shopping for Jordan. We got suits for the other two on Sunday, but Jordan didn't find anything, so we headed out again yesterday morning. Swimsuit shopping is never fun...unless your a size 2, which neither she, or I am. Luckily though, she was able to find something at the 2nd store.

Then I had to take Kayla to the Pulmonologist. A few weeks ago she had a physical, and her Pediatrician suggested we go see him since Kayla has some difficulty after she exercises, and she was hoping to go into the military after graduation, he thought it would be a good idea. So we go, and she has some lung function tests, and we wait for the DR. He comes in and starts talking to her about boys, and her future plans, the difficulty she's been having, ect. Long story short, he tells her she is most likely going to have to skip the military because most likely they won't take her due to her condition. "Um hello? What condition?" He says that her lung function tests show at least 30% diminished lung function...with a breathing treatment, and 50% diminished with no meds, and she has asthma. Where the heck did this come from???? I mean, she had asthma as a baby/toddler, so I know what asthma looks like, but I have never seen anything remotely looking like asthma with her. He did tell me that from her tests, it seems to be something she's been dealing with for a while, so her body has most likely learned to compensate for it, and it probably isn't overtly obvious....somehow doesn't make me feel much better as a mother. So now she is on an inhaler twice a day(the strongest one they have, and has a rescue inhaler as well. She just so happens to be going to Texas on Saturday to visit her dad, so we won't be able to follow up with the DR until August, but hopefully when we do, the meds will be doing the trick.

So after a 3 hour adventure to the DR office and pharmacy, we get home and the girl have to get changed for Brandon's viewing. They leave about 6:30, and are back by 7:15, and all distraught, and in tears. It is very difficult to try and explain why this happened when there really is no explanation. It beaks your heart to have your child say "why did it have to be Brandon? Why couldn't it be me?" I don't have any answers to give them. I don't know God's plans. All I could say is that one day, we will know and understand why things played out the way they did in this life...although that doesn't make us feel any better now. I can only tell them that everyday it gets a little bit easier to deal with. I know it is something that they have to go through, and deal with the heartbreak, but as a mother, it is difficult to watch.

Today is the funeral, so I know it will be even worse for them.

Home Sweet Home!

Holy cow, moving really does stink, but I think we are finally done. Well, we're done moving stuff from the old place to the new one...aside from Chad's ginormous outside storage building. We would have that moved tomorrow, but it rained like the great flood last night and this morning(which I had the privilege of being completely soaked in as we loaded stuff up to take to the dump...now doesn't that sound like a fun-filled Friday), and I was waiting for Noah to cruise by in the ark at any moment. Hopefully it will get moved over one day this week, if the weather cooperates.

We did make it through the move, but not unscathed. Two of the guys who were supposed to help us move didn't show up, so we only had 1 extra set of hands, my brother-in-law, Sean, so it took freaking forever to get it all moved. Chad almost broke his brothers hand. I almost broke Chad's hand. I almost broke my ankle(after a fall in the attic from missing a step...that was loads of fun). Jordan almost broke her toe. We killed two carpet cleaners, and 1 vacuum. My father-in-law broke my iron, and deep-fryer as he dropped not one,but two boxes down the steps as he was trying to help(maybe he should stick to supervising), and I have so many scrapes and bruises that I look like a battered woman, but we are finally starting to get settled into our new home. We still have tons of unpacking and work to do, but at least I am done with the old house.

Another thing I also discovered during this move. Let's hope and pray that my life never depends on my darling children to move quickly or clean a room well, because they will be motherless for sure.

Life Lessons

My children learned a life lesson today that as a mother you hope they never have to learn. They are experiencing the pain you feel when you lose a dear friend. One of their good friends from JROTC was found dead this morning from what appears to be an overdose. They have never experienced the loss of someone close to them, aside from my mother in 1996, and they, for the most part, were too young to remember her. They do not understand how someone could seem so happy on the outside, and possibly be in great pain on the inside. Brandon was set to go to Wake Forest University on a full scholarship in the Fall. There is uncertainty at this point whether it was an intentional overdose, or an accidental one, but either way, the loss of a dear friend is heartbreaking for them. It is so painful to watch them go through. As a mother, it is our job to take the pain away, and make it all better, but I can't fix it for them this time. They have to go through this experience, grieve like they have never grieved before, and hopefully learn from this sadness that life is fragile, and can be gone in a moment. Please say a prayer for Brandon's family, who is going through something I cannot even imagine, and his friends, who will miss him dearly. Rest in Peace Brandon.

My girls...aka "the green beans"

Here are my girls after JROTC awards night. It is the first time the school has ever had 3 siblings in the program at the same time. I thought I should get them t-shirts made that say "Kelly", "Kelly Squared", and "Kelly Cubed"! They got lots of awards, and I am one proud mama!

Movin' On Up.....

If all goes well, we will be closing on our new house tomorrow at 9 AM. I am so not looking forward to all that we have to get done this weekend, and wish it were Sunday already because then we'd be done...at least with the moving part. I know we are going to love our new house, and can't wait to get settled in. I will have lots of decorating to do once we get settled in, so there will be lots of before and after shots coming. Hopefully everyone will make it through the move unscathed, since the last time we moved, I got smacked in the nose with a folding ladder by my husband....let's hope that doesn't happen again!

Moving stinks!

While I love the idea of moving to a new home, I hate the actual moving part with every cell of my entire being! I am living in a giant mess of boxes, and general disruption, and anyone that knows me knows that I would rather have my arm cut off with a butter knife than live in this kind of chaos. Not to mention the fact that I have spent hours calling the phone company, the satellite company, U-Haul, going to Home Depot to buy boxes and tape, and Goodwill to dispose of the endless piles of crap that we've acquired over the 5 and a half years we've lived here....thank goodness school is over, or I would be a total nutcase...although my kids and husband think I'm already there. Among the numerous wonderful things about moving to our new house though, will be the fact that we will no longer live on a dirt road out in the country. Don't get me wrong, I love the country, I just don't love dust bunnies the size of a toddler living under my bed, and the fact that driving down the road is like dodging land mines in Cambodia because the pot holes are so flippin' big.

Okay, off for more fun and games of packing. Yay.(Can't you see the excitement in my typing?)

Nothing like a buddy....

This is how Luke and Layla spent the morning....snuggled up in bed, on a rainy Sunday morning. Oh what a life!

Great Conversations.

OK, here's the conversation that I had with my wonderful hubby last night:

Chad: 12 or 4?
Me: Huh?
Chad: 12 or 4? Steve wants to know what time.
Me: What time for what?
Chad: The get-together. Because Steve is coming down?
Me: I didn't know anything about a get-together.
Chad: Yes, I told you about this weeks ago.
Me: No you didn't. In fact the first time I knew about Steve coming this weekend was yesterday when I asked you if he was coming to help us move next weekend and you said "no, he's coming this weekend".
Chad: (Starting to get flustered) I told you about this 2 weeks ago. I told you he was coming with Everette because Kate had to work.
Me: No you did not tell me anything about it, because I would have remembered it.
Chad: You have some serious selective hearing.
Me: Oh no, I do not have selective hearing. I just graduated from nursing school, and I don't think that would have been possible with selective hearing. I can remember every single thing you've ever done to piss me off. I can remember lots of things(channeling Samantha Baker in 16 Candles...and boy wasn't Jake Ryan to die for...anyway), and I do not have selective hearing. You just have selective remembering...or early onset Alzheimer's.
Chad: Yes, you can remember everything I've ever done to piss you off, but you don't remember half the things I tell you. I told you. I told you he wanted to have a get-together while he was here, and you asked if Kate was coming and I said no because she had to work.
Me: No you didn't.
Chad: Yes I did.
Me: Ok, you told me. If that makes you feel better, you told me.

The End.

I know I am not the only one whose husband does this, because my friends have told me their husbands do the same thing. I mean, he fully and 100% believes he told me these things, and I am fully and 100% certain that he did not....because I am such an "anal annie" that I would have immediately had to figure out what we needed to bring to the get-together because I would then have to brave the huddled masses at wally world to buy such items, and then schedule a time to prepare them.

Oh well, this is just a small peek at what I have to look forward to as we grow old together. Yay.

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to http://www.mycharmingkids.net">her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

A few things did not do this past week: I did not celebrate my graduation from nursing school eating Taco Bell in my pjs. I did not secretly pray that my brother and sister-in-law would not name my niece Ruby(what kind of person would I be if I hated my niece's name...but for the record they named her Elizabeth...thank goodness).

As for Monday, I did not go back to bed after getting my kids on the bus today and sleep till 9....that would just be lazy. I also did not have Louisiana Crunch cake for breakfast while reading blogs in front of my computer screen while I should have been studying for my NCLEX exam. I did not throw out 4 old telephones while emptying cabinets for our upcoming move....that would make me(well my husband anyway) a pack rat. And lastly, I did not wish that all 3 of my girls wind up with children just like them when they grow up....that would just be mean.

Where Oh Where....

Did my sweet little girls go? The ones that were cute, happy, and loving. The ones that were pleasant, and eager to please. I was going through some boxes of photos, and discovered I have almost forgotten those days. It's hard to remember them when they want to poke your eyes out on a daily...if not hourly basis just for breathing. Oh, they're still cute....when they aren't rolling their eyes and and showing me the back of their heads as they stomp out of the room. They're happy only when I leave them alone to live in their own squalor and filth, or when they're planning my demise for asking them to clean their room or do their Mt. Everest size piles of laundry. Pleasant and eager to please....oh that only happens when they want something, and sometimes not even then. Anyone who has raised, or is currently raising a teenager knows exactly what I'm talking about, and I have triple the joy. We actually make it through some days only making one mad, but today is not that day(in fact it hasn't been that day for quite a few days). 3 for 3....good times! I really think it would be less painful to remove my own tonsils with a butter knife(which I might have tried if I still had them) than to make it through teenage-hood with 3 girls. Sigh. Oh well, guess there's always tomorrow....if they don't kill me in my sleep first.

Announcing Elizabeth Ann....

My new, and anxiously awaited niece! My brother and his wife have been trying to have children for years now, and finally had the blessing of adopting this beautiful baby girl last week. I am so thrilled that they have finally been blessed with a baby after all they've gone through, and so happy to be an aunt again!

Looks Like We Made It......

I am DONE! I graduated last night, and it has finally hit me how thrilled I am. Up until last night, it didn't seem real that I would no longer have to spend every waking moment consumed with dosage calculations, diabetes, therapeutic communication, portfolios, exams, and clinicals. My free time can actually be free time once again! I can finally enjoy life again....for at least a year or two until I decide to go back to school. I thought this day would never come, but I am so freakin' happy it finally did! Here's a pic of me and Chad after graduation...he really is happy even though he doesn't look like it. I wanted to get one of me with Chad and the girls, but they ran for the truck since it was raining...lightweights, so guess I will just have to put the cap and gown some other time to get one of those. All I know is it feels like I can finally breathe again, and I love it!

Givin' It A Shot.....

I have been thinking about getting a blog of my own for quite some time now, but with the sheer insanity of nursing school, I've had time for nothing besides foley caths, NG tubes, diabetes, and chronic renal failure. But the day has finally come....I AM FREE OF NURSING SCHOOL...at least for now! I will be graduating tomorrow night, and am going to make a sad and pathetic attempt to get this blog off the ground. You're more than welcome to follow along with the absolutely thrilling experience(rolling eyes) of me stressing out about taking my boards, buying a new house, and the general chaos that is my life...aren't you lucky? Keep in mind this blog is a work in progress, but hopefully will one day be as great as some of the blogs I've managed to somewhat keep up with lately. Ok Anita, here's my blog, so where's yours???