alpha bravo charlie

Yesterday was a great day!  Some of my very dear friends and I were inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International.  It's the Honor Society for Nursing.  It was a beautiful ceremony, we were all dressed up (a welcome change from yoga pants and gym shoes daily :) and we signed our names (Austin joked 'in blood') into the induction book for members.  We received lovely purple and white cords that we'll wear at convocation in August.  It felt so great to finally feel proud of myself after a hard quarter that seemed to constantly pull at your self-esteem.  Here are a few pics from the induction:

Group shot after the Induction

And another one...

My awesome friends, Jancis and Beth

Kristi & Me

Lauren & Me (my fellow guido...or is it 'guidette?')

After the Sigma Theta Tau Induction, I had to stick around to hand out an award at the 1st GEM cohort's convocation.  I'm the new Prez of the Student Nurses' Association at Rush and gave an award to a graduating GEM who will be working overseas to develop community health clinics in Lebanon, cool huh?  I didn't anticipate getting emotional, but watching all the GEMs graduate made me so excited knowing that my own graduation is 159 days away (August 27th).  I was visualizing where I want to be on August 27th, so I sent positive thoughts into the universe for Dan to have a wonderful, fulfilling art teacher job at that time, for me to have had a rewarding summer in my residency and prayed for us to have a bun in the oven at that time (one. track. mind. people...I'm sure this comes as no surprise).

Anyway, when I came home I was borderline delirious with fatigue and hunger, but we decided to take some pics at home so I could send them to family.  

The lighting was not so good, I look a bit jaundiced, but here I am with my Honor Society certificate

This is my 'smart' face

Not to be outdone, Dan (also delirious) wanted to have a photo shoot of his own...

The handlebar mustache from my cords is my personal fave...

My sweatshirt from my wonderful unckies

Being inducted into the Honor Society was one of my personal goals during this program and I am so happy I did it! :)

the note of each bird

H.D. Thoreau wrote "Each new year is a surprise to us.  We find that we had virtually forgotten the note of each bird, and when we hear it again, it is remembered like a dream, reminding us of a previous state of existence.... The voice of nature is always encouraging."

Spring is finding its voice again, and it is indeed encouraging.  Each morning this week we have awoken to a strange sound in the darkness.  The faint warble of robins drift through the single pane of our window.  After four cold and forgotten months, the dawn chorus returns.  Cardinals, robins, starlings, sparrows, the passing black-capped chickadee, the occasional crow, and even the beautiful, shrill call of a red-winged blackbird have disrupted the monotony of winter.  They have ignited the atmosphere with song.

Birds are important to Dana and I.  I'm not sure either of us know why.  Perhaps it is their language.  Perhaps it is their mastery of the unattainable.  Perhaps it is their way to ground us in the moment.  Perhaps we will never know and maybe that is the point.  Either way, as Dana and I transition through what seems to be an incredibly important and life-changing year, the voice of nature is always encouraging.

An American Goldfinch.

A kettle of hawks riding thermals over the Mississippi River.

An immature seagull cruising on surface winds over the Atlantic Ocean.

We love you, Drew and Sara!!! :) :)

We miss Drew and Sara SO much...we think about them every time we walk out our front door and wish that they were back in Chicago, enjoying the Spring with us.  I wish I could see Sara's growing belly and be there when Mr Jasper Field is born.  We miss laughing with Drew and having pow-wows in our backyard.  

"We have been friends together in sunshine and in shade"- Caroline Norton

Drew and Sara (& Jasper), we LOVE you and we will be here for you in sunshine and in shade.  <3

hot for teacher

Introducing Mr. Merk...student teacher! Today was Dan's first day of student teaching.  I am so proud of him, only ten weeks til he completes his masters (two years of hard work).  I had to take a pic of Dan's "first day of school" outfit.

I kept asking him to smile nice and this is what I got:

(you may not see unless up close, but his eyes are crossed all goofy)

I hope each week of student teaching gets better for him.  He will be a blessing to so many students and I am so so proud of my hubby.

Oh, P.S. I whooped Med-Surg's ass today.  Today was my final exam and I am DUNZO with Winter Quarter.  Only 164 days til graduation (August 27th). Operation Baby Making is on deck, britches. 

i'll show you the sky

My desire to be in nature, hiking, relaxing, taking in the trees, the sky, is overwhelming.  Dan and I cannot wait to graduate and we dream of returning to the Maine and being in our happy place.

Top of the Beehive in Acadia National Park (Oct 07)

Life kinda feels like a REALLY tough trail right now, mostly uphill...  I am blessed to be healthy, happy and have such an amazing family and wonderful friends.  I am learning patience and cannot wait to finish this journey through nursing school.  I made this decision because I know it will be the best for us and our future and I cannot wait to be a nurse and a mom.  I think I need to get a bumper sticker that says "I'd rather be hiking."  It's so meditative and I would rather climb every mountain in Acadia and be so physically exhausted and exhilarated than the mental and emotional (and physical) exhaustion that school brings.

Climbing up the Beehive Trail, Acadia National Park

(Oct 07)

An inspiring quote to get my butt in gear and push me to finish my homework and get cracking on studying for my big final:

There is a voice in the Universe urging us to remember our purpose for being on this great Earth. This is the voice of inspiration, which is within each and every one of us.-Wayne Dyer

I love Wayne Dyer and am reading his book "There's a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem".  It's definitely helping me to stay in the moment, get outta my head and trust that I am on the right path in life.

last day of clinical for the quarter!

And, what a ride it's been! I have learned a TON, from tricky skills like trach care/suctioning, G-tube feedings, putting in foley catheters, trying to put in an IV (operative word: trying), and working with way too many very sick and very sad patients.  I love my clinical instructor, Jill, I will miss her so much.  She always went above and beyond to help us learn and she never once was unapproachable (like some teachers I know...) or condescending (like many other teachers I know :)

I LOVE my clinical group too! I am sad to change groups! I was nervous at first to switch groups because I was going into a group with 6 girls from the newer cohort, not the classmates I have been with for the last year.  It was a pleasant change and I absolutely love my group members and will miss them dearly.
I can't believe another quarter is almost done.  I am beyond exhausted and am physically and mentally drained.  I feel like a zombie most days.  I looked into the mirror yesterday and used makeup remover to try to erase what I thought was mascara residue under my eyes...nope, those were dark circles from sleep deprivation.  Yuck.  I actually got out of the car without turning it off the other day.  Thankfully I realized my mistake and laughed at what a zombie I was.  Also, I have definitely gone backwards in any weight loss I had accomplished last year and for the wedding.  Spring break will bring a new beginning and it's a great time to get back in shape to rev up for baby time.  Healthy body=healthy mind=creating a really nice space that a baby would LOVE to shack up in for 9 months :)  A girl can hope....  Only 175 days til graduation. Yup, I counted.
Anyway, take a look at this awesome group:

ohhhh-phelia....

For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness.- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I hear ya, Ralphie.  School has been a drag lately with a lot of anger and general unhappiness.  I am all aboard the happy train and am done with the draaama....

Except for this dramatic slice of gold...it's videos like this that make me wish I was at Barat again.  I miss the theatre, because Lord knows when you're having a bad day, there's nothing better than your sassy gay friend to cheer you up.