NIAW

It is National Infertility Awareness Week!! NIAW starts this Saturday (the 25th) and runs to the next Saturday (the 2nd), though there are also unrelated yet in-the-same-vein activities happening on the Web or in the face-to-face world up until May 10th.

So find someone that could use someone to talk to, and let's make infertility less of a taboo. Perhaps that will help insurance companies realize that infertility is a quality of life issue, and not just an elective treatment!

A new beginning??

This summer looks as though it is going to be rather packed with activity. I just accepted a full-time job at rock Canyon Care Center, and I will also be taking 18 credit hours from Weber State. I am looking forward to it, yet dreading it at the same time. I feel like some great change is just around the corner, yet I have no idea what it might be. At least it will be an adventure, right?

Clinicals

Wow...what to say about my first clinical? It was easier than I had anticipated and harder at the same time. I ran the gauntlet emotionally through out the day as I went from nervous and excited, to terrified, to feeling so bad for the residents in the nursing facility. There were four residents in particular that just tugged at my heart strings. One kept asking for his wife and was so confused, another went from threatening to cut off all my hair to telling me that I'm a sweet girl. The third just laid in bed and moaned (I just wanted to sit by her side and make it better...she loved holding my hand, and being told it was all alright.). The fourth one didn't tug on my heart strings due to her condition, but rather to want she represented to me. My great-grandmother died when I was about 6 and she and I were really close...and this lady could have been her twin as far as my memory serves.
The day was spent with showers (oh my, that first one was SOOO awkward, I'm glad that she was not quite lucid), brief changes, hair brushing and helping people get dressed. The work was relatively easy for the most part. I am nervous about transfers still, and I am still not entirely comfortable changing briefs...it still just feels very awkward still.
As to whether or not I can keep doing this long term...I don't know. This first day was either the best or the worst work experience I have ever had. I'm not sure which. I think I need to wear my heart a little less out in the open if I am going to make a go of this. Despite this indecision, I am excited to go back this coming Friday.

CNA

Well, I have officially finished the first week of my CNA class and my first clincals are tomorrow. I am a bit nervous, because I feel really unprepared, especially because about the only real "skill" we have learned so far is taking blood pressure (which we are not allowed to do during clinicals!). I'm sure everything will be great. I have my new scrubs in the wash and the alarm set for 4:45 am, and just need to go pack a lunch. Good night everyone! Wish me luck!

Birthday Celabrations!

Last Wednesday was my 26th birthday, but we put off celebrating until Saturday, and celebrate we did! We spent the day at Rock Canyon Park with our friends Nathan and the G. Family. We had a picnic lunch, flew kites, blew bubbles, played wacky baseball, and rolled down hills until we were too dizzy to walk.

Afterwards, we came back home and were joined by Mike and Julie for Pork Barbacoa (thanks, Reecie, it was delish!), cake and ice cream, presents, and board games. I am really glad that I had so many people with me this year to celebrate my birthday, this year was a bit difficult for me, and the support helped me get past it. You guys are great!

Ha Ha Ha!!!

Spring Fever?

Now that it is "officially" spring, I have been anxious to get out and get my hands dirty out in the yard. I have so many projects intended for this summer, and I am intimidated by the amount of time they will take. This weekend we dug out most of the lilac, rose and forsythia bushes that were lining the side fence in our back yard. I think both Mark and I are more drawn to an ease of upkeep type of gardening. So anything that needs constant fertilizing, trimming, dead heading and pruning is out! Also having them gone makes our yard seem tidier and larger.
As always we also have the vegetable garden to put in. Every year this is my greatest challenge because I want to put in about three times as many plants as the garden will comfortable hold, and about five times more than we can eat. I think I am going to approach this year differently. I am creating a layout plan in advance and am planning on sticking with it. I am also trying out nasturtium this year, I planted the seeds for the early crop this past week, using large patio containers. I'm really excited about these, I think it will be fun to have bright colorful flowers to throw into our tossed salads.
Our third project is digging out 5 tree stumps, from the trees we cut out last year. I am not looking forward to that project at all. Yet, it will give us so much more use able space in our yard.
If there is enough time, and enough funds, we are also looking at replacing the back fence as well.
All of this brings me to wonder if all of this work is worth it. I mean, we recently had our home on the market, before deciding to stay so that the G family could live with us. So, after they are in their own place will we still want to stick around? If we don't will all this time, effort and money be worth it?