Always Keep Chasing The Sun

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Weeks 3 and 4----Just the Status Quo

Hello Ladies and Gents

Ready for another update?? Not a million things to report but a few here and there :)

Kinda in a great holding pattern. Crazy busy and hard.........but kinda the same old same old.
But I'm not complaining about the status quo...lets keep it there!
I don't wanna carry anything else! So lets keep it all the same!

I got to go home for the long Labor Day weekend which was GREAT!!!!
It started with a great trip to the temple with my Singles Branch here in Columbia. I got to drive down with them and then stay with the fam. Its always great to be with them. It was nice to chill and get my head back on straight again.

Week 3 brought our first interactions with Med/Surg clinicals. Only skills labs and shadowing....but still crazy!
Took a HUGE test in Med Surg and did not do as well as I would have hoped. But it just motivates me to study even harder for the next one!

Had a fun date Friday night..if you wanna hear more about that...check this out ;)
http://my-lyrical-life.blogspot.com/2011/09/day-292-lost.html

BYU vs Texas was a heart breaker game...making me wish I was back in Provo...but it was fun to watch it with my new friends here in Columbia.

I have gotten into work a little more now. I am past the training part and get to play a little bit of detective looking for the information I need to catalog so I am enjoying it a lot more. Having a pile of work to get through also really helps the time go by MUCH faster!

I've really been able to get involved in the Branch and all the activities we have. Between Sunday night dinners, Linger Longers, FHE, Institute and weekend activities I am really making some great friendships.
I was super spoiled in Provo with the 92nd ward. And they will never be beat. But the Columbia YSA Branch is a great second place! There are AMAZING girls...and really GREAT guys. LOVE THEM! Also...4 dates so far....way to go YSA!!!!!!!

Week four was pretty calm...since it was an off week for Med/Surg. Had OB clinicals Monday. Still LOVE that specialty. Might be my plan!
Took my first Pediatric exam and did alright. I am slightly disappointed by this class. I was really looking forward to it being amazing but turns out it is just alright. Not bad.....just not magnificent. Makes me wonder about my life long plans!! EEK! haha

Like I said not much to report. But hope you all are well and lovin life too!

Love and kisses!
Steph

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Weeks 1 and 2----Fall 2011 Begins

So school has begun again! It has not been easy to adjust to not being on break anymore...but I am surviving.

The first week left me pretty crazy and overwhelmed...as most first weeks do. It always seems like there are a million things that need to get done and that you will need to do....and NOT ENOUGH TIME or brain capacity to do it. Clinicals, exams, outside shadowing, etc.

The worst part of this program is that they don't have a very organized system. After we started the program they put us in all these outside classes and require us to do all this outside work that they did not inform us of before we started the semester, let alone the program. There are even things they spring on us the week or day of. It can get REALLY frustrating. But this is how it was over the summer too. And so we have learned to just roll with the punches. Cause there is nothing we can really do about it. So we just learn to deal.

I have a pretty crazy schedule these days. I either have a LOT of free time...or no free time at all. Because of this...in order to get a bit of motivation on weeks when I have three days of no classes...but tons to do...I have gotten myself a job.

I'm not a huge fan of it. It pays dirt and is really difficult to fit into my crazy schedule. But at least it gives me something to do on empty days. I work at the library cataloging...which is similar to my old job at the BYU library so that is nice I guess. But its not the BYU library...so I am a little bitter about it.

Classes are difficult to attend since they are only ever Thursdays and Fridays. It makes it hard to jump back into 4-6 hour lectures after 3 days off...or 3 days of clinicals.

I am currently enrolled in Pediatrics, Nursing of the Childbearing Family (OB) and Nursing of Adults (Med/Surg). I also am in a terrible class called Psychosocial Issues in Nursing.

Momentary rant about this class.....it is a PRE-NURSING course...that the powers that be decided we had to take. This was not decided until right before classes started this fall. If we had taken it at the beginning of the program, maybe we would have appreciated it more. But at this point it is simple common sense things that we have already covered in other nursing classes. And to top it all off....we are in this class with PRE-NURSING students. Think about it......Accelerated students....all with one, many with more that one, previous degrees and who are a third of the way through with their program, mixed in with college FRESHMAN who are simply investigating a nursing degree!!! Not beneficial for either group! We terrify the little ones who are 5-10 years younger than us...and they drive us COMPLETELY crazy. Alright...rant done!

On a more cheerful note........I LOVE OB!!!!!!!!
This week I was able to do a rotation on the post-partum floor. This includes mothers who have just delivered as well as the well-baby nursery. AND I LOVED IT!!!!! Everyone there is healthy and happy. It is a slower paced floor so you actually have time to talk with your patients and chart! NOVEL!!! I also really like the other nurses on the floor. They are really great teachers....as they have to be since their primary role is teaching new mothers. So someday who knows....I may end up on a PP/OB floor!

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Montana Trip

So my 3 week vacation along with time in Utah and St Louis included a weekend in one of the most BEAUTIFUL places on EARTH!!!!!!!

Southeastern Montana

The friends I had planned on hanging out with while I was in Utah ended up taking a trip up to Montana (my friend Maddie's family has a cabin up there) while I was there. When I found out they were going I was super bummed cause it meant I would get much less time with them. But then because they are the awesome people that they are..they totally out of the blue invited me! Seriously these guys are the salt of the earth! I'm not really a part of their group anymore because of the simple fact of my moving..but they welcomed me back with open arms as if I had never left!

We left Friday night about an hour later than planned....and found out on the way that we were headed for a completely closed highway and frontage road (HUGE ACCIDENT!!!) So we were forced to take a different route...and therefore add an extra 2 hours to the trip. But better than 6 extra hours right??

I was in one of the cooler cars of course ;) Lots of chatting, teasing, and game playing happened on the way up. And we finally got there around 1 in the morning!

But of course we couldn't go straight to bed...we had to play with huckleberry and the swing!!!!

Eventually we finally went to bed...but not before me and Kelsi planned to get out to the lake by 7 am to catch the last of the fog on the lake (we wanted to see the sunrise....but that just didn't seem practical haha)

It was one of the PRETTIEST MORNINGS EVER...seriously!!!!

That day we spent on the lake boating and hanging out. I spent the whole morning lying in the sun dozing in and out on the dock. It was the BEST!!!!! Just being able to talk to my friends and spend time with them doing fun things in such a beautiful place....BEST!!!!

That night we got all "cleaned up" and headed to the Mountain Man Rendevous. Ok seriously cool place!!!

Best part was Mad Jack....we had some pretty awesome jam sessions with him!

That night we had a great bonfire and just hung out. Games..and of course lots of singing!

The next day was Sunday...and we managed to get all 22 of us to church on time!!!!!! AWESOME!!!! And we all got seats together and in the chapel. The West Yellowstone ward is so full in the summers they have overflow in the Relief Society room! And the sacrament took literally 45 minutes. It was the best! You got to really sit and think. And it was so great!

After church we all drove into Yellowstone national park to see the sights.

Joe literally fell over cause someone pushed him....so that is a real look of concern from me and Rachel

we were instructed to do something with our hands haha

That night we came back...took a little nap and started making dinner. Then suddenly somehow we realized the sunset was AMAZING!

So we all headed out to the dock....and seriously got almost eaten alive by mosquitoes....but no matter. We were all together looking at the most amazing view. None of us cared to much as we watched the moon rise over the lake.

3 things I learned this trip......1. 22 people eat A LOT OF FOOD 2. 22 people take FOREVER to get anywhere! 3. 22 people CANNOT make a decision!!!!

The next morning was kinda cloudy and cool...but we went out on the boat a little and went across the lake to play some volleyball.

Our 6 sets of siblings.....cool eh??

Unfortunately, that afternoon we had to leave. Luckily I got to ride back with my FAVORITE Lauren...and we chatted and had fun for the whole way!!!!

Even with the great ride back I was NOT happy about leaving. It had been a very hard couple of months and I had missed my friends all so much. I didn't even realize how much they meant to me until I went back. They truly are my family. The kindest and best people I have ever known!

I found happiness in Montana. It had be a long time since I truly was happy. I had almost forgotten what it was like. Thank goodness I had this trip to remind me!

Montana will always hold a special place in my heart!

Utah Trip!

So my program gave me a BLESSED 3 week vacation between summer and fall. IT WAS AMAZING!!!!

And included a wonderful trip to Utah!

It was so nice to see all my friends again.

I got to go on a great walk with my Iggy.
Got J-Dawgs with Spencey-poo
Had a great chat with my Person
Got to chat up my favorite Traci-girl
Saw Jess and Scott...my FAVORITE couple
Had a civilized run-in with "the ex"
Danced with Jose again!!!

Went on a fun shopping trip with my favorite cousins
Spent some quality time with my Grandmother, Mother and Big Sister

Held my favorite "nephew" Charley/Aaron for as long as people would let me!!!

Momentary explanation of why I call my cousin Jessie's son Aaron, Charley. Jessie is practically my sister and when she told me she was pregnant, I decided I wanted a name to call it before one was actually picked. Call me crazy...but this is my first "nephew". Anyway I picked the name Charley cause that could be a boy's or a girl's name. And it just kinda stuck. Isn't he the CUTEST!!!

I ADORE HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (ps he LOVED the fountain...fell right asleep!)

AWWWWWWWWW

BESTEST CUTEST BABY IN THE WORLD!!!

And ran a wedding! Well I didn't actually run it....I just played a pretty big role in the running of it.
There were outfits to buy, fruit to cut, center-pieces to decide about, pictures to get taken, ties to purchase, receptions to set up, chocolate fountains to man, and of course the occasional fire to put out here and there. Granted some of those fires were started by yours truly! (Note to self...lots of stress plus lack of sleep usually leads people to be on edge...novel idea right???)

But the wedding turned out lovely!
Here's some pics!