Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Watching The Olympics with the Family

Now that ladies and gents is entertainment!

H: "Way to go guy whose name we don't know!!!!"

S: "Thats weird....what are you a whale???"  L: "Ooo! I speak whale!"

S: "What is he 4 years old?" L: "No he is 18!"


And that is just todays!


My family has always been a questioning family.  We always like to understand things...and share small tidbits of knowledge we have come across.
With the advent of Google and even more with laptops this 'thirst' for knowledge has gotten almost out of control!

In the past few days, we have learned about each of the different events in rowing...(there are 14 btw)
What the difference is between sculls and coxless and lightweight...
There are 8 events in diving...
The Olympics no longer have a "plunge for distance" event because it was "dangerous?  No...it was LAME!"

We pretty much are wikipedia experts on beach and indoor volleyball
And we have learned that water polo has a lot of rules....and will take a little longer for us to truly understand!


So basically the Olympics at the Willyerd home REQUIRES google/wikipedia and is a HIGHLY educational experience ;)

Be Happy...Be Healthy

Monday, July 30, 2012

In-Between Land

Alright-so to anyone paying attention....we have had a little change here in Swilly world.
And by A little change...I mean a WHOLE LOT of little changes....that create one BIG change!

First off---new format and theme and design.
I liked the letter theme....but it was just getting a little too restrictive.
And I was bored and not a big fan of my old design...so yeah, we made a change :)

Second off---GRADUATION!!!!!!!  No more nursing school!  Which let me just say is a HUGE change!  Which leads to all the other changes:
I'm currently unemployed.
I'm currently living with my parents.

So I am in the worst place you could possibly be.  Not my parents house....I actually don't mind living at home...
The place I'm in is  "In-Between Land"  I'm in-between school and working.  I'm in constant transition.
Not sure how long I will be where I am.  Not really sure where I will be in the next month or so.

Everyone at church (who have known me for 15 years and therefore have a little interest in my life) wants to know what my plans are.
Me, a girl who in this type of situation always has a plan, doesn't have a plan.
I have hopes.....but they are just that.
There is nothing to them yet.


So I am waiting in the land of in-between.

If only I knew how long I would be here...that way I could use my waiting time much more effectively!

Be Happy...Be Healthy

Three Years

Its a weird feeling knowing that I will never (likely, I suppose I should not use superlatives...ps remind me to post about superlatives) work at a library again.

My story with libraries began over 25 years ago.

My mother graduated from BYU (GO COUGARS!!) with a Master's degree in Library Sciences.  A few years down the road she had me.  She took me to libraries and book mobiles and story times my whole life.
Fast forward to my older sisters senior year of high school.
She wanted very much to be a library aid (easy class yahoo senioritis).  The librarians were skeptical, but when they found out this seemingly nice and responsible high school student had a librarian for a mother-they warmed up to the idea.

They loved her as expected...which led to my ability to get a library aid spot there my senior year.

Fast forward another few years.  I've applied for a cataloging job at the Harold B Lee Library at BYU. The fact that I had previous library experience and even more my mother's graduation from a program run by their very library---got me the job.  Which got me my next 2 library jobs.

But I left BYU and thought I was leaving my library work and all the cataloging knowledge that I had crammed in my brain with everything else I learned out there!

BUT Alas libraries were not done with me!  They wanted me for life!
I applied for another cataloging position at Ellis Library at Mizzou.  And according to my boss-once they found out I had experience, I basically only got an interview to make sure I wasn't crazy and the job was mine!

So thanks mom for supplying me with 3 years of pay-checks and padding for my resume :)

I was chatting with my boss' boss on my last day that it would be weird to never work in  library again after over 3 years.  She warned me not to say never.  Cause who knows---I may end up in a health sciences/medical library someday.
I guess they are right-never say never.  But honestly I don't really see it....But I guess who knows!
Only time will tell

Be Happy...Be Healthy

Lessons Learned...a PS

Now I can't leave my last post without telling the other half of the story.
The song I used makes it seem like my whole time here has been terrible but thank goodness I learned from it.
But that isn't the whole story.
Yes I have had some rough times..but I have had some great times too.

Some really really great times.
These good times make me think of this song...either one works.  Enjoy as you look through my awesome moments these past 15 months :)

My Life Would Suck Without You (Main With Intro) by Kelly Clarkson on Grooveshark
Mini-Golf Double Date with Jake Aaron and Tamara
Getting our pants scared off at the Haunted House
PUMPKIN FESTIVAL!!!!
Cornmaze....Me Dustin and Lesley
Halloween with Grandma Tamara
Temple trips are great...temple trips followed by Cheeburger Cheeburger=AWESOME
I think this is the majority of the branch hanging out on a Sunday night
THE MAGIC TREE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes we did have a Root Beer Kegger.....outside of the institute building...and yes it did ROCK! 
Masquerade Ball in IL...way fun roadtrip...way fun dance!!!
MESSY TWISTER!!!!!!!!!!!
Roadtrip+Picnic+KC Temple Open House...LOVE LOVE
Memorial Day Air Show
Afternoons at Stephen's Lake Park....Peaceful and gorgeous!
A good portion of the Accelerated BSN class of 2012...These guys were the ones I could whine at..the ones I could truly celebrate with.  LOVE LOVE LOVE
And finally---the wedding of two of my besties :)
Thanks to all the awesome people I met in Columbia.  The happy memories made the hard parts a little easier!!!!!!! :D  Be Happy...Be Healthy

Lessons Learned

I have been in the city of Columbia for 15 months---May 2011 to July 2012

I think I would be disappointed if I hadn't learned a lot of lessons in that amount of time.  It would be a little too stagnant for my liking.

It has been a roller coaster of emotions.

And this song is the best thing I can think of to share the feelings I have about these past 15 months.

I probably should write my own feelings...but why reinvent such a well built wheel?


There's some things that I regret, Some words I wish had gone unsaid,
Some starts, That had some bitter endings,
Been some bad times I've been through, Damage I cannot undo,
Some things, I wish I could do all all over again,
But it don't really matter, Life gets that much harder,
It makes you that much stronger,
Oh, some pages turned, Some bridges burned,
But there were, Lessons learned.

And every tear that had to fall from my eyes,
Everyday I wondered how I'd get through the night,
Every change, life has thrown me, I'm thankful, for every break in my heart,
I'm grateful, for every scar,
Some pages turned, Some bridges burned,
But there were lessons learned.

There's mistakes that I have made, Some chances I just threw away,
Some roads, I never should've taken,
Been some signs I didn't see, Hearts that I hurt needlessly,
Some wounds, That I wish I could have one more chance to mend,
But it don't make no difference, The past can't be rewritten,
You get the life you're given,
Oh, some pages turned, Some bridges burned,
But there were, Lessons learned.

And every tear that had to fall from my eyes,
Everyday I wondered how I'd get through the night,
Every change, life has thrown me,
I'm thankful, for every break in my heart,
I'm grateful, for every scar,
Some pages turned,
Some bridges burned,
But there were lessons learned.

And all the things that break you, Are all the things that make you strong,
You can't change the past, Cause it's gone,
And you just gotta move on, Because it's all,
Lessons learned.

And every tear that had to fall from my eyes, 
Everyday I wondered how I'd get through the night,
Every change, life has thrown me, I'm thankful, for every break in my heart,
I'm grateful, for every scar,
Some pages turned, Some bridges burned,
But there were lessons learned,
Oh, some pages turned, Some bridges burned,
But there were lessons learned,
Lessons learned
Be Happy...Be Healthy 

NEW BLOG FORMAT!!!!!!

Howdie Everyone!

A few changes in format and design for us.....
I was bored.....so it was either change my blog....dye/cut my hair (which I really need to stop doing)....or find me a boyfriend (YEAH RIGHT!)
So I changed my blog.

I was bored with the format too...it was just too restrictive

So enjoy!!!!!!!

Be Happy...Be Healthy <3 p="p">

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Dear Readers--

I have lots to catch you up on.....

And a lot of things to do in my life as well.....

And I'm changing up my format too....

So in the awesome words of Princess Mia "I'm going to need a minute or two."

So give me a couple of days and I will be back!  Don't go anywhere! I promise I'll be back


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Thursday, July 26, 2012

Dear Packing

You are a no fun activity!

You create a HUGE mess!

You are a pain!

You lead to things getting broken and getting lost!

It takes way more effort than it should
And way longer than anyone expects you to take.

I mean I suppose it is nice to get all cleaned up and all cleaned out.

But heres the deal-packing leads to unpacking----which is an EVEN bigger pain!!!

Oh well---the cost of graduation :)



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Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Dear Goodbyes

(Be prepared for an epic DUMPING of blog posts!  I HAVE TIME!!!!!!!  WAHOO!!!!)

I have never been very good at goodbyes.  People prolly wouldn't be able to tell.  I rarely cry.
Leaving my person last April-she cried...I didn't.
Leaving my at the time boyfriend last May-he cried (yeah story for another day haha) I didn't


Some might say that means I am not as sad as they are.  Especially since I am such a crier in general!
But I've come to realize that goodbyes are a different sad for me.  They aren't a tear-jerking, sad, frustrated, tired sort of deal.
They are heartbreaking gut-wrenching sad.  And that just doesn't get me to cry.  It gets me to listen to sad music and be depressed for the next 2 weeks
hahahaha

School being done means goodbye to a group of 50ish people who I am used to seeing almost daily.
It means saying goodbye to awesome nurses and staff members on my clinical floor.
Goodbyes also go out to the group of catalogers who I work with.
And not only are there all the student/university endings-but also the leaving Columbia endings.
I have had to say goodbyes to my new ward members-the ladies in Relief Society who so kindly and gently took me under their wing and nursed me back to health again.
And I am saying goodbye to YSA branch members too!  They have provided me with the majority of my happy moments here in Columbia--hard to say goodbye to that for sure!

So all in all.  I hate goodbyes.  I feel like crying....but I don't.
And so I listen to sad music.

But ready for the Pollyanna moment???
Goodbyes lead to hellos :)

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

I've had an epihany
i only flirt with boys i dont like
if i am flirting with you..the likely tale is that i dont like you
which is a bummer cause you think i do cause im flirting with you

Monday, July 23, 2012

Dear Jef with One F

How sweet you two!  You might actually "work" and by work I mean Bachelor work....you will date for a while and then break up quietly.

Thoughts as we watch:

I just wanna hold her hand till I'm 110 hahah  CHEESE ON TOAST!
She calls him honey all the time.....hmmm
He said the name Arie....thats gotta be bad luck....like saying quiet...and Macbeth.....

Thank goodness you are following you heart and not your.....you know

my heart is broken for him.  he has no idea.  he has been so sure this whole time
he is seriously jinxing it a ton

don't say the other guy's name when you break up with him
Bad Ben flashbacks!!!  :(  (Too bad I learned to HATE Ben his season!)
you can hear his heart pounding in the mike...so sad

I agree---at least she didnt make him go through the proposal...

they say thank you way too much on this show

what is up with the bachelors obsession with cheesey 80s songs?

Bad slomo walk :(
And why is ricky running out?  Emily has made it seem like she has no idea whats going on!


Arie to NC??  WOWIE!
Awkward journal moment

Why isn't Arie the next Bachelor HELLO!!!!  Foreign guy...apparently TOTALLY kissable....Loved by all.....Heartbroken and lost.....................ABC get it together!!!!

(although I kinda like the kid..and i grew to hate ben...so maybe its not a good idea...)

yeah i wish they would have showed more of Emily's funny.....cause she for reals seems so boring on the show Like serious SNOOZE fest!

is it just me or is Chris Harrison struggling with this one??



are they gonna make it???  for reals gonna make it.....??????
guess we will wait and see

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Dear Since Its Sunday

Its a Since its Sunday Linky Party!!!!



{ Since It's } Sunday

I Love linky parties. They give me ideas of what to write about. Plus I feel like I get to be in the cool kids club haha. And there is the added bonus of possible look-in readers that could turn into followers :) And who wouldn't want that.

Last week I "talked" about a song.
This week I find myself again talking about a song.

Its another one that is very near and dear to my heart...and has honestly gotten me through many of the ups and downs my career has brought me the past 5 years.

So lets rewind as I tell you the story.
Picture me....a young college freshman at BYU

this should help haha

I came to BYU not only for the overall good education and the fun social scene-but also for its nursing school.  It had a high reputation.
So I am sitting in a pre-nurse meeting about applying for the program and all that blah blah blah administrative stuff.
And one of the speakers is talking about the program...its mission, its goals, its philosophy.
Being a church school, it of course had a very spiritual twist.
So what was the motto you ask?
"I would learn the healer's art"

Recognize it?  It is a line from this song:

Savior, may I learn to love thee, Walk the path that thou hast shown,
Pause to help and lift another, Finding strength beyond my own.
Savior, may I learn to love thee-Lord, I would follow thee.
Who am I to judge another When I walk imperfectly?
In the quiet heart is hidden Sorrow that the eye can't see.
Who am I to judge another? Lord, I would follow thee.
I would be my brother's keeper; I would learn the healer's art.
To the wounded and the weary I would show a gentle heart.
I would be my brother's keeper-Lord, I would follow thee.
Savior, may I love my brother As I know thou lovest me,
Find in thee my strength, my beacon, For thy servant I would be.
Savior, may I love my brother-Lord, I would follow thee.
The whole song is essential for nursing.  But the third verse has been my favorite ever since.
It got me through anatomy, bio-organic chemistry, physiology and nutrition (which was not hard just positively TERRIBLE!)
When a year later I found out I was not accepted into the BYU nursing program...this song got me through the crushing disappointment.  It didn't matter what BYU said....I was going to be a nurse anyway.
When I went through the stress of applying for accelerated programs, this was the song in my mind as I wrote essays and wrote my name on so many forms, I'm pretty sure I may have made a deal with the devil I didn't know about!
When I was accepted into all 4 programs, and had to choose, the words of my roommate and this song came to mind.  "What is your goal?  To be a nurse...to hold their hand and give them a smile.   Then why does it matter where you go to school if either one will help you do that?"
As I moved to a new place and went through the rollercoaster that is nursing school-it was my rock. The song I listened to when I came home from a horrible clinical day. The song that ran through my head during amazing clinical days
.
And now that I am coming to a close on my education and on my way into the big girl nursing world...it is the song I will take with me.
I hope I never forget that I am there to show a gentle heart to the wounded and the weary.
I am a stand in for their Savior.  He has asked me to take care of His children.
And I do it-gladly.
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Dear Nursing Care Plans

So I recently stumbled upon some nursing blogs. NO WAY JOSE!!!! AWESOME POSSUM
Us nurses are a unique breed. A sorority/fraternity of sorts. A group of people who don't understand why people don't think its appropriate to discuss bodily fluids and functions while eating and who can manage to deal with people without the use of restraints-both of the chemical and physical nature.

(I'm just kidding of course...not about us being weird....just our love of restraints)

Every porfession is nutty in its own right. Why on earth would you CHOOSE to run into a burning building? NUTTY!

I think this profession related nuttyness is what bonds nurses to each other. We are all crazy enough to do what we do.

Anyway-point is....I discovered these blogs and I am so happy to be able to read about the other crazy stressful things nurses deal with.

But as I am...I'm finding a lot by nursing students.
And it kind of makes me sad that I have documented my time in nursing school as well as I should have.
So here is one of many. Retrospective of course...but oh well

So here is a quick tutorial on care plans. Its basically a plan of care (inGENIOUS!) a nurse writes to best care for the patient.

It starts out ith a problem. Cause every patient has one. I mean lets be real. No one shows up at a "clean" "quiet" "comfortable" hospital

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Dear Decisions and Pro/Con Lists

We are going to be hanging out a lot coming up real soon.

At least I hope we do.

I'm starting the job hunt. Well, I have been working on it for a while, but now we are getting super serious about it.

There have been job applications sent out, contacts made, and feelers put out in:

Boston
Washington DC
Salt Lake City
Utah Valley
Logan
St Louis

Everyday I want a different city.  Some days I'm all about Utah..somedays East Coast
When I think about money and paying off loans-its ALL about living at home rent free.
When I think about how potentially stressful this first year will be...home seems like the only option.

When I think about my lil sister in Provo...its all about SLC or Provo to make sure she is taken care of.
But then I think about my baby sister who might get kind of lonely all home alone with the rents.

Being in DC would mean I would get to spend lots of time with my grandparents and 2 of my aunts...and all the uncles and cousins related to that
Being in Utah would mean I would get to see lots of aunts and uncles and cousins too.

Utah might bring a closer connection with old friends.  But that isn't necessarily guaranteed.
Boston and Logan and DC would bring a HUGE array of new friends and new experiences

St Louis I could maybe go to the family ward and turn it on its head :)  Get a calling in primary or young womens and have a field day!

Boston would be fun and glamorous...an amazing medical scene.
DC would bring me no end of things to do.
St Louis has so many medical opportunities and I could have the potential to grow so much.

Boston I would be very "alone" and cost of living is HEFTY
Provo might not be the best place to go back to--it was AMAZING while I was there but maybe it would be too easy to live in the past there.
St Louis would leave me with a super lame social scene (sorry singles branch....you are just a tinesy bit too weird for me...but I would give you a shot I suppose)

See what I mean?  There are SOOO many reasons for and against every place!

But really it is going to come down to who offers me a job.  But what if the hands of fate go in my favor and I get more than one offer.
THEN WHAT???

Guess we will cross that bridge when we get there.

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PS...
So bloggy buddies--with which city does your allegiance lie??

Friday, July 20, 2012

Dear Song I Can't Get Out of My Head

Its not so much that I can't get it out of my head, more that I really really like it.
So I have been listening to it over and over and over....and over...and over.

I don't know-I guess it speaks to me.
And my past.

I think once nursing school is done I'm going to start up my TWBMH series again.

Stay tuned :)

And for now-enjoy.

You ever wanted something/someone more than the other person did?

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