Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Mitchell Moments


What a weekend. What a full of good stuff weekend. 

I haven’t been sleeping well the last few days, and I’m pretty sure it’s because my brain doesn’t want to miss a single exciting “Mitchell Moment” before we move.  Mostly I’ve been trying to absorb as much time with my family and friends that I can, drinking in their love and honest desire for Jesse and me to succeed and enjoy our new adventure.  I love our support system… not only because they’re awesome, but because they are awesome in so many ways. 

This blog is dedicated to our support system… to the party throwers, the supper hosters, and the dog sitters, we © you!

First came the “going away, drink instead of cry, party” given by the hostess with the mostest, SassyKassie.

And this was my cake.
Janet, Emily, Sarah, & Barb

And these are my wonderful friends!  So honored to have these wonderful ladies in my life... others in attendance were my SIL, Darcie, Mindy, Brenda, and my MOM... And baby Rhoen, too! Pretty good crowd!

Nathel, KrazyKassie, & me





























The next day Jesse and I ventured out to replace my car that had been totally ruined in the recent hail storm.  I impressed myself (and Jesse!) with my bartering skills and drove home a Tahoe, which is a pretty big step up from my Pontiac, but I like it!



And that evening we hung out with some of our best friends, Jerry & Angie, and their boys.  We grilled, and spent the night sipping strawberry daiquiris (non-alcoholic for the boys, of course!) and it turned into a random classic game night.
drinks, anyone?
isn't that the truth?






jenga
Crazy Jenga!










Serious Chess...

 I had never played Battleship before, so we had a little guys vs gals competition after the boys had went to bed. It had to have been the longest Battleship game ever!



And to top off the weekend, an event I had been anxiously awaiting came… our sweet puppy Nella was delivered!  Naming her was quite the feat, eventually settling on the name I insisted upon, Jesse nicknamed her Nilla, as in the wafer.  And our niece, Lilly, calls her va-nilla.  This poor puppy is going to be so confused! 

She’s an 8-week-old German Shorthair Pointer, bought with the specific purpose of being my running partner and Jesse’s hunting buddy.  She’s super cute, super sweet, super smart, and super spoiled!

We grilled out at my Godparent’s home Sunday night, and hung out with more family.  The kids LOVED the puppy.  Eventually she cuddled into my jacket and fell asleep while I watched the professionals play beanbags.



Until we move next week, Nella is being fostered at Jesse’s sister, Melinda’s, house.  Her 2 kids, Lilly & Jason, are learning what a puppy is all about.  And Melinda and Mike are remembering what having a baby in the house is all about.  Nella was crying in her kennel when we left her the first night, and I felt like a new mama leaving my baby, with my heart breaking as we backed out of the driveway.  

 Jason called me this morning just to confirm, “When you’re not here Amanda, I’m in charge of the puppy, right??” Pretty important stuff to a 5 year old.  Especially when you’re competing with your 2 year old sister!  Just hope it doesn’t break their hearts too much when the puppy leaves next week.  They’ll probably miss her more than us!

Melinda informed me tonight that the puppy was so worn out she went to her kennel, refused to leave, and didn’t cry or whine at all tonight. GOOD DOG.

And so, it was a busy, busy weekend.  The kind of early summer weekend everyone loves, but I especially love, and will hold near and dear to my heart.  The kind that will hold me over when I’m 5 hours away and missing home like crazy… My “Mitchell Moments” are dwindling down to a few short days.  Most of those days will be full of packing. And packing.  And crying.  And packing. 
 And truly realizing the amazing life we have here.  Thanks to everyone who makes our life amazing!

Thursday, May 10, 2012

prepping for extraction


in honor of nursing week, may i remind you that i LOVE nursing. and as you may have discovered, i rarely use capital letters. in a world of grey's anatomy and nurse jackie and health care reform, sometimes it feels like the core of nursing gets lost in the shuffle. but the core of nursing is firmly rooted in my heart. and rooted in the hearts of the wonderful women with which i work.
photo courtesy of avera queen of peace hospital

what makes this nursing rumination worse is moving. thinking about leaving these 15 pseudo-mom, coworker nurses who are amazing makes me so sad! not to mention the 5 or so squirrely-bird girls my age who i really never want to live, work, or post-night shift drink, without. i can't even imagine the day jesse and i are having a baby and these women wouldn't be at my side.






mentally part of me has checked out and adopted a "what are they going to do, fire me?" attitude. but that's just a coping mechanism. because when i think of the 5, FIVE! measly shifts i have left with these amazing nurses, helping amazing patients bring beautiful squished-nose bundles of baby into the world, my heart literally breaks.








 i've come so far from the mental place i was when i first started my job at aqop. like a 180 degree twisty. it is the place where i first had to don a pair of big girl (meshie) panties and try this whole life thing on my own. granted, i had the love and support and constant wise words from my real family and my nursing family, but there were parts i just had to learn on my own. God put me there, to teach me how to be me again. and then he even threw in a husband meeting encounter there. the beginning of the life i always meant for it to be started within the confines of the nurse's station of aqop. and through tear-streaked typing i realize how it will forever feel like the place i got my sea legs back. and learned how to be a kick-ass nurse, and a semi-funny, totally sarcastic and blunt, but chocked full of love person i am today. and then comes the scheduled extraction...
every random corner is a box, either to-be-filled, or full and masking taped shut with a clear label of where it came from, because for God's sake, i have no idea where it going to end up. there should be no doubt that i am a hospital employee... baby formula box, check. adult diapers box, check (p.s., those have nifty handles), and urinary collection product boxes, got those too.

as you can see, i haven't really touched to tip of the book-built ice burg. and nursing books are exponentially heavier than regular books...  lucky for everyone who is volunteering their back for the task for moving the mcmuffins. pre-medicate with ibu my friends. and lift with your legs, not your kind-hearted backs :)

as i continue to embrace this move, i realize how close this has made jesse and me, how much more i love him every day. and tomorrow he's graduating with a 4.0 on the semester, which is TOTALLY worth mentioning. serious wife pride going on. 'nigh all

OH, and the wrench in the smooth move plan, our hail storm last weekend totalled out my car, my material baby. more tears.... sad, sad face.