All the leaves are falling

As I've been watching the leaves change colour and fall to the ground this week I think it is safe to say fall is a coming. Hot apple cider, fall boots, crisp air, pumpkins and harvesting veggies. All the goodness of autumn has come upon us.

But with all the goodness I feel the need to reflect what summer gave us. It was my first summer (in I don't know how long) that I never worked. It will probably one of my last summers as well.

It was full of sun. Water, water and water. Water balloon fights with water guns, much to my daughter's disdain.  Hopefully she gets over that dislike. :) Baby pools, splash parks, outdoor pools, city hall pool, legislature pool, beaches, and the epic "slide in the city" involving us to slide down a humungous water slide down the streets of Edmonton.

Other fun summer events involved good eats. Green onion cakes at Taste of Edmonton and the Fringe. Hot dogs at the legislature and the market. Food trucks. Lemonade. Lots of BBQing, steak, hot dogs, burgers, chicken, shish kabobs, corn, potatoes. Harvesting fresh veggies, eating homemade fries, cooked beets, raw peas, raw carrots and green bean delights. Plus pickling and more pickling. Beets, cucumbers, and green beans (32 jars)!

Visits to the petting zoo, riding the merry go round at K-days, fireworks at symphony in the city (plus Disney music delights).  Seeing Newsies. Going out to dinner with my lovely girlfriends. Hospital visits. Checking out summer movies. Marketing. And of course dog walks with my partner.

Plus my personal favourite, visiting my parents. An incredible trip with loads of visiting, touring, and relaxation.

It was an amazing summer. Farewell high sun and welcome low sun and cool evenings.
xoxo
love

Summer end and fall beginnings

Summer has ended. Actually ended three weeks ago. Although we never made it to a fancy place or a crazy hike we managed to keep busy. I worked quite a bit and between that we went kayaking (more than once!), gardened, lots of dog walks and a little escape to B.C. 

With summer winding down we managed to go to a few events. One was a Disney's Fantasia at Churchill square. So much fun. Listened to the Edmonton symphony live with the cartoon bits in the background. I enjoyed it immensely. 

Also went to our last wedding of the year (that we at least know about). An old co-worker of mine got married. Wonderful service at St. Joseph's Basilica. What a beautiful church. And the reception I got to catch up with another co-worker of mine with her little guy. 

Shopping became huge for me in September. I went with Jeaninne and we completed the 'needs to get' for when the little one decides to arrive. Some things were so complicated like strollers and car seats. It was nice to have a seasoned pro with me to show me the ropes. I don't think Mark and I could have wagered that alone. Especially since there were not a lot of customer service people around to help. 

 

Not all was fun and games. I had an internal and sometimes external war with managing my insulin. The management was relatively okay but other times just plain ol' frustrating. Mainly cause no matter how much you followed the food plan and the exercise you would still not come ahead. There were many times I would come home from my appointments pretty upset, just annoyed about how I was talked to. Overall though I have to say, the physician I dealt with was amazing. And speaking with co-workers that dealt with the same issue made it easier for myself to cope with it. Plus a great resource for me as they gave great advice and knowledge. I have learned a lot. Makes me want to set my competency goal next year to this as I feel it could be a great thing to keep increasing my knowledge on. 
 

With that, Mark and I prepared for baby. The nursery got completed with Mark taking on the installation of shelves, curtain ties, moving furniture up and down and aiding me in the cribbage assembly. I took on the painting, decorating, cleaning and organizing. AND curtain rods installation that ended in hilarity. Really happy with how it turned out. 
 

 

That and prenatal class came and ended. Mark stayed captivated for three out of the five classes. But he learned the power of massage so as long as he got that for delivery I am happy. 

 

Now it's rest and relaxation which is really not in my vocabulary but I'm finding my body yelps a bit more if I don't listen. Grrr. I've managed to enjoy the fall walks with some company. And then other times just me and my dog. Took in probably one of the last best views of fall in the river valley today as I got home and all the leaves on our trees are gone. The seasons are changing.....just like our lives are about too....
 

Love

Nursing moments

As I finish off my last week of my current job I have found myself sentimental of the moments I had with staff and patients. I know that I am making the right descison. But isn't it funny that when you decide to leave a job and embark on something new, you find yourself looking at the present situation as wonderful and amazing and the new one looks a bit more daunting than you last imagined it?

I talked this over with my family and husband and am told that this is a natural reaction and everything looks brighter and better when there is something new and different in the horizon. 

Regardless I have been thinking of some really positive moments that I have had. That I have loved and enjoyed. And I think that is really where you want to leave things off. 

There were shifts that I have managed to be in patients rooms laughing as they tell wonderful stories, joking with me, pranking me. They became friends with their roommates and would look out for them, discussing their ailments with each other and being each other cheerleaders. And I would cheer them both on, pleased at how people can really make the most of their situation and find a friend in the process. 

Other shifts where goals of care would be switched as medical intervention could know longer help. They would become comfort care and I would be there to hold their hand, wash their skin, control their pain and massage their feet if time permits. Those were fantastic moments. 

Other rotations was with the dream team. They were a collective of nurses that I truly loved and admired and would consider them friends. Usually on an evening shift. We would make plans for cupcakes and treats one day to keep us going to day 6 in our rotation. Or make plans to dye a long term patients hair as she was in need of primping and fauning that you just don't get in a hospital. These were the people that would come to my aid if I needed help with a boost, med, info, or wash. Love love love them. And will miss those the most. I have laughed with them, vented with them, offered words of encouragement as they did for me and just enjoyed them so much. 

Sure there were days where I have gotten hit, sworn at, yelled at. Some days I would go home questioning, feeling despair, or anxiety. Good talks with family would usually help. Then I would talk with myself. I am a person that tends to give power to the negative things said to me and dismiss the positive with little regard of what was said. It is a work in process. As apparently I need to believe it when people say I am good at what I do.....blah blah blah. I still can't say what people have said to me in actual quotations, he he. One day, but it is something that I am starting to believe as I embark on new adventures. 

It has definitely been an adventure. A year of growth. A year of knowledge. And a year that I have pushed myself into situations I could not have imagined being in. 

And it's just the beginning....

Love

The tides are a changing

How does one find happiness?

These long winter months, (yes I continue to say that as the snow trickles down) have been a challenge to find just that. What makes me happy? Being housebound, with the never ending snow can be more than a little depressing. Not that I was always housebound. But if you read a few posts prior to this you will understand that one of my enjoyments (working out and the gym) was a little side tracked with a knee injury. Blah. 

So I needed to get to the root of the problem. Why was I so unhappy? Sure weather played an impact. Sometimes the feel of sun, warmth and light is revitalizing. Seriously. Cheesy maybe for some. But we have had glimpses of it during this periodic snowfall (seriously, poor Canada this winter) and it has been fantastic. Feeling more energetic just uplifts the mood. 

I wasn't the only one that felt the winter blues. Talking to a few friends and family and the lack of sun has soured many. This forced my partner, and my parents to make a pact for next spring break. Sunshine is in our future and we are going to seek it out no matter what. 

Weather wasn't the only thing that impacted my mood. I took on an incredible opportunity to work in a casual job on top of my current position. I was happy to get the job but I was working my 3 jobs more than I personally wanted to. 

I didn't realize it at the time, but it was impacting my mood at home. Increasingly grumpy, tired as my get away from work became chores, errands and sleep. I missed my friends. I missed talking to my family. And I missed my partner. In particular I missed happy times with my partner. It seems unhappiness spreads. When one is sad and miserable the other tends to get to be the same. Doesn't make for a happy household. 

However good things come out from this. Family are ever so encouraging. They had my back no matter what. Put a smile on my face. Listened to my fears. Loved me. Friends were the same. And don't dismiss my partner. We learned different ways to communicate and to continue on, growing further in our relationship. 

The next descison was a particular hard one. But I decided to leave my current job and delve into the casual one over the summer. It is something that I am interested in and why I chose my current career. I am excited at the opportunity for learning, and growth. 

But I have to say I am so thankful to have been given the opportunity to work in the hospital that I did. I learned so much and met some incredible people. I learned the essence of teamwork. I learned how to deliver safe, effective patient care while maintaining my integrity and compassion. I really couldn't have asked for more. But after a year and a bit. I am ready to move on. 

So the tides are a changing. And it scares me but truthfully I have a sense of immeasurable relief and glimmers of happiness. This last year happiness has not always been easily achieved. Something hard to write about on a blog about happiness. But maybe it's not suppose to be easy! 

Presently I am reading 'Prime' by Ariana Huffington. She said something that impacted my present quest. Happiness takes practice. Making an effort to be happy, finding mindfulness and seeking out simple pleasures can help ones own emotional well being. So I am going back to the beginning. Some of these things will be shared on my blog. Others in my life. But let's just say I am excited at the new prospects my life will bring.  

Love

convocated

today was my convocation day. i never went to my last one. i don't really regret it as i didn't know many in my faculty (and it being a huge one) didn't feel like i was missing out amongst the massive numbers. but after attending mark's graduation and enjoying all the ceremonial aspects i decided that i was going to attend mine.

and i did. with my husband. who diligently took pictures of me and my friends. who waved at me from the audience and who facetimed my parents so that they could watch me receive my BSc degree in nursing. that's right my parents attended my graduation from new brunswick. lucky lucky me!

it was a wonderful morning. the first day of summer and the first day of no rain this week. and it was a happy day. the school journey is officially over for a while...the learning has just begun.

Day 7

Last day and it was savored....

Christmas in Stanley part 4

No rules today. Just go with it.

- take your old cat for a walk on a leash in your shorts and flip flops in the falling snow
- watch another Christmas movie, miracle on 34th street
- go shopping with my mother dearest
- admire mom's snowman
- ponder what to do when there is a power outage
- sit outside with white wine and talk while your dad BBQ's stirfryon the BBQ
- go inside cause you thought you may have heard zombies and you promised your husband that you would try to stay alive during the apocalypse
- play card games and create barricades

The end is near. He he.

Love