Some April Updates...

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Clearly, I am not the most dedicated blogger in the world. I have these great aspirations to blog my many domestic endeavors as well as its new experiences. However, as you can see those attempts have been futile. Instead of blogging about Valentine's Day mid-April, I've decided to give my recent projects a special mention and move on from there. I joined the Instagram world which makes random shout outs much easier than writing a full post. That being said a quick snapshot of our life right now can be boiled down to a few things:

1. A three month clinical with an hour and a half commute each way concluded at the end of March.

2. We are currently in limbo discussing plans for the next year and a half/two years

3. I am dreaming of home buying, my down to earth husband regularly reminds me that I would not be interested in buying the homes we can afford, touche my dear.

4. We are both preparing to finish up our programs of study. DJ will be getting his master's in August and is looking into beginning the CPA exams at that time.  I will finish up with my doctorate of physical therapy in December so right now am prepping for the comprehensive exam, my final clinical, and graduation followed by boards.

5. I continue to pray that the Lord will give me a content heart during all of these changes and as we weigh pros and cons and try to consistently walk in prayer about each potential situation.

6. I have been so blessed to catch up with friends over the past few weeks who have offered sweet encouragement and joy.  Such a fun weekend was spent in Greensboro with some college friends, which was followed up by catching up with others during a quick trip to Atlanta a few weeks later :) 

7. I was so blessed to have my sister Lindsey and cousin Sydney visit a few weeks back, such a great time!
8. My research partner, Haylee, and I completed our research defense last Friday, which brings us one step closer to getting our red book and graduating!
9. DJ spent this past weekend in Atlanta, networking and enjoying some time on the golf course, catching up with his brothers and enjoying watching the Master's.  So happy he took a (partial) break for the weekend from his crazy life of working full time and being a full time graduate student.  I am so proud of all he does!

We are so blessed. So so blessed!  I know so many of those things will seem trivial two months from now and we will be able to see the Lord's hand working through everything. I am SO SO excited to see where He will have us 6 months from now and how different our life will look!

Nona: My Sweetest Memory

At the beginning of February my family suffered a tremendous loss. My Nona, the sweetest most joyful and selfless woman you will ever meet headed home to be with Jesus. Since that day, we have all handled her loss in different ways.

We were blessed to spend a weekend together in Michigan celebrating her life, sharing memories, and mourning the fact that she would not be there to make further ones. Even now, I still get choked up just thinking about the fact that she will not be at family gatherings anymore.

She was a rock, not only for my grandpa, who was married to her for 56 years, but for all of us. She was the most wonderful woman, loving mother, and doting grandmother anyone could ever ask for. I know she is in heaven, with her infectious laugh, enjoying every minute spent with her creator. While I know she is in a far better place, my heart still wants her here with us.

Everything inside of me wants my Nona to be around to bless my (someday) children in the same way she blessed me. We were birthday buddies I was born on August 30 and she was September 1.  I always loved getting to celebrate with Nona and feeling like we shared a special day even though we were two days apart.

She was always quilting and for that I am so blessed. Not only do we all have a physical reminder of the time Nona invested in us through beautiful quilts but also the memories associated with that. As we were gathered in Michigan, every single grandchild had a memory of Nona helping them sew something, remembering trips to Joann's fabrics, which we all thought was named after her, and picking out something special for a new project.

Nona was also an expert in the kitchen. Her baking repertoire had no limits in my eyes. However, one of my favorite memories in the kitchen with her had nothing to do with preparing a delicious feast. I loved squeezing orange juice whenever we went to their house using her motorized citrus juicer. So much so, that Nona would make sure to always have a full crate of oranges in the pantry whenever we would come to town. The sticky mess I made an left was nothing to Nona. This was a tradition I so much enjoyed, that I recall my favorite Christmas gift one year was a juicer just like Nona's of my very own.

I could write a book about the wonderful memories I have with my Nona. However, I know, being one of the oldest grandchildren, I was blessed to know her as an adult as well. When I tell my kids stories about my Nona someday, I will have a husband sitting next to me who understands exactly why I idolized this woman as much as I do. She is a woman I loved and continue to love so much and want to emulate more than anyone else in the world.  This is true to the point that I chose to wear her wedding dress which further represents how I will carry a piece of Nona in my heart always.

I know once many have passed their faults fade away and the good is all we remember. I tried to console myself by thinking of Nona's faults and shortcomings. But as I searched through all of my memories I could hardly remember a harsh words spoken to me from Nona.

Through prayer and petition I have searched high and low for the best way to honor Nona's memory. What I keep coming back to time and time again is to live like she did. To love with abandon. To find joy in all situations and circumstances. And to always have room in your heart and your table for one more. Nona was one-of-a-kind. And this blog post doesn't even come close to capturing the sea of emotions still raging in my heart. However I know as we continue forward, memories will fade and emotions will blur. And I wanted to ensure that I would capture to the best of my ability the love, admiration, and emulation I have for my Nona.

We Survived!

Such a crazy week with a wonderful break in the middle. DJ had Tuesday off and I was able to head home at noon.  Both had a day off Wednesday and two hour delay Thursday.  Tuesday night we had a fun but oh so bad for you date in with more hot wings than  we could ever eat.

Wednesday the storm actually hit.  Not anywhere near as bad as other places in the south, or as Columbia expected, but just enough to have a wonderfully fun day in the snow.  Peyton could not understand what was going on, it was adorable :)

Tuesday night as the snow was starting. He was completely disinterested and was prancing on his cold little toes like nobody's business. So funny.

 Playing in our winter wonderland :)

 Hot chocolate and cuddle time while working on my defense paper :)

And then being stuck inside started getting to me, and I went all crazy productive, this is the project I am most proud of, its been on my to do list to paint and hang those shelves since I want to say approx. pre-Thanksgiving, just to give you an idea of how deep that to do list really was :)

The rest of the week was relatively uneventful, but we seem to be getting into a rhythm with  my commute and schedule and I am enjoying getting to carry my own patient load at my clinical location., which is a huge praise.  Its definitely a spread thin schedule, we aren't working out like we should and have little time for much else at night, but overall things are working out well and I am one third of the way through it :)

Rejoicing in His Sweet Faithfulness

As I was running tonight, ridding myself of a myriad of stress I had accumulated this past week, I was thinking about the little things we can always find to be thankful for.

I started my 3rd clinical rotation Monday.  It has been pretty intense so far, so much newness to quickly pick up on, new people to adjust to working with, and a whole new documentation system to learn.  However, the actual clinical experience has not been as trying as the 1.5 hour commute that is tacked onto each end of the work day.

So, as I ran, block by block I began to unwind, which let me reflect on the awesome things the Lord has put on my plate that deserve my focus rather than those little inconveniences that are less than ideal and if blown out of proportion could wreak some serious havoc on my attitude. 

This past week I was able to get through an entire Beth Moore book and a half on tape while driving.  Her words directing my thoughts back to scripture helped me stay on track this past week and kept my eyes and heart open to the fact that the commute to this rotation is not just punishment, the Lord plans to and will use that time well.

I have two excellent clinical instructors who are going to teach, challenge, and mentor me, serving to strengthen my ability to work as a physical therapist with each step over the next 3 months.  The department is small and all of the OTs & PTs alike are super patient and helpful, trying to share as much of their knowledge as possible to help direct my next steps so I can avoid the speed bumps and road blocks they encountered.

My husband is super sweet and supportive. He gets off at 1:30 on Fridays and spent this past afternoon doing laundry for me, so I could enjoy my Saturday.  He has constantly asked "What can I do to help" and "What can I do for dinner."  I have been a pill this past week and I know it.  It wasn't intentional, and had I not spent 3 hours listening to uplifting and challenging words everyday, I can't imagine how much worse I would have been. Anxiety about a new situation + adjusting to a new work & sleep schedule did not bode well with me.  Its not an acceptable excuse, but I want to give my husband the credit, praise, and appreciation he deserves for his patience and gracious attitude toward me, because his strength to perservere was undoubtedly from above.

The sun is staying up longer, which I absolutely love.  I am in no way signing myself up for a disorder such as SAD or anything, I know almost everyone prefers sunny days, but I love to at least see the sun everyday and today was one of those days.  When I left the house it was gloomy and drizzling still, by the time I got back, there was a beautiful pink and orange masterpiece in the sky and reflecting off the river.  It was breathtaking and I was once again reminded of the Lord's hand over everything. EVERY. SINGLE. THING.

I am still finishing up Beth Moore's book So Long Insecurity on tape and it is speaking volumes into my life and attitude.  I always knew pride was something I struggled with, but never went down the list applying it to my every decision and thought.  Whether I am attempting to mask my insecurities through perfectionism or not even trying things due to fear of failure, it all comes back to pride and my oh so fragile ego. Living humbly in the Lord is my newest goal, which I know I will fail at miserably, but through prayer, petition, and repeated dedication, I am seeking to draw closer to the Lord by tearing that ugly wall of my pride down.

All that being said, the Lord is stretching me like never before and I am doing my best not to resist.  I am starting a journey that I know will not be easy but it will be more worth it than anything I have ever experienced before. 

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