Things I've Learned from Clinic: Week 1

1. I'm smarter than I thought.
2. Hand rub/wash is my new OCD/BFF.
3. Little old men love me.
4. I'm stronger than I knew (both mentally and physically).
5. I could not have picked a better profession.
6. My joy is instantly amplified 50x by working with real patients.
7. Hospitals aren't as scary as you think.
8. I still know at least half of Rome, GA.
9. I work best when a new challenge is sprung on my suddenly (when I don't have time to "stress out" about it)
10. There is no time to STRESS about this job when you have people's lives/well being in your direct control.
11. I love to read patient's charts.
12. I love to read patient's charts and actually understand most of what it says.
13. I love to ask questions, look up answers, and consult with collegues.
14. Its cheaper to eat in the hospital than it is to bring it from home, and the food isn't half bad.(so long as you stick to the salad bar ;))
15. I'm a pretty observant clinician.
16. Lines and wires are alot easier to be cognizant of when they are actually stuck into someone.
17. I am VERY good at reading people and accommodating myself to their individual needs.
18. I LOVE THIS JOB.
19. My life is pretty much going to consist of waking up, going to work, going to work out, eating, & sleeping...and I'm kind of okay with that.
20. I am a fast typer, a quick learner, & I write a pretty darn good eval.
21. On that note, I can recall a startling number of abbreviations considering what that class was like....
22. I dread returning to the class room, but I'm kind of excited to put this new confidence to work.
23. I am more confident in the real world then I am in the classroom, alls I need is someone who believes in me. :)
24. I can hoist alot of LBS, even with this gimp ol' knee.
25. The elderly say the darndest things, and I love every minute of it.
26. You never know who you'll meet or the stories they'll tell.
27. Listen to every word the patient's family tells you, even if it sounds like nonsense, there's bound to be some tid bit that's important or if not they'll atleast know that someone cares
28. Hold a hand if you need to.
29. Baby dolls = instant calm.
30. I am a witty little lady.
31. I hope to be half as spritely as these individuals in my 90's.
32. I am so thankful to have a loving husband and the future promise of many loving children.
33. My loud voice is one of my best assets.
34. I'll never bite my nails again.
35. Scrubs are also my new BFF.
36. I have never felt so sure of anything in my life as I am of this.
37. Pulling charts is like playing a game of hide and seek.
38. Patient's is a virtue.
39. Physical therapist treat EVERY sort of patient, and when we get an order to come see you, that's a GOOD SIGN.
40. Even incoherent patient's will let ya know when they're in pain.
41. Any hospital that has pellet ice and an espresso machine is alright with me.
42. I am more capable than I thought I was, can handle way more than I imagined, and am always a few steps ahead of each of my patients.

Yep, I am cautiously optimistic that this just might be what God put me on this Earth to do (this and being a mother of course :)).

Sunday Snapshot: firsts

Yesterday my sister-in-law (Annie) and I threw my other sister-in-law (Maggie) her very first shower for her very first little one. This will be my very first nephew and it was also the very first shower I have ever helped throw. It was also the first time I've seen Maggie since she has begun to "look" pregnant. I feel like a little kid waiting for Christmas whenever I think about my nephew being born. It's that childlike excitement I was kind of worried you grew out of as you got older. The kind that fills up your whole stomach and you can't help but chatter and sing really loud just thinking about them. I've just realized that God saves that feeling for us as adults for those really big, life changing, joy-filled moments so that we don't take them for granted. He's pretty smart like that.

Annie and I decided to use baby books to decorate with. Considering that my future children are pretty much my number one favorite thing to daydream about I knew exactly which books I wanted to get for my little nephew, the same ones I loved growing up and the same ones I imagine reading to our kids one day. :) I was only able to find two of them yesterday, but it's already got my mind turning about a few used book store visits in my near future. (When did and why are children's books so goshdarned expensive now??? $8??)

"Goodnight Moon" and "The Poky Little Puppy"

I also made the cupcakes. :) She is decorating his room in a nautical theme so I had fun decorating with sailboats and greens and blues.

And of course no baby shower (or blog entry) would be complete without my two favorite little ones making an appearance.

Sportin' Aunt Gie Gie's boots

And then Isabella took some time to take a few artistic photos of her own. I gave each one it's own title for posterity's sake (whatever that means). :)

"Emerging Aunt Lauren" - Isabella, age 4

"Dino at my Feet" - Isabella, age 4

"Princess Shoes (Ariel view)" - Isabella, age 4

It's hard to explained just how blessed we are as a family. Or just how adorable my sister-in-law is pregnant with her cowboy boots on. :)

I am so thankful for all of the little ones and the little ways God continues to whisper his intent for me in life (as a mother). I also know that as much as I would like to expedite the process, he is also making it glaringly clear that we've both still got a little growing up to do (oh you know and a little schooling to finish).

Jason's parents came to spend the night with us last night and his mom and I spent some time talking about everything, including my parenting dreams. I talked to her about my dreams of adopting, of overseas adoption and special needs adoption and I can't help but be continually thankful for how simple the seed that was planted by a little blog called Ni Hao Ya'll has grown in my heart to be an assuredly hopeful truth in our future. Again, funny how God works in the most mysteriously simple ways. I also accidentally spilled the beans about one of our baby names...yes sometimes I get a little carried away with the excitement of possibility. But it was one of those serendipitous moments that could not be ignored, and the look on her face and truthful assurance in her voice as she spoke of the testimony in the name made me even more sure than ever of God's working in our hearts...