Holy crap, it's been 5 months!

Hi to my best peeps! I can't believe it's been so long since my last post (actually I can, but let's just pretend ;) )

I totally left y'all hanging with Sadie's story. 

She had the surgery, did fantastic! Only a couple weeks afterwards she was completely deaf. 😥 We have gotten used to it, kinda sorta... We still talk to her like she can hear, and I find myself calling her & then wanna smack myself. She is still my sweet girl, and I love her with all my heart. ❤️ she has been doing great, we started a new treatment regimen with ASA & glucosamine, changed her food & treats. Her arthritis is much better, although she still has rough days. The poor girl doesn't ever leave the house or backyard without a leash now though, which probably sucks for her. But I am a teensy bit overprotective of all my babies. 

Ok, that's your Sadie update. What's next? Oh, the new job. Love it! I am about 5 months in & still totally love it! I love that I can totally be rocking my Resting Bitchy Face on the phone & I don't have anyone asking me if I'm angry. Lol... If they did I would just close the door & that's that. 

I seriously love my new coworkers, including the best OB/GYN's ever! (Except of course Dr. Meadows, Dr. Rush  & Dr. Hinds, love y'all to the moon & back too) I of course miss NICU, it is still in my heart, my hands still itch to catch a newborn, save a baby, hell at this point feed a screaming withdrawal baby!

Don't even get me started about dying to start an IV! I do miss my babies, and my peeps from Brack, Dell & of course CP!

But my job is perfect for me & my family now. I have so much more time with the fam, although it really sucks having to go grocery shopping with everyone else in the world now. And I haven't had the free time or availability to spend time with my BFF...❤️ you Nicole! Thank God she doesn't get mad that we haven't seen each other in forever. But we will, soon. 

Other than that part, I am still learning every day new things about "big people" and insurance & making appts...etc...

But I am lucky to work with great people who have cut me slack when I made a stupid mistake. And, would you believe I'm nervous giving IM's? Of course I did it  almost daily for years with the babes, but these big people, oh hellfire! But I keep doing it, and every time I successfully take a manual BP & pretty much do anything else with an adult, I feel like Supergirl! Yay me! So, long story short, I love my job! 

Ok, so would you believe that I had forgotten to download the blogger app to my new phone? And then of course could not remember for the life of me what my login or password was.

Of course you believe it, cuz you all know that I forget extremely too much! 

No wonder I have felt like a teapot whistling...I haven't been able to purge all my crazy thoughts & emotions. 

So, on to school, I took a 3 month break while getting used to a new job, but I'm back! 

Awesome, right? 😉

I have already completed 1 class since October 1...I am hoping to knock out this Nutrition class by the end of next week! Crossing my fingers! I'm also working on my Community Health project, so if you see me, I'll probably try to interview you so I can count it towards my 90 hours of interviews/classes/meetings for Breastfeeding Promotion. You are only safe if you are a man...no wait, you are only safe if you are a man who is not an OB/GYN! Fun times. 

Out here at the 4J, life goes on... I still have plants producing :) & hope to keep some going (for real this year) in the greenhouse this winter. We still have tomatoes, cukes, peppers, beans, and of course strawberries...oh yes, I have a cute beAutiful little Black Diamond watermelon still growing. Yay! 

My crazy ass husband and child are still swimming! It's the middle of October!! We do not have a heated pool, and I don't so much as put my toes in if it's less than 80, let alone in the 70's! I guess I can say she gets it from her daddy. 

She must get her super sweet nature from mommy...well... 

I was asking her to be patient this evening while making her a grilled cheese & she said, "mommy, how can I be patient? You and grandma don't have patience, why would I?" 

For reals! With a serious face! Do you know how hard it was to not laugh? Well, pretty damn hard I guess, because I laughed my ass off, lol. From the mouths of babes!

So, into other things, I am looking forward to football Sunday! Can I get an amen? So, hear my battle cry... Woo hoo Broncos! Let's kick some butt!...Go Pack Go!!...and yay G-men!!! 

Yay football! #ManningBoysTotallyRock!!

And with that I will leave you. I've been outside enjoying a fire in our completely-contained-firepit...and Maddie just came back out to hang with mommy! Goof night my friends! May you have sweet dreams! ❤️

Sweet Sadie ❤️

Ok guys... Just throwing this out there tonight. We would appreciate prayers for our Sadie-girl. 

She has developed an aural hematoma (one of her ears keeps filling with blood & getting bigger)... The vet originally said she isn't a good candidate for surgery, mainly her age...a wise old 14 years. 

But her ear has keep getting bigger & bigger & now is starting to occlude her ear canal. 

So she is scheduled for surgery tomorrow. :(

I absolutely love & trust my vet. I am just very scared for my sweet baby. He scheduled her, but on Friday said that he wouldn't do the surgery unless he feels it is absolutely necessary. And I know he is being truthful. I am asking him to look at her & tell me if he would do it for his dog, or just let it resolve (what we were planning to do, but it kept getting worse) over the next couple months. I just worry that it hurts her, and don't want her to suffer. But I also don't want this to be my last night with her. :(

I don't know what the right thing is, I am just spending the evening loving on my sweet girl. So please pray for her, and for guidance tomorrow. 

We appreciate it. 

Well hellfire! I missed a March blog!

I had resigned myself to monthly blogs to update friends & family of what's going on with us....I guess I forgot during the entire month of March!!  There was a lot happening with family... And work. In March we lost an amazing man...my grandfather, all from a rare skin cancer (all my friends know that will soon be a blog topic), and at the end of February we lost my wonderful uncle Jimmy..... so it has been a time full of emotions & sadness & and of course...love & thanks for those still with us. 

It has been a long couple of months for my extended family...the only positive out of these tragedies is the reuniting with loved ones. Which of course does not make any of it okay....damn you cancer!

But we have to move on, and in our fast-paced world it is way too often too soon. Thank  The Lord for family & good friends. I  am thankful to have both in my life. I love you guys! 

On to the lighter topics....

I guess that means I've got a lot to say! ;) While I'm starting to type this I am making tortillas, John is doing yard work (of course) and Maddie is watching Mickey Mouse...and Maddie is the one who asked last night & this morning for tonight to be "Taco Tuesday" lol... The really funny thing is... She is so not a taco girl... She is a sandwich girl, damn near asks for one every day! :)  And it really doesn't matter because she wanted "Taco Tuesday" to be ham tacos, with leftover ham from last nights dinner. Lol!!! 

That's my silly girl...and being the sucker that I am, Madde got a "ham taco" while the rest of us ate regular tacos! :) 

Lord help us, she also told me tonight that Friday needs to be "Frito Friday"... Where does she get this stuff?? I mean, I get the "Taco Tuesday" where "everything is awesome"!!!! (Your welcome for getting that song in your head ;) lol)

But the Frito Friday? I swear that girl has probably had Fritos maybe twice in her lifetime...crazy stuff that these kids bring home.

So, onto the really good news! I just passed my Community Health class today!  Yay!!! 

So, for the record that is17 credits down since Jan 1! 

I  am really hoping to get two more classes done by the end of this semester (June)... Statistics :((( and Nutrition... 

I know I can do it, just have to get a grip on them & go for it! 

And the super-duper-fantastic news...I got a new job! I somehow stumbled on this awesome, amazing opportunity to work with several (5...yes five) of the best OB/Gyn Dr.s I know! I am very excited about this new change in my life. It will be great for the family also...don't have to do all the weekends & holidays that the hospital requires.

So, overall, April has been a fantastic month thus far! Thank the heavens! We all need some sunshine.

In light is everything that has happened in the last few months (including my grandmother having surgery this week) I have to, once again, give thanks for the blessings I have. My (immediate) family is healthy & thriving, I am healthy & happy (take that, you stupid, stinky TB!) and the world is still turning. 

Maddie has been accepted into a great charter school in North Austin (more info to come later) and the future is looking bright! 

John & I have great jobs to support our family... Of course Madison would argue that one of our blessings is to have a pool at home (I swear that kid has been swimming for weeks! Brrrrrrrr!)

In light of all the bad things, we have a great life & there are many, many things we are very grateful for (including mom living next door... Love you Grandma!) we  are very fortunate. 

So, we are a happy family at the moment...including Sadie-girl, who is much better since February...

Love you  all! Thanks for wanting to catch up! 

Second class down!

Hey guys, I've been super busy with work & family & school, darn it I haven't even really had time for friends (or some of my family)... 

But, I am pleased to say that I passed my 2nd class on this journey to my BSN! It was a 6 credit hour class, so it was more like 2 classes (in my head anyway) lol! 

I am 9 credit hours into this semester that started Jan 1! 

Check it out...I am only 33 credit hours from my BSN!! 

So now I am well into my next class (no time for sitting around)... It's the dreaded... Biochemistry! Ahhh! 

I got through the first "week" of lectures (I had to make use of the rest of my child-free day off) and I have to say, this class might just make me forget why I wanted a higher degree anyway! I have to do 5 papers! 5...FIVE! On Biochemistry! Crap crap crap! I really feel like I wrapped my head around this first unit, I just don't know about these papers & diagrams & crap I have to draw.  Dear Baby Jesus...please help me through this...amen. :) 

Allright, enough about that. Everything else is looking ok. Still a tiny bit bummed that the state of Texas never opened up my TB nurse's position, oh well. No use dwelling on that. I was hoping for a miracle job to pop up so that I can find a work/life/elementary school drop off time balance. I have absolutely no idea where Madison will be going to school next year for 1st grade. And enrollment & all that junk is starting soon. And, just incase anyone other than my (terribly misguided, possibly less than clear on the whole picture, less than sane) family wants to recommend home-schooling...for the love of God (& everything else that's good in this world)... Have you met me, like ever? I  am nowhere close to a good teacher. 

Before my nurse friends say any fun thing about discharge & parent/newborn teaching ... This is not teaching someone how to change a diaper, or not to shake a baby. So, no thank you. If anyone has any relevant recommendations, I would love to hear them. Or if any of my ex/retired teaching friends cares to open a homeschool, let me know. :) 

(for the record, no Nicole... Do not insert comment here, lol, although I love you) 

Quick update on our Sadie-girl...she is doing great! She is back to her old self, minus a few pounds still. I am so relieved that our amazing vet took such great care of her (and yes, of me too)! 

She is back to her old habits & I am overjoyed to see her staring back at me every  morning while I'm getting ready for work, wagging her tail as if she just looooves my version of "Footloose" & "Don't Stop Believing!" My poor girl endures it all. :) 

And onto sad things, we still have a few family members with serious health issues. 2 of them with Hospice care now.  Any prayer is very much appreciated by the entire family. Can I just say... Cancer sucks ass. 

Thank you to all my family & friends who read & follow up with me (even though my blog is every 2 weeks now) You guys mean so much to me. I love you all. (Unless somehow there is a crazy troll somehow reading this...or a Manning hater) 

Goodnight, sleep tight... Don't let the....

Quick update

Sorry guys! I know a lot of my friends & family have been waiting on an update. 

John was able to pick up Sadie late yesterday. She is doing a lot better, still not quite herself, but so much improved. She really scared me the other night. 

She hasn't been as active as normal, but she is eating & drinking & accepting all of our cuddles. :) She even hung out with John outside this afternoon while he was clearing & burning brush. That shows that she is feeling better. 

I thank The Lord for our vet, Dr. Stiles, he is so amazing! He is so caring & gave Sadie the best care possible, if she needed food - he gave her food, if she needed love - he gave her love. I don't think I will ever meet another veterinarian with so much heart. And his staff is wonderful as well. They were so sweet when I was calling for updates...sounding like a crazy lady! (I know, I am a crazy lady, I just try to hide my crazy!) 

So now that my sweet girl is on the mend, I was able to concentrate on school. I passed the exam! Yay! My first class is over! I also did my pre-assessment for the next class today, and passed it today. Score! 

So now I am working on getting the thru this next class, which is 6 credit hrs & a lot tougher..my mentor gave me an easier  class for the first one, probably to build confidence. 

So that's where we stand. Hopefully we are heading to my BFF tomorrow for some fun times! :) Great friends are hard to come by...hold them close to your heart when you find them. 

So, I'm tired out after my extra time at work & ready for the weekend. Goodnight my friends! Sleep tight!

Not quite a blog

Hey friends. This is not quite going to be an all around update. Just throwing this info out there. 

Please say prayers & send well wishes to my baby girl Sadie... 

She has not had the best couple of days, and is having to stay the next couple of days & nights with our much-loved vet, Dr. Stiles. She has had some tummy troubles & isn't eating or drinking, or acting like herself. 

The vet thinks it's probably a intestinal bug, we are hoping that's all it is. If she is not better by tomorrow he is gonna run some tests to rule out other things. She got some anti-nausea meds & antibiotics when we got there this afternoon, and was placed in a nice spacious kennel with a blanket & I got to give her some love and say bye to her there. He plans on giving her some meds & fluids through the night. I was up for most of the night last night with her vomiting. I hate feeling helpless, I wish there was something I could do.

He told me to feel free to stop by & see her tomorrow, but I won't be able to as I am working. :( 

But I know she is in amazing & very loving hands. 

It was hard coming home without her, and the house is too quiet & still without her here. She is getting up there in age, but I really hope that we have several more years with her. We all love her so much. 

Other than that, we are just busy around here, everyone doing things. I am taking my final exam for my first class on Friday, so I hope I pass that & move on to the next class. John is busy with work & Maddie is staying busy with Kinder, we are reading books every night now on top of her little homework. 

Grandma is getting over being sick, so we haven't seen much of her lately, but I think she is on the mend. 

That's a out it. Please send happy doggy thoughts & well wishes Sadie's way tonight. Goodnight friends. 

Long time coming....

I have been out of sorts lately & haven't felt like blogging. Things have been super busy around here. I started my first class in school again...(Care of the Older Adult...ugh big people, lol) and passed my first assessment! Barely, but yay! 

Work has been ridiculously busy because we are still short-staffed. Hope that gets resolved soon. I don't know that I can work extra all the time & do school. We will see how it goes.  Even with school I am still considering that other position, waiting to see where fate takes me.

Excited for next weeks games! Go Pack Go! And of course... Go Broncos! I hope the Patriots cream the Ravens next week, only because the Steelers deserved to win that game last night & it was so jacked up! Grrr!  And there might as well not be the other game... Of course the SeaCocks will win. 

And on to family...My cousin Jimmy passed away this week, please pray for our families. We have a few other major health crises in my family right now. So far I'm not so sure about how 2015 is starting. There is a lot of pain & worry happening right now. It's not my place to put all of it out here for everyone to see, just know that my family has a lot on our plates right now. We can use prayers for healing & no suffering. 

Thankfully Maddie, John & myself are healthy, we are very thankful for that.

I might seem a little nonchalant about everything, but just know that I'm really not. It's hard to figure out how to put everything out there without putting it all out there... Does that make any sense? Probably not, lol. I am trying to focus on the positive & cover up all my sadness with the playoffs. Typical. :)

I think that's all I can say right now. I am lucky to have amazing friends who listen, it helps. 

Well, goodnight my friends. Sleep tight.