Night Shift

Starting May 7th, I will be working night shift at Scott and White and I will be working them on my own (meaning no preceptor) eeep! I am nervous but kind of excited at the same time. It is an awesome group of people during this shift so I think that's going to make all the difference. I am not too thrilled about night shift just because I hate the schedule outside of work but it will help me ease into doing my job independently, I'm going to enjoy the people I work with, and it's extra money for a little while. I probably wont do it for a very long time but we'll see! It will make it harder for Zach and I to see each other being on night shift since we're still 45 minutes apart but hopefully we will work something out. I probably just need to schedule all my shifts in a row so that I'll have a few days off in a row to drive to RR. Btw it is a BEAUTIFUL day outside right now as I am typing this, I should lay out by the pool! I am destined to keep blogging on a regular basis but sometimes I forget! Hopefully I can make it more routine. Hope everyone is doing well and have an swell day :)

M.I.A.

Sooooo I have been missing in action lately. well there's a reason, I have no internet! It really kind of blows, I think its been about a week now which feels like a month! So once I get my internet back in my apartment I will continue to blog on a regular basis. A little update on my life, I am officially moved into my apartment in Temple, TX. Loving the apartment but not so much living alone plus living alone in Temple. There is NOTHING to do here. So it's definitely an adjustment and not an easy one. I have to stay in the apartment for a year so I might as well face it now and get my habits/routine developed. Besides all that, I am loving my job at Scott and White and the $$ that comes with it. April is almost here, YAY. It is a full month for me and I like that. My boyfriend's daughter, Kenna's birthday, is the first week of April so I am looking forward to that! plus possibly selling my artwork in an art show in fort worth the second weekend of april. Pray for me that all goes well! I will have pictures of that in about 3 weeks so be on the look out. Easter is right around the corner so I hope everyone has a fabulous time with their family and kiddos. Thanks for following me on my blog, it's still a work in progress but it will get there! :)

DIY Throw Pillows

So along with my spankin new couch, it obviously needs some decor on it. I want some nice vintage throw pillows for it. Throw pillows are expensive as hell at the store and I don't want to spend that kind of money. Since I have sewing experience and I can work a sewing machine I thought I should just put myself to work when I have time off from work lol and make my own! I'm so excited about it, I really hope they turn out like I want them to. I saw this idea on Pinterest and I really loved the fabric that was chosen for these pillows so I'm going to go along the lines of something like this. I don't like those pillows that have frilly crap on it or beading decor cause then you can't lay on them, although I know they're not meant to lay on but otherwise they're too fragile. I will post an official picture of my work when it's all complete! :) Btw this is my first picture posting, woo!

Bought my first couch!

I am moving to my apartment in Temple this weekend and am pretty anxious about it. First time I'll ever be living by myself. Plus, Temple is kind of the middle of no where with crime (a lot more so than Round Rock). I hope my door has a dead bolt! Otherwise I have Zach there to protect me :)

So getting to the couch details, I need a couch with sleeper sofa because it's just a one bedroom apartment. I searched on Craigslist and boy do people have ugly taste in couches, it was hard to find one that wasn't like retro or some squash/pea color. Anyways, I found one that was light olive green with micro-fiber suede material, it was perfect! It has a queen size sleeper sofa and is nice and cushiony. I didn't take a picture of it but I will when everything is all moved in! I went all the way to bastrop to pick it up and it was only $195! (Originally like $800-$1200, what a steal!). I was prepping for night shift last night and spent some of my time cleaning and vacuuming it so it's all nice when I move into my apartment on Saturday. I think I'm going to add a mattress topper to the sleeper so it's more comfortable. It was a good investment I made and I'm excited about it. Need a place to crash for a night if you're on a road trip you can always call me! (only if I know you lol) Pictures soon to come!

Bible Study

I am now attending Bible Study for young adults at my church. I felt my connection with God and my knowledge about the bible was weak so I wanted to learn more about my faith and God. I have only been twice so far but I really like it. It's hard to go consistently each week when you have a new job that takes priority but I go when I have the free time! It's a small group but smaller groups is always better! The first time I went we discussed some verses in Acts and I felt a little lost because I dont know a whole lot about the stories of the bible but it was interesting!

This past tuesday we talked about time and how valuable it is. We listened to the song by Pink Floyd called "Time" and the lyrics really describe the reality of the time we have and use on Earth. Time goes by so fast that we dont even realize it and by the time we're 30 or 50 or 65 we look back and wonder where all that time went?! It went by so fast. We're so focused on our everyday lives that we don't even pay attention to what's going on around us. We waste so much time here on Earth if we don't glorify God's name. We should be living for God because he created us and gave us a purpose to be here. I actually take moments a few times out of my week to pause and reflect. I focus on my breathing and remind myself how lucky and gifted I am to be able to take this breath, I am still alive on this Earth, God has put me here for a reason. I should not be taking any day for granted because this life is given to me. Not everyone lives to their max age, people come and go constantly whether it's by accident or whether it's planned.

I was told to live each day of life to the fullest because you never know when something happens to your loved one and you have regrets or you wish you had done something before. I think it's a good thing to think about but we're all human, we don't think that way 24/7. Say goodnight to your wife/husband everynight before you go to bed no matter what, kiss each other every morning before going to work for the day, do something nice to show you love or appreciate them, be there for your friends and family when they need you, keep in touch with those people because things are happening every second of our lives, cherish them all. I thought it was a great lesson and really puts things into perspective. I encourage everyone to take a few minutes out of their day to breath and reflect on your day. It can be while you're cooking or exercising or just relaxing outside, it's all in our minds so be mindful. :)

NCLEX update!

So I have a short post to announce that I passed the NCLEX!! I am so relieved and so thrilled that I made that accomplishment, it's such a big deal to me. This means that I get a pay raise, I get to keep my job, I get reimbursed for the courses I took to prep for the exam, AND I don't have to worry about taking it again! :) Kudos to everyone else out there who has passed as well! :)

ZuMbA!

So I took my first Zumba class last Monday. I go to Scott and White (Round Rock) because they provide classes free to employees (score!). I just love it, I'm danced inclined so it's fun for me and I catch on quickly. I hate to work out, it's boring to me so I've been trying to find something that I really enjoy that involves working out. I like to do yoga but for some reason my motivation for that faded a little, so I tried Zumba and loved it. the music is so fun :) plus I feel great afterwards. S&W also offers kick-boxing so I'm willing to try that too! I would be the last person you would think about as someone who gets on a treadmill and runs in place going no where for their work-out...not my cup of tea. If anyone has any work out suggestions, i'm opened to all! :)

Stay fit and be happy!

NCLEX

I take the dreadful NCLEX in 6 days and I'm freaking out. BUT, i will pass it the first time!! :) Trying to think positive and pray about it. please pray for me, I would love all of the support and thought. If I don't pass it, 1) I will be devastated, 2) I'm out of my internship at Scott and White which means i won't have a job which is not so bueno. But like I said, I'm going to pass it the first time ;) All I know is that I've put my heart and soul into this and I've put in a lot of time and effort and I just hope that it pays off! All you nurses out there know what I'm talking about.

It's a state board examination for nurses to get their license if they pass. There is a range of 75-265 questions. The computer can cut you off at any number and you either passed or failed at whatever number they cut you off at. You get 6 hours to take the exam. and the worst part, you don't know your results for 48 hours. I take mine on a Thursday and so I have to wait till Monday...awful. but it used to be that you had to wait 2 weeks before you got your results so it can't be that bad. So that's a little background info about this exam that is quite stressful for many of us.

I'm going to kick it's ass :)

Don't take your health for granted

I feel I am at the stage in my life where I'm transitioning into paying more attention to my health and how it might effect me in the long run. I just went to the Periodontist yesterday to get my gums evaluated. I was referred by my dentist and had previous gum surgery due to receding gums. I was told after the evaluation that I have apical periodontitis which can lead to gum disease if not treated early or properly. I took the news hard and was really concerned. It usually happens in people who neglect taking care of their teeth and gums and also people who haven't been to the dentist in years. It's rare for this condition to happen at such a young age like me (I'm 23). Only 15% of the population between ages 21-50 have this condition. Luckily my dentist caught it early and I'm able to treat it in a non-invasive way, but if it doesn't work well enough then I might have to have surgery. Just because we're young doesn't mean we're invincible to an illness of some kind. How ever we take care of our bodies now effects us for the rest of our lives, that includes working out, eating right, exercising our minds, doing simple things that we do every day like brushing our teeth, washing our face, or flossing! In the grand scheme of things, it is totally worth it to put the effort into it now. We're young and strong and we can overcome illness and establish habits a lot easier than older people who already have their ways set. I know I will grow up with a nursing mindset but this is also a personal outlook for me. I encourage everyone to do one healthy thing for their body each day, whether that's flossing, eating fruit, going on a short walk, or doing a puzzle to challenge your minds. You will thank yourself one day.

My first post

So I am new at this and I'm not sure how to start off right. I love reading other people's blogs and I thought maybe I would like to start one and see if it can become my new hobby. I think blogging is a good way to learn and connect with other people. I think learning from other people's experiences is the best way to learn and take away a message, I hope I can do the same for others. I kind of like to think of it as "me time", to express what I think or my thoughts/suggestions, or just share a personal testimony that other people could learn from it. English is not my strong suit so bare with me :)