It's worth ten minutes

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Ever since I can remember, the 5 little girls of our family would say our good-nights to daddy, then several minutes later run into mama and daddy's room, jump on the bed, clamoring for daddy to tell us a story about "when you were little".
I am sure he was always tired an had a long day of work in front of him, but, he would laugh and say "That sounds like it might be too far and snaky for tonight". After more pleas, he would settle down for 10, 15, sometimes 30 minutes, and let his deep rumbling voice, echo the things of his past, telling us story after story about when he was little. We were always entranced, even if we had heard it for the 20th time.
One familiar tale, he told us again tonight.

"You know, they always say that preacher's kids are the worst but...

I always say its because they leaned it from the deacon's kids. Well, any way

I was one of the worst of the preacher's kids. I remember one Sunday an old lady

who always wore her pink hat, shook her purse at me and told me brusquely that I 

just like to show out. Well, I decided to show her. That Sunday, while my 

daddy was preaching, I crawled under all of the pews, under the lady's skirts 

and around the men's shoes and went into the bathroom. 

Back then you know,  all the men wore hats and left them in hooks in the bathroom. 

Well, I switched all the hats and threw the cigars out the window.  Just about that time, 

my DADDY walks in and takes off his skinny little belt about .. ----- yea long

and worked me over real good ...Then he just went back to preaching... "

As we have grown older, we have all created our inlets of social media and social lives, some of the little girls have gotten married and are having little girls of their own. But in the last several months, we at home, have been reviving the tradition.

And tonight, the dishes were piled high, my room was in the midst of the re-organizational frenzy ... So when daddy said good night, I hesitated for a moment but rounded up the two sisters left at home and said "let's get daddy to tell us about when he was little.... It's worth ten minutes"

And truly, listening to his rumbling warm voice, I was assured..

It's worth ten minutes

Life the panoramic view

This week a new adventure began as I started working in the ICU.
Of the many scenes from my first week, one in particular comes to mind.

Wednesday as we were all working late after shift change one of the patients coded.  The patient came back  to life  and we left the patient alive and stabilizing.

       Thursday Morning I walked past the patient's room on my way to my own patients. The room had an eastern facing window and I could see by the gray of the coming dawn that he was still alive.

We conducted the 6 and 7 am assessments. As we were charting, the emergency alarms in a room sounded and the monitor tech asked "Hey! what is going on with this room? IS THE PATIENT A DNR!?"
My preceptor and I quickly went to the patient's room from the previous night and  I do not think  I will forget that sight.
....The ICU is circular with glass windows for the sake of visibility... In one room I could see a nurse who had just spiked a bag and was reaching up on her tip-toes to hang the bag of IV fluids; in another room the nurse was repositioning a patient on a ventilator; in a third room the nurse and a security
were holding down and trying to restrain a combative patient going through withdraws.
And in the middle room the lights from the rising dawn showed a sobbing family huddled together hugging each other and the nurse as they absorbed the fact that the end was now a reality.

We returned to our station. I turned to the monitor tech. "Yes he is a DNR"
I wanted to stop and just take in the thoughts about death and the ongoing cycle of life... To appreciate the fact that the man had just greeted the sun alone for the first and last time.

I do not understand everything about the vastness of death nor the reality of living. It is both mysterious and beautiful.

We spend all of our time here on earth, just trying to "live" but really are we just trying to prepare for death? One day we will all greet the Sun or the Son for the first and last time.

There was not time to stop Thursday and reflect, because there was still life to live and lives to keep living. The life cycle persists.

My question to you good reader. Are we learning how to live or how to die?

A Proper Russian Shout Out

спасибо

One of the cool aspects of blogging is the little icon that shows me where you readers are.

So tonight I want to give a shout out to all my russian readers. You all made the highest hits of the month stats!

Excited to see that mark!

A heart large enough to love them all.

Today marks a month since I went to visit my dear sister in Texas. That being the case, I was reflecting upon the trip, and travel in general. 

I enjoy traveling for many reasons, but there is a vast sense of being "a part" of something huge and un-named.

           

Travel can seem overwhelming because there are so many people to meet and so many that I come to love. 

It is a good time to realize how big the world is, how many various life stories and problems create the melange of this world.

During my last trip,  the people that brought this feeling to mind in a particularly acute manner were my little soccer friend Izak and his brother Malachi . 

There is always a time for firsts, and this trip brought a "first" with street soccer. 

My little friends, introduced me to the sport and welcomed me into the inner ring of the little neighborhood group of 30th and Garry Street. 

I have noticed that there is something especially connecting, in entering into someone else's culture without judgment on things being done differently than my own culture. 

Whether that be accepting street soccer as being just as cool as a "real" soccer game; playing with children as if a child's culture is just as great as that of an adult; or doing all I can in Spain to speak their language eat their food and appreciate their practices. 

There are so many people to love, it is almost too painful to open my arms any wider... but at the same  instant fills with a bursting fullness that aches to add even more love on top of it. 

I think it is somewhat of a picture of Christ's love in us. It is so beautiful that it nearly hurts, yet in Christ's love there is always room for more. We can never be too full of his love but the more it fills us, the more we will feel the pain of beautiful loving. A loving that shadows eternity.

So, to wholly open my arms and experience life, I must open them to experience that achingly beautiful love. 

Texan Cowboys and Tiny Teacups

There are times when people's actions just sweep in and knock down all of my predictive preconceptions or stereotypes.
I love to observe those moments in life that show me the way that humans of every type enjoy incorporating beauty into life.

While visiting my ray of sunshine sister recently, I frequented one of my favorite coffee shops, J&B coffee CO.

(Photo cred: firefly)

Sitting by the window studying, I happened to glance up as two rustic looking men enter the J&B, who looked to have been at their jobs since before sun-up. Their jeans were dusty, well oiled and torn in some places, and their wrinkled tan skin stuck out like a gnarled oak.
Being the people watcher that I am, my first thought was "Ohhhh, cowboys that is odd to see here... I bet they will a medium, dark roast, black coffee in cups to go...Typical." After they ordered , they sat at the table across from me, to wait for their coffee. When their order was finished names were called. Did they return with back coffee? ........ No, they returned to their seats with tiny espresso cups on tiny saucers. And they actually took the time to sit and sip their espresso's.
I was for some reason beautifully taken aback.

The Grey Submarine Sees Change and 2014 Comes to a Farewell Party.

Folding an old year to put it away on the shelf, is always a process that brings much reflection but this year even more, perhaps.

2014 turned out to be a dynamic year full of transition. 

Graduating college was the last big change but the oddest. 

Tears formed in  my eyes when I walked out and looked into the stands.

Seeing my family waving and realizing that it really was ME.. 

not someone else's girl but my family's girl

made tears well and and my heart swell. 

God has been faithful and oh so very, very good. 

Micah proposed to my youngest sister February and we have steadily enjoyed getting to know him as a brother in law. 

It seems to have been the year of races with Micah, as we started it off with the Warrior Dash and did several group five K's and ended with a Marathon. 

Being in two of my best friend's weddings in the earlier part of the summer was a surreal time. Realizing the fact that everyone is old enough to undergo these milestones is beautiful, exciting and sobering.

Melody's Graduation in May, creeped up and slightly took my breath away... However nothing came as large of a shock as the engagement of the oldest, Gabrielle, the week thereafter.

There was not a great deal that cold prepare me for saying goodbye to this lady. 

Parting with my very best friend and life-long companion

was one of the hardest things that had to come this year

Life often does not teach us how to laugh and live...

It's how to say goodbye. 

Merry's wedding came like a familiar friend.

We have been expecting Micah and Merry to Marry since they were 14. 

Needles to say, excitement filled the months of August and September as we all readied Merry's 

very hand-crafted wedding. 

While reflecting with my girls last night, we all had to say that we had some of the best teams working on the events of this summer. For each event, all of these people were consistent and ever ready to help. A shout out to the core-group! 

So, You may ask.... Who is left to run the operations at home?... Yep you are right if you guessed the terrific trio. It has been a huge blessing to spend more time with theses ladies. They inspire me, correct me, humble, me.... Watch out, a future post may come concerning them.

They make the change bearable as we all transition into this new life  in the Grey Submarine. 

CHANGE... It's like a woman in labor. It is so unbearably bearable. 

And millions have gone through the laboring process before us. 

I pray that we all grow through it.

Learn with it

and 

become better by it. 

Yours Truly, AG BSN

Another day in the life of benign

Second semester nursing has found my nursing cohort studying away at postpartum mothers and newborn infant assessments.
Today in practice lab, I had happily finished all of my assessments. Thinking my tasks done for the afternoon I turn and find my group gathered around an interesting looking table. Curious I approach and to my dismay... I find that I have yet to practice giving an IM shot to a BABY!! Ahh.. I had not mentally prepared myself for this today.. We were not supposed to do THAT today As I am rather afraid... strongly afraid of receiving shots, I also dread giving them.... But I come to the reality. It must be done.
I wash my hands and don my gloves for the task. A few feet away from me, stands the 40 year old paramedic who is getting his nursing degree. I gulp. The pressure increases as he penetrates my actions.
As I draw up the Vitamin K into the perilously large needle, I think... This is really it.. This is reality.. I am going to have to be giving this to real babies and not kill Them! My hands begin to tremble and I glance to where the paramedic is watching me. I give a wan smile and get the mannequin ready to stab.
Taking a deep breath , I plunge... Then look towards the man watching me and see his expression of wonder... Was it that good? He asks "Anna . Tell me. What angle do you stick at ???!!" Chagrined I realized I had done 45 degrees lower than I needed ... Ahh how painful.. I try again... "Anna Don't be so jerky!!" he says. He then proceeds to explain to me the proper method...

About 25 tries later , I look at him for approbation and finally, one that is not quite so jerky and at 90 degrees.

 

Add caption

I am glad that needle specialists exist.

Subject to opinion

                                                     ONLY 15 Calories per serving!!
Consume, guilt free and conscience calmed, folks.

My brother, who also finds some nutritional inconsistencies amusing, snapped this photo for me as he was shopping. This is the type of nutritional information that the general population is being fed. Not only does it have no nutritional benefit, it is pure sugar and turns straight into un-needed , stored fat. BUT!!! it ONLY has 15 calories per serving.... (1 tsp).

A major paradigm from a minor prophet

While reading in Zephaniah, I came across the following gem:

"The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest you in his love, he will joy over thee with singing."

I had to stop and read this passage several times. How amazing is it, that the God who created everything from the most beautiful sight in nature to the lovliest music heard, would take joy in a mortal like me. 
He not only takes joy in us but he allows us to rest in him and take joy in HIM! 

What a thought.  

And He has put eternity in their hearts

Have you ever felt a surging loneliness that settles in the bottom of your being, even though you are surrounded by people you love? Or have you experienced an emptiness that hits you out of no-where and a longing for something that cannot be satiated, but you have no idea what you even long for? 

Do you ever see things that are so beautiful that they make you hurt achingly inside?

I have been reading through Ecclesiastes and this verse struck me.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. - Ecc 3:11

 Perhaps these feelings are the result of the longing for eternity. A homesickness for eternity. 

God has set eternity in our hearts... A pre-set love of eternity and longing for "home" placed there . 

And often the only consolation for the unidentified yearning, is found in the very God who set eternity in our hearts. 

Pictures compliments of the Hubble telescope