At Least It Hasn't Been a FULL YEAR!

You know, I really am the "World's Biggest Procrastinator"! All the previous year I've thought to myself, "you know, you really should post a blog! If only to jot down some journalish thoughts." And then something happens and I think to myself, "I'll do it later." So here I am tonight thinking, "I should blog!" So I am!

For those of you who used to watch me and have flown away since I quit, a quick catch up. This is my family's Christmas picture, aren't we cute?

I went to North Carolina in April to present my Undergraduate Research, what a great experience! I graduated with my Bachelors of Science in Clinical Laboratory Sciences in May. I got a hefty raise at work and now make more than the "co-worker who sucks". WaHoo! I was offered a couple teaching positions, one with Weber State University teaching and online course and the other with Ogden Weber ATC teaching an on campus course. I took them both in addition to more hours at the hospital and although I am working about 70+ hours a week, I am truly happy with my career! We sold our home in August and moved into a horrible little apartment while we await building our dream home this spring. Apartment living sucks, but hubby keeps reminding me that in close quarters you can reach out and touch the love (I say yeah, but the hate is there too). All the family is healthy and mostly happy. The dog is living at the in-laws, don't get me started on what a difficult sell that was. I think I miss the garage and two full baths the most. Hopefully by August we will have more space again.

Now for the new news. The oldest will be 12 in a couple weeks and she thinks she is 16. She wants a cell phone, which I won't allow until she can drive. She talks on the phone constantly and thinks boys are cute and moms suck. She is a great helper around the apartment however and I couldn't survive without her. The middle one is 9 and is just a beautiful as can be. She started (and stopped) playing the violin this last fall. I wish she would keep doing it. She also talked daddy into putting her in dance. She loves dancing, but it is costing a fortune! The little man turned 8 in October. He is such a boy! I hardly know what to do with him most of the time. He started scouts and is so disappointed if he doesn't earn a patch a week. He is thrilled to get to play competitive sports this year. The hubby is doing a great job of being Mr. Mom. In addition to his full time job he makes plans for the new house, keeps track of all the kids activities, makes dinner, does laundry (not as well as me), dishes (again not as well as me) and cleans the bathrooms (better than me). He keeps me going and reminds me everyday how lucky I am to have him. I agree totally! We were lucky to have my mom spend Christmas with us and we loved every minute of it. I hope to spend time with some of my sisters this year as I miss them all terribly! It gets so lonely with only in-laws nearby.

No big traumas lately at the hospital, I'm sure one is on the near horizon. We can't go too long without a tragedy. The hospital is busier than normal and plans for a new hospital to break ground this year are progressing nicely. (Even though the lab isn't going to be any bigger, don't ask you don't want to know.) A new building will certainly make the job easier.

That's it for now, stay tuned for the next installment.

For the record.....I'm not dead!

Things have been so nuts for so long, I don't even know where to begin. In fact, the only reason I'm writing this morning is because I happened to wake up extra early (a rare occurrence I promise). So, update time....

I've turned over a new leaf. Well, at least I've tipped it up so that I can see the other side of the leaf to decide if I like it or not. Really, I've started exercising (gym membership and all) and eating better (honestly I have fruits, veggies, yogurt, and fish in my fridge). You see....I, along with my research team, have been accepted to present my undergraduate research at the National Convention for Undergraduate Research in Asheville, NC in April. The only problem is I didn't want to haul my fat ass to NC. So, I've decided to leave my fat ass here in Utah and just take the rest of me. If I had known what a chore it was going to be I probably wouldn't have started, but here I am, smack dab in the middle of an all out fitness program. Wish me luck!

So, about the research...I won't bore you with all the scientific details, I will just say that hopefully in a few weeks we can give pediatric docs a new test they can run on kids to determine if they have an infection. Cool Huh!

Anyhoo, on with the updates. School is crazy this semester. I have 18 credit hours plus the research and I can hardly keep up. The kids are cruising right along in their lives. All three are in the school play (which unfortunately I won't get to see because I'll be in NC, guess hubby will have to tape it). Speaking of hubby, he is peaking under the leaf with me, but he isn't buying it quite as much as I am. Work is also crazy, what with Flu, RSV, and any other nasty bug you can think of. The hospital has decided to obtain a Level 4 Trauma Center and I've been asked to be the lab coordinator for that. Again, if I had known what a chore it was going to be....but kidding aside, it is a great opportunity for me and I am enjoying the work.

OK, more later, now I'm off to get kids ready for school, get my own fat (but not nearly as fat as it was a couple weeks ago) ass off to school, and then off to work, and then on call, and somewhere in the middle homework, and making dinner, and chasing kids to practices, and... you know all that jazz.

Yeah I know, get off my back

I know it's been almost forever. I've been busy give me a break.

I finally finished this semester. What a difficult one! Maybe the hardest of the last three and a half years. I doubt my grades will improve my overall GPA and hopefully I won't loose my scolarship because of it, but I am going into my last semester of my college days...what are they going to do throw me out (I dare them!)

Christmas is coming along nicely, especially now that I can truly concentrate on it. I am soooo excited that my sister, Val, and my mom and her hubby will be here to share the joy of the season with us. I'm sure they are also excited to spend Christmas in a state with cold and snow, exactly what makes Christmas feel just right.

We've had a few crazy situations at the hospital since last post.

Two weeks ago we had three heartattacks in 3o seconds (I kid you not). Since most diagnosing of an actual heart attack comes from the lab, I had an exciting night! The down side is one of them was a full code when she got to the hospital and we were unable to save her. Sadder still, one of the EMT's was her son and he watched her code in the back of the ambulance. What a horrible situation to find yourself in, I felt so sad for their family.

The last week of November my leukemia patient from the summer (see post from September) presented to the ER again. I was so happy to see her because I really didn't think she would survive this long. She is fighting the cancer courageously although her prognosis is grim. I was surprised to find out that in the past few months nobody has taken the time to explain to her what is going on inside her body. They've told her the name of what she has (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia), but no additional information. She was relieved and thankful that I took the time to explain the ins and outs to her. I even showed her the blood smears we made of her blood the night she was diagnosed. She said the conversation we had really boosted her spirits and helped her feel like she could fight this to the end. She is currently waiting for a match to get a bone marrow transplant. I really hope she finds one.

The flu season has started full force. We could just about employ somebody full time to do nothing but flu and RSV tests. Currently we are seeing about three postive flu tests a day and by year end we will see closer to ten a day. Thankfully the strain we are seeing is the less severe of the two we are able to test for, so people won't be quite as ill.

Ok, gotta get back to catching up with my life now. Dang school really takes a bite out of personal time.

Memorial for the accident victims

Take a few minutes and visit this website: http://www.usu.edu/mourning/student_profiles.cfm . Be sure to watch the "tribute video". Don't forget to keep a box of tissues handy, I cry every time I watch it. This tribute will give you a real sense of the absolute tragedy that happened that day. I am still stuggling with handling the memories of the day. I hope like the tribute song says we "don't forget to live".

terminally behind

Ever had one of those days where you are so behind, catching up is useless? When you might as well go back to bed and try it again tomorrow? Well, that's me today. Late waking up, led to late dropping off kids, led to late arriving at school, led to late setting up lab for the baby micro students, led to late for class, led to late leaving school, led to late arriving at work, led to late leaving work, led to still up at 11:00 pm still trying to catch up. Maybe I'll give it another shot tomorrow.

On the festive side....I've started my Christmas shopping. So, for those family members who read this, please let me know what you and your kids want for the big day this year. I am working hard to stay ahead of Christmas this year and avoid all the last minute crap!

So many things to say

But I just don't have the time right now. Lets just glaze over the details and list a few highlights.

Work has been slow since the accident, no traumas. I have however been working extra hours for the mother of the surviving boy.

Food storage is full, and to top it off...we leave for deer hunting next weekend. Hubby is upset because he got his deer tag, but I "forgot" to buy mine and now the entire state is sold out. Do I really look that dumb? Who wants to hike all over a mountainside in the slushy snow at 6 a.m. on a perfectly nice Saturday morning? I'll opt for the nice warm bed in the nice warm trailer.

My sis, Val, has found a great job and a nice townhome all in a couple weeks and I am so excited for her. Her life is finally starting to take off and soon she will be back on her feet.

My mom lost her job and is struggling to decide what she wants to do with her life next. Good luck to her, I hope she finds happiness.

The kids are doing great! Keeping up with homework, chores and social life can be so stressful to younguns. The little man has decided to be an indian for Halloween and the middle one is going to be a beautiful princess. I have decided the oldest can choose whatever she would like and to my dismay she's chosen a dead football player. Yes, I know she is a girl and a gorgeous one at that, but hey, it's her choice.

Meanwhile I am trying my best to keep up with school. The extra hours at work are wearing on my stamina. I hope I can make it to the end of the semester in December. Then I'll be heading down the home stretch and will graduate in May!

Sorry, not to much excitement lately. Maybe next post will offer more.

Oh, for a final fun moment, all the pups have been sold and will go to their new homes this weekend.

AREN'T THEY ADORABLE?!!

Moving on

I've spent the weekend not doing much of anything and I needed that. We were suppose to go camping, but with the events of last Monday fresh on mine and my husbands minds we just didn't feel like it. Yesterday was my little man's birthday (he's seven now, what a big kid) and I hadn't planned anything because we were going to be gone. The party will be tomorrow as planned before Monday's ordeal. We allowed him to open all his presents from mom and dad yesterday and we took him to lunch and for a fun dirt bike ride with his sisters. So his birthday was kinda special.

I am on call today because my co-worker is still at the hospital with her boy. This will last for quite some time and I feel so powerless to help them. The day has been quite uneventful thankfully. Only two callbacks so far, but seven more hours till I'm off.

We also spent yesterday shopping for food storage. Our income drops dramatically in the winter and it is nice to know we have food to sustain us if necessary. So, off to Sam's Club we went with the three little one's in tow. A full truck and a few hundred dollars later we have a brimming food storage and no need to buy non perishables for a while. That feels good.

So, it's back to school tomorrow and continue working ungodly hours. Hopefully I'll find time to relax in the middle somewhere.