Sunshine Award!

I was tagged in The Sunshine Award by Mrs. Y at Miles Behind Me :)

Favorite color: purple

Favorite animal: I love all animals! But I would have to say pandas. How Asian of me haha.

Favorite number: I don't really have a favorite number...but if I had to choose, I would say 8.

Favorite non-alcoholic drink: a soy hazelnut latte from Starbucks.

Facebook or Twitter: both! Come follow me on Twitter @wh0aitsmel :)

My passion: nursing

Getting or giving presents: definitely giving. 'Tis better to give than to receive. I actually sometimes feel awkward opening gifts in front of people!

Favorite pattern: paisley

Favorite day of the week: Saturday

Favorite flower: calla lilies.

I tag:

Nicole @ Flip Flops and Combat Boots

Lauren @ Killer Words From A Queen

Krista @ Life Is The Messy Bits

Kathryn @ My Life As A Reserve Army Wife

My brother is coming to visit me today! He'll be here for about 12 days and my manager gave me the entire time off which I was pleasantly surprised by! There isn't much to do around here, but I plan on taking him to San Antonio and Houston and maybe Dallas because I have never been there. Oh, and we'll probably eat out A LOT lol

what's your song?

Link up with Goodnight Moon.

Dream - Priscilla Ahn

Another Grey's Anatomy song.

Of course I had to pick it because I'm still going through my marathon :)

There is another show that I have been interested in, called The Colony, which is on Netflix. It's a controlled experiment to see if people with different sets of skills (trauma RN, an ex-convict, a handyman, an MD, an engineer, a physical fitness instructor, etc) can survive in a post-apocalyptic environment. There are no zombies, of course lol. It's very interesting and I would have never known about it if one of my coworkers hadn't said anything. I'm an end-of-days enthusiast lol, but I don't believe the world is going to end on 12.21.2012.

I'm back at work and couldn't be happier! I had a good week last week. I'm kind of nervous about going back tonight, though, because everyone has been saying how rough it has been this week :/

Yesterday morning I went to Rudy's to get breakfast tacos with some coworkers :) Actually, they were more like burritos haha. You can get your typical eggs, sausage, potatoes & cheese, or you could also put in their BBQ meats. I got eggs and their spicy chopped. It was greasy and I probably ate my day's worth of calories in that one meal but it was soooooooo good. I had a really fun time and I'm excited for more of these get-togethers in the future. There were a lot of L&D nurses + my favorite supervisor and some of my favorite nurses from my floor came as well. The L&D nurses also like to go to Las Margaritas (located by East Gate on Fort Hood St) after work at 0730 for margaritas! They also have a full breakfast menu with breakfast tacos and migas. I'm really hoping I can go to this. Of course nurses from my floor and ICU will be attending, as well.

Hubby is doing well in the sandbox. Although we don't get to talk everyday, we've Skyped a few times already. On days we can't talk, we'll send Facebook messages to each other. I sent his care package a few days ago and I'm excited for him to receive it!

what's your song? week 45!

Be sure to link up with Goodnight Moon!

You told me time never waits, well that's okay because I don't wait for time ♥

I love Jack Johnson. All of his songs just make me so calm and happy and want to kick back and relax :)

On a side note, I went to our monthly FRG meeting yesterday because I didn't have to work. I felt sooooo out of place there. The FRG leader is nice and approachable, but no one else is, I feel. There were a total of 6 of us at the meeting, not including the kids. I talked to one wife for a brief moment and when I told her my husband just went, she just kind of gave me this look and stopped talking to me. The rear D 1st sergeant briefed us on what is going on and approximate coming home dates, and what to expect when the soldiers return and when they will be able to take their block leave. I know my hubby just left but I'm so excited for him to come back lol. It sucks being by yourself :(

The meeting lasted a whole 20-25 minutes, if that. I grabbed a bite to eat and then just left, because I was literally just sitting there. Two wives (one of them I spoke to earlier) were sitting in front of me making small talk and then the rear D 1st sergeant's wife was sitting behind me with her hubby talking. The FRG leader was speaking with the commander's wife on the other side of the room...so after sitting there for a few moments, I just got up and left. It was way too awkward.

I'm going back to work tonight after having nearly 2 weeks off. It should be interesting. I'm actually preparing myself to be on-call, though, since last time I had a large break in between working I was put on-call. We'll see, though.

52 Reasons!

My project is completed :) it took me 2 days and it helped keep me busy - but now I need something else haha.

The cards were on two o-rings, but because the o-rings are so big, two looked ridiculous so I just kept it on one. I can't wait to send this to hubby :)

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Feeling funky.

Hubs is gone. I really shouldn't be complaining because this deployment is ridiculously short and he may come back even sooner than originally planned. He also left later than we originally planned. But it doesn't matter if they're gone for a few days, a few months or a year, if you miss someone, you miss them, and that hurts. I don't need anyone to pull the "oh a few months? that's NOTHING. try a whole year" card or any other snarky comments. What makes this hard for me, though, is that I do not have any friends or family here. I don't have the option to move back home...unless I want to quit my job.

I'm still off work, too. Since my manager was so kind to just take me off the schedule I ended up with nearly 2 weeks off. The break is really nice, especially since after awhile I was doing this "on, off, on off" business instead of having my three nights on and four-six days off. It was really burning me out.

But now I'm so bored! I want to go back to work lol. Granted, there are things I could be doing, and should be doing, like tidying up this apartment because hubs left is a total mess, but I've pretty much been just a couch potato lately.

I started doing pilates. I'm determined to tone and sculpt my body because it's starting to get a little flabby. I really like it and I've just been searching for free videos on You Tube to work out to. I wish Fort Hood had free pilates classes, though. I would so go to them!

I also already started working on hubs' care package. I ordered the shipping materials and they won't be here for another 7-10 days, but I went to Hobby Lobby and bought the stuff to decorate it with. I'm also doing this little project:

http://papervinenz.blogspot.com/2012/01/52-reasons-i-love-you-cards-tutorial.html

There are so many variations. Mine isn't as pretty because I don't have a fancy printer or anything, so I'm just using a deck of red cards and writing my 52 reasons on pink sticky notes and cutting them down to size. I bought little pink & red faux gemstones to stick on the front and I also bought a little mini heart paper cut-out thing so I'll be decorating the pages with hearts. I bought Valentine's Day-themed scrapbooking paper to decorate the inside of the care package along with some other stuff. I haven't bought any contents to go inside yet, but I already have ideas. I also want to attempt to ship some cookies and bake some cakes in a jar :)

Got a call from a friend today, same guy who was our best man at our wedding. It was nice to catch up. He'll be deploying soon, too. And when he comes back, him, hubs, myself, and whoever else are fucking going to Vegas. No if's, and's, or but's this time haha.

5QF!

Be sure to link up at My Little Life!

1. What have you done recently that you are proud of?
I haven't really done much lol...maybe doing somewhat okay when I sent my husband off? He said I actually held up really well. I think that made it easier on him.

2. What is your favorite way to work out? Or if you don't work out, what are you wanting to try?
I don't work out like I should. In college, my roommates had the whole P90X system. I really liked the ab ripper X. Of course now that I'm on my own, I don't have it anymore. I thought about purchasing P90X for myself or maybe getting into pilates. I also thought about getting into a spin class but honestly that seems kind of boring :/

3. If you knew your best friend was cheating on their spouse, would you tell?
I don't know, this is kind of hard...I would probably keep my nose out of it, tbh.

4. If you could afford a live-in maid or nanny, would you?
Hmm I don't know about a "live-in" one but perhaps a "live-out" one :)

5. Do you stress out about birthdays (specifically the age) or do you enjoy them?
I don't stress out about them, but I also don't have any kiddos at the moment.

Bonus: Lights on or off?
I like soft lighting. Or some candle lighting ;)

what's YOUR song? week 44!

Gosh it has been FOREVER since I have done one of these! Be sure to link up at Goodnight Moon!

This week is This Time Of Year by Blaire Reinhard. This is such a gorgeous song and it was featured on Dance Moms.

peds nurse? maybe...

For those who do not know, I work on a progressive care unit. That's basically like an intensive care step down unit. These patients are not stable enough to go to a regular medical-surgical floor, but not critical enough to go to the ICU. Not everyone progresses through these "levels." Some go straight to ICU and are discharged (though most of the time they are transferred to my unit); some come straight to my unit and are discharged...sometimes a med-surg patient will go straight to the ICU. My floor deals with a lot of chest pain/heart attack patients in addition to congestive heart failure and patients with arrhythmias. We also get a lot of patients with respiratory distress, pneumonia, COPD, asthma exacerbation, renal failure, DKA, dehydration, electrolyte imbalances...you name it. The experience is invaluable.

Our crazy director (who no longer works with us) decided to start admitting pediatric patients to our unit. The unit isn't even meant for pediatric patients - it is not a locked unit and there is no play room for the kids to go to. The "designated" pediatric rooms have Wii's in them and we have things like coloring books and some toys, but that's about it. At first I thought a mixed pediatric/adult floor would be VERY unsafe, but it turns out those units are more common than I thought.

Nurses had the option to become a pedi nurse. We still have the option, but our manager made a point that they are making sure all new nurses that they hire now have at least some pediatric experience. As I think about my career, I think about how valuable this must be. What if I end up on another mixed unit in the future? What if I end up in an ER that takes kiddos in the future? I hated peds in nursing school - not because I hate kids. I like kids, I just feel so awkward around them. Peds was just boring in nursing school because we couldn't really do much. And after that I didn't really have an interest. I sort of through all of my peds knowledge out the window after I passed my NCLEX. Now I'm regretting it.

Anyway, I think I want to start taking peds patients. It would be a good resume builder and it would make me a better nurse, I think. I bought this book to review:



And so far I really like it! Schaum's has other guides for those interested. It isn't super in-depth; more like an outline, but still has a lot of valuable information. And I'm surprised at how much all of this stuff is coming back to me after a simple review!

One of the nurses I work with told me I won't ever have to worry about taking an unstable pediatric patient. There is a children's hospital about 25 minutes away where all of the unstable pediatric patients go. Most of the kids that come to my unit are admitted for dehydration, breathing problems (such as asthma exacerbation, bronchiolitis and RSV, especially now being RSV season), appys/tonsilectomies, cellulitis and for teenagers, UTIs and pyelonephritis. One thing I find really fascinating about peds are all of the congenital heart defects, but unfortunately we do not take those kinds of patients on my floor. Maybe some day.

5QF!

Be sure to link up at My Little Life!

Questions:

1. Do you swim in the winter? Absolutely not haha. I don't even really swim all that much in the summer, either.

2. Do you love or hate winter? Hate it...I love that "first snowfall" for a few days and afterwards I want to be done with it. I hate snow, I hate how bad the salt is for your car, I hate having salt stains on my jeans/boots, I hate scraping ice off of my car, you have to drive extra caution (and slower) when the roads are crappy which is most of the time...the list goes on and on haha.

3. Do you put makeup/actual clothes on when you know you're going to be home all day with just family? If I'm not going anywhere (literally staying in the house day), I will not put on makeup and I'll just stay in sweat pants/t-shirt. If I'm going somewhere then yes I will put on makeup, but I usually stick with eyeliner, mascara and spot conceal. If I'm going somewhere with hubby (or it hubby is coming along) then I will put forth more effort lol.

4. How old were you when you had your first alcoholic beverage? 16 or 17...and I think it was a Mike's Hard Lemonade or something like that lol.

5. How many ill calls in a 12-month period do you think are acceptable? Unless it is something that will cause you to be out for awhile (emergency/major surgery, job injury that requires rehab/etc [we had a nurse who was out for 3 months because she fell and injured her knee!], FMLA...) I would say maybe 7 days at most.

D-day

Deployment has been up in the air since November. We basically knew that my husband was going to go, and he had orders to prove it, but we just didn't know when. We were supposed to find out last week but didn't, then hubs told me if they didn't ship him out by this week he wouldn't get to go at all because there really wouldn't be a point since this deployment is already much shorter than your average one.

Yesterday we found out he will be leaving very soon, and of course per OPSEC I'm not going to give out any exact dates or anything. He still doesn't have an exact date, but it's narrowed down and the shitty thing is, I have to work on all of those dates so I'm crossing my fingers and hoping someone can pick up for me or switch with me so I can work for them later in the week or something. If not, I'm hoping either my manager can pull some strings OR I can take a couple of days of FMLA since the date is so close. Only time will tell, but I need to know ASAP, dammit!

The Milspouse Quiz

The MilSpouse Quiz

1. How did you and your spouse meet? Through a mutual friend. This girl was in ROTC with hubby and one year we got a townhouse along with some other girls. My hubby (and his other ROTC buddies) just so happened to be our neighbors :)

2. How old were you when you two met? I was 19, going on 20. He was 19.

3. How long have you been together? 4 years.

4. Where are you and your spouse originally from? Ohio.

5. How did you feel about your spouse joining the military? I was so proud of him. I knew our relationship in college was serious, though, and all of the talks of deployment and things really scared the crap out of me.

6. Where did your spouse go to Basic Training? He didn't go to basic training...instead he went to BOLC, which stands for "basic officer's leadership course." Kind of like basic for officers, but very different from basic training.

7. Has your spouse ever been deployed? No, but he will be deploying very, very soon!

8. Ever been to his promotion ceremony? He hasn't been promoted yet. He should be making 1LT later this year. I went to his commissioning ceremony and his MPBOLC graduation ceremony, though :)

9. How long have you been a military wife? 8 months.

10. Did you marry him before or after he joined? After. The military has been a part of our entire relationship, even though in the beginning it was just ROTC stuff.

11. How did your husband propose? We first went for sushi at our favorite sushi joint in Fairlawn, OH, then we went for a walk along the towpath in his hometown because it was really nice outside that day. As we were walking for awhile and talking, he stopped, kissed me, and got on his knee :)

12. Where did you get married? Wadsworth, OH.

13. How old were you two when you got married? 23.

14. Did he wear his uniform on his wedding day? No he didn't. He wore a snazzy all-white tux, tho :)

15. Where are you and your spouse currently stationed? Fort Hood, Texas. So far I really like it.

16. Do you live on base? Nope. About 5 minutes from the main gate :)

17. How long were you married when you had to go through your first separation? For months lol

18. What is your favorite base so far? I have only been to Fort Leonard Wood (which I hated) and Fort Hood, so I'm going to go with Fort Hood.

19. Do you think your spouse looks good in his uniform? Oh absolutely ;)

20. Do you think military life is more advanced than civilian life? This question is dumb. So I'm ignoring it.

21. Do you like the benefits you receive as a military dependent? Indeed.

22. Do you have a lot of military wife friends? Not really. I wish I knew more spouses around here, but at the same time sometimes the spouses can be really nerve-wrecking, always all up in your business...oh, and those "rank-wearing wives." UGH!

23. What is the hardest part of the military life? Obviously the separation. Your SO going into dangerous territory. Military life definitely isn't for everyone.

24. Do you own military wife stuff? Of course :)

25. Do you support your spouse as a member of the military? 110%.

I can't believe it is 2012 already! It seems like 2011 flew by...

I'm anxious to see what 2012 will bring, even though my hubby will be gone for half of it. And speaking of that, D-day is quickly approaching but sadly, I don't know when! Hubby doesn't even know the exact date, but every time we talk about it the date becomes closer and closer.

I'm trying to maintain a sense of normalcy. Hubby said the hardest thing about this deployment will be me, because he knows I will miss him terribly and will be constantly worrying about him. How can I not, though? Especially with something he told me that happened recently. I guess that is something he cannot understand.

I made a vow to not complain to him about anything while he is deployed. Sure, I will miss him like crazy and wish he was here with me, but that's the extent of it. The last thing he needs to hear is how is how depressed his wife is, locking herself up in the apartment, lying around feeling sorry for herself. I'll probably do a lot of sitting and waiting because aside from work, it's not like I really have friends here and family is over a thousand miles away. If there is one thing I learned about military wife living, it's to never complain to your deployed spouse about anything. That will cloud his judgement, his thinking. He needs to focus on the mission at hand. So I guess I'll vent through blogging. And conversing with the other spouses at work. I swear like 90% of the nurses where I work are all military, whether prior service themselves or military dependents.

Hubs got his smallpox vaccination along with typhoid and anthrax and his TB test this past week. I have been freaking out over the smallpox lol...it's beginning to "look like" smallpox and the other night we saw a huge bubble underneath the dressing, which means it's probably starting to pus over. Can't wait to see it later today because I'm the one who redresses it...I don't trust him putting that bandage over it himself. This is a man who will touch raw meat without washing his hands and then touch other stuff, if you know what I mean (and then I freak out! I'm a germaphobe! But I work in a hospital, so that's okay!) At least I got disposable gloves I can wear hahaha.

The other night hubs and I saw The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. It's a mystery/thriller, basically about how this guy tries to solve a a mystery of a girl who disappeared 40 years ago and was thought to be murdered as well. The beginning was kind of slow but the movie had my attention the entire time. There was a pretty disturbing rape scene, too. If that stuff bothers you, I would reconsider seeing this movie. I could hear one girl sobbing behind me after that scene was over :(

When we walked out, we saw this little gem:

Last time I checked, I wasn't in Cleveland or Akron anymore haha.

Diamond/black diamond necklace from hubby :) for either our 1 year or my birthday we are going to put a diamond in the center of the black part on the bottom :)

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resolutions and a year in review: 2011

Last year I did a new year's meme reviewing 2010 with 3 top goals for 2011. Here were my top 3 goals:

1. pass my NCLEX on the first try! - check! I was so scared I wouldn't pass the first time around. I kept my test date a secret from everyone I know - even from my immediate family and my husband. Everyone kept trying to get my test date out of me, but I wouldn't budge. I remember my roommate asking me, "are you at least taking your NCLEX sometime in April?" and I replied with "yes" but in reality, I was taking it that very next morning! Must have been playing a good poker face there.

2. land an awesome RN job in either the ICU or ER. - I didn't get a job in the ICU, but I got a job in an ICU stepdown/telemetry unit, and honestly, I couldn't be happier. Maybe I will try the full-fledged ICU once I gain more experience. And I'm really glad I didn't start out in the ER. Again, maybe some other time. I may stay in progressive care for my entire nursing career, or maybe I will switch around. Only time will tell.

3. continue to perfect my cooking skills. - check! I'm no Martha Stewart but I think I can cook pretty well. I still have a lot to learn, though. The next test will be Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day dinner!

So, I would say, 100% :D Which never happens. Kudos to me!

And now, 2011 in review:

2011 Accomplishment - passing my NCLEX and becoming an RN! That was a huge accomplishment, I think.

2011 Discovery - hmm, I honestly do not know about this one. Last year I mentioned taro bubble tea hahaha. This year? I'm drawing a blank.

Favorite 2011 vacation/holiday - The only "vacations" I took were the 3 trips I made to Fort Leonard Wood, MO to visit hubby during BOLC. We were going to make a last-minute trip to Vegas but decided not to go because it was too expensive. We decided on Vegas once our good friend (who was also the best man at our wedding) comes back from deployment. I was going to make a trip to Ohio with hubby but couldn't because of work commitments. And I think my favorite holiday this year was Thanksgiving. Even though we were away from our families, it was nice to spend our first Thanksgiving together. I made an awesome Thanksgiving spread. We were invited to hubs' 1SGT's house, which was fun - a lot of delicious food and us wives just sat around talking about random things, including our Pinterest addictions haha. There was no Bunco at this gathering, however. Apparently Bunco is very popular among military wives and I have yet to attend a Bunco gathering.

Best dining in 2011 - probably Landry's in San Antonio. They have other locations, too, but this place is right along The Riverwalk (which is gorgeous, btw!) and the seafood is so fresh. I took my in-laws there on Veteran's Day weekend and they really enjoyed it. Landry's has the best appetizers. If you ever have a chance to go, try their shrimp en brochette and their jalapeno poppers. You won't be disappointed.

2011 regret - honestly, I cannot think of a single regret I have regarding this year. That is amazing.

Magic moment in 2011 - our wedding :) I wish Pinterest existed at that time because I see SO MANY cute ideas regarding weddings, but I consider our love and marriage more beautiful than the wedding itself.

What states did you visit in 2011? - Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas.

2012 Goals:

1. Read more. - I feel like I didn't read much because I was too busy studying for my NCLEX, and then when I got a job I still found myself studying. I am currently studying for some certifications related to my field, but lately I have also found more time to actually read things I enjoy. I am currently reading Confessions of a Military Wife by Mollie Gross which is HILARIOUS, btw. If you haven't read that book yet, you really need to. I also started reading The Hunger Games, the first of three books. Although aimed at younger adults, this book is so captivating. I cannot wait to read the other two books in the series. I also have a long list of books that I am just dying to read!

2. Learn something new. - as a nurse, I learn something new every day. This "learn something new" goal applies to something not related to my job - it could even be picking up a new hobby or "craft." Things that would be interesting: scrapbooking, knitting/crocheting, or amateur photography (I really need to invest in a GOOD camera, though, and not just a point-and-shoot one).

3. Volunteer. - I would love to volunteer on post. And by doing so, maybe I can finally meet other Army wives that I can connect with, but of course that wouldn't be the sole purpose. I love helping others and doing good for others (after all, "Do Good" was my sorority's motto!)

4. Work out more. - This has been a constant resolution of mine and a constant battle of success and failure. I was on a yoga kick for awhile, then I stopped. Then I started again, attending the free classes on post, but then I stopped because of work...I end up working the days they have yoga classes. I really like yoga, but I really enjoy bike riding, too. BLORA (stands for Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area) has a fierce mountain biking trail that I would probably never attempt, but maybe I can find some more "relaxed" trails around here to bike on. When the weather gets warmer, of course.

5. Go on a missions trip. - Every year, my hospital plans a missions trip to some area of the world. In the past, they have gone to Haiti, Costa Rica and Honduras, among other places. This year they went to Guyana, South America. I really wanted to go on this year's trip, but couldn't because of finances. I would love to go this upcoming year if finances allow and also depending on hubby's military duties.

6. Become more spiritually connected through God. - Growing up, I didn't go to church or anything. The only time I go to church is on Christmas Eve or Easter or something. To be honest, religion just seems awkward to me. Maybe that is because I don't really know about it. I'm not very familiar with The Bible or anything. I believe in God, but that is pretty much it. I really want to see myself grow spiritually.

7. Learn a new language. - I know random words and phrases in different languages, mainly Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, Japanese, Korean & Polish. I took Spanish in high school but all of that went down the drain and now that I live in Texas, I regret not knowing it. I would love to learn any language, really. My husband keeps asking me about going to Germany or South Korea, which I wouldn't mind either and that would give me a good "excuse" to learn either German or more Korean :)

What are your resolutions for 2012?

boredom

If you’ve never been clubbing, do you think you’d enjoy it or not? Why? If you do go clubbing, what do you like about it?
I don't like clubbing. Too hot, stupid drunk girls are all over the place and the music is so loud you can't have a conversation. Plus I don't really like dancing and I couldn't bust a move to save my life haha

What are you planning on doing for New Year’s Eve this year?
Spending it with hubby :) No plans to go to a party or anything. Thankfully I am off, but I work New Year's Day.

When you’re upset do you tend to eat more or less than usual? Is there anything else you do differently when you’re upset?
I eat less. I also tend to get quiet, but being quiet could mean other things, too...like I'm tired or something.

Can you recommend a good movie you’ve seen recently?
It came out in 2006, but Apocalypto. Probably one of the best movies I have seen in very long time. It is entirely in Yucatan Mayan language. It had me hooked from the very beginning all the way to the end.

How many people do you give gifts to at Christmas? Do you receive more than you give?
Immediate family, including my in-laws. And close friends.

What would your dream kitchen look like?
I never really thought about it, as long as it's big. With an island.

Are you a very tactile person? Do you enjoy physical contact with your friends, family etc?
Only with my husband ;) I don't mind hugs from family, though.

Do you think you will gain weight over the Christmas period?
I always gain a few pounds, but then I lose them so it's not a big deal.

What name do you go by?:
Melissa. or Mel.

Look past your computer screen, what's in front of you?:
Coffee table, TV.

Who was the last music artist you listened to a song by?:
Helena Beat - Foster The People ♥

Have you driven anywhere today?:
Yep. Went to the post office, Old Navy, the PX and the K-mart (Korean mart).

What are your plans for the coming weekend?:
It's Christmas, so doing Christmas-y things :)

Who was the last person you spoke to in person?:
the cashier person at the K-mart.

Do you prefer wearing hoodies to coats?:
I like hoodies. Nothing wrong with being comfortable. I like coats, too, tho!

Is there anything written on the shirt you are wearing?:
Nope

Do you own a tie dyed shirt?:
Actually I do. It's pink tie-dye and the front says "Friends don't let friends miss clinicals" and the back says "Akron Nursing" haha.

Did you make it yourself?:
nope

Have you ever been to another continent?:
Nope. Maybe one day...

Have ever had more than $500 in cash on you at one time?:
yeah

Do you ever go out of your way to avoid someone?:
oh yes hahaha.

How much was gas the last time you looked?:
$3.21, I think? And that was for 93. I have to put premium in my car.

Is there someone who would support you no matter what?:
Absolutely.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?:
Probably in Fort Leonard Wood lol...maybe still here. That would be nice. And probably with a kiddo.

Is there any actual chance you could be pregnant right now?:
Nope.

Do you still get carded when you try and buy things you're old enough to?:
Oh I get carded all of the time hahaha.

What was the last movie you saw in theaters?:
The Thing!

Is there someone you'd drop everything for if you could see them right now?:
Yes!

What is your birthstone?:
Pink Zircon, Opal.

Do you have any relatives who were born in another country?:
Yes, quite a few, actually. My grandparents (dad's side) are from Guangdong province, China (aka Canton)...my mom's parents, great grandma, my mom, my aunt and my mom's cousin and her husband are all from Poland. Eddie's grandma I think is from Czechoslovakia.

Would you rather visit Iceland for a week or Rome for a day?:
Rome..

Who was the last person you rode in a vehicle with?:
My husband.

What were you doing at this time yesterday?:
Probably also sitting on the couch on my computer.

What was the last thing you cooked?:
ravioli

When was the last time you slept in a bed with someone else?:
Saturday morning.

When was the last time you slept in a bed not your own?:
Not since May...

When was the last time you slept on something other than a bed?:
I don't know, probably a week ago?

What is in your pockets right now?:
Nothing. Don't have pockets.

What will you probably be doing at this time tomorrow?:
Getting ready for work.

Who do you look more like, your dad or your mom?:
My mom, I think.

Do you get along with your parents usually?:
Of course.

Where is your best friend at the moment?:
In OH-IO.

Are you an optimist?:
I try to be.

Military Monday!

Happy Military Monday :) Be sure to go to Life With My Littles to link up!

Books!

Hubby is back home in Ohio while I am stuck here in Texas. I tried so hard to get some time off so I could make a trip with him, but that didn't happen. Only one of my coworkers (so far) could take one of my shifts. I still let her, because honestly, the more time I get to spend with hubby the better since we are getting closer and closer to deployment time.

Hubs didn't want to leave me here by myself, but I told him I would be fine. Besides, I am a pretty independent person. I guess that's a good trait for a military wife to have. We'll see how that fares during deployment, however, seeing since I don't have any friends or family out here. But, I digress. I didn't want him to miss out on a trip home because I couldn't go. I forced him to go on his own for a week lol.

I really want to get a Kindle. I can't decide if I want the Kindle Keyboard of the Kindle Fire...the Kindle Fire is more fun but I also like the simplicity of the Kindle Keyboard.

I downloaded the Kindle app for my Macbook. The first book I downloaded happened to be this one:

I have been wanting to read this one for awhile now. I love this book! It's funny and so far everything is so true! Except my trips to the Commissary aren't nearly as horrifying haha. I started reading it earlier today after I came home from the airport and I am already halfway through. I highly recommend this one if you haven't read it already.

I have a whole list of other books on my list that I want to read, too:

* Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption - Laura Hillenbrand

* Left Neglected - Lisa Genova

* You Know When the Men Are Gone - Siobhan Fallon (I think I might read this one next...it's another military-themed novel, following the lives of several wives at Fort Hood, TX)

* The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

* Separated by Duty, United By Love - Shellie Vandevoorde

* I Love A Man in Uniform: A Memoir of Love, War and Other Battles - Lily Burana

* The Help - Kathryn Stockett

* The Making of a Nurse - Tilda Shalof

* A Dog's Purpose - W. Bruce Cannon

* Critical Care: A New Nurse Faces Death, Life & Everything in Between - Theresa Brown

Does anybody have any other suggestions?

Military Monday!

Be sure to link up at Semper Wifey's blog! :)

I hate coworkers who will say to you, "that's not patient" and therefore they won't help you. Nursing is a team effort. I try to pitch in and help those who are "not my patients" when I have the time. Not only will your fellow coworkers be thankful, it also earns you brownie points with your team and management. Not that I'm in for it for just brownie points. I truly enjoy helping others. Obviously, because I'm a nurse.

Work has been hell lately. We have one side where ALL of our totals as well as patients with sitters/in restraints are. I typically do my shifts in threes and of course I got stuck on that side for all 3 nights. I didn't really say anything except on my last night, telling the charge that side really needs to be split up. I mean, 3 out of my 4 patients were totals. It was awful. One night one kept climbing out of bed and became very agitated (and even a happy dose of Haldol only worked for about 30 minutes) and that went on until around 0500 when my "special bed" finally arrived (the other nights were fine thanks to my special bed :D)...my other patient down the hall was confused and kept pulling all of their wires off (thank goodness they didn't pull out my IV!)...and then of course my other patient was a 150kg bed-bound patient who can transfer from bed to chair (including a bedside commode) but decided they just wanted to lay in bed, oh, and they were going through a bowel prep...with a bleed. -_-

Speaking of bowel preps, I can't help but laugh at the names of those prep solutions. Especially "GoLytely." Seriously? haha.

Yesterday I took my ACLS course. For 10 hours. Normally they split the course up over 2 days - videos/teaching/practice and then the second day you do your skills test and written test. In this class we did the whole thing in one day. It was a very long day, but I passed my megacode and everything else and now I am ACLS-certified! Just don't go and expect me to run a code haha. Docs typically run them, anyway. By the time we find a patient and initiate CPR and get them hooked up to the crash cart, the ER doc is already in the room leading everything.

And I wish I didn't have to get recertified in BLS every 2 years now. They test you on BLS in ACLS, so having a BLS certification in addition to ACLS is kind of redundant, IMO. Oh well...

Next up is NRP (neonatal resucitation program) and PALS (pediatric advanced live support), even though I refuse to take kiddos on my unit.

Christmas survey

Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate all the way! I cringe at the thought of egg nog...yuck!

Colored lights on tree/house or white? I love them both, actually, but I think I like white lights a little more. Our tree has white lights :)

Do you hang mistletoe? Nope. I can kiss my husband any time I want to ;)

When do you put your decorations up? Typically after Thanksgiving.

What is your favorite holiday dish? pierogi :) my aunt's tastes like the bomb dot com haha...she makes 3 different kinds - potato & cheese, saurkraut and plum. The plum ones are my favorite. She also makes this mushroom soup with these VERY expensive mushrooms from Poland - I'm talking $80/lb! I always feel bad because I never eat the mushrooms (never have been a big mushroom fan) but the flavor of the broth is fantastic. This is your "typical" slovak Christmas Eve meal.

Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Coming down the stairs and seeing the living room OVERFLOWING with gifts. I know, sounds a little materialistic, but I was young at that time haha.

When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I realized Santa's handwriting looked just like my mom's haha.

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Growing up we did. Sometimes it would be after midnight so it was technically Christmas Day by then haha

How do you decorate your Christmas tree? with lights and ornaments :P

Snow! Love it or Dread it? Dread it. I only like it when I am inside cuddled up in a blanket and not out in it :P

Do you remember your favorite gift? the N64 we got was really cool. My brother & I didn't quite react like "The Nintendo Kid" tho lol, but we loved it!

What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Pumpkin pie! Mmmm :)

What is your favorite holiday tradition? Christmas Eve dinner that I talked about above. That is only when I go to Connecticut for Christmas, though.

Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? They're okay.

Favorite Christmas movie? Christmas Vacation haha.

Saddest Christmas Song? Oh, I dunno. I like Christmas music.

What is your favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night and Silent Night.

Friday Fill-in

It has been awhile since I have done one of these. Be sure to link up at Wifey's blog!

1. If I could be on any reality TV show, I would be on...The Amazing Race.

2. This past Thanksgiving was...my first Thanksgiving cooking! The turkey was phenomenal - so tender, moist & juicy with flavor! I was very impressed and hubs told me I did an awesome job. We celebrated our Thanksgiving on Sunday (11/27) because of work and hubs had to pull overnight staff duty on Saturday. I ended up turning our turkey leftovers into a very delicious turkey pot pie. I guess I can cook after all ;)

3. I'm looking forward to December because... it's our first Christmas as a married couple :)

4. One thing I would like to accomplish this month is... pass my ACLS course with flying colors! It's coming up on December 11th. Still have studying to do!

5. To me, winter is...I don't like winter. I hate being cold all of the time and I only like snow for a little bit and then I get sick and tired of it. Lucky for me I live in Texas now and even though it snows here it won't be anything like Ohio :)