The happenings

Hello, Hello...

I'm here & alive, blogosphere. 

This little 4 year old, nursing school, husband and working have been consuming my life. 

The funny thing about nursing school was that I was nervous about "letting go" of all the extras, whelp I surely did that and then some. 

And holy smokes batman, it was a character tester.

Slowly, but surely I had to get rid of more and more. Insert big sad face.

Mantra everyday...

You can do this Christy,

This is temporary, 

You were meant to do this.

Man oh man. We've made it! 

Dante graduates this Sunday from Ohio State University with guest speaker President Obama. 

Woot Woot!

And...

I graduate in December.

Insert happy dance!

New mantra...

The light is visible at the end of the tunnel.

You can SO do this.

Throughout this letting go experience I've had to rely 100% on the man upstairs. Oy Vey! That's hard coming from a gal who thinks she can actually Do-it-all.

Yep! And it has. 

Life lately..err the past 6 months

Well hello lifeless blog. 

Nursing school full-time, husband finishing undergrad full-time, raising a 4 year old full-time...add in family, birthday celebrations, and just life equals not too much free time.

Can that be my excuse for neglecting this poor blog?

Mmmkay!

Thanks for the understanding.

Added just for smiles! Christmas day 2012.

Seriously how does she look like a big kid, pinch me.

Over this journey of school I have learned that having a great support system is *key*... necessary. I'm not sure how some people go without.

Time for shout outs:

First my dear madre, She is my rock! Every step of the way she is there encouraging me to keep pushing through, I may be kicking & screaming acting like the mature adult I am. Wink, wink.

She is also a RN turned into FNP (family nurse practitioner), so she has been there done that.

My God, I love her!

My padre, right before me starting clinicals (this past spring) and being away from home (more than I'd like), stayed home to help me and my sis E get through Law school without needing daycare and such. 

Man has he been a god send.

This man loves his grandkidlets to the moon & back.

My sis E

She is just amazing. I'm not sure if words can take me to the place I need to go. Let's put it simply, she successfully got through Law school at the top of her class while having & raising her sweet little gal A and maintaining her marriage to Mr. O.

Someone say wonder-woman.

My mouth still drops to the floor! 

Needless to say she is my inspiration to keep going and doing this juggling act. 

She prioritizes to make family 1st, with school trailing close behind, and keeping everything in order.

Like I said, A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Oh and she plays part-time counselor to me!! She pretty stinkin' good at it too!

And my stud-muffin

Mr. Hubs, my-oh-my! Over my 6 years, well we've had our times.

He balances me out and keep me on my toes.

His love for his family keeps me falling more in love.

Some how between full-time school & work, he manages to pull it together.

On May 5, he'll be receiving his degree that he has worked his tail off to earn.

I could continue on to thank my Village for helping us get through this. That would require me writing a novel. Haha! If there's anything to take home from this...Christy is not a writer.

Glad we got that clarified.

Counting blessings

The heaviness on my heart lately is completely self inflicted, but still it is real and I have to deal.

This semester I was given the chance to do my clinicals at a facility of severely disabled children where it would be a hands-on learning experience. 

All the while I knew it'd be really hard emotionally, so I put on my tough skin and signed up for the opportunity of a lifetime.

Those kiddos broke that skin the first time I laid eyes on them. 

Ha! Jokes on me. What child could not possibly do just that?

That said it has been so satisfying to love, care for, and understand what the world has rejected. 

I am so abundantly blessed beyond belief to have my body working as normal...whatever the heck that means.

I can breathe on my own, my heart is in rhythm, and I can stinkin' walk!!

 

And best of all I get to be this little lady's momma!

AND 

As a family use our skills to enhance God's kingdom!

Although this experience has ruffled my feathers a tad, I am able to love on my family and close loved ones even better and more passionately because of it.

Each run I do I push myself a little hard all in the sake for life itself!

Now go love the heck out of those you love!!

Post quarter, Little getaway

This past quarter was fun yet exhausting  due to the fact of our colleges cutting the quarter short! I did my rotation in Obstetrics, which is where I work & it's my greatest passion & love. 

 Me and my niece (Feb 18 2011)

My momma said even as a little 1.5yo I said I wanted to be a mom & oh-so loved babies! 

Then when she had home births with my younger brother & sister, I said I wanted to be a midwife.

 little brother Aaron & me (3.5yo)

I love me some mommas & babies, but most of all caring for them during their labor & delivery and postpartum period, as most mothers can agree...it can be a bit trying at times, exciting, and an adventure, along with a plethora of emotions.

So when we decided after our quarter to get away our pickins were slim. Living on part-time paychecks & going to school full-time equals not too much mullah. But we made due in order to get some R&R.

We had some canoeing time!

Hangin' with friends & family on the beach

 Splash pad happenings

 Miss Maddy building sandcastles

 Mariah splashing it up!

 What's better than feet in the sand?

 Maddy with E&E getting buried.

 My brothers Big M is so adventurous!

 She is so in love with her pops.

 Little A!

 Love-him-to-pieces

Paddle boats with the T fam!

Love my little A!

Watch out for M&M, they play a mean game of UNO!

 No more pictures!!! says Mariah & Maddy

I-phone distraction! Oye!

 O, E & little A!

 Picnics on the deck!

 Bonfires, smores, and friends, oh my!

 Mission get A to sleep!

 Pop-Pop perfecting M's marshmallow-making

 Night time baseball happenins

 and some Jedi training

Little-Leia-in-training!

Writing my own story

Me being the over-analytical gal I am, I have been thinking about writing this for quite some time. Always thinking but hmm not today type of mood, and to add the icing on the cake school & clinicals hasn't helped much.

Something that has been laid heavy on my heart has been identity.

I think its probably something I've struggled with for like ever, but over time I thought I'd just get older and like a magician doing a trick it'd just disappear. 

Haha!!! Jokes on me. 

Pirate face is the new duck face;)

Anywho, as a gal who overthinks, carefully selects, loves hard I have learned this is who I am. Instead I always want to change it. 

Throughout my walk with God I have discovered that I can use my downfalls for my benefit and be confident that this is how He made me. 

That said I struggle with this from time to time, doing the silly comparison game.

Seriously ladies, does that ever end?

Geesh!! 

I know that I was created in the imagine of God but yes I am human, have my kinks, am selfish, want my way, have temper tantrums, have emotional breakdowns.

Psalm 139: 13

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb."

He created me and knows the plans of my life, my identity, loves me unconditionally.

Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, aye? 

Since I am forgiven, saved by grace, daily surrender all my issues, I don't have to fret over my silly insecurities.

I might have to fight them til the day I die, but I've got someone to be by my side through it all.

I am so thankful for who I am wrecked and all.

Although I do share similarities with others, only me ,Christy, has this story.

Can I get an amen!!