Do me a solid!

I go to school with this sweet, amazing girl and her blog has been entered into the Best Health Blog of 2012 contest.  And, she deserves to win. 

She has worked hard to lose 80+ pounds, but that isn't why she deserves to win.  She deserves it because she is so real.  She admits that it is a struggle, a battle.  Every day she makes the choice to be healthy and encourages others to do the same.  She has incredible highs and you can't help but sympathize with her lows.  She has overcome so much  admitted things to the world about her journey that I can't even admit to myself (I am working on that, by the way). 

So please, check out her blog.  She is listed under my "other people's business" box as Alisha.  Click on the link, check out her story and then vote.  The link to the contest is on her page.  Vote everyday, because I gotta support this spunky chick.  Or you can just click on THIS link.

And, the most amazing thing about her is that she did all this while in Nursing School!  She fit in exercising and eating right in between clinicals and studying and writing care plans (so I have no more excuses!) 

For that alone, she is one of my heroes.  I'm going to go take a walk, now.

Christmas 2012

Our first Christmas in St George.......warm enough to wear t shirts outside!

We had a big Christmas Day Breakfast ......a new recipe for Pumpkin Pancakes was a hit.  We hosted a big turkey dinner for Dave's family.  The food and company were great, but I missed my parents, aunties and uncles from up north. I was able to talk to my parents and Cris texted me a pic of Christmas at the Vallejos house.

 

 But, we will need to change our traditions as the kids grow up and have their own lives.  It was almost an act of God to get us all together this year. 

 

We will probably start doing one Christmas at home and doing Christmas up north the next year.  I think that is the compromise that will make everyone happy. 

 

One of our presents for the kids is one last family vacation with just the five of us....I am hoping to go to the Grand Canyon for a weekend, or maybe Bear Lake.  Nothing is definite other than we are doing it this Spring/Early summer.  I can't wait! 

 

 Heather

 

 



 Theresa

Drew

Me and Dave

The  Monkeys

 

 

 

 

 Dave's mom and step dad, Barn and Jim

 

 

 



Dave's little bro Ed,  his wife Audra and one of their sons Quinton (Owen was busy playing with his new truck)

 

 

 

 

The pic Cris sent me from his cell phone.......Dad looks grumpy

Something Different

I decided to change things up a little bit. 

New year, New Ang and Dave

Cleanse = cleaning out the garage and letting go of so much junk.  Maybe we will actually be able to park our car in our 2 car garage

Reflection- going through and sorting old family pictures (getting ready to scrapbook again in a few short months) My! how the kids have grown!

positive attitude-  Daily affirmations about $ (they have  work so well for school, time to bring them to more aspects of my life)

staying in better touch with my kids-- a call ( and/or in Theresa's case a visit) every week

cutting food consumption in half and drinking more water ( I hardly notice the difference in hunger levels--I am amazed at how much I have been ignoring my own hunger cues)

And, these changes have already started.  The over-achiever in me wanted to get a jump on New Year's resolutions

29, yet again

     Another year......I don't feel much different. 

Dave took me out to a wonderfull dinner at a little Italian place.  the calamari was the best I have ever had.  We split an order of chicken marsala, it was so delicious it makes me hungry just thinking about it.  And, Dave insisted I get the creme brule for dessert (like he had to twist my arm).  I felt very spoiled.

I was thinking of all the "childish" things I still like to do....coloring, chewing bubblegum, singing along to Disney songs.  They make my heart happy. 

I like things organized, calm.  It is in my nature.  I may be a little too tender-hearted, but I am also stubborn and determined.  I love people and I try to learn from everyone I encounter. 

These qualities have got me this far, I don't think I will cahnge them.

I would, however like to loose a few pounds and maybe not be so unkind to myself.  I am working on those things.

It will all be worth it

     This semester is over.  I can't believe I am so close to being an RN.  My hope at the beginning of the semester was just to pass.  We have to get an average test score of 78% or higher, and I have heard so many horror stories about our Professor, Dr Chew.  I took the first test just praying for a passing score.  And, with a lot of studying and hard work, I passed.  Now I know that Dr Chew isn't so scary (in fact she is an amazing teacher that expects a lot out of us and cares so much about our success).  She has taught me so much about nursing, given me confidence and helped me trust my skills and knowledge. 

     Now, here I am.  I managed to get an A in Nursing III and Pharmacology.  There may have been a few set backs learning experiences along the way, but I earned those grades with sweat, tears and a few popcorn dinners.  I have earned an A in all of my Nursing classes.  I don't say this to boast, but to let you know how much you guys help me with my success.  A word of encouragement ( a funny picture on facebook or a word of support on my blog) always seems to come when I need it most.  Some nights it takes all I have to study after a long day at work.  Sometimes, I get so stressed out that I cry over the most trivial things (poor Dave doesn't know what to say half the time).  You, my friends and family deserve to share in my success--WE made it! 

Just one more semester to go! 

 
Sometimes I wish I could send a copy of my transcripts to SUU, but for the most part I know I am where I need to be.  And, I would like to think that I have moved so far beyond that.  I am still amazed that I will be Angie Mack, RN!  And, you all can celebrate that.  Thank you all for believing in me, supporting me.......for just being there rooting in my corner.

Be Thankful

We had a nice little Thanksgiving break.  Mom and Dad came down to visit us, and we did a little sight seeing.  I even had a night off of clinicals, and I didn't do ANY homework. 

It was nice to remember all that I have to be thankful for over this last month. 



Theresa and Zane, and the City of St George in the background.  

 

 

Drew and Dad climbing all over the rocks

@!

(That's 21 with the caps lock on, because I can't believe it!)

Heather is really turning into a wonderful young lady and she is making so many positive changes in her life.  She went to school to get her CNA certificate and is excited to work in the hospital.  She is working as a nanny in Midavale and has her whole future ahead of her. 

It seems like just yesterday when i was braiding her hair and making her pancakes on Sunday morning. 

 

 

Too bad she got the chicken pox a few days ago :0(

 

But, we will have a great delayed birthday dinner

 

I love you, Heather!  Happy 21st birthday! 

 

We will celebrate soon

Four more weeks!

I think I can make it! 

How I justify............

.............Watching Grey's Anatomy

I know, it is a ridiculous soap opera set in a hospital, but I can't help myself.  Every Friday I look forward to watching the newest episode on line.   And, (BONUS!) I actually understand the diagnoses and medical terminology.  It helps me apply what I am learning in a real world context...........seriously.   Granted, most doctors do not spend that much time with patients;  that is what the nurses do.  In real life Izzy would have been fired for falling in love with her patient and Meredeth would have never worked as a doctor again after skewing a clinical trial.  I guess it makes for good drama.    Who watches T.V. for real life, anyway?

  But, T.V. drama aside, I can actually review and apply Nursing School stuff as I watch.  I do make an effort to think critically, analyze the pathophysiology of what the disease of the week is (I have actually done online research while watching).  I come up with nursing interventions for the patient.  Does this make me a little odd?  Maybe.................but I am not ashamed to admit it :0)

White Flag

     I am officially waving my white flag for now.........just where my blog is concerned.  It is something I love to do, but keeping current on it is going on the back burner for now,   where it can simmer and get better.  I have so many other things on the stove, (and on high heat!) that the poor little blog pan is just left there in the back.  Maybe I stir it once in a while, but for the most part it gets ignored. 

     Let's look at the big picture.........I am working 32 hours a week, I have school on Wednesday (an all day thing) and clinicals Friday and Saturday nights.  Yep, folks, that means that after  working from 9-5 on Friday, I go to the hospital and work (for free, mind you) from 5:30 to midnight.  Saturday morning is for running errands, then clinicals again Saturday night.  It is busy.  I do find time for homework and studying every night.......housework happens on the weekends.  There is just not much room for anything else.  The only reason I am posting now is because I happen to have a day off of work.

     I miss my kids.  I am always stressed out.  I dream about Nursing Care Plans.  I live on diet coke and coffee.  Dave feels ignored.   Something has gotta give.  So, I wave my little white flag.  I remind myself that soon this will be over.  I CAN make it to December 5th.  I just may not be able to blog about it as much as I would like. 

     Thank you all for your support and words of encouragement that get me through those really tough days.  You can't imagine what it means to me.  I will make it :/

Really, I mean well

.........But I have not been posting very often.  Life seems to keep me too busy these days.   I just wanted to let you all know that I am here and alive, studying hard.  Just 7 more months.........(oh and the one month break in December) and we will get through this.  Or maybe I will just try to make it to Decamber for now.........just 2 1/2 months away.  

Quick update

So, we are moved down to St George and mostly settled.  These last 3 weeks have been a whirlwind of school, work, unpacking, studying.  
    
Things are going well at my new job.  Working for a pulmonologist is a lot different than Family Practice.  I only make about 5 phone calls a day and spend a lot more time caring for patients.  The computer charting system is a whole complicated thing to learn, but I am muddling through.  Dr Saiffe told me that I am fitting in well and he is "impressed with my work".  So, good.........I have him fooled ;0) 

School is great; busy as always.  I love our instructor.  She has so much passion for nursing and I have learned so much from her.  And, she lets us work on our assignments on our own time frame (what she calls a "self directed, adult learning environment")  Her logic is: if she can't trust us to do our homework how can she trust us to take care of patients?  So, I am staying on my self inflicted schedule and trying to get all the big assignments out of the way so that at the end of the semester I can focus on the final. 

Home is good.  I love our new place.  The trees in front keep the house nice and cool, and the garage has been a handy storage space.  I am only 10 mins from work and the hospital, Dave has a 5 min commute.  The climate is hot, but not intolerable.  It will be great in the winter.

The Ridge

     My 6+ years at Cedar Ridge Family Medicine were great.  They were flexible with my schedule which allowed me to go back to school.  Our office manager is like my "dad away from dad".  The girls that I worked with are some of my best friends and cheerleaders.  I got 4 Nursing school rejection letters in the walls of that clinic, and they all gave me the strength to apply just one more time before I gave up.  And, they were all there when I got my letter from MCC.  The docs pushed me, helped me study, answered all of my (numerous, complicated) medical questions.  I could not have asked for a better job. 

     These are the reasons why it is so hard to leave.  But, life is pulling me in a new direction and I have to move on.  I hope that my new job will be as rewarding.  I know that I am moving on to the next phase of my life.  I am changing homes and jobs.......it will be better for us in the long term.  I will not think about how hot the summers in St George are, but instead, focus on how warm the rest of the year will be (shorts in December!).  I will focus on the positive, look towards the future....but not forget those that helped me get here. 

I love you, CRFM! 

I feel better now

   I am sure you were all a little worried about/for me.  We found a place,  tuition is figured out (thanks, pop) and things are looking better--even me.  I did a little at-home-spa night with a home made, do it yourself (cheap!) hot oil treatment for my hair and a baking soda facial scrub.  It was great to "spoil" myself a little and my hair feels super soft.  Thanks to this little find petitelephant, one of the best blogs ever! It has lots of at home beauty tricks and fun things that I highly recommend.

    Now we just need to get settled in to our new place ( Sep 1st can't come soon enough!) and things will get back to normal, minus commute time--which means they will be even better!

See, I knew God had a plan for us :)

Not doing so great at "living in the moment"

.......But I do have faith that it will work out, somehow.  This week has not been good in the stress category.  Let's just say that while I love MCC's nursing program, the Financial Aide department really bites.  And, we are still looking for a place to live in St Geezy.  I am cleaning and packing to keep my mind busy. 

     I say a little prayer everynight, I know that there is a plan for us. 

Live in the moment, sometimes

     I stress about things I can't control.  Then, I get mad at myself for wasting my energy on it.  It usually takes a gentle reminder from Dave for me to realize what I am doing.  A few weeks ago, I was frustrated because I could not find a job in St George.  I thought it would be easy--I have a lot of experience, confidence, great referrences.  But, I only got called 3 times for an interview and out of thoses only one would work with my school schedule..........and I didn't get that job.  I was discouraged.  Dave chuckled at me and reminded me that for one month of putting in applications getting one interview was pretty good.  Okay......point taken.  Stop obsessively stressing about it. 

      Today, I have a job in St George.  And, guess how I got it?  By pure chance.  Dave had been referrred to a specialist to have a sleep study done, and taht office called me to set up his appointment.  During the course of our conversation, I mentioned that we would be moving down there soon and of hand asked "you guys aren't hiring a Medical Assistant, are you?" not even expecting to get a serious answer.  The scheduler said "well.......actually we might be.  Let me give your info to our manager."  A few days later she called me and we discussed a position that would accomodate time for school.  I faxed in my resume, got called in for an interview and was offered the job as I left.  Just like that......I had a job.  This is where Dave does his "I told you so" dance (yes,  he actually has one). 

     So, I take this lesson as a reminder to live in the moment, not to stress about what I can't control and focus on the things I can change ( the AA prayer is very helpful to a stress-addict).  Some stress is good--don't get me wrong.  It can be very motivating.  But, worrying about what will happen is not good.  Instaed I need to put my energy into things that I can change........I can study harder, I can apply for more jobs, send my resume to every clinic in St G (which was going to be my next step).

     Now, my stress is about trying to find a place to rent.  Our landlord wants a 30 day notice, which I gave on August 1st.  But, if you want to look for a place to rent (apperently!) you need to be able to move in whithin 2 weeks.  So, we can either pay double rent for 2 weeks or cross our fingers and hope that we can find something  closer to the end of the month.  The good thing is that I have a couple of good property management places to work with and (right now ) they have plenty of listings.  So, I will stop checking their websites and worrying about the move for a few weeks.  Or, at least I will try.  Things have a way of working out.

Bucket List

     I realized that my bucket list was all stuff that I plan to do after school, but look at what I have done so far---raised a good family, earned an Associates Degree in Biology, got in to nursing school, built a great marriage.  Heck, let's cross those off the list! 

     On a side note--Lately, I have been watching America's got Talent.  It may be embarrassing for me to admit this (well, I guess that anyone who reads this knows me pretty well and therefore knows that I am a sentimental fool) but I find myself getting all emotional when acts get through, especially if they get all tear-y.  It chokes me up because I know what it is like to want something so bad, so much that when you get it you are overcome with emotions (relief, pride, gratification, thankfulness).  It takes me back to opening that envelope from MCC, realizing that I got in (relive that post with me here)

I should stop now before I do anything more to incriminate myself.

Song + Memory

Here's a few

Birdhouse in Your Soul by They Might Be Giants = Driving around in Jeremy's red truck singing it out loud

Walk Like an Egyptian by The Bangles = 5th grade Talent Show

Any song by the Beatles = cleaning the house on Saturday mornings as a kid

Teenage Dirtbag by Wheezer = The summer Dave and I met, him singing it off-key

Head Over Feet by Alanis Morriset = the moment I realized I was in love with Dave

Barbie Girl by Aqua = the girls playing in their bedroom

Ooops, I did it again by Britany Spears = Drew begging me to by the CD for him at age 6

Any song by Barenaked Ladies = road trips

How do I live by Leeanne Rhimes + Heather playing over and over for hours at age 11

Bicycle by Queen = Theresa singing on the front porch with her friends at age 15

Wicked Game by Cris Isaac = realizing my mom was more than just my mom at age 13

anything by Al Green = Cris feeling sad

18 by Alice Cooper = Dad giving me advice on parenting

Funny how just hearing a song will take you back to a moment, everytime you hear it

Miss Mack

Theresa is 19.  I remember her as a little girl, pretending to be a cow and crawling around on the floor for hours.  She has always been thoughtful, creative, spunky and passionate.  She sets a goal and goes after it, no matter what gets in her way.  But, at the same time she never takes herself too seriously.  It has been amazing to see this young girl grow into a strong, indepedant woman. 

     She is thriving in the real world--paying her own bills, saving money, balancing work, school and social life.  We are so proud of her for starting out on her own.  She bought a tattoo gun to learn how to do tattoos, a guitar to learn how to play better.  She continues to paint and draw,  her pieces show so much emotion and talent.

Theresa and Drew, older and Wiser

We had a birthday BBQ for the Monkeys

The birthday kiddos

Theresa will turn 19 on the 9th, Drew turned 18 today

Me and my boy

Daddy Mack and Theresa

 

Me and my Theresa

 

Mr Frog, Theresa's B day present.  Drew wants a tattoo, so we just gave him $$$$



all the meat on the grill.........yummy

It was good party, we had fun just hangin out and stuffing our faces

Drew at 18

     In about an hour, it will be 18 years since I became a Mom.  Drew came in to this world and changed my life forever.  I learned at that moment that things don't always go as planned.  When I saw his little 3 pound body I was amazed by his strength.  And when I held him in my arms for the first time, I knew that life was all about moments like that.

     He has grown into a man with a great sense of humor.  He has the confidence to be silly or serious in any situation.  He loves to play the X box, listen to music and watch funny videos on Youtube.  He loves hiking and cliff diving- sometimes he seems fearless.  I am so glad that I am his mother and I am so proud of him. 

Shameless hint for a kitchenaid mixer

     So, now that I have some free time on my hands, I have been baking a lot more.  I have found some good recipes and tips online  and have gotten suggestions from friends.  It makes me REALLY want a Kitchenaid Mixer (in white, if any one needs any gift ideas)

     This link a helped me discover some really good chocolate chip cookies. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/best-chocolate-chip-cookies/   .  I added some vanilla to the eggs before the dry ingredients, and they got a 10 out of 10 frome the boys.  I wanted to take a picture of  Drew scarfing the dough but he protested, stating "why do you always have to take my picture!".  Oh, well. 

     Another big hit was pinapple upside down cake http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/pineapple-upside-down-cake/a1c9a639-0748-4f2c-89f5-fd33cf138986.  I cut the pineapple rings into quarters because it was for a bigger crowd so the cake would have to be cut into smaller pieces and I didn't want to have to worry about cutting through them.  I was able to add more cherries this way and learned that more cherries is a good thing.  I also used the juice from the drained pineapple instead of water in the cake mix--delish!

     I also want to try oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (thanks to Michelle for the recipe) and making homemade icecream with our never used ice cream maker that we got for our wedding.  The hard thing is limiting myself to 1 baking/ dessert project per week. 

     Let me know if you have a "gotta try this one" recipe.  I am having a ball :0)

Ho, humm

     It seems to be the lazy days of summer.  Nothing really exciting going on here.  I am still kind of down, missing Grandma.  It gets a little easier each day.  But, her birhtday is on the 4th of July.  I expect that day to be hard......I will keep busy with a Family BBQ here at the Mack Casa--Smore's included.  Next week will also be Drew and Theresa's birthdays ( Drew will be 18, Theresa will be 19) We will have a little party for them on Friday night, and celebrate next weekend with a trip to Sand Hollow.......maybe. 



   

Grandma

     This weekend was a hard one.  We laid Grandma to rest on Friday.  She has a beautiful spot in the Mt. Calvary Cemetery overlooking the whole valley,so she can keep a good eye on us.  It was good to see family and friends that I had not seen since I was a little girl.  It was good to have Dave and Drew to hold on to when it all became too much.  I will post some stories about her some other time, things are still too fresh torelive those memories right now. 

This is her and Grandpa Jim in the good ol' days.

Grandma as a young woman.....I think we have the same eyes and smile.

Adios, Abuela.  Con mucho amor  (with much love)

as she did everything for her family

I will have you in my heart, always!

   

Goodbye

    Funny that I was just talking about how much I hate the ending.  My Grandma Herrera passed away early Sunday morning.  As I type this I am flooded with memories of her..........making tortillas, watching sopa operas, learning how to sew, feeding the chickens (and getting attacked by the rooster).  I will miss her so much.  I spent many summers at her house. They tell me that when I was really young I used to hide my shoes so that I would not have to go home. 

     I know that she is in a better place, and that her body works again.  I know  that she will watch over me; that she will always be in my heart.  She was my example for faith in God, strength, resourcefulness.  She raised seven kids and comanded respect even though she was only 4 feet 11 inches tall.  We knew she would keep us in line.  She had a great sense of humor and always taught us about the importance of family.  Much love, Grandma.  I will miss you terribly.

This is where the story ends

     I always hate it when the movie ends.  I get so involved in the story, when things start to wrap up I don't want it to end.  I want the story to continue, I wonder about the characters.  I envision their "happily ever after". 

     This is why I like to read so much.  I love a story that comes out in a series.....it's like a long, drawn out movie.  I get to follow the story, not just for 2 hours as in a movie.  It typically take me 1 week to read a book.  Even then, I dread the ending.  I don't want the story to ever stop.  In a really good book, the characters become my friends and I don't want to say goodbye.  I care about what happens to them,  I want to stay involved in their lives.

   I wonder what that says about me.  I still think about how it all worked out for Richard Gere and Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman.  Did they stay together?  Did she get her fairy tale?  I think that I really believe in the fairy tale; that it can ( and does) work out despite the odds.  Maybe it doesn't happen as often as we would like, but perhaps this is why we need the distraction of a book or movie--to remind us that there are good stories out there.

Sunsets

     My parents would take us to the shores of the Great Salt Lake to watch the sunset often when we were growing up.  It would be on a quiet summer night, just to get out of the house.  It didn't cost any money (except the gas to get out there) but it had so much value as a family outing.  We would stroll along the marina, holding hands and talking.  We would go to the water's edge and skip rocks.  We would throw bread at the seagulls and watch the swallows dive for bugs in mid air.  Cris and I would catch our parents kissing as they sat on the sand. 

     It was bonding time for all of us, but it served as more than just a trip to the beach for me.  Seeing my parents, still so in love and finding joy in the simple things--it gave me the foundation for my marriage.  As we would watch the sun sink and the sky turn orange, we would come together, my dad with his arms around all of us.....a family unit to face the world's challenges together.
    

      I had a chance over mother's day weekend to go see the sunset with my mom, just us girls.  It brought back so many memories, and reminded me how important it is to appreciate the beauties of this world. The sunset happens everyday, and life is full of other things that want our attention.  But, take the time to experience something extraordinary, and let the worries of the day slip away with the sun.

Ang + Dave

     On May 12th, we celebrated 11 years of marriage.  Our marriage is great, but we both put a lot of work into it, everyday.  I love that we know each other so well; that he can predict my actions, that he knows that I like 2 limes in my diet pepsi (served over ice, of course) and I know that he prefers shaving soap to shaving cream.  He tells me that I mean everything to him and my heart melts.  I can't believe that I found this amazing man to share my life with. 

    

What does "Mom " mean to you?

     When Dave and I got married, I never made the girls call me "mom".  If they chose to, that was okay, but I was not going to force the issue.  When we got custody of them, they had already been calling me Angie for so long, it just stuck.  They introduced me to their friends as "mom" but called me Angie when they needed me. 
    
     The title of "mom" was implied in "Angie", and that is okay with me.  What matters is my relationship with them.  I have never considered them less than my daughters.  When people ask me how many kids I have, I tell them 3.  I sometimes need to clarify my position when they ask me how old my kids are (thankfully I look too young to have a daughter that will be 21 in November).  But  overall, they are just my girls, and I am just their mom.

     Mom means that there is some one to go to when you need a hug, or advice.  Mom cleans your house, does your laundry, makes you cookies.  Mom is there when you get sick, teaches you how to take care of yurself, watches your grades, grounds you when you break a rule.  Mom puts you above her,  sacrifices so that you can have more, loves you even when you hate her.  Mom knows that sometimes she has to teach you the hard lessons, that you will thank her when you have your own kids.  Mom loves you, unconditionally, totally, always, no matter what.

I like this speech, good advice not only for graduates but for anyone moving on to the next chapter in life

-- Adapted from "10½ Things No Commencement Speaker Has Ever Said," by Charles Wheelan. To be published May 7 by W.W. Norton & Co.


Class of 2012,

I became sick of commencement speeches at about your age. My first job out of college was writing speeches for the governor of Maine. Every spring, I would offer extraordinary tidbits of wisdom to 22-year-olds—which was quite a feat given that I was 23 at the time. In the decades since, I've spent most of my career teaching economics and public policy. In particular, I've studied happiness and well-being, about which we now know a great deal. And I've found that the saccharine and over-optimistic words of the typical commencement address hold few of the lessons young people really need to hear about what lies ahead. Here, then, is what I wish someone had told the Class of 1988:

1. Your time in fraternity basements was well spent. The same goes for the time you spent playing intramural sports, working on the school newspaper or just hanging with friends. Research tells us that one of the most important causal factors associated with happiness and well-being is your meaningful connections with other human beings. Look around today. Certainly one benchmark of your postgraduation success should be how many of these people are still your close friends in 10 or 20 years.

2. Some of your worst days lie ahead. Graduation is a happy day. But my job is to tell you that if you are going to do anything worthwhile, you will face periods of grinding self-doubt and failure. Be prepared to work through them. I'll spare you my personal details, other than to say that one year after college graduation I had no job, less than $500 in assets, and I was living with an elderly retired couple. The only difference between when I graduated and today is that now no one can afford to retire.



3. Don't make the world worse. I know that I'm supposed to tell you to aspire to great things. But I'm going to lower the bar here: Just don't use your prodigious talents to mess things up. Too many smart people are doing that already. And if you really want to cause social mayhem, it helps to have an Ivy League degree. You are smart and motivated and creative. Everyone will tell you that you can change the world. They are right, but remember that "changing the world" also can include things like skirting financial regulations and selling unhealthy foods to increasingly obese children. I am not asking you to cure cancer. I am just asking you not to spread it.

4. Marry someone smarter than you are. When I was getting a Ph.D., my wife Leah had a steady income. When she wanted to start a software company, I had a job with health benefits. (To clarify, having a "spouse with benefits" is different from having a "friend with benefits.") You will do better in life if you have a second economic oar in the water. I also want to alert you to the fact that commencement is like shooting smart fish in a barrel. The Phi Beta Kappa members will have pink-and-blue ribbons on their gowns. The summa cum laude graduates have their names printed in the program. Seize the opportunity!

5. Help stop the Little League arms race. Kids' sports are becoming ridiculously structured and competitive. What happened to playing baseball because it's fun? We are systematically creating races out of things that ought to be a journey. We know that success isn't about simply running faster than everyone else in some predetermined direction. Yet the message we are sending from birth is that if you don't make the traveling soccer team or get into the "right" school, then you will somehow finish life with fewer points than everyone else. That's not right. You'll never read the following obituary: "Bob Smith died yesterday at the age of 74. He finished life in 186th place."

6. Read obituaries. They are just like biographies, only shorter. They remind us that interesting, successful people rarely lead orderly, linear lives.



7. Your parents don't want what is best for you. They want what is good for you, which isn't always the same thing. There is a natural instinct to protect our children from risk and discomfort, and therefore to urge safe choices. Theodore Roosevelt—soldier, explorer, president—once remarked, "It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed." Great quote, but I am willing to bet that Teddy's mother wanted him to be a doctor or a lawyer.

8. Don't model your life after a circus animal. Performing animals do tricks because their trainers throw them peanuts or small fish for doing so. You should aspire to do better. You will be a friend, a parent, a coach, an employee—and so on. But only in your job will you be explicitly evaluated and rewarded for your performance. Don't let your life decisions be distorted by the fact that your boss is the only one tossing you peanuts. If you leave a work task undone in order to meet a friend for dinner, then you are "shirking" your work. But it's also true that if you cancel dinner to finish your work, then you are shirking your friendship. That's just not how we usually think of it.

9. It's all borrowed time. You shouldn't take anything for granted, not even tomorrow. I offer you the "hit by a bus" rule. Would I regret spending my life this way if I were to get hit by a bus next week or next year? And the important corollary: Does this path lead to a life I will be happy with and proud of in 10 or 20 years if I don't get hit by a bus.

10. Don't try to be great. Being great involves luck and other circumstances beyond your control. The less you think about being great, the more likely it is to happen. And if it doesn't, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being solid.

Good luck and congratulations.

Faith

     Sometimes you just gotta believe that it will all work out.  It is hard when things feel like they are crashing around you. I literally get on my knees and ask God to give me the strength to get through it, put my worries in his hands.  He will always show me the light.....and prayers do get answered.  I am in awe of his love and the strength that he gives us.  Faith......... what a profound, yet simple concept.

The home stretch

Good news: only 1 mont left of class. Bad News: 4 tests in four weeks. I actually have tendonitis in my left arm from overuse (typing, taking notes) Dr P told me to rest it, use ice and ibuprofen. Well, I ams using ice and ibuprofen, but no resting right now. As long as I stay up on the meds it doesnt hurt too bad. As of May 7th, no more school. But I am afraid there will still be studying. I gotta learn lab values, get more familiar with meds and practice NCLEX (licensing exam) questions all summer, as well as review all the info we covered this year soI can be ready for next year. I am almost halfway to being a nurse! Can you believe it?

things may be tough right now

....but I am certainly greatful for small miracles. I am reminded of how much I am really blessed with and I understand what is really important...loving family, good friends and purring kitties

A week in the life of a Nursing Student

who also works

So many of you have asked me about school and what I do at the hospital, I thought I would share a little about what a typical week in my life is

Monday

Alarm- 6 am
Wake up, eat breakfast and get ready for the day. Review some notes or check in on our school website for any announcements about homework, etc.

Off to work at 9 am. Room patients, answer phone messages, give some shots, document document, document (there is a little time for gossip and goofing off) then Lunch. This is the only time I have to run errands, make calls, pay bills, etc. If I have nothing that needs doing I will eat lunch and flip through a few magazines (one of the benefits of working in a doctors office--free subscriptions ;0) If I am feeling really studious or have an extra project for school I may work on that for a bit. Then back to work until 5 or 6 pm.

Home and dinner. I try to take a few mins to relax before dinner. I will usually straighten up the house while Dave cooks. Dave is nice enough to cook every night and help me get the kitchen cleaned up. He will also do some dishes during the day and try not to make too much of a mess. Then we clean up dinner dishes and I hit the books. Monday nights are for finishing up my Clinical worksheet and studying Pharmacology modules. This is my routine between 7 and 10 pm. Then time to shower, hang out with Dave for a bit and off to bed.

Tuesday

alarm- 6 am

up, work, lunch, dinner all the same as before. Tuesday night homework includes class prep ( assigned reading and worksheet) answering on line discussion questions (where we have to be sure to site our sources of info) and taking an online quiz for class. If there is a test in class I will review and re study my material until bed/shower at 11

Wednesday

alarm- 6 am

Up and breakfast, prepare my back pack and make sure I have all the papers/assignments/books I need and pack a lunch. Leave Cedar City at 7:30 am to get to Huricane (where we meet some more carpool buddies) by 8:30 and Colorado City by 9 am. Class/lecture from 9-12, then lunch. We usually hang out in one of the 4 buildings on campus or outside if the weather is nice. During lunch we print off next weeks class work so that we have it to take home and work on. then we have Pharmacology from 1-3. We get back to Cedar City at 5 pm.

Wednesday nights after dinner/clean up I will usually take a little break and watch a tv show or 2 then hit the books. I have an online pharm quiz, pharmacology on line lectures to listen to and reading/note taking for the on line lecture. I also have to start on my pathology sheets (we have 5 every week, due on Friday morning) that outline disease processes and patient care for particular conditions. Then bed/shower at 11 or so

Thursday

alarm 7 am

work/lunch/ home/ dinner same as Mon and Tues

Thursday night homework: Finish patho sheet, take on line anatomy quiz and class quiz for the following week. I also have to get book bag ready for clinicals the next morning and pack a breakfast/ lunch. I get the coffee pot ready to go and early shower at 9 pm. I try to go to bed at 9:30 or 10

Friday

alarm 3:30 am

Coffee, coffee, coffee. Get ready for clinicals (which includes donning a pure white scrub top and white pants, don't forget white shoes) and leave the house at 4:15 am. Off to Hurricane to meet extra carpool buddies by the freeway exit. We get down to the hospital in St Geogre at 5:30 am and wait for our nurse assignments. Then we have to go locate the nurse and deliver the news that she gets to have a student follow her around all day. We then listen to shift report to get info about the patient we will be caring for that day with our nurse. By 7 am we are getting patients up and doing assessments (giving the patient a quick exam to listen to heart/lungs and check body systems) and passing morning meds, being sure to document along the way.

Then at about 9 am I have a little time to look up patient info on one of the patients I am taking care of to present to our clinical instructor. We need to be prepared to answer questions about the patient, their admitting diagnosis, their plan of care, their labs/ test results and why the results are abnormal. We fill in our clinical worksheets on the patient and get their medical history, med list and document our assessment of the patient.

At 9:30 am I break away to present my patient and eat a quick snack for breakfast. After that, I continue to take care of patients, pass meds and hopefully do something cool like start an IV or insert a foley cath, or even change a dressing on a gnarly wound. During the day I will get about 1/2 an hour for lunch and a few breaks to work on clinical worksheets.

Then we have post conference at 4 pm where we discuss our day with our instructor and fellow students and will usually have a few case studies to do together. Our instructor always has a snack for us because she loves us.

We get back to Cedar City at 6 pm, and I get out of my white scrubs as soon as I can. I have a NO HOMEWORK ON FRIDAY NIGHTS rule, so I will usually hang out with Dave and watch TV. I have no energy for anything else. I am always asleep by 8:30 or 9

Saturday

no alarm

Even though I don't have an alarm set, I am up and ready by about 7 am. I will usually do the deep cleaning (sweep, mop, dust) and clean the bathrooms. I like to set the oven timer for 1 hour and do as much housework as I can for that hour. I usually get most of it done and finish the rest Saturday night. Then I hit the books--discussion questions, start on class prep, read/study and work on test reviews when there is a test coming. We also have Care Plans due 3 or 4 times during the semester, These are 6 or 7 pages about a patient and their disease process (down to the cellular level) and their prognosis. It has to typed in MLA format and includes nursing diagnoses and nursing interventions (things that you would do to care for this patient as a nurse--remembering that you need to educate your patient, be an advocate for their care and provide emotional support as well as passing meds). I will get these done on the weekends so I don't have to worry about finding time during the week. I will also do any other papers or special assignments that we have.

I will do homework most of the day, but will spend Saturday night doing things with Dave or going out, maybe just relaxing and watching TV. This is the only night I have to get any grocery shopping done so I will make a list and go to the store with Dave if we need to.

Sunday

no alarm

I am up at about 8 am. I start on laundry and will do homework and laundry all day. I finish up pharmacology lectures and fold/put away laundry in between. There is usually only 4-5 hours of homework left and Sunday nights are free. I like to take a long bath and have a quiet night. I will sometimes need to drive up to Scipio to take Drew back to meet his dad. I try to mentally prepare myself to do it all again next week.

Stay Strong

The stress of school, $, and work stuff is getting to me. It was nice to take a little reality break this weekend and hang out with Drew and Dave. Hunger Games was a great escape from it all.

School is going well, even if it does cause stress. There is just a lot of studying and "busy work" but I love clinical days....taking care of patients in the hospital is great and I feel like I am in my element. We will be going to the Bodies exhibit in Vegas in a few weeks. It will be fun to have a little time to have enjoy my classmates outside of school. There is only 5 weeks left of class.......it went by so fast. This time next year I will be stressing about passing my boards! It will happen too soon.

Dave has a few good leads for jobs, we will see how things unfold in the next month or so. I say a little prayer every night. I have faith that we will make it through this.

Really? ! ?

Just when we thought things were looking up! I am so frustrated! Dave got laid off. It is not like we haven't been here before, but really.......why now! We had such big plans for this year.

All we can do is have faith that it will all work out. And, I am counting my blessings. It certainly could be worse.

Dave at 42

We celebreted at home--Panda Express for dinner, Razzleberry pie and chocolate ice cream.

He still spends hours making paracord bracelets, keychains, etc. He is always planning for the Zombie Invasion (What's your Zombie Plan?) He loves that Roger kitty likes him best, and follows him around the house like a little dog.

He makes me laugh and has been pretty supportive of this nursing school thing......I can't thank him enough for being there to talk me down when I get all worked up and stressed out. He is hard working, funny, and smart. I am glad that I get to grow old with him.

A picture is worth a thousand words

I could tell you all day about how creative, talented, smart and spunky Theresa is, but I think you can all see for yourselves. This is one of her latest pieces.......so amazingly talented

Mr Mack

I just wanted to let you all know how much I appreciate my husband. We have been together for almost 12 years and that much history with some one means a lot. He knows how I like my sandwich, he knows when I have had a bad day. He is there for me.............. always, without question, to share his strength. I wouldn't be able to do this without him.

Our happy marriage is one of my biggest sources of strength, and I thank God for sending him to me. He makes me laugh, keeps me safe. I am incomplete without him.

That said, I wish he would unload the dishwasher once in a while! Oh well, you can't have everything :)

First week of nursing school in a nutshell

Funny Stuff!

How do you eat an elephant?

.....One bite at a time. They are not lying when they say that 2nd semester will make or break a nursing student. I wanted to cry at least 3 times during our class on Wednesday because of the amount of work we have to do every week. But, I have had time to sit down and make a plan. Feeling a little better about it all now. Just don't feel neglected if I don't get back to you. :) I will make up for it this summer during my break, which is 15 weeks, 5 days from now. Believe me, I am counting down!

If you need to kill a few minutes............

.............I found this great app on my phone. Picsart. You can upload pictures and edit them, add effects, etc. I have been having a lot of fun with it. It is a good way to waste a few minutes. I have always liked photography and wanted to get better at it. This is an easy way to alter simple cell phone pictures. I am truly enjoying myself, way better than Angry Birds!

First Post of 2012

Well, so far it has been interesting. There may be a change here at the Mack house, but more on that as it develops--it's one of those things that could go a million different ways, you will know more when I do. Otherwise, we are recovered from the holidays and I am getting ready for my second semester at MCC. Dave has been digging Smallville lately. He keeps telling me I need to watch it with him, and keeps watching it without me. Well, someday I'll check it out, it's on my evergrowing list.

I got a lot of reading done. The problem is that I read 2 books that begin a series. And the sequels are available. So, I will track them down and try to read them after school starts. The first one was Matched, by Allie Condie. It was good, meant for young adult readers. It was a lot like Hunger Games, but not as violent. It was a great escape for a few days. I just need to go buy the next one (hopefully this weekend). The other book was called Tiger's Curse which is the first of 4 books. 3 are available, I read the first one so I have 2 more to beg, borrow and steal. Maybe it's time to get a nook so I can just download them.

Dave warned me not to start a series until all the books are done.....he says waiting and then looking for the new book (and begging Angie to let you buy it) is torture. I guess now I will be able to show some empathy for his cause. The problem is that Dave is constantly begging for more book where I only look for a book once in a while. I try to tell Dave about the magical place that lets you borrow books with a magical card, for free. He just grumbles about small town libraries. The beast is never satisfied............