my 2008

2008 was a big year for me in many ways. I can't even remember everything let alone write it all down.
Jan: Started school at North Central University and lived on campus. I had an amazing roommate, Amber Helmin,(who just engaged btw...congrats) who really got along well with me for as much time you spend in a little room. We both kept our room spotless at all times and made sure the bathroom was clean and stocked with TP. I really miss living with her, I miss the school.

Feb: I was in school, worked at Panera and got a new job at ACR HOMES working with people with disabilities,never did i know that was going to become my passion. Sam and I were at the cross roads more than ever this month. We both knew it was time to get married or take a break because it was getting harder and harder to remain pure. We both talked about getting married and moving to North Dakota to attend NDSU since it has both nursing and engineering... but that wasn't what God had for us.

March: I turned 21, and got engaged. All in one weekend :) My mom took me to Chicago for my birthday for a long weekend trip where i got to see "WICKED" and eat great food. It was the best time i have ever had!!!! I sorta knew it was coming so i had an appt for the 31st to try on dresses! I got engaged the 23rd, my birthday was the 25th... our wedding date July 3rd 2008. So the planning began

April: school, work, wedding plans and more wedding plans

May: Finals, moved out of NCU and back home. Wedding plans began to come to an end. Sam and I were seeking God on our housing situation and trying to make sure we followed His will.

June: Nothing exciting.... work and wedding plans. I left Panera.

July: Got married to Sam on the 3rd (greatest day of my life) and went to California for a week. When i came back we moved into the lower part of someone's basement, we both liked it there and thought we would stay there for a while. We had 2 bedrooms a kitchen , laundry room, bathroom and storage... that was not where we were ment to live.

August: we were just enjoying being married and getting all our financial things in order

Sept: we moved out, sam got a new job that he loves, and I began school again. Now i was full time work, 2 part time jobs and full time school. Sam and I spent a weekend alone in St. Paul and ate at Axel's... amazing time.

Oct: i quit my waitress job and although i miss the money... our marriage benefited! 2 of my residents were hospitilized at one time and brought on the OT... it was tiring and emotionally draining.

Nov: residents both came home, and the preperations for the Holidays began. I spent all Thanksgiving at work with the folks, and loved every min. of it although it would have been nice to spend time with the hubby

Dec: my fav resident passed and it was super hard... i miss him! It was sudden but peacful. we booked a cruise for Feb. I worked all day christmas but was able to bring a resident home with me to celebrate christmas with my family. It was great.

I have learned alot about peace, patience, and trust not only with ppl but GOd... i love my life and am thankful for this journey.
That sums it up!
Nov: Sam turned 22, residents came home

Fast Food and Portions

Random thought of the day...
So many times when I am running errands or running between jobs I stop and get fast food for that one meal I eat a day. Today I went to Burger King (i usually eat healthy but life hasn't warrented that lately) and ordered a wopper jr meal. Small size. I ran home to eat it so i dumped it on a plate. Did you know the fries alone filled the whole plate, not even just sorta filled it, but FILLED it side to side and was piled. I have never thought about how much food was actually in that little brown bag. Now I know, and that is enough to end my value meal days...

Ugly Sweater Party

I had an absolute blast at a ugly sweater christmas party last night! The outfits, compliments of salvation army, were pretty amazing! Ill have to put pictures up. Sam's cousin wore this herendous green and white sequene dress with huge poofy sleeves.
It was the first party Sam and I have acutally been able to attend since we were married. It was great being able to spend time with other couples, married and non married, as well as single friends and not have to worry about sitting to close or whatever.
We played this super fun game that is like pictionary where you start with pieces of white paper equal to the amount of players. each person gets these papers. you start by writing a sentence on the first piece of paper and pass it to the person on your left. They look at the sentence and place it in the back of the pile. They then draw a picture of that sentence and pass it to their left. The next person writes a sentence off of what they see in the pic and you continue. You will always have someone elses and once you get yours back your done. It is gut splitting how much the sentence is changed, mostly by the men's poor drawing, from the original statement.
It was great to get out and away from work and school!!
Well school wrk is calling!

Death

Many of you don't know but I work in a group home providing direct care for 4 of the most amazing people you will ever meet. They are all low functioning and are not verbal, but they have each taught me so much about life. They have become a part of my family, my passion, and my career.
2:45am my phone rang on 12/8. I looked and it was work. Since we have had a quite a few hospitalizations in the past few months i was just thinking it was a call to say that someone was in the hospital and I needed to go there at 6 instead of the house. However, I was incredibly wrong. My favorite resident passed away last night. Trouble (what we will call him for hippa reasons) always knew how to make you smile, wither it was the deep ho ho ho that meant he had done something bad, a chuckle when you dropped something, or him just goofing around with you. I have never had a job that I looked forward to going to, got up at 430AM daily and worked some ungodly hours oct-beg of dec.
When I got the call I didn't know how to handle it, I have been blessed to not have dealt with death first hand at all through out my life. I was always really young when great grandparents and others passed. I felt sick and was not sure if I wanted to go say good bye or just stay home. Being I am not one that likes to cry in front of people I decided I would go comfort people and say good bye.
My 35 min drive seemed like forever and it felt like the car never warmed up, Trouble was supposed to be ok... I thought we where making progres.
This story is long and I have too much going through my head, so im going to try to sleep and ill get the rest out later.
Pray for my coworkers and other residents, this is a SUPER hard time!

A world of Blogs...

I usually use Facebook to blog my thoughts and feelings when it comes up, however, ive had one of these for quite a while and decided to use it.
Life has been crazy in the last 5 months since the wedding. It definitely been a time of praying and seeking to find out what God has planned for us. I feel often ashamed to say it, but we are living in my parents basement. Not because we cant afford to live somewhere else, its just where God lead us to live. We where renting a place in Big Lake and the land lord was a creepo. He would let him self in our place whenever he wanted, one time i was in the shower and home alone. We decided to get out of there... but i have commitment problems when it comes to a house. I can't get myself to buy a house. Being that i am waiting to get into a nursing program and that i'll have to work only part time. i don't want to sink everything we have into one thing, i'd rather wait.
On a different note, I can't wait for this semester to be done!