A Time of Firsts

Everyone has pretty much summed up their Christmas experiences on Facebook with pictures and captions.  I have been pretty ill and am just now feeling well enough to do so.

We spent Christmas Eve at my brother- and sister-in-law's house in Lexington with both my in-laws and my sister-in-law's family, a first for us.  I forgot to take pictures, but we had so much food.  We had ham, turkey, copper penny carrots, broccoli casserole, ham rice, baby limas with ham, deviled eggs, green beans and potatoes, macaroni and cheese, hawaiian sweet rolls, cookies, sweet potato souffle, and probably more things I'm forgetting.  I have no idea where we thought all that food was going, but we could have fed a third world nation... or two.  We figured out that my little niece, Sarah, does not like green beans.  I really regret not getting that facial expression on camera.

After we were all miserably stuffed, Chris and I went to my aunt and uncle's house by the lake for what we expected to be the annual Christmas Eve party.  Turns out, only my uncle was there... eating cereal.  I wish I would have known so we could have brought him a decent dinner.  Turns out, my aunt had a change of job position and would not be home until wee hours of the morning.  I found out some things that have recently happened on that side of the family, and request your prayers for them and their sons, daughter-in-law, and grandbaby.  We stayed and talked with my uncle a while before continuing on to my Auntie's house to pick up a washer and dryer.  Chris did all the dirty work and I played with my little Jaden while he was working.  We finally made it home sometime around midnight and we crashed.

We were supposed to be at my in-law's by 8:30 or 9 on Christmas to start making the traditional breakfast before opening gifts.  We woke up around 9:30.  We ate breakfast just before noon.  We did remember to take our camera and capture some images of opening gifts, so I'll let the pictures tell most of the story... (By the way, if I come up missing my mother-in-law has likely murdered me for one of these pictures- I'm sure you can figure out which one.  It was worth it.)

And now that you've shown enough interest to read and peruse, I will invite you to share in our most exciting first... parenthood.  We are not sure of the exact due date, only sure that sometime in July or August, we will gain a blessing we have come to refer to endearingly as "Bean." 

I didn't realize it fades, but you get the gist.  Now you can see what we're thankful for in 2013 and have an idea of some resolutions for 2014.  Any firsts for you?

About Time...

It's been so long since I've written a blog entry.  Life has been so full.  Not necessarily a bad full.  Just a "life is changing and there are things to be done to accommodate it" full. 

I have successfully finished my fourth semester of nursing school.  One more semester and then NCLEX and I will be Brittany Blankenship, RN.  May 15, 2014, I will walk across the stage and officially be a college graduate.  I wish my Daddy could be there.  I'd be the first generation in my family to do so.  There is so much attached to this journey, and I am thrilled to be still standing.

We are so close to Christmas.  9 days, people.  Finished your shopping?  We have, and I think we will continue to be October shoppers every year.  That has taken a lot of stress off of me, and allowed us to avoid terrible traffic! I am so looking forward to Christmas this year.  We will have Christmas Eve dinner at my brother and sister-in-law's house and Chris and I will head to my aunt's house after for her annual party.  Christmas morning brunch at my in-laws then opening gifts.  The gifts may not be worth much monetarily, but I can't wait to see everyone's expressions when they open them, because we chose each one with such care.  Oh, it's going to be wonderful.

I'll post pictures after everything settles, maybe the day after.

And, giving Christmas its due respect, I look so forward to 2014.  I feel the Lord has so much in store for us.  Life will take turns that it never has before.  I will be employed again in a career that I love.  We will pay down accumulated debts.  We will look to move after then.  Such adventures await us!

What are you looking forward to?  Christmas, New Years, a day sometime next year?  A penny for your thoughts...

Just a look back to last year...

A Deep Breath of Contentment.

It's been a while. 
Not that I have this huge following that tracks my blog attendance, but I would like to be more regular with my posts.
Let me remind you, I am in my next to last semester in nursing school... no other excuse necessary.
This is what I've been brewing lately...

I have been super stressed about school.  I have not been doing well, and all my studying wasn't enough.  I got some great tips, and I put them to good use.  Thanks for those!
Really, though, I have had a deep-seated peace about all the chaos.  I know that I can do this and I know that I will.  I thank the Lord that He is with me and leads me in wisdom.

I did well on the most recent tests I took.  I plan to study and apply the material even more in these last few weeks.  I am encouraged, and it feels great.  I plan to knock out my Well Elder paper/teaching plan and my Patho Paper this weekend.  I will start studying for the Neuro test when I finish those.  I love having plans and the motivation to go with them. :)

I had a hospice rotation today.  I enjoyed it, but I have a tendency to get too attached to people, so I know it likely would not be in the cards for me.  Cardiac is my passion.  I finished my five weeks of psych nursing clinicals yesterday.  I will miss my patients.  It's funny how much they taught me, and how little I expected to gain from it.  I will never lose those memories now.

I've always felt that I don't fit in.  Sure, I have a bazillion acquaintances, and I'm a stranger to none, but there are few I let see my vulnerable moments.  I'm the odd ball out, and I have very few good friends.  Sometimes, I feel so lonely, and other times I'm so exhausted that I feel it's best this way.  Anyway, last Saturday, I felt I connected with people.  Not patients, peers, or instructors.  Friends.  We had dinner with my husband's best friend from childhood and her husband.  I was extremely happy to connect, as we don't often get the chance, and I'm thoroughly pleased to plan further get-togethers with them.

Lastly, I decided to stop saying what I plan to do.  I'm just going to do it.  If it is noticed, fine.  If it isn't, fine.  I've got to do things for me, not for how I think others perceive me.  And that's that.

Just an old pic from Christmas 2010, but I always feel at peace when I see it.  Yes, those are pajamas.

Encouragement, Willpower: Where Art Thou?

This should be short, sweet, and to the point.  You see, I have to get back to working on assignments, and I just needed to breathe.  I received my grade for our fourth Med-Surg test on Immune/HIV/AIDS today.  I failed it.  In fact, I have only passed one out of the four tests thus far this semester.  I'm not looking for pity, by any means.  But I would love some sound advice, if you have any to offer.

I have given up so much to be here.  I KNOW this is my purpose.  I only miss it by a few points each time.  Passing is an 80 or above.  Seems like 77 is my number lately.  I have to figure out a different way to study or a different set-point for my brain.  I am highly distractible, especially in class.  I try really hard to focus.  We have rearranged our family schedule to accommodate my study needs.  I have never been one to use flash cards, and I even used those for materials in charts this past test.  I have tried the SQ3R method, as suggested by another classmate.  It has to be modified because there literally does not exist an amount of time sufficient to complete that method of study for our required materials.  There has to be something that works better for me.  I'm not an auditory learner, by any means.

I have this peace that only comes from knowing that my Savior is in control.  I just want to bring Him glory throughout this journey.

Thanks in advance for advice, prayer, tough love, or whatever you have to offer.

No Mold Used in my Making!

I know many times we have heard the quote by Theodore Roosevelt, "Comparison is the thief of joy."  I believe I have even mentioned it in my blog.  For some reason, it is being made very real to me right now.

I went to an AA meeting yesterday as part of a mental health nursing assignment, and the topic discussed was inferiority, and how it may have contributed to the problem.  I haven't been able to stop this thought process.

"Inferiority: the belief that oneself is lower in status or quality than another."  Who holds this belief?  The one feeling inferior.  This is a belief that one affixes to him or herself and defines the way he or she participates, reacts, or interacts in daily life.  I even let this be the determining factor of relationships and standards in my own life for many years. 

I realized yesterday while listening to these people that everyone has an avenue that they run to when they feel overwhelmed, inferior, or even invisible.  Alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, meth, and heroine are only the few that everyone recognizes and fears.  What about the other avenues?  Food, anorexia, compulsive exercise, sex, shopping, cleaning, giving out of duty, etc.  There are many others.  We look to all these things to improve how we feel, how others view us, and how we view ourselves.  But the "high" only lasts so long, and we are right back where we started, often with more guilt than before.  As it was said, these addictions are only symptoms of a disease.

So what changed for me?

I had the revelation of who I am in Christ.  The phrase "in Christ" or "in Him" is mentioned 133 or 134 times in the New Testament.  I plan to go back through these verses every so often to remind myself of God's love for me, and what he cared to do based on this love.  When a person really perceives or grasps what they have in Christ and lives based on that reality, there is no inferiority.  We have been made joint heirs with Christ. Read John 3:16 over.  Don't recite it.  Get the word in front of you and read it to yourself, out loud, etc.  until it really sinks in.  Read the 17th verse, too. 

There is no guilt or condemnation in Christ.  There is no comparison, no pointing of fingers, no whispers of judgment.  There is love, and there is an inheritance so vast we cannot fathom. 



Every day is not easy, but Jesus told us that we must labor to enter into His rest.  His burden is easy and His yoke is light.  What is this labor we must do?  We must labor to break out of the mindset we carry.  We must come to the point where our trust is in Him, and we are "fully involved."

When we can enter into His rest, we are made aware of His presence with us.  We can be more alert to His promptings.  We can rest assured He cares.

When we know Him and trust Him, we can stop comparing ourselves to the ideal.  Not everyone is going to have the same features, and that is the beauty of humanity.  The differences between us make us appreciate them more.  Whether in appearance, personality, likes, or dislikes, we should revel in that we are not a cookie cutter creation. 



Appreciate you.  Appreciate the way you look, laugh, talk, walk, etc.  Appreciate your purpose in life if you know, or the search for it if you're not sure yet.  Don't look to others to define you.  Be who you are and enjoy it.  You are special, and you have a special purpose that only you can accomplish.  No one else will be able to fulfill your purpose exactly the way you will.

Don't try to hide who you are when your perception of a "flaw" could be the asset needed for success.

Nostalgia. Procrastination. Peace.

Those three words sum up this moment.  I was supposed to be studying while my husband is at church helping clean up the grounds for our Old-Fashioned Homecoming tomorrow.  My plans have been thwarted.  I began by starting a pot of coffee and paying bills online, and ended up cleaning a huge mess when I heard something that sounded like  water dripping.  I went over to the kitchen, and lo and behold, there was coffee everywhere! It covered the bar and had formed small coffee-falls over each side onto both carpet and linoleum below.  After a mini heart attack and some towels, I finally sat down to finish paying bills, and now I'm writing a blog.  It's quite humorous how I think I can stay on task.

I moseyed over to check facebook, and saw pictures of people I haven't seen in what seems like ages now.  It made me want to return to those times, since I've been surrounded by so much stress lately.  And with our church's Old-Fashioned theme for homecoming, I again contemplated why we long to return to another time.  Why is the idea so appealing?  And then it hit me: we long for a simpler, less complex existence.  We forget that those times had problems of their own, and the technology we complain so much about now has solved some of those problems while creating a few others.  In a nutshell, no one is content with any circumstance in any era unless they know the One who placed them there.  The one factor that has remained the same throughout time is our need for our Savior.  Everything else may change, but Jesus Christ is the same- yesterday, today, and forever!  (This reminds me some of our bible study last night (the first of many!) that went so well.)

So, while I drink this hard-earned coffee and think about studying :) I will be grateful for the peace I have in the midst of the chaos.  I may falter, but the Word of God is there to help me up and back on my way.  He shall be a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.  Let the Lord light your way today too.  Don't stumble when He's so willing to guide you.

Fuel for My Spirit

I just failed my liver/pancreas/gallbladder test.  I failed myself by not studying more.  I only used the weekend, and should have studied each night of the week, too.  I know this.  I can only blame myself.  I count it as a lesson learned, adjust my priorities, and study smarter for next time. 

While I had a freak-out "oh Lord I'm going to fail and let my entire family down and have to start all over and how will I pay for this and can I even do it again" moment, I quickly reined in those thoughts and cut to the heart of the issue.  I'm exhausted.  Mentally and physically, yes.  Emotionally, yes.  But most of all and most importantly, I'm spiritually exhausted.  I've been feeding my body and cramming material into my mind, but I've mostly neglected my spirit.  My spiritual starvation is affecting my mood, my interactions with others, my level of stress, and my lack of self-discipline stems from it.

So, I talked to our preacher yesterday, and I will start a weekly bible study next Friday night at the church.  (By the way, I plan on using What the Bible is all About: Bible Handbook KJV by Dr. Henrietta C. Mears to guide the study.  Chris and I picked up this gem at the Billy Graham Library when we were in Charlotte.)  I will study up for each lesson every morning.  This will not only prepare me for the weekly lesson, but prepare me for each day.  I always have a better sense of self-discipline when I have my walk on track with the Lord.  My time management skills will need improvement, but my time is sufficient when I start it out the right way.  It's almost like tithing my time.  I never fail to have "increase" of time when I "tithe" a portion of my day with the Lord.

So my tentative weekly agenda looks like this right now:

And if you don't see anything marked for times after class Mon-Wed, those are flex study times.  I can't say what specific hours, as it depends on what happens or needs to be done that day.  Just know if I'm not running errands or cooking/laundry, I'm going to be studying.  This semester will not be the end of me.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! I can and I will.

A Lot Can Happen in 10 Days

So, it's been 10 days since I last posted.  I didn't mean to go that long, but life will continue on, regardless of our plans. 

I have attended classes and clinicals, and received some unexpected blessings along the way.  We are currently studying the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas.  My brain wants no part in this.  But I will get it.  I loooooove clinicals.  After the spring semester, I never thought I'd be able to say that, but God has blessed me with an instructor I can learn from without the fear of every moment being tainted by someone waiting to catch me doing something wrong.  I love my group, too.  We have an awesome dynamic, and I will be sad to start psych clinicals in two weeks.  Five weeks of this semester is already gone; how crazy.  It's unsettling how much I have to do in so little time.

Tomorrow, I have my ED rotation.  I'm nervous, but I'm excited to see if it's something I will enjoy.

For tonight, we have just eaten dinner.  Ordinarily, that wouldn't be a spectacular accomplishment.  Only tonight, it was served on our new-to-us dining table that we were blessed with.  A classmate of mine heard of our need for a bed, and connected us with her dad, who had a bed he was going to toss out.  We gratefully went to pick up the bed, and left with a mattress cover, bedding set, a toaster oven, and a dining set.  I am so thrilled!  It amazes me that God not only provides our needs, but our wants too! 

Back to Reality!

Okay, sorry it has been so long since I have posted anything.  The hubster and I just returned from our mini-vacay in Charlotte.  We went for the Skillet/Papa Roach/Shinedown concert, and also worked in a visit to the Billy Graham Library and a Revolutionary War reenactment.  Well, we didn't stay for the reenactment, but we toured the Latta Plantation and got some great pictures.  I'll try to post some of those pics in the next few days.

I felt like we were on our honeymoon all over again.  We walked all over the place, chased the wind where we wanted to go, and even had our own little tailgating party in our hotel room.  (So proud of my CLEMSON TIGERS, by the way!)  But my favorite part... the bed.  Our poor bodies relished the comfort of the bed in our hotel room and loathed the trip home lol.  In fact, I think Chris is over there adding mattress sets to his hopes and dreams list as I type this.

The long and short of it.... We were able to forget our adult responsibilities for a couple of days and act like kids.  We were refreshed.  And now we're home.  It pushes me to buckle down in my studies.  Our next opportunity for a getaway is after I graduate. 

But... my birthday is Saturday.  That means Christmas movies, chicken wings, and smores.  Yes, that is my request.  And I think I'm done for the night.

My body and brain are tired, and I have real life to return to in the morning.  Good night!

First Fall Clinical

Scared to death. "Can I pretend I slept through the alarms?" No, self, you're stronger than that.

OMG, I'm going to toss my cookies.  "Calm down. It will be fine." *Runs to bathroom.*

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Repeat to self 47 times.

And this was at 5 AM, before I started getting ready.  I managed to iron my uniform, grab a water and all my clinical supplies, and head out the door.  I arrived on the unit, and ran to the bathroom right after I put my bag down.  (The limbic system is responsible for stress related GI issues.  Mine has a very active sense of responsibility.)

After getting that handled, I went to look up med administration times and order changes for my patient, nervous that he would have been discharged by the time I arrived this morning. (If any of you know me, it's a running joke that I can't keep a patient.  I have not once ever had a patient for the entire duration of shift.)  I received report, gave report to my instructor, and went to my patient's room, cringing the entire time it took me to open the door to the room.

I went in, introduced myself, and started the assessment... and I realized, I was fine.  My fear had melted away, and I was confident.  I can and I will do this.  And I did.  I completed the assessment, charted vitals, gave meds (and on time, I might add), gave a bath, and so many other things!  And I didn't feel stupid or incompetent.  The primary nurse was great, and allowed me autonomy, but she was there if I needed her.  My instructor was awesome, and peeked in occasionally.  I stayed busy the entire morning, and I gave my patient the best care I possibly could.  This nurse thing is me. 

Our group went to lunch, and when we returned, my patient had orders to be discharged.  Of course. :)

But... it made me so happy because I got to d/c my first (real) IV! 

And at the end of the day, my primary nurse and my patient thanked me and told me I provided excellent care.  Excellent!


Because real nurses skip around with med trays. :)

When Did it Become Popular to Lie?

I never got caught up in the now pervasive culture of lying when I was a teen.  It's everywhere, and most people don't even realize it anymore.  Youth are talking about how "real" or "fake" their peers are, and most have totally different personas around their friends than they do family.  When did it become okay to allow children to have split personalities, and even encourage this behavior?  ("Oh, isn't that cute?", "It's just a phase...", "Relax, it's a trend.", etc.)You may wonder why this is even a concern of mine when I don't even have children yet.  I'll tell you why.

I will have children.  And those children, like others, grow into adults.  Those adults practice what they always have.  And if their background is one of deceit, they will carry the principle into all areas of life.  Even if they remained true to self, they may have been targeted by others, and have trust issues as a result.  You may not understand what I'm talking about, but I'll clarify in a minute.

Teens, and even younger children, are being subjected to a materialistic culture where values have been abandoned in favor of appearances.  If you're not using the latest terminology or wearing the newest fashions, you're not accepted by the self-appointed elite of the high school (or even middle school) community.  Where do adolescents pick up these 'values'?  Media.  Possibly even parents.  Why is it detrimental?  Because we are teaching our children, either actively or passively (by not addressing the issue), that they must reinvent themselves at the drop of a hat to be accepted.  Biblically, we know that the Lord looks upon the heart, not the external appearances or the particular phrasing used in prayer (1 Sam 16:7, Matt. 6:7).  Society has separated biblical values so far from the media that the youth are being inundated with trash instead of truth.

When the youth grow into adulthood, it is the parents' responsibility to have lain a foundation for them to build upon (Prov. 22:6).  Unless they know that the focus should be on their character, they will be afraid to be who they really are. Think about it.  We have taboo topics about faith, love, and compassion.  American culture has us brainwashed into believing that we must be politically correct to avoid offense, but Christianity can be undermined with no problem.  Love has been reduced to casual sex and cohabiting "to get to know the person," and compassion comes off as "being soft."  People now specify who is "keeping it 100%" as if it is expected for everyone else to be liars.  Satan has duped the majority of Americans into isolating themselves from the true joy of Jesus Christ.  We are collectively motivated by fear or selfishness (and if you think not, think of how often you wonder if this or that would be offensive or how things have certainly changed since you were X age). 

I have a passion for the youth.  It burns fervently, and I am determined to wake them up from the fog of lies that the adversary is perpetuating without resistance.  There are consequences for every action, and Jesus Christ has paid those consequences for us, if we will only have faith to trust in Him!   Through the freedom of Christ, we are not bound through false "liberties." (Think: freedom of religion, freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, and I could go on and on...)  Our freedoms through Christ are not governed and are irrevocable.  We have the freedom of eternal life, the right of perfect health, the privilege of prosperity, and the joy of a relationship with our Savior and Creator (Gal. 5:1)!

Faith, according to Hebrews 11:1, is not seen.  The Bible says the just shall live by faith (Hebrews 10:38, Habakkuk 2:4).  Fear is the opposite of faith.  A good acronym for fear is False Evidence Appearing Real.  It is believing those circumstances rather than the word of God. Think of how many times the bible tells us to "Fear not." Faith is the title deed to what we believe.  We can't see it, but it is what we live by.  Without faith, we cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6).  Why is faith so important?

Faith is how we receive salvation.  When we are saved, it is a great gift of grace.  We literally live by faith in the grace of God.  From then forward, when God looks at us, He sees only the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ covering our sins.  We are no longer filthy and dead (2 Cor 5:21).  We are not of this world.  We have purpose.  And purpose is what our culture lacks.  It is what the adversary fears.  Satan knows that if Christians unite in purpose, he can never succeed (Eph. 4).  Truth scares him, and when truth goes forth in the name of Jesus Christ, it is a weapon to be feared (Heb. 4:12).

Who will join me in spreading the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?  I refuse to stand and let society's influence and focus on appearances overwhelm and deny the youth their inheritance of liberty, health, wealth, and, most importantly, an eternal relationship with the Lord God.

The Start of a New Semester

     As I promised, my posting is sporadic.  The only way I am able to post right now is because I have the day "off", which simply means I am doing coursework at home rather than on campus.  Thus far, I have had one day of orientation and introduction to Psych Nursing, and one day of Clinical Experience.  The Clinical Experience day is always fun.  We went over central lines and care, blood administration, basic mental status exams and interviewing, PCA pumps, and had two simulated experiences.
     I love actual patient care, but the simulated experiences always get me because it is not a real patient and we have to pretend about certain things.  A pole with a box on which is taped a piece of paper does not symbolize IV pump to me, so I had difficulties.  My funny for the day?  Me yelling to the Sim operator (a nurse from the ED at trmc) "You better get out here or "Mr. B" is going to die if you leave it up to me!"  I just do better if it's real; you'd think a simulated experience would help, and while I do learn from them, it's always because I look like an idiot and don't want to repeat that embarrassment.

Through the hectic day, I realized that I was calm and fully enjoying the day.  Usually, I am anxious about failure or not being able to remember the information.  Today, I just felt like the Lord was with me the whole way.  It brings this verse to mind:
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."-Ephesians 2:10
I felt this way the first day of class, too, and it dawned on me that I am sincerely looking forward to the next two semesters without apprehension.  I am nervous, yes, but not crippled by anxiety.  I am 'more than a conqueror' in Christ Jesus!  My main goal is to complete my assignments and studying in a timely fashion  and leave procrastination in the dust.

I also have a second goal.  I want to be at my goal weight by the first of March.  I want to be a toned 165 lbs.  I was at 150lbs. before, but I did not feel healthy and I had bruising from my bones rubbing my skin at night.  That was an unhealthy weight for my 5'9" frame, and I felt my best at 165lbs.  This time, I am incorporating more exercise into my routine, and I have decided to keep a food diary, starting today.  I have gained around 60 lbs. since I started dating my now husband, and my self-control with food has gone to pot.  I want to diary it to find out why I'm eating so much and at times when I'm not hungry.  If I am going to honor the Lord in my studies and future career, I must do so in my body to be able to carry out the ministry He placed within me.

I'll probably update my progress every ten pounds.  Don't hold me to that, as I may forget LOL.  But it feels good to know I am taking a stand (again) for my health and future.  As of right now, I can say this is the best shape I have been in (mentally and emotionally) in a long time, and it's only 'fitting' :) to bring the rest of me into line.  After all, what good does a new engine do in a vehicle if the transmission is shot? The same with us.  My spirit is me; it is my battery that powers my life.  My soul, or thoughts, will, and emotions, is my alternator, plugs, and wires.  (Other parts are working in harmony, too, but I don't have great metaphors for those right now. Maybe that can be hubby's project, lol.)  But, with those in perfect working order, they are of no use to me if my transmission (body) won' let me go into the gear I need at the time.  And the Word of God does the maintenance.  It is my trusty mechanic that fixes those things that are broken, tunes me up when I need it, and fills my fluids so I can keep going.  Why would I neglect it?

After that long tangent, I must get to work.  I have four assignments to complete today in order to free my weekend up for family and meal prep for next week.  In parting, I encourage you to leave anything that's too big for you in God's hands.  He is bigger than any problem you could have, and His grace is sufficient for you.  Remember, His strength is made perfect in your weakness.  You are not a failure; you are only being refined in the fire. 

Photo by Teresa Blanton

Tomorrow is the last day of my freedom, also known as summer break.  I'm trying to look forward to what the Lord has in store for me without dwelling on the work and sacrifices it will require.  Two more semesters and I'm ready for NCLEX.  I'm seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.

I've been selfish during this break because every time we plan a day trip or weekend with the whole family, plans fall through.  My 18 day respite has been mostly cleaning and sweating, and I haven't felt like I've really had the opportunity to take advantage of the break.  I see pictures of everyone's beach trips or even lake days on facebook, and I have to quell the surge of jealousy.  I remind myself that I am blessed with paid bills, paid taxes, paid tuition, and a family I love.  And a quote comes to mind....

           "Comparison is the thief of joy."-Theodore Roosevelt

I will enjoy my last day with my family tomorrow and be happy for it.  There's also the fact that I just booked our stay in Charlotte for our mini-vacay the end of this month. We're going to see Skillet/Papa Roach/Shinedown and relax in the hotel paid with points we get from using our credit card.  Prepaid getaways planned over time are great.  Oh, and I'm happy because I just got my free Zaxby's meal deal card in the mail. Woot! (If you haven't signed up for all the birthday clubs, you really should look into it. It saves a ton of money around your birthday and there are random surprises year round, too.)

As for tonight, I'm about to hit the hay and thank the Lord for these blessings....  And leave tomorrow's troubles alone.

Gordon Ramsay knows nothing of Kitchen Nightmares...

Okay, I'm on the last couple of days of break until the Fall Semester starts.  So, what do I do with my time?  I wreak havoc on my house.  My mobile home that has seen better years.  I moved in almost two years ago, but my husband lived here with his brother for almost 6 years before me.  His brother bought it used, and he moved out about 8 months ago with his wife.  Since then, Chris and I have tried our best to make a home of it.  That means everything from deep (and I mean deeeeeeeeeeep) cleaning to ripping up rotten flooring to cleaning wildlife out of forgotten crevices.  Ever seen two bachelors living carefree in an already forlorn trailer?  It ain't pretty.

Well, my biological clock is ticking and I'm hoping babies are in the near (~2 years) future.  Hubster and I are thinking of obtaining property and building our dream home while living in our current Casa de Amor.  Know what that means?  Babies will be brought into aforementioned casa.  There is significant water damage that I haven't even mustered the courage to face in the kitchen.  I can only use about half the total cabinets because of this issue.  So, I figure it's best to rip it out, right?  It can't be that bad, right?  I mean, I'm talking about the lower 2 (of 3) drawers and two shelved cabinets under the corner sink, along with the neighboring dishwasher currently housing microbial life and (ironically) cleaning supplies inside.  Just tear out the rotted shelves and drawers, and remove the nasty doors, I'm thinking.  Until we can afford new cabinets, I can use a sheet of plywood to fashion makeshift shelving after I clean up the mess and strip the dirty linoleum.  So I set out with this plan.

I gather some trusty tools to do the job... Phillips screwdriver, pliers, claw hammer, handsaw, gloves, etc.  You never know.  The bottom drawer has been caved under the other two and unused for Jesus only knows how long.  (This is shameful, and I'm questioning the sanity of the unveiling here.)  I gather my courage, and commence hammering the tracking out of the way to fish the drawer out of its hole.  Step 1 complete.  Feeling confident, I proceed to Step 2.  I remove the strip of pressboard supporting the middle drawer, careful not to disturb the support for the top (and sole functioning) drawer.  Done!  I remove the drawers, still full of old utensils from years gone by, and look beneath them.  Pretty shadowy, and really grimy, but I continue to the adjacent cabinet doors.

Alas, some gremlin has triumphed over my plan through screws with a square head.  This is not something I came prepared to tackle.  Eh, I'll ask Chris when he gets home.  In the meantime, I can at least remove the rotted and saggy pressboard shelving, eh?  WHO PUTS CABINETS IN USING VINYL STRIPPING AS SUPPORTS???  I'm talking like the old timey stuff that dry rots and crumbles.  Except this stuff is on steroids and is screwed into the cabinet boxes themselves with the pressboard wedged in the slot usually meant to house glass refrigerator shelves or something of like nature.  So, now my nice, neat plan is as not neat as the cruddy kitchen of my frustration.  Let me top it off.  Determined to not get frustrated, I decided to at least clear out all the old crud that had fallen from the drawers and shelves to the floor underneath over the years, and what is my reward?  A mouse.  Deceased and disgusting.  The way it looks, he may have perished from the shock of what he saw down there.

So, a recap of my day:
   Going to get so much done!  Let me get my tools!
     Yes! Little bit done, let me do this...
          Well, maybe this...
         Fine, I can at least do this...
           You can have it.  I shall drown my sorrows in Excedrin and blogging.



And I'll remember....

There's a First for Everything...

Point. Blank. Mystery. is a tribute to my view of life.  Blank is a tribute to my name, but I view each day as a new opportunity and what it brings is a mystery to me.  I've learned to place my cares in Jesus's hands and trust Him.  I'm just a simple country woman pursuing my Savior with my husband on our journey through this life.  I'm two semesters from my dream of becoming an RN and I'm trying to lose weight that I've gained over the past two years before starting our family.  Nothing about my life is so significant, but it's everything I've always wanted, and I consider myself blessed. 

I've wanted to try my hand at blogging for quite some time now, and I would love input from others along with accountability.  I may not blog everyday as I keep a hectic schedule, but I plan to make this a regular part of my week.  I may share an account of the day, recipes, workout tips or blunders of my own, bits of humor, nursing school woes or triumphs, and maybe even pieces of my walk with Christ.

I'd love to take this walk with you, one blog at a time. :)