Hello There.

I have not posted since November!! That's crazy.  And I don't regulary check out blogs like I used to anymore.  Just haven't felt like it really.  But I thought I'd post a quickie.

Not much has happened.  Had some negativity in my life for a bit and didn't realize how much it was affecting my heart, soul, and happiness.  I cannot tell you how grateful I am for life, the gospel, and who I am, especially this last year.  But this negative thing just took it away piece by piece without me even realizing it until I was not myself anymore.  So I had to pull myself away and it's been hard at times, but I know in the end it's for the best.  I then went to Italy, which was amazing! Being there and experiencing something beautiful put things in perspective for me.  Beautiful buildings, history, food, people.  It was so wonderful! I can't wait go back!   

Oh, I caught the travel bug so I just booked another trip to Hawaii in July! Not too shabby.  Why not live while you're alive and nothing is holding you back?? Why keep waiting for life to happen when you can make life actually happen??

Hope anyone that reads this is doing well! :) Sorry for missing some good reads lately!

Like Whoa.

It's been awhile since I've posted anything.  Not much to tell.  I'm just extremely happy with my life.  I've set some new goals and love where I'm at and where I'm going.  I want to always be going and that's what is making me happy. 

My job is still great and have had some really "interesting" and scary experiences there.
My new place I'm living in is still amazing and always gets better with the wonderful people I live with.
I'm taking more control of my health and feel happier for it.

I don't know how else to explain anything.  I love being so blessed and so happy.  I'm learning to have an attitude of gratitude and that really helps me fulfil everything else.

Hope everyone else is doing well!! 

Moving Day.

Yup, today is the day! I've moving out.  My family is probably super excited about this one!

I've been thinking about moving to my own place lately (it's about time I grew up, right??) and I've been apartment hunting for the last couple of weeks.  It's been so fun dreaming of my own place, but renting just a one bedroom is so expensive! Geez.  I could almost buy a house for the amount of rent I'd be paying.  But I'm not ready for the expenses of my own house quite yet either. 

Luckily, I found a house to rent instead that is beautiful and has a backyard! Love backyards.  At first I wasn't thrilled with the idea of having roommates, but after seeing the house, talking to my future roommates, and knowing I wouldn't be breaking the bank, I felt a lot better about it than renting an apartment.  It all just seemed to work out and this is what I need to be doing for right now.  


It may not be my own dream house, but it's close to it.  I'll post pictures after we're all moved in.

Ok, I'll post one picture.. the kitchen is AMAZING!!! Pretty much the reason I wanted to live there.  I will be attempting my cooking skills in this place... keyword: attempting.  I may just end up eating a lot of cereal instead.

 

Latest Happenings

I can't sleep right now so I decided I'd blog something instead.

What I've been up to...

I had FIVE whole days off from work so I went to Utah in my brand new car to celebrate! Loved that I could drive a car that I wasn't afraid would break down on me.  It was a wonderful trip and I'm so happy that I got to go home.  Made me miss it.  Especially the trees. 



  Visiting my brother's 1908, ghetto house.



Visiting my gorgeous friend Andrea and eating at The Oaks in Ogden Canyon. The food is so good and the view was was perfect! We ate by the river!! How have I not been here??



The waterfall in Ogden Canyon. I can't believe I never noticed this before!



You'd think I'd never seen green before and technically I really haven't in about 5 years. Vegas has ruined my idea of green apparently.



We went to the Capitol to watch a movie in the park.



It was surprisingly cold that night too! Or maybe I'm too accustomed to Vegas weather now.      



                  

The beautiful Salt Lake City Temple!!



I also went to Lagoon but decided to not take any pictures for some reason even though I had my camera with me.  The rollarcoasters were just too much fun and I was eating too much cotton candy to even think about it.  

I haven't really been up to much else besides work and work is still going well.  Feeling like things are starting to make sense compared to when I first started.

Also, my best friend Leah got married! That was wonderful to experience and be a part of even though there was so much behind-the-scenes drama.  What wedding doesn't have drama though?? It still turned out perfectly and I couldn't be happier for them!

 (All I know is, I will hire someone else to do everything if I ever get married.  Geez).

Also started doing Bikram Yoga.  Torturously amazing I tell you! But being off for 2 weeks for the wedding and this vacation did not help one bit.  So it feels like day 1 again.

And that's the latest for now.  Happy Summer Time! 

Baby Blue

Dream job... check!

Dream car... check, check!!

Yes it's come true.  I got my dream car and even better than I could have imagined! I feel so blessed.  I wasn't even planning on buying a car and it just happened.  I guess that's how great things in our life happen sometimes, right? Unplanned.

Introducing: My 2007 Toyota Camry LE:

(I just want to stare at it all day!)

Next... dream vacation!

Instead of Paris, I'll be going to Italy.  This makes me happier because I have more of an interest in Italy than Paris.  Plus, I cannot wait to eat real Italian food!!!

Then, the ultimate dream... my dream house! 

But that's waaaay down the road.

So until then I'm going to enjoy this.



And I apologize for how jumpy this post may seem.  I'm just a little happy today :)

My Favorite Things...

1.  I get to enjoy my weekend off (5 day weekend to be exact!!) and go to some baseball games.  That makes my heart melt.

2.  I haven't cared much about the royal wedding but I woke up this morning and decided to watch some re-runs/clips and now I'm a believer.  Her dress was magical, elegant, and perfect. 

3.  I'm going to be taking my first trip ever on my own! It'll be next year and I'll be going to London and Paris with one of those tour groups with a good friend of mine.  After finishing school and getting the dream job, I kept wondering, what now?? I'm satisfied with my career, my friends are all moving on, what do I do now?? For the last 3 or 4 years, it was always "finish school, just finish school, get a job." I didn't think much of what to do after I was done because the end didn't seem in sight at the time.  And now that I've done that I've felt lost so tt's nice to have something to look forward to.  Plus, what's the point of working if you're not going to live?? We work to live, not live to work (that's how I'm justifying all this!)

4.  My dream car.  I know exactly what I want, but can't pick out a color yet.  Plus, I'm working on getting a few things taken care of before I commit to that big of a purchase.  So I guess I have another thing I'm looking forward to.

5.  My hair.
hahaha! Ok that sounds lame, but I can't think of anything else and since I just put my hair up in one try, which never happens, that makes me like life.

Happy Weekend!    

My ABC's

I've been seeing this little game lately and thought I'd give it a try.  Why else? Because I'm bored and I realize I haven't updated this blog for awhile...

Age: 26

Bed size: Queen

Chore you hate: Cleaning the bathroom.  I will avoid it at all costs or bribe other people to do it.

Dogs: We used to have a pug named Maggie and now we have this other dog named Lucy.  I have no idea what breed she is, but she's so cute! 

Essential start of your day: ESPN.

Favorite color: Pink. 

Gold or silver: Silver. 

Height: 5'6".

Instruments I play (or have played): I played the sax in 6th grade for like a couple months. 

Job title: Registered Nurse. 

Kids: Just my dog. 

Live: Las Vegas, NV. 

Mom's name: Lorie

Nickname: Meg(s), Woody

Overnight hospital stays: None.. knock on wood. 

Pet peeve: When people are late when they said they would be there at a certain time!!!

Quote from a movie: "There's no crying in baseball!"

-League of their Own

Right or left handed: I write with my left hand and do pretty much everything else with my right hand. 

Siblings: I'm the oldest of four.

Time you wake up: Depends on the day. If I work, 5:15ish; if I don't work, around 8 or 9.  And if I had a really bad day the day before at work... never! 

Underwear: Do you mean right now? 

Vegetables you dislike: Most of them.. too many to name.

What makes you run late: I'm rarely late.. I'm actually always early because I hate being late.  I live by the quote.. "Better to be 3 hours too soon than one minute too late." -Shakespeare.  You never know what opportunity you could be missing... :)  

X-rays you've had done: Teeth. 

Yummy food you make: Nothing! Probably why I'll never get married :P 

Zoo animal: Tigers. 

I know I'm boring, but whatever, if you've made it to this last sentence then you are just as boring as I am!! bahahahaha!!! jk :)

Starting Over.

My job is fantastic! I've been in training the last 6 weeks and now I'll be on my own starting Sunday... yikes! Wish me luck.  Handling six patients has been good and I'm surprised I'm handling it, but I don't know how it'll be without someone there with me all the time. 

But that's not what I want to talk about.  I decided it's a good time to start over and I'm referring to my wardrobe.  I kid you not, I have not been clothes shopping since starting nursing school!! I never had time, money, and I didn't really care about it because it sucks to shop when you don't have money coming in.  Of course, I may have bought an occassional few items here and there in the past, but looking at my clothes now you'd never know it because they're falling apart or stained or both (I really am not a great caretaker of clothes apparently).  Now I've decided to slowly replace old clothes with new ones!

Also, all I have bought with any extra spending money I have is scrubs.  That's great and all, but I don't live in the hospital.  So I decided since I never shop just for myself, I can justify in going... and I'm loving it.

I'm so in love...

With my life that is.

My job is amazing and perfect for me.  I've never been happier and I'm glad it worked out the way it did because I thought what I wanted was what was better for me.  And it turns out the thing I wanted probably wouldn't have been as great as I thought.  The change I was given has been even better than I can imagine.

I still can't believe how much the Lord's hand has played in my life and how He's given me so much when I haven't deserved it at all.  Especially because it took me so long to see it and it took me so long to stop being a selfish brat about it.  I'm so grateful and I hope to remember these happy moments for when hard times come.  I honestly haven't felt this truly happy ever in my life.  I didn't know such happiness and joy existed! I didn't know I would ever be allowed such joy in this life.  Is that crazy or what??

This quote is for future reference and I just love it:
“If we approach adversities wisely, our hardest times can be times of greatest growth, which in turn can lead toward times of greatest happiness.” -Elder Wirthlin

One Resolution.

Happy New Year!!!

I love feeling like you can start over during this time of year.  Granted, that can be anytime of the year, but why not do it right after the holidays when all the sweets are gone?? ha ha ha!

So far I've been keeping up with my project (since October) and that's kind of exciting to me because I usually get bored at this point and I haven't yet.  So, yay! And since it's the new year I thought I'd share it again as something I'll be working on for this coming year. 

Sooo... if you want to check it out, then click HERE.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Work Update.

I feel a lot better about all of it.  I'm actually really, really happy!

I've been on the floor the past couple of days and it's been great! Still don't know what I'm doing half of the time, but luckily everyone has been really helpful and nice.  I like knowing there's so much to do in this field even though I'm not independent yet.  But I'm in no rush for that! ha ha ha! Just like taking the baby steps for now.

I am so happy and relieved to have this job.  I can't stop feeling so good inside!! I've never had that happen to me before.

BUT... (now this is my negative side talking) I'm just worried because you know the saying, "What goes up, must come down."

Hmmm.... just hoping I can handle it all when that happens because the way I've been feeling lately, that "down" is going to be really hard.

So... new goal for the new year:

Face every challenge head on and with a better attitude than before. 

Ok go!

Yikes!

I'm so nervous and I haven't even started yet.  Plus, I'm worried about a few things not working out so my dream job feels like it could be taken away at any moment.  PLUS, with all the talk about the program and expectations I keep feeling even more inadequate so I keep worrying that it will be taken away.  Are they sure my name was the one they picked??

I haven't even started yet and I'm already feeling this way.  Can't imagine what I'll feel like if they let me on the floor!  

Well....

Yes, yes it's true... I GOT THE JOB!!!!

Somehow everything worked out perfectly and so far still is.  Looking back at everything, especially the last four years, I can finally see how it worked out... everytime.  Sadly I couldn't see it during that time with all the tears, fears, struggles, selfishness, anguish, pity, stress (ok, ok you get the picture).  But it's time to learn from that, leave it behind, and move on so I can embrace the present and future.  I'm so grateful for this opportunity and still don't feel like I deserve it.  But I'm going to do my best with it and earn it :)  

So the job is a new graduate program at a hospital that I worked at during my last semester of school.  I really, really liked working there and have been wanting to start my career there (yes, I said career.. how cool is that?!). I've been in contact with people there since I graduated and have been just waiting it out until an opportunity like this came.  It's hard for new graduates to get a job without experience because it cost a lot more money to train a new graduate then it does someone with experience.  This is the first time this hospital or any hospital in Nevada has ever done a new graduate program.  It's so new to the hospital that I'm not sure exactly what will be going on, but this is what I understand of it so far...

It's a one year residency which means a guaranteed job for a year!! Yay! For the first five weeks we'll be rotating on all the different units and afterwards we'll pick/be assigned a unit.  We'll then have a preceptorship for 6-8 weeks on that unit.  But that's as much as I know so far.  I'm sure there will be classes and such in between and throughout.  But the point is, they'll be designing this program for us!!

I'm extremely nervous and yet I have never been so at peace and felt so happy about my life now and the future. 

Thank you to an understanding, patient, loving Heavenly Father for still believing in me even though I don't deserve it.  And thank you for wonderful family and friends for the love, support, and prayers!!!

I finally made it!!! 

Interview.

Finally had my first nursing interview today.  Couldn't sleep and I was eating anything in sight because I was so stressed about it.  I've been on plenty of interviews before, but this was my first grown-up interview so it's kind of a big deal.

We had two interviews in one day with two different panels.  I felt so average, inadequate and unoriginal, but who doesn't feel that way during an imporant interview when you have no experience?! Moving on...

It's hard to say how they're going to determine who gets in with so many good applicants... so this weekend is going to be pretty nerve racking.  But at least I can say I've been on one nursing interview since graduating (and I secretly hope it will be my last) so whatever happens will be for the best.... right?!

Ok, I'll find out next week if I made the cut and if I did I'll expound more on it.  If not, well... whoever reads this will get to hear me complain some more :D Lucky you! 

Photo Shoot!!

I'm not a photographer by any means, but my dear friend Ferlayna asked me (of all people!) to take some shots of her and we had a little fun. Plus, I think she's gorgeous and wanted to show her off!!

I took so many photos and had a hard time choosing some, but here are a few of my favorites...

(This last one is the one she chose to hang on her wall... I feel like a proud mama!!)



Better.

I realized how negative my last post was and I just wanted to update.  Feeling much better and finding things in my life that are better than I could hope for.  It's just taking me a little effort and a lot of prayer.  

The end.

Just a Thought

"I feel like I'm exisiting instead of living."

Found that on a postsecret card and just realized that's how I've been feeling lately too.  The problem is trying to get away from that feeling, but not knowing exactly how to either.  So discouraging and frustrating when you want to live, but others (including yourself) keep making you exist. 

Hello, Hello!

What you've missed...

1. I graduated from college.

2. I took my boards and miraculously passed, which gave me my RN license :D

3. My birthday. Which was utterly awesome because I got to spend it with family I never see, friends that are always there, and the idea that my future is about to unfold.

4. I started another PROJECT. Or should I say, I'm attempting the same project.. again... for the millionth time. No guarantees on this one either... I tend to say that and not follow through so no promises! :P I decided to do it here on blogger to see how I like it since I've seen some friends have it on here as well and found that I do like it. So follow along if you want :) And just to warn you, I'm not great with pictures nor am I good with how to fix up a blog so... yea. It is, what it is.

5. And just went more blonde... literally.. not dumb blonde joke blonde!! :P But it could have affects on my brain so we'll see!

Another of Life's Lessons

Every semester I've had to come back from something. I thought this was the one semester that things would be ok, not amazing or great, just ok and that was enough for me because I felt like I finally learned from my mistakes in the past and I would be able to get to enjoy that accomplishment.

How foolish of me to think such a thing! I missed passing that exam by one question. I keep dwelling on everything I didn't do, but it's not going to change anything and I can't let it effect what I will do in the future. So I've decided to hand it over to the Lord and if this is supposed to work out it will and if not... well then I guess I'll have my answer.

"It is your reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself, that determines how your life's story will develop."
President Uchtdorf (www.mormon.org)

Frrriiiidaayyyyyyy!!

Ahh! Big test on Friday. The second most important one of my life, but the BIGGEST one of this semester. I need to pass and if I don't....well, yea. Won't go in to it too much because I don't want to think about it, but pretty much I'll have to delay graduation if I don't pass.

Soooo.... I need some help from whoever is reading this please! I need your prayers and positive thoughts around noon on Friday! I feel good and calm about it, but it doesn't hurt to have some back up and support!! :D

Thank you all!!!

Only 14 more dayyysss!!!