Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Happenings

This week is, so far, shaping up to be a good one. I worked Saturday and Sunday, but Sunday was a bit special because even though I have yet to take the preceptor class, I was given a new hire to precept for the day. This adds to the ego boost I've been receiving at work, lately. I haven't shared much, because it's embarrassing...in a good way?...but a little over a week ago we had {what everyone thought was} a real deal JCAHO survey. STRESS EVERYWHERE TO THE MAXIMUM. Basically, this means everything has to be in tip-top shape. All things need to be in the appropriate places, and everyone needs to know everything ever made known ever. Because they can talk to you! And talk to me they did. Of course, they would choose one of my patients to do a chart review. Therefore, they chatted with me, with my supervisor present, and had me go through the chart while asking me some questions. They informed me, too, that they were simply the mock crowd to prepare us for the real JCAHO peeps.

Basically, they told me I did very well. Yay! After this, my supervisor would not stop talking about it and praising me to everyone she encountered. This, of course, makes me feel super awesome, but super red-faced whenever it's brought up.

Yesterday, I had the day off and since it was President's Day Phillip had the day off, too! We went over to our friends Justin and Heather's home for lunch, which turned into an all day awesome affair. Tasty food, sweet treats, games, and HIMYM. We had a super fun time. Also, I took this video of Margot dancing:



Another important tidbit about Sunday: IT WAS MY BROSTER'S {aka brother's} BIRTHDAY! He's all of 24 years old now. What makes this even better is that I get to see him in exactly one week! My aunt will be in Arizona all next week, Trey flies in on Tuesday, and then Mom joins the party on Thursday! I'm pumped.

This kid is super fantastically awesome.





He's a pretty good dude.
I love my brother!

Have a great week!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Week of Prayer v. 2


This prayer room really is spectacular. I give such high praise to New Life for initiating such a great thing. I signed up to pray from 12AM-1AM last night. I'm pleased that I was able to go a couple days into the week of prayer because it allowed me to see the evidence of prayer all over the room from others coming through, praying to God, and praising Him. What made my time there even better was Phillip arriving for his scheduled time at 1AM allowing for shared prayer time. We held hands, bowed our heads, and lifted our shared prayers to the Lord.

There are 4 different wall spaces: Welcome Wall, Wailing Wall, Worship {I-can't-really-remember-the-name-of-it wall} Wall, & the World Wall. You can see some of the Wailing Wall to the back right with post-it notes lifting up names of those to be prayed for who need Jesus in their lives and the Worship wall to the left with musical instruments near & paints and written words giving thanks to God and sharing discovered truths.

There are multiple stations throughout the room, too, with different prompts and ideas for prayer. Worship music. Scented oils. Our shoes were removed, for this is holy ground.

This may sound a bit much for some, but I promise you it really is simply a perfect prayer house of worship. I am a skeptic for things different and obscure. Yet, I truly love this. This past Sunday evening at the worship night service, it was said that many times people say we can't afford to take the time to pray, when in actuality we can't afford not to pray. This really resonated with me. I do not typically pray much. I have started praying more frequently recently as there is a lot of uncertainty in mine and Phillip's lives, but I generally don't think much of it. I'm not very well connected. There. I said it. This week, starting with my weekend at UCYC with the high school kids, has jump-started my spiritual life. It's wonderful, but, honestly, also a bit scary! When you invite God in, you have to expect things to happen! For me, not knowing exactly what could having, trying to have blind faith and acceptance of the unknown, is frightening!

I'm so thankful for prayer.
Communicate with God.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Week of Prayer

There are some really awesome things in the works here people. This past weekend Phillip and I both were up at UCYC, once again, for Velocity's (our high school group) winter camp. Our break out sessions after each service, particularly Saturday night, really allowed me to see, yet again, just how incredible these kids are. I love the companionship and family they share...we share. So many of them recognized that this group, that New Life, is like a family and it's exactly where they're supposed to be.


Cabin time

Brian aka "Gaga Man" / Gaga Ball
Lumberjack games--Log toss


Log rolling

Ray, Bones, & Sterling were BOSS at this game! They got that dummy away and back to the finish line in mere seconds!
Ray and Sterling dominated!

Not too shabby for 2 minutes

Jason was awesome and set the record!

Crystal / Crystal & Arie rock climbing

Michelle / Beautiful sunshine
The girls scaring me to death up at the top of the rocks!

There's nothing more powerful than witnessing young kids worshiping the Lord!

Rachel aka "Bones" and I

Ashley & Diana

Awkward....

Arie!

Mary & I! Love this girl!

I'm so blessed to be a part of this, whether it's momentary or more long-term. That spins into a whole different topic. Phillip's internship is complete in June and we're stuck trying to decide and figure out where our lives will be heading once that time arrives. My initial desire is to return "home" to the Midwest. Phillip's more inclined to stay here where New Life is initiating many new and exciting things. They've already asked him what it would take to keep him on staff after the internship is complete. Proud wife over here! Phill is so excited for what lies ahead for this church. Just last night a week of 24/7 prayer was started. Every hour of the day, someone from our church, plus one staff person, is in prayer. That's 168 hours of straight prayer! Phillip has already been there at 6AM this morning and I'll be there at midnight Thursday morning. The prayer room allows for so much expression and wonderful communication with God with various stations of music, scents, writings, instruments, paints, etc. Pair that with my emotional attachment to the kids and you can see just the personal turmoil I have making this decision about our future!

I think (yes?) my primary desire is still to return to the Midwest. The main thing I'm praying for now, though, is for God to make HIS desire known to Phillip and I. We both have our ideas and wants, but when we consider what our purpose is here on earth, we remember that it's not our wants that should dictate what we do and where we go. We are here on earth to serve a larger purpose and I'm working to make myself accepting of whatever the Lord asks of me.

This. Is. Tricky.

With all that laid out, we could certainly use any extra prayers that you feel like sending our way! We know we have an option to remain here, but Phillip is also entertaining his wife by looking for possible positions elsewhere, too. We're looking. We're praying. We're waiting.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

This Girl...

She's pretty fantastic. We were fortunate enough to spend some good ol' one-on-one girly time together last week thanks to a business trip with LUSH (seriously awesome cosmetics and soaps!) flying her out to me Scottsdale. 


We enjoyed some tasty pizza, good wine, sun, getting lost, free cupcakes, jacuzzi time, and Moscow Mules.


**Also, Tash recently started a great little blog found HERE! Check it out!