Fruits of Labor

I've got my first baby tomato on the vine. I couldn't be prouder :)



I blogged a few months ago about getting my garden ready for planting this year. Unfortunately the tiller broke, the soil was too clay-ey and in need of a truckload sand, and the garden spot was so far from water we needed to get a pump system from our pond hooked up to irrigate the garden spot.



So, this little upside-down tomato planter is just going to have to do for this year. I've only got one baby tomato right now, but there are many blooms, so hopefully I'll get a few more by summer's end.

Speaking of labor, I started working last week. I worked three twelves, Wednesday through Friday. By Friday, I had two blisters on my right foot and was an emotional wreck. It's about that time of the month so my hormones are all haywire. Friday morning around 10 am some orchestra music started playing over the hospital intercoms. The Aide orienting me said they play the music every time a baby's born. I seriously started tearing up. I'm sure he thought I was overwrought and probably questioning my coping skills.

I was also on the brink of crying on my drive home because my foot was killing me (new shoes to break in). Overall, though I love the job. I had one particular patient that was one of the nicest people I've ever met, so polite and courteous even though we were only strangers. It seems to be the people like that who make the job all worth while.

I start training next week to be the unit secretary. It will really be nice for these worn out, blistered tootsies.

I've got one picture of my sweet niece to share. I personally think she hung the moon.
She got to go swimming in her froggy pool for the first time. Just look at that beautiful red hair! (It's been so humid lately that my camera lenses fog up the instant I step outside, sorry for the fuzzy pics).



Happy Saturday everyone!


Much Love,

Hallelujah!

Thank you all so much for the kind comments and encouragement from my last post. You guys are definitely the best! I don't know what it is, but just getting it out there and getting a little encouragement really does a ton of good.

I'm happy to say I did get the job! The HR lady called me yesterday and said my doctor's release would be sufficient to reverse my physical exam results.

I went into Orientation today and will start working on the floor next week. I did my training and clinicals in a nursing home (one of the worst in my town too). It may be shallow, but I LOVE all the new and shiny stuff in the hospital setting. I've always known I wanted to work in the hospital not a nursing home and I'm more excited than ever about getting my RN. I'll be working on the Med/Surg and Telemetry floors which should be good for a variety of experience. Also, one of the floors I'm on has just been completely remodeled so everything is brand new and really nice.

About the Tb test, I go in Friday to get re-stuck and then I'll know the results by Monday. I had another nurse look at my test site and she said it really only looked like I reacted from the serum, no worries.

Also, exciting news. I went to Orientation for the nursing program Monday night. I got to see who all got in and meet all of the faculty. Two of my good friends didn't make it and are alternates so I'm praying hard that they both can get on in anyway. I think we'll have a great group and can't wait to get going in August. I've heard that the first 6 weeks are hell because you're cramming so much information about skills before clinicals can begin. I'm still super excited.

Tomorrow I'm going scrub shopping to get all that I need to start work next. Can't wait :)

Did I mention, you all are the best readers and friends a girl could have?!?

Oh So Blue

I guess I should have known better than to boast about the job offer at the hospital.

A lady from HR called me Friday to tell me that I didn't pass the physical examination I took the day before. The problem is that I've had back trouble in the past and the job requirements for a CNA involve alot of lifting.

The part that really irks me the most is that I wrote on the exam paperwork that my back problems have been resolved by my chiropractor. They specifically asked if I'd seen a chiropractor so I answered truthfully but that was more than five months ago and I stopped going because, as I said, the issue is resolved. However, the Physicians Asst that did my physical reported to the hospital that I should not be a candidate for the job.

I'm so disappointed. This job is close to home, only a 15 minute drive. The other hospitals in the area are over an hour drive and in a big city. It's hard not to be disappointed and mad at myself for screwing it up. I should have just not put anything about it since it's not a current issue. I went in and talked to the nurse supervisor at the hospital and the doctor at the clinic where I got my physical after I got the phone call. They both said I could write a petition and try to get a work release from my chiropractor, but no guarantees.

In addition to that I went in to get my Tuberculosis test read this morning and it came back positive. If a red bump appears that is 10mm in diameter they will send you to the health department to get another test. Mine was 17mm. Not good. The doctor said it could be a reaction to the serum they used for the test and to not worry. So, I'll find out Monday when I can retake the test and hopefully I'll get a negative. I've done some research and if you're positive for Tb, it means months of a strict daily regimen on antibiotics. I've heard that you even have to go the doctor's office for each dose everyday so they know you're taking it as directed.

The whole job scene is pretty depressing these days, as am I. Hopefully things will go better this week.

In the Summertime...

This post is just some hodge-podge (is that really a word?) of what's going on in life right now. Sorry I haven't been commenting or writing too much. Summertime has got me busy outdoors and my parent's have satellite internet which is spotty at best. It's usually hit or miss whether I can connect or not.

I had an interview at the hospital in town last week and it went really well. The nursing supervisor wants to put me on "As Needed" so I'll be able to only work one day a week during the school year. It has it's benefits (a $3 an hour pay hike) and problems (I'll be the first cut on shift and won't be guaranteed a certain number of hours).

It's a job though, and it will be wonderful to work at the hospital instead of a nursing home so I'm pretty excited. I'll be working on the Med/Surg and Telemetry floors. I'm willing to work as the Nurse Aide and Unit Secretary which involves entering the doctor's orders into the computer and other office work so I ought to get a decent amount of hours. A huge bonus is the pay, which is nearly double what I've ever made before. It will be really nice to have some money again because I've been out of work since the beginning of May.

I can't wait to go buy my scrubs once I get all the paperwork straightened out. I'm super excited about that!

My sister Tarra and I did some shopping today I found a cute dress at Kohls that I'm in love with. I love the scoop neckline and the pleats on the front. I also got a cute olive green sundress from Ross for $12.99! I've never been in Ross before but they've got some amazing deals. I also got a four pack of heavy highball glasses for only $3.50. I'm always a sucker for a good deal.

Here's the dress from Kohls. I think it will be perfect for a friend's wedding later this month.


I'm making some plans for some small vacations later this summer. The National Holocaust Museum has a traveling exhibit in OKC that I really want to go see. I went to the museum on a trip to D.C my junior year of high school but it would be great to see it again. We have friends living in Lawton which is not far from the City so Matt and I will probably make a weekend out of it and visit them too.

Anyone have any suggestions for places to eat or go see in OKC? Even though it's so close to home for me, I haven't done much there besides the amusement park Frontier City and a few shows at the Ford Center.

In July, I'm going to see Wicked at the Tulsa PAC. I can't wait, I'm so excited for that one!

Have any of you seen it?

I started Jen Lancaster's Bitter in Black a few weeks ago and am reading the first Harry Potter book now. I didn't really like Bitter too much. I keep telling myself I need to finish it, we'll see if I actually get it done. After I read the Twilight series, several people recommended the Harry Potter books. I started the first and am liking it so far. I guess I'm just a fiction genre girl at heart. I also bought the first few Sookie Stackhouse books but am waiting til I'm done with the Harry Potter series to start them. I feel like I'm bombarding you with questions in this post, but are they any good? I've seen several of you fellow bloggers are reading them, so they must be good.

I have to leave you with one recommendation. The movie Starsky and Hutch starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson is on AMC tonight. Since I'm watching it while I'm writing, it's on the brain. It's seriously one of my favorite movies, if you haven't seen it yet, "Do it!" You're sure to have a few laughs.

Fish Tales

Once upon a time a City Girl fell in love with a Country Boy.

She quickly became familiar with the worlds of fishing and deer hunting. She mastered the art of having to pee outside in the middle of nowhere and even showered and layered her body in Scent-Away and camo for a few deer-hunting excursions.

The City Girl learned how to get up to her knees in the garden pulling weeds and how to drive the old 70s model hay truck when the time for hauling hay came around each year.

And recently this City Girl was introduced to catfishing on trot lines and limb lines.

Now she's the one that's hooked.



Friday night I went out with Matt and his fishing buddy to "run the lines". We put out bait after dark so that Alligator Gar and other pesky fish can't steal it. Then, the next morning, the fishermen run the lines again and see how good the catch is.

That's how it usually goes anyway. Friday night we had two big surprises waiting. There was a 45 lb female Flathead Catfish (the big one on the left) snagged on one of the lines. We got the huge 56 lb male Flathead (the biggest one on the right) on one of our freshly baited lines that we happened to check on our way back to the boat dock.




It was an awesome night of fishing and I really had a blast. I even netted the two whoppers! It was funny because when we first got out on the lake, I told the guy we were fishing with that I just wanted to catch a fish this year big enough to take a picture with. I was beyond amazed to accomplish that the first night I went out! Taking a picture with the biggest fish I've ever seen sure was a heck of way to take my first Gone Fishing Picture.

You can bet this City Girl's gonna have these pictures framed!

I'll leave you with this beauty. A face only a mother could love!



How's your summer going so far?