In Love.

I knew my life would be different after my time in South Asia. I knew the Lord would show, teach, and have me experience things I never could have imagined. I’m not exactly sure how to put that all into words yet though, but I’m working on it. What I am sure of though, is that the moment I stepped outside of the airport- sick to my stomach, hot, smelly air, flies and stray dogs everywhere- my life and my heart were changed. Not a day, or even more than a couple hours goes by that I don’t long for South Asia. My heart felt right there. I fell in love with the culture and especially with the people. I fell in love with telling people who live in such darkness about the only true hope, hope they’ve never even heard of.

We Are Family

When I took the prerequisite courses to get into the nursing program here at CBU, I knew it was only a small chapter in the journey to becoming a nurse.  Ever since that chapter closed, the next chapters have been the ones to shape me more than I ever thought possible.  I have had moments that I have felt such defeat and others where I felt an overwhelming sense of triumph. I am blessed to have many cheerleaders along the way in my journey to share with me in these moments.  However, no one can understand better than the people who are along in the journey with me.

Together we started this journey a year and a half ago, and somehow we have become a family. Especially since my family is so far, these are the people I go to, who “get” me.  I still have wonderful other friends whom I love fiercely, but there is just something about my nursing family.  These are the girls I go to when I feel defeated; when I think I can’t do this anymore.  They listen to the familiarity of my words as they have felt those feelings and experienced the heartache too. They are “my girls” (and some of my boys too). Just like a family, you go to different people for different needs. Specifically two of my girls, are some of my biggest encouragers. Whenever I feel inadequate to do this job, one quickly reminds me by saying, “you’re in this program for a reason.”  The other listens to me while telling me what a great nurse I'm going to be, and then distracts me from my frustrations. I can go to them in those moments and we can both be completely transparent. I am incredibly blessed to have them by my side.

Together these girls and I have been through some crazy things. We have literally worked through blood, sweat, and tears together. They see me at my most tired, crankiest, silliest, most stressed out self, and they love me anyway. We can cry and laugh together. We are halfway done with this program, and I am so thankful they are the ones next to me for the second half.

Let's try again

There’s something about blogging that just soothes my soul. Honestly sometimes I just don’t feel like I
have time for it when I don’t do all the other things I “need” to do or that “those”
feelings are not valid enough to share. Really though, I need to make time and
those feelings need to come out. So…Here I am, going to attempt to be better at
this….again