A Hard Nights Work

Last night was one I hope not to repeat any time soon. It started off bad and got worse before it finally came to a head and got better. Yes, I had a little breakdown about three thirty in the morning but wouldn't you? I mean I should be sleeping and here I am working and these patients are crazy!!!! My charge nurse Shona came to my aide and made it all better. You see I have a heel spur or something and my heal was killing me. Expressing thanks for the goodness of others in my time of need.

The Thanksgiving Feast!!!!!

Thanksgiving at the Holladay house is a wondrous time that brings together family and friends with awesome food. While we have so much to be thankful for, the fried turkey was at the top of my list. And rightly so with its crispy succulent golden skin that begs to be picked off and eaten. There is no other holiday that is looked forward to as adamantly as Thanksgiving simply for the bountiful meal. This year didn't let us down, we had a spread that made me excited to get to heaven and eat at the buffet on high. Because if we thought this was good, food up yonder is gonna be incredible!! I can't wait!!

Some more fun

I stopped off to see my sweet grandpa.

Branson Land

Ahhh, another trip to fun Branson Land with my favorite traveling girls Rebekah and Bethany. Of course I had worked the night before and started the festivities with a little nappy. It was nice being chauffeured around leaving me with valuable time to rest and read my Mitch Rapp book.What a beautiful time of year to head up to the Ozarks the trees were an amazing array of bright fall colors.
We just happened to arrive the very weekend of the C of O homecoming. Which of course brought my old college chums to town. I got to see one of my favorites Amanda Douglas. Love that girl.
And of course what would the weekend be without the group photo.



The grand finally: the light and water show down on the landing in downtown branson. They were fabulous a must see for all branson tourist.

It's Here!!!!!

Dun, dun dun duhhhhh. Dun, duhn dun duuhhnnnn!!!!! It's here!!!! The new Mitch Rapp book!!!!
I went straight away to purchase it today-the day of its release-only to find that it was out last week according to the fine ladies at Hastings. Can you believe it? I have been waiting for a year only to find I could have had it last week. Oh well I guess I've waited this long right?

Fun with Gracie and Travis

For work last Saturday I went with Gracie and her mom and brother Travis to do trick or treating at the Gainsville Zoo. What Fun!! Aren't they cute!!! Travis pants wouldn't stay up so he started walking around holding them up.

The First Frost of Fall

I awoke slowly, something felt different I thought as my mind was being pulled back to the world after hours of dreamland. With my covers pulled up to my chin I opened my eyes and saw nothing. It was dark still and Kevin was getting up to get ready for work. Outside the dogs were barking which is odd because they don't usually bark. Come to think of it they were barking all night long. Did they sense something was different too? I fell back asleep and later when I woke up I looked outside and to my surprise and great delight frost is what I saw. Sparkling so prettly like millions of diamonds coving the yard like a blanket. My car shown with brilliance looking better than ever. It was here the first frost of fall.

Here is the proof it was cold!!

Lunch at Reunion Tower

I have recently become an adventurous soul thanks to my friend Grace. She wants to experience it all here in the great state of Texas. So she has pulled me along with her to see what there is to see and do what there is to do. She and I recently went to Reunion Tower in downtown Dallas for lunch. It was fabulous and delicious.


Good company and lots of laughs. You must try sometime.

Girl at work

So here are a few fun pics of me at work with my great friends. The top pic is of me and a new addition to our night group Misty. The next one is of me warming my buns as I check off my patients meds. I'm always freezing!!! Then my girls and Grace and I. We have a great time and work occasionally too.

Greetings from Rachel in Iraq

Here she is my good friend Rachel. As you can see life is dangerous no matter where you go over there. She is constantly on guard for hidden explosive devices. Can't wait for her to come home, sure do miss that girl.

PUPPIES!!!!!

Can you believe how cute these little girls are? They are the newest additions to our family. Yager is ecstatic! He loves them but he has yet to learn that they aren't toys that can be picked up and carried around. He is learning quickly though and will be a great big brother. The dark one is Roxy and the brown is Cinnamon. They are six weeks old and are pretty timid, they are 1/2 lab, 1/4 red heeler and 1/4 blue heeler. So cute!!!

Four Great Years

We made it!! Four years under our belt, who would have thought. There are a lot of things that marriage has a way of teaching us. Most lessons are those that hurt us while we are struggling to learn them. It has been humbling to become a servant and to put Kevin and his needs ahead of my own.

Every day has brought new challenges and adventures. I love were the Lord has brought us. I look forward to the years ahead. I can't wait to see were we go in this wonderful life.

These beautiful roses were my gift from my sweet husband.

He gave me four dozen, one for every year. It just gets better and better.

The great dilly bar

So summer is upon us and with it comes the hankering for a refreshing treat. Enter the dilly bar, chocolate dipped creamy vanilla ice cream. Oh, it goes down so nice. Can't you just taste it?

I guess I've been busy

WOW, it has been forever since I have added to this here blog and so much has happened. My birthday came and went, I went to grand ol' Branson Mo for my grandpa's 83rd birthday extravaganza and recently celebrated my youngest brother in-laws birthday as well.-Pictures to follow. All these birthdays, whats a girl to do but eat all the cake she can. Yummy.

I'm working of course, and tonight I'm on the postpartum floor. I just finished feeding three hungry babies and they are so cute. Three more hours to go, this night has flown by. It started out with the house supervisor who assigns us to the floors giving my spot away and then having nowhere else to put me. I decided to stay and work on a stroke course that I needed to get out of the way and see if anything came up. Well as you know it did, and here I am working away.

I'll try to post all the new pictures that I have been taking and get them posted soon.

Oh to be in the outdoors

We are going camping! I can't wait, oh what a time it will be. We are going with Tim and Mallory to Pat Mayes lake. There will be grilled steaks for good eating, fishing to pass the time as we relax and memories aplenty. Friday, really only one day away by my calender. Tomorrow I will be sleeping as I am working tonight, tomorrow night I will be working again and then FRIDAY!!! Lovely, lovely Friday. Wish you all could go but alas you cannot. Sucks to be you and it is wonderful to be me. Tata for now, love you all.

p.s. this is a pic of the lake, looks great huh?

The green beast

We are now owners of a John Deer lawn mower. A great green beast that will hopefully serve us for years to come. It is now official, we are country folk. What a great life it is waking up to the beautiful trees and tall grass that sways in the breeze. I finally planted my roses and Yager decided they would be fun to pull out and chew on for a while. Friday my dear friends Bethany and Rebekah came over to watch movies. At one point Bethany stood up and look out at Yager and said " he is chewing on a bunch of twigs". Well of course it wasn't a bunch of twigs, it was one of my rose bushes. Crazy dog his daddy went to the deer lease and he acted up the whole weekend. I guess I didn't give him enough attention, I can't help that it was really cold.

Thoughts for today

I have been working out. Last week I ran sprints and could barely walk the next day. It was a good sore though as soreness goes the day after a good work out-you know what I mean. I have been sore since but not like that, maybe I need to run spirits again.

As always I'm at work. I have one of the sweetest old men as a patient. He is 89 years old and nothing but skin and bones. He is completely with it and even in the shape he's in is a sweet heart. His wife died two days ago here at the hospital but his spirits are high. He said to me as I was doing my assessment. "Now are you married?" yes I replied, " well that husband of your is very lucky, your a really pretty girl, thanks for being so sweet." As a turned to go and asked if he needed anything else he said " No honey thats it, your a doll." What a blessing to have these wonderful people to take care of. I love to hear about how they lived when they grew up and began their families. There is so much to learn from them, so much wisdom that they never get to share.

My life is lived out in service to these poor souls that end up here in the hospital. I hope they see a little of my Father in me. I love this job. I never knew a smile went so far, or doing a little more than what is required was noticed and meant so much to the family members and patients. The thing I think about the most is if this were my grandparents or parents how would I want them cared for? And that in turn is how I care for and love these patients. To ease a burden or take away the pain, to answer a question and bring peace of mind, to help heal and to be a advocate. To this I am called.


ps: no erica he doesn't mind

These random thoughts...

What a completely gorgeous day we had. The sunshine, the crisp air just the perfect temperature. Yager and I took advantage of the beauty and rode all over exploring our neighbors and the land on the four wheeler. I hated to leave once Kevin got home for this blessed job. But for now the halls are quiet, my patients are sleeping. I can't wait to be home snuggling up to my husband for my hours of rest. For you nascar fans(of which I don't think I know many) the race starts at one thirty. ugggg, that means I'll be up early. Small price to pay I guess, it better be a good race. Love that Kasey Kahne #9 Dodge. hahaha

Our Baby Yager

This is Yager, our beloved doggy. Oh the joy that can be found in man's best friend. I love to hear the stories Kevin tells me about He and Yager out on the property while I'm working. I'll just smile and think to myself how funny life is. For those who know Kevin know that he is not sentimental about anything. It warms my heart to see how much he loves this dog. It gives me a glimpse of what a great dad he will be some day. Until then however, who needs kids when you have a sweet baby boy like this. Right Mom and Polly?

"Get back to work"

Well here I am back at work after five days off. My body is crying for sleep. Oh to be in my wonderful bed. I can do it, I can do it. Only four and a half hours left that's not so long.
So I had a wonderful idea that this is the time to get on the ball and start working out again. This great idea came while I was visiting mom and dad and found a picture of me taken on my eighteenth birthday. Well of course you know what I saw, a skinny, toned soon to be five year younger version of me. Now I have been inspired and decided today was the day to start. I ran sprints and did lunges and squats. My legs are telling me "ouch"! But I will prevail with that dang picture to drive me on. Come summer I will be a new woman. More to follow about the great time I had in Borger.

Our First Home!!

Thats mom and me on the deck after Thanksgiving.

What a feast that was.

Freezing

It never fails that I end up working with a menopausal women who has to have the air on super cold. I have been sitting here for six hours freezing my butt off. Only an hour and a half before I am free of this meat packer freezer. If she weren't so nice I would be hacked off. As it is she is a good nurse and always willing to help anyone who need help. So I can't be mad at her, she can't help it.

I leave for wonderful Borger TX tomorrow to spend a little time with the parents and attend the wedding of a friend from nursing school. It should be a happening time.

Oh I am so cold!! I long for the warmth of summer. Where for art thou summer?

My friend Kate

I just spent the last hour or so reading my friend Kate's blog, or klog as she calls it. I love the way she writes, just like she talks. I miss that girl. Never have I met anyone like her she brings a smile to my face and joy to my heart.

The First Entry

Well, I did it. I am now a blogger. My sister Erica told me its a great way to catalog the things that happen in life-I hope you like it.

I'm working at the hospital and it is so quiet. We normally whisper the "Q" word so as not to set off the alarms announcing to the town and surrounding area that we are content at the moment and please don't come to the hospital. These girls I'm working with have been talking all night. At times I find myself wishing for just a little bit of quite time.

My patients are all sleeping, hurray!!! this is a great accomplishment in the medical world. The evidence that you are a good nurse is noted when your patients sleep all night. I'm a really good nurse.