Makin'BannanaPancakes... and Turkey Meatloaf

Yesterday was the monthly day off for the crew. We drove for an hour to DeLeon Springs to eat bananna pancakes that we made ourselves at the Old Spring Mill restaurant. We put banannas and chocolate chips and blueberries on them and ate bacon and sausage and eggs with them. I had a religious moment over my first taste of caffeine of any kind for nearly 12 hours... after working for 12 hours. Michelle, as always was very good and drank water. Then, we drove back to Spring Glen and stayed there for the afternoon, freezing ourselves to death. Literally. We talked about everything and nothing. We planned for last night, this weekend, and the future in and everything in between. And we listened to Jack. Our friend in every situation.

Then we headed back home and cooked dinner for the boys...Jason and Peter and Justin. We cooked them turkey meatloaf with mozzerella cheese and onions, and parsley; fresh broccoli, beans and rice and fresh french bread. For dessert we made Mandarin delight. It was excellent. We had so much fun just talking and hanging out and getting to know each other better. To show them that women can be "old fashinoned" and cook dinner, and still be smart and witty and independent. It was fun. We are planning to do it again next month.

The anxiety is setting in about going to the unit. I'm scared to death. I'm officially off the schedule for CVU...but not quite on the schedule for ICU. I'm jobless, in a very technical way. :-} It's getting overwhelming to think about the level of responsibility that is going to be on me. The days of shipping off the sick people will be gone...I'll be taking care of the sickest people. There is so much I have to do to get ready. Classes I have to take, books to buy...sigh. But, I'm ready. And I know that my friends and family will be there to help me out along the way. The journey goes on... the journey to Ithaca.

Just Beyond the Horizon

The horizon is here...I interviewed with Mike in the ICU today. I got it!!!! I start in about 2 or 3 weeks depending on what can be negotiated between my floor now and ICU. I can't stop smiling. I had no idea that he would tell me today, before I even left his office. It was just so casual and sort of off the cuff. Just, "Hmm. How does 2 weeks sound to you?" "Works for me. I can get everything done by then". "Beth? How does that sound for you?". And I've got a new home. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Horizon

It's that time again...to look to the horizon. To the things to come, the unknown, the part that I am notorious for attempting to avoid at nearly every cost. This time, however, I'm breaking tradition and breaking out of the box. I'm chasing adventure and the unknown--I'm leaving a very comfortable place. That place is a very good job on a floor that is similiar to a "B" list celebrity, and going to a place, that while it is excellent in its own right, slightly resembles hundreds of thousands like it.

I'm interviewing for a position in the ICU tomorrow morning at 9:00 A.M.! This is somthing that I've wanted for several years now, and have been attempting to acitively pursue. Now it's here. {sigh} I've been praying about this for about week when Joy first told me about the opening. Now, less than a week later, I'm interviewing for the position. It's so fast. I'm trying not to catch my chickens before they hatch, but it's sooo hard. Especially not knowing who the competition is. I need lots of prayer!!

Fall

I am exhausted. I haven't had 8 hours of sleep in one time in I don't know how long. I'm working full time, on a busy floor. It was a horrible week. I had one patient die and another that we almost coded. One guy went balistic on us--yelling and cursing and needing to have a psychological evaluation instead of cardiac nurses that want to see him get better. We've banded together like we've hung in there together before. On top of that, I started back to school last week. I'm finishing my Bachelor's degree. I have assignments an papers due this week that I haven't even started on yet. Someone needs to start looking for that large hole in my head...

What is going miraculously well is how my community has banded together in ways that are unprecedented. The Church at the Springs raised over $17,000 last week for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. We also sent 6 semi-trucks to the region full of supplies-water, food, clothing, shoes, etc. Families, other churches, corporations all sent things to the church for us to send to those in need on their behalves. We are also going to assisst over 100 families that have been displaced to come to our home and resettle here. We are going to mentor them and show them the ropes of the area. The Church, the Bride of Christ, is becoming a light, a city on a hill that is shining bright to all of those around us. We are embodying Paul's dream for the church. We are becoming to our community, town, county, state, country what God wanted the church to be.

I am also learning so much. I am learning through one of my favorite people ever, Beth Moore, that faith isn't only moving and going, but occassionally, it is staying still and letting God move your spirit and waiting until I am more ready to be moved physically. God used Rahab to save His servants. She didn't wait until she had her act cleaned up...she followed now in spite of what others thought of her. I want that faith. I want to be that brave and courageous and full of faith. Because God's Word is Alive and Active in me!!

We're going to cook dinner for the boys this week. I'm excited to be able to spend time with them in this kind of a setting. No pressure, no timeframes, just a chance to hang out and get to know each other better. I'm praying and thinking for Christy and the changes that are going on in her life. And for Joy and the house chnage she's about to make, and for Chelle and her move into her apartment(yeah!), and for Brandon and Amanda and their desires to have a child...that God's will would be done for them. I hope that they all have a wonderful week.