The First Ornament

I'm not stressing about getting everything done in a hurry this year. So as a result, my house is being decorated a little a time.  This weekend was productive.  I was able to finally convince three of my kiddos and a friend of theirs to haul up most of the Christmas boxes from our storage room.  There is still stuff down there in the basement, but I'm not stressing to get down there to find it. Anyway, most of the decorations are out; most of the ornaments  on the main tree.  The top is kind of bare, but the bottom branches are quite full, courtesy of short people with little hands.  I need to enlist the help of a taller individual to get it complete.  


This is a picture of the first decoration of this Christmas season, well not counting the Christmas tree!  


Yes, it's half snowman/half football.  And yes it's adorned in purple and gold instead of red and green.  Gregory had the honor of hanging this little guy on Saturday night, following the LSU win over Georgia in the SEC Championship game.

He's now surrounded by lots of red and green.  There's a little black and gold one hanging nearby too!  Imagine that!  They are new, purchased while home in Louisiana last January.  I was so excited when I bought them because they reminded me so much of Greg. And now he's home, ever-present and yelling and clapping when there's a team from Louisiana playing football!  And what a year to be an LSU or Saints fan!


So it was a good weekend.  Football aside, it's beginning to look a LOT like Christmas; now to start working on it sounding and feeling more like it too!
  

Change is Good

Yes, I'm writing again.  It's been a while, I know. Today's topic is change, defined, it means to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be.  Today I am embracing change.  It started with a haircut last week, as well as a new color.  So I guess that would be making something a different form.   I'm liking that change so far.

On Monday I will venture on a new course!  I am rather excited about it!  I have accepted a position with a home health corporation. (making my future course different.) I'll admit that I'm not looking forward to the 40 hour weeks for the next 2 months while I am in training, but I do so look forward to learning something new and starting a new phase of my career in nursing.  I'm especially excited about having more one on one time with my patients and actually getting to do some patient education, about medications, disease processes, etc.  That has by far been my favorite part of nursing - teaching!  Imagine that!  What better way to combine my 2 degrees/careers.  Ok, I actually wrote this last week - I have already completed my first week. I thought it went rather well.  The online training and huge orientation manual were a bit tedious, but I've learned a lot already!  I actually was ably to observe another RN during her patient visits, and I think I'll like it once I'm on my own - just so much new information to learn.

We've also done some home improvements - on the outside anyway.  It's not quite finished, but will be soon.  Otherwise things here are much the same.  Same hubby - just terribly busy of late, same kids driving me crazy!  Missing Mark and Lindsay a LOT, but enjoying time with Greg - it's truly as if he never left.  



Of course fall brings with it some beautiful changes in color and temperature!

Another big change - Todd got his braces off! 







A new outfit for Garrett -

Mark's also experiencing some recent changes in his mission.  Read his latest email also titled "Changes" at www.marksnymission.blogspot.com.   I guess it snowed in New York City this weekend.  I'm anxious to hear how he survived the early winter visit.  These are a couple of recent pictures on his 20th birthday:

Lindsay is adjusting well to college life.  I only talk to her about once a week, but we share messages by texting and on Facebook once in a while.  These were taken on a recent weekend visit to Utah to tell her best friend, Tre', good-bye as he leave for his mission to Puebla Mexico.




So there have been a ton of recent changes - but overall life is much the same.  I'm striving to live each day at a time, enjoying each moment as best as I can.  Some moments are more challenging than others.  Some are just plain crazy.  Others, quiet and peaceful.  Such is the life of me!

Day 89 - A Taste of Home with Hazel

Today my sister Stephanie took a day off from her busy workplace to spend the day with me.  She never ever takes off because her work is so enjoyable to her.  Wish I had that attitude!  But then Stephanie has a positive attitude about just about everything!  So we spent some time tidying up the house and organizing a little bit here and there - she loves to help clean and is an awesome organizer!  That how she's earned the name "Hazel" from my dad.  For those of you too young to remember, Hazel was the name of a TV program about a housekeeper. I'm not THAT old, I just remember the reruns.  So yes, Stephanie, aka Hazel helped me clean house and is a terrific help because I'm not BO, that is born organized.

After some of the cleaning was finished, we took a trip up Hwy N to Louisiana Cafe.  The Friday special was fried catfish and crawfish etouffee, plus we had some gator chips on the side.  That would be fried pickles.  Even though I'm from Louisiana, I've never eaten a gator, nor will I ever have the desire.  So we listened to a little bit of jazz, dined on some seafood and reminisced about Greg who loved to eat at Louisiana Cafe.  I figured out that he will be home in 13 weeks and 5 days and well, 13 weeks and 5 days ago we got home from our trip to Louisiana.  Quite appropriate, I would say!  And yes, I do realize how nerdy, cooky, crazy, sappy and totally desperate it is that I actually know such things.  But such is the life of a missionary mom or any mom who has loved ones far away.  So that's my story for today and laissez le bon temps rouler!

 Steph said the catfish was really good!  It really was!

 Digging in

 Gator Chips

 Fried Catfish and Crawfish Etouffee - very spicy, my sinuses are cleared!

Louisiana Cafe

And again

Yes it is that time of the year again. Every year at this time I add a new post to this blog. Two years ago I was writing about the mall in Baton Rouge, last year about the hillbilly Christmas. They were both written on December 29th. So this year's posting is a day late. This is especially fitting. I seem unable to do much of anything on time. I do have an excuse for not writing though - I was working yesterday and came home still exhausted from work the day Before! Today was my recovery day which means essentially nothing got done - no dishes, no laundry, no home cooked meal. So yes, late has become the story of my life. I am still looking forward to our annual trip home. I am always exhausted this time of year, but this year is different. I am mentally and physicalLy drained. No this is not my usual funny, warm and fuzzy blog entry. I am not feeling especially warm, fuzzy or the least bit comical. I have become the epitome of the Grinch and Scrooge all balled up in one! Well that was a little bit funny. Maybe there is hope for me yet! I have no clue where this is all going- I am actually anxious to see what my point to all of this is.

Overall, life is good. The holidays were nice, Mike has a new job, I will working part time, Greg will be home in about 7 months, Mark will be serving a mission soon, the kids are healthy, Lindz is graduating this May. The Lord has blessed us all tremendously! I am very conscious of his tender mercies each and every day. I have come to a realization of just how much He knows and loves me. But despite all of this, somewhere, somehow, I have lost just a little bit of me. Would the real Gracie please appear? Is she the mom trying to keep up with the housework and homework assignments and schedules? Maybe she is there at the hospital trying to take care of the sick and the weary, becoming weary herself in the process. Sometimes the only thing that gets me through the day at work is the wonderful mission statement of our hospital-that through exceptional healthcare, we reveal the healing presence of God. I think of myself as being the Savior's hands, giving service to those in need. but in giving service to my patients, I feel that I am neglecting to serve those closest and dearest to me. I am drained. I am spent. And feel insignificant somehow - the consummate wallflower.

I have one day to get my house clean, clothes washed, and start packing and I don't really know where to begin. But it will get done, just wish I had not spent today in total veg mode. So my hope is that the new year brings some calm. I have some ideas and strategies for better time management and destressing (that don't include Xanax), some plans for finding the old "me". Now I know some friends will read this and think I've lost my mind. Really, it's all good; I am blessed and know where to turn. Writing is wonderful therapy and helps me focus my thoughts. The Good Lord will direct my path - He always does.

Same Time Last Year

Well today I spent a moment or two reading through my previous blogs. It really did only take a couple of moments as I haven't been as devoted to blogging as I would have liked. I'm working on getting better at that.

I scrolled down all the way to the bottom and read my blog entry dated December 29, 2008. And here we are ~ December 29, 2009. I remember that day very well. I recall vividly that day at the Mall of Louisiana and the assault to my senses. So it's a whole year later and things have changed, but much is the same.

The pre~Christmas hustle and bustle was the same, but things were much less hectic this year it seemed. The Christmas cards were out a whole week before the Blessed Day arrived. Garrett and Thomas got to see Santa without a whole lot of trouble. Okay we did have to wait in a line for a little while. Mike would say it was much l o n g e r of a line than he would have liked, but it really wasn't that bad. We took the kids to Santa's Magic Kingdom in Eureka, Missouri. It was basically a Jellystone Campground turned into a huge light display, complete with the Hannah~Barbera characters all around. They weren't like walking around or anything exciting like that~ just wooden likenesses of the Jetsons, the Flintstones, and of course Yogi Bear. Mike kept saying we were experiencing a Hillbilly Christmas. I asked him if we fit in with the hillbillies or did we stand out? He said we blended in just fine. I don't know, my kids and I didn't have matching camouflage jackets like the mom and her children behind us in line. Oh well, we saw Santa, took a picture and enjoyed the lights. Christmas lights are a joy to behold, hillbilly or not.

We missed Greg that night. It was probably one of the first outings we've been on as a whole family since he left. Other than church, but that's not really an "outing." Mark brought his girlfriend, Melissa. Different girlfriend than the one from last year's blog.

Last year I wrote from Louisiana. I'm not there now, but I will be in 5 days! I am longing for some down time for reading, hanging out with family and relaxing. Plus I'm craving some beignets and poboys. It's time. But I will not put on 5 pounds like I did last year. That will be different.

So while some things are different, it's mostly the same old same old as I say. and that's good. The same wonderful feeling that the holidays bring. The same trip to Louisiana, because that's HOME. And that will never change. And my kids are a little taller, hopefully a bit smarter, but still playing those same old same old video games that Santa brought. Well, not the exact same games as last year, but they're all the same to me. And yes there were only 7 of us home this Christmas, not 8 like last year, but the love I have for all of them is the same, only I think I actually love them more. And that's really all that matters.

25 Random Things about Me

I was asked to write this for my Facebook profile, and thought I would include it here as well:

1. One of my favorite things I've done is take ballroom dance lessons with my husband. Unfortunately we have both forgotten so much we would have to start lessons from the beginning. But that would be fun!

2. I absolutely love to eat mashed potatoes. It's one of my favorite things that my mom made. I love breads too. I think I could live on starches and be happy. Maybe not that healthy, but definitely happy!

3. I am in my last semester of nursing school. It's a lot of work but I feel a sense of accomplishment.

4. I don't really feel that I have discovered any of my real talents. There are lots of things that I enjoy but I just don't think I am particularly great or talented at them. At least not in the creative sense, like art or music, cooking, sewing. But I do well in school and actually thrive somewhat on studying and doing my best. I love to learn about things I am interested in. So can school be my talent???

5. As much as I like to learn, I can't stand to watch educational stuff on TV. My husband does, but I just can't get into it.

6. But I love crime dramas and medical shows (real or fictional) and love talk radio. Oh and country music videos. This is when I have the time, which is not now!

7. I love going to concerts (country music ones, that is!). I have seen Kenny Chesney twice, Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, Alabama ( I think 4 times), Randy Travis, Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks.

8. I have a quote in my profile: "Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous". I really believe that. There's no such thing as coincidence.

9. I love to burn candles. I have Spiced Pumpkin from Yankee Candle burning right now. I stock up on them and always have to stop in Yankee Candle whenever I am at the mall.

10. I am a certified elementary school teacher. I taught for about 8 years before and between pregnancies. So why am I in nursing school? Heck I don't know - see #4.

11. I have become such a night owl recently. I have been getting by with 4-5 hours of sleep on some nights. Preparing for my career in nursing. I think the night shift will certainly fit me best.

12. I really, really long to be a neonatal/postpartum nurse. I felt a clear sense that is what I am supposed to do when I was assigned to that unit in my clinical experiences.

13. I truly love babies. They make me smile. They make me cry. They are so innocent and beautiful - straight from our Father in Heaven.

14. I am quiet by nature. I often enjoy just watching people, total strangers,usually. I contemplate them and create stories in my mind about them. I wonder if I'm ever on target? I just love wondering what's going on with others.

15. Because I am quiet, I feel I'm probably considered to be snooty or aloof. I'm certainly not, but I often wonder if I give that impression.

16. Because I am quiet, I tend to surround myself with loud, crazy, busy people. That would be my family. They probably don't think I am quiet, though. My closer friends tend to be more animated and talkative.

17. A friend once told me that I was a good listener and it meant a lot to her. Even though I didn't offer much in the way of advice, I just listened and let her express herself. That made me feel good and I've tried to remember that being quiet has its strong points.

18. I like being at home. I am seldom home for long stretches of time (except when sleeping), I am usually on the go, running my kids here and there. But I am a homebody.

19. However I do love to go for drives - long drives with no particular destination in mind. I'll go the long way at times just to see if there's something different or special. Beauty can be appreciated in so many places.

20. Which reminds me of my favorite vacation ever. Mike and I and 5 children went camping out west for 2 weeks during the summer of 2001. We spent about 3 days somewhere in Colorado (near Pike's Peak and Royal Gorge), 3 days at Moab, 3 days outside of Salt Lake in the Wasatch Mountains, and about 4 days at Yellowstone. It was so peaceful and beautiful. I want to go back soon.

21. Two place I've never been that I would love to see - Hawaii and Australia!

22. It's snowing tonight! I love the snow! Not that I am really into playing in it - I just love to watch it fall. Especially big, fluffy snowflakes. Each one different - not one exactly like the other. Kind of like Heavenly Father's children. Each one pure and clean as we come to Earth. Did I mention I love babies???

23. I love all of my children very much! It is amazing how different each one is! - like my own personal snowflakes.

24. My husband and parents, and Stephanie are a huge support for me. They are so good to me! I know I am so lucky to have all of them.

25. I just got braces (again!) almost a week ago. And they still hurt so bad, it's driving me crazy! Works pretty well with the Weight Watchers plan, though, so I won't complain any more.