wife.mom.nurse

Valentine's Day is Not for Everyone...

2011-02-12T12:05:00.000-08:00

Firehubby and I went to the most fabulous bed and breakfast many years ago. We wanted to avoid the Valentine's Day rush, so we went a bit early.

We realized that it was Ground Hog Day and that's how our crazy tradition was born.

Sooooooo...

I have to admit (shock!) I made up that whole

"Ground Hog Day is for Lovers" thing.

But I think it's catchy :)

(and it's much easier to get dinner reservations)

Wishing a Happy Valentine's Day to all of you "traditional" folks ;)

Hunky Firefighter Giveaway

2011-02-09T17:47:00.000-08:00

No, I am not giving away my hunky firefighter hubby...

But, if you head over to his blog:

The Damage is Done

you just may win his giveaway.

helllllloooooo...anybody out there?

2011-02-05T23:39:00.000-08:00

Hello my long lost bloggy friends (wait...I guess I was the one who was lost ;)

I had become a blog reader...but not a blog writer for quite a while.

Life is good. I am now working full-time and am trying to come up with a balance with all of my activities.

I am not complaining! That is for certain. I see so many of my friends and family who are struggling to make ends meet.

Thankful that I am working as well as Firehubby. Not taking it for granted!

The kiddos are pretty good.

We have been running them around to their many activities. I am so happy to put the miles on the car in order to keep them focused on a positive path! They are 12 and 13, coming into those vulnerable years.

Firehubby had his blog taken over by some drug ad... here is his new blog "The Damage is Done":

http://www.thedamageisdone.net/

Oh, and last but not least...we were thrilled to announce that we celebrated our 17th Groundhog's day together.

As the saying goes..."Groundhog's Day is for Lovers".

My sweetheart spoiled me with a box of my favorite candies...yummy chocolate covered cherries.

How did you celebrate?

Number Geek Alert!

2010-12-11T07:09:00.000-08:00

All of the good birth date numbers are running out!

I'm just in a panic!

But today is a really good one...

12-11-10

So if you are due to have a baby...run on out TODAY and have the little one!

Hurry!

Your child will thank you :)

I've Got a Thing for Steve Urkel!

2010-12-08T06:53:00.000-08:00

I am OVER sagging (oh, like I ever enjoyed it?!)

My boy is trying to get into the sagging action.

"This belt just doesn't keep my pants up."

Well, let's be on our way to Kohls Mr. Skinny Bottom!

Did you see this news story out of Memphis?

I just love this school principal!

It will be worth the click (and even the commercial)

Click here and watch 'em be Urkeled!

A Season of Gratitude

2010-11-15T21:19:00.000-08:00

Today I give thanks for my job and for Brian’s job at the fire department.

I see so many suffering around me…out of work and on the edge of financial disaster.

My heart breaks for them.

I know many of you are in a difficult place.

Praying for the people around me who are struggling.

Praying for my blogger friends who are trying to make ends meet.

Praying for our country…

Gotta Love... Halloween

2010-10-30T13:36:00.000-07:00

Gotta Love...

my sweet girl's smile

pumpkin families

California in October and wearing tube-top sundresses

Gotta Love...

my sweet boy's morning wild curly hair

carving a cool pumpkins

the early teen years

Since I whined in my last post...

2010-10-26T23:08:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd lighten up and re-run of one of my favorite posts

"I never give advice but..."

Ladies, please hear this… avoid tummy tattoos before your child bearing years!

Years of experience in L&D have taught me that...

delicate rings of tiny flowers become…

Christmas wreaths!

tiny fluttering butterflies become…

hawks!

a simple little name becomes…

a billboard!

I think the look on her face says it all …

“My tats are going to be destroyed by this pregnancy!”

P.S. That tattoo of the little man mowing your... ehem... hair is funny, but you may find it a bit embarrassing when you go to have your baby!

P.P.S. I may be missing my target audience with this post ")

P.P.P.S. I actually have seen some amazing works of art, as I see a lot of "canvas" in my work ")

Please...please...let's get it over with

2010-10-26T22:19:00.000-07:00

Is it just me?

Or are we getting bombarded with more political commercials than ever this year?

I am seriously getting exhausted with this election year.

Think I will not listen to the radio the next week. UGH!!!!

Cannot wait for election day...so I can vote and finally have a voice in my country's future.

And so that the commercials will STOP!!!!

We're in Counseling...

2010-10-19T08:24:00.000-07:00

Is it wrong to admit...

2010-10-15T16:38:00.000-07:00

...that during surgery, it grosses me out to watch the scalpel on the skin?

Yep, it is true. When I scrub, I focus on the skin just to the side of the scalpel, just millimeters to the side. After that initial incision I am just fine.

I know, as a nurse I am supposed to be strong and handle anything that I do and see.

Well, we nurses have our weaknesses. For some it is m-eeewww-cus, other it is vomit, some it is the ol' "code brown".

For me...yep, the skin incision.

Hey...at least I don't faint at the sight of blood! LOL :)

10/10/10 ... it's your birthday

2010-10-11T08:07:00.000-07:00

Is it just me?

Wouldn't it be great to have 10/10/10 as your birthday?

How cool would that be?!

Yesterday at work, I met a little fella and a little gal who will hear how awesome that b-day is many, many, many times during their lives.

I am not usually a numbers geek (math...EEK!)

But I think that certain dates are fun (yep, geek)

I will only get to be numerically delighted two more times... 11/11/11 (my girl's 13th b-day by the way) and 12/12/12.

Oh, there will be other numbers...but none as beautiful as 10/10/10 (sigh)

(okay, it's just me)

A Walk to Remember 2010...was amazing

2010-10-04T14:16:00.000-07:00

A Walk To Remember

We Walk For The Steps They Will Never Take

Our Fifth Annual "A Walk to Remember" was a huge success.

Nearly 700 parents, family, and friends came to honor their babies.

There were many tear, hugs, and much love that swept over the medical center grounds.

The service was lovely. Our honorary family spoke of their daughter with Trisomy 18, whom we supported through our palliative care program. They shared of the precious 34 hours they held and loved on her. There was not a dry eye in the auditorium.

It was a privilege to validate the lives of the many babies represented through "the reading of the names".

As the group walked around the medical center moods brightened and many stayed to share memories of their babies and enjoy refreshments.

I was touched to see that so many parents had huge walking teams who came to support them.

A Walk to Remember gives bereaved parents a chance to talk of their babies each year with family and friends.

When a baby dies, many people do not see the loss as significant.

"Well, at least you didn't know her."

"You can have another one."

From the moment a couple finds out they are pregnant, they are parents.

No matter how many weeks or months the baby was in the womb or days the baby lived, they were and always will be the mother and father of a baby who will always be precious to them.

This month, National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness, reach out to those you know have lost their baby.

Always remember...

A Walk to Remember

2010-10-01T18:31:00.000-07:00

Each October walks are held throughout the country to honor

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.

Sunday is my hospital's A Walk to Remember.

My bereavement colleagues and myself have been working hard for months to provide this beautiful event for our families who have suffered such a tremendous loss...the loss of a baby.

We will start with a remembering service, including a reading of the name of each baby being honored.

Then, a bag-piper will lead us in a procession to an open lawn.

There, he will start playing Amazing Grace...

and doves will be released.

A special bereaved family will lead us around the hospital for a one mile walk.

We will come back for refreshments and professional photographs.

We are expecting nearly 700 people to come and honor their precious babies.

It will be a bitter-sweet, incredibly meaningful day.

All of my friends who have lost a baby, through miscarriage, stillbirth, or newborn loss, are in my thoughts and prayers.

I remember you and your babies.

Texting...It Keeps Our Family Close

2010-09-26T20:29:00.000-07:00

I really never thought that I would like texting.

I thought that it would be a negative for my kids.

I worried that it would isolate our kids from us...

fingers to buttons and nose to screens?

But...

Texting is wonderful for our family!

It draws us closer when we have to be apart.

I use to refuse to text because it was a hassle with my old phone.

Now I have my QWERTY keyboard with buttons.

Love it!

Firehubby and I text and touch base at times during the day when he's at work...

We send love notes:

"Miss us so much babe, luv u"

"LFY"

"AYIR"

Parent together:

"Do you want to take her 2 swim tomorrow or shall I?"

"Is (insert video game name) appropriate for him?"

"He wore his new Vans to camp!!! #$@%"

We also text to keep in touch with the kids...

My boy:

"David's dad driving me, will be @ house soon"

"Can I walk the dog with Hannah?"

"Hey mom"

My girl:

"I forgot my gym shoes...will you bring them?"

"Luv you mom"

"I need to stay over for band today"

We do keep the kids texting under control with a little white lie...

We have unlimited texting for the entire family, because it is the best deal.

But, we tell our girl that she is only allowed 15 texts a day (sending and receiving)

And we tell our boy that he has 30 a day

We'll keep it up as long as we can! LOL!

I Want to Keep my Job...so,

2010-09-19T14:49:00.000-07:00

Recently, my employer made an announcement.

"No staff member shall tweet, facebook, blog, or any other form of social networking, about patients. This is a violation of HIPAA and you could face discipline or termination."

We were told that even if we thought we were changing detail sufficiently, the medical center would assume we were not.

So, sadly, my days of posting Stories from the Delivery Room are over.

I have taken my posts down.

It has been a pleasure sharing my adventures with you.

My writing on being a firewife and mom shall continue.

(By the way, life has gotten in the way of blogging. As always, I have missed you.)

~hugging~

2010-08-08T14:04:00.000-07:00

When you hug your kiddos are you usually the first to let go?

That used to be me.

Now, I remind myself to hug as long as they need.

Especially at my kid's current ages (11 & 13), it makes for a special moment and connection.

I often get the sweetest smiles after.

It's easy in this rushed world to hurry things up...

sometimes even affection.

Don't forget to hug someone you love today :)

for sweet Jennifer

2010-08-02T14:59:00.000-07:00

Do you know Jennifer from the blue sparrow?

She the loving mother of a baby in heaven.

His name is Bryston.

I've been following her journey of sorrow, heartache, remembering for the past year.

She has touched my heart.

She is a firewife and has a deep desire to become a nurse.

Jennifer...this is for you.

(credit amazing artwork of talented David Sandum from his website)

Last Day to Vote for Rachel :)

2010-07-22T08:56:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all of your support in voting for Rachel.

You can vote once a day and today the voting will close @ 5 pm pacific time.

If you haven't had a chance to vote yet, I would really appreciate if you would consider it

http://1043myfm.clearcontests.com/front/image_contest2.asp?s=A6889271C4BCB3A3557BA5BEA5B19D84939EB49BB6B4678DD1CF8B998EAFA6BDBD777CA6CCC6C2BCA1897D685F7F718B7FA4BC6F91796F66A6B5AF948C6A618499A7A0737C7D64687267916E9791B58DA0626A

Rachel Made it to the TOP TEN!

2010-07-19T18:33:00.000-07:00

Of 250 contestants trying to get their dream wedding,

RACHEL MADE IT TO THE TOP TEN!

(see her inspiring story a couple of posts below)

Will you help make her dream a reality?

Click on the link below...take a moment to register... get your email confirmation...

And then vote each day this week (or just once if that is all of the time you have :)

Thanks...such a simple thing to vote...but a huge gift for a wonderful woman!

VOTE HERE:

Giveaway Canceled...But So Very Proud of a Special Lady

2010-07-05T23:28:00.000-07:00

As I lay down to sleep tonight and prayed and contemplated my day I realized that the giveaway that I was planning on behalf of Rachel (see my last post) might be viewed as "vote buying".

Of course, I would never want to do anything to jeopardize Rachel's chance of getting her dream wedding.

Her strength of character, selflessness, and love speaks for itself.

I hope that I have not caused you any inconvenience.

Please consider will taking a moment to vote for Rachel.

She truly is a special sister and mother.

Thanks,

Julie

The Gift of Life-the Love of a Sister/New Mother

2010-07-05T17:49:00.001-07:00

Meet Brook.

She is winning the fight against Leukemia.

You may know Elaine at Matter's of the Heart...she is Brook's lovely sister.

Meet Rachel.

She's also Brook's sister.

Just after Rachel delivered her baby she found out that she was a perfect bone marrow match for Brook.

Without a second thought, Rachel prepared to donate her marrow, Brooks only chance for living.

But, Rachel was faced with a dilemma.

She could choose to go through a procedure where she could take medication and then have blood taken to extract the marrow. The problem with this choice was she could not nurse her precious baby for a period of time.

The other option was to undergo a painful operation to have her marrow extracted. This would allow her to have minimal interruption to her nursing.

Rachel made the sacrifice of her own comfort and did what was best for her sister AND her baby.

She went through the surgery.

In my eyes Rachel is a true hero.

This brings me to today.

I have the opportunity to do something special for Rachel.

You see, she is getting married soon.

With the economy being so bad, planning a wedding is tough.

Well, Elaine found this awesome opportunity for Rachel…an opportunity to win the wedding (plus a honeymoon!) of her dreams through a local radio station.

The catch…she needs people to vote for her online.

So, I’m in!

I am eager to help this sweetheart :)

I can vote each day to help her.

Easy peasy!

If you want to help, you will need to confirm your email, that confirmation will probably go to your spam box.

Once registered you can come back and vote for her once a day until the July 16th.

If she makes it into the top 10, then the voting will begin again, with the winner announced July 23rd with a week to plan the wedding.

Here is the link:http://1043myfm.clearcontests.com/front/image_contest2.asp?s=A6889271C4BCB3A3557BA5BEA5B19D84939EB49BB6B4678DD1CF8B998EAFA6BDBD777CA6CCC6C2BCA1897D67657F77897FA4BC6F91796F66A6B5AF948C6A618499A7A0737C7D636D7069916E9791B58DA0626A

Thanks!

(p.s. It is great to be back!)

Summer Bloggy Break

2010-06-12T21:09:00.000-07:00

~Taking a break~

*See you soon*

(you may see me commenting here and there...after all, I can't take a break cold turkey ;)

Protected-return of the missing post

2010-06-12T21:06:00.000-07:00

Is it really Tuesday already?

Wow, time flies.

I’m joining Mr. Daddy and Rachel from Once Upon a Miracle for True Story Tuesday again today. Pop on over to their blog and read more great stories.

Okay, time to tell you about a scary, scary thing that happened to me…

Do you remember the lost boy from about a month ago?

If not, click here

Well, shortly after I got back from Seattle, a neighborhood came by to tell me some bad news.

“Someone found the boy again,” she said.

“He was on Main St.-ALONE!”

(Now, to get to Main St. from my house, you have to walk down 10 houses and turn right. Then, go down 15 houses and turn left and go down 10 more houses.)

A man on Main St. had found the boy wandering about and was dialing 9-1-1 when a woman pulled up to his front yard and rushed out of the car.

She identified herself as the boy’s grandmother and upset that the little guy he had gotten out of the house again.

“His father died the other day,” she told the man before she loaded the boy into her car.

Yes, the boy’s father, one of the new renters down the road… was dead.

(BTW- I believe that a death in the family is not an excuse for not watching over defenseless little children. This family is extremely fortunate that they are not mourning two family members now: the father and the little boy)

Let’s pause and I’ll set up a timeline here.

(It’s important so that you can understand what happened.)

Saturday #1 Lost Boy

Saturday #2 Police officer at my door (?)

Saturday #3 Boy’s father dies

Wed….boy found on Main St.

Saturday # 4 Return from Seattle

My prior post was about Saturday #1.

At 7a.m. on Saturday #2, my girl comes upstairs and tells me that someone is knocking at the door. Looking out the peep hole, I can see a man who is wearing a black t-shirt that seems to have an iron-on badge on it, and khaki pants.

He looks like a police officer, I don’t answer it.

He stands there and continues knocking.

I pick up the phone and call Firehubby, who has gone to work.

“There’s a guy knocking at the door. It looks like he may be a police officer.” I whisper, “If he identifies himself as an officer, I’ll call 9-1-1 and be sure that he is really a police officer.”

Firehubby agrees with the plan and stays on the phone with me.

I peek out the blinds to see if there is a car in front of the house. No, none. But, while peeking, I rattled the blinds. When I looked back through the peep-hole, he knocked again. I know he saw me.

A few minutes later, he went away.

I thought maybe it was an officer doing a follow-up on the lost boy. I was not overly concerned about what happened.

Okay, follow me here…there is a reason I am giving all of this info.

So now we are back to Saturday #4-return from Seattle:

After I found out about the lost boy and the death of his father, I headed to yet another neighbor’s house to find out what had happened. I had suspected that the mother may have been a druggy because of her lack of maternal instinct and her demeanor, and I wondered if drugs were involved with his death.

Sure enough…illegal drug overdose had killed the lost boys father.

Here is where it gets scary for me:

“Julie, remember when you asked me if I had a knock on my door a couple of weekends ago?” my neighbor asked.

“Well,” he said, ”my son-in-law told me he was up with his baby and (saw the lost boy’s father) go to your door at 4:30 in the morning. He saw the guy knock on your door and then leave.”

Then the neighbor told me his son-in-law saw the same guy go to my door around 7a.m. and leave again.

I had CHILLS.

The lost boy’s father (the guy who later overdosed on drugs) had come knocking on my door at 4:30 in the morning.

The guy would have just watched my husband leave for work.

Do you think it was a social call?

Me neither.

The guy knew I had called the police about his son, the lost boy.

No one from the lost boys house had come to talk about what had happened.

I would have let them know that the reason I called 9-1-1 was because his child was in danger and for all I knew, he was frantically searching for his son.

And I also found out that, with the type of work the guy was in, he likely carried a gun.

Thank GOD that I did not hear the knock on the door.

I would have been scared to death.

I would have called Firehubby, who would have turned right around and raced home.

There might have been a horrific confrontation.

I also would have called my next-door neighbor, my protector when my husband is gone. He would have come to the front yard.

That confrontation could have been equally horrific.

I am thankful that I had the wisdom not to open the door to the guy at 7a.m.

I truly think he wanted me to believe he was a police officer.

I also see God’s provision/protection in the fact that between Saturday #2 and Saturday #3 we had no idea that the guy had been to our home.

I don’t know how I would have functioned in my home.

If we knew what had happened, Firehubby would have gone down to the guy’s house and defended our family by confronting him about his inappropriate visits.

Thank God that did not happen.

I don’t know why the son-in-law would not have mentioned the early morning visits before the guy had died…but I am actually so thankful that we did not know.

The lost boy’s mother will be moving in a couple of weeks.

I am thankful that this brief chapter of my life is coming to a close.

I thank God for the protection he has given my family…

and I pray for protection for the lost boy and his brothers.

Summer Bloggy Break

2010-06-11T11:13:00.000-07:00

~Taking a break~

*See you soon*

(you may see me commenting here and there...after all, I can't take a break cold turkey ;)

Seattle 2010

2010-06-05T20:02:00.000-07:00

We did it!

For the first time in 5 years we got away together...just the two of us.

We had a wonderful time in Seattle!

*Caution...you are about to see the overuse of the word amazing!

We stayed at the Inn at the Market.

We had the most wonderful view from our room!

We enjoyed some fine Washington wines...

and the most amazing treat from the amazing shop,

the Chocolate Box.

Whale watching off of the San Juan Islands was a dream come true.

The Orcas changed course and went right under the boat.

That is Brian at the front right getting a spray from the blow holes!

Amazing!

Can you guess where we took this photo from?

Yep, the space needle.

Wow, what a view!

We spent much time at the Public Market.

The flowers, fruit, seafood, wine, cheese, fresh breads...

amazing!

I'm hungry just writing this post :)

Not to mention the hours spent gazing at this amazing view...

We had a chance to meet some bloggy friends.

It really is wonderful to see people in person.

I'm telling you, it felt so natural to hang out...

like we really have know each other for a while.

What a great experience.

(Just like when I met Tarah, from Eyeglasses and Endzones, after I went to the Mayo Clinic in MN, last summer.

She is another of my bloggy friends who I will always feel a special connection to.)

I am so excited that I got to meet the Mighy M Family :)

(Thanks for letting me steal photos from you blog :)

How did I not get pix of you?

And my pix of the kids were blurry...darn!)

What a little cherub!

She is just darling...we became BFF's :)

Brian and Mr. Daddy from Once Upon a Miracle.

Couldn't be a nicer guy.

Rachel, from Once Upon a Miracle, with Itty-bit.

Oh my she is just awesome!

How I wish we lived nearby...

I think we would spend a lot of time together!

Oh yes, and Mr. Itty-Bit!

He is my other new BFF.

We had so much fun at dinner!

Here he is posing for me.

*AMAZING- the funny thing is that I didn't realize that I had written "amazing" so many times until I read my post over the first time. LOL!

In the week since I've been back I have been:

Thanking God for protecting me from a crazed psycho drug addict freak (come back for True Story Tuesday to find out what the heck I am referring to)
Getting the kids settled and ready for the final weeks of school
Working in L&D
Catching up on my bereavement role
Having an emergency root canal!

Glad to be back

I will be by to see you very soon :)

Bored Game Anyone?

2010-05-20T07:24:00.000-07:00

My girl loves board games:

"Mom, want to play a board game?"

"No one will play a board game with me."

"Can I have a friend come and play a board game with me?"

A couple of days ago:

"Mom, can I get a board game to play when you go on your trip?"

"Sure," I said, "just write me a note..."

This is the note I found:

"Buy a new BORED game."

LOL! She seriously thought that was what the games were called.

Makes sense ;)

Happy Birthday to my Boy

2010-05-18T01:00:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that thirteen years ago I gave birth to you.

Here are thirteen things I adore about you...

1)You are very sweet to your momma

2)You are a boy of good character

3)You make yummy apple pancakes :)

4)You volunteer your time to help people without any hesitation

5)You are trustworthy

6)You are dependable

7)You are an awesome boy scout

8)You are a loyal friend

9)You are an amazing Lego builder :)

10)You draw awesome pictures

11)You are self confident

12)You love reading and devour books faster than I can imagine

13)You always ask when Dad is coming home from the fire station and greet him with a smile and a huge hug when he arrives

When you were tiny, I could never imagine what you would be like as a teenager.

Now that you are here...I am so excited.

You are growing into a fine young man!

If you know me...

2010-05-17T18:56:00.000-07:00

...you know that I really think that last video I posted was HILARIOUS!

I was just trying to see if you would think I was talking about the little girls Single Lady dance video (hello, where were the parents on that one?) and then open the post to find that cute dancing baby!

Anyway, scroll down for a laugh :)

Single Ladies...outrageous...scantily dressed...how old is this kid?

2010-05-17T16:27:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness...this is just hilarious! :)

Crazy about her...

2010-05-16T15:02:00.000-07:00

I'm crazy about my girl...

my favorite YouTube video

2010-05-15T23:15:00.000-07:00

Where is Your Mother?

2010-05-11T19:05:00.000-07:00

I sat in my garage organizing some junk last weekend, when something unusual caught my eye. A little guy, maybe about 4 years old, with a big dog was walking on the other side of the street. Not having my glasses nearby, I couldn’t quite make out who the boy was.

What the heck are those parents thinking?

Letting a preschooler walk a huge German Sheppard alone?

And right in front of the Houdini pit bull’s house across the street.

They’d better catch up to the little guy!

How stupid and dangerous.

Then, my thoughts drifted back to my project.

About 5 to 10 minutes later I heard someone shouting from the end of the street. It was a teenaged girl, and she was chasing after the little boy who had passed me with the dog earlier.

She slowed at my driveway and asked if the boy was mine. I told her he wasn’t.

“Well, I found him around the corner sliding down a dirt hill. He doesn’t have anything but a shirt on,” she said breathlessly, “When I came near to him he started running.”

We both looked down the street and the kid was now running full speed in the middle of the road.

Immediately, I started racing after him.

I was running quickly, but the little guy was outpacing me. He was approaching a very dangerous intersection in the road and I my adrenaline surged.

Kicking off my slip-ons, my body went into a full sprint. Only with this full out run was I able to catch up to the boy.

I grabbed his shoulder, and he stopped, turning his face to me.

Oh my gosh, he was just a toddler! (Yes, I should wear my glasses more often!)

Immediately, I lifted him to my hip and turned toward home. The teenager was heading my way, as well as my next-door neighbor. We were all stunned by the situation and began looking around for the adult responsible for him.

When I got to my house, I dialed 911. It had been at least 10-15 minutes since I had noticed the boy walk by with the dog.

Some mother must be frantic looking for her baby!

“What’s your name?” I asked the little guy.

He just jabbered. He did not even talk yet.

I gave the 911 operator a full description of him and then stood in my drive waiting for someone to run by, or drive by, looking for him. I comforted the boy and my little girl brought him a stuffed animal to hold.

We stood out front and I waited…

And waited…

It was now at least 25 minutes since the boy had come to my attention and no one was on our street looking for him.

My neighbor hopped in his car to go see if there was someone looking around for the baby on other streets.

After a few minutes, he found a family in their front yard and stopped. He asked if they were missing a kid. They were not.

Two little boys were nearby on their scooters and called out. “What does he look like? Maybe it’s our brother.”

They followed my neighbor around the corner to my house.

“Yep, that’s my baby brother,” the boy, who looked around 8, said.

He reached out to take the boy…

“I need you to go get your mother, “ I said

The boy headed down the street and went into a house nearby that was recently rented out.

He came back a few minutes later…without his mother.

“Go get you mother.” I said nicely, but firmly.

He left again and returned a few minutes later…without his mom.

Then, I saw the disheveled woman walking casually towards my house.

“Oh, thank you.” She said, sounding groggy, as she took the toddler into her arms. Her apparent lack of maternal instinct struck me.

It had been 35-40 minutes and she had not noticed her child missing.

I know that these things rarely happen, a toddler escaping, but I would expect a more rapid response and a pretty freaked out parent when they realized what was going on!

The police car arrived about 10 minutes later and took a report.

I found out later that another neighbor had found the boy out alone, half a block from his home, days before.

It’s been hard letting this go. I have seen neglected and abused children in the hospital, but of course it never gets any easier to see.

It is unthinkable to me, that children, so precious and vulnerable, are not protected by their caregivers.

It is a harsh reality of this world and it hit close to home last weekend.

(The picture at the top is not of the little boy in my neighborhood)

I’m joining Rachel and Mr. Daddy today for their True Story Tuesday. There are so many interesting stories shared on their blog. Head over and take a look.

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T09:23:00.000-07:00

I woke up to a smiling little girl holding a balloon and an orchid and my wonderful man holding my favorite food

~ a box of donuts!

(I NEVER buy them...too dangerous!)

What a wonderful morning :)

The almost-teenage-boy woke a bit later and was so very sweet.

Soon we will go for a hike.

Yep, that's what I want to do today.

I had the funniest memory of a Mother's Day morning about 4 years ago...

Firehubby was at work that morning and

I heard the hands of a 7 and 8 year old busily at work in the kitchen.

They were not allowed to use the stove, of course, so I was picturing some delicious toast.

Soon, I hear happy voices and clanking of dishes coming up the stairs...

Breakfast in bed was on the way!

I pretended I was still asleep.

"Mommy, wake up!"

"Happy Mother's Day!"

There they were, with two of the cutest smiling faces, holding a tray out to me.

"We made breakfast-in-bed for you!"

So darling.

I sit up and they place the breakfast on my lap.

Hmmmm, what is that? I asked myself.

It was a VERY special recipe that they had just made up!

Here it is:

Start with a cup of:

Mix in:

Stir in: (cheddar cheese cubes)

Voila!

They were so proud of their "cooking".

I smiled a big smile as I took my first bite.

"mmmmm, so yummy!"

(Ewwwwww)

Oh, the delight in their eyes was so sweet.

They sat on the bed, watching me chew each bite.

"Mmmmmm, this is just so tasty."

I finished every last (ewwww) bite.

"You want so more Mommy?!"

"No thanks. I am sooooo full"

Too cute :)

Happy Mother's Day to all of you mom's out there.

I am remembering all of you mothers who, sadly, only hold your babies

in your hearts and memories, and not in your arms today.

~Hugs~

see you soon...

2010-05-05T07:59:00.000-07:00

HUGE school project with my girl in progress...

I'll see you when it's done :)

Don't Tell Fire Hubby...

2010-04-27T11:54:00.000-07:00

Dear Meth Heads...

2010-04-22T22:18:00.001-07:00

Julie is the best, so I look forward to joining her Letters of Intent this week.

Dear Meth House,

Please decide…Meth house ~OR~ Avon Sales Home.

The sign out front of your run down home, near the salon I go to in downtown, says “Avon Sold Here.”

However the meth heads that sit in the front yard and come and go don’t seem to be the Avon type. Your bobble heads, missing teeth, and sores give you away.

Take down the sign or clean up your act (I do recommend the Avon bubble bath).

Poor Cleo, she’d roll over in her grave.

Signed,

The girl who doesn’t want her fond memories of Avon violated

Ding Dong...Avon Calling

2010-04-20T21:01:00.001-07:00

Even though it's late Tuesday, I think I'll link up with the hilarious Rachel and Mr. Daddy for True Story Tuesday...head on over there for some more true stories :-)

When I was a little girl, the Avon Lady used to walk from neighborhood to neighborhood selling her cosmetics, jewelry, and so on…

Our Avon Lady’s name was Cleo.

I remember the pictures of the Avon Lady in ads. She was pretty and young.

Well, Cleo was, well, different than that. I will describe her as I remember her… 60 years old, wore a polyester house dress, had pantyhose that sagged at the ankles, and of course, very practical shoes. She had an accent that might have been southern, but I have not met anyone else that sounded like her since.

Cleo would walk up and down the cul-de-sacs in our neighborhood carrying her heavy Avon Lady bag. With each step she tottered to one side to counter balance the heavy load. She seemed a bit weary as she walked. But when she arrived at the door, she would perk right up.

We children would run into our houses to let our moms know that Cleo was on the block.

I’d peak out as she rang the bell, then Mom would let her in. Cleo would lug that big bag up the stoop and into the front room. Mom would sit on the sofa, Cleo on the loveseat, and I would take my place on the floor, elbows leaning on the coffee table, ready to see what was in the bag that day.

Without fail, Cleo would take out a perfume bottle and the magic words would come out…”Mind if I spray?” Mom never minded. With a push of a finger, perfume was sprayed on Mom’s wrist and she’d always said something like, “Oh, that is nice.” Mom was that way, very kind and hospitable.

Then, the bar of soap would be presented. Without fail, Cleo would say, “It’s very crisp, you know, because it’s French milled.” I’m certain it was French milled, after all, Cleo was an Avon Lady for over 25 years and she would be sure to know her product.

Oh, but my favorite part of the visit was when Cleo would take out the tiny white sample tubes of lipstick. Do you remember those? Just thinking of them brings me right back in time. Mom had six kids and there simply was no money for the luxury of lipstick, so these were little treasures. Mom kept those little tubes in the bathroom drawer and in her purse. Sometimes I would sneak and use some, so I could look pretty too.

The one item Mom did buy was the bubble bath. I can almost smell it now, it ‘s sweet, fresh scent. I’m sure that I used more than my share. I never could resist a bubble bath. I was spoiled that way.

Cleo was part of the fabric of my childhood.

Good memories.

Remembering Oklahoma City...

2010-04-19T08:04:00.000-07:00

15 years ago today, innocent lives were lost.

I remember the day clearly...

The radio blared accounts of a huge explosion in Oklahoma City.

Chaos had ensued.

Something devastating had happened.

Sitting with my patient, we just stared at the television.

The horror of the day became more vivid as the smoke cleared.

The workers...

The daycare center...

Shocking.

How could this be happening?

We had no frame of reference for such an event.

Today, let's remember the victims of the Oklahoma City Bombings and their loved ones.

We honor their lives by remembering.

Tax Day Baby

2010-04-16T10:53:00.001-07:00

As I drove off to work in L&D yesterday it dawned on me that it was Tax Day.

All of my little babies would have the "dreaded day" for their birthday.

I could only imagine the comments they might get when they say that April 15th is their birthday.

Then I thought, why not pick a name that matches the day

(Think Christmas babies named Noel)

Here are a few that myself and my colleagues (and of course Firehubby) came up with:

IRiS

Cash

Goldie

Refundo or Refunda

Monet

Don't you think this is a great idea?

I could be starting a new tradition here!

I am afraid...

2010-04-14T21:46:00.000-07:00

Let me just make it clear...this is not an actual photo of my neighbor's dog. However, if I was brave enough to take a photo of my neighbor's dog it would look like this dog's twin.

Thank you Julie @ Fourson's for your blog carnival and the opportunity to vent!

Dear Neighbor,

I am afraid.

Your Pit Bull jumps over the fence whenever he chooses.

When he is chained in the yard he doesn’t take his eyes off of my kids.

Last week a tiny baby, not far away, had his testicles torn off by a pit bull.

Earlier in the year, children nearby were mauled by a pit bull, leaving a child on life support.

Story after story…

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local-beat/10-Year-Old-Injured-in-Pit-Bull-Attack-84914747.html

http://www.cass-news.com/articles/2010/04/01/news/local/doc4baf93a6f3f13726508391.txt

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Dogs-Maul-Girl-Siblings-Savaged-By-Mastiff-And-Pit-Bull-Mixes-In-Fontana-California/Article/201002115540931

http://www.latimes.com/sns-ap-us-dogs-attack-baby,0,499005.story

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/03/pomona-pit-bull-attack.html

These were just a few from this year.

What if wild creatures did the same thing, like a mountain lion or coyotes? The search would be on and a huge public outcry would be heard.

When will it end?

In the meantime…I’m afraid.

I am sure you will defend your animal…

"Our dog is sweet."

"He would never hurt anyone."

"I trust him with my kids."

…every time a child, or an elderly person is mauled, these exact words come out of the owners mouths.

When will human rights prevail over animal rights?

When will it end?

Neighbor…I am afraid.

~Julie

Click here to read my firefighter husband's post with statistics and his own personal experiences.

Nursing at the County...Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite

2010-04-11T23:35:00.001-07:00

As a student nurse at the county hospital, I spent many an evening and night performing skills that I had learned in class.

One night on a med-surg floor I was taking care of Mrs. Myers, my paralyzed patient who was sweet and talkative. She rested in this huge bed that was a giant metal frame filled with microbeads. The tiny beads continuously swirled beneath her with the help of the force of air being pumped in at the base. Between the beads and the patient was a soft fabric covering . The bed was designed to help prevent bedsores for patients who were not mobile.

When it was time for Mrs. Myers bedbath, I pulled the rolling table over the bed to hold my basin. One of my fellow student nurses stopped by and offered to help with the final step of my care, the linen change.

As we prepared to change the under sheet, we were shocked to see two cockroaches jump from the over-bed table into the bed! The other SN and I looked at each other with wide eyes and then immediately started sweeping our hands quickly over the bed, hoping to find the critters and knock them out of the bed.

Thankfully, Mrs. Myer was oblivious to what was happening. She remained relaxed and chatted away.

Rubbing our hands wildly over the beads, we smiled and nodded, acknowledging her discussion.

Finally, we saw the nasty critters and swept simultaneously at them at threw them into the air. They landed on the floor and ran out the door.

We quickly excused ourselves, closed the door of the patient room, and went out into the hall…

After getting over our shock and disgust, we laughed at the crazy place we worked. Thank goodness Mrs. Myer never was aware of her bedmates.

Husband,

2010-04-08T16:16:00.000-07:00

Dear Husband,

I luff ewe.

Eye love you.

Isle of vue.

I love ewe.

Isla view.

Now everyone knows!

I love you :)

I'm joining Julie over at Fourson's for her Letters of Intent blog carnival...'cause sometimes you just gotta tell someone what you think!

p.s. I want you to know...if she hires you Honey, I WILL be invited to all of the office parties. Jus' sayin'.

A Thought About Parenting...

2010-04-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

Today, my boy is missing out on something really big.

He just won't go with the program (read -school-here).

Discipline hurts.

Today, it really makes me sad that I have to keep him home.

But it's the right thing to do.

Some days (okay, months) being a mom is just downright hard.

I know it's hard for firehubby too.

And EVERYONE said parenting would be easy.

Goodness, they were so wrong.

(just kidding with the last sentence)

This is just too depressing...

So, here are a few pix of the kids first concert.

Paul McCartney at the Hollywood bowl last week!

oops, sorry honey, guess that Keith Urban picture accidentally uploaded

my bad ;)

True Story Tuesday-Does Blood Really Attract Sharks?

2010-03-30T01:00:00.000-07:00

It’s been a bit of time, but Rachel and Mr. Daddy from Once Upon a Miracle have hit the big time with their True Story Tuesday and I don’t want to be left behind this blog sensation that’s sweeping the nation.

Well, you may remember one of my first scuba diving adventures…

You know, where I got sea sick under water and then “fed the fish”.

Later that dive, I was stung by a Portuguese Man of War as I surfaced.

Then in my story I pretended I never went scuba diving again, when actually:

I went diving at the Great Barrier Reef and could not convert to the metric system (Okay, stop thinking less of me, I was young and stupid)…well, I dove so shallow that I ended up being swept away by the current and had to be rescued by a glass bottom boat.

Oh and I did a giant stride off of a platform of a dive boat but forgot to put my regulator (breathing device) in my mouth.

“My reeeggguuullllaaattttoooorrrr!”

Let’s face it, I was dangerous.

But, there may have actually been a purpose for my quest to be the best diver ever (ha!)…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One cloudy afternoon in Cancun I boarded a dive boat. I was alone on vacation and decided to use the scuba skills that I had so carefully honed. After a few minutes, the boat headed out to the open ocean. The waves were pitching the boat briskly up and down. My weak stomach held out, for which I was thankful.

About a half an hour later, the boat came to a stop far from land.

“Okay, listen up!” the Dive Masters shouted over the roar of the wind. “We’re all going to do a giant stride into the water. As soon as you’re in, decent and wait for me at the bar beneath the boat.”

Standing at the edge of the boat, I did a huge scissor step out and landed in the warm water. A giant swell hit me a moment later and I eagerly abided the order to descend.

Letting air out of my buoyancy vest, I slipped below the surface of the gray blue water. The weights around my waist moved me swiftly downwards, sinking below the boat. The ropes holding the heavy bar below the boat became visible and I grasped one and descended farther and farther until I reached the bar.

Holding on tightly, I was pitched up and down with the movement of the boat. Above, the silhouette divers came toward me in slow motion, like a platoon of paratroopers floating to the ground. They gracefully moved closer and closer, until they were able to grab onto the bar.

At the back of the boat was a huge propeller. As the boat pitched, the giant blades thrust downward. Out of the corner of my eye I caught glimpse of diver heading into a perilous situation.

Waving my arm, I tried to attract the divers attention. Sliding down the steel bar, I moved toward the diver. He still did not see me.

Suddenly, the boat pitched lower than ever and neared the divers head. It was a disturbing sight.

With all my might I reached upward and grabbed the divers ankle. I thrust my arm down with seemingly superhuman strength and pulled him toward me. At that moment I saw the blade strike his head.

Pulling him further down, I grabbed his arm and brought him face to face with me. His eyes looked dazed at first, but then he focused in on me. Blood from his head began flowing into the ocean. Head wounds usually bleed profusely, often making things look worse than they actually are. At a glance, the wound didn’t look too bad.

It was a miracle that the diver had not been decapitated, no less come out with only a small gash to his forehead. It looked more like a shallow laceration.

Using universal scuba signs, I gestured to the diver “You okay?”

He nodded his head yes.

It seemed that no one had noticed what had just happened. Keeping hold of the diver, I urgently waved the dive master over. He came quickly, and I turned my victim over to the hands of a professional.

The two communicated with hand motions. They were pointing up and pointing down. I was hoping that the guy would be escorted to the surface to be checked out, but to my astonishment the diver followed the dive master as the group moved downward.

We all continued our decent to the ocean floor. The visibility was improving and the sun was burning through the clouds and permeating the water.

Vague memories are all that I have of the adventure. I’m sure that I saw some fish and a reef. But I couldn’t tell you much more.

Two questions swirled around and around in my head…

Would this guy make it safely through the dive?

Would the blood that continued to stream from his face attract SHARKS?

Or maybe the questions were in a different order.

After what seemed like an eternity, we all surfaced.

As soon as I saw “the victim” I approached him.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, thanks,” he said casually.

With that he walked to the other side of the boat.

“Hey, dude!” I shouted. “I just saved your life!”

Just kidding.

Stunned, I sat staring out at the serene blue waters.

Not another word was said about the drama that had unfolded less than an hour before.

OB in 2010… a Different World

2010-03-29T07:41:00.001-07:00

I loved the report I received from the off-going nurse my last shift. The patient was stabilizing after having preterm contractions at 24 week with twins.

“The babies are surprisingly easy to find,” my colleague said encouragingly.

“The first heartbeat can be found just above the butterfly tattoo on her right lower abdomen. And, the second is just north of the belly button ring.”

What a crack up.

But you know…twins can be hard to find. It was actually really helpful to have those great landmarks.

I can’t wait ‘til it's popular to tattoo entire grids on the tummy. You know, like the old Battleship game.

I’d love to hear that report.

“You’ll find the first twin at B-2 and the second at G-6.”

I’ll actually look forward to multiples!

(No offense mommies. But, oh my, those sweet little twins, trips, quads, quints…are often so hard to monitor!)

A Fresh New Look

2010-03-28T15:51:00.000-07:00

New look.

Improved outlook.

Fresh start.

Hoping you will give me a second chance :)

(or is it a third chance? or fourth? fifth?)

Did you recognize me? I need a good photo editor for those wrinkles ;)

OB in 2010… a Different World

2010-03-28T01:00:00.000-07:00

I loved the report I received from the off-going nurse my last shift. The patient was stabilizing after having preterm contractions at 24 week with twins.

“The babies are surprisingly easy to find,” my colleague said encouragingly.

“The first heartbeat can be found just above the butterfly tattoo on her right lower abdomen. And, the second is just north of the belly button ring.”

What a crack up.

But you know…twins can be hard to find. It was actually really helpful to have those great landmarks.

I can’t wait ‘til it's popular to tattoo entire grids on the tummy. You know, like the old Battleship game.

I’d love to hear that report.

“You’ll find the first twin at B-2 and the second at G-6.”

I’d actually look forward to multiples!

(No offense mommies. But, my oh my, those sweet little twins, trips, quads, quints…are so hard to monitor!)

Kiss Us, We're Irish

2010-03-18T14:25:00.001-07:00

The traditional St. Patty's Day celebrations happened yesterday-despite the civil war...

The 2 combatants actually SAT NEXT TO EACH other!

The traditional jigs were jigged!

We forced them =)

They ACTUALLY touched each other-EWWWWWW~gross!

But it was a great jig!

Although dad is Polish he got into the jig action =)

Fun!

(The war resumes)

She Was Missing...

2010-03-16T17:29:00.000-07:00

The “wife” and “mom” have been missing from this blog lately.

I'm still here…

The wife:

I am one happy wife.

I am blessed to have a wonderful man.

We are dating.

Yes, we are.

Everyday we have off together we go out while the kids are at school. Maybe to a matinee or maybe just for a cup of coffee, we take time just for ourselves.

We are on the same page when it comes to our marriage, our home, and our kids.

It is wonderful to be able to say this.

We are going to go on a special trip in May.

It looks like it will be to Seattle.

I am so excited.

We can REALLY use a get-away.

Plus,we are celebrating our 15^th wedding anniversary early.

Did I mention I have a wonderful man…if not, I must tell you, I have a

wonderful husband.

The Mom:

The “mom” part has been difficult lately.

I can say that it has never been as difficult as it has been these days.

Between school issues, sibling issues, growing up issues…it has been difficult.

Did I mention it has been difficult…

Me ~Julie:

Overall, I am doing well.

I am catching up on work stuff. That is always good.

Thanks to Mimi and Stephanie, I have been a Shredding maniac.

I am energized by the thought of going on our trip.

Trying to take life one day at a time...

(CAUTION. please don't tell me parenting is going to get worse as the years go forward-This mother knows it's true, saying so may cause uncontrollable hysteria )

Where is the mom...

2010-02-08T19:17:00.001-08:00

...in wifemomnurse

It’s not easy being the mom these days…

Lots of bad attitudes

Extreme unkindness between siblings

Nothing is done without being asked...

It reminds me of last summer in Minneapolis. I was so fed up with the kids that when I met wonderful fellow blogger ,Tarah from Eyeglasses and Endzones, I didn’t even have her meet my kids. Now that is bad!

There will be better days…better phases.

But when I look up at this picture as I go up the stairs…

my heart melts...

and my heart softens.

And I remind myself how sweet the princess is when she wakes up in the morning and still comes to my bed for snuggles.

And I remind myself how sweet my boy is at the end of the day and wants to talk. And how he loves to go to Starbucks on Tuesdays when he gets out early and his sister is still in school. I always ask about each period at school and he shares everything with me. And then he always asks “So Mom, how’d it going?”

And I then I am reminded what a treasure my kids are and how much I treasure being the mom in wifemomnurse.

Stories From the Delivery Room-Never Let Them See You Sweat

2010-02-05T19:27:00.000-08:00

“Julie, we're out of fetal monitor paper! What are we going to do?” Lisa asked in a panic. “You need to get some, quick.”

It was my first night in charge---ever.

I was green. Having only been in Labor & Delivery for a little over a year, I was a rookie. For reasons I can hardly explain now, I was one of the most senior nurses on that night. And almost immediately, I could see it was not going to go smoothly.

It was 1991 and obstetrical nursing was only beginning to come out of the stone ages. There were no computers, therefore there was no way to see or store a fetal monitor strip if there was no monitor paper. And I did mention it was night shift, right?

“How am I supposed to get monitor paper at night?” I asked, trying to hide my anxiety.

Nobody had an answer for this dilemma, including me.

Keep it together. You need to look confident. Don’t let ‘em see you sweat.

“Okay, let’s call the house supervisor and see if she can send someone to another hospital to get some,” I said thinking on my feet. “We should have enough paper to make it a few hours.”

“Hey Julie, I need you in room 3,” Carolyn said in hushed tones. “I’ve got a fluffy patient in here. Probably a good 300 pounds.”

“The problem is...I can’t get her baby back on the monitor,” she continued, “and she’s been having lates.”

Another crisis at hand, less than a half an hour into my shift. Walking into Room 3, I began adjusting the patients external fetal monitor. The baby had been showing signs of distress, so it was not an option to keep the baby off of the monitor. The patient was propped on her left with a mountain of pillows, an oxygen mask strapped snugly on her face, looking a bit stunned by the rush of activity. Unfortunately, her cervix was not dilated enough to have an internal monitor placed. It was looking like we might be going for a crash Cesarean Section.

“Carolyn, I can’t get the baby on either. Let’s get the resident here ASAP.”

Looking out the door, I saw a nurse pushing Room 4 from the tiny labor room towards the delivery room. There were no Labor/Delivery/Recovery Rooms in our facility yet, so every delivery was done on delivery tables in stark, cold delivery/operating suites.

The secretary found me in the hallway as I left Room 3.

“Julie, ER called. There’s a trauma coming in.”

My staff of five nurses would now have to go down to four, including myself. With three other patients in active labor and a nurse back in delivery, I was not eager to send a nurse off the unit. But I had no choice. Myra left the unit a few minutes later with the fetal monitor card in tow.

L&D was being stretched thin, and so was I.

Suddenly, I heard a raised voice coming from the delivery rooms and the electric doors burst open.

“Who’s in charge tonight?” the attending physician demanded loudly.

Walking into the postage stamp sized nurse’s station, I saw the red faced doctor with hands on her hips.

“I am,” I replied with hesitation to my voice.

Be brave. Stay calm. Stand up to her.

“Why was I not called for this delivery? There is not excuse for this! I am right down the hall and I missed it. This is unacceptable. This is the third time this week.” she thundered in a burst of sentences.

“I don’t know why you were not called...”

“Well, you are in charge,” she said cutting me off. “You need to know what is happening on this unit at all times! Why was I not called?” she demanded.

“I was in another patient room taking care of a problem,” I began, trying to defend myself.

“That is no excuse! You need to see to it that I am called to deliveries!”

“I, I...”

I suddenly felt completely overwhelmed. Angry. Frustrated.

“I...”

Sniffle.

Feeling face flush.

Tears swelling up in eyes.

“Oh, oh no,” she gasped, her eyes suddenly wide open. “Don’t cry. Julie, don’t cry. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

“You”re not making me cry,” I whispered, trying to compose myself. “I’m just overwhelmed. I am in the middle of three crisis’ right now. It’s just a bad time to have this happen.”

"I'm sorry," she apologized, "I really didn't mean to upset you."

I just nodded.

"Would you please go see the patient in Room 3," I requested, "She's having lates."

As she headed out of the station, I quickly gathering myself and went back to problem solving the matters at hand.

That day I resolved to have thicker skin and to not let anyone at work intimidate me. I was a changed person. I became more and more of an advocate for myself, and more importantly a fierce advocate for my patients. Although the families I care for only get to see the kind, sweet, compassionate me, I stand my ground firmly and confidently at the nurses station.

Nineteen years later, I can say that I have not crumbled again under the pressures of my demanding job in Labor & Delivery.

I proudly accept my husband's title for me- “Salty Old Nurse.”

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

2010-01-29T07:42:00.000-08:00

Here is a fav meal that I like to make during especially busy, chilly weeks.

It satisfies everyone, including my picky eater.

I hope you will enjoy

*By the way, the classes are going great so far!

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas
vegetable oil

Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker.

Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf.

Stir in corn and cilantro.

Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes.

To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

Julie’s Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup tips:

If I am running low on time, I use store bought tortilla chips, crumbled tostada or taco shells. Whatever I have on hand.

It is wonderful with a dollop of sour cream and some avacado too.

I always make this the night before, as the chicken needs to be cooked and shredded.

Then I mix the ingredients in the crock and set in it the fridge to be put on in the morning.

During winter, I measure out the spices for more than one pot of soup into baggies. This is the most time consuming part for me, so being able to grab a bag of spices makes the meal even more possible during a crazy week.

Because of a food sensitivity, I do not add additional garlic to any of my recipes.

In this case there is enough between the broth and the enchilada sauce for my taste.

Nursing Continuing Education-just part of the job

2010-01-24T21:44:00.000-08:00

It's that time again...Neonatal Resuscitation Recertification-every 2 years-16 hours
Advanced Fetal Monitoring-every 2 years- 8 hours
National OB Certification-RNC-OB-every 3 years- 45 hours of OB specific education
Advanced Cardiac Life Support-Every 2 years- 16 hours

All due within a one month period.

Started last week.

Me oh my!

Didn't Want to do it...

2010-01-22T07:34:00.001-08:00

Jerks have been posting inappropriate comments on my blog.

So now I am blocking anonymous comments and putting up word verification.

Didn't really want to do it.

But I knew it was in my future because of what my fellow bloggers have said before.

To my anonymous commenters (like my bro and dad)...please email me your comments.

My email is on my profile.

Thanks!

...and don't call her husband either!

2010-01-17T09:00:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Lukie had the most awesome comment on my “Please Don’t Call My Husband…” post.

Her firefighter husband went out on a 911 call recently for a citizen who…

had a…

(brace yourself)

.

.

.

.

NIGHTMARE!

.

Firehubby is not sure if he can top that one...but he is going to try

(click here)

Please Don't Call My Husband...

2010-01-15T01:00:00.000-08:00

...unless it's a true emergency.

I know that you, in blogland, are very reasonable and would not call 911 because your kid had nasal congestion for 3 days.

Or because you have an ingrown toenail.

Or because you can't sleep.

But, there are many, many people who make such calls and abuse the 911 system.

Having a fire crew respond to a non-emergency is not to be taken lightly.

In addition to being a drain on a community's resources, it is actually a potential danger to firefighters and civilians alike.

Driving Code 3, that is with lights and sirens, is actually dangerous.

Even the most conscientious engineers are at risk to have accidents.

(Google Image from 2007)

Here are just a few of the tragedies in 2009:

March 19, 2009-Philadelphia - A fire truck and an engine collided going to a false alarm and 9 firefighters and 1 civilian were injured.

April 1, 2009-Houston- Two fire trucks overturned on the way to a false alarm. 11 firefighters and 1 civilian were injured

December 27, 2009-Orlando area- car crashes into fire truck, civilian killed.

Some people call 911 for non-emergencies because they think they will go to the head of the line in the ER.

Others think that fire engines are hospitals on wheels and that they can see the paramedics instead of seeking care from a physician.

Unfortunately there are not consequences for these EMS abusers.

Hopefully, one day there will be a way to control this problem.

Until then, spread the word...Don't call my husband unless it's a real emergency.

Oh, and while I'm at it:

When you see a firetruck responding to an accident on the freeway...please SLOW DOWN. We need daddy to come home.

Thanks,

A firewife who loves her wonderful man. He is my hero.

(And he's also a wonderful writer! Stop by his blog (click here) and say hello :)

p.s.I really love what blogger Candace Jean wrote in her comment:

She remembers her grandmother telling her each time she heard a siren that someone needed a prayer.

That is so neat.

I am going to do this and teach my kids too. We will pray for the person needing help and the firefighters.

Two of my Favorites De-Stressors

2010-01-13T23:02:00.001-08:00

Would it be so wrong?

2010-01-12T07:31:00.001-08:00

If you don't know Rachel and Mr. Daddy, head on over to their blog

Once Upon a Miracle

You are in for a real treat :)

Today I'm joining their blog carnival-True Story Tuesday

Last night, when I came in from running my support group I snuck into the kids rooms, as usual, to give them kisses.

When I kissed my Scout, he stirred and opened his eyes. Clearly I had awakened him. He gave me a drowsy smile and I gave him another kiss on the cheek and said goodnight.

His eyes closed again, readying to drift of.

I stood looking at my handsome boy for a moment.

Then I noticed he sort of smacked his lips in an odd way.

And did it again.

Odd.

And again.

What is he doing?

"Scout, do you have something in you mouth?" I said, trying to awaken him.

"Scout, wake up. Do you have something in your mouth."

He opened his eyes, but struggled to keep them open.

Then it dawned on me...

"Do you have gum in your mouth?!"

Eyes half open, he reached into his mouth and pulled out a piece of gum.

"Scout, you didn't! You went to bed with gum in your mouth."

He rolled over and put it in the trashcan at his bedside and by the time he rolled over he was back to sleep.

"Scout, you could have choked on that..."

But, I could see there was no point in lecturing. He was out.

Fast forward to breakfast this morning:

Me-"Scout, I can hardly believe that you went to bed with gum in your mouth last night!"

Scout-"No I didn't"

Me stunned-"Scout, I kissed you last night and when you woke up you had gum in you mouth"

Scout-" I didn't put it there"

Me-"Princess, did you put gum in your brothers mouth after he fell asleep?"

Good laugh by princess and I

Scout-"Well, I don't know how it got there."

You know, he never did admit that he went to bed with gum in his mouth.

~sigh~

Oh, the joys of parenting...

Coming up for Air

2010-01-05T18:13:00.001-08:00

Just wanted to let you know I am alive.

Am having trouble rationalizing blogging when:

I don't have a moment to read yours

My responsibilities have not been met around the house and at work

Hoping you all had wonderful New Year's celebrations and that you are getting your year off to a great start!

Merry Christmas to You and Yours

2009-12-24T11:03:00.000-08:00

A Gift from the Heart to the NICU

2009-12-17T20:32:00.000-08:00

A needle. A thread. Fabrics of red and green. Love. Kindness.

Hours, days, weeks, and months go by. A group of sweet ladies sew away. A scrap of fabric added to another and then another... soon beautiful quilts emerge. Lovely Christmas quilts.

As batting is layered with fabric, and panels are tied, the women ponder the difficult experience that NICU parents endure. The quilters are touched and want to give just a little something to brighten a day, to bring a smile to a weary mom.

The ladies have considered that some of the infants would be home for the holidays snuggled in their new quilts. But, they also knew very will that some of the quilts would only held in the arms of a mom or a dad, as they sat by their baby's bedside, peering into an isolette and watching the hard working nurses and doctors keep their precious little one alive.

A few days ago the call came. It was time to pick up the bounty of blankets, in flannel and cotton. An incredible woman, my sister, went to work, throughtout an entire day, laundering dozens upon dozens of tiny treasures. Finally the quilts were ready. Ready to be united with their little boy or girl

Arriving at the hospital with my car loaded up like Santa's sleigh, I brought the hand-made gifts up to the NICU. After piling the quilts high on a cart, I began to push them from NICU room to NICU room. And sure enough, when the parents and nurses caught sight of the handmade presents, their eyes brighted. They gathered around the cart, amazed at all of the beautiful choices. It wasn't easy to decide which to pick. They were all so beautiful.

Soon, many little cherubs had little quilts wrapped around them. More smiles filled each room.

Some of the babies parents could not be at their bedsides when I arrived. But, my own heart was touched again as I watched the NICU nurses search through the abundance of blankets, choosing quilts for "their babies".

"Look Emma, " a nurse said sweetly as she brought a quilt to her tiny patient, "I picked this one just for you!"

Beautiful.

It was beautiful to see the labor of love of the many quilting "angels" bless almost ninety NICU families this Christmas with their simple, meaningful gift.

It is the true spirit of Christmas.

I send out a special thank you to all of the NICU nurses out there who offer such extaordinary care and love to premature and sick babies and their families. You are amazing.

'Tis the Season

2009-12-15T08:26:00.001-08:00

Hey there, I know I am preaching to the choir... but,

Why would a school have a science fair project due a couple weeks before Christmas?
Why me a boss give me an important deadline now?
Why would another of my bosses set a very important bereavement teleconference that I have to go to when I am so very busy??
Why would my scout have a court of honor this week?
Why would I schedule an eye doctor appointment-duh?

Don't they know I am drowning with...

The children's Christmas performance (and all the rehearsals that go with it!)
Going to the American Girl Store (fun)
Getting ready for my brother's wedding reception here in America :)
Having a white elephant (hilarious)
Going to my bro-in-law's 5oth. (nice, but included 100 mile drive in torrential rain to get there and a night in a hotel to avoid falling asleep at the wheel while driving home at midnight 100miles in torrential rain)
Prepping for a Christmas children's present giveaway.
Going to my department Christmas party (at least trying to get there...long story)
Having the most amazing support group Christmas gathering. We had 18 people come and made the most darling Christmas ornaments to remember their babies with.

This on top of all the usual...

Doing my best to care of home and family
Working shifts
Trying to take care of me...not enough exercise and good eating!
Completely failing at being a good blogger

Time to slow it way, way, way down!

Now, I will put my focus on this...

Ahhhhh, true peace

Starbucks Thumb

2009-12-09T22:38:00.000-08:00

Oh, it's very painful.

With each sip, I get a cramp from knuckle to knuckle.

Yep, I am suffering.

I had no idea that switching from Grande brewed decaf to Venti would so traumatic.

Note to self: Next fall...must start my Venti training.

Sllllurrrp...ahhhhhh!

oops...I dropped it!

2009-12-04T22:48:00.000-08:00

No, not a newborn! (I just know you thought that when you read the title!)

No, tonight I have Julie & Julia on my mind:

I adore Amy Adams. She was delightful in Enchanted.

Meryl Streep is the best!

And Julia, Julia Childs, what a lovely woman.

(Although, I have trouble not imagining Dan Ackroyd spoofing her...oh my :)

I was so dissappointed to miss the movie in theatres.

So, when I saw the book @ Borders, when the movie was not out on DVD yet, I bought it and dug right in.

Julie Powell, the author, is a crass, unsophisticated person.

But, I thought I would try to overlook that. Afterall, I'd heard great things about the movie.

When she proudly described her time with the Joy of S*x book at age 11, I felt sick to my stomach.

This must get better...I hoped.

Her political rhetoric was a turn off. And her athiestic cynicism was just plain sad.

But the final straw was when she tells about working in a position to help the families of 9/11 victims. On the first anniversary of the tragic event she makes it clear that she was indignant that she was forced to do, in her words, the "emotional sh*t work" of supporting the bereaved.

It was at the moment...

when I read that sentence...

I "accidentally" dropped the book into the bathtub.

Oopsy.

Take me Away...

2009-12-03T07:13:00.000-08:00

Dreaming of laying on this beach...

You know when I start posting pictures of tropical islands that things are getting BUSY!

I notice that things are getting more quiet in bloggyville, but not as quiet as this ol' blog.

No end in sight...

Missing you...

Thanks-mas Anyone?

2009-11-29T16:48:00.001-08:00

Click here

Traditions

2009-11-25T14:48:00.000-08:00

It’s that time of year, rich in traditions that warm our hearts and bring delight.

One of our family favorites is making homemade applesauce.

Here’s how we do it:

After you cook them down to a chunky sauce (or smooth if your prefer), don’t forget to add obscene amounts of sugar and some cinnamon to taste!

Yummy.

I am sure you can smell that aroma, can’t you!

Smells like apple pie :)

Go ahead, don’t be shy…eat up!

Oh darn, don’t tell Firehubby. But, I just gave you his bowl. He is going to request another entire batch anyway. One he does not have to share. He gets that way about our applesauce! (A little selfish streak…hmmm)

Thanksgiving is a perfect time to reflect on our blessings.

We are so very thankful for our health, our family, our jobs, and for our friends.

Tomorrow we will journey far away, about 2 whole miles, and enjoy a feast at my sister’s home. Mom and Dad have just arrived from Arizona and Uncle Moosie and family will join too. It will be pretty small this year, only about 15. Cozy :)

May God bless your Thanksgiving!

Stories From the Delivery Room-The Board

2009-11-17T23:57:00.000-08:00

Easy going junior resident, Dr. Moore, looked at the board and tensed up immediately. By all indications it was going to be a disaster of a day.

In the middle of the nurses’ station was “The Board”, the central form of communication of vital patient data. Listed were the patient’s name, doc, gestational age, diagnosis and other pertinent information. On this day the board showed all worst-case-scenario patients: a bleeding placenta previa; severe pregnancy induced hypertension; a set of twins in labor; a set of triplets contracting regularly; another patient with a breech baby dilated to 6 and being prepped for the operating room. Additionally, four other patients were dilated between 7-9 centimeters. To top it off, a pregnant diabetic had just arrived and looked like she would need an admission to the ICU for diabetic ketoacidosis. The situation was beyond belief.

Each morning the junior resident arrived around 5A.M. to prepare a report for the oncoming senior resident and obstetric attending physician. As Dr. Moore studied the board, he began to look pale.

In actuality, the situation seemed beyond belief because, little did Dr. Moore know, he’d been set up for a practical joke by the L&D staff. The shift that night had gone from really busy, to incredibly slow. Well, slow is an understatement, we actually had no patients left. It was almost unheard of, but every room in Labor and Delivery was empty. So, as bored nurses are known to do, we decided that we needed to spice up the night…thus a brilliant plan was formed.

Gathering around the board, full of mischief, we came up with the obstetric version of the Perfect Storm. Then, we raced around closing doors, putting up name tags and preparing equipment for our performance that we had choreographed precisely.

As soon as Dr. Moore approached the unit, the chaos began. Nurses began to scurry about pushing IV poles and delivery carts. We went in and out of the empty rooms slamming doors and turning on call lights.

“Would someone let NICU know that we are going to deliver in room 4 soon,” someone shouted towards the nurses’ station, “Tell ‘em we have thick meconium!”

Dr. Moore was taking note of all of the activity as he moved toward the board.

The secretary was repeatedly calling herself, making the phones ring incessantly and also ignoring the call lights.

“The night has been crazy,” explained the seemingly frazzled charge nurse after Dr. Moore had been at the board for a few minutes, “We’ve been short staffed to boot.”

“Excuse me,” I interrupted, doing my best to act frazzled, “Dr. Moore, you have to see this!”

I held in my hand a urine collection cup which I had filled with pale gold apple juice.

“The glucose on this is off the chart,” I said as I held up a urine testing dipstick.

“The urine actually smells sweet!” I declared, taking a big whiff.

Quickly, I added “Let me see how it tastes,” and I took a swig.

Dr. Moore’s knees buckled slightly as he looked at me in horror.

At that moment, the nurses reconverged into the nurses’ station and burst out in laughter.

“What? What are you guys up to?” he asked, with a mix of realization and relief. A grin broke on his face as he grasped the fact that he’d been duped.

With that, the charge nurse picked up the dryboard eraser and wiped the board clean.

We’d pulled off a practical joke that would be talked about for years to come.

Kid Quote of the Week

2009-11-13T16:38:00.000-08:00

I forgot to give Scout his antibiotic this morning before school. So, I decided that I would drop by the middle school and give it to him. (You know, since I am a nurse, that I am concerned about contributing to resistant bacteria!)

Anyhoo, I called Scout out of class. I didn’t know if that would make him look super uncool.

So, here is our afterschool conversation:

Me: Was it embarrassing for you when I came to give you your antibiotic?

Scout: Yeah, why did you have to come wearing sweats?

Ha! He was embarrassed by my attire to drop something by school. That just cracks me up