Update

Just wanted to give everyone our update since it's been a few days since i've blogged. I am currently in St. Louis visiting my mom. I fly out to wonderful Clovis, NM tomorrow to visit the rest of my family! Still no word on Jon coming home, and as you can imagine, i've been going crazy sitting home by myself waiting for the phone call saying that he's on his way! I figured he'd be home by now, so i've taken all this time off from work thinking that i'd just go back once I receive my ATT letter... so I literally was sitting at home all day. So I decided i'd make the most of this time off, so i'm going to watch some of my [not so little] brothers' basketball games, to visit my grandparents, to spend time with my dad and cousins...just to get out and my mind off things! I will definately have some pictures to post soon so keep an eye out! Other than all that, not much going on... Just waiting on my amazing husbands' return!

The Perfect Gift

Last week Jon and I received a Christmas present in the mail from my Aunt Donna in Portales, NM. Now, before I share what the gift was I have to tell you the story behind it....

AHEM....

About 3 years ago I decided I wanted to put a 1000 piece puzzle together and then glue it and frame it as art! Well, me being the impatient ADD child that I am, I became bored with that almost as soon as I dumped the pieces out of the box! But this puzzle became a family project... Anytime anyone was over they'd sit down for a few minutes which led to a few hours to try to help put this puzzle together! Now, as the puzzle started to come together, my cousin Todd and I started taking pieces when no one was looking so that one of us could put the FINAL piece in the puzzle so we could say we "officially" finished the puzzle!! haha... My Aunt Donna would yell down the hall..."Todd!!!!! Give me the puzzle pieces you took!!!!" and when he would deny taking the piece they were looking for they'd all look at sweet innocent me :) But as the puzzle was almost done, we noticed that a couple pieces were still missing... Todd and I were actually innocent on this one... I believe one piece showed up one day while my aunt was vacuuming, but to this day there is still once piece missing. After we gave up on the search for the final piece, I glued the puzzle together and left it to dry.... 3 years later I received a gift in the mail from my Aunt Donna.... It was the puzzle in a frame that my grandpa had built... We still never found the final piece, but it looks amazing.

[[you can't really see it put the missing piece is to the left of the lamp post]]

On the back of the frame was a poem my Aunt Donna wrote along with this gift....

WAR

A piece to this puzzle is missing still

And the search may never end.

But as sure as the sun comes over the hill,

The lost part of your heart will mend!

We're all proud of this soldier and his wife

The time has been well spent.

It's almost time to resume your life

May God bless you is the intent!

-Donna McBroom

Crazy thing about it all was that i've been looking for months for the perfect piece of art to hang in our livingroom... it matches perfectly! :)

To my Aunt Donna,

Thank you so much! You have no idea how this gift touched my heart. You are truly amazing and I can never thank you enough for all you've done for me! I love you!

Return

Just wanted to let everyone know... we still don't have a return date for Jon. As you can imagine, i'm going crazy... but I know in my heart it's almost over, so it keeps me going!!!!

Job

Today I had a meeting with our Chief Nursing Officer (the big hancho) about the job situation. She still offered me nothing and said to meet with her thursday....I left very unhappy... after I left I found out they were floating me to work in PCU tonight so while I was down there I took the opportunity to talk to the director of that unit about a job... He's an awesome director but he too didn't have any openings... he told me he'd see what he could do...he went straight up to my supervisors office and 5 minutes later pulled me out of a patients' room into his office where my supervisor was sitting...(i was so scared! i thought i was in trouble!! haha) she said that they just got off the phone with Nina (the CNO) and they offered me a position on the Post Partum Unit on the Labor and Delivery Floor!!!!! I happily accepted! This Friday is my last shift as a CNA! As soon as I get my ATT letter for testing in the mail they are hiring me on as a GPN until I actually test to receive my LPN. I'm so excited and so relieved! Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement!

At a Cross-Road

As many of you have read, I was offered a job in Pediatrics not too long ago... When I went in to pick up my letter of hire I was informed that they couldn't hire an LPN in Pediatrics and that there weren't any other openings in the hospital. What ticks me off the most about this situation (besides the fact I was offered a job and then told "no") is that I have been bugging my boss every week for the past month keeping her updated on my graduation status..."I graduate in 3 weeks!...I graduate in 2 weeks!!!..." and she waited till I called to go pick up my letter of hire to actually have the position she offered me approved through the director of nursing (who denied the position!) During the time that she waited to have my position approved they hired an LPN externally when i've been working there for almost 2 years now! I'm just bugged. They offered me a patient care tech position (which is EXACTLY what I do now with a 20cent raise) with the notion that if and when an LPN position becomes available they would consider me....and all the LPNs (besides the newly hired one) have been there for years and years.... i'd be working there for months before a position becomes open. So my goal this week is to explore my options. The hospital called me tonight and asked me to come in and help, and I did... it was the first time i've worked since I graduated...and maybe i'm just in a bad mood tonight but I felt so used. I feel like i've been putting all this time and loyalty into a company that isn't doing anything for me now. So, depending on what I find this week, I am strongly considering putting in my 2 week notice. I don't want to burn bridges, but I don't want to work for a company that has treated me badly since day 1... so we'll see! I know something has to work out somewhere, but i'm stressed about it, and very hurt by this hospital...grrr...i'll keep ya'll posted! Until then, please pray for doors to open!!!! Thank you everyone!

Graduation

Graduation has come and gone! I'm so relieved to have it all over with! My family came down for the graduation and we had a great time together. Here are some pics from my graduation night...

Jon sent me flowers for my graduation! They are the ones with the lilies...my mom gave me the other roses.Kevin, me and my mama

My grandparents and me!

Picture with my mom and dad

Me and my mama

My grandma after pinning me

Trying to get the pin to work!

Special Guest

Jon had a special guest visit him yesterday! Thought i'd share!(It's Vice President, Joe Biden)

Pictures

Got an email from Jon today full of pictures!!! Thought i'd share a few!

Allow me to Introduce....

This is our amazing fish, Moses!

Jon and I picked him out in September before Jon deployed... I knew that over these 4 months I wouldn't have time for a dog, so instead, I settled for a fish! He's the most awesome fish ever... he eats like a cow, he follows your voice and finger... he knows when he's fixing to get fed... he's just awesome. But most of all he's kept me company over the past 4 months!

So, I thought that i'd officially introduce everyone to the newest member of our little family!

Boards

Welp! I officially have my 40 page application filled out to apply for my nursing boards!!! I go in this week to turn it into the people that gave me my grant to go to school! I'm doing it the slow-poke way with old fasioned mail rather than online... but I can't complain too much because by doing it old school, these grant people are paying for me to take boards (which is about $400 bucks!) Now it's just a waiting game...I wait for a letter saying that I am officially eligible to test and once I get it, I can call and set up a test date! Jon and I are going to have to make a weekend out of it because the closest test center to us is either in Mobile, AL or Dothan, AL...whichever will get me in the fastest...so we'll have to go up the night before since the test starts super early and lasts for 5 hours! EEKK! It makes me nervous! But i'm ready to get it all over with! School seems to be dragging this week [blah] but I know it'll be over soon! 10 more days till graduation... only 7 of them are school days!!! :)

Ready

It's hard to believe that we're 4 days into January already...it just doesn't feel like January to me. Today it's a whopping 73degrees here in Crestview...amazing weather! There's not a cloud in the sky or anything. I think it's a good day to finally clean out my car from this past year that i've been living in it with school!!! As I was looking at my calendar today I realized that in 11 days i'll officially be done with this nursing program! It's so hard to imagine not having a test to study for and not having to go to bed super early because of clinicals the next day! I can hardly wait! My nana and papa will be arriving next Tuesday, the 13th. That's in 9 days!!! As hard as this is for me to say, this month is already flying by! Jon won't be back in time for my graduation (the 15th,) so i'm very bummed about that, but i'm trying to stay positive about it and look at it from another perspective.. for instance.. now, when he gets home, I won't have school to worry about! My schedule won't revolve around that nursing program anymore, it'll revolve around US!

Anyway, Jon sent me this picture the other day...

His exact words on explaining the picture to me....

"We won the best flight on base so all those ppl are in the flight and we kick butt!! Go med support haha"

He's very much ready to come home. He's ready to get his ALS training started so he can put on his next stripe, he's ready to be back to a normal schedule, and he's ready for some home-cooked food!!!!!! haha... but most of all we are both ready to just be together again. Soon enough!!!! I hope the month continues to fly by!

Happy New Year!

Just wanted to say Happy New Year!!!!

I'm believing this year to be a year of moving forward. Jon and I have accomplished so much in 2008 that we're believing it to all pay off in 2009.

Tonight before the ball dropped, Karla asked everyone what they were looking forward to in 2009.... the first thing(s) that came to mind were Jon coming home and my graduation from nursing school.... she asked if there was anything else, and honestly, there isn't! I'm just going to be thankful that i'll actually get to live a "normal" life with my husband. We have so many things planned for this year and it's so nice to say that none of it will revolve around my 5 day a week school schedule!!! I will be starting my career as a nurse and Jon will be hitting his 5 year mark in the Air Force this year! [[By the way, I had an official job offer from my hospital yesterday!!! You are now looking at the newest Pediatric and Med/Surg Nurse to the North Okaloosa Medical Center staff!!!!---I know, pediatrics i'm not super thrilled about, but i'll be floating to the med/surg floors so i'm getting the best of both worlds and the experience with all age groups!]] I know that this past year has had its share of trials, but Jon and I know in our hearts that with all we (as a couple) have been through recently, we can tackle anything that comes our way. This deployment has made us so much stronger as a couple that there isn't anything we can't make it through....(that and because we have God on our side!!!) Speaking of which.... i wanted to thank everyone that has been there for us during these past 4 months.... I know for me, it's been one of the hardest things i've had to deal with.. it's been emotionally draining and i'll be so happy when I can finally say this is all over! As hard as it's been it has been a great experience for Jon and for his career. He's learned and gained so much from this deployment that I know it'll pay off for him. It's been a growing and a learning experience for both of us....anyway... thank you for the emails and phone calls that have been sent my way. I've appreciated them so much. It was always a comfort to open my inbox and see and sweet hello from family and friends. [[and thanks for the Christmas cards and gifts too!!!!!! I have them all under our tree for us to open when Jon gets home!]] So thank you for thinking of us over these past 4 months, and for being there for us/me during this time too. We don't know what we would've do without our friends and family.

We are believing this year to be a year of moving forward and a year of great adventures!