Happy New Years!!!

Happy New Years everyone... I'm writing from Orlando, Florida. It was a beautiful 80*, sunny day here today. Tomorrow looks like it's supposed to be just as beautiful... and the beach is calling my name!!! I can't think a better way to enjoy the first day of 2012 by staring into the beauty that is the ocean... it always reminds of how amazing God is.

2011 was an amazing year. I feel like some sort of recap for the year was appropriate- however it will be short because I have some cousins calling my name for a game of spoons. :-)

Highlights:

Traveling. What can I even say about this. The decision to travel was one of the hardest I have ever made, however looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. What a blessing it has been. I have grown as a person, as a nurse, and made life-long friends I will FOREVER be thankful for.  Coming back home after Connecticut was a very hard transition- and being "unemployed" was scary. Both have forced me to trust God like I never have before. It takes faith to know HE will take care of me when the bills keep coming and the paychecks stop coming. :-)

As I knew He would, He took care of me....  This week I was offered the job of my dreams. I will be starting as a Pediatric/Neonatal Transport Nurse at the University of Iowa next week. I will have about 5-6 months of intense training and orientation- I will orient to both the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) and PICU (pediatric intensive care unit).  I will spend a couple weeks working with anesthesia in surgery, practicing intubation. I will learn how to transport infants- 8 years old. I will learn to start my own lines (IV, Umbilical, IO..). I will be transporting in the helicopter and the ambulance. I am very excited.. nervous too, but mostly excited. I was ready for a change and I know this will continue to push me out of my comfort zone and I will be learning. I have realized how much I love to learn and that is one reason I really loved traveling. I am excited!!

2011 also brought an amazing man to my life- first as a friendship and now as a boyfriend. He loves the Lord more than he loves me.. and that alone makes him amazing. I am thankful for you, Tim, and pray that Lord will continue to stay the center of US and we will grow together through HIM.

I had the privilege of meeting and loving my beautiful niece Ellery in 2011. She was given to us in February and what a joy she has been. God must really love us to bless us with her...

Traveling... not just travel nursing but traveling the United States. What a beautiful country we live in... I have traveled from Nevada to Connecticut and down to Florida.. seeing most of the states in between. So many memories....

I have found health and happiness. I feel like I rediscovered who I am and what I want in life. I am excited to see what the future holds for 2012 and the years to come. Thank you to all of you for your love and prayers through this year.. a year full of scary transitions. Thank you to those of you who have stood by my side, even when it wasn't easy and life took us in different directions. I feel like such a lucky girl to have so many amazing friends and to have my family!!!!  God bless you all..

Time to go kick some butt in spoons. :-)

Dear Diary: Random Thoughts

Random Thoughts:

 I have been home from Connecticut for almost three weeks now.... and I love being home. I have spent a lot of time driving from home to Denver to see family.  Life has been so good to me and I am so excited about the future.

We celebrated "Christmas" this weekend with the Ellison family. It was good to see and spend time with everyone. We played boo-ray: the pot got up to $75... I didn't win.

I miss the babies at work... but I don't necessarily miss work. A lot of people have asked me if I'm getting bored and I can honestly say I haven't. I am soaking up this time with family and this time off.

Grandpa Ellison is in the hospital. I love him and am praying he gets better soon.

I still have NO idea where I am going to be working in January. I don't know if I will take another travel job or a permanent job as a nurse somewhere. It's scary and exciting all at the same time. Part of me is ready to settle down and be home for good, and part of me wants to take one more assignment.... and the options of where I can go are very exciting- but I'm not sharing those just yet.

I have SO MUCH blogging I want to do- but this is all I can do for now. I need to do a wrap up post on CT and finish my post about when my mom and grandma's came out to visit. Maybe if I find some free time. ;-)

I have a boyfriend. His name is Tim and he is amazing. I'm excited about the future. We pray together. It's awesome. More to come.....

I've had the flu the last two days. The worst I have felt in a very long time.. I'm getting better though- thank you mom for taking care of me.

That is all for now- I told you it was random.... Happy Tuesday everyone. :-)

Bittersweet

Bittersweet is the only word I can use to describe how I feel right now. This afternoon I ended my 2 day long, 1225 mile drive home from Connecticut. It was quite the drive. Driving that long by yourself gives you a lot of thinking time..and along the way I was really trying to find a better or different word to help people understand how I'm feeling.....

But I can't.

Being home is bittersweet.

It is SO very sweet because I am HOME. There really is no place like home... whether I'm at my house in DM or at my sisters house or at my moms or dads or grandmas.. I'm home. I'm in a place where I am completely comfortable to be me. Where those around me know me well.. and love me. I get to see my family and friends who I have missed so much.. which of course is so important to me.

It's bitter because the chapter of my life that I was just living is in a sense over. I'm done traveling for a little bit... I'm done in Connecticut. I spent 18 weeks there... learning to love the land, the people, the work, and many new friends.

I feel like at each assignment I have sort of found my place... and I am changed a little bit-I've grown as a person and a nurse. In a sense- that part of me that changed is left behind. When I come home I have to readjust back to reality a little bit.. and as awesome as it is- it is sad, too.

I have no idea if any of this makes sense to any of you that have never travelled like this before- I'm having a hard time writing what I'm really feeling- but I wanted to write something tonight because it's been on my mind. I think this is part of the growth- good growth- even when I feel a little bit sad....

I will continue to pray for an easy adjustment back to being home and keep learning from it all. I think that is what is most important.. to learn from the ups and downs in life- and this time in my life is both an up and down...

Confusing, huh!?! :-)

Enders Falls- My Day In Pictures

Today I went hiking... Surrounded by the beauty of the Lords earth. It was a great day!

The following are some pictures (which give no justice to the beautiful falls)... with some scriptures that were popping in my head as I enjoyed HIS beauty on my hike!! I would hike a little- sit on a rock- and just be amazed at the beauty in front of me. I have been so happy lately- so grateful to HIM at where my life is.. and today was yet another reminder of how thankful I am to be where I am in life-so blessed.

 

The drive to the falls...

 New England "foliage". :-)

The beginning of the hike..... which led to this....

 

 

Jeremiah 29: 11-13

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plan to give you HOPE and a FUTURE. Then you will CALL ON ME and COME AND PRAY to me, and I will listen to you. You will SEEK ME and FIND ME when you SEEK ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART!"

Doing my best to not fall backwards into the falls.....

Psalm 71:14

"As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more..."

Romans 15:13

 "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  

 

 Isaiah 41:10

"So do not fear, for I am with you;
   do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
   I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

 I always try to be artsy in my pictures.. I'm not very good at it but it's fun trying. :-)

This earth will fade and all of us in it will age-much like these stairs... life will happen- but one thing remains certain- HIS love never fails... and that promise has gotten me through some of the toughest times. I am so thankful for what I have learned and where I have been and only pray for continued blessings and strength from the amazing God I serve.
 How lucky am I!!

I'll end this with the lyrics of one of my favorite worship songs...and so appropriate for this day... 

Jesus Culture-Your Love Never Fails

Nothing can separate
Even if I ran away
Your love never fails

I know I still make mistakes
But You have new mercies for me everyday
Your love never fails

Chorus:
You stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
There may be pain in the night but joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage
I don't have to be afraid
Because I know that You love me
Your love never fails

Verse 2:
The wind is strong and the water's deep
But I'm not alone in these open seas
Cause Your love never fails

The chasm is far too wide
I never thought I'd reach the other side
But Your love never fails

Bridge:
You make all things work together for my good

Thank you for reading!!
My prayer is that anyone reading will be inspired and encouraged.
God Bless...

60 Years

This weekend I flew home to help celebrate 60 years of marriage between Marv and Norma- aka Grandma and Grandpa Tiedt.

60 years... it's amazing. I think that's the only word that can really describe 60 years.

Grandma and Grandpa Tiedt

Of course I had to jump in for a photo in the middle of their photo shoot.. :-)

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for setting an example to all of us. Here are some pictures of the day (thank you Heidi for the pictures!)...

Grandma and her best friend, Carol

Grandma, Grandpa, and Verla- Grandpa's older sister.

Ellery thought the party was exhausting..

So did Grandpa....So funny....

We took several family pictures- cousin pictures.. couple pictures... kid pictures.. we had fun.

Cousins, Samara, Ali, Jessica, Sierra

Mallory, Jessica, Heidi
Samara, Sierra, Ali

Every year we attempt a pyramid- this year Mallory and I wanted to switch it up. :-)

Mallory and I had to jump in on Amanda and Ben's time...

Ben and Amanda Tiedt

Ben: "Take a picture from down there (pointing at the ground) and get the clouds in the background!!!!" ha ha...

 

Christy and Andrew

Uncle Andy is SO fun!!!! (Creighton- 3)

Ellery- 7 months

I love her.

The Bird Family

Maybe the only time we will ever see this happen... Andrew and dad cleaning- Andrew vacuuming!!!

The Harms Family

The Tiedt Family

Sierra and Mickey

Sometimes family pictures make me laugh so hard... especially the ones that are taken before anyone is ready!!!

The whole Tiedt Clan- October 15, 2011