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. :-)