Florida Vacation

Monday, February 27, 2006

Nathan wrote about one of the best memories of my vacation. Just wanted to share if you haven't read it already.

Fun in the Sun

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

F.L.O.R.I.D.A.

Day Two. Update.
We've been in Florida for a few days now and just wanted to post what's been going on so far.
The first day we spent the WHOLE day travelling. Our first flight was delayed an hour or so, which was fine, but that meant that our connection would be tight. We ran off the plane and had like 30 minutes to make it to the next terminal to gate A9. So we run and get there as they are boarding the plane. Nathan decides he's hungry and goes to Burger King and smuggles burgers on board and convinces me it's illegal so I sit there hiding my burger while he laughs. Funny boy.
We finally get to Florida and our suitcases don't. That was kindof annoying because contrary to the voice in my head that sounds alot like my dad telling me to pack extra clothes in my carry-on just in case, I didn't. Silly me. I should have listened. All we had was jeans and Florida is NOT jean weather during the day.
Monday we just relaxed around this beautiful house. We really couldn't do much without our clothes. We called the airline and they said our luggage would be there in 4-6 hours. HA. We waited and waited by the pool so that made things more manageable... and finally 5 hours later, our luggage arrived. Thank goodness. We went for a drive around the area to see some of the more popular tourist attractions with Nathan's grandparents and that was really fun. That night we had the biggest supper ever and then played games. I have never laughed so hard playing Uno Attack with Nathan's grandma watching her reaction to the pile of cards that would come shooting out at her. Hilarious.
Tuesday (today) Nathan and I spent the day at the beach. We drove down to Clearwater and went to a few beaches. It was the best day yet. I love the feeling coming home from a day at the beach, sea shells clanking together in my pocket. So fun. Tomorrow should be great too. I have to go play more Uno now so I'll update again later. I miss you all, but I'm having too much fun to be sad. Love you.

Reading Week

Saturday, February 18, 2006

We're going on vacation!!!
Hooray.
Florida Feb 19-26.
See you when we get back.

Choosing not to Choose

Friday, February 17, 2006

Decisions are a fact of life. Every day youâ€™re faced with easy choices like what to have for breakfast or how to wear your hair that day. Sometimes youâ€™re faced with more difficult choices like how to pay for school or how to wear your hair that day. That's the thing about decisions; people might struggle with different choices just simply due to perspective. Each day, a million different decisions stare us in the face whether they are big or small. Lives could change drastically by the wrong choice or by the right one. I think thatâ€™s why decisions are scary at times. Change. But change isn't all bad. Change can be a great thing! We change things everyday, like where we sit in class, underwear, who controls the remote and what show to watch, the menu for that day...I mean, it'd be a horrible life if you always sat in the same spot wearing the same underwear, watching the exact same show eating the exact same thing, each and every day! Variety is the spice of life and choices provide us with the opportunity to add some flavour.
Sometimes I find it difficult to make decisions. Last week when I went grocery shopping I stood in the ice cream aisle for a good twenty minutes trying to figure out what kind to get. Did I feel like chocolate-chocolate-chocolate or more like a strawberry sorbet? This was a big decision! Finally I weighed the pros and cons and decided to go for some pralines and cream. Choosing was hard, but I ended up with a great treat. Not choosing simply because the decision was too difficult would have left me with a hankering for ice cream and a disappointed heart.
Simply sitting back and waiting for decisions to be made for you is no way to live. By choosing not to choose, you're ultimately choosing. And you might be choosing the option that deep down you know isn't right. Think for a second about how silly this isâ€¦you have two great movies and you canâ€™t decide between the two at the video store, so you go home without either one because the decision was too tough. Youâ€™d be missing out on so much!!!
Decisions are scary, change is too, but choosing not to choose isn't the answer. I never want to miss out on something simply because Iâ€™m too chicken to make that tough decision between chocolate-chocolate-chocolate and strawberry sorbet. I think I made myself hungry, so I choose to go to get me some ice cream.

My Valentine

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Nathan and I aren't really celebrating Valentine's day.
But I think I'll keep him around for awhile.

Love like a Child

"What is love?"
A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year olds, and here are some of their answers...

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other." -Karl, age 5-

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs." -Chrissy, age 6-

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen." -Bobby, age 7-

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken." -Elaine, age 5-

"My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night." -Clare, age 6-

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones." -Lauren, age 4-

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is okay." -Danny, age 7-

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth." -Billy, age 4-

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and D addy are like that. They look gross when they kiss" -Emily, age 8-

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget." -Jessica, age 8-

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate," -Nikka, age 6-

Happy Valentine's Day!

3 funny things...

Sunday, February 12, 2006

Today three funny things happened...

1. I was at my second shift this morning at the nursing home and I was serving breakfast, clearly new and very lost. I was looking forlorn, trying to serve breakfast to a table of elderly ladies when I heard them attempting to gossip about me. The one lady leaned in and signalled the other three...she then says, "that new girl [me] knows NOTHING." But those ladies are hard of hearing, so they shouted this fact across the dining hall. Hilarious.

2. Tonight at the FRWY Jacob Goodyear asked me to turn his water into chocolate milk. I told him Iâ€™m good, but no Jesus.

3. I used the word â€˜post-modernâ€™ for the first time in an essay, Nathan would be proud I think.

My first day at work

Saturday, February 11, 2006

On Monday I got a job at a Nursing home, working as a casual PSW. I've never really had a REAL job before so this is exciting.
I had my very first orientation shift today...I had to write down a couple of anecdotes; they'll make your day.

Little old lady: Hey, whatâ€™s your name?
Me: Hi, Iâ€™m Rachel, Iâ€™m new, todayâ€™s my very first day.
Little old lady: Well, you stole my baby.
Me: [shocked] What baby?
Little old lady: My baby, the one you stole.
Me: Uh, youâ€™re an old lady, you donâ€™t have a baby.
Little old lady: Yes, I do, sheâ€™s six months old.
Me: Oh, okay, well you sit tight and Iâ€™ll go find her for you.
Little old lady: Oh, thank you, youâ€™re a dear.

Me: Hi, sir, whatâ€™s your name?
Sleepy man: I canâ€™t remember, come back later.

Me: Okay sir, letâ€™s get you ready for bed.
Old man: Okay, sounds good
Me: Alright, Iâ€™ll just need you to stand up so we can get your pjâ€™s on.
Old man: Can I bite you?
Me: No thanks, I donâ€™t think Iâ€™d like that
Old man: Iâ€™d like that
Me: Well, would you like to be bitten?
Old man: no, but I like to bite. Can I bite you?

Me: Alright dear, have another bite of meatballâ€¦
Lady: (Inaudible grunt) Incoherent ramblingsâ€¦â€¦. BOO!

Old feisty lady: Nurseâ€¦Nurse!
Me: Yes, what can I do for you?
Old feisty lady: I want to go home!
Me: Oh, well dear, this is your home. See, this is your bed and your room, your nameâ€™s right here.
Old feisty lady: No, this isnâ€™t where I live! Take me home.
Me: Well, I canâ€™t do that at the momentâ€¦
Old feisty lady: Take me home you BLEEP. BLEEP. BLEEPâ€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦BLEEP.

Shift two is on Sunday morning. I can't wait!!!

A whole lotta numbers...

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

10 firsts...
1) First boyfriend/girlfriend: First real boyfriend was Andy right after I turned 16 and was officially allowed to date.
2) First best friend: Sean McEwen in grade 1 but then I moved away and Krystal Walker was my best friend in grade 2
3) First screen name: What does this even mean?
4) First kiss: Probably when I was little and chasing boys in the playground
5) First piercings: My ears when I was really little and then I finally got my nose pierced last April (when my parents were out of the country * cough*)
6) First Car: Still donâ€™t have oneâ€¦sigh
7) First love: ...Iâ€™m not sure
8) First stuffed animal: This huge gorilla "Bubba" my uncle gave me when I was a baby because he dropped me on my headâ€¦yes, that does explain a lot!
9) First tried a cigarette: Never
10) First failed class: Never

9 lasts...
1) last cigarette: Never ever
2) last alcoholic beverage: full beverage? Never reallyâ€¦I had a jello shooter at our 90â€™s partyâ€¦3) last car ride: Pernell just gave me a ride home!!! What a guy.
4) last kiss: When was Nathan here last?
5) last phone call: My mom. I love that lady.
6) last cd played: Um, probably dance mix 95â€¦I love total eclipse of the heart!
7) last bubble bath: Every time I get stressed
8) last time you cried: Last Thursday
9) last "I love you": Screaming at Erin today. I LOVE YOUR FACE ERIN.

8 have you ever...
1) have you ever dated one of your best friends: Nope.
2) have you ever skinny dipped: Itâ€™s on my to-do list
3) have you ever been on TV: yup, and in another country!
4) have you ever kissed somebody and regretted it: yes and no, well long story..
5) have you ever had a sex dream about someone you knew: Uh, er, blush, no, what an awkward question.
6) have you ever fallen in love: Yes (and then cried about itâ€¦)
7) have you ever lost someone you loved: Yes.
8) have you ever been depressed: No, not clinically

7 places you've been to...
1) Cochabamba, Bolivia
2) Rio de Janerio, Brasil
3) San Jose, Costa Rica
4) Manitoulin Island, Ontario
5) Orlando, Florida
6) Grand Canyon, Arizona
7) Las Vegas, Nevada

6 things you've done today...
1) went grocery shopping and stole a cart to get my groceries homeâ€¦
2) went tanning (cause Iâ€™m going to Florida in 12 days)
3) went to McMaster University for fun
4) made dinner and enough for tomorrow (biggest accomplishment of the day folks)
5) read your blog
6) played with Samantha, Lucas and Jake at the FRWY

5 favourite things in NO order:
1) my family (including my Pearl St. family)
2) friends
3) nursing
4) travelling to far off places
5) frwy

4 things you want to do before you die...
1) work at a clinic in Africa
2) back pack around Europe
3) go sky and scuba diving
4) write my own song and sing it while playing the guitar (in front of people)

3 things you will do tomorrow:
1) go to clinical in Burlington for 12 LONG hours
2) sleep
3) catch up on homework2 things you want to be (that you're not now)...
Yeah, I know you all want to trade days...

2 things you want to be (that you're not now)...
1) more and more like Jesus
2) a REAL nurse

1 thing you are now...
tired, and I need to go to bed. But excited to go on vacation!

PS. Iâ€™m not tagging anyone because it took me so long to do that, so if anyone really wants to procrastinate, just pretend I tagged you and go crazy!

Yes, I have an attitude problem

Today at the FRWY we had a discussion about blogs. I'm not going to tell you what we talked about because it was super fun and you should join us next time, if you want to hear the details!
Anyway, in the midst of the conversation we started to talk about the difference between like and love. Can you love someone you just don't like? Can you like someone that you don't love? Is it possible? What does that look like? We didn't really go into much detail because the night was practically over but this is something I've been trying to figure out lately.
You see, I've been having a really hard time at clinical. Nursing school is amazing and although it's tough, clinical is what has been getting me through. I love caring for people and my one shift a week at the hospital somehow makes all the papers I write seem worthwhile. Clinical is why I'm in nursing!
But, this is the first semester that I don't want to go. At all. And it's not just even because I'm NOT a morning person and I have to wake up so early to get there. I would rather spoon out my eyeballs or give my self a papercut (hey, don't laugh-those hurt!) than go to clinical. I'm feeling extra nervous about it at this very minute because in two hours I have to go to bed and then when I wake up, it's a clinical day. The very thought makes me want to start crying because I know that's what will happen when I get home, so might as well get it over with.
Why, you might ask, is this happening? Well, it's a long story, and I'm reluctant to share details, but to make this long story short, I'm just not getting along with someone. This someone happens to be the someone who decides whether I pass or fail the course, so needless to say, it's a big deal. This brings me back to my original comment. How do I love this someone? Can I love this someone if I really don't like them? Do I have to learn to like this someone in order to love them? Or is tolerating okay? Or do I only 'love' them because I want that grade?
I know Jesus wants me to love people more than myself, but what does that look like? How does that get put into practice when you just can't get along?
I worked really hard this week to get a lot of extra work done for the class and to show this person that I deeply care about nursing. I prayed for her, I prayed for my bad attitude, I prayed for clinical. But I'm still stuck on how to love. I think it's because I don't want to. And that's selfish. So I'm trying to figure out how Jesus loved people. I need his help. It's interesting how all my life I've learned about loving my neighbour but really, when it came down to it, only loved the people that loved me back. For me, this is tough stuff. So if you have a spare minute on Thursdays feel free to think about me and pray for me at clinical. Learning to truly love is a challenge.