Thankful Thursday | And I'm off of work!
Fair warning: these will pretty much all be work-related because I have been at work every day except one in the last week! I have barely existed outside of Hospital World.
This week, I am thankful:
that I still felt happy about my job after so many days
Me after arriving home last night:
I was even happier when it was time to go to bed. 😉
But I do love this work and I also love my co-workers, so it's a good kind of tired.
that I have four days off of work now
WHEW. My marathon of shifts is over.
My next thing is a four-hour new grad class on Monday, followed by three night shifts.
(BOOOOO.)
But we will try not to focus on the night shift issue because this is not Complaining Thursday. 😉
Refocus: four days off! Woohoo!
that I feel more and more comfortable every day at work
I can feel my competence growing each shift, and I am getting better at knowing what to do without my preceptor having to tell me or remind me.
(A preceptor is an experienced nurse who is with us for our first eight weeks. A funny thing: my preceptor is Lisey's age. Ha. But she IS way more experienced at nursing than I am, and I am grateful to have her.)
that my writing skills are coming in handy
My many years of writing here are helping me out in this new stage of life! Obviously, I am using my writing skills for my BSN classes (lots of discussion posts and papers involved there).
But they're also coming in handy at work because I have to write notes in my charts and I have to message back and forth with providers. I know this is sometimes hard for new grads, but it's been one of the easiest parts of the job for me!
that I got to encourage another midlife nursing student
One of the techs on my floor is a nursing student at the same school I went to, and like me, she's a midlife student. She's exactly where I was a year ago, working as a tech and starting third semester.
So, she was encouraged to see where I am now: RN degree/license in hand, working as a nurse. There's a light at the end of the tunnel of all this schooling! And we midlife students can indeed be successful at trying something very new. 🙂
that my preceptor is a good fit for me
She walks fast, likes to keep things tidy, has a Snoopy badge holder (VERY IMPORTANT, OK), and gives me correction/feedback in a way that works well with my personality.
(At baseline, I am always anxious to do things the right way and take good care of my patients, so I absolutely do not need someone to be harsh with me for me to learn. No "tough love" is necessary; I will hop-to with gentle reminders and feedback.)
Also, we have fun together!
Overall, a 10/10 matchup.
that my study buddies and I have plans today
We are all off of work simultaneously, so we are taking a field trip to a brick and mortar Figs store today. It's a couple of hours away, so we will make a day of it, and luckily Brittany offered to drive. That way my tired self can just be a passenger. 😉
I am thankful for a new mattress topper. DH ordered a soft topper for his side of the bed earlier this year. He convinced me I might sleep better if I had one too. I ordered a firm topper and I have slept very well the past two nights, since it was delivered. Even though the price of the two toppers would have paid for a new mattress (not top end) this is a great solution to our different mattress preferences and our Luxi mattress did not end up in a landfill.
I am thankful for tomato season. Not only have I picked cherry and grape tomatoes at home almost every day for three months but the other day a friend shared large tomatoes with me. I can eat tomatoes multiple times a day.
I am thankful summer heat is gone. We've had weeks of decent weather. I am grateful for the rain as it has been dry.
I am thankful for this weekly exercise.
@K D, I'm glad you're sleeping better. All the sleeping options can be so frustrating.
@K D, this was just the loveliest thing to read!
That is so funny that your preceptor has a Snoopy badge. What are the odds?
Thankfuls:
--For low-key parent/teacher conferences yesterday for my four kids. I have never had to go into a conference with a battle mindset or a feeling of dread. Not that all of my kids are perfect students, but generally, they do pretty well. It helps that our school works with parents very respectfully in difficult circumstances. I know that's not always the case.
--For my middle son's astonishing maturation in the last few years. His science teacher is new to our school and since I'm no longer working there, I met her for the first time yesterday. As she was talking about middle son, it occurred to me that she's one of the few teachers at the school who didn't know him in elementary school. Which made me remember to be thankful for the person he has become. He was a very. . . challenging child. Very introverted, stubborn, sometimes acting out because he really didn't like school. His teachers have always liked him--he is also very charming and incredibly smart--but he was never easy. He grew up, though, and now does all kinds of things I never thought he would want to, like public speaking events, sports, and taking care of the fish tank. 🙂
--That we are back in school after a week of virtual school. We had an incident with a young teacher having a mental health crisis (not during school, though, thank God) and needing to be involuntarily committed to a hospital for his own safety. In such a small community, this sends out ripple effects for literally everyone. It's not over yet, but it has calmed down a bit.
--For the outpouring of concern and support for this teacher. A lot of people were already trying to get him to get help as it was clear he was in need of it for months, and we are all still hoping he'll realize he needs it. He's not there yet, which is very sad to see, but our whole community is still hoping and praying for him that he can get past this.
--For our priest. I say this a lot, but it is a continual thankful. He happened to be at the football game near the sidelines when that teacher melted down (the teacher is also one of the football coaches) and ended up spending an hour with the teacher on the field just listening to him. They are not friends, barely acquaintances, but our priest was just there at a time when the teacher was clearly needing to talk about everything that had been happening. I am so thankful our current priest is the type of person who is comfortable in any situation, with any type of person. He was just the right person for that situation.
@kristin @ going country, Re: your son's maturation-- I have had (and am currently having also) frustrations about children and difficulties, but it has helped so much this second time around that I have seen an older son mature. Now I can say to myself, "Don't worry; he will mature eventually." "This, too, shall pass," is easier to believe when you've lived it.
@kristin @ going country, I send my sympathy to your teacher and community, and I'm glad that the teacher is getting help. Sounds like scary stuff.
@kristin @ going country, many things in this make me feel a bunch of feels. I'm also thankful for your priest.
@kristin @ going country,
What a difficult situation, and I agree, thank heavens for your priest. I hope this teacher accepts the help he needs.
@kristin @ going country, I had a few students that were similar to your middle son - challenging yet charming. Thinking of them now brings a smile to my face. I know we aren't supposed to have favorites, but they always were. I've been able to check on a few now that they are adults and the are THRIVING!
@kristin @ going country, I am parenting a son with ADHD and it is SO HARD. We have been on this train for almost two years and I am with you in the way that you feel when you see even small improvements. I have too often been the parent that feels dread going into conferences or even seeing the school's phone # pop up on my cell. The silver lining for me is that his teachers over the last three years have been nothing short of amazing. They have established trust with him, believed in him and pushed him to his full potential. I know many have issues with the public school system and while I recognize it is not perfect, I am so, so grateful for those that come alongside parents and provide support, encouragement, & help in these times.
@Angie, Yes to this! I have three sons who all have ADHD, two are twins who have been very challenging and hard to parent all their lives, with very few external rewards. There have been a couple of times that I have burst into tears when teachers have reached out to give them positive feedback.
@Kristina M., and @Angie,
I, too, am mom to a son with ADHD, and I 100% agree with what both of you have said. We've had some teachers who refused to abide by his 504 plan in the past, but his high school teachers have been amazing. (He's a sophomore this year). They have spoken of what a diligent student he is, in addition to being kind and helpful. He is in marching band for the second time, and it's so rewarding to know that he has found his "people". Band kids are awesome!
@Liz B., my youngest kiddos are sophomores too! I love it that your son has found his crew. It makes such a difference.
I'm so glad you can get away for a fun day. This week I am thankful:
*for my husband reading out loud to us in the evening. It doesn't always happen that all our schedules align (it happens less and less frequently as the children grow older), but this week it happened once. We learned about some fun etymologies; I learned that "frugal" comes from "fruit"-- as in, managing those fruits of your labor well. (Those are my words.)
*for read-aloud time time with my children during homeschool time. I love sharing these moments and ideas. I love being in my recliner. I love their reactions to things.
*for a day with my third-born. Monday we drove a couple hours to a university he's considering. He was primarily checking out a potential major (and, yes, aerospace engineering is now the likely goal) and secondarily checking out the school. I'm thankful that the school gave him an application fee waiver for visiting. I'm thankful that these long drives with him give us a chance to talk privately because he's a quieter one in this vociferous household.
*that we have less laundry. Somehow having less laundry to do when 2 children are away at college came as a surprise to me! More than once this week all the laundry was caught up by noon. Those of you with large families know what a victory this is.
*for the rain. We really need it.
*that you delight in Snoopy. That people delight in the little things, actually. Sometimes things are so hard in life, but finding delight in the way my socks feel or in how a kitten does something silly or hearing a funny word somehow makes things easier.
@Jody S., Snoopy is the best!
I am just so thankful for good overall health. Although I do have issues with my lungs and weight, annual CVA screenings continue to indicate that I am otherwise very much ok and should continue my present lifestyle. Very encouraging!
Also I started planning the first vaccinations I qualify for due to age and or health. This year I will also have the vaccination that reduces the odds of (being dangerously effected by) pneumonia. As I had pneumonia last year and would avoid seconds, I am relieved and grateful that we have these options in healthcare.
This week, I'm thankful for Grad School BFF and her visit. We go back together almost 50 years, to the days when we were part of an informal group known as the "Damned Scribbling Women" in our grad school cohort.
I'm thankful that, after another prolonged dry spell, we're finally getting some more rain.
And I'm thankful for Wegmans. I do make the occasional joke about Danny Wegman and his prices--but all the same, I do the bulk of my grocery shopping there (the "Hot Zone" loss leaders are good) and do all of my medications business at the pharmacy. Yesterday, I was able to walk into the pharmacy without an appointment, get my fall vaccines, and walk out again in 10 minutes. (Granted, it *was* 8:30 am, but that's still pretty good.)
@A. Marie, I'm glad you have been hang onto that friendship. Most of my friendships have fallen by the wayside. 🙁
@Jody S., when I was in the thick of childrearing, most of my childhood and college relationships, like yours, fell by the wayside. Now that I have more time and emotional bandwidth, I have reconnected with three childhood/college friends and we talk regularly. For one it's more often than weekly. This has enriched my life greatly. I hope this is a season for you and a future season will allow reconnecting with people who have known and loved you even longer than your immediate family.
@Book Club Elaine, Thank you for the encouragement!
I didn’t know what a Figs store was (yawns, glances around at cave walls, then asks helpful rectangle) and now I see. It is SO on brand of you to drive several hours away on your one day off to buy work clothing. Teehee, I guess you really do love this job. 😉 I’m so glad for you!
@Becca, this made me LOL!
I am thankful for a little less swelling and a little more range of motion in my left arm every day.
For a dear friend who saw a recent picture of me and commented that she couldn’t tell I just had surgery. (I can tell, but I guess I don’t look infirm to the untrained eye.)
I am thankful for clear margins!
I am also thankful to be through the worst of the first part of this multi-stage process.
And, of course, I am thankful fot supportive family, friends and coworkers.
@Becca, yay clear margins!!
@Becca,
Hope the pain is gone and that you get well "soonest." (My former newspaper editor's word.)
@Becca, This is great to read. I hope everything continues to improve quickly.
@Fru-gal Lisa,
Thank you! I can honestly say that none of my experience so far has been painful, thankfully. My arm has felt heavy, swollen, tingly, asleep, itchy, stiff, and tight (like a tight rubber band), but none of these sensations have registered as pain, so I guess that’s another thankful.
@Karen.,
Yes, as my surgeon said “this is the kind of surgery we like to do: one and done.” Incidentally, he was also impressed that I graphed the lymphatic output in my drain. He said “I’ve never had a patient do this before…” Unsurprisingly, I am used to people saying things like that to me…I’m sure none of you are shocked.
@Becca, cheering you on from the sidelines!
Hm, maybe the Snoopy badges had an influence on the assignment of the two of you together? That would be funny, although I doubt it did!
Thanksgivings:
1. First, for daughter #2, who turned 40 on Monday. She's our type-A, hard charging, hard working, high-performing extrovert, who was sometimes a challenge to raise, but always was and is loyal, loving and generous. Overcoming her dyslexia, she earned a B.A. and a master's. She is a loving daughter, a great mom to her daughter and is close to her sister and brother-in-law and their kids. She and I will spend a day together celebrating her birthday, this weekend. And I'm thankful her business trip in Norway got cut short due to a cancelled meeting, so she was home this week after all.
2. I'm thankful that rain is predicted. We've had four dry, hot weeks, and we could use it, plus the cooling it is supposed to bring. The heat index Tuesday was 97 deg. F and the real temperature (where I work) was 93 deg. yesterday.
3. I'm thankful I had a nice little visit with a former co-worker this weekend. She now works out of town an hour to the east of where we live, and I work out of town an hour to the west from where we live, so we can only see each other in time carved out of our super busy weekends.
4. I'm glad that little rat snake that was resting on the coiled up water hose took off instead of biting when I grabbed it with the hose by accident. Note to self: gray patterns are not the best color choice to make for garden hoses.
5. I'm thankful for the people who held the door, offered me a shopping cart, said a cheerful thank you when I did something similar, gave me room to move over in traffic, and otherwise exhibited kindness and manners this week. It encourages me to look for opportunities to do the same.
@JD, three hearty huzzahs for your #5. If we had more kindness and better manners in this world, the world would be in better shape.
@JD,
Re #5 it takes two: one party to offer a kindness and one to notice and acknowledge! By appreciating small acts of kindness, you are ensuring these people will more easily be kind to others as well 🙂
@JD,
That snake is probably thankful you did not chop it's head off!
@A. Marie, my MIL raised my husband right - I often say she raised a man.
He an astute door opener/holder as well as offering assistance to those who may need help rising from a sitting position. It is kind of sad that so many are surprised/taken off guard when he does this.
- I'm thankful for a few rainy days this week since it has been so dry here. And now I don't have to worry about running the sprinklers to water the grass seed.
- I'm thankful that our neighbor was so kind when our dog decided to leave our yard to go for a visit. She patiently greeted our overactive dog and was not the least bit irritated about our dog going across the street for a little adventure. Also, thankful that DH noticed immediately that our dog had gone on a little walk-about so she wasn't pestering the neighbors for long.
- I'm thankful that I have Fridays off work. My company did a major reorganization and I'm thankful that my new boss is fine with my part time hours and schedule.
- I'm thankful that DH is feeling better this week. He has been feeling very poorly for the last several months, so it's wonderful that he has at least had a few good days this week.
- I'm thankful that our daughter is organizing a family outing to celebrate my birthday next weekend.
One of my favorite things about nursing is the variety of nursing practices. In my 45 years as a nurse I mainly worked in the operating room. But I dabbled in school nursing, Hospice, and several hospital units. A close second favorite is how the shifts I chose could work for me and the stage of my family. I worked 8, 10, or 12 hour shifts ... that sometimes extended to 16. I started work at 7am, 9am, 12 pm, 3pm and 11pm. Different shifts worked for different life stages. And with 12 hour shifts I often had 6 days off without taking vacation time. This has nothing to do with frugality but is my shameless plug for those thinking of a nursing career. I'm so thankful that I chose nursing.
@Nancy, I have a friend who recently retired from the medical field and she has a new avocation -- she holds newborns in the NICU. She holds them, rocks them, sings to them, tells them stories. She says it nourishes her soul, and those little ones give to her much more than she gives them. Nurses and other medical professionals do so much good!
@Book Club Elaine,
A hospital near where I used to work had a name for the people who held the NICU babies. They had these folks sitting in rocking chairs while interacting with the premies. So they were called the "Rockin' Mommas." LOL!
This week, I am especially thankful for:
- The start of my after-school reading volunteer gig.
- All of the free presentations that my library and community are offering on important issues.
I am thankful my husband and myself are finally getting over the terrible cold we picked up on vacation. The cough has subsided enough that we're able to sleep at night.
For the gorgeous fall weather. Perfect temperatures and the aspens are turning gold.
That I was invited to sing in a special Christmas program. Rehearsals start tonight.
For the darling crocheted pumpkins decorating my windowsill -- a gift from a friend.
My husband and I are leaving on vacation tomorrow! We'll head first to see our son (it's been 3 months since we last saw him) at his apartment over the weekend. He managed to get a couple of days off from work, so he will join us for one night at our vacay destination. That's a lot to be thankful for!
Also, I finally was able to get my oral appliance for sleep apnea. It's been a long road (involving getting a root canal re-treatment, among other things) and I'm glad to be in a place where I can hopefully start seeing improvement. The staff at the clinic were great, and the appliance is more comfortable than I had anticipated it would be.
Have fun!!! You deserve it.
am so happy for you. my son has issues with his new school but is dealing with them as best as he can. i am so proud of him. my daughter turns 17 tomorrow. where did the time go? she is a talented artist who wants to attend the school of visual arts in nyc.one year of tuition equals 3 years and 3 months of rent. YIKES. and OY VEY.
@Anita Isaac,
Saying a prayer that your artist daughter gets a full-ride scholarship. And that your son gets his challenges all smoothed out.
@Anita Isaac, Shana Tovah a little late. And may your new year include a full-ride scholarship for your daughter, as Lisa has said.
@Fru-gal Lisa, thank you for your kind words.
@A. Marie, thanks. that would be such a blessing.
Almost all of my thankful thoughts lately are tied in to my job, so it doesn't seem crazy that yours do, too!
*thankful for health insurance through my employer that allows me to focus on my health. Also, there are tons of other resources provided to us for free - mental health, spiritual, etc.
*thankful for a co-worker who gave me a beautiful canvas print for over my fireplace. Its perfect!
*thankful that my supervisor is about to be back from a month-long vacation. She is my sounding board at work, as well as a caring personal friend.
*thankful for my sore body - which means I had the energy to use it well this week! And for Tylenol. And a soft place to rest my head at naptime. And for plenty of food in my fridge so I can introvert hard at home until I feel better. (:
I'm so glad to hear everything is going so well for you, Nurse Kristen! Looks like the good Lord has put you right where you belong, having a good preceptor, working on a floor you're familiar with, and even being there to encourage the other tech from your nursing school. (And, you didn't mention this, but I'm sure you are a blessing to your patients, as well.) You've worked very hard to get where you are, and I hope you have a wonderful girls' day out with your buddies. I hope things are going equally well for them.
I am thankful:
--For cooler weather, and yesterday's rain.
--Snuggles, my dog who loves to snuggle
--the 2nd coat of the buttermilk "paint" on the window looks a lot better than just the first.
--getting to sleep in until 8 or 9 a.m.
--being given an extra shift at the store.
I am thankful for the cooler weather and the arrival of much-needed rain.
I am thankful that my home health aide followed up on my suggestion to seek medical help for her very bad cough. Turns out she has an infection (I suspected having seen the symptoms in friends before) and is on antibiotics. She's home resting and recovering.
I am thankful that my "mother's son brother" called, out of the blue, after over a decade of him being MIA. Best, he has expressed acknowledgement of the hurtful behavior he has exhibited to his immediate family and says he wants to make amends. I will support him as best I can. I praised him for his honesty and then we had a serious conversation about how he is living his life and whether this really works for him, or not.
I am thankful for my literal next door (apt floor) neighbors. Sadly, they are moving out but I was grateful for the time we shared together. They will be missed.
I am grateful that I was DMd by my former PCP (She moved abroad to have her baby in May and be with her husband in France. Sigh) and that she has shared pix/video of her new baby daughter. She is a fantastic doctor and miss her a lot but she is very happy because she wanted to be a mom for a long time. And all of her patients are so happy for her.
I am grateful for Amazon Fresh. It continues to offer very good prices on a lot of things I eat. Plus, it is only $5.99 a month for unlimited deliveries, way, way, way cheaper than anyone else who delivers to our area.
I am grateful for fellow citizens who took action and protested the totalitarian behavior of our government in trying to squash free speech. There is plenty in this world that I don't want or choose to hear but I will defend the right to speak out in this country. That's hard to say because there is a lot of hate speech going on (we can debate what that is or not but when you speak against a group of people and falsely accuse them of things and just say they are "bad" in general, that's hard to defend. Worse yet, the not always so subtle words that encourage taking violent action against others of any persuasion. (Hard NO to that. Violence is never the answer. Where is a modern day Ghandi leader when we need them?)
I am grateful for advocacy groups that work hard to protect our rights and improve the quality of life for so many of us. I live in NYState and we are currently facing a seriously health and life threatening change from our state government to a program that allows the elderly, disabled and others to get needed care IN their homes. The state changed the program's administration with catastrophic results (Aides unpaid who now had to leave the clients they worked for because they were not paid; people losing their aides because of the difficulty of working with the company charged with administration due to major issues affecting payment, health, etc.) The one group is doing a great deal to initiate needed changes within our state legislature, which is woefully behind in helping with the exception of a handful of senators and assemblypersons.) THank you Caring Majority Rising!
@Irena, I talked with an older man in a moto-scooter at Walmart this week who said he's given up trying to get anyone to help him at home, after calling many agencies. Poor Harold. (I was helping him check out and bag his groceries after the Walmart attendent at the self-checkout actually said she wouldn't help him when he asked. Say what? I mean, I'm sure Walmart has some policy about that, but seriously. This will warrant a letter to the store manager.)
@kristin @ going country, when the COVID-19 vaccine first came out, our county health department was front and center on TV and in the newspaper asking people to help others get to the vaccination site. My husband drove my legally blind uncle only to be told he could *not* be with him inside the building where the vaccines were being administered (even though my husband was masked up). Uncle almost lost his wallet and got a bit disoriented but husband did manage to get inside near the 15 minute waiting area.
I expressed my displeasure in an email to my county health department, providing date and time they were there. I received a very prompt reply stating this should have NOT have happened AND would not happen the next time. It did not happen the next time.
After the first two initial doses, my husband and father have gone together to get their however many boosters since then. The other day the pharmacy tech commented on how nice it was that my husband went with my father.
Enjoy your day off. Glad you are able to do something fun today. 🙂
Thankful for the sunshine & continued (mostly) warm weather, even with the 2 (partial) days of rain it has not been below 65*. Funny thing when it rained Tuesday, teen tells me to come to door & look. I look outside & there are 6 turkey buzzards spreading their wings (while on tree) as it was down pouring rain, like they were taking a shower.
Thankful for 80* through next weekend.
Thankful for rescue dogs---always!
Thankful that I had stocked up of Kleenex when was on sale as I have gone through whole large multi pack this week.
Thankful less (allergy) sneezing. Thankful coughing up clear phlegm from lungs, but wish I was done & better.
Thankful teen self managing time well for college & part time job.
Thankful hurricane season has been quiet so far for my family in Florida.
Thankful for Kristen & her blog where we can all learn & share with each other. 🙂
This week I am thankful:
• My son and his best friend go to different schools and this week they had a game against each other! As soon as the game was over they gave each other a hug and then ran off to their own teams. It was fun to hang out on the sidelines with my friend again, my parents came to cheer both boys on, and we all went out for dinner together. Quite possibly the best Monday night I’ve had in a long time.
• My parents have stepped in to fill a grandparent role for my son’s best friend. He has grandparents but one set lives out of the country and the other is … difficult. He calls my parents grandma and grandpa, and my parents are thrilled to have another grandchild to fuss over.
• Work held a puzzle competition this week! My team came in second place and we had a great time.
• I feel like I am swimming in good books right now!
• Fall is here! Fall is my favorite season and I’m just waiting for the temps to get a little cooler to start enjoying all my favorite fall activities/food/clothes.
You made it through! Whew.
Going to a grocery store grand opening today as it's on the way to mom's appt.
Got the fabulous farm helper several side hustles installing gutter guards for 3 neighbors...and fall roof prep.
Coffee tastes better on crisp fall mornings.sigh.
I was a troubled child, a difficult child, and a very intelligent child. So I come at this from the side of the student. Most of my teachers did not work well with (or appreciate) children/adolescents like me, and part of that was that I was in school way back in the day -- I started first grade in 1965. The first 2-3 years were okay but then the home life went to heck (divorce, abuse, etc) and I had no way to deal with it (nobody to talk to about it either) so I turned ivery troubled child, and the schools' solutions was to just keep pushing me through each grade whether I learned anything or mot (until my mother insisted that I be held back one year, at the time I resented it, but now I feel that it helped me survive, and grow to be a reasonably functional adult
Enjoy your break!
1. I am thankful for my workplace union.
2. I am thankful for swims in the sea after work.
3. I am thankful for drinks with a friend after work last week.
4. I am thankful for the breakfast I enjoyed in a garden this morning.
5. I am thankful that the weekend is almost here!
Well, now that I have read your thankful list, I am super thankful that I never, ever have to work overnight in my job. In fact, I have never once pulled an all-nighter in my life, even in grad school when others did. I love sleep. Today I am thankful . . .
-That I have completed a big grant proposal. It is in the form of a book proposal. The grant would allow me to just write (not teach or serve on committees) for an entire academic year. These things are very competitive, so I have zero expectation that I will get it. But I am proud of myself for completing the application. And the work required to pull it all together forced me to think through my next major research project, which got me all excited to write it.
-For having very little to do for the month of September. I start teaching in October. Until then, I am enjoying writing every day.
-For the friends in our kids' lives. Our first grader had a playdate after school Tuesday evening. He had a ball, and we're becoming friends with his friends' parents. Our sixth grader was nervous about track tryouts, but had fun after he realized his buddy was also trying out. I just love watching them build communities around them.
-For the yummy little peanut butter bites I made. I have a LOT of protein powder passed along to me from my mother in law. Nobody here seems to like shakes very much, so I have been finding various dessert recipes that incorporate protein powder. This recipe tastes great and keeps food from being wasted.
This week, I’m thankful for …
- 1. My awesome God who is so so good to me. For his love, grace, and faithfulness even though I’m so undeserving of it
- 2. My husband’s safety and protection as he kayaks the entire length of the Mississippi river. I like how we can talk and text through cell almost each day so I know he’s okay.
- 3. For the fun times together with my girls and closer bonds we have. So far, we’ve had a blast doing an at home ice cream party, tea party and dance party. All that’s left is a slumber party and night out on the trampoline looking out at the stars. There’s playing games, cooking together, etc. Also, we’ve been talking and sharing more with each other. My girls are all in elementary school but lately, I’ve been super aware of how fast time is going by and want to spend as much time as possible with them before they grow up and think I’m the uncool mom.
- 4. For the start of fall, my favorite season. I love the cooler weather; seeing the leaves change colors and fall; seeing apples, pumpkins, scarecrows and anything that’s fall related; eating pumpkin pie; and everything fall related.
- 5. For my morning walks around the neighborhood. Even better when there’s cooler weather and a safe neighborhood to do this in.
@AW,
Goodness, the entire Mississippi? How long will this take? Good luck to him, and I hope he enjoys it greatly. As a former river rat, I admit to being a bit jealous.
Hmmm.... I wonder if you can endorse Figs as a blog writer. I know you are not supposed to as a nurse.
I am thankful I was able to work Mon/Tues nights after being off two weeks with "The Knee" pain. Monday night was difficult, felt as if I needed orientation. I am a very orderly worker and I work with others who are not. Yet they thrive once things are in order. Played a lot of catch-up. Tuesday night was much better and was much more productive. I am also thankful that on both mornings AFTER work, I was able to do a lot of little naggy chores.
Thankful to get in and out of DMV (twice). First time, on Tuesday morning I didn't realize I needed the car inspected. But I was able to get that done yesterday and when I went to DMV at noon, I was one of two people there. Tags purchased with six days to spare!
Thankful I was able to get my filing accomplished and in so doing, updated my calendar of appointments. (I am orderly at work, not as much at home.) None too soon. Tuesday, I had lab drawn for my PCP for an appt next week and found a reminder of an upcoming appt next month with an outside provider that required lab as well. I am thankful for being "stuck" only once.
I am thankful for my investment advisor and his wife. They have been a great blessing in helping me with the newly acquired inheritance I never expected. I spent time with her yesterday going over page by page with (maybe) the last IRA account my Uncle had. The forms are like tax forms, oversimplified in such a way as to make you question if you are answering correctly. It's a lot easier to have a qualified person asking the questions of the other agency.
I think this is seven. I am thankful for the recliner I was able to buy from my Uncle's estate. I am not used to it being electrically controlled (my other was not). Muscle memory has me trying to put the bottom portion down w my calves which does not work before I then pick up the control and decide which button to push. The odor has faded (it was not stink, just odd) and I still need to fasten some sort of pillow extension to the top as the head rest hits me just above my neck, not at my neck. It is likely I would not have bought an electric recliner for myself otherwise and it's a win/win that my Executor niece does not have to deal with.
I'm thankful that I was able to troubleshoot and repair (!) an issue with my electric stove. One of the dual burners went directly to high heat no matter what it was set on - needed a new switch. I flipped the breaker, took off the back, found the part, ordered a new one (which arrived the next day!), and installed it. Now my stove works like new, and it only cost $160!
Also thankful I had the money immediately available so I didn't have to wait to fix the problem.
Super thankful that my dad never treated me like a delicate flower when I was young. He taught me to work on cars, drive a stick, use a power tools p, split logs, and shoot. And I grew up a city girl!
Good for you, Kirsten! Well begun is half done?!
Thanks:
For pretty good health.
For my new piano.
For cooler weather, by at least a few degrees.
For a full fridge.
For progress on Mount Laundry.
Good for you, bring done with your long days. Enjoy your time off!
I, too, feel thankful that I'm alive and can share my experience of going through full blown breast cancer treatment (a lumpectomy, chemo, radiation) with people who come to a cancer support meeting I attend monthly. It helps them to hear from others who've gone thru cancer treatment and, as one of our funny 90 yr old group members says, "are still sitting upright and taking nourishment."
-- I'm thankful we got some rain -- a lot of it, actually! My flowers do so much better with rain and they are just beautiful now!
-- I'm thankful I listened to my hubby who told me a technique he saw and uses to lesson back pain. I've NEVER had back pain and exercise 2-3 times a week. But recently, I have had a tight back and hamstrings that were just aching. He told me to lay on my side, put a pillow between my knees and pull my knees up to my chest as far as I could. I stayed that way for several minutes. It worked! Weeks of back pain and hamstring aches disappeared and I'm walking again, comfortably. I don't know how it worked, but it did. I guess I was just out of whack! I was beginning to think I had sciatica pain or arthritis. And maybe I do, but this technique was successful for me.
Have a great weekend!
So nice to see you happy with your new career, your work "family" and your life in general. And you are getting PAID. You are in a much better place in your life than you have been before and it's a joy to see.
I'm thankful for surviving my first ever bout of Covid. It was not pleasant, and I felt even worse because my husband got it from me and he was sicker than I was. He is really grumpy when he's sick and I had to fight him to believe that tea with gelatin powder and honey would help his razor blade throat. It did help a lot, but not without some arguing first about whether he was going to drink it or not. He got Paxlovid and is doing much better but we are both contending with mild hearing issues from the virus (fluid in the Eustachian tubes) so we are having to yell at each other like old people in a cartoon--even when he has his hearing aids in. I still have a lingering cough and tire easily, but I feel at least 90% better.
I'm thankful that we only had one hot day this week (hottest day of the year!) and it was only in the mid-90's. We've had a blissfully cool summer, which is great because we do not have AC. Last year we had a couple of nasty "bomb cyclone" heat waves where it got to 115 F for a few days. That was miserable.
I was chatting with someone who adopted a hellion of a dog, and our dog was like that too. It took months for him to settle down with us and just this year (five YEARS later) I'm realizing that he has turned out to be a pretty good dog after all we went through with him. I'm very grateful we didn't give up on him, although there were many times I wanted to. I think he would not have survived long in a shelter.
At 4:55 p.m., I am so very thankful to have internet/phone/email restored that I cannot think of a single other thing.
I’ve been away with work for three days & nights this week which affects my thankfuls and means I’m a day late in adding them
- spending quality time with work colleagues. Our small team are all remote workers so we don’t spend a lot of time with each other face to face. I haven’t spent much time with either of the colleagues I was with this week and it was lovely to be able to get to know them both a lot better
- for the option of being able to travel for work. Visiting sites that I would not normally see is enlightening. Every site is different and the one this week has fabulous grounds.
- a therapy dog. The trainer this week brought his therapy dog, Hope, with him. She is so placid and friendly. She made sure to visit everyone at least once in each session and I was very happy to give her lots of fuss and attention.
- sleeping in my own bed! It is always nice to get back to my own bed qnd sleeping in a hotel room is not very restful for me.
- family and friends. Always thankful for their love and support.