jokes on me.

today work was a bit slow.  ugh. 

but regardless, i am so thankful for work!

the other day i got to talk to abby c. on the phone.

for almost an hour and a half!

so nice to talk to her...i just love her!

if there's one thing i love more than running, it's running with awesome company.

tonight i ran a whopping 6 miles with karen c.

i thought we were running 3-4.  jokes on me haha.

but it's a good i didn't know cause i might not have ran had i known that!

the run was actually really good. and yes, we talk the whole time.

i got to hear a lot about her recent life and separation.

some people are just so strong it's amazing.

we had some great heart to hearts all while burning some awesome calories.

working on our temples while growing connections.

does it get much better than that?!

please keep her in your prayers during this transition time.

i'm praying {like i do when most people go through rough times} that the Lord makes Himself so present to her and gives her proof that He has His hand in the situation.

i love that woman, and hope she knows how much she is loved by her Heavenly Father.

every day this week has felt like friday.

tomorrow is finally friday.  boo yah.

grad party.

tonight we had the grad party for my little brother.

i can't believe that his journey in HS is almost over.

they had a photo booth which was awesome.

and today, i did another PPD test.

and you know what?  i rocked it!

did so well and it looked great.

i love when i get better at things!!

this week has been short, but looong.

looking forward to a weekend where i get to meet with bishop and have a night of worship...yes please!

recitals, cookout, and catan.

well this week has certainly gotten away from me.

i am on my own at work and it's been pretty good so far!

i still ask a lot of questions--and feel i am a burden--but i am still learning.

i keep praying that i learn all that i need to and am able to keep improving.

i am getting better at shots, but still don't like them yet.

speaking of, i had to get blood drawn today and still get queezy haha.

i had a patient last week who was 5 and he tried so hard to not cry during his 4 shots.

every one he winced but then he was trying to be so brave.

it was so sweet but i felt so bad cause i know they hurt!

and one patient this week {about 12 years old} took one look at me and says:

'wow.  you're pretty'

it was one of the sweetest things i've ever heard. 

so genuine and didn't miss a beat when she saw me.

reason 390823 why i love my job.

i had today off work but babysat a 5 week old and 2 year old and oh how i loved it!

i could just hold babies alll day long and be totally fine with it. 

i am bbsitting the kl's regularly and it's been mixed feelings.

she told her middle school babysitter that she wanted to give me as many hours as i wanted because she knew this was my last summer--and now the boys are being so much more verbal about wanting me to be over there with them.

it's all so sweet, but i never thought in a million year i'd be back with them.

humbling in many ways.  

good in many ways.  

hopefully not bad in any ways to come.

last night was margaret o.'s recital for her ballet class.

i tell ya, i felt like a proud mama watching her!

and being a former dancer i just loved going!

she did just so so wonderful.

meika, larsen, brittany, and i all went.

afterwards, they had a cookout and we all stayed.

then larsen and mark and jenny and i played catan.

i didn't win {duh!} but got a teeny bit better. 

still lots of room for progress but maybe there is hope for me haha.

but nothin' screams summer like playing catan on the screened in porch :)

i am so enjoying getting to know larsen better.

i have had some jealous around her in the past and trying to work on that.

it can be hard to sometimes see a family with someone who they are close with, too.

i just have to remind myself that several people can be close to them, and i need and want to be happy that the girls are surrounded by amazing people who love them whole heartedly. 

larsen and i got to talk about boys and life, and bonded a bit.

i have struggled with jealousy in the past and really don't want it to get in the way of a friendship.

i'll see them again tonight for the bachelorette :).

{the four sisters}

{the girls and the us--brittany, larsen, and i.  i feel really under dressed here.  oops}

{i love this picture with all my heart.  the proud parents and the little lady of the day!}

gosh i love them!

two short months.

it's about time for another post about Haiti...ready?!

well, today i got together with kalya from school!!

we met half way between our houses and got to chat.

she was able to share a ton about amazing stories and miracles that she experiences in Haiti, and while i was beyond excited to go before, i am even more excited to go now.

i am still just praying that i mesh really well with someone on the team.

and while we're talking about Haiti, you'll never believe this.

i am fully funded!!  take a minute to let that sink in.

yes, it is true.  i almost can't believe it!

my amazing grandparents made an incredibly generous donation and voila!  trip paid for.

God can take all the glory and honor for that amazing provision {which takes a huge amount of weight off my shoulders!}

i've honestly been having some doubts about the trip.

not that i doubt it, per se, i totally know it's satan.

but it's just scary to think about at times.

i'll be going with all these people i don't know (who all already know each other), to a foreign country, to be put out of my element to share about Jesus and use my nursing skills.

see?  that's kinda scary.

but sounds a lot like peru, huh?!  

i would say it does.  and i only know how life changing that event was.

and i was wicked nervous before that trip, too, so i'm hoping this is a normal part of the process.

and with all this 'wondering if i made the right decision to leave the country' thinking, the fact that i am fully funded is 128% reassuring that i'm on the right track.

God is faithful, and so good. 

and will never leave us high and dry when He has told us to go.

He's told me to go....so i'll go.  

and He will prove He is bigger than any mountain i will face in the process.

love that about Him.  He's the best father in the world!

pray that i can still be reminded why i am going.

it's not about putting ann first, but Christ first.

i strive to do that on my trip, but more importantly in my life .

and pray that the affirmations keep coming that i'm doing the right thing.

and pray that once again, He is preparing me Spiritually, physically, and mentally.

it's gonna be hott there. and buggy. so staying complain free should be a priority!

{in the parking lot....classy, i know}

{look at that tiny girl!  love her!}

Haiti, in 2 short months, i'll be able to share some of these amazing stories that Kayla did.  it will be here before i know it.  and i can't freaking wait!

God will move big ways...i'm ready to see how!

2 firsts.

today i did two firsts.

i got to give a PPD test (there is lots of room for improvement) and i also got to give an allergy test. 

it was on someone i knew and it took me a while to get all the blood.

i felt so bad {it's worse when i know them cause i feel like if they think the nurse did bad...well, i'm the nurse!}  so i felt awful.  but you have to learn somehow.

did several heel sticks and lead/hgb today.

then, i got to see emily c today!

i haven't seen her since last august maybe?

it's been much overdo, but was so great to catch up with her!

i recently got asked on a date by joe p...i think.

he asked to get drinks at the pub tonight or tomorrow.

and since we all know my commitment phobias, i of course said that this week was super busy.

and last night, scott and christina's baby was born!

they are adopting and in california right now.

her name is kennedy margaret s.  

she was a little peanut at 6 lbs 4 oz.

i worked with scott for 2 years and was his student for 1 year.

i had been so waiting for the day they got to be parents, and can't believe they won't be in canton next year.  i hope they visit so i can meet the little lady!

they will be amazing parents, that's for sure.

then i played catan with the ortens and larsen till 1 am.  

so wonderful, and i lost...again haha.

this morning i realized that i was going into a job i LOVE

and was getting to be with those i love in the evening.

i am really very blessed.

oh randomness.

several random things:

--i went to a carnival on sunday with the cowie kids. it was really fun and they did so well.  i am too lazy to post a picture.

--i am starting to give immunizations and everything all.by.myself.! it is so weird how quickly it is coming and i love it. still a lot to work on {and quickness needs to get better} but we're getting there.

--met this new family--the miggos-- and bbsat for 12 hrs yesterday.  they are super sweet, but for the first time ever, i was not wanting to babysit.  i love my new job so much!  and being away babysitting for a full day made me realize it.  so so thankful for the pediatrician office.

--saw several families that i know really well at the dr office today.  love those days!  but hate that i can't ever share who i saw.  

--i am going to be babysitting some for rachel k-l this summer (possibly).  i am wanting the hours, but honestly?  i am a bit nervous to see how it works out.  praying that it all pans out and will be a positive thing.

--dr. pfau is my favorite.  like, he's hands down the best.  the others are great too--there is just something about him where he goes the extra mile.  i'm convinced it's his Christianity coming through.

--the bachelorette started last monday!  i love that show but wish i didn't.  watched with laresen, mark and jenny.  we made lists of who we think will be the final 4 and top 10.  we ALL had the same 3 out of 4 for the top 4.  how cool is that?!  it would be cooler if we ended up being right.

--i am about half way done with the 3rd hunger games (mocking jay).  it hasn't been holding my attention too well, but it's picking up!  kinda want to read more!

--my little brother has been using my toothbrush...gross.

 

--i have been going a couple jillian michaels workout videos and really like them!  the time goes so fast and i'm hoping i'll get more toned.  her 30 day shred is in the mail...let's see if it works!

--have i mentioned how i love my job!?  cause i do :)  we even ate lunch outside today....score!

that's all!  happy half way through the week!

we're all mothers.

me and my mom started off our mother's day by doing a workout.

holla.  that's so me and my mom!

after all these years, she's still got it :)

today, for mothers day, i made two new recipes
{both are tim tebow's family favorites!}

one was pizza pie, and the other was a rice crispy ice cream pie.

they were both really good, but there is perfecting to do.

my grandparents also called today wondering if their support letter got lost in the mail.

uh, i didn't send one.  talk about awkward.

i was just trying to make sure they didn't feel obligated to give because they do such a good job making sure they do things evenly for the grand kids.

but they explained that this was different because i had earned through hard work and dedication the ability to be able to do medical missions.

it was great to hear i have their support.

the sermon today was about all women being mothers.

and from the moment we're born we're nurturing and just know how to be compassionate.

it was so encouraging to hear. 

we talked about leaving a legacy and being like hannah in 1 samuel.

i had recently studied her in a bible study so it was great to go back to the story.

she was barren for a while and promised God that if she was given a child she would give her child to the Lord. 

there were times when she was in the temple literally weeping out of pain.

and i feel just so connected with her because i have wept before over the fact i don't have kids.

i know i still have a lot of time, but it is such a desire of my heart. 

and if it had been up to me, i would be a mom by now.

well hannah eventually conceives with samuel and God is faithful--on His time.

and i know that while i think i know best, i know i don't.

and His timing will be so much more perfect than anything i could imagine!

i just need to wait.

i can't wait for the day i get to personally celebrate Mother's day, but am so thankful for all the people {along with my mom} that have been 'moms' to me or shown me great examples of how to be a Biblical mom.  

i am beyond blessed.

braggin.

can i just brag a little bit about my God?

ok, cool.  cause i'm gonna anyway :).

let me just start by saying that the other night, hearing about elizabeth's trip was so bitter sweet.

i am so discouraged for her and yet so blessed.

what i was worried about with her trip ended up happening.

i had prayed so much about this haiti thing, and when i acted with what i though the Lord wanted me to do {regardless of knowing she would have been, and was, hurt with the decision of not choosing her trip} He totally blessed that decision.

and the real bragging comes here.

i had $600 that needed to be put in the mail TODAY.

as of thursday i only had $375.

guess how much came in the stinking mail on FRIDAY alone?!

$200.  making me only $25 shy of my first deadline.

like, OK, He is just showing off that He is so beyond and bigger than any amount of money.

i'm gonna go ahead and give God all the glory for that one.

it was also another reassuring thing regarding this trip.

and tonight i get a txt from my mom saying this:

'our neighbor amy has a senior college boy renting her house from tennessee.  just arrived.  super polite. coming over to andrew's soon.  working at owens corning this summer.  maybe he is christian since he is from bible belt??'

only my mother.

who then proceeded to talk.his.ear.off all night.

she means to be friendly, but i'm sure he's a bit overwhelmed.

and i'm sure he didn't absorb about 99.999% of the things she said LOL.

love that woman!

immunizations.

there hasn't been one thing i've done that i don't love at my job.

but today?  i gave immunizations to some babies.

and i've found something i don't like.  

i hate needles myself, so maybe that's why i feel so bad.

but i would be OK if i never did one again.

and today i was taking a girls temperature.

she was 5, and they get 4 shots at that age.

i told her this wouldn't hurt, to which she replies:

"this won't hurt....but my immunizations will"

so stinking cute!  even knowing the pain was coming.

i love my job.  let me say it again and again.

just so great.  

i get to work tomorrow and hope it's good :).

heard from abbey a. and she got the new job!

and heard from amanda c. today.

i just love my friends and love life.

can't it be summertime forever?! 

wanted {or not}. and haiti.

today i found out that dr. killion and er family are good friends with my aunt susie and uncle dave!

what a small world it is.  

i've been in love with this song 'wanted' by hunter hays. 

it is so soothing and cute.  i just love it and it has definitely been on repeat. 

tyler and i got in a tiff last night.

she didn't even contact me till after 9 pm last night to hang out.

i am just sick of feeling like i'm not a priority and that i'm a burden to my best friend.

it's been going on for a while and just gets hard to keep letting it go.

i won't see her for a month, which is becoming a norm now-a-days.

she certainly doesn't make me feel 'wanted' LOL.

also, found out last night that elizabeth's haiti trip is falling through.

it is the week before classes, which can't really happen with our presentations.

it was so encouraging to see how the Lord provided.

it was so unbelievably hard to tell her i wasn't going on her trip, but i see how the Lord blessed my decision by listening to what i felt He wanted me to do.

i'm praying that things can work out with her trip 

{our trip already has tickets so we can't add her--i've already asked}

God totally had His hand on the situation. 

i love when i get to see the outcomes that worked for my better {when it was kind hard to see at the time}.

i'm loving my work.  still.

it's wonderful and i love learning new stuff.

i just wish i knew it all already :). 

and i just wish it didn't make me so tired!

it's not even 9 pm and i'm off to bed!

happy 22nd bday bishop!

this post is well over do!  

this past weekend we celebrated bishop's 22nd birthday.

it was so fun and doubled as a cinco de mayo par-tay.

i just love these group of people.

i know i can hang out with them and it's all safe and fun.

i had a great time getting to talk to some of the women i'm just meeting.

i am beyond thankful for them and hope there are many more in the future :)

at one point jeremiah, mitch, brook and andrea were throwing coals in the yard.

it was funny {and cool} to see the little red coals flying in the air.

{all the ladies!}

{haha so fun}

{me and the bday girl}

so thankful for bishop and her heart. 

i just can't wait to spend more time with her this summer!

the 4th half.

this past weekend was my 4th half marathon.

and boy, besides my first one ever, it was the worst. 

i started off thinking that i would pray when i felt defeated.

i would pray for different friends, people i bbsit for, family, friends, ect.

and then i realized i needed much prayer during the race too haha.

but praying was hard, i'll be honest. 

i couldn't keep my thought process long enough to think what i wanted.

but when 'baby' came on, i prayed for the Orten girls. to love Him and follow Him.

i started off beasting it, running all around 8:55 pace.

i was going to PR if i kept that pace, and i was following a girl who was wicked consistent.

but at about mile 3 i knew i would not be able to keep that pace {it was real humid}

so at around 7 i had to pee sooo bad and had to stop.

i let this woman {who i found out was named april} just go do her thing.

from that point, i wanted to stop and just cry.

i wasn't going to PR and just felt so defeated.

i was in pain and was reminded why i don't race by myself.

around mile 7.5 i started running with a woman, named kristy.

she is a mom of three and 33 yrs old. she even went to mt union back in the day!

we both started off too fast and were so beat.

so we ran the rest together, and had it not been for her, i wouldn't have finished.

i would have walked, but i knew she wasn't going to wait for me if i stopped LOL.

but i finished, in 2:03:43.

and felt every minute of it.

but i was barely tired that night so it was all mental.

i slowed down significantly the last half of it and averaged 9:20 pace.

not great, but not my goal at all. 

molly felt the same way and ashley, too.

it was just a hard race for all.

so i'll do another one someday--NOT alone!

i am glad it's done, and can't believe i survived.

i run cause i love the running community.

they're awesome and it's brought me to so many people i wouldn't have met otherwise.

and if it hasn't been for april (who i saw at the end and told her thanks.  she sprained her ancle and ended up finishing around when i did so i should have stuck with her) and kristy, my race wouldn't have been even what it was.

love that type of 'family'.  there is nothing like it!

{before the race.  i was drenched in sweat after!}

afterwards, i found bobby and stuck with him.

when molly and ashley finished, we were to meet them at the end.

well we spent almost 1.5 hours trying to find them!

it was like finding people in the 1990s {as bobby observed} haha.

we ended up using 3 different peoples phones; calling dad to get john's number, and then having him try to find ashley's number. 

eventually we got a hold of them and just met at the car.

it was kinda funny and i'm soo glad that i was with bobby.

had i not been with him i would have been screwed!

but i am thankful i can run and use my body.

and i love that my bro and SIL are so hospitable.

the 4th one is under my belt!  onto the 5th :)

9 months.

it's been 4 days since i started working and my eye has been twitching all day.

does that give you a bit of an indication how i'm doing?!

LOL.  i'm tired.  mainly because i'm not used to getting up early {and still sleep deprived from exam week/end of semester business}

i am learning a lot but it is also overwhelming.

my legs get tired cause we're on them all.day.long.

but i have to remind myself it hasn't been a week yet, and i'm doing just fine.

also, i started my medication for my latent TB on monday.

it is a medication and a vitamin that i take for a whopping 9 months.

9 months!  i could have a baby in that time....

and to put it in perspective, i'll almost be done with college by the time i finish.

and the whole time i can't have any alcohol. 

not that i ever drink alcohol, but now i can't.

so when my friends turn 21 this summer and even on new year's {which i didn't even have campaign this past year} i have to opt out. i can't even try new things! 

i just (semi recently) turned 21 here, people!

i am in the mode where i get to try things.  but not now.

oh well.  i'm sure the time will go really fast!

and oh the up side, it will prep me for motherhood someday :). 

the last couple days, i've been a bit overwhelmed.  

was talking some money things and man! malone is expensive!

why did i choose there again!?  lol.

no, i know why.  it's just hard to remember.

basically, i need to bust my booty to make money this summer.

so please pray that the Lord provides jobs to do that ASAP.

and pray that i can seek His wisdom and be lead by His Spirit so clearly.