Something New

For my birthday I got an all-expense paid kayak adventure off the coast of NC.  The trip included kayaking to a deserted island, a picnic dinner, and a beautiful sunset over the water as we returned to the mainland.  

It was such a fun little trip.  Although I will admit I got a little tired, it was so nice to do something new and get out of the hustle and bustle of "city" life.  It motivated me to start doing things like this more often-things that I really enjoy and make me happy.   I don't know about you, but I tend to get into little ruts (ok, sometimes big ruts) where I do the same things over and over again.  For example: sleep, eat, work, eat, work out, eat, sleep.  And really, how fun is that?? Life is too hard not to take a break and have some fun.  So, at the beginning of the summer I am committing myself to doing more fun things.  For example: riding my bike, playing games, going to the beach, hanging out with friends, camping. And anyone is welcome to join me. 

Thinks on Being Alone

For a long time it has been one of my biggest fears to be alone.  I like being around people, not necessarily a lot of people, but just enough.  I'm not necessarily one who has to talk all the time, but I do love some good conversation especially the kind that make me laugh so hard I cry or that inspire me in one way or another.

When I moved to Fayetteville I knew there would be a lot of time to be alone, seeing as I really didn't know anyone.  I first had a roommate, but now I have moved into my very own apartment all by myself.  And you know what?  I'm not afraid anymore of being alone.  It's so wonderful, so freeing.  I'm realizing that being alone does not necessarily mean that I am not loved or not cool or that I don't have any friends or that I have to be lonely.  It means rather that I have time to think, to breathe, and find some much needed peace.

Some time ago I came across this video.  It's an oddly profound tutorial-poem on How To Be Alone.


Here are some of my favorite lines:

You're no less intriguing a person when you're eating solo dessert to cleaning the whipped cream from the dish with your finger. In fact some people at full tables will wish they were where you were.


Society is afraid of alonedom, like lonely hearts are wasting away in basements, like people must have problems if, after a while, nobody is dating them. but lonely is a freedom that breaths easy and weightless and lonely is healing if you make it.

It's okay if no one believes like you. All experience is unique, no one has the same synapses, can't think like you, for this be relieved, keeps things interesting lifes magic things in reach. 

........

So, next time you find yourself fretting that you are alone or lonely, embrace it, and you might find out, like me, that there is nothing to be afraid of being alone.

**With this said, I must add that I'm not a supporter of being a hermit and secluding yourself from the world.  There is great worth in being with people, serving people and having relationships with people. Nor do I believe that we are ever truly alone. You get what I mean right?

Happy Anniversary

Four years ago today I returned from serving as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and I can't help but think of those times and what I learned.  A lot of people think it was really cool that I served in Germany and some look at me with compassion knowing the challenge it must of been.  I would have to agree...with both of those.  It was very cool.

  I mean, how could you not love exploring a new country where they have things like this:

GIANT chocolate covered pretzels

(sorry, I couldn't figure out how to rotate the picture)

or amazing beautiful buildings like these:

Everything about Germany was exciting, down to how they separated their trash for recycling.   It was cool.

But it was also hard.  It was hard to teach people about something so personal to me in a language I could barely understand let alone speak at first to people that didn't want anything to do with us. And on top of that, it was cold and rainy about 83% of the time, which is hard especially when your umbrella breaks.

I often felt like this at the end of every day:

But above being cool and despite being hard, serving as a missionary taught me valuable truths and gave me priceless experiences that are better than any piece of delicious European chocolate and worth any amount of hard work or heartache.

For example:

-learning to truly love an individual

-experiencing miracles

-discovering that God knows you, hears your prayers, and cares about you

-learning that it is possible to find joy in any situation

-feeling the joy in sharing the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ

-doing the impossible

-seeing how the Savior can change people's lives

Rounds

No, this post will not be about these kind of rounds:

nor these (although, I kind of really want one of these right now)

Instead I will be talking about medical rounds aka the really boring meetings I have to attend Tuesdays-Thursdays.  I had always wondered what rounds would be like.  I had always heard about doctors "making rounds" on patients and for whatever reason it sounded really cool and was excited when I found out part of my job included going to rounds 3 times a week!  As I have learned with other things in my life, my imagination is usually a bit more exciting than reality.  The rounds that I attend look pretty much like this:

The doctor sits at the head of the table and the various staff from each discipline report on how the patients are progressing. The MD gives the commands, tells people to hurry up if they are too slow and declares the discharge date.  

For my part I usually just say what diet the pt is getting and how much they are eating.  Every once in a while I will say a little more, but more often than not the nurse will actually say my part and I will mutter something like "no nutritional concerns." 

Today I had something important to say.  A pt was receiving an inappropriate diet for their condition.  I confirmed this with my co-workers and they agreed so I knew I could confidently go in there and make my professional and educated recommendation.  So, when my turn came I said, "doctor, this diet is not appropriate for the pt. I recommend this instead!" (in actuality I was a little nervous because I hate having all the attention on me and I said it  more like "Doctor, this diet is not appropriate for the pt. I recommend this") And then he said something unintelligible

(he has a thick accent and mumbles, which I'm not really sure anyone really understands him), but what I think he said was that he didn't really care what I said because he was right about the diet (although he actually wasn't).  It really was unfortunate (but a little funny, too) because part of me wanted to say something back but I couldn't because I didn't know exactly what he said!   So, I just pretended I understood and agreed. I then left early because I felt unappreciated as a professional, which was very liberating and the best part of the day. 

Weekend in a Nutshell

This weekend Wade and I went to Waynesville (for those of you unfamiliar with Waynesville, it is a small town in the mountains almost to Tennessee where Wade grew up).  I always forget to take my camera, so unfortunately I don't have any pictures.  But! Here are some of the highlights:

Wade's dad telling me that I was "full of crap" because my eyes are brown...I guess that's what "they" say about people with brown eyes.

Tea party with the nieces, Madelynn and Mackensey. It made my day to see all those mountain men drinking juice out of tiny tea cups with their pinkies out. (as that is the one and only way tea is to be drunk)

Hiking to the tiny old house where Wade's grandparents lived when they first got married-it was

 about 12ftx24ft and was WAY up on a mountain.  It was no easy hike. It's amazing how they ever lived there.

Hearing Granny's (Wade's grandmother) story about seeing the bobcat on her way back to the aforementioned house from getting groceries like it was no big thing.

Uncle Lonnie.  He talks so fast and his accent is so thick I have to have Wade translate for me.

Learning how to shoot a gun, thanks to Burl, Wade's dad.  (#1 rule: treat every gun as if it's loaded #2 make sure all the dogs are out of the way before you shoot...and that's it....haha)

Forgetting about the precious steaks in the car we brought from Raleigh for Wade's parents.  We ate them anyway.  What's that you say about food safety?  There are some things even I will eat in spite of potential risk. (so far we haven't gotten sick yet)

Sunday dinner: 2 pieces of chocolate pie and popcorn that we were supposed to give to the chicken's but decided was still good enough to eat.  Mmm mmm goood.

And that was my weekend in a nutshell.