Butt Kicking

Yes, I'm referring to myself; as in I need a butt kicking!! I'm doing what I said I wouldn't do: sitting here with the computer in my lap waiting. In the mean time let me take some time to describe my surroundings to you.

Bear the puppy killed a gorilla and plastic beans are all over the floor. Hubby's shoes and hat, a coat hanger, an empty box, and my unpacked bag are joining the remains of the poor little gorilla. To my left is a stack of rented and unwatched DVDs and a half empty cup. To my right is my snuggle bug Spike the dog. I am currently telling myself to get up, get dressed, wash some clothes, go grocery shopping, vacuum, dust, etc, etc, etc. Instead, I'm making myself and my babies miserable!!!!

So anyway, I need a butt kicking! Any takers? I promise I can't fight back, I'm too busy on my computer!!!!!!!!
Amy

Pins and Needles

Well, it's either all done or a long way to go. I took the NCLEX RN (boards) today. I can't decide how I feel about it though. My test cut off at exactly 75 questions, which I've heard through the grapevine that is a good sign.

The way the NCLEX works is that you test until you either pass or fail. The minimum amount of questions you can answer is 75 with a maximum of 275. Once you begin the test you are asked a certain level of difficulty of questions. If you get the question right (which you don't know if you did or not) the test will keep getting a little harder till you miss one. Then you drop down a level. The goal is to maintain a certain degree of difficulty throughout the test.

Anyway, there was nothing on the test that I haven't seen before, but the selection of answers to choose from were. A lot of the answers were kind of obscure, not what you are expecting when you read the question. I don't know if that make sense or not but that's the best way to describe it. I felt a huge wave of relief when that test cut off. I specifically prayed that I would not have to go all the way through the test. When I hit question number 74 I just asked God to please let it end and He did!

So now I'm having to endure probably the longest 48 hours of my life thus far. Exactly 48 hours from the time you finish your test the results are available online. My plan is to try to remain busy until then. Unfortunately, my "busy" time doesn't begin till Wed evening..... after I get my results!! Something tells me BB and DQ are getting dragged all over town for the next couple of days! If I don't leave the house I'll sit here with this computer in my lap checking every few minutes to see if I am a rare exception to the rule and got my results early. A person could go crazy like this!!!!!!

Anyway, think I'll go crazy somewhere else for awhile and give your poor people a break!!
Amy

Panic Mode

Well, as usual I have managed to work myself into quite a tizzy! I had both job interviews this week and both went fine. Well, the second one was fine but I didn't feel good about it. They both said I'd know something soon. AAAAHHHHHGGGGGG!

Secondly (is that even a word? Guess spell check will let me know when I try to post this!!), I found out today that if I'm offered the job I need to be licensed by Aug 11. Oh no, not again! I keep running into this pesky little problem! So, in order to insure (there's that spell check thing again) I'm licensed in time I've opted to reschedule my boards exam date. I'm studying like crazy but feel nowhere near ready. In talking with some of my classmates that have taken the exam already many of the questions are select all that apply. I'm terrible at those!!!! Needless to say, I'll be holing up for the days to come, ignoring my family, and eating lots of sugar and drinking lots of caffeine. I'll let you know when it's safe to come back!!!

Amy

Yikes!!

Well, my prayers have been half way answered. This week I have not one but two job interviews. I am so incredibly nervous! On Wed I have one in Labor and Delivery at Northside in Atlanta. On Thurs I have an interview at Athens Regional in ICU. I am really wanting the ICU job but we'll see what God has in mind for me. I also had an informal interview with my current boss about a full time position in L&D in the hospital I'm at now. I was told that the night shift nurses get first dibs at the day position; then me next. As stated above I want the ICU position.

My question is this. I have never been on a REAL job interview. I have know idea how to interview. I was told that when asked if I have questions I should ask some. What do I ask? In the past I've always had all my questions answered over the course of discussion. Also, I got a new outfit, but is it professional enough? Do I need to bring another resume? What about reference letters? AAHHGGGG, I'm so freaked out!!!! I do know to send a thank you note after, but that's new knowledge for me!! HELP!!!!!!!

Amy

Angels

For about 4 years now we have been following the story of a little boy named Dustin. He was in DQ's class at school. Dustin has been battling a rare but brutal form of childhood cancer called neuroblastoma. He passed away yesterday morning. I was very saddened to hear this news. I've gotten to know several families that have battled this disease and everyone of them has had to say goodbye to their babies. My heart just breaks for these parents. Please take some time to pray for Dustin's family today. I think that losing a child is one of the worst things a person can have happen to them!
Amy

Encouragement

This is in our backyard!! God is Good!!!
Hubby went on a mission trip to Alaska. Wow, how beautiful this is!!









This has been a summer of many ups and downs for me, my family, and some people around me. Many people have been sick, lost loved ones, and been through some pretty big struggles. Hubby's cousin just found out this weekend that her husband has decided to divorce her. This news came completely out of nowhere.

As I've been thinking about her and all the other things going on I've had some time to consider that maybe I'm letting Satan have all the fun. I've also realized that I'm a fighter. I'm not going to give up my dreams, my hope, my strength. This is a great song. I think the lyrics are so neat and definitely encouraging. I hope you feel the same! Enjoy!

Amy

Traumatic

Here's to better days!!





The last 24 hrs have been very traumatic for our little DQ. First of all last night she lost her 2nd tooth the hard way. This tooth has been loose then tight, then loose then tight for about a year now. The last couple of months this tooth has been literally sticking straight out. Last night she bit into an apple and tore it loose. Then she was climbing into her bed and knocked it pretty hard with her knee. Blood was gushing everywhere! After many tears and screaming (from both hubby and I and her), I managed to calm her down and gently wiggle the tooth out painlessly.

Now this evening I was lulled into a false sense of security. Everyone was content, quite, and entertained. WRONG!! Shrill screaming started up out of nowhere. Mommy! Mommy! It's on my head! It's sucking out all my blood! I'm gonna die!! Of course there was a huge tick on her head. Oh geez! I hate bugs of any sort, I hate nursing my own children, and I have never honestly removed a tick. Add all this to a screaming little girl who is very emotional all on her own without the added trauma and you have a big ole mess!!! I was rapidly googling the best way to remove a tick while she's screaming for me to call 911. BB decides to just leave all together! OK, so I need a pair of tweezers. Yea, good luck with that! I can never find those stupid things when I actually need them! OK, no tweezers and she' still screaming. Toilet paper and my fingernails are the only tools I can muster. After prying her hands away from the site of infestation I managed to grab ahold of the little (sorry HUGE) bugger. He's barely got his little fangs, teeth, whatever, dug in, but definitely reached blood. GREAT!!!! Just what I need, more blood loss! Call 911?? Naw, just kidding. Got him, flushed him, and DQ is in the shower consoling herself. Poor baby!

So, Spike the dog is doing pretty well. She looks so much better than the night we went to the hospital to visit her. She's on strict cage rest; well when she's not in my lap! She's walking better, still a little lame in back, but supposedly that will go away in the next few weeks. She's hardly hurting at all, and talking all the time.

Finally, I got my approval to test and I have a test date scheduled. It's about stinking time!!!! I'm opting not to share the date, sometime in August. You'll know when I pass!!!

Goodnight for now, time to nurse DQ and Spike the dog!!
Amy

Home Sweet Home

Well, BB and DQ got home from camp last night with stories a plenty. They had a great time, and DQ's team got first place! Go DQ!!!
The theme for the week was Olympics. BB was on China and DQ was on Germany. They had to play crazy games such has digging gummy bears out of chocolate with their toes, and eating chocolate covered doughnuts hanging from a string blind folded. DQ said all the bible verses they quoted as a team is what won the competition for them though. Whew hoo!!!!

UGA called this morning and Spikerbaby is coming home this afternoon!! We went and visited her last night and left in tears. She looked awful! She was obviously in a great deal of pain and she had the most worried look on her face. I held her the whole time and she just laid her head on my shoulder and cried. Poor baby. The student who is taking care of her called this morning and said she's like a new dog this morning. She's eating and barking and wagging her tail! Maybe the little talk I gave her helped! I told her that even though she's hurting and scared she's gotta get through this so she can come home. I think we'll make her a special blanket to snuggle in!

Bear the puppy has been beside himself. He has been wandering around the house looking for his BB, DQ, and Spike. You could see it all over his furry little face that he was confused and wanted to know where the rest of his family was!! He would go into BB's room, then DQ's room, then just sort of stand there in the living room. You could almost see him thinking about where they could all be!!!!!! So cute.

Well now that our little family will be back together I guess all that's left to focus on is..... When in the world am I going to get my approval to test??????????

Amy

Spikerbaby

Well, Spike the dog had back surgery at UGA today! When I called Dr Bates yesterday morning to tell him of her loss of use in her back legs I thought he was going to come through the phone!!! He said he needed her there now so he could evaluate her and refer her to UGA. Well, I was at work, hubby was at work, what now?? Thank you Jesus for taking care of that situation..... hubby and I both got off 20 minutes after that phone call. Let me just tell you that just doesn't happen for either of us!!!!

Anyway, we got her to UGA and got everything set up. They did a scan this morning and found two herniated discs! They removed most of T11 and part of T12. They said she's doing wonderful; she'll be out of ICU in the morning and hopefully home by Friday. They also said they cleaned out all the junk around them to prevent this from happening again: Whew!!

Amy

Two Kinds

Our three children
Spike the dog snuggling with Daddy in the car


So I figure there are two kinds of people. There are the people who have pets,and love their pets. Then there are people like us who look at our pets as furry 4 legged children. Spike the dog, also known as Princess, Spikerbaby, Spikette, and Spikerella is definitely our 3rd child. We adore her and she adores us.

A little background on Spikerbaby. My mom got her for my dad for Christmas one year as a request by him. He named her Spike out of the sheer comedy of naming a tiny dog such as herself such a tough manly name. Anyway, Spike came to visit us for a few days while my parents were out of town. It was love at first sight. We instantly fell in love with her and she instantly fell in love with us.

Now Spike is part of us. She's 4 years old and it about 9 lbs. BB and DQ are not just hubby and I's babies, they are her babies too! In the mornings she fusses at them right along with me to get them off to school. In the afternoons she fusses at them all the way up the driveway to get in the house where she can see them. She's quite the talker as anyone who's met her will testify. She's one of the friendliest dog's ever. Even when she's in pain she's wagging her tail. She's always got a kiss and a hug ready whenever you ask (literally!). She's a snuggle bug, a heating pad, and a pillow.

All this to say, please pray for little Spike. Her back is pretty bad. She's having trouble even standing up at this point; her back legs just won't work anymore. Dr Bates is giving us a referral to UGA vet school to see if they can fix her. I hope and pray that they can as we just cannot bear the thought of our life with out her in it!!! Kiss kiss and hug hug from Spikerbaby!!

Amy

Happy 4th of July

Let's remember to thank our Lord for all the blessings we have as Americans today. I hope you enjoy your day with your family. Eat lots of yummy food! Play lot's of crazy games! Enjoy the fireworks!
Amy

Care to Join Me???

That's it. I'm storming the Georgia Board of Nursing! They actually had to nerve not to send my approval!! I mean do they know who I am???????

Anyway, not yet. I guess maybe Monday????? Please?????

Amy

Anxious!!

OK, so I'm sitting here holding on to my computer so tight my hands are getting tired! Why you ask? Well let me tell you why! I am anxiously awaiting my approval to test from the Georgia Board of Nursing. They are emailing people in my class sending them out. I haven't recieved THE email just yet. Ooohhhhh, I just can't stand it! Let me go check my email again!!

Amy

Insomnia

Hee Hee Hee, this is too funny!
click here for a good laugh!
Lately I've been waking up at about 4:30am and absolutely cannot go back to sleep till about 7:30. This particular time I have woken up feeling a bit queasey and with heartburn. The queasy thing has kind of been hanging around for the last few days: Hmmmmmmm.... Wonder why?????? No stress or anything! (Ha!!!!)

So Spike the dog has done it again. She strained, or twisted, or did something funky to either her gut or her back. It's kind of been an ongoing thing with her this year. She goes through these stages where she just grunts and cries and the vet just cannot figure out what is going on with her!! So I took her to Dr Bates yesterday (the vet) and he just looked at me and said " maybe ya'll should just move right next door, might save you some gas money!!" Guess he thought it was funny! J/K he's great with her, and very patient. Anyway, nothing new, protocol of antacids and rimadyl, heat and ice, and bed (err, I mean kennel) rest. Bear the puppy is having a harder time with this than Spike the dog. I mean who in the world is he going to pounce and tackle now?? Certainly BB will up his playtime now that Spike the dog can no longer tend to his every whim!!!!

Poory hubby, his alarm is going off and he just cannot seem to wake up. Mr snooze button is getting plenty of action today!! Hubby normally works from 6-2ish, sometines as late as 5 (am to pm), M-F with the occasional late evening or Saturday thrown in, but he's on a strectch right now where he's working 7 days a week and a lot of late nights. It's for one job in particular (he's a contractor for commercial building), which is scheduled to end at the end of July. He's exhausted. I haven't exactly been a rock of support for him either, so pray for him please. Think I'll take BB and DQ to see him for lunch today. He likes that.

Speaking of BB and DQ. They spent all of Thursday in their rooms. I let them out Friday morning for about an hour and a fight erupted. Of course I went sent them right back to their rooms. Will they ever learn? Anyway, after all day Friday and a good part of Saturday in their rooms I gave them another chance. So far a few minor disputes, nothing major. They are really trying, and I'm very pleased.

Not much else to report at the moment. Just a middle of the night, early morning recap to entertain myself, err I mean you!!!!
Amy