Career Change

Okay, so I'm officially a lot later than I wished to be. I was planning to post about this new, exciting, news last Saturday, but the week got away from me so here I am this Saturday finally finding making time.

Last Friday I accepted a job offer with Orange City Area Health System (the same place I work for now) as a clinic triage nurse. I will be working with 4 specific doctors and will start there the middle of June. This position is an answer to prayer. The hours of this new position are simply beautiful...Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 7:30 to 5:00pm.

Oh,and every 10th Saturday morning, which barely counts since I'm used to working every third weekend and Holiday three 12hr shifts in a row.

I have waited 2 years for a "normal" schedule with no weekends, holidays, or overnites and I plan to fully embrace it.

Happy Weekend :)

Weekend Bliss

We had a beautiful weekend full of sunshine. Friday we went to the Tulip Festival for the afternoon parade and enjoyed the sunny day. We were glad to be able to use our fire pit Friday night. To be honest, after the winter we had, I wasn't sure if we'd ever be able to see it again, let alone use it. Glad I was wrong!

Friday also brought with it exciting and much awaited news...more to come on that next post :)

Saturday was the type of typical day I'm sure someday I will look back on and miss greatly. It's too easy to take it forgranted. Brady and I both slept in and then worked on different little projects around the house.

My project - planting flowers. Ahh do I love this time of year.







Brady's project - fix his pickup's door handle that mysteriously stopped working.


Our project together - hang new curtains in our sitting room which will soon have furniture :)




We enjoyed spending time with our Firm Foundation church group as we went to Sioux Falls out to eat and then to Thunder Road. We had perfect weather had fun catching up with our group.

We hope you had a beautiful weekend!

Stay tuned for our upcoming post!

A Girly Post

...Full of some of my favorite things...

#1 My Hot Tools Blowdryer


This is a must have. It dries hair faster and leaves it more beautiful.

#2 My new paul mitchell flat iron


This was my birthday present from my hubby and it's worth it's weight in gold.

#3 CLINIQUE!


My confession: I am a Clinique junkie. I love anything clinique. I'm pretty sure it's the best skincare/makeup line ever created. Above is the skin care line that I have been on for at least 5 years now and nothing compares.

#4 Paul Mitchell Volume Collection


Looking for a little "vavoom"? Try the above.

#5 Hemptz Pomegrante Body Lotion


This lotion makes skin feel like satin and it smells amazing too.

#6 OPI Nail Polish


My top four:
"Got the Blues for Red"
"Arose at Dawn, Broke by Noon"
"Pompeii Purple"
"I'm Not Really a Waitress"

Where do they come up with those names?!

Wishing everyone a Happy Monday :)

Better Than A Hallelujah

God works in mysterious ways. This is know. God worked in a mysterious way through my best friend Laura when she shared the following song with me in a time when I needed it the most. I wanted to share the lyrics with everyone else - it's a beautiful reminder that God wants us just as we are to come to Him always...

no matter what.


Better Than A Hallelujah
Amy Grant

God loves a lullaby
In a mother's tears in the dead of night
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes

God loves the drunkard's cry
The soldier's plea not to let him die
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful, the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

The woman holding on for life
The dying man giving up the fight
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes

The tears of shame for what's been done
The silence when the words won't come
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes

We pour out of miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful, the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

Better than a church bell ringing
Better than a choir singing out, singing out

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful, the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah



Thank you for being my best friend Laura. Thank you for being there for me always and no matter what. You are miles and miles away and I miss you everday of my life but somehow our friendship remains and grows. God is our common denominator and I love Him for giving me you. You are one of the most beautiful people I know and I will always love you.

Florida

We are relaxed. We are rejuvinated. Thank you Florida! We had the time of our lives on this vacation to say the least. It was a much needed relaxing, fun, spur-of-the-moment type of trip that we will never regret doing. Here are some favorites.

Favorite #1: Our resort and top floor 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom suite. Complete with a kitchen, living room, and balcony with this view. It was beautiful.





Favorite #2: Devotions from the top floor balcony with a view, and smell, of the ocean in the background. I loved the time I spent in quiet reflection with God, and the many conversations we had. One in particular I remember was a devotion about God being our refuge. I cried from that balcony from missing our baby and Wade & Alissa's baby. I felt God's presence come because for the next ten minutes there were two absolutely beautiful, graceful birds that just flew around right in my view. Was that a sign of God telling me that they are okay? I think so. God is great.




Favorite #3: Laying out by the pool or ocean everday. Another favorite - palm trees! We had beautiful weather during our stay. Thank goodness for SPF 30, we definately needed it!





Favorite #4:Walks on the beach with the love of my life. We needed this, God knew we needed this. I think I fell more in love everyday we spent there. The memory of walking hand in hand along the beautiful ocean while picking up seashells will remain with me forever. Thank you God for my amazing husband.





Favorite #5: Game nights complete with Long Island Iced Tea, Scrabble and Uno with Wade & Alissa. We had way too much fun.





Favorite #6:The rescue aquarium we visited. Complete with sea turtles, sting rays, otters, and dolphins. Good find Alissa :)





Favorite #7: The amazing and delicious restaurants we ate at every night. This included "Gators" and "Bubba Gumps". While we were sitting on the pier at Gator's we saw 3 dolphins swimming around in the ocean.

Hows that for ambience.





Favorite #8: John's Pass. A whole little village of beachy shops. We enjoyed more dolphin watching on the pier and did a little shopping. Oh, and I can't forget the humorfous and delicious ice cream cone I enjoyed - chocolate with peanut butter, I've never had anything like it! YUM!





Favorite #9: Sunrises.Brady and I woke up early one morning to go lay on the beach and watch the sunrise. It was heaven-sent.



Favorite #10 :Sunsets in Florida. They are breathtaking and we loved enjoying them first hand.

Treasure Island Here We Come!

The suitcases are being packed and soon we will be off to the beautiful Sunshine State to make memories of a lifetime.

Spring Has Sprung

Today was beautiful. Today was one of those "normal, everday" types of days that I look at and smile. I had the day off. Brady got off work at 4:15. Beautiful. I sat outside with Maya for quite some time this afternoon and we both basked in the sun. I ran errands with my amazing husband and when I looked at my life I felt well...

Blessed.





I looked around and couldn't help but notice the beauty in life. The beauty in this life I get to call my own. I am a planner and things haven't exactly gone "as planned" these past few months, but today I felt at peace with everything. I have been praying for that peace for quite some time now and today when I sat outside and had some "Me and God" time I felt peace. It felt as if His arms were wrapped forever around me, His loved child. Beautiful. And then I realized things have gone just as planned...

Just as God has planned.





Iowa is a beautiful place to live. I don't think I'd appreciate spring as much if I didn't have to go through winter. Just like sometimes in life we don't appreciate beautiful things until we've gone through some not-so-beautiful times. God is good in all times.





Brady and I enjoyed a barbeque for supper. I love grilling nights. My husband is a master griller. I'm serious, he's the best. These are the nights I will remember forever and when I think of them it makes my heart...

Oh so happy.





Spring has officially sprung and life is beautiful.

Live it, breathe it, enjoy it.