Currently Listening Brother, Sister By mewithoutYou see related

10 Days off!

Time for a new post (thanks for the interest Matt and Bethany).

So, I'm on vacation--my first real one in 6 months!  Granted I've had a few days off here and there, a week off for my Mercy Ships conference in January... but man, it feels so rad to have 10 days just OFF from work!!!  I was totally hyper tonight because it feels so good.  What I've done so far (since the initiation of my break on Thursday night): cooked a huge St. Patty's day dinner since I missed it last weekend (thanks, WORK); walked around the house with Beth wearing pillows (and socks) pretending to be pregnant; ripped a huge hole in the butt of my jeans and showed it off to the girls in small group; gone shopping with my mommy and one-and-only beloved sister Sarah; watched 3 movies; met Amy's Gap boyfriend (and found out he's  alittle slow in the head); played many card games; played the piano and guitar until my hands were sore and cramped--that never happens when I'm juggling a busy work schedule; sung 50+ songs, danced 100+ dances, and ate 1,345,000+ calories.  And I'm getting ready to go backpacking for 4 days with some of the coolest people ever.  So, as you can see, I'm taking advantage of my time off.  I hope I don't get depressed next Sunday night when I'm packing Monday's lunch. 

BIG BUMMER: I have to work Good Friday (12 hours), Saturday, and Easter Sunday!!!  And they wonder why no one wants to be a nurse?  Because the schedule totally stinks, major.  Though the paycheck is alright :) 

Alright, that's all for now.  Life is good... I thank God for that one!

Love, Laura

Currently Listening Beneath Medicine Tree By Copeland see related

Wow, I haven't posted in a while... I'm a nurse now at Christiana hospital.  Sometimes I wonder why, like when I'm cleaning up vomit off a guys face for 12 hours, or inserting medications via the rectum, or being yelled at by a doctor for something I didn't do... or did do   But then there was that time when a patient gave me a hug and said through her tears "thank you for everyhing you've done."  And that time I made a 91-year old woman's day by just giving her something to drink and piling on some blankets to keep her warm.  And that time I kept a man from getting pneumonia by discovering his Naso-gastric tube was in his lungs and not his stomach (if you don't know, that's not a good thing!).  And those times I've given people pain medicine who had been neglected all night, and those times I've exchanged jokes and laughed with people who just a few hours earlier had their insides exposed in the OR.  Even though I'm completely exhausted by the end of the day... and even when it feels like the bad days outnumber the good ones (in proportiones I hate to recognize), I know in my heart that it's worth it.  

I'll be done with my orientation next week and will be 100% on my own.  I'm scared to death to have the responsibility for 5 patients all by myself, but I know God's gonna help me through.  I'm so glad I serve a good GOD!!!!   

Home in Ghana

Africa is awesome... I've always wanted to get to this continent so it's exciting to finally be here, even though we're only seeing a small part of it.  Ghanaians are wonderful people.... minus the fact that many of them see I'm white and think "rich tourist" instead of "poor missionary" (though I am rich compared to most of them, I have to admit).  We're having an awesome time on the ship, making friends from all over the world.  Only a few of the people we hang out with are Americans... it's awesome, because we're all tied here with the same purpose.  We only have a week left, but we're going to try to make the most of it.  We're going out on the town today to shop in the local market, then celebrating independance day at a local burger joint with some of our fellow Americans (and I think we're bringing some Ghanaians along for the ride).  Should be fun :)  God bless you guys!

On our way to Africa

Wow, I haven't posted in a while... might as well follow up on my last post though!  Sunday, Ian and I head for Ghana!  I have raised all the money I needed for my trip, and some!  I'm generously going to offer the extra funds I raised to my good friend Ian.  I think he's doing pretty well on the money raising thing too.  So, thanks so much to everyone!  You guys ROCK!!

Dude, I got an MP3 player, and it's cool.... but I spent 8 hours tring to figure it out, and finally have my favorite music on it (well, some of my favorites anyway ).  I'm glad to have this little guy for the 40 or so hours I'll be sitting on my bum in a plane headed to and from Africa!

Ok, anyhting else you guys want to know before I'm out of the country for a while?  E-mail me.  And e-mail me your e-mail address if I dont already have your e-mail, and if you'd like to be added to our mailing list.  I hope I have some good stories along the way!

Finally, between the prayers you flick up to heaven for Ian and I, remember to pray for this guy:

Well, that's all folks... have an awesome summer, and I'll see you guys later on in July!

Currently Reading NIV Holy Bible By Zondervan see related

Mercy Ships Here We Come!

Well, turns out Mercy Ships wants us after all!  Ian and I had heard form them a few weeks ago and they told us the ship we were supposed to work on (Africa Mercy) wasn't going to arrive in Ghana until October, when I will be starting my new job.  So, we were sad... and we were trying to think of something else to do, but not feeling passionate about anything.  Then, last Sunday someone from the HR center onboard the Anastasis (another Mercy ship) e-mailed us and invited us to work on their ship in June-July.  Turns out they're going to Ghana to begin the ministry that the Africa Mercy wasn't able to begin until October.  So, we said YAAAAAYYYY!!  I mean, "::Ahem:: Yes we would be delighted to be a part of your team.  Thank you."

Now, we need to raise more money!