2 Weeks of Summer!

This summer I am lucky enough to go to summer school. (Sense the sarcasm?) So much has happened in two weeks I just had to write about it. I'm just going to highlight the adventures that have occurred. 

1. I started running. Honestly, I've never wanted to run, but it is quite relaxing, and I feel good afterwards and that's what counts right? Here are just a couple pictures of where I run and who I run with sometimes.

                                          

                                             

My goal is to run a 5k in November. I think I'll be able to do it! I am excited about running and getting fit. As most of you know it's something I have always struggled with but NOT anymore! 

2. I did the cold water challenge. I was challenged to run and go completely underwater or I was supposed to pay $100 to my favorite charity. I decided to take the plunge into the waters of Cranberry Lake, while Stacy filmed me. It was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. You can check out the video here. Here is an after photo.

3. Spending time with friends. As ya'll know, I am a social butterfly. I love being with people and sharing random experiences with friends, it's what I live for. I had the opportunity to spend time with my "adopted" sister, and watch a friend run a 5k. 

                                             

                                              

There were obstacles in the run and this one looked fun!

                                                

Look at that determination! Go Paula!

                                                

4. I hit my two year anniversary at work! 

                                               

5. Last thing, I have the need to tell all of you something. I didn't make it in the nursing program at Ferris for this coming year. My grades are high enough, there are just not enough seats for everyone. My heart was broken, but I believe God has a reason for it. I've come to terms with it and the next step is to finish respiratory strong, take my boards, then reapply for the nursing program for Fall 2015. Not what I wanted, but I'm not giving up on my dreams!

New Year's Resolution Update

It has been way too long since I wrote on of these. I have been busy with school, clinicals and life, but I finished my semester on Monday! I am done for two weeks, then back for summer school. 

Remember my resolutions? If you don't, you can read about them here. Here is just a little update on how I am doing.

1. Baking one thing for 52 weeks. - I am not going to lie, this is a little harder than I first thought it was going to be. I am about two weeks behind, but hopefully I will make it up during my break. Here are just some of the things I've made

2. Learn how to carry on a conversation - I still need a little work on this one, but it is getting better. I've found if you just ramble on about random things time goes a little faster. 

3. Graduate - Since it is not December yet I haven't graduated, but I am done with my second semester of Respiratory! Two more to go! Then on to nursing school.

4. Meeting new people - I have actually accomplished this one! I have met a whole bunch of new people lately. Mostly because in clinicals you meet new people everyday. 

5. Stop Judging - I think I have starting to come a long way on this one. I have become to realize, it is not my place to judge people. I am sure that I have commitment just as many wrongs as they have. I will always have to keep myself in check, to ensure I don't judge. This problem will probably not go away. 

6. Devotions - This one is hard to admit, I did really good until March, then something happened where I just stopped. Today, I will pick it back up! God is way to important to forget about.

Lessons from work: Listening

As I go through a day at work, I find myself listening... a lot! I listen to the sound of clinking plates, the doors shutting, the furnace running, the nurses, the people walking and the buzzer buzzing. As you have read from previous posts, I work with elderly people. 

Normally, I am as kind as possible while running around doing chores in a timely matter. But what would happen if we could sit down and listen to these people who have so much wisdom, and so much more experience than my generation combined! What if our generation didn't always voice their opinion, instead we listened and then asked questions? Wouldn't we be smarter, wiser, and maybe more conscious of what we are saying?

Why is it so hard to listen to our elders? Our elders want to fill us with their knowledge so we don't make the the same mistakes as they did. When I get a chance, I try to go into a room and listen to a resident talk about what they did when they were my age. I have heard lots of stories of greatness and heard lots of heartache. Unfortunately, one day these people are no longer going to be with us and we are going to miss them. So even though you have heard the stories of your grandparents and parents a million times, listen again and maybe you'll hear something different. 

Valentine's Day aka Singles Awareness Day

Happy Valentine's Day

Love is in the air.

Most men and women, in love are excited for this Hallmark holiday. To others like me, those single people in the world, this day is not so exciting. We could treat it like any other day, but we don't. We see the price for roses go up, chocolate comes flowing out stores and all the restaurants are packed with lovers of every shape and size.

(google)

You probably think I hate Valentine's day, to be honest, I like Valentine's day. Men go out of their ways to make women feel special. I especially love those cheesy valentines you get from friends or significant others that say, "If I could rearrange the alphabet, I would put U and I together." or "You're like a dictionary you added meaning to my life!" Also, I could never hate this day because my parents got married on this day 28 years ago. Without them I wouldn't be here, and that would be sad. 

I have been thinking to myself lately, there must be a purpose or a reason I haven't met "the one." For a long time I thought I wasn't good enough until I was looking at Pinterest one day and came across this quote.

(pinterest)

 I believe this. I am not going to change who I am to find "the one." No one should change themselves to be with another person. Either you like a person for who they are or you don't like them. I will find my handsome prince someday but for now I will remain single, and that is okay. (Click the link to see my thoughts on being single). Someday I will find my Prince Charming, and we will spend every Valentine's day together. For now, I guess I will indulge in big amounts of chocolate, self bought flowers and cuddling with my dogs.

(My cuddle buddy, Ice)

Happy 2014!

Happy 2014!

2013 was a good year, it had its ups and downs like every year, I met several new friends, started the respiratory therapy program at Ferris State, became vice president of my class and worked part time all summer. 

Most years I try to make resolutions and they only last a couple days or a month at most. This year I thought if I write it on here, you all might keep me accountable. So, if you see me and read this, ask me if I am keeping my goals. 

Goals: 

1. Baking one thing every week for 52 weeks. - For a couple years now, I have been gawking at beautiful kitchen aid mixers. My parents and brother finally caught on to that, I would like nothing more than a Flamingo (pink) mixer for Christmas. They talked about it around me several times saying that they couldn't afford it and asked me for more ideas of things I would like. Christmas Eve we opened our presents (a Butler family tradition.) I got some socks, and baking utensils and nothing too exciting until I got to a card. It said, "Dear Lisa, Sandy Paws could not afford your mixer this year but look on the front seat of the hummer." I dashed to the hummer as quick as a flash and to my surprise another letter. This one said, "Dear Lisa, come back to the living room and put a blindfold on and sit very still." I ran back inside and blindfolded myself. Sitting and giggling the whole time while my brother placed on my lap, the most beautiful present of all. A FLAMINGO (PINK) KITCHEN AID!

 

My parents said there is one stipulation for keeping the mixer, and that is, you must bake something every week. That is why it is added to the resolution list.

2. Learn how to carry on a conversation. - During the months of November and December, I was in clinicals. I found out that I get really shy around people that I don't know. Believe it or not, it's true. I am good at introducing myself and telling them what was going to happen but then, I couldn't find anything else to talk about except for the weather. The weather is a pretty common topic, but I would like to have confidence in the topics I choose to discuss with future patients and people.

3. Graduate! - I hope to graduate from the Respiratory Therapy program in 2014! The graduation date is 12/13/14. After I graduate, I plan to go onto the nursing program at Ferris State. This is the current plan, but plans can change. 

4. Meet new people. - I love meeting new people and hanging out with friends. Meeting new people can be discouraging though, because you only get 10 seconds to make a good impression. I heard a fact a while back, that it only takes 10 seconds for a person to decide if they are going to like you or not. I have decided meeting new people can only help me in my future endeavors.

5. Stop Judging - We are all guilty of judging people based on looks, clothes, the car they drive, the phone they have, etc., etc. It is in our nature to judge each other. It is not that we want to, but it is something we just do. This is one of the hardest things on my list. The one that I will need the most accountably on.

6. Devotions - It seems like, in my circle of friends, this is always something that comes up on our resolution list. I often give excuses like, "I am too tired", "I don't know what to read", "It is too late, to read anything tonight", "I could clean and then read", etc., etc. Without reading the Bible I can't get stronger, I won't grow spiritually, and I won't be able to encourage the people around me. I can know all the right answers on tests and quizzes but that won't help me get into the Kingdom of Heaven. Believing in HIM, reading the Bible, and applying it to my everyday life will help me.

This is my list of goals for the year. What resolutions do you have? Do you need someone to keep you accountable?