ThIRty-oNe and Other Stuff...

THIRTY-ONE

Its been almost 2 months since I signed on with Thirty-One Gifts as an Independent Consultant...and....I LOVE IT!! I didn't know if I would, but I really DO! So far its been one of the best decisions I've made and I know it will only get better! Better yet, I've already made back the money I spent signing up...so cool! If you haven't heard of 31 please take a moment and go here for my web page. You'll find all sorts of information and get to see the products! Parties, parties, parties, is the name of the game and they are really fun! I did my first "home" party last week with Jenny Childress..thanks Jenny! It was a blast! Every month they do a customer special keeping with the theme of 31. This month's special is for every $31 spent you can get an All-In-One Organizer for 1/2 off, only $9!! Personalize it for $6 and you've got a cute tote for $15, less than the retail price without personalization! A great deal!

Right now we are in a recruiting freeze due to a high volume of consultants signing up at the first of the year. The company is taking a short break to upgrade their systems and prepare for everyone who wants to sign up in August when the freeze is lifted. During this freeze Thirty-One is expanding their warehouse and distribution centers on Ohio and creating over 1000 jobs in the Columbus area! Amazing in this time of economic uncertainty that Thirty-One keeps rising above. Can you tell I'm excited to be a part of the Thirty-One Family?! Please let me know if you are at all interested in joining my team and I'll put you on my call list once we have been told that recruiting is open! I can't wait to see what God has in store for me and Thirty-One!


OTHER STUFF

In other news...I did a whopping 5 transports in 4 days at work this past week! Crazy busy!! But thats really what I would prefer... Got some good overtime in and got to use my brain all at the same time. Ha!

After those 4 days at work I said I was going to go get a massage and so far the only one thats got to go to the spa is Ladybird! She's at Pride and Groom right now. :) Maybe I'll get to the nail salon tomorrow after the ladies retreat!

I'm looking forward to some girl time tonight and tomorrow at MBC! The ladies retreat is this weekend and the Lord knows I need my cup to be filled! I can't wait!

Things That Make You Go Hmmmm...

I got this article from my mother and now am seriously considering throwing out my microwave, kinda scary!


Microwaved Water - See What It Does To Plants


Below is a science fair project. In it she took filtered water

and divided it into two parts. The first part she heated to

boiling in a pan on the stove, and the second part she heated 

to boiling in a microwave. Then after cooling she used the

water  to water two identical plants to see if there would be

any difference in the growth between the normal boiled water

and the water boiled in a microwave. She was thinking that

the structure or energy of the water may be compromised by

microwave. As it turned out, even she was amazed at the

difference.












I have  known for years that the problem with microwaved

anything is not the radiation people used to worry about, It's

how it corrupts the DNA in the food so the body can not

recognize it. So the body wraps it in fat cells to protect itself

from the dead food or it eliminates it fast. Think of all the

Mothers heating up milk in these "Safe" appliances. What

about the nurse in Canada that warmed up blood for a

transfusion patient and accidentally killed them when the

blood went in dead. But the makers say it's safe. Never mind

then, keep using them. Ask your Doctor I am sure they will

say it's safe too. Proof is in the pictures of living plants dying.

Remember You are also Living. Take Care. 
  
FORENSIC RESEARCH DOCUMENT 
  
Prepared By: William P. Kopp 
A. R. E. C.. Research Operations 
TO61-7R10/10- 77F05 
RELEASE PRIORITY: CLASS I ROO1a

 
Ten Reasons to  Throw out your Microwave Oven 
From the conclusions of the Swiss, Russian and German scientific clinical studies, we can no longer ignore the microwave oven sitting in our kitchens. Based on this research, we will conclude this article with the following: 
  
1). Continually eating food processed from a microwave oven

 causes long term - permanent - brain damage by "shorting

out" electrical impulses in the brain [de-polarizing or  

de-magnetizing the brain tissue].


2). The human body cannot metabolize [break down] the

unknown by-products created in microwaved food..


3). Male and female hormone production is shut down

and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods.


4). The effects of microwaved food by-products are residual

[long term, permanent] within the human body.


5). Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all microwaved food

is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no

benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that

cannot be broken down.


6). The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free

radicals when cooked in microwave ovens.


7). Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous

growths [tumors]. This may explain the rapidly increased

rate of colon cancer in America ..


8). The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes

cancerous cells to increase in human blood.

9). Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune

system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum

alterations.


10). Eating microwaved food causes loss of memory,

concentration, emotional instability, and a decrease of

intelligence.


 

Have you tossed out your microwave oven yet? 

After you throw out your microwave you can use a toaster oven as a replacement. It works well for most and is nearly as quick.

Seeking Knowledge & Wisdom

Lately I have been feeling a little incompetent at work. Tonight I just cried out to God for knowledge and a since of wisdom! What came to mind was Proverbs 2 about Moral Benefits of Wisdom. Verses 2-5 read, "turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God". I'm not sure if the writer was talking about nursing knowledge and wisdom but for me, I could find some application.

I really started to feel this since of (for lack of better words) "stupidity" this past year as our census and acuity levels have been low across the network in the NICUs; which is good for the babies but bad for the nurses. I'm definitely one of those people where the saying, "you don't use it, you lose it" applies. I would never pray for more sick babies, just that God would grant me the wisdom to know what to do for the ones that I care for.

Recently I took my RNC (certification in NICU) exam and unfortunately,it did not go well. So my feeling of incompetence rose even higher and I really beat myself up over the poor results for days. I started questioning my abilities and really examining myself as one of the 'leaders' that I am suppose to be in our unit. The pressure is really on now to prepare better for my retest. Still I am comforted by these words from Isaiah, "For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."

Thank you Lord for your precious Word that I can turn to when things don't make since and I need wisdom, knowledge and comfort. Please be with me at work and help me to see 'the big picture' when it comes to my clinical understanding and studying for my retest; and above all else thank you for you mercy and love...

Hallelujah Day Shift!!

Well after many months of praying, hoping and of course waiting, I will be starting day shift at work by the middle of next month.
Two weeks ago I applied at work for a day shift transport position that opened up out of the blue. One of our newish day shift transport nurses just had a baby and decided to take a different position at work after she comes back from maternity leave. This opened up her position on days. My supervisor was nice enough to call me tonight to let me know I got the spot!
It's sort of bitter sweet because I love night shift and all of the nurses I work with, I also love working at Seton Hays which I won't be able to do anymore...but I'm so happy to be going to days and having a normal schedule after 5 1/2 years. It's definitely going to be an adjustment and I'm kind of nervous but I know this is going to be good for me. Thanks to everyone who prayed for this for me!

Some People!

*Sigh* Some people are just so ugly and rude sometimes!

Only a few times in my life have I ever experienced blatant ugliness to my face. And I guess I was about due for a good dose of it seeing as how it hasn't happened to me in almost 3 years, but it always seems to be a work. And never from my coworkers (we have each other's backs) but from parents or family members.

Last night I was at work and I have been working A LOT the past 3 weeks because we have been so busy. Last week I worked 60+ hours! So I had, had one little night off to recoup and then back to work.

I had been at work for about 4 hours...it wasn't too bad, we were busy but it was manageable. One of the nurses had called and asked me to come to a different part of the unit to help with a sterile procedure. I was to do a sterile dressing change on a central catheter in this one baby. Before I got over to her the nurse had explained to the family (mom was 16 years old and her mother, the grandmother) that my name was Jill and that I would be coming over to do the change. When I got to that part of the unit the family was hovering over the bed so I just got my supplies and let them have their time with the baby while I was getting ready. When we were ready to do the procedure I explained to the grandmother that this was sterile procedure and that we needed them to step out to the waiting room just for a few minutes until we were done. She then turned to me and out loud, in a very ugly voice and in front of my co-workers said, "Well would YOU like to introduce yourself to us and tell us what you are going to do to our baby!?" I was so taken aback that I didn't know what to say at first. It was like a slap in the face and the look she gave me basically told me to "Go To He**". I could feel my face get flushed and all I could do was look at her and respond with what she wanted to know. Even though she already knew.

I was frustrated and embarrassed! After they walked out, the nurse looked at me with wide eyes and started to apologize and said, "that was inappropriate, I just got finished explaining to them what was going to happen." I had to refocus before I started on this dressing change so that I wouldn't mess up.

Some people are so rude and unappreciative. I guess I should have reintroduced my self to her, but honestly I was just so focused on what I was about to do, I didn't feel it was necessary considering she had just been told. I told myself I wasn't going to let it ruin my night but that lady really got under my skin.

It just upset me because I don't come to work for 12 hours to be treated with disrespect! Its things like this situation that can "burn a nurse out" real fast. I understand people are in a bad position and are confused, but don't take it out on the person trying to take care of and help you or your loved one.

Sorry for the rant, just had to get that off my chest. Its been a LONG month at work. Here's hoping is slows down real soon.

Lord, help me to love even when love is not shown to me. Let me be more aware of people's needs and considerate to them. And help me to not become resentful toward people that do me wrong. Please keep me from getting burned out of nursing so soon into my career. Thank you for giving me guidance and patience!

Inspiration

In so many ways music speaks to my heart and inspires me. I recently bought the new album on iTunes by Meredith Andrews titled As Long As It Takes. I just love her and have been a fan since I first heard her music a few years back. I hadn't had time to really sit down and listen to some of the songs until tonight; the album title track and the song Can Anybody Hear Me are amazing.

Although the album title track doesn't have the catchiest tune the lyrics fit me to a "T". The open line reads, "I'm tired, do I have to keep proving myself". After I heard that I was like, "ugg thats so me!" I love and am so thankful for the job I have but sometimes it really runs me into the ground and asks a lot of me and well, I get tired. The song goes on to talk about drawing from an empty well and that related to me as well because recently, I have been spiritually DRY. Needing more of God and not knowing where to begin. Praying hard for rest, energy, resilience, stamina, health and wellness, and frankly just His presence.

Can Anybody Hear Me is another one of the songs on the album that keeps ringing in my head. Its all about crying out to God, and asking if He can hear us and reminding us that He does! Two songs that are truly a blessing to me.

As Long As It Takes

by Meredith Andrews

I'm tired, do I have to keep proving myself

I'm weary and drawing from an empty well

I need You more than I ever have

So Jesus come and shatter my darkness somehow

I won't speak until You speak

I won't move until You move me

I won't sing, sing over me

I will wait as long as it takes

I'm restless for something significant

But I'm helpless cause I've done all I can

I want You more than I ever have

So Jesus come and hold me, I'm shaking right now

I won't speak until You speak

I won't move until You move me

I won't sing, sing over me

I will wait as long as it takes

You are the Comforter so comfort me

You're the Sustainer so be enough for me

You are my Father and Your love for me

Is where I find my rest

I won't speak until You speak

I won't move until You move me

I won't sing, sing over me

I will wait as long as it takes

Fun Day!

So we had a very relaxing, fun day today. Not something that happens very often for us. We slept in until about 10am, got dressed and waited for our exterminator to show up to spray our house. He is WONDERFUL, comes every 90 days, and we have no bugs thanks to him! :) After he left we ran over to Ashley's house to drop off a tent for them to use and then headed over to the AT&T store where I ordered my new iPhone 4! So exciting! Down side, I have to wait a few weeks for it to come in. Here's hoping my old phone holds out until then. We were in AT&T for about 45mins ordering everything and talking to our new best friend Brian who hooked me up with my new phone and all the details. He was also very nice and helpful!

I was then starving so we went to Panda Express in San Marcos for some yummy Chinese food and then to JCPenny to get some shoes for Ehran. I of course had to stop into Saphora, LOVE, (sorry Nocona) and found a new favorite scent I want, Viva La Juicy. So delicious. And Ehran likes it too. ;) The lady in Saphora was nice and gave me a take home sample.

We made a few more stops and then went over to my parent's house so my dad could give us a crash course in how to set up the pop-up camper. We are going to a family reunion (Ehran's side) in two weeks and everyone is camping out on a family member's land for the weekend. Should be fun and probably hot. ha!

Later we went to dinner with my parents at Cherry Creek Catfish Parlor on Manchaca and now I'm doing laundry and getting ready for the rest of the work week. :)

LOVE this!

And this!