Goals and more goals

As we move into mid February I have decided to set some personal goals for myself. I have been already tracking what I have been consuming. I have been consistently running at least 3 times a week if not more. This being said I decided I need some rewards for my hard work.

When I lose 5 pounds, I will treat myself to some make-up at Clinique. (I LOVE their stuff).
When I lose 10 pounds, I will treat myself to a manicure AND a pedicure. (I have maybe had 2 in my life.)
When I lose 15 pounds, a shopping trip will be in order. I'm sure I'll need some new jeans by then.

So here is to goals and motivation to keep on trying to attain them!!

Change

It amazes me and most parents how quickly our children grow and change. One minute they are little babies that need every minute of our day and then next they are teenagers who could care less if they even talked to you.
In the last month or so I have noticed that my 3 year old is changing like crazy! She is suddenly interacting with books, TV shows, the computer, her toys. She talks back to Dora the explorer, she pretends plays with her baby dolls and her princess figures. She is growing and changing and I am just NOT ready!

This month we also started a dance class. She is so in love with her teacher "Miss Kate". She comes home and shows us all her fancy dance moves. I just love it!! Her newest dance is the chicken dance and it just cracks me up to see her flap her wings! I love that she is becoming more independent, but I am just not ready for her to grow up!

Family

This is a picture of our family, according to my daughter Bella. From left to right, Daddy, Bella and Mommy. I love this picture but I am saddened at the same time.  My older son lives with his Dad and we don't see him too often. So it makes me sad that he isn't included in the family picture.
The thing about family is that it doesn't have to be a true blood relative to be "family". I have some very good friends who are more like family to me than my own. I am truly blessed to have amazing friends who treat us more like sister and brother rather than a friend.
Until next time...

Run, Baby, Run.

Run. Running. Runner.

For some people these words alone can make you shake in your shoes. It can be perceived as unnecessary torture. But for me it’s like a long lost friend. It is an anxiety reliever. It’s a weird kind of release for me.  I love to run. Sadly over the years I go from one extreme to the other. I run every day or I don’t run at all. I am hoping that with it being a new year and still January I can get back on the horse…or the treadmill. I truly prefer to run outside, but living in the Midwest and hating the cold, I am stuck inside until spring. My goal for January is to run 3x a week for the rest of the month.  I have half the month left, so I can potentially accomplish something. Right? I find that if I am running, then other healthy things just fall into place. I feel accomplished when I run a couple miles and then suddenly its 5 or 6. I guess I’m just weird that way. Oh well, here’s to running, bad word or not.

By the way I got in a run today and yesterday. First time in many months!!

Vulnerable

     So I am finishing my bachelors degree in nursing and am attending the University of Phoenix online. This week I was assigned a paper regarding vulnerable populations and my self-awareness. I won't lie when I say that in the past I wasn't very aware of other cultures and populations. I honestly didn't care because it didn't affect me. But over the course of the last few years my perceptions have changed for the better. I am much more tolerant than I used to be and I see the sick and ailing in a different light. (Which is important because I am a NURSE!)
     Being back in school you are challenged in each class to look at other cultures and ideas and see them differently. Vulnerable isn't always being from another country, you can just be ill and out of your environment. Every time you are sick you become vulnerable for a moment.
    Well this weekend I had a patient that was what I would consider vulnerable.This patient came in for a routine surgery to remove a mass on his esophagus. Well there was an incident during surgery and now his esophagus is markedly smaller than average and he has the potential to never be able to eat again without some sort of surgical intervention. To me this is an extremely vulnerable situation. I would have a hard time coping if this happened to me. Over the course of the 3 days that I was this man's nurse, I watched his attitude toward his uncertainty change for the better. He was angry and frustrated to start and then he moved into acceptance and was ready to take whatever came. I found this very impressive. I deal with a lot of people who just can't cope with their illness and they really never recover. So to see this man truly accept his prediciment no matter what, was great.
    There are days that I am just so proud to be a nurse. It is really hard work, but I almost always feel that what I do is appreciated.

Here we go

So one of my personal resolutions for this new year was that i was going to write a blog. A blog just for me to get all the crazy thigns that happen in my life down on paper.

 So, I guess I'll begin by talking about myself and my family. My name is Joy and  I live in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan. I have two kids, my son Jordan is 16 1/2 and my daughter Bella is 3. I am a Registered Nurse and I work at University of Michigan Hospital in Cardio thoracic surgery step down. It is a pretty busy and fulfilling job to have. I am married to my wonderful husband Scott, who is a pilot for a local freight company. We both work crazy hours and cherish the moments when we are home.
I decided a year ago that I was going back to school to get my Bachelor's degree in Nursing. I am attending classes online thru University of Phoenix. It took a bit of adjustment, but I have gotten into the swing of juggling school, work, and home life.
I only work 3 days a week, so I spend the other 4 days with my kids. Currently my son is living with his Dad, so its just me and my daughter.
This is just a little about me...