AWOL: An Update

I went AWOL for almost an entire year.  I figured it's time I busted out my writing skills and use my blog once again.  Like before this blog will focus on the simple everyday blessings in my life.  Except now I get to share not only the blessings in my life but in my hubbies life as well.  Some posts to look forward to include our wedding, Cancun, moving in with a boy, and cooking (or the lack thereof).  It's going to be fun so please read and enjoy.

Priesthood Blessings

I think I have the stomach flu...

I woke up the other morning around 4am feeling nauseous, shaky, and sick. It is now the evening and I have taken three hot baths, thrown up twice, and not gone to the bathroom once. I feel miserable. My mom, room mates, and I decided a priesthood blessing would be the best thing. I have faith that I will be able to sleep through the night like I was promised. I'm thankful for worthy men who hold the priesthood and can give these types of blessings.

Not So "Happily Ever After" Endings

Life is peculiar. Especially when it comes to dating. Many songs, plays, poems, art, musicals, and so much more have been created to express the many emotions that are involved with dating. Tonight I experienced the part of dating that is not glorified. I went through a break up.

First a little history...

Keith (names have been changed to protect the innocent) and I met in Sep/Oct of 2010. We were in the same ward and same FHE group. We went on a date in the middle of the semester and started to seriously date in the middle of December. After the Christmas break it was the beginning of a new semester. We were still dating, but we both weren't sure if it was the right thing to do. Because we were both wavering we decided it would be best to end the relationship. However, that didn't last too long. He invited me to go down to his place, in Utah, for his grandparents annivarsary. I said I would go. Once we came back from the trip and after a few talks we decided to get back together. YAY! Well, don't get your hopes up. Feb 26th rolled around and once again he wasn't too sure this was the right thing. He would be going away for the Summer to do sales and he didn't want to hurt me in a month when he left. Everyone was shocked when he ended it. So, you would think that I would have been smart and never talked to Keith again, right? One would think, but no. He and I still occasionally saw each other. Mostly at his sisters house. She and I have become very good friends. So after some times passed Keith started asking out to things. Bowling, guitars unplugged, music outlet, country dancing and other things around campus. (this boy was confusing the heck out of me at the time) His sister asked him what the heck he was doing because no one knew what he was thinking, especially me. SO after he and I talked and went on a double date we decided to give it another try. I know what you're thinking "REALLY?! Again? Three times? Goodness gracias." Things were GREAT though. Better than they had ever been before. I was happy and I loved being around him. He was easy to talk to, we gave each other a hard time, and he was a hard worker which I always liked about him. As the last few weeks of the semester went on my feelings began to grow and I REALLY liked him.

So that's the history. On to the break up. He graduated this semester and went to California for a week afterwards. I missed him a lot when he was gone, and was so excited that I would get to see him Thursday when he got back. Well he showed up at my door and things were like they were when he left. Having a good time, talking laughing, etc... but then we started talking about this summer and what we planned to do. The original plan was to keep in contact and see where things go. But that is not what he wanted anymore. While he was in California he was hopping that he would miss me a little more than he did. He told me he didn't want me to waist a summer of dating and fun if he was luke warm about the idea of me and him. I understood where he was coming from. It still hurts though. So we kindly said our good-byes, wished each other the best in life, and went on our ways.

So why am I thankful for break ups? Because they are a time to reflect. What worked for you in that relationship, what could you have done better, are you a better person after being with them, did they bring out the best in you, was that person someone you could have settled down with. Things like that. But the one thing I love about break ups is that they are a new start. I'm going to miss Keith very much, but at the same time I am going to meet other people. I could have easily been very happy with Keith. I'm thankful I know him and that I was lucky enough to get to date him. He is a great man who will make someone very happy one day. In the meantime I get to start fresh. It's a new semester which means new classes, new room mates, new ward, and best of all it's SUMMER TIME.

I'm ready for my fresh start.

Registered Nurses

I PASSED MY NCLEX-RN TEST AND I AM NOW A REGISTERED NURSE!

These are a few people I would like to thank for helping me through the program.

Mom and Dad-They were with me through it all. From talking to Brother McBride in the Benson my second semester at BYU-I to the day I found out I passed my test. They listened to me sob those big sobs when you can't even breathe and they gave me pointers on how to get through clinicals. Okay, so maybe mom helped me get through the clinical parts a little more than dad, but dad helped me and advised me about church things and keeping my priorties straight. I love both of them so much and would not have made it through this all without them. Literally. They paid for it.

Courtney, Kathleen, and Bebe- You girls lived with me during nursing school. That should earn you a gold medal. You girls are the greatest. You were always there to cheer me on and encourage me. You were there on those early mornings (yes I consider 6 to be VERY early) and those late nights (even though I was always the last one to go to bed). You knew when I needed dinner and baby hotdogs, and you knew when I needed those special girls nights. Thank you for putting up with me when I was not well rested and not fed. I can be grumpy when I'm either of those two things. I love you girls!!!!!

Kelsey & Alana- You girls always put a smile on my face. Especially that first semester. Micro labs just wouldn't have been the same without you. Alana, you are just the cutest person I have met. I love seeing your beautiful face in class and during flag football games. Kelsey, I'm so glad that I have become so close with you. I loved eating lunch with you on campus and just talking about life. Thank you for letting me give you my very first injection and for being such a good sport about it. Also, thank you for being so patient with me. I consider you one of my dearest friends and I feel so lucky to have met you. I love you and your little family. PS everyone knows you as my "nursing buddy"

Aubrey- I know you don't think you did all that much to help me get through the program but trust me, you did. Do you remember helping Kelsey and I study for Hunter's Final? I was freaking out and Kelsey wasn't feeling well at all. You helped calm me down and explained the material in a way that I could understand it. You also helped me study for Funk's final as well. It was the day that we "helped" with the music video. You did the same thing that day. You calmed me down and taught me the material in a way that I could understand it. You didn't know this at the time, but I needed to do extremely well on each of those test or I would have been kicked out of the program. There was one other time that you were there for me. It was after a scenario and I was in the bathroom sobbing and you heard me. You just came up to me and hugged me and just let me cry. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

What a Pleasant Surprise

Today Kathleen, Courtney and I scoured the entire City of Rexburg to find a certain kind of Cinnamon Bears. We were successful at finding the cinnamon bears so we headed back home. My room mate Shae called asking where I was and I informed here I just walked through the door. She said Okay and then kinda hung up. I thought nothing of it.

Then there was a knock at the door. Hmmm, who could it be? I answered the door, saw who was standing there, processed the information and then yelled "TREVOR!" He came to visit me all the way in litle Rexburg. He was helping a friend car shop and one of the cars they looked at was in Idaho Falls, so he just came by to visit! It was such a nice surprise! This is why my room mate called me (to find out where I was). We sat and chatted for a bit, I offered some of my cinnamon bears, and we talked about how this summer is going to be AMAZING.

I love my big brother.

Doesn't he look good in a suit and tie? I think so.

Trevor, Me, Colie (Trevor's friend who was looking for a new car)

Curtie Burt

This is Curtis. I like to call him Curtie Burt. He is the fourth of the six McKendrick children. Today is his birthday and he turned 16! This is a big deal in Mormon lives because it means you can start dating!!! I better be hearing about all of his hott dates in the near future.

Curtie Burt is such an amazing brother and person. Not only is he tan, smart, in shape from all that swimming, sweet, funny, and a walking encyclopedia he is also humble about it all. He is a boy of many talents and I love being his big sister.

He is currently a sophomore in high school where he plays the violin, water polo, and swims competitively. He's amazing.

His water polo "uniform"

Me and Curtie in Hawaii April 2009

I love you Curtie, and I hope your birthday was everything you wished it would be.

Passing Test Scores

Let me fill you in on the process of taking at test at BYU-Idaho. You study for hours on end, then once you finally feel confident enough to take the test you head over to the testing center. In order to get to the testing center you must walk up a huge flight of stairs. Once you are there the employee scans your ID card, hands you your test, and a scantron sheet. Then you walk into a large silent room full of fellow peers taking all sorts of tests.

Once I get into that large room I pick a seat, say a quick prayer, and then proceed to bubble in A, B, C, or D. Once you have filled in all the bubbles (hopefully with the correct answers) I then exit the big silent room, hand my test and scantron to another employee and then wait to see my score on the TV just outside the door.

My test scores used to be fantastic, but once the nursing program started I just couldn't seem to catch a break. UNTIL NOW! My last, but not least, nursing class is on cardiac and I really like it. I find the material fun to study and I understand it, which has made my test scores shoot up! I took my fourth test for this class today and I was so happy with my score I had to get a picture.

I didn't get the perfect score of 100%, but I was still jumping for joy! A good score makes the rest of my day wonderful. Hopefully I will be jumping for joy after my exit exam...