Oh, Savannah

Our road trip is over. *sigh*

*another sigh*

I was truly heartbroken to be leaving Savannah. I am in love with that city…well, maybe not the whole city since I didn’t see all of it, but certainly the Historic District. My brain is so crammed full of Savannah History and Civil War facts that it literally gives me brain cramps when asked a question. That could be dehydration though. Ya’ll I am so tired. We walked and walked and walked. Then we walked some more. Our bed and breakfast, which was lovely by the way, was at the south end of the Historic District. While it put us only one block from Forsyth Park, it put us firmly 6-10 blocks away from anything to eat or drink. Since we did stay at a B&B and not a hotel we did not have the luxury of a refrigerator. Therefore, we had to walk when we were hungry or thirsty. The only saving grace was that we could get ice in the main house ( the B&B was a series of 5 “brownstone” style townhomes ), and there was a soda machine tucked away in the maintenance room. Mostly we drank ice water cause like I said we were dehydrated and it was Holy-Baby-Jesus-Hot. Now, I’m born and bred in the South. South Florida to be specific, so humdity and I are aquainted with each other. There is a reason Mama owns a Straightening Iron, just sayin’. That being said, I am not the type of person who is usually out and about, walking around in the heat. I’m more of a “go from the air conditioned house to the air conditioned car to the air conditioned location of choice” kinda girl. Not to say that I don’t go outside, I do, it’s just that I’m not particularly inclined to do it for hours at a time.

We saw and did so many things that I’m not thinking I can get it all in to one post, so what I think I’ll do is break this up into a few posts. Heck, I might be able to ride for a week on it. You guys are gonna be sick of Savannah before I’m done, I bet. Humor me, ok? I was thinking about ya’ll while I was there and there are some things that I knew were definitely going in the blog. My poor husband had to humor me as well when he heard for the umpteenth time, “I’m putting that in the blog!”

We had a wonderful time and like I mentioned before, I am sad that it’s over. I surprised myself by taking less than 100 pictures. I normally take more than that on any given day at the beach! Some of them didn’t turn out and are slightly blurry but I’m leaving them in anyway…cause I can. I’m going to try to figure out how to put them in a slideshow for ya’ll, but if that doesn’t happen I’ll just do a picture post. I may do both so that I can add commentary. Give me a little time to collect my thoughts and I’ll get them all posted.

Just think, I leave for my girl’s cruise in less than a month. Ya’ll will probably be hearing about that trip till Christmas, I’m sure.

Celebratory Road Trip

I have to work today. Ugh.

Writing that sentence makes me tired.

The only thing that helps...at all...is thinking about tomorrow.

Hubby doesn't like me to talk about it, in fact he hates when I talk about it, but he's a romantic.

I may have mentioned it before. I can't remember if I did or not, you can correct me if I'm wrong.

He buys me cards and writes little romantic things inside. He brings me fattening things like cheeseburgers and pizza to the hospital when I miss dinner. He brings me dark chocolate and Coke Zero when I've had a crappy day. He cracks my back and rubs my shoulders. He does the laundry for me when I'm tired. His favorite movies are what most people consider 'chick flicks'.

I love this man.

But, of all that, the most wonderful thing he does is plan road trips.

I love me a road trip. We are some traveling people. We haven't had that many in the last year because we were buying the house, but in the past we have taken 3-4 road trips a year. In fact, I love a road trip so much that I have been known to take all 3 boys by myself on a 6-8 hour trip to see my sisters on a whim. No joke. Hubby gets a call at 10 am telling him that I won't be home when he gets home or that I won't be home for a week, but there are plenty of frozen meals and clean clothes.. love ya, see ya when I get back.

Well, he did it again. Monday is my 31st birthday and Tuesday is our 12th anniversary. (We have been together 16 years so we count from then, but we celebrate it on our wedding anniversary because it's the same weekend as my birthday...not really as complicated as it sounds) I came home from one of the crappiest days of work I can imagine this past weekend to find him hard at work at the computer. He had planned a 4 day weekend to Savannah, GA just for the two of us!

Yippee!

I have always wanted to go to Savannah. The beautiful homes, the riverfront, Tybee Island, the "hauntings", the museums, the FOOD, the trolleys, the cemetary. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil...I love that book and can't wait to see Forsythe Park.

We will be staying at a beautiful old bed and breakfast, sleeping late, eating everything we can get our hands on, touring the city and just generally schlepping around with no plan whatsoever.

I can't wait :)

The only thing on our agenda is dinner at the Lady and Sons Restaurant....owned by one Paula Deen.

I hope to have pictures and details next week.

Hope you guys have a nice weekend. I know I plan to!

Voicing my Frustrations

This post is not good, it does not have a funny story, it will not make you smile or leave you any happier than it found you. There is a good chance it will do the opposite. If you don't stop reading right now, there is a good chance you will leave this post more angry and hurt than you had planned on. For safety sake, you might want to leave this post right now.

I am awake at 1:30 in the morning because I cannot shut my brain up. I have been a nurse for a little while..well 7 years now. I have taken care of Kidney Transplant patients (my preferred area), Nursing Home patients, Critical Care patients, and patients with hideous wounds when I was a Wound Care Nurse. I have been a Manager and an employee. I have worked in a Family Practice office and I have given "Alternative Medicine" infusions. I have bathed, medicated, soothed, and loved alot of patients. I have been the only one there when some of them died. I have heard many last words. I am used to my job....or at least I thought I was.

Since I have started at the ER where I am currently working, I have twice experienced horrible incidents with children. Both of them left me angry, fearful and terrified. Both times I could not sleep. One of the children died in a house fire, the other had been run over by a car...twice. I have always known that I am not a Peds Nurse. I knew before I went into Nursing that I would never be blessed with that calling simply because I cannot stand to see children hurt. I was not prepared for the first child, the one from the house fire. It is something I wished I'd never seen and know that I will never be able to forget.

The second child was a toddler, still in diapers, that ran out behind a car and was backed over, then run over again when the adult pulled forward to find out what had been struck. This child died at another facility the next day, but I will not be able to rid my memory of that baby or the sound of his Mother's wails.

I try to tell myself that I will toughen up, but part of me doesn't want to toughen up. I do want to be able to do my job and still function in normal society, but there is a part of me that pushes back from being desensitized to that pain and suffering.

Today was a new experience altogether. I can't even bring myself to talk about it for fear that I will breach confidentiality, but suffice it to say that evidence had to be collected and that two small girls were the patients.

I am at a loss.

How do you experience something like this, something this raw, and come home and act like it's just another day at work??

How do you leave it at work and come home and talk to your spouse about vacation plans?

How do you close your eyes and not see these children and the heart-wrenching injuries?

How?

I know that there aren't any real answers. I know that all I can do is give these children to God and pray for peace, but so far that is not helping me get any sleep.

I don't have any answers. I just want some sleep.

Still Alive

It has been 9 days since I've blogged.

That kinda sounded like a confession or an AA greeting.


I have nooo idea where I've been for 9 days. I only remember work, sleep, eat, repeat. I have had days off, they just fly by in such a blur it's like they didn't actually happen. Hubby and I took the boys to see Toy Story 3. That was fun. At least I remember it.

I don't really remember anything else. I have been dealing with a twisted knee and a run-on neck muscle spasm, but these are random things. I have had some majorly intense relationship moments in the last couple weeks though. I think all the women I know have lost their cotton-pickin' minds frankly. Now I remember why all my high school friends were guys and contrary to popular belief it had nothing to with my bra size. I totally get why men are so mystified by women....ya'll there is a very thin line between sane and insane and we pretty much crisscross back and forth at will.

One prior friend, one current friend, one of my sisters and my boss have been taking turns freaking out on me. The prior friend discussion is closed. The tiff with my sister: resolved. My boss is probably not over...I did learn a little something about her during all this that will be helpful in the future. CYA. To non-medical folks thats a handy little abbreviation that we like to call Cover Your Ass...because no one else is going to cover it for you and no one will notice you under that big ass bus.

The situation with my current friend is really the only one that I genuinely care about and am praying comes to a good end. Sometimes technology sucks because even if you are perfectly literate you cannot discern tone of voice or body language through the written word and sometimes you need to know those things, ya know?

My very handsome son, The Sweet One , got his driver's permit today. Yay! You should all Thank God that you don't live in our town. Oh. My. Goodness. I took him for his first driver's lesson this evening. Let's just say there was screaming and sweaty palms and white knuckles plus he was nervous too.

Hubby and I are kinda trying to plan a 4-day trip for the middle of August for my birthday and our anniversary, which are one day apart. I'm still counting down to my Girl's Cruise in September.

By the time those things come around I am definitely going to need the vacation, cause ya'll may I just say, I am one tired lady.

Underneath it all I'm really a 12 yr. old boy

The T-shirt below can be bought at a cool new website that I just found called BustedTees .
I am not in anyway, shape or form getting reimbursed for this advertising (hint hint guys!), I just found the site to be so hilarious that I wanted to share. Finding the site was completely a fluke by the way. I found it through a give-away blog that I follow. The first shirt below is by far the most hilarious for the obvious reason that I am a nurse, and yes most people seem to be more scared of catching swine flu than they actually are of STD's, as evidenced by the amount of them being treated nowadays. I want to buy this shirt and wear it to work...everyday. Originally I wanted to link each shirt to it's respective page, but I'm way too lazy for that. So, the link to the home page will do because they can all be found on that page.

This one is super funny for the reasons I listed above. It's my favorite and I think I will buy it!

In case you are at a sign-language-alphabet deficit, it says 'You Suck'.

Rock, Paper, Scissors...what more can I say??

This one set me to laughing loud enough to draw Hubby's attention. Shout out to my girl, Crazy Texas Mommy - this one's for you :)

I am a big enough dork to find this one to be pretty darn funny. Sad, isn't it?

Indeed, is there anything Jesus won't do?

This one is personal...I are dyslexic.

Oh snap....I'm showing my age. Insert random 'Oregon Trail' reference here.

And finally, my friends....

Thank you and Good Night :)

The Funeral Worker

He pulled up to the back door and rang the bell. The weary supervisor trudged down the silent hall and saw him standing on the other side of the fortified glass window. He smiled his toothy smile, pushed his oversized glasses up his nose and waved.
"Evening Ms. Pearl", he said in a chipper way.
"Evening Rolly", she wheezed as she hefted the door open enough for him to squeeze in.
"He's almost still warm tonight", he offered.
"Pfft" was all that Pearl said to him.
Rolly had been bringing bodies to the hospital morgue for several months. He offered his ID to her and she waved him off.
"Rolly, I don't need to see your ID every time."
"I know Ms. Pearl, but I'm supposed to show you so I do."
She held the door open for him and he went back down to the car and brought back a gurney with a dark body bag strapped to the top. He followed her back down the silent hallway and to the unmarked door by the electrical room. She used her gigantic keyring with ease as she unlocked the morgue. He rolled his burden passed her and she helped him put the poor dead man into a cold drawer.
She handed him the sign in log and a pen. He signed his name and handed it back.
"Goodnight Pearl", he called
"Night Rolly".
The next night Pearl noticed that no one had claimed the body she helped Rolly load. She called the funeral home he worked for only to be told that no one named Rolly worked for them. She thanked the man for his help and slowly hung up the phone confused.
Just then she saw Rolly's face on the TV that hung in the ER waiting room.
The caption read, " Serial Killer caught after 7 month Spree".
Pearl dropped her gigantic keyring.

The Countdown Begins!

I can finally talk about it...the long awaited Girls' Cruise Countdown has begun.

Two of my sisters (I have three), E & T, have invited me and a friend to join them and three of their friends on a 5 day cruise to Mexico :)

Let me say that again: :) :)

I'm super excited. I've never been on a cruise and, much to Hubby's disappointment, my first one won't be with him at my side. He did pout, for a moment, but finally my pouting was more unbearable than his pouting and I won the right to travel into international waters without him. Funny how when men pout it doesn't work nearly as well as when women do it...hmm.

Anyway, I have a new gadget to help with the countdown. I'm super excited about that too. I'm just a bundle of joy tonight. Getting off of work early and not having to work the next two days might account for part of it, but I digress.

We are bunking like its summer camp, bunk beds and all, so that we can all afford the trip on last minute notice, but from what I hear (from seasoned cruisers) you rarely sleep at night anyway. That is what the pool is for the next day. I don't care if I have to sleep on the floor, as long as they let me on the boat.

I didn't post about it earlier because I wanted to make sure that the trip was final beforehand, and tonight the last passenger paid the final balance. Mexico here we come!

We will be leaving Sept. 6th and spending a day each in Cozumel and Calica. I will not..NOT... be doing any fancy excursions without my dear Hubby, but a girl's gotta shop so I will be at least going into the port. I cannot wait.


5 days without children, spouse, laundry, cell phones, text messages or work.

I hear a sundeck chair and a frozen drink calling my name.

I'm coming my love. I'm coming.

Pandering to the Mental Illness

I love that Blogger lets you 'pick' an identity.

When I leave a comment it asks me to pick my identity. It's my turn to decide who I am. Do I use my real name, make one up, use my URL? The options are limitless. Of course, it goes without saying that if I plan on commenting frequently on the same blog it's probably a good idea to be consistent.

Also, I can be a different person on each blog if I so choose. All roads lead to Rome as the saying goes because clicking on my name leads to my profile, which in turn will lead a curious seeker to my blog.

I am sorely tempted by the possibilities. Who doesn't want an alternate ego once in a while??

Blogging already affords the creative person with the joy of anonymity if they so choose, but allowing space for different identities really is icing on the cake.

Just one more reason I love my blog....it caters quite nicely to my undiagnosed multiple personality disorder.

4th of July!!

Today is not July 4th, but I am going to be too busy tomorrow to post so here is my 4th of July post.

I will be with friends tomorrow, drinking a cold drink (preferably a frozen one if I can help it), eating charred food and watching my kids swim. I will not be far away from my family. I will not be in a foreign country. I will not be dirty, hungry or tired, I don't think so anyway. I will not be wearing Kevlar. But...I know someone who will. My friend Kim's son Luke is in Iraq. This is his second deployment. He has a young wife and a beautiful baby girl to celebrate with his mom in his absence. I have met Luke just a couple of times, but I know from his very proud mama what an extraordinary young man he is. He is in the 82nd Airborne, a prestigious assignment, and he has already achieved so many accolades in his short time in the Army. I know her heart aches for him to come home safely and from what I hear he lacks only a few weeks before that happens. So today as I barbeque with friends and play with fireworks and tomorrow while I drink my frozen drink and watch my children safely play where I can see them, I will say many prayers. Prayers for Luke and his fellow soldiers, prayers for all soldiers anywhere, prayers for Kim and Luke's wife and baby, prayers that I never share in Kim's fear for her son's life and prayers for our government, which always need the prayers. If you think about it tommorrow, say a prayer too. Everyone needs a little prayer.

Happy 4th of July everyone! Be safe!!

Jared: Chapter 3

* Chapter 3 of Jared...this is as far as I got, but shorter than the other 2 chapters. I am actually not happy at all with this chapter...feels forced to me.*

The dinner was elegant. The best restaurant in town, in the heart of the old “Spanish” district. Pensacola’s historic district was one of the oldest remnants of the Spanish settlement of Florida. The very first European settlement in the United States. Over the centuries it had been controlled by at least five different governments. The City of Five Flags. Jared had learned all about the city’s history in his 4^th grade Florida History class. Pensacola natives were proud of their heritage, proud of the age of the city, proud to still have ties to Spain, proud to house the world famous pilots of the Navy’s Blue Angels. There were always celebrations and parades in Pensacola. Jared never got to attend any of them and he certainly had never gotten to see the Blue Angels fly, but he had read plenty about them.

Chancellor’s was for the crème de la crème. He had only just heard the name. He had certainly never seen a picture or an advertisement for them. Such fancy restaurants didn’t need the publicity. Word of mouth and a very long waiting list was all that they needed. He didn’t bother asking his mom how in the world she had managed such a reservation. Even if he did, he knew that she wouldn’t tell him. Truth be told, he had fully expected to be turned away at the door. He had pictured the snotty hostess looking down at her book and, with an extraordinarily nasal voice, saying, “I’m sorry ma’am, but we have a SIX MONTH waiting list. You understand I’m sure. Now please step aside”. However, nothing of the sort had happened. They had entered, Danielle had given her last name, the hostess smiled broadly and they were ushered to a table at the very center of the room. Jared was already dizzy from this strange night, so he just took this in stride like it happened all the time.

　What stunned him more was how incredibly comfortable his mother was in this environment. He was about to break out into hives from nervousness. He was petrified that he was going to bump into something, say something stupid or make a noise and display for all the world to see that he was a nobody., that he didn’t have the slightest clue what he was doing and that he didn’t belong here. Danielle on the other hand was so at ease with her surroundings. It was baffling really. How did she know how to act? Wasn’t she nervous too?

Jared was fidgeting with his napkin when his mother, very lightly, cleared her throat. He looked up to see her looking at him. “Relax, Jared. Watch”, she said as she smoothly unfolded her napkin. In one silent, swift move she fluttered it open and placed it on her lap. He tried to replicate her movement but unfortunately with his recent lankiness his “flutter” looked more like he was attempting to throw it across the table to her. He colored red as the napkin finally came to rest on his lap. He looked across the table and not for the first time that day thought to himself, Who are you?

Danielle handled the ordering, thank the Lord, because Jared would not have know what in the world to order and did not trust his voice to do anything other than squeak tonight. The food had the most delicious flavors that he could have imagined and his mom did a wonderful job of keeping him occupied so that his eyes didn’t wander rudely and his mouth didn’t have time to gape at the opulence of the place. He had never seen so many crisp, clean, glittering, twinkling things in one room before in his life. Linen, china, crystal, silver, flowers, gold, waiters in tuxedos, guests in business suits and fancy dresses. Now he understood why his mom had bought him the tie. It would have been required.

She keep the chatter light. No talking about Tommy, no money, no school. She just simply talked to him, in a way that she never had before. What were his favorite books? Why? Did he like art? Which ones? What sort of music was his favorite? Did he ever think about playing an instrument? It was almost like they were meeting for the first time and in a way they were. Jared, this is Danielle. Danielle, meet Jared. It was wonderful.

As dinner drew to a close, she opted for a rich chocolate dessert. He declined dessert but did taste hers at her insistence. It too was perfect, just like everything had been all evening. She beckoned for the check and the ended their field trip to the other side of life. She asked the waiter to have a cab called for them and he went off to secure it without once giving her a sideways glance. “Well I guess it’s a common request in these parts“, Jared quipped while his mom gathered up her clutch and rose from the table. She smiled and winked at him and said, “Of course, how do you think all these people will get home tonight?” He realized then what he had failed to see earlier. The tiny parking lot to the side of the building could hold no more than 25 or 30 cars and there were certainly more people here than that. The parking lot was probably more for employees than guests, he supposed.

The cab was waiting for them as soon as they stepped outside and there was a valet to usher them into their seats. Jared figured the cabbies probably hung around this neighborhood so they could provide prompt service to these rich people. They probably got the best tips from the Chancellor’s customers. He couldn’t blame them really. If they were going to be driving someone home tonight anyway, why not drive someone home who could fatten your pockets? The ride back to the parking lot was quicker than the ride over to the restaurant. It almost felt like the story of Cinderella, where the clock struck midnight and the coach turned into a pumpkin, only in this story the pumpkin was a dingy yellow car.

The two of them rode home in silence, Danielle only humming along to the radio this time. She wore a funny little smile. Jared fell asleep as they were hitting the interstate. The bump into their driveway jostled him awake. He could see the headlights bouncing up and down on their house and suddenly the sight of it was painful. How he wished they could have driven home to a cute apartment or at least a yard with grass. However disappointed he was when they drove back to the car tonight, it was officially doubled by house they were arriving home to.