Validation

This is it. Last night, I graduated from TCC's Diagnostic Medical Sonography program. My soul was quiet and pensive all day long leading up to the ceremony. Flashes of memories throughout these four years of schooling kept coming up in my mind. Its hard to formulate the words for how full my heart feels. Full of gratitude to God for seeing me through each and every milestone along the way. Every assignment, every test, every scan, every difficult situation, every success. He was there. He allowed me to begin this endeavor and He has allowed me to finish it. Praise Him. All glory to Him. Today I give all credit to the One who loves me. The One who knew the dream of my heart and let me fulfill it. Thank you, Lord. Thank you. My family gave me some diamond earrings before we left for the ceremony. Joe and I before the ceremony. I couldn't have done this without him. He took over the household so that I could focus on my studies. I love you, honey. My family. I am grateful for all ...

Its been awhile since I have posted anything! I guess that goes to show how BUSY I am. I have about 8.5 weeks left in my ultrasound program! SO EXCITED! Maybe when I have more time, I'll start blogging again.......

I wonder. Is being busy good or bad? I've noticed that my thoughts are returning to thinking about church again, and I think its because I am on vacation. I thought I wasn't thinking about it very much because I am SO over it. Apparently not. I think I was just too busy doing other things to think about it. Also, apparently I have also been too busy to fight with my husband. Because we did a little of that on our Christmas break. Good times. :) We made up, though. Also good times. I have also been so busy with other things that I haven't made very many cards. I DID make all my Christmas cards this year, but in stages. The other day I made a beautiful card, and it was wonderful. Its such a great re-creational thing for me to do. Now that I am semi-used to working full-time, I am feeling the need to get more organized. (I usually do this before a new year starts, by the way). I am usually SO tired by the time I get home from work, all I can do is veg out until the glorious ti...

Years ago in San Diego, I experienced church community in a very deep and meaningful way. Our group of friends was so special to us. We just enjoyed being around them - included and important. Hanging out with them was fulfilling on a deep level for me. Sharing the holidays with them and their families filled a void in my soul. Giving and receiving. Celebrating and grieving. Playing and praying. It was one of the best times in my life. Then, we moved. I started looking for my new family. Didn't find it right away. Then, we started going to a church where I thought I could find it again. Spent almost five years waiting for it to happen, but it didn't. I "checked all the boxes": joined small groups, served, etc. Served, served, served, served. Oh yeah - did I say serve? This is also the place where I got burned as well as experienced a major burn out. Duh. It's been about four years since that happened. I feel like I have healed from that experience, but I am at a p...

Ben started his third year in AWANA last night. This year he is a T 'n' T kid! I'm so proud of him and how he loves the Lord. He is so good at memorizing his verses - its amazing! He loves game time, too. I'm so happy he is part of AWANA! His outfit consisted of my cowboy boots, Joe's belt and buckle and Melanie's bandanna. I think he looked pretty sharp! Ben is never afraid to dress up for the theme nights at AWANA. Yesterday, he paraded around in the front yard for his friends. When they asked him why he was dressed like a cowboy, he said "its for AWANA!"

I went back to work at my clinical site today. (My daughter says I can't call it "work" since I don't get paid, but let me tell ya, I DO work!) It has been a few weeks since I have been there, and I was a little nervous about going back, knowing I would be a little "rusty." All in all, it was a good day. I got to spend most of the day over at the "inpatient" ultrasound department of the hospital. The outpatient side is more like a clinic, where the inpatient side is more like what you imagine a hospital to be - with sick people and ER patients. Anyway, I had the opportunity to assist with some invasive procedures, such as thoracentesis (draining of the lung spaces). I had some sweet, older patients today and I just enjoy them. Its sad to see them so frail and not feeling well. They love it when I get them the heated blankets and get them all warm and cozy. :) Today, I was thinking that I could just get people warm blankies all day and ...

Why is it, when you state an opinion, do others find it necessary to take it upon themselves to "correct" you? Why do we get offended by the opinions of others if it is an opinion we don't share? Why do we need to comment on the opinions of others at all? Can't we just say: "hmmmm...." or "that's an interesting point of view...." or "I don't share that opinion, but it is something to think about...." Just wondering..... I found some quotes on opinions that I particularly liked.... Your opinion is your opinion, your perception is your perception--do not confuse them with "facts" or "truth". Wars have been fought and millions have been killed because of the inability of men to understand the idea that EVERYBODY has a different viewpoint. -JOHN MOORE, Quotations for Martial Artists It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude after our own; but the great man is he w...

I was driving in the car the other day, and I sort of realized that I am a working mom now. I mean, I know I've been going to school and beginning my full-time clinical rotations, but as I am approaching the end of my summer break, I realize that this is my last long vacation at home like this. I start my next rotation soon, which ends in June. After that, I will become employed. After being at home for 15 years before I started this new college adventure, this is kind of a big realization for me. I'm going to be one of those moms now. Even though I have always been a proponent for staying at home, I've never really been critical of moms who work outside the home. I think staying at home is awesome, but I don't think its what every woman should do. Some say the Bible states that women "should" do this, and have taken a couple of verses and turned them into huge homemaking theologies (I would go so far as saying "religions"). Some even say that a wo...

I usually have a pile of books next to my bed or in my nightstand. Lately, it has been ultrasound or anatomy books. But, since I'm off from school for a few weeks, I got a couple of new books that are not ultrasound related. 1. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, by Peter Scazerro 2. Crazy Love, by Francis Chan I started both books at the same time, and then decided I should stick to just one. Its hard for me, because I just want to race through them and devour them. But, I know that when I read too fast, I don't absorb what I should. So, I'm trying to get the most out of them by taking it slow. Anyway, both of these books are Christian books about relationship with God. I felt drawn to these books because I am feeling the need to start afresh in a way with the Lord. Since my burnout experience almost three years ago, I have not served in the church on a regular basis. I volunteered twice in a small capacity, but that's it. I have needed healing, for one thing. I have als...

I would really like to.... go kayaking.... get a haircut... move... be done with school... go back in time and hold each of my kids when they were babies... make some cards... see Jesus... lose 10 pounds... get two kittens... spend more time developing a good friendship... be in menopause... get into a really good book... feel confident at my clinical site... What would you really like to do?

I passed my first ultrasound credentialing milestone: I passed the Physics Registry exam! YAHOO!!

Wow. I'm half-way through my first quarter of full-time clinicals. My site instructor came and observed me scanning, and I passed my evaluation. YES! I also had my first "seminar," which is a day set aside for all the classmates to come together, share stories from our sites and present cases. I presented a pelvic case on Adenomyosis, and got 50 out of 50! Can I get another "YES!" I have learned so much and come so far in these four weeks. So many things that I have learned in class make so much more sense to me now. My skills have have grown each day, and now I can pretty much perform a full pelvic exam, both transabdominally and transvaginally. Yes, I do that. I can also pretty much perform a full renal exam as well (we look at aorta, kidneys, bladder...). I am getting there with my full abdomen exams. I'm still slow, which is to be expected, but I am learning how to sweep through organs, and train my eye to notice the abnormal, subtle things. ...

So, I was thinking about how much effort went into parenting Amanda during her senior year, and I thought I would share some of the things I learned. There were many things I didn't expect, and wished someone had told me, so hopefully this will be helpful to someone else! I learned.... 1. A lot of money goes out for senior year stuff. All I can say is: save money for the senior year. For example: announcements, postage, cap/gown stuff, tickets to graduation ceremony, senior pictures, gifts for other seniors, college application fees, prom, accumulating items for the future dorm like bedding and laptop, etc., etc..... 2. Start preparing in the junior year. Its good for the student to study for SAT test, student as well as mom/dad should research colleges and narrow down choices, buy books and learn about college application processes, research scholarships (buy books and/or go online for that), learn about the FAFSA (federal application for financial student aid), talk to lo...

Yesterday we held an open house in honor of Amanda's graduation. It was so much fun having people float in and out of the house. I wished I was ten people, so I could have spent more time with each person. Amanda enjoyed seeing lots of friends and even teachers who stopped by....It was an awesome day... My sister Stephanie's husband, Ryan, Diego the dog, me, Samantha and Stephanie Samantha, little Anna (Stephanie's daughter), Stephanie and me Anna, Stephanie and Samantha Mark (friend from our high school past), Rhonda Marsh (Amanda's violin instructor) Dean (Joe's buddy) and his son, Caiden Jenn, Adam and Amanda (long-time friends and old neighbors) The "crew" Amanda and her private violin teacher, Rhonda Paige and Amanda. They became friends in second grade when we lived in Federal Way for a year. They have kept in touch ever since... Amanda's buddies The spread. A couple of my ultrasound classmates stopped by. These are my prayer buddies, Olga ...

I'm wondering about church growth engines. Having been burned out in the past by buying into the "cause" of church growth, I am skeptical and suspicious of things (i.e., events) that are designed to bring more people into a church. I really wonder about the reasons for doing such a thing - is the core, true, heartfelt desire to reach as many people as possible with the gospel? Or, is the real agenda to "build" an entity, an organization into a mega-one - sort of like building a business? And why would the desire BE to be a mega entity? More pay for staff? Get bigger and better buildings with more fancy stuff? Feed egos? Be "known?" I know its very cynical of me, but I can't help it. I've seen it, experienced it and burned out because of buying into a growth agenda. I've been wondering if it is possible to be part of a church and follow only the agenda God has for ME, and not that of others. I've been feeling something all too...

My week off is coming to an end. I am feeling really relieved and proud to have finished one year of the ultrasound program! I received a 93% or above for each of my classes, and I give all the glory to God for providing me with this success. I am also feeling a little anxious and excited to start full-time clinicals on Monday. I wonder how our family is going to adjust and how I'm going to do with more expectations placed on me by the sonographers. I've been reviewing a lot of information during my break, so I will be ready. I will take my physics registry exam next month, which will give me half the title of a sonographer. :) After my year in clinicals, I will take my Abdomen and OB/Gyn exams which will allow me to put an "RDMS" (Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer) after my name. Woo Hoo! Joe got "bumped" out of his position at work, which means crappy hours and less pay. We're trusting the Lord that He has some sort of great plan for t...

I am still here. Here's what I've been doing: Going to school Monday through Friday Going to school on Saturdays to practice scanning and complete projects Going to Ben's baseball games Attending end-of-year school concerts and youth symphony concert Mailing graduation announcements Buying flowers to pretty up the yard for upcoming graduation open house Applying for scholarships for myself for next year Going to the hospital once a week for my clinical time Studying Studying Studying Making sure Amanda's college paperwork is done and mailed off Thinking about when I could possibly get my hair done Thinking about how I am going to pull off said graduation open house Going to AWANA derby car race Going to AWANA awards night - Ben got Sparky of the year! Checking my Facebook before I go to bed Studying before I fall asleep Studying in my sleep Thinking about what it will be like to have my didactics done and start clinicals full time in about THREE WEEKS!!! Yeah. That...

I wrote this a few weeks ago, but am just getting around to posting it. This quarter has been another intense one in the ultrasound program. That said, I am more and more loving what I am doing. Plus, by the grace of God, I keep doing well. I just got back mid-term scores and I am sitting pretty. It is only because of Him that I am where I am today. I am just amazed at how He is empowering me to accomplish this stuff. He is so amazing. OH! AND! I initiated a little prayer group with some girls (they're 21, 25, and 23, I think) from my class, and WHAT a blessing it is to be around them. They are truly a gift from God. They are incredible examples of young people following Christ with their whole hearts. I am in awe of them. Their walk with God has blessed me beyond words. You would think as the "older" woman in the group, that I would have something to add to their lives - well it is really just the opposite. God has been SO good to me..... I LOVE, LOVE, LOV...

I'm going to be a CWU Mom! Yahoo!!