Validation

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...