where have i been?

the last few days, i have been lost in the world of grey's anatomy.
actually, lost is an understatement.
lost implies that something can be found.
the last few days, i have been obliterated by the world of grey's anatomy.
the surgeries, the medical drama.
and a little bit of real-people drama, too.
and then, my first day of clinical was today!
and i rocked it.
it was buddy day, so all i did was follow my nurse around....
but i still rocked it.
i followed her around like a champ!
next week i am on my own.
my own medical diagnoses to help treat,
my own nursing interventions to implement,
my own medications to give,
my own charting to do,
my own patient to help.

i love my profession.
i hate the exams, assignments, teachers that act like they know everything,
and textbooks with over 5,000 pages.
but i love being in a patients room....
thinking about what's going on with their body -
and why do they need these medications....
and what kind of things i can explain to them to help them feel better....
and what things can i change to improve their quality of life.

it isn't quite as dramatic as the tv shows.....
but it's pretty dang cool.

willy wonka.

our saturday started like most other saturdays.
{we}
sleep in late
roll out of bed
throw on whatever grungy clothes are on the top of the shelf
stumble drunkedly to the store
buy milk {because we've been rationing the last 1/2 of the half-gallon for five days now}
stumble back home
make french toast
eat it
clean, clean, clean
go to the store to get the other things we need
eat in and out burgers
finish off with wendy's fries on the way home
{we're willing to go to two different stores and get the very best}
play halo reach for awhile
finally shower and get ready for the day....
at about 5pm.

this saturday included a new adventure, however.
we went to Friday's Kids.
it's a facility where college students go and play with children with special needs.
ie. autism, cerebral disorders, etc.
it was so fun!
john and i got to know some wonderful kids.
and their parents got to have a night out- free from the 24 hours a day 7 days a week care they must provide for their children.
it made me admire the parents and the children.
their courage in such difficult trials.
i don't know if i would be able to have such strength!
i loved the experience, and i'm sure we will be going back soon!


"what lies behind us & what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." 
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

tree gone, cooking failures, and other recent adventures.

the tree in our house is gone.

i walked passed it and thought - definite fire-hazard.

so down it came.

i guess i had become so accustomed to it being there, 

that i didn't even think about it being post-christmas and all.

and i discovered that our vacuum doesn't do well with pine needles.

it took me an hour to vacuum one tiny corner of our house. 

i nearly cried.

and i would put a picture up, 

but it doesn't look nearly as atrocious as it actually was.

and i want your sympathy!

on a related note, i am still dealing with the post-holidays craziness at our house.

decorations everywhere,

suitcases still unpacked,

laundry at a stand-still in the dryer,

i haven't even made the bed in two whole days!  scandalous.

in addition, 

i had a huge baking failure last night.

i really don't want to talk about it.

john and i went out for pizza last night, 

and there was a poor homeless man laying on the street.

we went over with a few other random students who had seen him,

and helped him up.

he had fallen on his way to find a movie theater that he could curl up in to be warm.

it made me think about how blessed i am to live in a nice warm house,

with warm delicious food,

and a wonderful husband.

i am so grateful!

now instead of blogging....

i should really go get a book at the bookstore....

so that i can finish my homework....

but it's just so darn cold outside!  

i think i'll stay in and watch old glee episodes instead.

here is a video we filmed on christmas eve of andy jack.  i think it is the cutest thing ever.

and john totally shreds the guitar.  just sayin.  

late night.

i don't often bust out laughing while watching late night shows.
{ie. jimmy kimmel, jimmy fallon, conan, david letterman....}
this clip, is hilarious though.
i was laughing, all by myself, and i bet the whole neighborhood could her me.
enjoy!  it's hilarious.
i'm going to go get pizza with john any moment now....

why i love winter.

winter, most people believe, is the worse season imaginable.

especially in utah.

after the holiday joy has dissolved and we must return to school,

school is made a monotonous, poignant, and dull drudgery.

every day last fall as i walked home from school-

all i could think about was the beauty surrounding me.

the leaves, the warm air, the colors, the mountains, the rain.

as i walked home today, 

i spent much of my time contemplating:

the mud, the slush, the bitter cold, the snowy obstacles, the sleet.

however, i consider myself an optimist;

and i could not rest until i had found something of beauty in winter.

i found that winter really is beautiful, in its own way.  

just pause to notice:

snow and ice crackling under your marching feet.

wisps of clouds dancing around the snow-capped mountain peaks.

brisk winds carrying up the flakes on the ground and painting the air with them.

your rosy cheeks when you come in from being outside.

the sky's light, blue-ish gray haze.

i think winter is a beautiful season,

and i am going to make certain that my winter semester turns out beautiful, too.

quiet.

it is quiet in the brunt household.
too quiet.
i miss my family already.
we drove down to provo tonight,
since i start school in the morning.
but i've become accustomed to the noise that inevitably comes with a large family.
oh, how i love my family.
i am happy that george is here in the provo house,
because otherwise it would probably be too silent for me to stand.
but.....
a very exciting activity occurred this evening.
we made a lego x-wing fighter!!!

you may not know this,
but john is a major star-wars nerd.
he can practically quote the whole movie.
needless to say,
this was a great present.  {from his wise parents, of course}.
and i was able to enjoy it too.  bonus.
happy monday!

back to school.

back to school. probably the three most depressing words in the english language.
because let's face it- last semester was a beast.
and i hear that this semester is even beastlier.
my only comfort is in knowing that i spent a wonderful break, full of:
sleeping in late.
movie nights with family.
lunches with friends.
food. lots and lots of delicious food.
a husband that loves {and spoils} me.
the tcu game.
my new jeans.
kinect with the crespos, nat, ryan and janessa.
wacky six.
helping my mom with the crazies.
playing with the crazies.
snow.
lizzy home. {come play with me!}
a new outlook on school.
rest and rejuvenation.

even though i am terrified for the upcoming semester-
and john is not looking forward to returning to his hour-long commute,
we are grateful for the current blessings God gives us.
for the happiness we feel.
for the love we share.
and for the exciting {and sometimes grating} opportunities in our life.
bring it on, med-surge.  bring it on.