tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66518347843608040572024-03-04T18:39:58.523-10:00Taking RisksAnd then the day came,
when the risk
to remain tight
in a bud
was more painful
than the risk
it took
to bloom
--Anais NinNadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-79635110283439080122012-06-03T15:46:00.000-10:002012-06-03T15:46:40.455-10:00Sometimes I forget<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/7331724130/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="View from the top by NurseNinja, on Flickr"><img alt="View from the top" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7091/7331724130_2d5ba0809b.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the (near) top of the Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">... how lucky I am to live in Hawai'i. On the days that I work, I leave when it's dark, and get home at bedtime. And when I'm at work, the only windows I could look out of are the patients' windows. Very few hours are actually spent admiring this beautiful place. Finally, I was reminded of why I'm still HERE this past Thursday. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">We had been talking quite a bit about how much we miss going on hikes. We've always wanted to take Audrey out to one, but wanted her to actually walk it, not be carried through one. As for strollers, we haven't used one since she was... two? Anyway, I started looking through some places that she could try out. Nothing too steep, too muddy, too long, etc. My sister suggested the Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail, somewhere I've never been. (Probably because it's on the opposite side and there are other trails so much nearer.) So on my day off, we decided to go out and try it. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/7331828596/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Marking the start by NurseNinja, on Flickr"><img alt="Marking the start" height="500" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8005/7331828596_dce6ffc62d.jpg" width="333" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here she is marking the beginning of the hike</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/7331812160/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_9290 by NurseNinja, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9290" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7083/7331812160_2b565795b6.jpg" width="333" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was raining when we drove out. The sky cleared up as the day went on.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/7331790718/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Wouldn't you want to hike here? by NurseNinja, on Flickr"><img alt="Wouldn't you want to hike here?" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8167/7331790718_42a8ccf3ef.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We will definitely come back here again.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/7331745116/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_9346 by NurseNinja, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9346" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7218/7331745116_09373fac6c.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favorite parts of the hike? Watching Daddy show his little girl around.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/7331710580/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Makapu'u Lighthouse by NurseNinja, on Flickr"><img alt="Makapu'u Lighthouse" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8167/7331710580_32c12fc07e.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Makapu'u Lighthouse</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/7331934772/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_9357 by NurseNinja, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9357" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8009/7331934772_b45bcac8b5.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She did it! Walked the whole two miles. AND she wants to do it again!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/7332141452/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Things to see on the Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail by NurseNinja, on Flickr"><img alt="Things to see on the Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7085/7332141452_d24e0b0ea3.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And finally some other things to see on the trail: clockwise from left: the lighthouse, looking straight down from the top, cactus flowers galore! <br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">This has opened up SO MANY possibilities for us. Looking forward to enjoying more of this island. Finally!</span> </div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-39278411200757527132012-05-21T19:09:00.001-10:002012-05-21T19:09:08.374-10:00It's been an ocean craft kind of weekOk, so I didn't actually get to<a href="http://susannahconway.typepad.com/blogging_from_the_heart/2012/05/21.html?cid=6a0120a8ccf489970b0168eba95294970c#comment-6a0120a8ccf489970b0168eba95294970c"> watch any Doctor Who episodes today</a> but I do still want to write something up, especially since I've fallen a little behind on my assignments and I've got to work the next couple of days. (For the new visitors, I work 12 hour days but actually start the day at 4:15am for the commute and get home about 8:30pm, at which time I get my daughter ready for bed, read her stories, and then get whatever I need ready for the next morning.) So where was I? Oh yeah, I want to write something. So what to write about? <br />
<br />
Three years ago, I wrote a post about how I wanted<a href="http://danseusesabine.livejournal.com/43637.html"> to be 2 years old again</a>. Unfortunately, I yet have to learn that kind of freedom from (my own) scrutiny. I have, however, had the chance to spend quite a bit of time working on arts and crafts with my little girl this week and be like a five year old again. Last Wednesday we were on our weekly visit to the library and picked up another of the <a href="http://www.librarything.com/series/Williamson+Little+Hands">Williamson Little Hands books</a>. So on my days off this week, we pulled out her box of craft supplies and got our hands covered in glue and paint. So far, we've made ourselves a mobile, a shark, a squid, and found a jellyfish that she made earlier in the week without me. I may not have had a chance to work on <i>my</i> assignments this week, but I sure enjoyed watching her get creative. I hope she never outgrows it. I hope that when<i> she's</i> thirty-six years old she'll still love peeling the glue off her hands and won't mind the paint on her face. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekQwt9EfwwPWm4JU2geLD9z7-YCe7lzDWL0OJBtD7cjG8MmquPidXFVUJ6MO6Vz_LOW38AaYIJwEIqqhrqLCqZnxZuUyWkWuL26cYr8yx0VlqTjl4urDTeqhvlbe_HQXiPf2Zoa8R0Hs/s1600/IMG_9267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekQwt9EfwwPWm4JU2geLD9z7-YCe7lzDWL0OJBtD7cjG8MmquPidXFVUJ6MO6Vz_LOW38AaYIJwEIqqhrqLCqZnxZuUyWkWuL26cYr8yx0VlqTjl4urDTeqhvlbe_HQXiPf2Zoa8R0Hs/s400/IMG_9267.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Sharkala" Yeah... she also has a blue Beta she calls "Blue Fin", a white can named "White Snow", you get the gist</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw010pI6RoettikYuzoC2LKps051c5tuRJD8EF2VfJqCbE0L93gNTtERhSO3l-BZ54EcI7S5RXNF4SSalaCfxdLWgVW2ZJuUyKhhGi2vWg3gZG7OUtcMYJjGMNLcTH9di3rCSQWRw3l2s/s1600/IMG_9270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw010pI6RoettikYuzoC2LKps051c5tuRJD8EF2VfJqCbE0L93gNTtERhSO3l-BZ54EcI7S5RXNF4SSalaCfxdLWgVW2ZJuUyKhhGi2vWg3gZG7OUtcMYJjGMNLcTH9di3rCSQWRw3l2s/s320/IMG_9270.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her mobile =)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUcsKuMRouSavGahge-JLx0UGWyHrYi4vqYppcSeIPeQfiQAb_a-zi8dm9ju47R4uKkyfjiKPllFsr_8oU8ITRS1UbuU4nPKc-npwolJESzSkuEnNO_7uHuAKTX1NkxOPdqJjkZ-bFRMA/s1600/IMG_9269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUcsKuMRouSavGahge-JLx0UGWyHrYi4vqYppcSeIPeQfiQAb_a-zi8dm9ju47R4uKkyfjiKPllFsr_8oU8ITRS1UbuU4nPKc-npwolJESzSkuEnNO_7uHuAKTX1NkxOPdqJjkZ-bFRMA/s400/IMG_9269.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail of the treasure chest she drew and cut out</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Edzh_0rCFUUZFWXytrwAHXS94jc5WOD2KD0lp3JRa-F9uhPRRobZHOn4l303_XduGqFPqUirPPIvi42tlDGfrIibKPLeB4ly3mxrBnIYCT4TtZim1xfJb4pnR2ih20lBjBZc86yZM3I/s1600/IMG_9272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Edzh_0rCFUUZFWXytrwAHXS94jc5WOD2KD0lp3JRa-F9uhPRRobZHOn4l303_XduGqFPqUirPPIvi42tlDGfrIibKPLeB4ly3mxrBnIYCT4TtZim1xfJb4pnR2ih20lBjBZc86yZM3I/s320/IMG_9272.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An ocean painting -- that's a pink dolphin and silver flying fish. The animal in the water is a frog, of course, couldn't you tell from the feet?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HQfg7PKde8HOVTwN9afgXp-qirM0ZbfQcKKrzC1s7e0-Pxk53YFLjGScq2DhSrjfZhlgU0ia3zuyk7qcqQQcZspA7v_W01ON1NTudMq3Wah9T_PpcdNSG6WNgKgpX0d5k8FMFI06ejw/s1600/IMG_9276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HQfg7PKde8HOVTwN9afgXp-qirM0ZbfQcKKrzC1s7e0-Pxk53YFLjGScq2DhSrjfZhlgU0ia3zuyk7qcqQQcZspA7v_W01ON1NTudMq3Wah9T_PpcdNSG6WNgKgpX0d5k8FMFI06ejw/s320/IMG_9276.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her jellyfish. Still needs a name.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-43004020616981931902012-05-18T22:46:00.000-10:002012-05-18T22:46:30.623-10:00To my first baby on your birthday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNi9T1XiHf2YoD1jIq7WlHb5mkrDt3w2yaoWPcWvtG4-IuhoImGfzazGH1nlw85nmMGinDu_Vz5ANWT-gigicARDGvJuZLWTD8kM_dFB237r5vMJKRjCJOXLjP76sQmCDPp0XKLxNy8YI/s1600/P7010092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNi9T1XiHf2YoD1jIq7WlHb5mkrDt3w2yaoWPcWvtG4-IuhoImGfzazGH1nlw85nmMGinDu_Vz5ANWT-gigicARDGvJuZLWTD8kM_dFB237r5vMJKRjCJOXLjP76sQmCDPp0XKLxNy8YI/s400/P7010092.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">1</span>st baby in the family. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLTQc-A-R1GFx9p8P0RERc1ycq3UZi_p2ZVlBlzfnCn9SqPAads7SQ6AF2q3aE9TVxdk07t51hFeLMN2GsyWP7JLZe9L9FL_818zg3fLg7pjYNjsSDUSO3wuesEEAm1ppajIOWXMtalqM/s1600/P6110019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLTQc-A-R1GFx9p8P0RERc1ycq3UZi_p2ZVlBlzfnCn9SqPAads7SQ6AF2q3aE9TVxdk07t51hFeLMN2GsyWP7JLZe9L9FL_818zg3fLg7pjYNjsSDUSO3wuesEEAm1ppajIOWXMtalqM/s400/P6110019.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0OmX_WcsRrHH5vwA6wli3l9iQGhlgXVxOAcYJG_5RwGUs5Stwe6_z3ioELPRx_alMs1bjn3iwUkRC95wml4CZJILFeq823OJQjjxo34szua87H9PJA-59pgNiMFLyu_u4T7RT-0SB_x0/s1600/P6110016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0OmX_WcsRrHH5vwA6wli3l9iQGhlgXVxOAcYJG_5RwGUs5Stwe6_z3ioELPRx_alMs1bjn3iwUkRC95wml4CZJILFeq823OJQjjxo34szua87H9PJA-59pgNiMFLyu_u4T7RT-0SB_x0/s400/P6110016.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">2</span><span style="color: black;"> times you made my heart stop-- when you disappeared under the waves after suddenly becoming brave enough to run into the water, and when you disappeared out of the (slowly) moving car window. </span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpXoGJMv14npZYcY5kPson18ioRyUoZQQWIhKWxRnnEE-kMg678bLUkxi8zN9KIeJIQS4hFb1T2ItsGw-6VhyphenhyphenWl6QxqLN04KE5C8v73CofMY8LlL63L1d8si8o1yH5Zuy-6bYBXkmhLQ/s1600/IMG_7272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpXoGJMv14npZYcY5kPson18ioRyUoZQQWIhKWxRnnEE-kMg678bLUkxi8zN9KIeJIQS4hFb1T2ItsGw-6VhyphenhyphenWl6QxqLN04KE5C8v73CofMY8LlL63L1d8si8o1yH5Zuy-6bYBXkmhLQ/s400/IMG_7272.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: magenta;">3</span></span> people who love you with all their hearts</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7a2ipiI7ximiA6_dvGi5D0ydgveJaWc-TEfZ5IKVN4WUAv5sGOnSwiy0CiTDkMmHpkr6ZQWchWJENyBQRsroUev6TP-9jiQ_ud3BXjxhuLMPLCZEm6beyWbxziAYMLMOTmiWJM2960E/s1600/IMG_2351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7a2ipiI7ximiA6_dvGi5D0ydgveJaWc-TEfZ5IKVN4WUAv5sGOnSwiy0CiTDkMmHpkr6ZQWchWJENyBQRsroUev6TP-9jiQ_ud3BXjxhuLMPLCZEm6beyWbxziAYMLMOTmiWJM2960E/s400/IMG_2351.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: lime;">4</span></span> little front teeth that are always visible when you want something</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_CVY1qeLX0D1JmFNLFTgA0faGHHrzAXJkVd86tQmnhPcuHz0kaJAkt6CMx9PxC3FDvnRjJdB6dyQhl4gGJq-Gt3hgnyTsWvObxfuBsrPwdKhsBNq_OG4uYu_ffflj9b1iWv43tppjJsI/s1600/IMG_1148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_CVY1qeLX0D1JmFNLFTgA0faGHHrzAXJkVd86tQmnhPcuHz0kaJAkt6CMx9PxC3FDvnRjJdB6dyQhl4gGJq-Gt3hgnyTsWvObxfuBsrPwdKhsBNq_OG4uYu_ffflj9b1iWv43tppjJsI/s400/IMG_1148.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/436805527/" title="sleeping babies by NurseNinja, on Flickr"><img alt="sleeping babies" height="300" src="http://farm1.staticflickr.com/186/436805527_a4aa2b27cf.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="play hut" height="300" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3076/3235657888_22575aaf4e.jpg" width="400" />
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="IMG_0743" height="400" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6225/6306552339_122c8d0c20.jpg" width="266" />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: cyan;"><span style="background-color: white;">5</span></span></span> years of being a good "big brother"</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQ_VdWTTgw7krnIyhjdp136-UvdsldTRef4pnm9BfuhNistdD1rGfF6zCW7jQTfKGr0Cm-_lClJZPhwBSDbSMK70jNVCHkGp4F_sUMd8cwxTRTzETinS9Md6FSg4t0nE2C0zaPuqjF1k/s1600/mosaicee6f59efe05abb421d5324fc97b8d855ca9b7262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQ_VdWTTgw7krnIyhjdp136-UvdsldTRef4pnm9BfuhNistdD1rGfF6zCW7jQTfKGr0Cm-_lClJZPhwBSDbSMK70jNVCHkGp4F_sUMd8cwxTRTzETinS9Md6FSg4t0nE2C0zaPuqjF1k/s400/mosaicee6f59efe05abb421d5324fc97b8d855ca9b7262.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: orange;">6</span></span> photos of you that won flickr challenges</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoPs7hJvHgjADnSgWs9W-tDslLX9bH6VbwuosZoCAGDkTBfJ5dVw-ISQTtUhxmNi9oo5tyH8FXru5wAfJ6TZxWG9Do6IlOsbgCk0cOK8WNPGV5iSqB4TiYTPO97ieWjTFMD23VrNIaf6w/s1600/IMG_0044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoPs7hJvHgjADnSgWs9W-tDslLX9bH6VbwuosZoCAGDkTBfJ5dVw-ISQTtUhxmNi9oo5tyH8FXru5wAfJ6TZxWG9Do6IlOsbgCk0cOK8WNPGV5iSqB4TiYTPO97ieWjTFMD23VrNIaf6w/s400/IMG_0044.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">7</span></span> tricks that you do without hesitation: sit, shake, high-five, lay down, roll over, speak, dance</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdzL4whSW0KG8zj72WwpOrsY0mu_XLs3v5XgDYedQN35VYnKSOhmTXlDcz2bI-yskIijZcOeA5LOcvOYqlg1_siVCCvcsXmzbdyHHHuREhJ7QfQVvC_zgMiC5sNMRb7u4QdGwS3drkPyU/s1600/P6290033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdzL4whSW0KG8zj72WwpOrsY0mu_XLs3v5XgDYedQN35VYnKSOhmTXlDcz2bI-yskIijZcOeA5LOcvOYqlg1_siVCCvcsXmzbdyHHHuREhJ7QfQVvC_zgMiC5sNMRb7u4QdGwS3drkPyU/s400/P6290033.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCpXdODAw1b6x66FqQbowMKDSKobkbCHBnPtG9hhDSAt29y_YwzaVJnS50x03IS-v6vWopgi8pF2BOmolaXEh-ZJ1BqxSIjjZt1l1hqc57SonptkAS8KBX6kll7XHlHcrkFeDKqiKw1Xc/s1600/P6290026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCpXdODAw1b6x66FqQbowMKDSKobkbCHBnPtG9hhDSAt29y_YwzaVJnS50x03IS-v6vWopgi8pF2BOmolaXEh-ZJ1BqxSIjjZt1l1hqc57SonptkAS8KBX6kll7XHlHcrkFeDKqiKw1Xc/s400/P6290026.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-size: large;">8</span> more brothers and sisters in the litter, but you stood out though EVERYONE was adorable</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="humiliated yet?" height="400" src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4062/4653172037_91cc2c998b.jpg" width="300" /> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">9</span></span> brindle spots on your otherwise all white fur</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0onbkF1pflE6yAaOHC2zEQdO5A8EOKcuz-nt0KySlDPzfzT7wW6TvhW4E5BXUBphRDBW9ckiZ0qjDTTC5Pt6STQWalcCJMAnSlOB4iNJLnjrjsg5fi9vYucbciSStrDYLYYZD_EeHERk/s1600/mosaica051f530e5e4df873707657d2e44e52912d1a0e5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0onbkF1pflE6yAaOHC2zEQdO5A8EOKcuz-nt0KySlDPzfzT7wW6TvhW4E5BXUBphRDBW9ckiZ0qjDTTC5Pt6STQWalcCJMAnSlOB4iNJLnjrjsg5fi9vYucbciSStrDYLYYZD_EeHERk/s400/mosaica051f530e5e4df873707657d2e44e52912d1a0e5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">10</span></span> wonderful years of love and smiles </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Happy Birthday, Winston!</span></div>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-66106410939921910772012-05-14T16:39:00.003-10:002012-05-14T17:05:49.851-10:00Oh but it's been a roller coaster week!And hopefully it will all start to slow down in the next couple of days. Where should I begin?<br />
<br />
Last week was Nurses' Week. As I've<a href="http://danseusesabine.livejournal.com/59460.html"> mentioned in the past</a>, I LOVE what I do, and even if I didn't <i>have</i> to work, I would probably still do it part time. I've worked at the same hospital for the last ten years and this year, I was recognized as the Nurse of the Year. =)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="IMG_9188" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7072/7200088048_b8496a2f92.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely engraved koa box on the left along with orchid leis =)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/7200088048/in/photostream"><span id="goog_2058698416"></span></a><span id="goog_2058698417"></span>
</div>
Along with my lovely certificate and leis from my manager and the administration, I got a beautiful engraved <a href="http://www.thekoastore.com/AboutKoa.aspx">koa</a> box that my daughter is already eyeballing. The hospital celebrated Nurses' Week with different events and free gifts for the nurses throughout the week and a fancy little luncheon for the nurses recognized as "Nurse of the Year." While waiting for me to get done at the luncheon, my hubby and sister decided to go out hiking that day. Since they weren't expecting me to be gone too long, they chose a short trail in Aiea. Turned out that the place was even muddier than usual that day and they ended up slip and sliding their way through it. No big deal. They made it out, and we had a good day for the rest of the day.<br />
<br />
The next night, Chris started to feel awful. High fevers, nausea, vomiting, body aches, you name it. Flu? Maybe. Something else from hiking? Hopefully not. He rode it through, but it also meant that I had to stay home from work over the weekend since he was supposed to be watching Audrey while I was at work. So... that was my Mothers Day weekend. I didn't go to work, though I was scheduled to do so, but I got to take care of my poor sick husband and kept him quarantined from the rest of the family, much to Audrey's dismay ("I miss getting hugs and kisses at night!"). I think we made it up to her by the fact that I slept with her all weekend so I wouldn't get sick as well, just in case. And for my efforts, my sweet little girl made me a lovely bracelet for Mother's Day.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/7200083734/in/photostream/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="IMG_9198" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7240/7200083734_20b46b327e.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Mother's Day bracelet from Audrey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
As for today? Got to make strawberry banana smoothies with my girl, and took her Daddy to urgent care to get some labs done. He hasn't been feeling any better, still having sky high fevers and when we took him to urgent care yesterday, there were no physicians available. *sigh* He didn't really want to go to the emergency room, so we waited until this morning to finally see someone. Now we just wait for his lab results since apparently it isn't the flu hmmmm... I just hope he gets well soon. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="IMG_9189" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7081/7200355840_c4a653d47d.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="333" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before the blending. I love the honey down the side. Yum!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/7200355840/in/photostream/"><span id="goog_2058698448"></span></a><span id="goog_2058698449"></span>
</div>
<br />
Tomorrow? Another doctor's visit for what my PCP thinks may be a hemangioma on my neck and loads of photo taking for <a href="http://aday.org/">ADAY.org</a> Maybe my dermatologist will let me take pictures of all his equipment. =P And if you're going to be carrying a camera around with you tomorrow anyway, it's not too late to join me!Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-14387595924051928772012-05-02T11:28:00.003-10:002012-05-02T11:30:23.099-10:00Redecorating<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/6960132679/in/photostream"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHGwIBbOEfK0vHYnSkFiz1nMRnJVJBjeGephzO2h8RUm7PfCCS3eTN0x97fzD9u5wKdqBA0XwXUcf77QmqFKOA3rqHXeaSzx3MfyWm3T1kdVrAFGlijonJ3B3Ggi8NdmafBVA19fPtW4/s640/6960132679_10a59c1880_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_246677776"></span><span id="goog_246677777"></span></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">If you've been here before, you'll note that I've done a little bit of redecorating. In the past, I may have just abandoned this page completely and started a new one. But I've just looked at the<a href="http://danseusesabine.livejournal.com/"> LAST blog</a> that I left behind and I actually rather miss it. This time, I know I need a change, but I'm going about it a little differently. Why not turn this place into what I want, instead of wiping it all out? I'll just consider it growth. =) I'll probably continue to make a few tweaks here and there, but for now, I like that it's brighter than before. And the fact that I prefer brighter is a <i>very</i> good sign. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Much of the inspiration has come from the work that I've done with Karen's Path Finder class. With her help, I was finally able to come up with my word for the year (I know it's already almost mid-year, but better late than never). The word? Bloom. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Some of Merriam-Webster's definition of bloom: </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">"to mature into achievement of one's potential"</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">"to flourish in youthful beauty, freshness, or excellence"</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">"<span class="ssens">an outward evidence of freshness or healthy vigor"</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="ssens">and even: </span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="ssens">"</span><span class="ssens">a bar of iron or steel hammered or rolled from an ingot"</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<span class="ssens"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I like it. Now on to the next step-- finding ways to bloom. </span></span><span class="ssens"> </span>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-12678745754575688232012-03-26T11:17:00.000-10:002012-03-26T11:19:41.217-10:00“Play is the exultation of the possible.” Martin Buber<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/6953468831/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Dancing Fairy by NurseNinja, on Flickr"><img alt="Dancing Fairy" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7038/6953468831_55a5bb7eed_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My fairy dancing with her shadow<br />
<br /><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Perfectionism
is my bane. I let this site go for a long time without posting because
I couldn't post as regularly as I would've liked. No one said I had to
post daily. No one said I had to post weekly. But all these little
rules that I've set up for myself kept me from doing ANY posting because
I couldn't do it perfectly. So. No more imposing silly little rules.
Instead, I've decided to make this fun. I've decided to PLAY. That
doesn't sound like such a difficult thing, does it? Playing. But it is
for me. So, what does that mean? Well, as far as this blog goes, it
means posting when I get the chance. I couldn't possibly fail at "when I
get the chance", right? </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">What
else does it mean? Well, it means tinkering with my camera once
again. It means carrying the point-and-shoot around and using it. (Too
bad my DSLR is too bulky) I <i>could</i> get on the bandwagon and do
the instagram thing, but I still forget that I have THAT camera with me
all the time. I use it as a phone, my internet when away from my
computer, my calendar. But as a camera? Someone always has to remind
me that it's there. Maybe I need one of those <a href="http://www.geeksugar.com/iPhone-4S-Camera-Skins-18986520">phone skins that make it look more like a camera</a>. Hmmm... until then, it's point-and-shoot in my purse. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">But
more importantly, playing means allowing myself ME time without feeling
guilty about it. Maybe it's my Catholic upbringing. Maybe it's my
Filipino upbringing. It's probably both. Catholics and Filipinos are
experts in guilt, and I've got plenty of that. Anyway, overcoming the
guilt will be quite the challenge. To help me with it, I've decided to
join a group of folks in finding our "beautiful different" with the help
of <a href="http://www.chookooloonks.com/about/">Karen Walrond</a>. It
all starts today and I'm looking forward to what the future will
bring. I hope that this post will be the beginning of my new adventure
into playfulness, and an end to my guilt. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/6960138781/in/set-72157629164222790/"><img alt=""The violets in the mountains" height="266" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7191/6960138781_5d22c58e06_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-70970899249851924152011-11-03T21:33:00.001-10:002011-11-03T21:33:15.191-10:00If I could switch lives for one day...<div style="margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/6306544355/" title="So cuddly"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6224/6306544355_424e7e6815.jpg" alt="So cuddly by NurseNinja" /></a><br/><span style="margin: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/6306544355/">So cuddly</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/">NurseNinja</a> on Flickr.</span></div><p>it would be with my dog. After a long day like today, I can only wish that I'd be this comfy in bed tonight. Why did I sign up to write a blog entry every day again?</p>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-22986932677398981712011-11-02T11:01:00.001-10:002012-03-17T11:48:07.289-10:00I was ALWAYS there. I was just behind the camera.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLPfOmyd0_65fpENGRNRyxslBRtm7ZBxi_ol6CezP133qXpjcuiHtU0VNbjIaTdZB4ItoQRo2fW-HejvMmIKzQLGSqbG7cgg7TGVEsLR3-h1Xj9ixC0vVWhUZ4yCPRC3A-rQC3bouCIL8/s1600/IMG_7272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLPfOmyd0_65fpENGRNRyxslBRtm7ZBxi_ol6CezP133qXpjcuiHtU0VNbjIaTdZB4ItoQRo2fW-HejvMmIKzQLGSqbG7cgg7TGVEsLR3-h1Xj9ixC0vVWhUZ4yCPRC3A-rQC3bouCIL8/s400/IMG_7272.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Greek Festival</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div style="text-align: left;">
Here I've been telling myself that I need to take more pictures, when all along I missed four important words to go with that goal: "with me in them." </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I found <a href="http://www.clickinmoms.com/blog/because-you-were-there-too-thirteen-tips-for-family-self-portraits/">this article</a> via a photographer friend on how to take family self portraits. I suffer from two problems: 1. I utterly dislike having my photograph taken, and 2. I enjoy being the one taking the photographs. Unfortunately, this means that whenever we do something, I'm very rarely in the photographs. I take the photos to document all the fun things we've done, but years from now, when Audrey looks through those photographs, will she remember that I was there with her? Even sadder is the fact that after being with Chris for seventeen years, we have few photos together to show for it. (I'm just glad we "splurged" for the wedding photographer!) Now I just have to get the tripod out and start bringing my point-and-shoot with us again (I'm not about to hand over my DSLR to a stranger!)</div>
Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-66965459503181781912011-09-03T09:38:00.000-10:002011-09-03T09:38:21.901-10:00Another year older. More grateful than ever.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9kt6jXFcqGyCBy5ZUVjQoza7uANpT-04M-axtQ1Xqh3r0YhhJ3lS3Kt73WxlD56mczEJ3LPKBmeOu7Uo8H2jR7QZ0XSKNgS5OtFnphBPl4msUalFth1Y_XKd6QG3RcV8F3tmeVPFGybk/s1600/Dr.WhoCake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9kt6jXFcqGyCBy5ZUVjQoza7uANpT-04M-axtQ1Xqh3r0YhhJ3lS3Kt73WxlD56mczEJ3LPKBmeOu7Uo8H2jR7QZ0XSKNgS5OtFnphBPl4msUalFth1Y_XKd6QG3RcV8F3tmeVPFGybk/s400/Dr.WhoCake.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr. Who themed cake made by my sister</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yesterday was one of the most memorable birthdays I've had, thanks to my wonderful family. The hubby, kid, and I spent the day at the lagoons in Ko'olina and then had dinner out</span></span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">with the rest of the family. It sounds like such a simple day, but it couldn't be more perfect for me. Well... maybe I could've done without the sunburn. I did say more grateful, <i>not</i> </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">wiser. </span></span>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-77183209090393731642011-09-01T13:05:00.000-10:002012-03-17T11:51:26.886-10:00“Ideas can be life-changing. Sometimes all you need to open the door is just one more good idea.” -- Jim Rohn<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/6019441129/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_0118 by NurseNinja, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_0118" height="500" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6148/6019441129_c59297ed6d.jpg" width="333" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I don't know what it is about September, but a<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">round this time is when I always want to start things over. Fresh start. New beginning. Maybe it's because it's my birthday. *shrug* All I know is that I've got a ton of ideas, new things to try, old projects to revisit. </span></span><br />
<a class="sqa" href="http://thinkexist.com/quotes/jim_rohn/"></a>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-10139340108955577352011-05-03T22:54:00.000-10:002011-05-03T22:54:35.609-10:00When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence. --Ansel Adams<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/5581282285/" title="IMG_7808 by NurseNinja, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7808" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5267/5581282285_e25282a9d3.jpg" width="333" /></a>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-80533032026949457762011-05-02T21:13:00.004-10:002011-05-02T21:23:04.063-10:00Caress the detail, the divine detail -- Vladimir Nabokov<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px; padding: 0pt;"><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="margin: 0pt;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/5583206102/"> </a></span><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/5583206102/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="protea by NurseNinja, on Flickr"><img alt="protea" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5224/5583206102_1f57364751.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Protea</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-79967509427967501102011-04-26T09:44:00.001-10:002011-04-26T09:47:18.915-10:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP7w2jV9JnpkYHSrExZf_yZbLJRTrvSJQswdLsdS6QKnyGxGmhEV2bfqShZS_wgBZ7z5AxL3t0FVPu3lEte9qpCk14oTvN-o2Rm7MxTkHHmRRVEX1SWT97EeUj8Q_MA-45x-4lUjnua1I/s1600/IMG_8323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP7w2jV9JnpkYHSrExZf_yZbLJRTrvSJQswdLsdS6QKnyGxGmhEV2bfqShZS_wgBZ7z5AxL3t0FVPu3lEte9qpCk14oTvN-o2Rm7MxTkHHmRRVEX1SWT97EeUj8Q_MA-45x-4lUjnua1I/s320/IMG_8323.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My sister made this Easter cake especially for my daughter. The cake itself was yummy, but we've been saving the egg itself because it's so cute. When my sister brought the cake over, she told Audrey that the egg was a dinosaur egg, and that's why it's so much bigger than the bunny. So when we finally decided to crack into the egg today, Audrey was surprised to see that it was made of rice crispies. "Where's the dinosaur?!" Gotta love her.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOGXFikLQrn8zDgb_H8COb0Nf7800gSyM4I0bxJDx8ptyN_NXfQSiXobsHDPYnNDOFoHvXGu_QHRy3LoaJ-037joflws4SkPTnktLXNzr9GhCTczIh5HatGPXdmsXwX60lsPmUfPNbqBw/s1600/IMG_8325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOGXFikLQrn8zDgb_H8COb0Nf7800gSyM4I0bxJDx8ptyN_NXfQSiXobsHDPYnNDOFoHvXGu_QHRy3LoaJ-037joflws4SkPTnktLXNzr9GhCTczIh5HatGPXdmsXwX60lsPmUfPNbqBw/s320/IMG_8325.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a closer look</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-91362148575350043142011-04-19T12:48:00.000-10:002011-04-19T12:48:10.065-10:00To write or not to write. THAT is the question.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHKPyOuOTRF6oQfwb-qpKk5FauBji2jmkGyEp81fIn8qEcBXI0-W42pIhTz_d4ATTVcCBRPz4uvwP8ANFwnUSI3ks_87SHrq4zYPZhsZcBy1GYNkUvSQ-Ch23XjLw-c6mHzP1aKcQoz4/s1600/dogs-blogging-cartoon21.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHKPyOuOTRF6oQfwb-qpKk5FauBji2jmkGyEp81fIn8qEcBXI0-W42pIhTz_d4ATTVcCBRPz4uvwP8ANFwnUSI3ks_87SHrq4zYPZhsZcBy1GYNkUvSQ-Ch23XjLw-c6mHzP1aKcQoz4/s1600/dogs-blogging-cartoon21.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image source <a href="http://seattlewinegal.com/no-one-reads-blogs">here</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yesterday was the first day of <a href="http://www.shimelle.com/classes/1001/online-scrapbooking-class-beyond-blogging-for-scrapbookers/">Beyond Blogging for Scrapbookers.</a></span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I got so caught up in looking through people's blogs that I 1) didn't get to write my own entry, and 2) forgot to feed my kid lunch. Yeah... it was probably a good thing that she was going to be with her grandmother for the rest of the day. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Quite a few people wrote about how they started blogging and why. I wrote <a href="http://danseusesabine.livejournal.com/56629.html">my own version</a> of it about a year ago and I had to go back and re-read it. It's fascinating how different my thoughts are now from what they were back then. Yes, blogging is still a good way for me to "focus", but I wonder how much of that has kept me from writing these past few months. Could I have written more if I wasn't so busy censoring myself?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> I started out blogging as a way to get in touch with some people working through Julia Cameron's <a href="http://www.theartistsway.com/"><i>The Artist's Way</i></a>. Once I felt more comfortable sharing my writing, it became a way to let friends and distant family know what was going on in my family's life. One thing was certain, I wrote quite sporadically. Not only would I disappear for indeterminate lengths of time, but I would be full of optimism one minute and doom and gloom the next. My sister once told me she could tell when I was depressed from reading my entries. That brought me here. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I originally created this new(er) blog in hopes to stay away from any negativity on my part. I wasn't quite sure WHAT I would be writing about, but I knew I wanted to focus on the positive. I was even doing alright for a while until the <a href="http://drivingbyheadlights.blogspot.com/2010/11/lesson-learned.html">end of November</a> and <a href="http://drivingbyheadlights.blogspot.com/2010_12_01_archive.html">the entire month of December</a>. How could I stay positive after that? And so I stopped writing. Again. I mean, who wants to read about depression? But now I wonder. Is it possible to avoid writing about it when I DO suffer from depression? I STILL want to focus on the positive side of my life. Surely, I can find something to write about that won't bring everyone down. If nothing else, I could always post a photograph instead. So here I am now. Taking yet another class. Hoping that it will help me find my online voice. I know I want to write. I know I love to read creative and inspiring blogs. I DON'T want to be a downer. But could I really still find my voice if I omit a part of myself? How does one decide what to keep in and what to leave out? What would <i>you</i> do? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I guess it's a good thing I've signed up for this class. =)</span>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-84870699017483345022011-04-14T18:22:00.002-10:002011-04-14T18:45:49.985-10:00Getting back in<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px; padding: 0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/5581711392/" title="IMG_7668"><img alt="IMG_7668 by NurseNinja" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5145/5581711392_36d4997249.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="margin: 0pt;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/5581711392/">IMG_7668</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/">NurseNinja</a> on Flickr.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="margin: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As I've mentioned a couple of posts back, I've been a bit stuck. <a href="http://mycamokids.blogspot.com/">Lora</a> had a wonderful suggestion of maybe trying <a href="http://www.nablopomo.com/">NaBloPoMo</a>, but I think I'll take it a little slower. As tough as I can get with myself, I think that a daily entry may be too much for me to handle at this time. I would like to attempt it again at some point, though. Perhaps by this summer? We'll see. For now, I've gone a different route. Another class to try. </span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="margin: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.shimelle.com/">Shimelle</a> is starting a new class on Monday, and I've decided to join in. I really enjoyed the previous classes as can be seen by some of <a href="http://drivingbyheadlights.blogspot.com/2010/11/open-letter.html">my</a> <a href="http://drivingbyheadlights.blogspot.com/2010/10/abcs-of-why-i-love-my-winston.html">initial</a> <a href="http://drivingbyheadlights.blogspot.com/2010/11/trip-down-memory-lane.html">posts</a>, so I figured, why not? It's a good way to get back into blogging, and there isn't the kind of "pressure" I put on myself with NaBloPoMo. As much as I've fallen behind on some of Shimelle's classes, I love the fact that I can go back to the lessons any time I want to. In fact, I probably will be revisiting those prompts this upcoming year. So, here's hoping that <a href="http://www.shimelle.com/classes/1001/online-scrapbooking-class-beyond-blogging-for-scrapbookers/">Beyond Blogging for Scrapbookers</a> will get the writing juices flowing again. If nothing else, I suppose I could just post a few more random photos. =) </span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="margin: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I haven't been this excited about posting in a while. I'm looking forward to it. </span></span> </span></div></div>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-71952016112874276232011-04-14T02:12:00.004-10:002011-04-14T02:14:29.686-10:00"A weed is but an unloved flower." --Ella Wheeler Wilcox<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px; padding: 0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/4972926382/" title=""A weed is but an unloved flower." --Ella Wheeler Wilcox"><img alt=""A weed is but an unloved flower." --Ella Wheeler Wilcox by NurseNinja" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/4972926382_ee9a463ccd.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="margin: 0pt;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/4972926382/">"A weed is but an unloved flower." --Ella Wheeler Wilcox</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/">NurseNinja</a> on Flickr.</span></div></div>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-52180955443821554872011-04-12T17:09:00.002-10:002011-04-12T17:10:18.044-10:00Stuck<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px; padding: 0pt;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/5162526663/" title="Stuck"><img alt="Stuck by NurseNinja" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1433/5162526663_6b917a8c7c.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="margin: 0pt;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/5162526663/">Stuck</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/">NurseNinja</a> on Flickr.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I've been wanting/itching to get my blogging restarted, but I can't seem to find the words lately. I've got all kinds of topics and ideas, but I just can't seem to get unstuck. I'm hoping that in a month, I'll be posting more regularly.</div>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-66536002232200484282011-04-02T17:30:00.002-10:002011-04-02T17:33:47.790-10:00At the Iao Valley<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px; padding: 0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/5583574159/" title="At the Iao Needle"><img alt="At the Iao Needle by NurseNinja" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5028/5583574159_480639b1e4.jpg" /></a></div><span style="margin: 0pt;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/5583574159/">At the Iao Needle</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/">NurseNinja</a> on Flickr.</span></div>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-38299317364291687472010-12-28T16:28:00.002-10:002011-04-17T12:19:29.879-10:00The test<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/4994556008/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Redemption by NurseNinja, on Flickr"><img alt="Redemption" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/4994556008_5d58dd77dc.jpg" width="333" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">steps leading out of the Cathedral chapel at the USAFAcademy Chapel</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Less than a week from my last post, our world turned upside down. I always said that my life could be a soap opera. What I would give for a normal life. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dec. 4th. My sister called my husband in hysterics-- her husband, J, suffered a gun shot wound. Chris had no idea where she was calling from and what condition J was in. I called her back, hoping she would answer the phone. She was home. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When I got to her apartment, the cops were blocking her doorway, and my sister sat slumped in front of her car, wearing someone else's clothes. Her own clothes were too bloody. No one would give her answers. J was already taken to the trauma center. We drove there and were met by one of their close friends who just happens to be a physician. He pulled us aside, tried to calm my sister, and asked if she wanted to see him. "He only has a little time left," he said. My sister collapsed to the ground and screamed J's name. We were able to get her a wheelchair to the trauma room where he lay. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I always thought that when an emergency arose, my nursing instinct would kick in and I would be calm, clinical. Boy was I wrong. Seeing him laying on that gurney with blood dripping down to the floor... hearing the breath get knocked out of my sister... I couldn't help but sob. I had only enough sense to grab a chair for my sister and hold her up as she cried out his name and grabbed his hand. Their pastor, who followed us to the hospital, sat by J's ear and read scripture. J's mother, also a nurse, stood on the other side, humming a lullaby. The respirator breathed for him, monitors above him showed his vital signs. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">-----------</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He was 29. I've known him since he was 15 and lived in the house across from ours. He was just the punk kid dating my sister. A few years later he became one of our closest friends and even moved into my home and lived there for almost a year. He was a groomsman in our wedding. He videotaped my daughter's birth. I never referred to him as my brother-in-law, always he was my brother. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">------------</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He died at about 2:23PM. The last thing I remembered doing was wiping a trickle of blood from his ear. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">_______</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We were going to put our tree up early this year. We were going to do it that weekend, in fact. Instead I spent the next few nights with my sister, staying up on watch, making sure she was eating, drinking, even taking a shower. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Christmas shopping be damned. Luckily, we had a few things ordered early for a few people. The kids should at least have their presents.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I said I wouldn't let fear or discomfort get in my way again. But did I really need to be tested so soon? </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For two weeks I was surrounded by prayer. I watched as their pastor spent hours on end consoling my sister and J's family. I stood there as people prayed all around me. I even attended their church for a sermon dedicated to J. Ironically, I missed my friend's burial that day. I knew she would forgive me, knowing that I had to stand with my sister on her first day to church without J. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I used to tease my sister that she joined a cult. I have never been happier that she found religion. It was the one thing that truly held her up during this ordeal. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">________</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The day before the burial, I was at the cemetery for J's private viewing. I knew R was buried there and asked for directions to her grave. When I looked at the piece of paper they gave me, I thought that maybe I was remembering some things incorrectly. We drove up to her grave. Sure enough, it was in the same area that J was to be buried the next day. As I got closer, tears began to well up. Could it be? The freshest grave was kitty corner to J's. As I reached J's grave, I walked a few steps and looked at the flowers on the nearby grave. There was the wreath my co-workers and I ordered for R. There was her name plate. R.G. 37 years old. What are the chances? Yes, it was one of the newer areas of the cemetery. But for the corners to be touching? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">J's father came by. They wanted to see where J was going to be buried the next day. Their family was confused. Why was I crying on this other grave? When I told them about my friend, he said, "There is no such thing as coincidence." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Perhaps not. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">_________</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We put our tree up on the 21st. Audrey was excited to find that Santa got the presents she "always wanted!" There were tears on Christmas day. But there was also a lot of laughter. We'll miss you, J. We'll move on, but you'll always be in our hearts. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/kIjkW6iyXNo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-79104791645512300592010-11-28T13:36:00.000-10:002010-11-28T13:36:30.486-10:00Lesson learned<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/4994512600/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="IMG_5738 by NurseNinja, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5738" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/4994512600_0a75f6039d.jpg" width="333" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">looking up from inside the Air Force Academy Chapel</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ever been too busy to mourn? Apparently, I have. But my subconscious would only let me get away with it for so long.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A friend died almost two weeks ago. She had been fighting cancer for a while now, travelling out of the state for an experimental drug and trying out radiation. She was young. Only a couple of years older than me. She was the most doting sister and aunt. A wife still as madly in love with her husband as when she first fell for him. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">She had been doing well before the last hospitalization. We were supposed to get together. I didn't make it. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm sorry, R. I was weak. I stayed away because I was uncomfortable. Not with your illness. That I could deal with. My faith failed me. Or more accurately, my <i>lack</i> of faith failed me. Failed you. Though talking about God and speaking in scriptures helped you deal with everything that was going on, I was uncomfortable with it. But I should never have let that get in my way. I was weak. And I'm sorry. I know in my heart that you have already forgiven me this. It's just the kind of thing you would do. Now I know. I'll never let something like fear and discomfort get in my way again. Life is short. I only wish I hadn't learned the lesson this way. </span>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-12625176463534776812010-11-22T10:15:00.000-10:002010-11-22T10:15:03.835-10:00Are you fonder yet?<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/5197042307/" title="Nursing theme cake by my sister by NurseNinja, on Flickr"><img alt="Nursing theme cake by my sister" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5162/5197042307_3c17ce0e8a.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm back! Actually, I've been back from Maui since late Monday afternoon. Unfortunately, I had to spend the rest of the week at work to make up the hours I wasn't there. It must be the full moon because we were popping out babies like no one's business =) Now I just have to catch up on all the blogs I've been missing, upload the photos I took on our trip and actually get back into <i>Finding Water</i> and the True Stories prompts. The trip kind of derailed some of the projects. Yet despite all the incomplete projects, I am absolutely itching to take up Shimelle's discount offer for another class. Am I nuts? I don't even scrapbook! Yet. =) Help! I think I may need an intervention. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As for NaBloPoMo, I think it's safe to say that this year is a FAIL. *shrug* It was well worth it. I'll just try it another time. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now for an explanation for the picture above. I thought it fit because my job's kept me busy since my trip. It's a photo of a carrot cake with cream cheese filling that my sister created for me and my co-workers. Can you believe she just started playing with fondant two months ago? Yep, the kid's got talent. It makes me want to play around with the darn thing. Another project to try? Ack! I swear I have ADD sometimes. Oooh! Shiny! </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-52798790931478389982010-11-13T17:02:00.000-10:002010-11-13T17:02:23.185-10:00Just in case you were wondering why I haven't been around...<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/5173748440/" title="Maui photos 012 by NurseNinja, on Flickr"><img alt="Maui photos 012" height="333" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/5173748440_2423c23494.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm on Maui with my sister and Mom =) I've missed NaBloPoMo and True Stories, but I'm enjoying it out here. I'll update when I get back. </span>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-63864455735143284222010-11-08T20:53:00.001-10:002010-11-08T20:54:25.462-10:00Just look and see<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/5157553362/" title="IMG_6991 by NurseNinja, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6991" height="333" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5157553362_12c087698d.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's not what you look at that matters. It's what you see. </span></blockquote><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">--Henry David Thoreau</span> </div></div>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-46913195455937255702010-11-07T21:40:00.001-10:002010-11-07T21:41:17.798-10:00Yep, that's me!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/5157540070/" title="IMG_6941 by NurseNinja, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_6941" height="500" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1166/5157540070_d443cacb7e.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">the closest I'll get to posting a photo of myself</span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"></table><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Feeling rather fuzzy at the moment. Much like me in the photo above. Spent a long time on my feet and bent over patients. At least I got off work knowing I left two more brand new moms feeling more comfortable breastfeeding their babies. All I want to do for now is just get my own daughter in bed and probably my own head on the pillow. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm starting to think the only way I'll make it through NaBloPoMo is to post photos on the days I work. We'll see. Tomorrow's post should be a bit more substantial and hopefully more interesting. </div>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6651834784360804057.post-59947448937473635142010-11-06T21:49:00.000-10:002010-11-06T21:49:01.956-10:00<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danseusesabine/4972956206/" title="IMG_5138 by NurseNinja, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5138" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/4972956206_3448412934.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><br />
<blockquote><span class="sqq"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them and try to follow them. </span></span></blockquote><div style="text-align: right;">- <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Louisa May Alcott</span> </div><br />
<span class="sqq"></span><a class="sqa" href="http://thinkexist.com/quotes/louisa_may_alcott/"><br />
</a>Nadjahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15757782781966809222noreply@blogger.com2