sometimes i get overwhelmed

by silly things.

like making a Christmas card from the pictures we self-timer-ed.
or cutting tablecloths out of bolts of material.
or working with someone to cut out tablecloths from bolts of material.

or looking at my calendar.

even though I've been living one day at a time for about 27.5 years, I'm still trying to master that very concept.

2013

2013: A Year in Review

1.) Where did you ring in 2013?
In Arkansas? Or Louisiana? I actually can't remember :/

2.) What was your status by Valentine's Day?
Married.

3.) Were you in school (anytime this year)?
yes--January thru August!

4.) How did you earn your keep?
I worked as a Teaching Assistant while in school--and now I'm paying back my keep by working as a dietitian for the state! 

5.) Did you ever have to go to the hospital?
Yes. Every day of the summer. :) 

6.) Did you ever encounter the police?
Yes. I think I acccccidentally ran a stop sign (Who would do that on purpose?) A cop was sitting there waiting for someone to run it. It was NOT very visible. I'm still bitter. He was mean.

7.) Where did you go on vacation?
We vacationed in Arkansas and Louisiana in January. In March, I spent Spring Break with Susan (to meet baby Asher!). In August, Charlie and I "vacationed" to South Dakota for about 48 hours :) We also took a trip up to Duluth. 

8.) What did you purchase that was over $500?
An education..?

9.) Did you know anybody who got married?
I went to my first wedding of the year a few weekends ago--Elizabeth and Jonathan. Don't worry. 2014 will make up for 2013's lack of weddings. 

10.) Did you know anybody who passed away?
A nurse at work passed away last week :(

11.) Have you ran into anybody you graduated high school with?
"ran into"... no. Unless social media counts. I suppose that's what happens when we live HOURS from your high school town.

12.) Did you move anywhere?
from Wheeler Street nort to da sout.

13.) What sporting events did you go to?
A St. Paul Saints' Baseball game! co-owned by Bill Murray! We went with some JBU friends who also moved to Minnesota. It was the Star Wars themed game. It was amazing. I can't even remember if they won or not. It's not really the point of those games.

14.) What concerts did you go to?
We're so not cool like that. 

15.) Are you registered to vote?
yes

16.) If so, did you do your patriotic duty on Nov. 7?
I wasn't home...?

17.) Where do you live now?
In da big house

18.) Describe your birthday.
Apparently I hate birthdays? But I was with my family this year. And celebrated Caleb's, too. I really like sharing my birthday with Caleb and my Charlie. 

19.) What's the one thing you thought you would never do but did in 2013?
At one point, I never thought I'd ACTUALLY go to graduate school and/or become a dietitian. But this year, I accomplished both! I also never thought charlie would move out of state--but he did, and he did it so well.

20.) What is one thing you regretted this year?
No comment.

21.) What's something you learned about yourself?
I'm an emotional person. Maybe that didn't surprise you as much as it surprised me. But I've been reading old blogs (where I found this grand idea), and apparently I surprise myself about every 6 months--I don't remember that I'm emotional. Weird. Maybe I'll remember this time?

22.) Any new additions to your family?
baby Asher! 

23.) What was your best month?
I really enjoyed my Minnesota summer and the transition back to Louisiana. Can I count all the summer months?

24.) What from pop culture will you remember 2013 by?
The HARLEM SHAKE! 

Daddy

We have a famous patient at work. She's not famous to the world, but in our little ole facility, EVERYONE knows her. EVERYONE. She uses a walker, and carries around a boombox radio and a purse. While steering her walker. Radio and walker in one hand. Purse and walker in the other. I met her the first time I went onto the unit at work. And she's been my friend ever since.

I've since learned that she never really had a family--youngest of many children. Dropped off at a facility before she turned 5. And she's lived with the state ever since. For about 50 years now (although she only thinks she's 7).

Recently, her boombox radio died. Broke. It was a tragic, tragic day. She told EVERYONE about how it broke. And we all felt for her. What do you do when you lose the thing most precious to you?

Well, today when I got to work she had very exciting news. Her "daddy bought her a new radio"! A teeny-tiny little purple radio. Perfect for carrying around everywhere. That's one exciting part to that story. But the second part is that... one of our social workers' dads has "adopted" this lady who has essentially never had a family. She calls him daddy and speaks with him on the telephone almost every day--she knows what's going on with him and he'll mail her cards. It's her daddy.

Aren't we like that? Doesn't God scoop us up and give us the most perfect teeny-tiny radio in place of our old bulky, broken one? Doesn't he place the lonely in families? Doesn't he allow us to call him daddy when we don't even deserve to do so? I was just so touched by that today. Watching the glow in her eyes as she told me about her new radio from daddy.

And Happy Birthday to my daddy! Thank you for being a faithful constant in my life. I love you!

O night divine

I had an interesting day.
It started off cold, and so (although I know it breaks the Thanksgiving rules) I decided to listen to Christmas radio on my drive to work.
This came on:


And I was overwhelmed. So overwhelmed. I've been reading the Bible through this year. Well, I started around Easter this year. I feel like I've been stuck in the Old Testament prophets for ages. And I'm telling you. It's depressing. Seriously depressing. I've always loved the book of Isaiah--but I guess I never read it from start to finish before--because I had no idea that 9/10ths of the book was doom and gloom and how horrible God's children were. And then the minor prophets just get worse. They're all depressing with ONE SENTENCE of hope tossed in. Maybe I'm revealing my lack of spirituality. I don't know. But I've been dying to get into the New Testament (which should be any day now).

Anyhow. So I'm driving to work and this song comes on. And I just became overwhelmed with thankfulness. I tried to explain this to Charlie earlier, and I couldn't get it out right. But it was like I've been feeling the anticipation Israel must have felt--years of depression and feeling so far from God--and just waiting and anticipating what God was going to do. It was like I saw with clear eyes what Christ's birth accomplished--how meaningful it was--and is. And I cried. The rest of the way to work. Thankfulness welled up inside of me.

O Holy night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
'Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn

Fall on your knees
O hear the angel voices
O night divine!
O night when Christ was born
O night divine!
O night, O night divine!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains He shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in His name, all oppression shall cease

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy name
Christ is the Lord!
Their name forever praise we

Noel, Noel
O night, O night divine
Noel, Noel
O night, O night divine
Noel, Noel
O night, O holy night

Then, Speaking of slavery and ceasing oppression. This happened. 

6 arrested in prostitution raid of Port Allen massage parlors

Ask me about it sometime.

Praise the Lord

A David Psalm, When He Outwitted Abimelech and Got Away

34 I bless God every chance I get;
my lungs expand with his praise.

2 I live and breathe God;
if things aren’t going well, hear this and be happy:

3 Join me in spreading the news;
together let’s get the word out.

4 God met me more than halfway,
he freed me from my anxious fears.

5 Look at him; give him your warmest smile.
Never hide your feelings from him.

6 When I was desperate, I called out,
and God got me out of a tight spot.

7 God’s angel sets up a circle
of protection around us while we pray.

8 Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—
how good God is.
Blessed are you who run to him.

9 Worship God if you want the best;
worship opens doors to all his goodness.

10 Young lions on the prowl get hungry,
but God-seekers are full of God.

11 Come, children, listen closely;
I’ll give you a lesson in God worship.

12 Who out there has a lust for life?
Can’t wait each day to come upon beauty?

13 Guard your tongue from profanity,
and no more lying through your teeth.

14 Turn your back on sin; do something good.
Embrace peace—don’t let it get away!

15 God keeps an eye on his friends,
his ears pick up every moan and groan.

16 God won’t put up with rebels;
he’ll cull them from the pack.

17 Is anyone crying for help? God is listening,
ready to rescue you.

18 If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there;
if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.

19 Disciples so often get into trouble;
still, God is there every time.

20 He’s your bodyguard, shielding every bone;
not even a finger gets broken.

21 The wicked commit slow suicide;
they waste their lives hating the good.

22 God pays for each slave’s freedom;
no one who runs to him loses out.

one small victory

I was staring at a vending machine (while waiting for someone) and I noticed that it had a phone number on it. And then I noticed that they have "healthy options" in it--so I called the number to ask if I could get the parameters for the healthy options. The lady took our location and my number and passed it along to the regional vendor.

He ACTUALLY called me back! And said he'd get 8-10 new healthy options put into our machines! I'm not convinced they're super healthy, buuuuttttt I'm still excited that was so easy!

Yay.

I am an RD

Sometimes, I just have to stop and think about that.
It's been a long time coming. From when I first started thinking about becoming one in college until now. That's like 9 years.

And now I have a job at a dietitian.
Thank you, God.

It's November.

I haven't blogged in so long. And it's honestly not for lack of things to say.
Maybe that's usually how blogging works? The busier you are (aka the more that's happening) the less time you have to tell people what's happening?

I just finished my 3rd week of work. (I start my 4th tomorrow--although I don't know if the first week counts at all since I was in "orientation" which consisted of a lot of... sitting?)

The last 2 weeks have been crazy-busy as I've been trying to catch up on 1) the fact that there has never been a full-time dietitian on staff at my work and 2) there has been NO dietitian at all for around the last 2 months. So I've spent tons of time charting on patients and trying to get up-to-date on that.

But then there's this wholllllllle dietary side? That totally and completely freaks me out; and I feel incompetent to "fix" it. Details will make you want to scratch your eyes out, but let's just say I have a LOT of work to do.

And I seriously have to take deep breaths and close my eyes and pray and sometimes put a quick relaxation youtube video on during my self-imposed break at work to stop freaking out. About how much I need to "fix".

And it's for exactly the reason I went to school and decided that the University of Minnesota who offered Public Health with nutrition was the place for me. (If you don't know, I'm working at a state-run long-term care facility--read:nursing home--for mostly mental health patients).  I'm working with rural and disadvantaged populations. I'm working with mental health. I'm working with people who can't always stand up for themselves and voice their needs. I watched a lady who couldn't talk work for over a minute trying to cut a shrimp with a spoon so it could be the "chopped meats" texture she needs it to be to not choke. It was on her diet card, but it wasn't served that way. I also alllllmost gagged when I *looked* at the pureed consistency food. But maybe I'd do that anywhere..?

All that to say, I am thrilled God placed me where He placed me. WHATEVER I do there, it will be all Him. His solutions, His ideas, His work through me, because.... well... I'm just a new grad who doeeeeeesn't always know what she's doing (Boy, I hope my work doesn't read this?! haha) God doesn't call us to things bigger than we can handle. Well He DOES--but not things bigger than He can do through us. Yes.

waters

well. i should be asleep, but i'm just laying here thinking about all the changes my work wants me to create and implement.

everyone i've met has told me they're all so excited i'm there--and the kitchen really needs help--and they just really need me there.

which is amazing! but also kind of a lot of pressure...?

so anyway. i was just laying in bed thinking about all the ideas i've got to come up with (and then implement) when i ran across a scripture. (okay, so i was reading my daily scriptures as i was worrying. but to my credit, i've been in ezekiel for forever and it is NOT my favorite book of the bible. i finished it tonight and i am SO GLAD!) 

i digress. 

as i'm thinking about all of this i read, "Wherever the river flows, life will flourish—great schools of fish—because the river is turning the salt sea into fresh water. Where the river flows, life abounds." (47:9)

where the river flows, life abounds. 

i've got this.

I need to go on a run.

Yesh.

This is a big week for me.

1. I finally got cleared to start work! It's not quite in the way I thought, but God moved mountains to get me in there! I'll be working as a dietetic technician until my state license comes through. But I actually don't mind at all. One week will just be orientation. And then I feel like it will be low pressure for another week or two as I get acclimated and get to know patients and staff until I transition into my RD position--and it should give me time to really get to know the kitchen staff. I pray God gives me favor with them! I want to be someone they like working with--not the crazy dietitian who is going to change everything. (Although, I'm really nervous some things will need changing!)

2. Tomorrow, my sister moves here! It makes me SO happy! Even if she doesn't live here forever, it will still be awesome to share this culture and experiences and quality time together. I seriously feel so blessed she's coming.

3. It's the start of Loup Farms and our marketing campaign. Charlie's been planning this and dreaming about his farm for so long. I am so proud of his integrity. I am SO PROUD that he wants to be an honest business-man who gives people quality products. He definitely values quality and honesty over anything else. That's how I know he will be successful. You reap what you sow.

I'm struggling finding my place in Loup Farms. I am a dietitian--but I am not sure how to use that to help people. I really dislike (read: hate) over-sensationalized nutrition. I'm not going to exaggerate the effects of eating kale. Or that Charlie's minimally spraying. Or not using GMO (at all?) I can't tell people it's going to prevent cancer and change their health. Do I believe in fruits and vegetables? Absolutely. You should probably eat more :) I just... can't stretch what is known to be true. I hope I can find a way to benefit the farm without over-stepping my integrity--but still helping people! Agh! God, help me!

Relentless

God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. It’s a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God. It’s a good thing when you’re young to stick it out through the hard times. When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions: Wait for hope to appear. Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face. The “worst” is never the worst. Why? Because the Master won’t ever walk out and fail to return. If he works severely, he also works tenderly. His stockpiles of loyal love are immense. He takes no pleasure in making life hard, in throwing roadblocks in the way: (Lamentations 3:25-33 MSG)

In Search of the Holy Spirit

My mind is being blown by Brennan Manning.

"Confronted with the radical demands of the Christian commitment, our natural response is fear, anguish, insecurity. But confronted with the lived truth of God's enveloping love, insecurity is swallowed up in the security of agape, anguish gives place to hope, fear to desire. The Christian has become aware that God's appeal for unlimited generosity from his People has been preceded from his side by limitless love, a love so intent upon a response that he has empowered us to respond through the gift of his own Holy Spirit."

-from Prophets and Lovers--In Search of the Holy Spirit

last one...

Just an update. Last Friday I took and passed my RD boards! It's a great feeling. A really great feeling.

Now I just need to get all the rest of my paperwork filed and I can start work! Which is very exciting. I'm ready to start living here! You know? I guess I'm taking this week as a little bit of a vacation, but I just want to start making our life here. I want to work and be involved in a church and KNOW people I go to church with and start building relationships and... all of that. If I'm going to live here I want to LIVE here!

We struck out at church a couple of weeks ago, but went to one we really liked on Sunday. We can both see ourselves going there and being involved there. It's out of New Roads, but there are two small groups that meet in New Roads. (That means there are other Christians here :))

We're also feeling settled into Glynnwood, including getting the mouse issue under control :) There's a lot of mice who have made this their home. Yep.It's fun living here. Much less creepy than you'd think. And it's beautiful!

Yay! I passed! I'm an RD!

EDIT: I just have to add to this one since Charlie already made crazy eyes at me for posting so much today. I'm just really happy right now.

I cleaned out the broom closet and front-entry-way dresser today. 

We put up more fall decorations, including a lovely fall wreath on the front door.

I blogged for the first time in a looong time (obviously).

I dug out an amazing old piece of art (huge.) from the attic. and hung it up. And it's amazing.

I made a corgi craft!! I'll post pictures later. Once Charlie figures out how to hang it.

Charlie also finished making our towl rack hanger for the bathroom.

it's just been such a lovely, productive day! 

(And I'm an RD :))

and Hello Louisiana!

Charlie was a packing-rock star. We had to stop a few times to readjust on the way home, but it was pretty amazing how he loaded everything up into an open trailer! 

Home, sweet home! We're both pretty humbled to be living here.

Morning views from our bedroom. Wow.

Rufus is adjusting pretty well to outdoor living. We are both amazed at how well he's doing... and really puzzled. Every once in a while he leaves (if he hasn't seen us for a while) and runs down the middle of the road to Charlie's parents' house. I guess looking for us? He's going to get hurt if he doesn't learn he can't stand in the middle of the road!!

amazing!!

Just in time for sugar-cane harvest

The courtyard

The ponds are filling up!

We've been thrown right back into the swing of things! Including birthday parties and showers! It's kind of fun knowing people again :)

County livin'

Punkin LOVES the banana trees!

The beginnings of Charlie's garden

Pop-Pop's birthday! 

A panoramic view of our bedroom! (from the bed)

Farewell, Minnesota.

During our last few weeks in Minnesota, we went to a St. Paul Saint's baseball game. 

It was a good time--probably mostly because we went with our friends Jess and Ryan. And we found good seats. That we may or may not have stolen. No one was sitting there! 

Poor Pernkie. Charlie was training her for Grand Isle. 

On our ACTUAL anniversary (not our trip to SD), Charlie took me to my absolutely favorite place in the Twin Cities. 

I'm not sure why I love it so much. Maybe it's the atmosphere of the park which is nestled in the big cities. Maybe it's the incredible people watching. Maybe it's the nostalgia from coming here as a child. Whatever it is, I'm always happy to visit this park. 

As part-two for our anniversary, we decided to borrow? a few succulents from the green house at the park. We planted them and brought them back to Louisiana with us. They have since expired :( 

4 Great years with this man. Here's to 80 more!

Charlie was just a -little- excited about counting down our last month up north

Our last weekend in town we went to the Minnesota State fair with our best friends from church. The state fair is kiiiiind of a huge deal here. 

Bye bye Minnesota house. This was our lovely living room

And our lovely kitchen. 

It's still hard for me to believe that our two-year Minnesota adventure is already over. It was invaluable. Irreplaceable. Memorable. Yes.

Duluth (July 27th)

This was a true highlight of our last Minnesota summer. We headed up to North-east Minnesota to a cute little town nestled against Lake Superior. It's cold up there. It was about 50 degrees at the end of July. We were kiiiiiind of freezing. But it was also magical. 

Lake Superior--we took a little road that follows the "lake" up to a little town called Two Harbors. 

Just past Two Harbors is a state park called Gooseberry Falls. It's amazing! 

It was cold and raining. But the park was packed with visitors! 

Then we rode back down to Duluth. We rode to the top of the city to get this view of the lake. It's pretty awesome. 

The wind was blowing about 30mph and it was raining and 50 degrees. I couldn't keep my eyes open! haha

We originally went to Duluth to go to the Tall Ships festival--but we were having so much fun walking around Duluth (and at Gooseberry Falls) that we decided to just look from afar and enjoy our day there doing other things. 

We ended our day at a true dive featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives--we thought we definitely had the wrong place, but the food was amazing! Charlie got his first (and possibly last?) taste of hash. I'm suddenly feeling like that's the wrong word. Breakfast hash? Corned beef hash? Whatever.

a few from the hospital...

This was how I started my rotation--nervous, scared, insecure. I was working at a 500 bed hospital just outside of Minneapolis. 

I stole this from my week of working with eating disorders. Which was pretty amazing. 

These two lovely ladies were diet techs. They were both SO KIND and helped me out with all sorts of things I didn't know how to do. I was very thankful to get to know both of them. 

These were a few of the RDs I worked with. They were all pretty amazing! 

The campus I worked on was beautiful. I believe this little garden was designed for patients to have a place to rest and find a little outdoor peace. 

And this was on the last day! I learned SO MUCH and became a fairly competent and confident RD! It was a great experience! 

Flash-back South Dakota Trip Aug 2-4th

Charlie and I decided on a whim to go on an anniversary trip to South Dakota to see Mt. Rushmore and some of the beautiful state parks out there. Imean--when will we ever ONLY live 10 hours from Mt. Rushmore?! So we loaded up the dogs one day after I got off from the hospital, and set out.

He loves road trips.

This was at needles state park. There are some amazing rock formations--we could drive through this piece of mountain!

The first night we stayed at the capitol--Pierre, SD. The second night, we camped at Custer state park.

Here we are at our campsite. We cooked ho-bos (chopped onion and bell pepper) and a baked potato for me, and home-made Minnesota hot dogs for Charlie. It was quite good!

We found huge fields of sunflowers. They were amazing.

Mt. Rushmore

Proof we were there?

It's a pretty amazing view!

Charlie found the Louisiana flag 

The highlight of the trip was a (Very) early morning ride down the wildlife loop at Custer State Park. It was incredible. It was slightly misting, and very foggy--and there was wilflife out everywhere we looked. 

We screamed when we saw the first buffalo....

Then we kept seeing them! It was incredible. 

I'm married to a 13 year old boy. He took this one. 

This was on our way home through the badlands.

It was an amazing trip. Even though we spent more time in the car than out, it was a memorable trip we'll never forget!