Hold them tight...

This is going to be a depressing post, just a warning. Much like this one last year, so again.... I don't want to kill anyone's buzz... read on at your own risk.

Sometimes life just stinks. No worries, all is great here (with us). I'm referring to the never-ending battle and up's and down's of infertility and infant loss. Once again I am reminded of how fragile hope can be, how quickly it can be squashed, and how never-ending this painful journey can feel. A friend of mine (fellow Endo sufferer) just lost her baby. This after years of infertility, several miscarriages (one just earlier this year) and multiple rounds of IVF. This was supposed to be it... the "sticky one" (as we refer to BFP's that hang on) the one that made it. She was well into her 2nd trimester, past the danger zone... her baby a boy. Then, just a few days before Thanksgiving, baby Wyatt passed and she was induced to deliver her teeny tiny angel. A few days later, as if by some cruel joke, she started lactating. Now, a week later, she's found out part of the placenta was left behind and is having to take some medication to expel it, otherwise it will mean another surgery... of which she's already had plenty this year. When is enough, enough?

I know that we are sent here to be tried and tested and that we'll never be given more than we can handle. Sometimes however, I marvel at the amount of pain one is called to endure. After all that... and still no baby to hold. I can't even begin to comprehend her suffering, and I've had my fair share these past 4 years since we decided to try and start a family. My heart aches for her and her dear hubby. Things like this make me wonder if this is what awaits me if and when we finally conceive. How do you get back up from that? I don't know how I would.

I have no children to hug tonight, but those of you who do, hold them close and remember that even when they're driving you bonkers, keeping you awake all night, and making you want to rip your hair out... they are the hugest blessing one could ever ask for and they're all yours forever. You are rich beyond all imagination, my friends.

How's THIS for a stocking stuffer?!?!

Just when you thought it couldn't get better...

SpookyDan does it again! Here is his New Moon puppet parody:




Also, just in case you didn't catch his Twilight one last year (or you want to watch it again!) here's that one as well:

It's that time again!

What time, you ask? Why, the most wonderful time of the year... Christmas time!!! And what's Christmas time without the coolest song ever??? As per usual, here is a link to my original post regarding the awesomeness that is my favorite Christmas song.

And in case you don't feel like clicking or the link doesn't work (or whatever, but mostly because I love posting this video) here it is!


Enjoy!

And this is why...

... we don't get the pups stuffed chew toys very often. Behold the carnage after 30 seconds...

The culprit?

Real or fake, Sirius still can't stand these furry little woodland creatures and will not rest until he guts them. We had to take it away or it won't last the night! :)

Totally random and useless info

Catherine Zeta-Jones is Welch/Irish. She is not Hispanic in any way, shape, or form. I did not know that until today and was flabbergasted when I found out. She doesn't look it. Anyway, not that anyone cares, but it was news to me! And now you all know too, if you didn't before, that is.

Thanks Ava! :)

Refreakindiculously Fantabulous... Part 2!

(One of my favorite scenes)

Ok, so now that I'm rested and refreshed I can do this properly!

Last night was SO much fun! Ben and I went with one of my friends from work and her hubby. We saw Twilight at 9 and then stayed in the same theater for New Moon at midnight. I'm so glad we did the double movie thing because when we got there at 8:15 the line to get into the theater for the midnight showing of NM was all the way outside. Our theater is on the bottom floor of a big mall, so it spanned from one end of the mall to the other, up the stairs and then across the whole mall again and out the front entrances. Absolute pandemonium... again, SO glad we did the 2 movie thing because we just got to bi-pass the ginormous line and walk straight into the theater and to our seats. Phew!

Now, the movie: No worries, I'll keep it very general, sans spoilers!

W-O-W... Total night and day difference from Twilight. A gazillion trillion quintillion times better! I was afraid for this one because so much of Bella's anguish (central to the plot-line) is in her head so I wasn't sure how it was going to translate to the screen... especially the "October... November... December...January" part. It was absolutely perfect! They did such a great job at staying SO true to the book! Scene after scene I was surprised by all the stuff I thought they'd leave out but they didn't. The dialogue was word for word in about 90% of the movie, with the occasional funnies from some characters. Oh! Can I just say that Alice rocks!!!! By far some of the funniest stuff comes from her. Charlie steals the show again as well. Oh it was just all sorts of wonderful! Even Jacob, whom I tend to just barely tolerate (albeit grudgingly) wormed his way into my heart this time. Oh and Aro... WOW, absolutely spot on!

There were a few things that were odd and didn't work for me. Alice's wardrobe for one... um, what was that? Also her vision that she shows Aro to convince him that Bella will be turned. THAT was hilarious, even though it wasn't supposed to be... again, the wardrobe... and the frolicking... heehee. I have to say though, Sparkly Bella made me really excited for Breaking Dawn, she will be breathtaking! (Well, as long as they don't dress her in that stupid little frock she had on! I'd post a picture but it's funnier to experience it for yourself!) Also, Bella's screams during the nightmares... uh, she sounds more like a pig being slaughtered than anything else. :P

While there were just a tiny few deviations from the book and a couple of raised eyebrow moments, none of them were all that crazy, and they all flowed together with everything else just fine. I normally get hung up on those, but it's so minor this time that I'm cool with it. Now I need to figure out when I'm going to go see it again! Ben won't come along this time though, lol. Poor guy, what a trooper!

Refreakindiculously Fantabulous!!!!

Just got home, still in shock! Gotta get to bed, more to come tomorrow... or I guess that would be later on today. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, it was soooooooooooooooooooo GREAT!!!!

Over and out!

Foley Fun!

I got to assist with the placement of a Foley (catheter) last night!!! I actually didn't do all that much (gathered supplies, positioned the patient, and handed the nurse stuff) but it was fun watching and listening as she talked me through what she was doing. It will be a while before I actually get to do these myself, but last night was an exciting preview!

As I was standing there sweating in my isolation gown, gloves, and mask I suddenly felt awful for surgeons... those things are HOT! No wonder OR's are kept so cold!!! It didn't help that this patient's room was already being kept at like 85* already! Ahhh!!!

PS> 1 MORE DAY!!! :)

Brrr...

It's cold outside. It finally feels like November! I got a cherry hot chocolate this morning on my way to class and it made me giddy. I'm sure the cold will get old pretty soon, but for now I like this hot-chocolate, fuzzy socks, and snuggy weather!

PS> 3 DAYS LEFT!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhh!!! :O

Integris, here I come!!!

I GOT THE JOB!!! I got the job! I got the job! I got the jooooooooooooooooooooob!!! :) I would be doing cartwheels right now if it weren't for the fact that I'd for sure hurt myself, and that would be a bad way to start this job!

I got a call today from HR and they offered me the position, contingent on passing the physical, TB & drugs tests, computer assessment, etc etc. No worries on those though, the hard part is over since I was up against others that actually had experience, phew!!!

I am beyond ecstatic and just plain ol' grateful I even made it to the interview!!! I was trying to get there early so I left the house @ 12:30 (interview was at 1PM and I live 5 minutes away from Baptist) and in my rush to get out, I LOCKED MYSELF OUT OF HOUSE AND CAR!!! I flipped! Then I started calling Kathleen and Ben's parents to see if they could help (but they were on their way to the airport and didn't have spare keys b/c we recently replaced the locks and forgot to give them a copy, argh!) so then I kept trying Ben (whose phones were not being answered, both work and cell) and just when I was about to give up and call my interviewer and plead for mercy and an extension, Ben called me back, took PTU, and rushed home to take me! I got there at 12:58 and ran like the dickens while people stared at me and quickly got out of my way. Luckily my charge nurse/interviewer was running a little late himself, so I still beat him there, PHEW!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! I am just so so SO happy!

W-O-W

Just... WOW.

Kseniya Simonova is a Ukrainian artist who just won Ukraine's version of "America's Got Talent." She uses a giant light box, dramatic music, imagination and "sand painting" skills to interpret Germany's invasion and occupation of Ukraine during WWII.