My Mother

Happy Mother's Day to my one and only Mom.  This post is a tribute to her and to thank her for being my mom and everything she has done for me in my life.  Thank you mom for carrying me for 9 months and giving birth to me (and 3 other children!).  I will never know the sacrifice your and your body made until I have children of my own.  When that day comes I hope I can be half the mother you were to me.  My mom worked very hard in the house and outside the house.  Not only did she work several days a week as a nurse she maintained a home.  For as long as I can remember we had a huge garden.  My mom spent countless hours out there to provide home grown, nurturing food to fill our bodies.  While I probably grumbled many a times about helping pull the weeds and snapping those green beans, I am thankful.  We always had a home cooked meal on the table even if my mom had to work that night.  My mom is a wonderful cook and I look forward to eating her home cooked food (especially the rolls) whenever we travel to Iowa. 

My mom supported me in all my endeavors throughout school.  She supported, encouraged, and sometimes nagged me about the piano.  Without that nagging to practice though, I wouldn't have accomplished what I did.  She made it to almost all of my cross country and track meets, cheering for me all the while.  I always had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with Gatorade and a granola bar thanks to my mom.  She sat in the stands and iced my legs when my shin splints were so bad.  She held my hand while I cried as I found out I had compartment syndrome.  My mom always encouraged me to do my best at everything and work hard.  

Thanks to my mom for being the role model I needed to become the nurse I am today.  Thank you for supporting me through nursing school when things were really really hard.  One day my mom came over to our apartment and cleaned and did dishes so I could study for a test.  Thanks Mom.  She was the first person I called when I found out I passed my boards and the first person I called when I had my first patient death.  She celebrated with me and cried with me.  

My mom is strong and loving.  She loves her son in law like a son.  My mom has a heart for Christ.  

Thank you mom for being my mother.  Thank you for raising me to have a relationship with Christ.  We've had our differences but like dad always told me - we are more alike than different.  Thank you for loving me and showing me that love.  Happy Mother's Day Mom.    

A little of this and a little of that

I think summer has officially arrived here and we skipped spring weather all together.  Brett and I were commenting today how we only had one or two fires in the backyard this spring because it was either too cold, or now too hot.  It is currently 89 degrees and sunny.  Brett got up this morning and went golfing.  I was awake from 3-6 so I just slept in a little longer.  When he got home we went and ate lunch then ventured out to this produce place I saw advertised online.  They have local produce from farmers and then quite a big green house as well.  We got 3 peaches (which smelled wonderful!!) and some flowers for the front flower box and a hanging basket.  The house already had a little metal hanging spot on the front - I have just never used it yet!  I still need to get some flowers for a couple pots on the back deck.  My goal is to keep them alive this year!  The lady at the green house helped us pick out some good flowers and told me just to keep them wet.  It apparently isn't good to let them get dry and then try to over compensate by watering them a bunch.  I think that happened last year to my petunias in the front box.  Whoops.  I don't have as green of a thumb as my mom does.  Brett has one final exam this week and then he is done with classes!  This summer will be spent on research and teaching 1 lab as well as going to Korea for a week.  I will still be working at the hospital 3 nights a week but will hopefully be transitioning to the new unit in June!  I am going to be working on the PCU (progressive care unit) which is the Neuro unit and then higher acuity (more sick, etc) patients.  I am looking forward to something different as I feel like I am starting to get bored sometimes at work.  Hopefully it is a good experience and I don't hate it! 

At the end of this month we will celebrate 5 years of marriage.  Craziness!!!  We both can't believe it has been that long and look forward to many many more years together.  We will be going to Laura's graduation from college that day and then flying out the next day to North Carolina for a relaxing vacation on the beach and hanging out with our friends Megan and Josh. SO EXCITED for this vacation!!!

------ and now we are back after a little break and a trip to Menards -----

Turns out Brett didn't like the front box planter.  He ended up taking it all down and we bought some wood at Menards and had paint matched to put up a new one.  My flowers won't get planted tonight then but I still took pictures to share anyway.  

The pie was delicious.  :)