"You Know You're a Nurse When...."

Ok, I didn't come up with these but received it as a forwarded email. I laughed sooooo hard!

You know you're a nurse when..

1) the front of your scrubs reads "Nurses... here to save your ass, not kiss it!"
2) you occasionally park in the space with the "physicians only" sign...and knock it over.
3) you believe some patients are alive only because it's illegal to kill them.
4) you recognize that you can't cure stupid.
5) you own at least three pens with the names of prescription medications on them.
6) you believe there's a special place in hell for the inventor of thecall light.
7) you believe that saying "it can't get any worse" causes it to get worse just to show you it can.
8) you wash your hands BEFORE you go to the bathroom.
9) you believe that any job where you can drive to work in your pajamas is a cool one.
10) you consider a tongue depressor an eating utensil.
11) eating microwave popcorn out of a clean bedpan is perfectly natural.
12) you've been exposed to so many x-rays that you consider it a form of birth control.
13) you've ever heard a patient with a nose ring, a brow ring, and twelve earrings say "I'm afraid of shots."
14) you've ever placed a bet on someone's blood alcohol level.
15) you've told a confused patient that your name is that of a coworker and to call if they need help.
16) your bladder can expand to the size of a winnebago's water tank.
17) you have seen more penises than any prostitute could dream of.
18) you believe that not all patients are annoying...some are unconscious.
19) your family and friends refuse to watch medical sitcoms with you because you spend the whole time correcting everyone and pointing out upside down x-rays.
20) you don't get excited about blood, unless it's your own.

My Backyard

It seems that I have built in nature reserve in my backyard. It has not been uncommon over the past 4 months to look out into the field right behind me and see 150+ geese bedded down. One day I looked out early in the morning and had four hunters and their decoys arrayed in the field. (They packed up at noon without shooting a thing.) And, just last week, I looked out expecting to see geese and there was a huge Bald eagle! The Lord has blessed me so much with little things that delight my heart.

"If a man set out from home on a journey and kept right on going, he would come back to his own front door." - Sir John Mandeville

Another Trip

Hehe, well, I am finally getting back to my blog. With another trip around the corner, I decided this is as good a time as any to get back in the habit of writing and posting my journal. I love reading other people’s blogs so I might as keep up on my own.

Yes, another trip is planned, this one happened rather suddenly - well kind of. In less than one month, I will be standing on African soil in Jinja, Uganda with my friends Paul and Pam Hunter of Next Generation Ministries . I have always dreamed of going to Africa, and I am more excited about this trip than any other I have been on. I will be gone for 3 weeks - long enough to experience life in Africa but not long enough that I have to make any major changes.

My heart has been stirring to go overseas again. Seems like about once a year I need to “go”. It brings me life and perspective. Lets see, I have gone somewhere every year since graduating from nursing school. Hawaii - 24, Turkey - 25, Singapore / Malaysia / Indonesia - 26, England - 27, AFRICA - 28!

Brian and Stephanie are flying back from 5 weeks in Uganda, so they will be able to “prep” me for my trip. I had originally wanted to go with them, but the timing just didn’t seem right. I knew that I would go someday, but I had no idea it would be so soon after they returned. I can’t say I have a “thus saith the Lord, you are going to Africa”, but I do have a peace and a confidence that He has put this in my heart and He is pleased for me to pursue it.

The Lord has spoken to me about this trip being marked with confidence and a peace in my identity as His daughter. Even now, I am not “second guessing” my decision to go, (like I have in the past). Yes, many of the dynamics are different, the plan is not so ambiguous as in times past, but ultimately I have a peace and abandonment that I haven’t had previously. More to come…….