We are finally getting to the point we don't have a major freakout every time there's a thunderstorm warning. This hail was from a storm that passed through today. We're still having a little trouble with tornado warnings, but we're getting better. I think a lot about the fact that last year, during the tornado outbreak, we left town and returned to a lot of damage and destruction, but our house was ok. Had we stayed in town, we would have probably peed our pants but we would've survived. While I'm thankful we didn't have to see and hear that F4 tornado in person, I wonder if I robbed God of an opportunity to strengthen my faith by taking matters into my own hands.

Nothing Major Happened, But.......

Sometimes I wonder if this statement is true.... for instance, when I expect a presidential election to be less slanderous than it was four years ago, or when I expect someone's ex to not act silly, or when I get on facebook and expect people to not be seeking attention. It's all good though.

Dresser Makeover

My mom and dad repainted Lydia's brown dresser a bright pink color.

Sherwin Williams Feverish Pink - It's brighter than it appears in this picture. Flowers are from the Dollar Store with some scrap fabric filling the vase.

You're probably familiar with the Ryan Gosling Hey Girl meme that became so popular awhile back? I didn't know there was a Hunger Games version.

SOURCE

Warmth

It was finally warm enough to have coffee on the front porch this morning.

Within 5 minutes of my parents arriving from Illinois....

They were like little oompa-loompas, carrying furniture out and painting and fixing up Lydia's room.

Miscellaneous Pictures

Lydia and Beth pre-Hunger Games

At the Apison post office....random puppies

Pretty mornings are a speciality around here.

My friend's little horse

A nearby house that looks like it belongs in Malibu not Chattanooga.

Not going to lie to you...I'm dreading the midnight premier of the Hunger Games tonight. Dreading it.

Things like this, where you're competing with other people for good seats, or a toilet, or the last straw at the concession stand really stress me out.

Payless

Noticed that Payless has a nifty little collection of t-strap sandals this spring.

Ruche Wedding

One of my favorite stores just unveiled their bridal line yesterday.

Ruche Bridal

Hunger Games Inspired Meal

chicken with creamy white rice and oranges, blackberry cobbler, loaf of bread

I used a rotisserie chicken from the deli. The rice was made with cream of mushroom soup, white rice, a little sour cream, garlic powder, salt and pepper. The bread was store bought. I used a cherry cobbler mix for the blackberry cobbler and just substituted canned blackberries for cherries.

Random Pinterest Stuff

Browsed pinterest for a couple minutes tonight. I know you think I'm lying because nobody gets on pinterest for just a couple of minutes. In the grand scheme of things, compared to my average usage and YOU'RE average usage, it really was just a couple minutes.

and I was in a really weird mood.

and I ran and got my keys, thinking "This is the easiest pinterest project ever! I can definitely do this one!" Well, guess again, because I lost interest while the first side was drying so they're sitting there scattered on my table half painted.

If you are important to someone, they'll show you.

Downtown Chattanooga

Lydia and I spent the evening downtown last night, first visiting the delicious Hot Chocolatier and then seeing Mousehunt at the Chattanooga Theater Center.

Tiramisu in a little chocolate bowl

Wish someone would open a pie shoppe here in Chattanooga.

5am
Here I am
Walking the block
To TableTalk
You could cry or die
Or just make pies all day
I'm making pies
Making pies
Making pies
Making pies

Unique DIY from Free People

These lanterns would be perfect for home, photoshoots, nurseries, etc. Tutorial can be found here.

I owe my CNA instructors a LOT, especially because of how they fostered a sense of humor in us about what we would see once we were actually working. It's why I notice and appreciate the moments when:
The patient with memory loss says the last year he can remember is 2004....no wait....2007.

The sweet little old lady with a closet full of sparkly shoes and hair extensions lets a swear word fly.

When two ladies in wheelchairs will not move for each other in the hallway, resulting in them both
sitting and staring at each other.

When I walk past a room and see that a patient is confused and thinks he's in his room when he's not, and begins to throw all the belongings of the actual resident into the hallway.

When the same patient tells me she's a baptist each time I enter her room.

When my blind patient insists I feed her even though she can feed herself.

When the sweetest elderly lady in the world gets agitated at sundown and insists someone is under her bed and I bend down to check for the umpteenth time.

Despite the fact that this list makes it sound like nursing home residents are hard to deal with, it's not really true. They're in a weird space of reality. They aren't children. They observe many of the conventions of adulthood. They tell me to be careful when I leave at night. They grin at me constantly. They tell me how to best care for them. They wish me success. They love each other. They learn to communicate in ways other than speech. They have adapted to many changes and losses and I admire them GREATLY for that. Imagine waking up somewhere and not knowing anyone..not knowing where you are and why you aren't at home. Would you be consolable? I don't think I would be. I think I'd throw a fit every day until I fell into exhausted sleep, yet these people accept their reality when I tell them my name and where they are. They put up with a constant stream of different people doing all sorts of undignified things to them. Yet they smile. They ask about my life. They say it's good to meet me. They aren't just old people. They are grace personified.

You Know You're A CNA When....

In honor of my first day of clinicals:

You Know You're A CNA When....

You've told a confused patient that your name was that of your coworker and to holler if they need help.

You believe that unspeakable evils will befall you if the phrase, "wow, it is really quiet" is uttered.

You are the only one at the dinner table NOT allowed to talk about your day at work

You would like to meet the inventor of the call light some night in a dark alley.

You have seen more moons than the Hubbell telescope

you have no issue undressing others or yourself in public--only to then realize that it's not normal to the rest of society.

...even that resident who cusses you out every time you perform his/her ADL's finds a permanent soft spot in your heart.

...you learn to replace sadness and disappointment with a twisted sense of humor that your coworkers often mistake for innocent joy.

You're always aware of how much you drank and it's always in cc's

while shopping an alarm goes off and you immediatly think of which resident just tried to stand up on their own.

Got to spend a little extra time with the short stack today.

We stopped in Ringgold (GA) on the way to a friend's house and took some pictures at this old feed store.

I'm really loving how Target ups the ante each season, especially among their shoes.