I'm really bad at this

Turns out, I am pretty terrible at keeping up with blogging. To my 4 readers- I apologize for being MIA the past 8 months. Thankfully, I am better at updating Facebook so you shouldn't be too terribly lost. Nursing school is going well. It's so crazy to think that I only have 3 months left. It seems like just yesterday I was kicking and screaming about moving to Galveston. Now, I am actually going to be sad to leave this place. My last semester started this past week and with it came so many questions and emotions. Questions such as: Where should I apply? Do I want to start out in ICU? Where will I live? How should I study for my licensure exam? I was also very pleasantly surprised to find out that my last hospital rotation of nursing school is going to be at Texas Children's in Houston. I am ecstatic to get the opportunity to work at one of the best children's hospitals in the country. This semester is going to go by incredibly fast. Hopefully I will get the chance to give a more thorough update on my shenanigans in a couple of weeks. Until then, I will leave you with a painting I made for my sister for Christmas. It is such a great reminder to enjoy life. It was also my very first painting ever. Definitely won't be my last :)

Toodles,
Alyssa

Procrastination at its finest

Sooo...I think I mentioned in my last blog that I am taking summer classes. Right now, I am only in one class (Pediatrics), which is 100 times better than taking 4 classes at a time. However, staying true to the procrastinator in me, I took on a home project instead of studying which is what I should be doing. Now, just to clarify- I am a very amateur DIY (do it yourself) projector...and yes, I know projector in this form is not a word. I really enjoy following crafting blogs and always have an idea for a project in my head. Unfortunately, nursing school rarely allows either the money or the time for such things.

When I moved into my apartment, somehow in all the crazyness of moving all of my belongings to the 3rd floor this happened....

I was quite sad to discover the shelf of my inexpensive beautiful coffee table had a huge ugly scratch on it.

So now, after almost a year of my shelf chillin in my closet, I finally fixed it up a little with the help of Mod Podge and some scrap book paper. All in all it only cost about $2 to complete since I already had the Mod Podge. You can't beat that!

There! Isn't that much better? I absolutely love it. Now back to the real world of studying. Toodles! P.S. stay tuned for another project from a garage sale steal  =)

Alyssa

Energizer Bunny

Be still and know that I am God

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord

The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.

I read these verses over and over again and yet it seems they never stick. I am not a naturally still person. I love to be moving and busy. I love adventures and pursuing the things that make me happy. Still is boring to me. Yet, over the past few months God is continuously calling me to slow down, to even stop, and simply focus on Him.

Sorry I haven't written in oh...months. Nursing school along with life itself has kept me pretty busy lately. It is so hard to believe that in just 3 weeks I will have finished my first year of nursing school. I will be halfway done. Insane! With a 16 hour class load on top of 15 hours of clinical a week, sometimes it is hard to just stop and focus on God. The past few months have been nothing short of a painful, refining period. I have been joyful, broken, exhausted, hopeful, and about 30 other emotions. God is slowly but surely getting me to the point where I am not kicking and screaming at the thought of being in Galveston. I am getting to know more people and finally beginning to see that this is the place I am supposed to be.

Today I went to Sagemont Church in Houston and I think it may be the church God is calling me to . Praise Jesus! Looking at church after church was exhausting. So exhausting that I'd actually given up and simply slept in on Sundays. I'd become so focused on the church that I lost sight of my Creator and seeking him.

School is going well- I am considering taking classes this summer in order to lighten my load for the Fall and Spring. Sorry this was short-I truly am going to try and write again soon and not wait 4 months to do so. Hope everyone is well!

Alyssa

Long time comin'

Whew! It has taken me FOREVER to finally write my first post...but alas- here it is! Although there will probably be a grand total of 3 people who end up reading this, I wanted a place where I could write out all my crazy adventures and keep everyone updated on my life. As all 3 of you reading probably know, I am currently in my first semester of nursing school. I have officially been a nursing student for 3 months. If you have been wondering why you hardly ever hear from me anymore, this is why. The past few months have been both a whirlwind and dragging at the same time. In the course of 90 days I have been taken away from my friends, my family, my beloved College Station, my wonderful church family (both of them) and anything resembling a social life. Just a fair warning if you are reading this: this is not going to be my most upbeat post. Today was a hard day. Do you ever feel just completely out of place? Lately, that is how I feel. I not only literally live on an island but I feel like I'm on my own personal island. When I first felt God calling me to move to Galveston, I wanted to flee. In fact, I kind of did flee. I was determined to do everything I could to stay in my happy little Christian College Station bubble. I liked my bubble. I was happy in my bubble. Yet I knew in my heart that whatever God had for me in Galveston would be immeasurably more than my bubble. I knew that as scary as moving further away and starting what would no doubt be a very difficult program was, God had me covered. So I'm here, waiting. Waiting on the Lord to show me why I am here. School is hard. Taking care of patient after patient with cancer has been one of the hardest things I've ever done. Not having a home church is discouraging. There are days when the tears just seem endless. But, I know that God is right here next to me through it all. Even when I am frustrated. Even when I feel like I don't fit in. Through every emotion I have experienced in nursing school this far, God has been right with me. So, that's all for now. Like I said, this is not my most cheerful post. There are about a million other things I want to share-now worries, those will come later. Hopefully it will not take me 2 months to write again!
Til next time,
Alyssa