Hold me when I’m here, love me when I’m wrong, hold me when I’m scared, and love me when I’m gone. - 3 Doors Down, When I’m Gone

Isn't Patton the cutest? I just had to put my baby on here first. Seriously. Sickening. Too cute.

May 20th, Jim and kristi came up to visit! They had never been to DC and thankfully, after living here almost 3 years, I've got the tour down! Here are quick pics of most of what we saw. I have 4 albums on facebook that cover it all...

Started at Union station.
Passed by the Senate Houses
Stopped at the Supreme Court


Spent a lot of time at one of my fav's: The Library of Congress
Walked around the Capitol


Observed the Smithsonian American Indian Museum
Another Smithsonian. The modern and classic Art Museums
Smithsonian Natural History and Science Museum
Old Post Office Pavilion

Navy Memorial

Another favorite! National Archives
I couldn't find a good pic for the next one...the American History Museum
Walked around the National Mall
Ahhhh....the tidal basin. I love it.
Jefferson Memorial. So beautiful.
Sketching...
The Roosevelt Memorial
Lincoln Memorial

WWII memorial. We even waded our feet in on the hot day. It was very nice. Pretty social gathering.
Ford's theater, where Lincoln was shot.
Portrait gallery in Chinatown
Oh, yes. Matchbox. I shared my beloved restaurant with Jim and Kristi and they were in Heaven.
The Building Museum
I had an amazing time with them. Also, smoking some hookah and relaxing on my balcony.


Then, off to Colorado to commission Shawn and watch him graduate from the Air Force Academy!

Look at this: This is the Garden of the Gods. Beautiful area where Shawn would go rock climbing, etc.
No sad face....this is the academy's chapel
Commissioning Shawn!
Shawn and the folks!


Graduation
Shawn walking up to the stage after his name was called. He got to salute and shake hands with Joe Biden (who did the speech).
Thunderbirds did a crazy, sweet show after graduation.


Pfewww. It's been fun. Then, after I got home, went to spend some time in Baltimore with Tanya and Phil for my bday. We went to Medieval Times and then Howl at the Moon (a rockin piano bar). It's been fun. I'm so glad it's summer. I've laid out by my pool, which is very nice. Getting a nice tan already. Life is so much more fun when the sun is out.

Vacations and shopping sprees, these are a few of her favorite things. - Good Charlotte, Boys And Girls

I start leave tomorrow night! I'm picking Jim and Kristi up at the airport! Man, I miss those two. They haven't been up here to visit in DC and I'm sooo excited. So many things to show them! I know I won't get everything. There is just too much, but I'll get the good stuff.

This week has been tiring. Three doc appts, including one filling at the dentist that was supposed to be small, but almost ended up as a root canal. It was in the very back left top of my mouth so they had a hard time getting to it. I'm still sore.

Patton seems to be high after licking my foot lotion off.....such a strange cat.

Tonight at small group we discussed our spiritual gifts. It really reminded me as to why I am a nurse. My top two were Mercy and Leadership. I tied those two. Then, it was hospitable. I love taking care of people when they are sick and can't take care of themselves, but I wish I would remember to share God's love more. I did that one week. We had our missions month and I really thought about being more vocal with my faith and had some great discussions with patients and their families. I've really been blessed with this small group. I am not going to want to leave them this fall. I've really grown a LOT in my spiritual walk since I started going there. I don't think I've been this strong in my walk in years. It's such a great feeling.

Anywho, gotta get sleep so I can run errands tomorrow before work and then pick up Jim and Kristi!

By keeping her heart protected, she'll never ever feel rejected. - Kelly Clarkson, Miss Independent

Reasons I got a cat:
-I don't feel like "walking" it
-it doesn't cry at night
-I don't have to sit and feed it
-No dirty diapers
-No picking up poop in general
-auto litter box. auto food bowl. nothing to do.
-soft, cuddly. gives me love when I want it, but doesn't bug me and demand time.

Now, since I got my patio furniture and I've spent every evening outside, Patton has been so clingy and needy! The second I walk in, he won't leave me alone until I open my patio door, then he will walk out and look back to see if I join him. If not, he will come back in and follow me all over until I go out and sit with him and brush him, etc.

I picked him up today by his front legs and looked at him eye to eye and told him this is exactly why I don't want children or a dog right now! He's supposed to be independent enough that I don't have to go out of my way to play with him, but when I do want him, he's there. What happens when your cat becomes co-dependent? I didn't think it could happen.

I guess it's kinda cute. Now that I have the wire up on my balcony so Patton can't get between the bars, I feel much better leaving him out there and not watching him.

I try and leave the windows open while I'm gone so he can watch the birds. Maybe I need to get some catnip plants for him to chew on. It's kinda like cat prozac. I need the cat whisperer. Maybe take him to a kitty shrink? Hmm.

Other news: check out my facebook photo albums. I had a great time this weekend. Nurses cruise on the Potomac, hung out in Bethesda and then Baltimore.

I'll spend my mornings at the sunshine café. - Pete Townshend, Brilliant Blues

Again, patton being the judge and model, I think I chose well!

Tanya and I got out of class early today, so we took the long trek to sterling, virginia to go to the one store in the area that had this set! I'm so happy. I sat out there with patton for a few hours watching the birds, talkin on the phone and enjoying sun after monsoon week, dc style.

Tomorrow is our nurse brunch/cruise on the potomac! Pictures to follow!
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Happy Nurses Week!

This is my last nurses video for the National Naval Medical Center's nurse's week.....it was my third year doing it. I wonder who will get the honor after I leave! hahaha. Sucker!

No, I really had fun with this one because I made it a WWII theme and found some cute songs.



This week I'm in the wound/ostomy care class. It's so interesting. We have people from all sorts of commands and branches of the military and VA systems. It's great to hear all different aspects of wound care. War time/traumatic, chronic diabetic, ostomies, fistulas, products, research, the latest and greatest in wound care, bed selection, etc! I know. I'm such a dork. I wish I had this info when I had been on our med/surg floor!

I'm having a blast. It doesn't hurt that Tanya's taking it too. :) I have a buddy in class with me. It makes me want to go back for my master's.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

I have a pillow out on my patio until I get around to buying patio furniture. Patton likes to go out and knows the routine. I brush him and he watches the birds and lays in the sun. I'm so glad I got an apartment with a balcony!

The courtyard looks better green!

Hot child in the city, running wild and looking and pretty. - Nick Gilder, Hot Child In The City

This was at the corner market in greenville, dallas. They had dublin dr pepper and amazing food!

Small things are big, huge things are small, tiny acts have huge effects, everything counts, nothing is lost. - Project Pitchfork, Alpha Omega

Old Cowboys stadium in Irving. Yuck. Nasty roof. Bad design...there was a hole in the roof. There was no air conditioning because it wasn't closed, but it would trap the heat in...so it was always crazy hot!

New cowboys stadium in Arlington!!! Woo hoo! Dude. This place is MASSIVE. Beautiful, too.

These are just some random shots of downtown while riding with Courtney. I think Dallas is so pretty. I spent some quality time with Courtney and Shelley. I haven't seen either of them in almost a year. Way too long. I wish we could do this every weekend. They showed me some cute places in Dallas. We sat outside and enjoyed coffee, sun and good friends. I miss Texas.

Just look at this skyline...

I don't have pictures of Fort Worth this time. Everyone I know now lives here in Arlington or the Dallas side. We did stop by the Main Street Arts Festival in Sundance Square in Fort Worth, but my legs really hurt so I went home to ice and rest.

That was the beginning of the trip. It was weird. Today, I didn't even think about the fact that I had surgery almost 3 weeks ago. This was the first day, I hopped out of bed and was walking around and didn't even notice pain. They still feel "tight" and I can't move certain ways because of that, but no real pain anymore! It's been getting better and better every day. Thank you, Lord!

Going back home to DC tomorrow. Mixed feelings about that, but less sad than I have been in the past. I miss my friends in Maryland. They are good people. At least, I know I will be moving to Jacksonville in October and that makes it easier to go back too. I won't be there too long. I'm just not happy on my floor. I'm not challenged. I don't like the kind of work. Monotonous. It's all checklists, but no real "bedside" nursing. Ah well. This all makes me well rounded, right?? haha.