August 2018

The Parrish family arrived for McKay's wedding.  It was so good to see them, they are so comfortable to be around - just like family.  We got to meet McKay's fiance, Annie.  She is a doll!  Mont, Marilyn, Maddie, and Marshall all stayed with us for the week, but their schedules were so varied that we never knew from one minute to the next who was in the house.

We were able to go to the temple with Annie and Maddie to take out their endowments.  What a special memory for them both.

McKay and Annie's wedding was beautiful.  They were sealed in the Brigham City temple.  Their reception was at her father's barn in Perry.  Mitch and Marshall provided entertainment by singing together.  It was awesome!  We ran into Cyn and her granddaughters at the reception and we had a great time catching up.

Fun tidbit:  when McKay was about 3 years old he used to pray every night that Kim would stop saying "bad" words and drinking "bad" soda (Dr. Pepper).  Unfortunately his prayers did not stop Kim's behavior but totally endeared McKay to us. McKay's favorite drink was orange soda and for his birthday and Christmas we always got him a 2-liter bottle.  Of course we had to celebrate his wedding by sharing the story and by giving him a bottle of orange soda.

It was so great having the Parrishes here, and in my opinion they left much too soon.

The annual trip to St. George and Tuacahn with the Woodlands was fabulous.  I feel so fortunate to hang out with Jody, Mickel, and Kristiann and attend the incredible productions at Tuacahn.  This year we chose to see only two of the main shows, Cinderella and Prince of Egypt, but we saw a side show of "Million Dollar Quartet".  I knew that I would enjoy Cinderella as it is one of my favs, and it did not disappoint.  I absolutely LOVED the Prince of Egypt.  I wasn't sure what to expect as I hadn't seen it before, it was absolutely marvelous.  I was especially impressed by the use of the landscape and water in the scene where he parts the red sea.  And oh my, the music was spectacular!

I had not heard of Million Dollar Quartet, but the Woodlands had all seen it before and told me that I would love it.  They were right, of course.  Here is the description from Tuacahn:

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET is the smash-hit musical inspired by the famed recording session that brought together rock 'n' roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for the first and only time. On December 4, 1956, these four young musicians gathered at Sun Records in Memphis for what would be one of the greatest jam sessions ever. MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET brings that legendary night to life, featuring a score of rock hits including "Blue Suede Shoes," "Fever," "That's All Right," "Sixteen Tons," "Great Balls of Fire," "Walk the Line," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," "Who Do You Love?," "Matchbox," "Folsom Prison Blues," "Hound Dog" and more! 

The talent of the singers impersonating Elvis, Johnny, Jerry Lee, and Carl was incredible!  Jerry Lee's character was almost out of control as he pounded on the piano from all sorts of contorted positions all while playing the music perfectly.  By the end of the show the entire audience was on their feet clapping, singing, and dancing to the music.  It was a great show!  One of my top favorites ever!

I got to get together with Toby and Kim for dinner, TWICE!  Oh my, we had such a fantastic visit!  We talked about anything and everything.  After the first night we decided we still had so much to talk about that we just had to meet again for the second night.  We re-lived the good old college days as well as empathetically listened as each of us shared trials and triumphs of our lives.  I can't wait to see them again.

Soon after I returned from St. George, we put Kim-Bob on a plane heading for San Diego to visit Tasha, Zane, and Ish.  Although I was jealous that I couldn't go with him, I was very glad that they got to spend some quality time together.

Here are some random pictures from that trip:

I had the great opportunity to teach this awesome class several times over the last 3 years.  I taught their first nursing class, Fundamentals, as well as Pharmacology II, Maternal/Newborn/Pediatrics, and their very last nursing capstone class.   They were the first nursing students to graduate from the Bachelor's Nursing program at the Layton campus.  I cared for them all as they grew in knowledge and skills and abilities.  Needless to say I am very proud of them!  Each one will serve the medical community as a caring and a competent nurse. Congratulation class LB1!

Left Back:  Allie, Cathy, Holly, Emily, Amiee, Richard
Center:  Jessica, Erica, Jamie
Front:  Nicole, Heidi, Jana

I have a love/hate association with graduation.  There are so many rules and pomp and circumstance, and there are a lot of speakers.  I never feel very excited to go.  However, once I am there and associating with so many people who are celebrating, I find myself getting caught up in the joy.  I love sharing the well-deserved accomplishments of the students.  They have all worked so hard to achieve the honor of graduating and I find that I usually have to fight off tears because I am so proud of them.  This year was especially wonderful because of the class that I mentioned above.  Also, I was elected to give the keynote speech.  What a great honor!

The awesome faculty I work with:
Front:  Doug, Toby, Amber, Carrie
Back:  Jamie, Dustin, Audrey, Tanja

Here is a copy of my speech:

• I am honored to be able to speak as we celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of these incredible students.  The amount of time and effort that they have put into the last 3 years is staggering.  In my association with these students, I have seen them struggle with mountains of homework, countless hours of studying.  I have learned of sacrifices they have made:
•  Sleepless nights before a new clinical, after working the night before class, or before a big assignment is due.  
• The crumbling of relationships of friends and family related to lack of time
• Hobbies and free time have been replaced with care plans and journals
•  I have seen them balance the pressures of school while trying to cope with major stresses in life: difficult pregnancies, mental and physical illness of family members, the death of a loved one, the loss of a job or housing. 
• I have seen them working full time while juggling literally hundreds of Prep U quizzes, graveyard clinicals, and learning thousands of new vocabulary terms and medications.
• I have seen feelings of inadequacies as they have dealt with everyday emergencies such as a sick child, car troubles, problems with daycare or school, or even just finding time to wash the dishes.
• In other words, life did not stop while they devoted the majority of their lives to achieving the dream of becoming a nurse.  In my eyes, these students are nothing short of superheroes. 
• When you think of superheroes it is important to note that they frequently have a sidekick at their side to lend support whenever it is needed.  To all of the family, friends, and loved ones in the audience I would like to express my gratitude for being the sidekicks that supported these superheroes in obtaining the goal of becoming a nurse.

So – what does it mean to be a nurse?  Melodie Chenovert, RN described nursing like this:

You will never be bored,

You will always be frustrated,

You will be surrounded by challenges.

So much to do and so little time.

You will carry immense responsibility and very little authority.

You will step into people’s lives and you will make a difference.

Some will bless you, some will curse you.

You will never cease to be amazed at people’s capacity

For love, courage, and endurance.

You will see life begin and end

You will experience resounding triumph devastating failures.

You will cry a lot, you will laugh a lot.

You will know what it is to be human,

And to be humane.

• As you join the noble profession of nursing, I would like each of you to reflect back on the last three years.  When you started nursing classes many of you felt nervous and overwhelmed as we threw heaps of information at you beginning with boot camp.  The faculty buried you in new terms, diseases, assessments, and practice tests.  We added skills labs, clinicals, and community projects.
• Shaky hands were common as you placed your first foley or started your first IV but were replaced by confidence as you perfected your skills.   Soon you were spouting acronyms like ABG’s, CHF, DVT, and NKDA with ease. 
•  Gradually you started thinking like a nurse
• You found yourself standing in a line and examining the veins of the person next to you, imagining how easy it would be to place an IV.
• Or listing the side effects to a friend who just started a new medication. 
• It has been so gratifying to watch each of you as you stop and think about the pathophysiology of a condition and how the treatment may help – actually implementing the Nursing Process to form a care plan in your head.
• Some of you felt that you would never be able to grasp the concept of testing in which every answer could be right – but knowing that there was only one best right answer.  Now you are all experts in NCLEX-style testing.
•  I have loved seeing your eyes light up when you grasp a new concept, placed your first successful IV, witnessed a new baby being born and I have mourned with you when you had a patient pass away.
• Now you are ready to start your dream of working as a Nurse.  I would like to offer a small bit of advice.
• Don’t get discouraged if you don’t know everything.  As a new grad you are not expected to know everything – only enough to start practicing.  Give yourself time to adjust to your new caree
• Continue to learn – excellent nurses continue to learn every day and never get complacent in their job.
• Don’t beat yourself up if you make a mistake – everyone makes mistakes. Own up to the mistake and learn from it
• Become a team player with those you work with, appreciate every team member and offer to help.
• Take time to care for and listen to your patients.   Be the kind of nurse you wanted to have when you were a patient.
• “They may forget your name but they will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
• Take care of yourself!  Nurses have a tendency to be martyrs but at the end of the day, who else will take care of patients if their nurses are also sick?
• I am so proud of each and every one of you.  I see great things in your futures.  I can’t wait to see where your nursing journeys lead you! 
•  Not every superhero wears a cape, for you wear scrubs!

Kiaya has been such a fun addition to our family!  It is so fun to have a cute little girl.  Here are her one-month pictures.

August marked the first day of sixth grade for Kalel -I can't believe that he is old enough for sixth grade!  In his charter school they attend all through eighth grade where his cousin, Tristan, now goes to the intermediate school.  I am so proud of Kalel, he is a really a great kid  He is kind and makes friends very easily.  And he is a wonderful big brother.

One day we had a serious storm!  My coworker, Jamie, was driving home and almost didn't make it. 
There were huge hailstones! 

Amber went out and collected these samples from the lawn

Tasha has become an expert in baking and decorating cookies.  She is amazingly talented.  She has decided to start a business selling cookies, her company name is "Another Mother's Cookies".  Whether the business makes a million dollars or only just a few, she is having a blast!