Update Part II

Most of you probably don't care about these updates. They are kinda boring, but I wanna brag about all the fun I've been having. :) And I've been bad at keeping a journal lately, so I need to be remembered some how. 

I've had tons of fun with my family this summer. I went to the Pink Coral Sand Dunes for a few days with my parents, oldest sister and brother and their families. It was such a blast! It was stinkin' hot though. We played around all weekend in the sand on the four wheelers! And sat in the shade, read books, or slept when it was too hot to do anything else. It was such a fun weekend!

For my birthday Kristen got us tickets to Miller Motorsports Park for an off roading competition. It was such a unique and fun gift! It's out in Tooele aka the edge of the earth. :) But we had so much fun! Basically they would race these cars on a dirt track, go as fast as they can, crash, ruin their cars, and keep going. It was way cool! 

We were sitting right at the first turn and they would be going so fast it would spray huge dirt clumps at us. It was dangerous and slightly scary. 

Update Part I

It's been forever and a day since I've blogged. I'm not sure I remember how to do this. Well to catch up a little.....

I graduated!

A week before graduation we had a dinner at Pizza Factory with our whole class and then afterward drove up the canyon to burn our scrubs. It was so fun! It was great to spend a night with all the people I had spent so much time with over the three years of nursing school, who I literally spilt blood, sweat, and tears with.  Burning our scrubs was the best part of the night!

Burning my scrubs.

My best friend. I couldn't have done it without her. I'm so glad that not only did BYU give me a degree it gave me a best friend for life. 

Kristen is a continual constant in my life. I'm so grateful for the incredible friendship and relationship that I have with her. I couldn't have done it without her.

Words can not even begin to describe how I feel about these two people. They are my best friends, my advisors, my confidants, and my rocks. I owe everything I have and everything I am to them. I love them with all my heart and am continually grateful for all they have done for me, all they do for me, and all they will continue to do for me. I couldn't have done it without them.

BYU College of Nursing Class of 2012. I love all these girls (and boys) so much.

A few weeks after graduation, I flew down to LA to spend the week with Laura and her family. It was a blast. I attempted to surf for the first time. I was scared, but I did it and it was actually really fun after I got over the fear of drowning or being eaten by a shark or being smashed by the real surfers. I boogie boarded for the first time. I had the best strawberry I have ever eaten in my life. I got an awesome $20 asian massage. I watched the whole second season of Downton Abbey with Laura and her sister. And I went to my first Dodger's game and ate my first Dodger Dog. It was the best week. 

For graduation my awesome parents sent me and my mom on a cruise to Alaska! It was the best thing ever. I loved every minute of it. Cruises are so fun. And Alaska is breath taking and spectacular. It was easily one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen! I had such a great time with my wonderful mom. We made some great memories that I will never forget! 

Well that's a long enough update for now. Stay tuned for part II.

Remember that time?

Remember that time my dream came true?

And I got into the nursing program at BYU.

Graduation is right around the corner. Today is my last day of classes. It's kind of absurd. I'm not sure how this happened. I remember starting the nursing program like it was yesterday and now I'm about to graduate with a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing!

Wow.

Remember that time my dream came true again?

And I got a job at Primary Children's Medical Center!

I've wanted to work at Primary's since before I started nursing school. I had the awesome opportunity to do my capstone on the pediatric intensive care unit at Primary's. And I was made aware very quickly how much I love pediatric nursing and how badly I really did want to work at Primary's. There is just something about that place. I absolutely love it up there!

I applied for a job in the Float Pool at Primary's a few weeks ago. I wanted this job so bad. It's perfect for me. Float Pool nurses work on every unit in the hospital; I love the change in that.

And last week I got a call telling me they wanted to offer me the job!! I freaked out.

I can hardly believe it's actually real. I have to remind myself all the time that I actually got a job. And a job that I LOVE. MY DREAM JOB!

I'm so incredibly blessed. Only three people in my class of sixty have jobs. The job market is just so difficult right now for nurses. And I got my dream job! It's just incredible to me and unbelievable.

Remember that time my dream came true?

Yeah. That was pretty cool.

Reading

I just finished reading Gabby. It's written by Mark Kelly and Gabrielle Giffords. And it was wonderful! Everyone should read it.

On January 8th 2011, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head at an event she was holding at a local Safeway in Tucson, Arizona called Congress on Your Corner. Nineteen people were shot and six died. Gabby lived.

The book tells the story of her life, marriage to astronaut Mark Kelly, and her miraculous recovery. It is a story tolled through Mark's eyes. It's beautiful and inspiring. It's a book full of hope, courage, despair, triumphant, and love.

I wish I could meet both Gabby and Mary to tell them how I grateful I am for their service to America, for their story, and for sharing it.

She's a remarkable woman. A hero. A fighter.

It's a great book. Read it.

Go here for a short video about Gabby from 20/20.

You can watch the full 20/20 episode here.

I also read three other books over the break. The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. Some of the best books I've read! Seriously, so, so good! I pulled two all nighters reading those books.

If you haven't already read them (you probably have, I'm a little behind) go read them right now. I loved them so, so much! And I can't wait for March 23, 2012 when The Hunger Games Movie comes out.

As you can see I had a great time reading over the break. I used to hate to read. But when I can choose what I read it's SO much better! I wish I didn't have to go back to school, so I could keep reading so much. Soon enough, soon enough.