Small Joys: volume 18

It's been a hot minute since I wrote a Small Joys post, and I don't honestly have a good reason for that! Maybe I've been collecting things to write about? I guess I should insert the obligatory "Happy Valentine's Day!"  My husband and I have never celebrated Valentine's Day in the 9 years that we've been together (today was a little bit different, stay tuned for that below) as we have always believed that love should be celebrated and shared with those you care for every day of the year, not just on one holiday.  In any case, I hope you feel loved today and that even if you aren't celebrating with a significant other, that you realize love can be celebrated with friends, family, pets, and especially Christ.  Onto the joys? I think so.

No. 1: The flat white. Have you tried Starbucks' new flat white coffee drink? It's delicious.  It was described to me as "like a latte from a smaller local coffee shop," and I think that was spot on.  It's super yummy and a nice break from their overly sweet coffee drinks that they usually have at Starbucks.  Flat whites have been keeping me warm while studying for my Med/Surg certification exam for the past few months.  They're yummy, try one.

Flat white in the flesh.  So good. 

No. 2: The book of Esther. She Reads Truth has been doing a study on the book of Esther for the past couple of weeks and I have been loving every bit of it.  Esther and Ruth are two of my favorite Old Testament books and She Reads Truth has done studies on both of these this year.  I had fallen out of reading my Bible for a while and She Reads Truth has been lovely encouragement to be in Scripture daily.  Favorite verse from Esther?  "And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14. I've read this chapter and verse many times when seeking purpose and promise in my own life.  

Image source: She Reads Truth

No. 3: One Tree Hill.  That's right, the show I loved in middle and high school is now the same show I've been obsessively watching when I need breaks from work and studying.  I'm currently on season 3 and can't believe I forgot how much I love this show.  This show was filmed in my hometown, Wilmington, NC, and I recognize so many people and places whenever I watch it.  It's a little piece of home I can have right here in Indiana.

No. 4: Breakfast in bed.  Like I said earlier, Scott and I have never been ones to celebrate the ever-cheesy Valentine's Day, which is why I was shocked this morning when he came in with breakfast in bed, flowers, a Starbucks' flat white, and a sweet Valentine's Day card.  He's fun little one, I think I'll end up keeping him around for a while.  

No. 5: Girls' nights.  In the past month, I've been fortunate to spend time with friends from work watching movies, painting nails, drinking margaritas, etc.  A year ago I was dying for friends in Indy.  I would have given almost anything for a girls night.  I feel blessed and thankful for friendships I now cherish and people I can laugh with.  

 

No. 6: Submitting graduate school applications.  As of yesterday, I've officially applied to grad school as an adult nurse practitioner!  We'll see where this goes, I'm definitely not tossing all of my eggs into this basket but am hopeful for what may come.  I knew it was in my future to pursue a master's degree at some point so that I can eventually work as a nurse educator or a professor in a nursing school, but  I never imagined it would be at this point in my life. A lot of the best things in my life have taken place at a time when I least expected it, though, so I keep reminding myself of this.  The story is to be continued on this front! So far I've only submitted an application to IU but will soon be submitting one to Purdue as well.  

No. 7: One year at my job.  This month I celebrated one year of working at St. Vincent on 5 South.  It's been a beautiful adventure and one I wouldn't trade for anything.  At the time when I accepted this job, I was feeling lost and disheartened at the job I was working at the time.  I had interviewed for this job months before and thought that their hiring freeze would never end.  I accepted a position on nights, though I wanted days, and I haven't looked back since.  I have been so challenged in my year there and have recently had opportunities to precept newer nurses, start in the role as charge nurse, and learn SO much about myself and about nursing along the way.  As I approach 3 years of being a nurse, I'm glad I'm able to practice in a place where I feel safe and encouraged to be a great nurse.  There are really hard days and days when I wish I could walk away, but that's the nature of nursing.  It's learning to care for people in complex and vulnerable situations that makes it all worthwhile.

No one looks good at 4AM. I mean, no one. 

No. 8: Travel plans.  Scott and I are currently planning two trips at once.  We went from not having any big travel plans for 2015 to having two fun trips develop-- one to Tampa for Scott's spring break to visit my grandfather, and one to L.A. for the wedding of one of Scott's lifelong friends.  We'll be heading to Tampa in less than a month and are hoping to take a day trip to Harry Potter world from there (can this be done in one day? Anyone have experience there?).  L.A. will be a longer trip we take in June/July, and I'm considering that to be our fun "Scott's-done-with-boards-and-I'm-done-with-med/surg-and-it's-our-anniversary trip.  A lot of my friends do fun anniversary trips, and it didn't seem like that was really in the cards for us this year with finances.  With going to Los Angeles for the wedding in June, I am hoping we can make it to San Francisco and Yosemite as well.  I was planning on surprising Scott with a Cali trip when he finished his boards, but this works out better because we can plan things together that we want to do while there.  I'm pretty excited that we get to take these trips this year!  They're not Italy, but I think we'll have just as much fun exploring new places together.

No. 9: Books for fun.  The time is coming when I am picking up reading books for fun again.  I am just a week away from taking my Med/Surg Certification exam, and assuming I pass, I have big plans for reading in the coming weeks.  A week after I take my exam we'll be jet-setting for Tampa, and I have a polka dot bikini that needs to see sunlight and a giant stack of books aching to be read.  On the agenda first? Dark Places by Gillian Flynn,  I am Malala for traveling book club, and A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller.  Shortly after returning, I'll be waiting in line for the release of Shauna Niequist's Savor devotional and will develop a new list of books to accompany that one.  Any good book recommendations from you guys? I'd love to hear them!

No. 10: Skype dates with the village people.  This week I had the opportunity to Skype with two of my dearest friends, both also nurses and lovers of books and all things lovely.  I got finished with Skyping and felt like I had just hung out with them for the evening.  I love that technology affords this sweet gift of being able to virtually hang out with friends who are miles away.  I'll be seeing Claire soon when we travel to DC to visit sweet Shannon, but it may be awhile before I see Susan again.  But for now, I feel like we had a super fun girls' night over wine and decaf coffee, and that's enough for me, even if it was hanging out via a computer screen.

Lots of love to you today, friends.  I hope you all have a beautiful day and a beautiful week ahead.  

XO,

Cristina