Wow, 2014 is just about over. This just absolutely blows my mind. Time flies by so fast, and I think much more so the older you get. I just wanted to reflect back on my year a little, which in many ways was one of my best years ever!!
*Important Dates*
January 13, 2014
This was my first day on the floor at my job. Honestly, I thank God every single day for my job. I could not love it more and I still have absolutely NO idea how I got so lucky to have my dream job except for knowing the miraculous ways God works. I will never ever forget my first day there. Everyone was SO AMAZINGLY NICE to me, I remember I came home and told my mom that I didn't even feel like a new staff member, that's how included and involved my amazing team made me feel right from the get go. I love every single person that I work with, the team of nurses I have surrounding me is just indescribable. We are a FAMILY, and I love them all SO MUCH. Of course there have been imperfect moments -- I'm a brand new nurse, it happens! But the amount of support and resources I have around me minimizes those stressful times and I ALWAYS have someone there encouraging me no matter what happens. I AM SO BLESSED.
May 1, 2014
This was the date of my pinning! This was SUCH a special day, I loved it so much and it is definitely in the Top 5 of best days of my life. The entire ceremony was so beautiful and it was honestly PERFECT like it could not have been any more perfect. I was so blessed to finish nursing school alongside my best friends with my amazingly inspirational instructors in attendance. The amount of love, support, and encouragement that I received throughout this journey just cannot be explained in words. I will never ever forget this night, I sometimes wish I could re-live it!
May 13, 2014
I graduated with a college degree!! Graduation was so much fun for me. Pinning was sooo emotional that I was really caught up in my emotions for most of it. Graduation was all about just relaxing, having fun, and celebrating my accomplishment with my best friends!
June 12, 2014
I will never forget this day! This is the day that I officially became an RN!!! Oh my gosh, the NCLEX was literally the worst, most hardest thing I've ever done in my entire life! I walked out of the test building and saw my two friends had come to pick me up and surprise me. I walked to the car, leaned my head on the window, and just started bawling. We went to have dinner and drinks and I was sobbing the entire time we were there. I couldn't even touch food. I got home and literally LAYED on my kitchen floor still crying. I was so sure that I had failed. The day of the 12th I was pretty much in the mindset "it is what it is" and I saw one of my instructors that I adore and that made the possibility of not passing a little easier to take. I got home and took a nap and my phone woke me up -- it was the email saying that my RN license was approved!!! I could hardly believe it!
October 11, 2014
This was the day that my Papa got to go to Washington DC on the Honor Flight. We all met him at the airport when he returned. I didn't know what a powerful and moving experience it would be until I was actually in the middle of it. It was just the most incredible thing and I am so so grateful that my Papa got to go on the Flight and be honored for being the amazing hero that he is -- not just to our family, but everyone else too! I love him so much and I feel blessed to still have him with me.
*Vacations*
Wisconsin Dells - August 2014
New York City - September 2014
*Other Blessings in 2014*
Spiritual Growth
I feel like my relationship with God and Jesus grew so much this year. There were so many times (too numerous to count) from January-May when I was in my final semester that I prayed and prayed just for them to be with me and get me through. I prayed before every single exam just for Their calming presence to surround me and to just be able to feel Them with me. And it never ever failed -- I always did! I have been trying to be so cognizant about saying prayers of Thanksgiving each and every day that I have on this Earth because I have so many blessings and I seem to only gain more and more as time goes on. I know that every good thing comes from God and that is why I always want to remember to praise and thank Him for each and every wonderful blessing in my life. Throughout my recent health issues I have seen more than ever the power of prayer and I am so grateful to everyone for praying for me. I have learned one very important lesson through all of this - GOD IS ENOUGH<3
New Friendships
I have made multiple posts since I started my job about all the incredible nurses that I now have the pleasure of calling my friends. Each and every one of them are great people, and I feel so blessed to work in their company and be on their team. However, there is one that I have connected with on a different level and she has been a true blessing in my life since we have become closer over the last few months. Heather is honestly one of the most incredible people I have ever met. She just shines and has so much inner and outer beauty. We are very alike in many ways and mainly bonded over our similarities and our faith. She has been a wonderful mentor for me since I started my job, and I am so happy to call her a close friend as well. She is the first person that I told about my health problems this year and she was SO supportive, understanding, and encouraging. I told her quite awhile before I told anyone else from work because I knew that I could trust her the most of anyone, and of course I was right. She has also been praying for me and honestly sometimes I can just feel her prayers for strength and peace calming me down when I get nervous or anxious about what is to come. I love her so much and again I feel so blessed to have met her and to call her a friend.
Planning for the Future
D and I have already started looking at houses to get some ideas for when we seriously start looking this spring. Also, I decided that I am going to go back to school starting in January 2015 for my Bachelors. D also got his green card and is now in school for ELL and also he got a new job driving some of the city busses. I'm looking forward to seeing what 2015 brings!
Also, just for fun -- My Top 5 albums of 2014 (no specific order)
1. Lea Michele - Louder
2. Mandisa - Overcomer
3. If/Then Cast Recording
4. Taylor Swift - 1989
5. Chris Tomlin - Love Ran Red
Happy New Year's Eve everyone! Have a wonderful night!
