Home from Work

I just finished my last shift of work at Children's-FV for the month of May. It was a bittersweet ride downstairs in the elevator...it will be more than a month before I will return to work, and I have gotten so adjusted to life in our wonderful hospital, it is hard to imagine that much time away from everyone. Also, it is hard for me to imagine life without my small necessities. Admittedly, I am a Blackberry addict. Purchasing a "smartphone" was a requirement through the College of Nursing, so I purchased a Blackberry when I started in the program to store all of my nursing resources (various clinical resources, medication handbook, lab handbook, nursing diagnoses...etc). Since there are so many restrictions in hospitals, these resources have been of limited help during clinical hours...but I now enjoy all of the other features of my BB; instant access to my email/FB/GPS. I don't know what I am going to do for a month without my BB?

Tonight and tomorrow, I have lots of laundry to do, packing like crazy, and last minute errands and shopping to get done. It is much easier said than done...to pack up your life and take it across the world. Trying to anticipate what will be needed abroad is very difficult. Especially when I have no idea what kind of access to the rest of the world I will have. There are so many things that are on my list, and in my suitcase which is not packed that are "just in case" items. Just in case of diarrhea, sunburn and a whole host of other "medical" problems...Just in case of certain weather or a specific dress code. And to complicate everything further, I am trying to get things packed for when I return home, and have to move to my new apartment! I have moved so many times over the past 6 years or so...and accumulated an equally large amount of "stuff". Trying to sort through everything and pack it up is nearly impossible. Plus, I hate moving. So completely stressful. I am thankful for my mother, younger brother and his fiancee who have all volunteered to help me pack and move. I believe my older brother will also be returning to the area for a short visit from his residence in Baltimore around that time....so he will likely be volunteering (or not so much volunteering as having a requirement haha!) to help me move as well.

On that note, I will start in my Nurse Intern position the day after I return from Africa. I always try to plan everything out as far in advance as possible, but it seems like I'm always moving at breakneck speed. So in the next month and a half, I will be traveling to Africa, starting a new position and then moving to a new city! I found an adorable apartment near the hospital in MKE (well it's actually in Tosa) where I will be working...it is about a 10-15 minute drive, doorstep to doorstep. The neighborhood is also really nice with cute homes, two different nature trails for walking/running/biking, three grocery stores including a co-op called the Outpost (more on that later) and the entire city of MKE at my fingertips. It is also a short drive from the Brewer stadium (so if they decide to actually play well this year, I will catch a few games!) and a short drive from my Alma Mater of Marquette. My apartment complex is part of a gated community (so I feel really safe, considering I'll be living by myself) plus there are so many great features, including a 24 hr fitness center, access to the Club House where there are computers, huge TV's, free 24 hr-a-day Sbux coffee, tanning beds, whirlpool and outdoor pool...I really won't have to ever leave my place except to go to work (and during my last semester, commute to school!) My plan tentatively is to be home in the FV area every other weekend-to work, and visit my family.

Now, about the Outpost. As a child, I spent my time split between the FV and MKE areas. My parents, residing in the FV area after our move from the Twin Cities, had both grown up in the MKE area, and so both of my grandmothers lived in the MKE area. I spent all of the holidays in MKE, plus family reunions and other times pretty much growing up in MKE. It has really been my second home-plus with my undergraduate education at Marquette, I have really found a sense of belonging in the city. Anyway, I used to have grandmother-granddaughter time, which we spent sewing doll clothes for my dolls, planting wonderful things in little pots (like grass, marigolds, and double moss-roses) and cooking in my grandmother's kitchen. I can smell her kitchen to this very day. Some of my fondest memories are from her kitchen: I learned how to cook an entire Thanksgiving dinner, and a Christmas ham (which I decorated with an entire jar of fresh cloves and pineapple pieces) and of course, how to host such wonderful events. Anyway, we would shop at the wonderful co-op called the Outpost and visit the fresh market at Sendik's grocery store before we would cook together in her kitchen. The smell of the Outpost is another familiar smell; one of freshness, earthiness and health. It is hard to describe it in words, but impossible for me to forget. I can't wait to walk to the Outpost, and enjoy the familiarity and memories of my childhood, now intertwined with my young adult life.

More on my childhood...after shopping, and driving through all of the wonderful, old neighborhoods of MKE (think Lake Drive, with the huge, beautiful homes on Lake MI) my grandmother and I would return to her beautiful home on Vera Ave. We spent much of our time doing activities together that are more of the "traditional" female things: cooking, sewing, gardening...but she was also a huge supporter of my figure skating. When my grandmother and I spent time at the ice rink together, she was the ultimate cheerleader. She was at every skating competition, ice skating show and all of the other events of my childhood. I miss her so very much...and I wish she was still here. I hope that she is proud of me. Her home was part of a lovely middle-class neighborhood; it was built on plenty of land; including a fantastic hill next to the driveway that extended into the backyard. The staples of the homestead included a huge tree in the front yard which was surrounded by an overwhelming planting of Lilies of the Valley, another tree that was smaller and perfect for climbing up and finding a good perch upon which to read a great book, and a large stone by the mailbox. I often wonder who lives there now...and if they will have similar fond memories. We have a much smaller planting of the Lilies of the Valley at my mother's home in the FV area. When I purchase my home, I will take a small planting of the Lilies of the Valley to have around the tree in my front yard. Since she has passed away...which was more than 9 years ago, there have been many times in my life that I have especially wanted her to be around. Although, I felt her presence at my graduation from Marquette (she also was an MU alumnus). As I prepare to leave for Africa, I hope that I can make a difference in the life of even one child, the way that she impacted the lives of many children. A very special thank you to my mother and my aunt, who have both carried on the legacy of my grandmother...and who have both supported my many adventures over the years.

Now, I should return to the endless preparation for Africa. 31 hours until we depart!