Update on everything.....How broad is that?! I figure I would post a nice juicy piece of gossip about all that is Harrop.
Keith-Yup, still in rotations here in Janesville, WI. Right now, Keith is on PEDS (actually not anymore.....he was on PEDS when I started this post, then he finished that rotation and was on pysch, then finished that rotation. Now he is on Allergy!) He has already completed many of his cores and has received outstanding grades and excellent remarks from the doctors. (I have to brag a little....he really is a great med student.) The other day, he caught a heart murmur in an adolescent that was previously undiagnosed! (This means even more when you realize that the doctor he is with is the Chief of Staff.) Even the nurses LOVE him. Go figure. Such a ladies man. He likes the program here, but it does not look like we will be staying for residency....since he is almost certain he will specialize in something. Top on his list right now is cardiology, OB-GYN, or anesthesia. He will apply for the match next year, since his rotations end just a few weeks after the deadline (major bummer BTW). But he didn't want to try and match somewhere off cycle, so it looks as though we will have a few months (ok, its like 8 or 9) that he may have to deliver pizza's for a living :-) I really do support his decision. He wants to get best possible residency he can, so how can I be upset at that? He is resolved not to settle and I have to say I admire him for his ambition and determination in this venture.
Lesley-Where do I start? First things first, being a mom of two under two is very reminiscent of the circus at times. Last Sunday,(again, not really last Sunday, this was a few months ago) Keith was on-call (and my mom, who is my eternal helper, was working) so I was faced with the task of getting myself, Stryder, Krew, and my ever-important Sharing Time activity to the church on time. Well, let's just say Stryder showed up to nursery without shoes, which somehow got lost in my Primary bag, Krew projectile-vomitted all over his church clothes before we left, so he ended up showing up in his pajamas, and I went without makeup. (Yeah, can you believe it?) The good thing is, my Sharing Time made it in one piece and was pretty successful, too. But I love being the ringleader of this circus act!
Since I'm on the 11 year plan of getting my college degree, I am still in school.....again. You may remember that last year at this time, I was just getting ready to go back to school to get my Bachelor's of Science in Nursing at Kent State U, since I already have my Associates in Nursing. Well, after a semester at Kent, I became extremely disappointed with the values or lack thereof that this school displayed (or didn't.) This being extremely ironic, since the uber conservativism and conformity that existed at BYU what exactly what I didn't like. Is there ever a happy medium???? At Kent, I felt personally attacked for values I hold dear and at BYU those values were turned into something too literal and sterile. I am not saying these schools are not great---I DO believe they are excellent schools. They just weren't for me.
So, after much contemplation I did not continue at Kent, but I researched TONS of programs and found one that offered everything I was looking for. I applied and was accepted and I am now a student at University of Texas enrolled in the RN to BSN program. I love it. I have been so impressed and have even recommended this program to my mom, who has recently started too! It is quite challenging, but I am learning a lot. I am determined to finish at this school and have my BSN! This has been a goal of mine for quite some time, but you know how life gets in the way. It will only take me a few semesters to finish up, since I have so many credits from previous schooling. Is everything better in Texas? I think so!
I am also working here and there and all around the square. I worked last year for the school district as a school nurse and really enjoyed it. Part of my job there was to teach the 4th grade unit on Human Development (the beginning of the birds and the bees). It was so much fun. I think in another life I may have been a school teacher :-) Now I am working every other weekend (night shift) for a quadripeligic patient who is on a ventilator. My mom also works with him. I had a hard time deciding whether or not to accept this job, but I attended Stake Conference and our Stake President gave some great advice in his talk. He said how it is always smart to take the opportunity to learn a new skill, especially in this economy. So, I became vent-certified and started working as an independent RN for this patient. I am so glad I applied this piece of advice to my life. It has truly blessed me endlessly. I have learned so much already and begin to feel more confident being completely autonomous in my nursing skills. I continue to do per diem work for various other health and wellness companies, too. I am so grateful that I can contribute to my family's livelihood by using my hard-earned education. Thanks, Mom, for being a huge influence on my decision to become a nurse. It was without a doubt one of the BEST decisions I ever made (my marriage to Keith aside!)
Stryder-Oh, where do I begin??? I am fully convinced he has some sort of hyperactivity disorder. He goes goes goes goes goes without stopping. Seriously. Not that I'm complaining! I love his energy. In fact, his energy gives me more energy and makes our home full of happiness and laughter. Lately, Stryder loves to play with pots and pans and anything from the kitchen. I think he has seen my dad cook so much that he tries to imitate him. He also loves Mickey Mouse. I mean LOVES Mickey Mouse. Anything Mickey and he's sold! Santa even brought him Mickey Mouse jammies for Christmas and those are the only ones he wants to wear! He is growing up so fast and in beginning to understand the concept of potty. He will sit on the potty, but we have alot more work to do before he will actually use it as intented. He has started saying MAMA Mama, Mama MAMA, Mama all day long. It is soooo cute. We do have a speech evaluation scheduled for him in the near future, just to make sure his hearing and throat anatomy are all in good order. When I tell people he still does not really talk and he's almost 2, their mouths drop open, and their face becomes covered in sorrow for me. I can see they automatically think something in wrong with him. But it wouldn't matter to me if there was. (His dr assures me there isn't!) He runs everywhere, he can understand everything we say to him, he is resourceful and smart, he is full of life, he plays well with other kids, he uses a fork and drinks from a cup, he does sign language continually, and is even a royal terror in church! He has reached these milestones, so if he is not up to talking just yet, I can't be impatient. I love him so much! He adores Keith and really loves his brother......deep down. He just gets really excited and starts to hit him sometimes. I am still trying to figure out a way to stop that! But other times, he will come up and give Krew a kiss for no reason at all. He laughs when Krew laughs. I cannot wait for these two to play together! All in due time....
Krew is such a tenderhearted little boy. He really has his own personality and it is starting to shine through. He loves attention from anyone and really has a instant smile for his admirers. He has this light in his eyes that is really unlike anything I have seen in a child. People comment on this, too. I am so thankful that he is a part of our family. I can't imagine us without him! Sometimes he can be a bit sensitive and turn on the tears, but a little love solves that. It is like he is just making his presence known or something. He has outgrown the colic and now sleeps through the night, from 8pm-8am! This is a huge blessing, of course, and Keith and I still trying to figure out what we did right. We do feed him a bottle with some rice cereal mixed in before bedtime, which keeps him nice and full all night. He has also started sucked his thumb, so I think he has learned to self-soothe, too. A bath and bedtime routine on top of that and he is out like a light. Krew has started rolling over on his own, but gets really mad when he can't roll back over off his tummy. He is growing super fast, too, but he is still not quite as big as Stryder was at his age. Krew is about average in weight and height, which is a little different than what we were used to with Stryder, who was above average in any measurement you can take. Krew will start eating baby food in the next few weeks, and I am sure he will love it. He hangs on every bit we take and is very interested in food. I knew he was a part of my family.
Well, thats about it for now! I hope this was update-y enough. I have been sooooo guilty of blog neglect and am really resolving to just post SOMETHING at least once a week. I am also resolving to be a more patient and friendly person. Sometimes it is really difficult to overcome trials in life, but there is encouragement everywhere. We just need to know where to look.
