Blog world, I will warn you that the following contents are useless bits of information. But I find myself lately needing light hearted humor in this thing called, life.
As I was rummaging through my purse this morning, I chuckled because I never could locate what I was searching for and I knew it was there...somewhere. I was suddenly taken aback at just how many "things" I had to pass over in my hunt. If one was to search my bag right now they would find:
*Happy Hollow Daycare Forms I received a week ago... all I had to do was place a signature and Lindsey said she would do the rest...I'll get them to her one day
*A jar of Earth Balance Peanut Butter (made with coconut oil), my new found love, introduced to me by my sis
*A Granny Smith apple, my daily snack that I indulge with the above contents slathered along the top
*A knitting pattern, along with yarn and needles of course
*A pair of socks- for my Drs. appt today ...yuck!
*Recipes I got from "Miss Alice" (MeMe)
*A Protein bar, another daily afternoon snack
*A Ring Pop I promised to a sweet girl
*An eraser in the shape of a game controller (still in the package)
*My grocery cash envelope... empty
*Shoestrings x2... 1 black pair and 1 white pair
*Kineseo Tex tape along with instructions (Thanks Emma!)
*A vast array of medications
*Box tops and coke tops for SCA
*Dental Floss...Julie, my good friend and dental hygienist would be proud
*Lip Stick...Jason calls this my "pop-pop"...one of my necessities
I am seen carrying this purse/bag of mine everywhere I go. On Sundays, its usually loaded with even more items belonging to the kids and of course my morning travel mug. I would guess that one would be surprised if they took a peep in my satchel.
So, what's in your bag?
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Once upon a time...
Once upon a time...
in a quaint little town, there lived a little girl who worked at the local diner. One day while she was working, she met a boy- in fact, she served him the best burger and fries anyone could ever ask for. This young man seemed different to her. Not different in a bad way...just different. His humor....crude, dry, yet contagious. Unsure if anything he said was real or in jest, she just giggled and played along. They warmed up to each other and began to spend lots of time together. Weekly, she would receive a bouquet of roses that were bused in from his friendly hometown florist.
Eventually, these two kids were inseparable. Four short months went by and he asked her if she would grow old with him. She was thrilled and of course said yes. Their long engagement called for plenty of time for wedding plans. June 7, 1997 is a day that neither of them will ever forget. They said their wedding vows, were young and in love but had no idea what God had in store for them.
They started their new life together. Between work and school they stayed busy, but eventually they were blessed with two precious children. More work and even more schooling caused them to become very busy. Too busy. Their life together became one big mess but all the while was surrounded by God's protection. They both were struck down... but not destroyed.
Fifteen years later, they love each other more than ever. "Truly connected", as he puts it. A team-committed to the hard work of marriage. They continue to live and raise their kids in the same quaint town that they met. They have experienced the refining fire and have truly been blessed. As for them and their house, they serve the Lord. They both are relishing the concept of a new marriage with the same spouse.
And they lived happily ever after...
in a quaint little town, there lived a little girl who worked at the local diner. One day while she was working, she met a boy- in fact, she served him the best burger and fries anyone could ever ask for. This young man seemed different to her. Not different in a bad way...just different. His humor....crude, dry, yet contagious. Unsure if anything he said was real or in jest, she just giggled and played along. They warmed up to each other and began to spend lots of time together. Weekly, she would receive a bouquet of roses that were bused in from his friendly hometown florist.
Eventually, these two kids were inseparable. Four short months went by and he asked her if she would grow old with him. She was thrilled and of course said yes. Their long engagement called for plenty of time for wedding plans. June 7, 1997 is a day that neither of them will ever forget. They said their wedding vows, were young and in love but had no idea what God had in store for them.
They started their new life together. Between work and school they stayed busy, but eventually they were blessed with two precious children. More work and even more schooling caused them to become very busy. Too busy. Their life together became one big mess but all the while was surrounded by God's protection. They both were struck down... but not destroyed.
Fifteen years later, they love each other more than ever. "Truly connected", as he puts it. A team-committed to the hard work of marriage. They continue to live and raise their kids in the same quaint town that they met. They have experienced the refining fire and have truly been blessed. As for them and their house, they serve the Lord. They both are relishing the concept of a new marriage with the same spouse.
And they lived happily ever after...
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Brown-eyed girl!
Blog world, you should know by now if I have blogged about you...I love you! Now, now, don't take that to mean if I have not blogged about you you are aren't loved. The timing hasn't been right, that's all. Now for the star role of this blog...I introduce to you , my niece, Miss Audrey Grace Burns!
You may not recognize her name Audrey Grace as she goes by "Gracie". She was named after one of the matriarchs in our church, Audrey Grayson. All of my nieces and nephews are special to me. This particular one, I was blessed to be part of her delivery when I worked in Labor and Delivery. I was the first, aside from the midwife, to see her pretty little head.
She has grown into quite a bubbly little girl with a personality that screams drama queen! As you can see, she has beautiful, huge, brown eyes that act as dancing walnuts when she talks and laughs. She can tell you the most interesting stories with such zeal!
One of her favorite past times is sucking her finger. I tried to stage a pic of her caught in the act and she informed me, "No, I don't do that much anymore, Aunt Leah!" She is growing up fast! She just graduated from kindergarten at TCS.
Keep on keepin' on, Gracie! It's a tough job keeping everyone in line, you're doing a great job so far!
I love you, my brown eyed girl!
Aunt Leah
Friday, May 18, 2012
Happy Graduation Rhett & Ryan!
Rhett & Ryan,
Where in the world has time gone? It seems like just yesterday we were so excited because we learned we were getting our first set of twins in the family. By the way, God knew which of the Parker girls could raise twins and remain sane in doing so. And tonight you two handsome men will walk across the stage at JMA. It has been amazing watching you grow into the men you are today.
You two have a relationship with one another that is unique, unlike any other relationship you will ever encounter. A bond that is tight. You are a pair, yet unique as individuals. Each of you are strong men with great potential. I remember when your mom tried you in different kindergarten classes thinking that was the best plan. It didn't take long to learn that you weren't easily separated, you guys constantly looked for one another. The coming year will be exciting but different because you two are going separate ways.
I leave you both with a challenge. Yes, graduating from high school is a great accomplishment, yet not the greatest in life. The greatest is not to be the best athlete nor the smartest student. The most important decision you will ever make is to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and choosing to live in a way that is pleasing to Him. This decision will lead to God's highest calling for man. I challenge you to take a stand for Christ in such a way that this world can't touch you. I pray you will be hungry for His word and yield to its instruction. God's word tells us we must learn to be in this world but not conform to it's ways. That is hard to do without being totally sold out for God. All in or all out...it's not possible to serve the world and God at this same time. Not lukewarm...yet on fire. Without Him guiding your way, you will be in darkness and easily tossed about. This decision will influence your life forever, not just now. A godly young man grows into a godly husband and father and that is precious in the eyes of the Lord, his plan for you. Then you will leave a legacy that will continue for many generations.
I love you both and I am excited about your new journey!
Aunt Leah
Friday, May 11, 2012
Happy Nurse's Week!
Alright blog world- in honor of nurses week I thought I would post some of the things that really grate my nerves to hear. Sometimes I grin and bear it, others times not-of course if it could cause harm I'll speak up. We all know that old wives tales/myths/that's what my mom told mes outweigh the textbook knowledge that has strong clinical evidence right? So I thought I would dumb some things down and make what some make so complicated easy to digest.
(1) URI (upper respiratory infection)- aka the common cold, is caused by a virus (usually the Rhinovirus to be exact) that someone has come in contact with. To be brutally honest, if you contract a cold, you have either inhaled some one's respiratory droplets, touched some one's dried "snot" from where they wiped their nose and then touched that grocery cart/door knob etc...Make a mental note that hand washing is very important. This eliminates the following causes: sleeping under a fan, walking around with wet hair, being outside with no shoes in cold weather, etc... The normal course of these things can be 7-10 days. This brings me to my next ranting.
(2) Antibiotics are used to treat bacteria and are ineffective on viruses. Bacteria and viruses are not the same in that viruses cause problems until they die on their own (run their course) and bacteria will live and cause problems until killed with antibiotics. When you have the sniffles or an uncomplicated cough you need only to drink plenty of fluids to thin that "snot" I referred to above right out. (Have fun harkin' that up by the way!) Use some good ole' decongestants , you know some inexpensive over the counter products will help. BUT keep in mind...you will not be cured over night (see above for the normal course of a URI). If after that 7-10 days...then you may need something stronger (that's another lesson for another day- stay tuned). Take home message: *antibiotics do not treat colds* *No one should ever have any "left-over" antibiotics- if they do they didn't take them properly and are setting themselves up for trouble later on. So don't go ask Aunt Susie if you could borrow some of hers.* If you have taken antibiotics for a cold and swear they worked...this is probably what happened. You suffered with cold symptoms for 4 or so days until you couldn't stand it anymore, you stole from Aunt Susie's medicine cabinet and then in a few days you were miraculously cured. Guess what in those 7 days you were sick...your RhinoVIRUS was running its normal course and by day 2 or 3 of your unecessary antibiotics your cold was resolving on its own. Can you tell I deal with this almost daily?
(3) The textbook normal body temp is 98.6. This does fluctuate, however a fever is not considered a fever until its over 100.3 and that's even a low grade temp. When someone says they have a temperature because their thermometer read 98.6 and their reason is because their normal body temp is 96.0- I just smile because I know that is what they learned in childhood. Truth: if your normal body temp is 96.0 you might need to get evaluated for hypothermia.
(4) Allergies to medications are NOT inherited. Just because your mom or dad had an allergic reaction to penicillin does not mean you will. Everyone has their own unique immune system that acts independently.
(5) You are perfectly allowed to drink milk if you have a fever. The only time I would warn someone to avoid dairy in relation to a fever is if the fever is due to a stomach virus. That can cause further stomach upset due to the acid in milk...not because it may curdle in the belly.
(6) Last but certainly not least...I never mind giving anyone medical advice *pinky promise*. I don't pretend to know it all (I'm sure Jason will get a laugh out of that one). I can only give you my educated opinion.
Please keep in mind this is a post in honor of nurse's week and some much needed humor in my life- not to offend anyone. I won't laugh at your beliefs or teachings...but I do promise not to intentionally withhold information that could be detrimental to your health.
(1) URI (upper respiratory infection)- aka the common cold, is caused by a virus (usually the Rhinovirus to be exact) that someone has come in contact with. To be brutally honest, if you contract a cold, you have either inhaled some one's respiratory droplets, touched some one's dried "snot" from where they wiped their nose and then touched that grocery cart/door knob etc...Make a mental note that hand washing is very important. This eliminates the following causes: sleeping under a fan, walking around with wet hair, being outside with no shoes in cold weather, etc... The normal course of these things can be 7-10 days. This brings me to my next ranting.
(2) Antibiotics are used to treat bacteria and are ineffective on viruses. Bacteria and viruses are not the same in that viruses cause problems until they die on their own (run their course) and bacteria will live and cause problems until killed with antibiotics. When you have the sniffles or an uncomplicated cough you need only to drink plenty of fluids to thin that "snot" I referred to above right out. (Have fun harkin' that up by the way!) Use some good ole' decongestants , you know some inexpensive over the counter products will help. BUT keep in mind...you will not be cured over night (see above for the normal course of a URI). If after that 7-10 days...then you may need something stronger (that's another lesson for another day- stay tuned). Take home message: *antibiotics do not treat colds* *No one should ever have any "left-over" antibiotics- if they do they didn't take them properly and are setting themselves up for trouble later on. So don't go ask Aunt Susie if you could borrow some of hers.* If you have taken antibiotics for a cold and swear they worked...this is probably what happened. You suffered with cold symptoms for 4 or so days until you couldn't stand it anymore, you stole from Aunt Susie's medicine cabinet and then in a few days you were miraculously cured. Guess what in those 7 days you were sick...your RhinoVIRUS was running its normal course and by day 2 or 3 of your unecessary antibiotics your cold was resolving on its own. Can you tell I deal with this almost daily?
(3) The textbook normal body temp is 98.6. This does fluctuate, however a fever is not considered a fever until its over 100.3 and that's even a low grade temp. When someone says they have a temperature because their thermometer read 98.6 and their reason is because their normal body temp is 96.0- I just smile because I know that is what they learned in childhood. Truth: if your normal body temp is 96.0 you might need to get evaluated for hypothermia.
(4) Allergies to medications are NOT inherited. Just because your mom or dad had an allergic reaction to penicillin does not mean you will. Everyone has their own unique immune system that acts independently.
(5) You are perfectly allowed to drink milk if you have a fever. The only time I would warn someone to avoid dairy in relation to a fever is if the fever is due to a stomach virus. That can cause further stomach upset due to the acid in milk...not because it may curdle in the belly.
(6) Last but certainly not least...I never mind giving anyone medical advice *pinky promise*. I don't pretend to know it all (I'm sure Jason will get a laugh out of that one). I can only give you my educated opinion.
Please keep in mind this is a post in honor of nurse's week and some much needed humor in my life- not to offend anyone. I won't laugh at your beliefs or teachings...but I do promise not to intentionally withhold information that could be detrimental to your health.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Happy Birthday, Jordan!
Ten years ago today, I was blessed with my first bundle of joy, Jordan Elizabeth Barbee. Beautiful name right? Well, her daddy has called her "Peanut" (properly spelt Pnut) from day one because she was tiny, bald, and had a very round head when she was born. Her first day or two was very busy for her. My pinning ceremony for nursing school was the day after her birth. I was determined to be there, baby in tow. That has to be the craziest day ever. After getting the ok from my doctor for early discharge, we hurriedly gathered flowers, balloons, and all other goodies from the hospital and piled them quickly into the car. We landed in Irwinton shortly thereafter and noticed the water from the vases had spilled in the back seat and so was lots of other things. Ever heard a new mother say that riding the baby around in the car for the first time made them nervous? I didn't even have time to have those thoughts so I was quickly relieved of that fear. Upon arriving to Parker Street we changed and shewed away the company we were already beginning to have and set out on a very fast trip to GCSU in Milledgeville. I don't think I have ever nursed a baby while traveling that fast! I hope we didn't scar her for life with all of that insanity!
I was overjoyed and excited but soon realized that this beautiful baby of mine cried... and cried LOTS. This was officially her first hobby- as I think it consumed most of hers, mine, and everyone elses time for the first several months of her life! Some events I remember:
Being in Walmart holding this screaming child and strangers commenting she was hungry and swore I needed to feed her.
Someone (I didn't know) actually saying, in Walmart again, "Here- let me take her, I bet I can calm her down." I gladly handed her over :) Guess what! It didn't work.
Constantly staying outside in the heat...as this seemed to calm her down.
Setting her on top of the dryer, hoping the wobble and noise would soothe her.
Letting the vacuum cleaner run while sitting idle for a while so I could have what I called, peace and quiet.
Giving her Mylicon drops like they were candy (forgoing the dose and frequency)- they didn't work it was only for my mental state.
Giving her the prescription drops that would make her sleep for a short while, only for her to wake up crying again.
This crying baby has grown into a beautiful young lady. She has been through more than most 10 year olds and not as much as others. She has embraced troubled times and has proved to be a strong girl. Many times, she has let me cry on her shoulder and told me things would be ok and for me to stop crying, as she cried with me. Now, she is not only my daughter, but a sister in Christ and has experienced the true forgiveness we can only find in Jesus Christ. We are somewhat alike and that can cause some friction sometimes, but overall our bond is tight!
On this day, I am blessed to call you my child! I love you, Jordan Elizabeth Barbee! (aka Pnut)
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Is it summer yet?
Bring a Friend to School day forms done and sent...check
Birthday invitations "attempted"...check
Crazy day at work....double check
Cookies for Awana tonight in oven...check (thanks to Jason)
Counter full of the one million forms with due dates to send to school and items to remember...check
Ball schedule reviewed and plans made for ballgames Thurs-Sat...check
Music picked out and copied for praise band event at Relay for Life...check
I am not sure if it's age, my past, or just my personality....but I no longer do well when things linger over my head and there are "fifty-eleven million" things going on at once. My memory leaves me...hence my counter FULL of papers for reminders. I am positive my coworkers think I am about to lose it- I, without fail- on a daily basis, have conversations with myself at my desk as I talk through things. I realize I am "really" mental this afternoon when the normal day to day things happen and I hear this sweet voice say ..."Leah- you got a walk-in" for what seemed like the "fifty-eleventh" (that was kind of catchy) time and I feel I could explode on the inside. On the way home from work, I had a sweet little reminder from my son to calm down and that in the midst of ALL of the goings ons everything will be just fine. It wasn't in those exact words, as he is only 7- but very smart I might add. He gets to go visit his old school with his cousin and see his friends he hasn't seen in a while. Trinity has "bring a friend to school day" every year and both of my kids are going this time. Well, I knew all of Jordan's missed work was arranged with her teacher. However, I failed to check with Britton's teacher. So in panic mode, as usual, on the way home, I began asking 20 questions about him missing his spelling test tomorrow. He finally looks me in the eye and says..."Mama, we will just have to see how it works out." "Well, thank you very much, sir- you seem so calm!", I responded and began to chuckle and fight back tears all at once. He has it all figured out! I am thankful I have a very calm, laid back better half. Our kids are fortunately taking after him When I got home today- he knew just by looking at me that I was stressed. I asked him if he minded if I went for a run...he quickly responded- No, I was hoping you would ask that. Not sure if he was appeasing me or he has figured out how therapeutic running is for me. My little 1 1/2 miler did my mind good, my tears and sweat were interchangeable. We work together well- he is constantly telling me not to sweat the small stuff. And if it's not my small drama....it is other people's traumatic crises that I am worried over. My mind is tired as I come to the end of my day. I can rest easy, not only because I have worn myself out- but knowing I can cast all my cares on Him, the One who loves me larger than life!
Birthday invitations "attempted"...check
Crazy day at work....double check
Cookies for Awana tonight in oven...check (thanks to Jason)
Counter full of the one million forms with due dates to send to school and items to remember...check
Ball schedule reviewed and plans made for ballgames Thurs-Sat...check
Music picked out and copied for praise band event at Relay for Life...check
I am not sure if it's age, my past, or just my personality....but I no longer do well when things linger over my head and there are "fifty-eleven million" things going on at once. My memory leaves me...hence my counter FULL of papers for reminders. I am positive my coworkers think I am about to lose it- I, without fail- on a daily basis, have conversations with myself at my desk as I talk through things. I realize I am "really" mental this afternoon when the normal day to day things happen and I hear this sweet voice say ..."Leah- you got a walk-in" for what seemed like the "fifty-eleventh" (that was kind of catchy) time and I feel I could explode on the inside. On the way home from work, I had a sweet little reminder from my son to calm down and that in the midst of ALL of the goings ons everything will be just fine. It wasn't in those exact words, as he is only 7- but very smart I might add. He gets to go visit his old school with his cousin and see his friends he hasn't seen in a while. Trinity has "bring a friend to school day" every year and both of my kids are going this time. Well, I knew all of Jordan's missed work was arranged with her teacher. However, I failed to check with Britton's teacher. So in panic mode, as usual, on the way home, I began asking 20 questions about him missing his spelling test tomorrow. He finally looks me in the eye and says..."Mama, we will just have to see how it works out." "Well, thank you very much, sir- you seem so calm!", I responded and began to chuckle and fight back tears all at once. He has it all figured out! I am thankful I have a very calm, laid back better half. Our kids are fortunately taking after him When I got home today- he knew just by looking at me that I was stressed. I asked him if he minded if I went for a run...he quickly responded- No, I was hoping you would ask that. Not sure if he was appeasing me or he has figured out how therapeutic running is for me. My little 1 1/2 miler did my mind good, my tears and sweat were interchangeable. We work together well- he is constantly telling me not to sweat the small stuff. And if it's not my small drama....it is other people's traumatic crises that I am worried over. My mind is tired as I come to the end of my day. I can rest easy, not only because I have worn myself out- but knowing I can cast all my cares on Him, the One who loves me larger than life!
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