Yay!

The birds are actually visiting! I put out birdseed, they found it, and now I get to listen to them singing!

Best. Dessert. Ever.

My dear friend Kate was unable to make it to my nursing pinning ceremony, to my graduation ceremony, and my graduation party/open house. Thus, dinner last night. (Thank you, Kate!)

We went to the Sierra Bonita Grill on 7th St and Glendale Avenue. We started off with the guacamole (which was really good) and then both of us had an appetizer as our entrees. The Green Chile Mac n' Cheese. Yummy. But the pièce de résistance was the dessert.

Oh. My. God.

Kate had the Mexican Chocolate Torte (strawberry puree / bertos vanilla bean gelato), which she said was fantastic.

I, on the other hand, had the Buttermilk Pie (warm sweet buttermilk custard / house made caramel sauce), and may I say HOLY COW! It was amazing. Seriously. Best dessert ever. I kid you not. It's as if it was straight out of the oven, and it practically melted in my mouth. And the caramel sauce was out of this world. As caramel sauce goes, absolutely amazing. I want more. Now. I've been thinking about it all day.

Kate and I decided that the next time we are having a "day", we'll text each other and meet for dessert. And dessert will fix everything, as only dessert can. Yum!

Tallness and "interesting" hair.

First and foremost, the credit for the photography goes to my dear friend Elaine, who took this picture at the choir's Year End Party! Thanks, Elaine, for all you do, and who you are!

Having said that, the reason for this short post is this... I'M WEARING HEELS! And N is STILL taller than me! Gah! And look at the hair on B. The sideburns! Good golly! But he won't let me touch them, so for now, we're living with it.

Ah, my beautiful babies. I love them so!

Working in the garden.

I've been having fun lately attempting to grow things. I dug up some blackberry shoots at Dad's house a while back, and grew them in an old bathtub (no joke) that's in the back yard; today I attempted to transplant one to the front yard. I'm really, really hoping it does well.

I've also been growing cantaloupe in the bathtub...I just threw in some seeds from one I'd eaten, and lo and behold, it's been growing! Along, of course, with the rest of the blackberry "bushes".

Also in the back yard is a rosebush. Which I thought I'd killed. I had cut it back as far as physically possible without actually digging it up. And then it grew! Who knew?  Well, probably people who actually know about gardening, but I'm not one of those people. 

Isn't that a pretty rose? Unfortuately, it's the ONLY pretty rose. The rest look like this.

Look a little closer...

And closer...

Oh, well. I can't have everything! I'm also working on some vegetables. Some have been growing for a few weeks now, and some I've planted just today.

This is cucumber, radish and carrot!

Next to those veggies is a seemingly empty (except for dirt, that is) plantar. However, I planted fenugreek, brocolli, cilantro and something else, but I can't remember what!

This is corn. Or, at least, it will be. I can't wait to see it grow taller and taller. Not to mention, eating it. Yum!More cucumber and radish.

And last but not least, I'm actually attempting to grow some flowers. I'd tell you what's growing, but I didn't label them. Because I'm a dork. So, I guess we'll see when they are bigger.

I've been diligently watering every evening. Hopefully I'll see some results! If they're good results, I'll share the wealth! Can't wait for the veggies to get here.

Next project... any ideas?

Peace, Mercy and Prayer

Peace be with you.

Finding God brings peace.

Finding peace brings God?

I try to bring peace to my soul.

I wish to bring God to my soul.

Some days it's so easy.

Some days...

I wish to have peace.

The peace of the Lord be always with us.

Mercy.

Compassion shown.

Debts forgiven.

Charity.

Compassion...Why is it so easy sometimes, and so difficult at other times?

Have mercy upon us.

In mercy, we find God.

Where mercy is, God is.

Lord have mercy.

Christ have mercy.

Lord have mercy.

I can have mercy, because God has mercy upon me.

Remind me, Lord, to give your mercy to others.

Help me to show mercy.

Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your unfailing love;

according to your great compassion

blot out my transgressions

Psalm 51:1

God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr


What a reminder!
Lord, help me be calm in your presence. Remind me to pray. Remind me to trust. Remind me that I am Yours, You are mine, and all will be well.  Thy will be done.

Me with people that matter...by no means is this comprehensive!

"Picnik Show"

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Mexico's Calderon takes immigration case to Capitol Hill

Mexico's Calderon takes immigration case to Capitol Hill



Before I make any comments, I must make a disclaimer. I am neither on one side or the other. In fact, I have very mixed feelings about the whole thing.  This post is not a commentary on the pros or cons of Arizona's bill, nor on the human rights issues involved, nor anything else of much interest.

What I do have to say about this is that Mr. Calderon needs to shut his pie-hole. If his country wasn't in such dissaray, such misery, this wouldn't be an issue in the first place. Fix your own country, Mr. Calderon. Make your own country livable for not only the rich and the drug lords, and there won't be an immigration issue at all. Until then, stay out of our problems!

And, that's all I have to say on the subject. At least, for now!

NCLEX

For you non-nursey people out there, NCLEX is the Nursing Board Examination, or licensing exam. We (my nursing class) were given an NCLEX review class, which was put on at Gateway Community College. It was a good class. But, I have to tell you...while there were moments that I felt really, really smart, there were many moments that I felt so stupid!

So, plan for study is as follows, at least for the rest of this week:
Drug classifications. If you know the classifications, you can narrow many side effects down, and thus get a clearer picture of things. At least I hope so!
Also, sounds. Apparently the test now contains sound bites that we have to identify, so I must find some good breathsounds online. Here's hoping.

I've scheduled my test for June 14th. So I guess I'd better get cracking!

Progression

I decided to post a picture on the blog layout. I love this website picnik.com. I made a collage that in many ways portrays "My Education"!
Super cool!

Attempts to prettify the yard!

I've been trying to "pretty" up the front yard. I'm not the best gardner around, that is for sure, but I'm going to give it a go. Thus, I have a hanging plant, and some flowering plants sitting on the front walk. 

I've also put up a gazebo out front. I had been looking for one for awhile, and last Christmas during a run through Target, I found this one on sale for about $70. I thought that was pretty cool. As it turned out, it was about 1/2 of the sale price! $35! Can you beat that? Mini-me the younger helped me put it together a month or so ago, and I took a bistro set that Dad had given me and painted it black. And there you have it, a front yard oasis! At least until the temperature hits 100, which will be soon here in sunny Phoenix Arizona!

Yesterday I picked up a little birdfeeder at WallyWorld, some seed and hung it in the tree out front. I hope that the birds will find it and hang out with us for a bit. Just doing my part for the local wildlife!

I'm also working a little bit in the back yard, and as that progresses (or rather doesn't look like a weed-fest) I'll post some pictures of that too. But I'm betting it's going to be awhile!

I've been thinking...

Dangerous, I know. But I've been thinking just the same. I'm still on the "drama" rant. Summer is here, and soon we'll be coming up on a terrible anniversary. My beautiful niece-in-law D, who was 25 years old, shot and killed herself last summer. It was a terrible, terrible day, that will stay with us for so long. She was so loved, by so many people. And there's never been an answer to the question "why?", and probably never will be.
The "Robert" drama started with the suicide. All of his stupid behavior, the opiod abuse, the suicude threats, the return to alcohol as the answer to all life's problems, and now the addition of meth to his fantastic life. We're coming up on the anniversary of D's suicide. And I'm worried.
Why, you ask, would I possible be worried about this jackass? Why would I care?
About him, I don't care, I'm not worried.
But, we have a child together. A child that I love beyond belief, more than words can say. And he loves his father regardless, as he should. And that child has a sibling who, although he shares no genetics with Robert, loves him also. And Robert has a sister, who is one of the most wonderful people I know. Who has survived her daughter's suicide (with much grace, I might add), and who loves her brother even though she despises his behavior.
So, I worry that with all of the drug and alcohol abuse, with a divorce in the works and with a complete halt in all communication with the children, what the reaction to the anniverary will be.
I admit that I have all kinds of evil thoughts (and I'm really quite ok with that), but in truth, I don't want my children and other family members to be unhappy. Thus, I want him to get his shit together sooner rather than later. Before he does something permanent. Permanently stupid!
So, I'm thinking. Dangerous. Sigh...

Smoker with oxygen tank dies in Arizona fire

Smoker with oxygen tank dies in Arizona fire

Really? How much education must we put out there before people pay attention? I am flabbergasted at the stupidity! Smoking while on oxygen. How dumb can you be? I'm sorry for the loss of life, but, really, this again points to survival of the fittest. And this guy was not amoung the fittest.

Lord, have mercy on us all.

Graduation

Graduation was held at the Orpheum Theatre. How cool is that?

Two of my fellow grads, Lisa and Kelly. Love them!

More fellow grads Shelly, Lisa (again), Dana and Me!

Me with my proud parents. I finally did it! Woo hoo!

Me and my babies! They may not be terribly thrilled, but they will get it later, I'm sure.

What an amazing night it was. Friends and familty were there to cheer me on, my fellow nursing school grads and I being silly and reveling in our graduation together. Fantastic!

Will the drama never end?

Well, I guess not. He's on Meth now.
Fortunately, he's made no effort to try to see Nick-O-Sauraus-Rex. I'd have to ask for a drug test if he did, and I'm sure that would be a joy. 
Big sigh...

Having said all that, I did not let it get to me this time. Protective measures are in place, I sleep well at night. And I passed Nursing School! Nothing is going to get to me in that way again. I'll just keep muddling through as I need to, and live my life to the best of my ability!

Amen!