Happy Burfday to ME! :)

So, I'm long over due a post!!  Last week was my 28th bday!!!!!  (yeah, yeah... 31 is the new 28???...No????  Damn!!!).  Ok, fine, fine, fine.  I'm 31... officially a member of the "thirty something" club.  Sighhhh.... lol.

For the weekend of my birthday, my love took me away down South to Margaret River and we had an amazing weekend.  Was sooooooo nice, and very much needed.  And a weekend with basically NO connection to the outside world.... ok, so I checked FB for like 3 minutes at one point, but for the rest of the time, it was just me and my love and beautiful scenery and wineries!!!  At the end of this post, I'll post a few of my favorite pictures.  This is the second time in the past year that we've been down south, and I must say, even though it's about a 3 hr drive south, I feel sooooo at peace every time that we have gone.  The times we've went we've gone to nicer restaurants for dinner, cafes for breakfast/brunch... but that has nothing to do with the feeling this place gives me.  If we bought a loaf of bread and a pack of ham and ate sandwiches for every meal while over looking some of the scenery, well then it would STILL be just a piece of heaven for me.  Hard to explain, but view some pictures and see if that helps it make sense?

And guess who has some spa time coming up thanks to my honey????  Yup, that lucky gal would be me!!

And since my back is giving me the total shits, I will probably be using that (along with my health insurance for the chiropractor) very soon!! :)  My bday was wonderful and all the important people made the effort to call and contact me.  A few surprises (not the place for it, obviously) but I guess we get that in life.  On my bday I was watching a talk show (don't recall which one) and someone was having a birthday.  Their response was "Age is just a number...but when you refuse the fact you've hit another birthday, that number simply doesn't change".  HAHA.   I laughed out loud on this one.

So, today was the big day to go and file for my Australian Nursing license!!!!  It took quite a while to get all of the paperwork needed to file this VERY important document.  And although the website says 3-4 months, and some forums have had nurses (english speaking, even) take 5-6 months.. (ummm... yikes?!?!).  So, I was SOOOO happy (and relieved) to hear them say that it could take as little as 4-6 WEEKS!!!  WOW!!  This is a huge weight lifted for me.  #1, I don't want for any of my skills to get rusty.  #2, I want to work, and preferably as a nurse . I've had some job interviews and have applied for more jobs than I can count (literally over 200.. easily!!).  Nothing really has come about yet.  There is a job currently I'm waiting to hear about with potential for the time being..but we'll see I guess.  The hardest part of the job search is being declined for SIMPLE jobs...("thank you for your interest, *BUT*....).. part of it is perhaps they view me as "over qualified".. or they wonder why an RN is looking for a job at a grocery store?? Or they have told me straight out they are looking for someone to stay with the company for years.... and that I totally understand.  But being someone with two college degrees and 12 years of experience in health care, I've never really had a trouble getting a job.  So, it's been a new experience, that has been frustrating at times, but I've tried to keep in mind the business owner's side of things.

Annnnyways...

So for the time being, I'm loving life, another year older, closer to working as a nurse in Australia... and most importantly, extremely happy.  I love my life here, I love Wayne and the relationship we have, and am sooo happy to view Perth as "home".  Even coming back from Margaret River, when we got to the city and I could see all the big buildings downtown (I guess you'd call it the "skyline"??)..... I thought "ahhhh..home!!"  And when we pulled up into the car park at the house, I was so excited to be HOME!!!!

So, I know the last several posts haven't been overly exciting..... and I'll try to remember to note things as they happen so perhaps my blog becomes somewhat entertaining again???  In the meantime, I will leave you with some pictures from the weekend on how I spent my 31st (I mean... 23rd??) birthday.  Thanks to my love for making sure that it was a weekend I will never forget!!

Thank you honey for an amazing weekend!! I love you so very much!!! <3

MUAH!

Post numero dos!

Could've done all in one post....but two seemed more suitable...

"Thank you for loving me, even when you want to kill me.
Thank you for making me laugh, at times when all I want to do is cry.
Thank you for making me smile, at times when smiling wasn't even a thought.
Thank you for adding so much joy, life, love, and friendship into my life.
Everday you amaze me, and everyday I fall more in love with you than the day before.
I look forward to growing old with you and sharing all the ups and downs that life has to offer.
I love you. "
-Author Unknown.

Two blogs in one night!!! This is blog numero Uno...

It's a copy and paste with quotes from my old blog.......  I take no credit for any of these and they are all from the show "One Tree Hill"..... older quotes...the good days when Lucas was still around... anyways..enjoy...

1. You ever look a picture of yourself, and see a stranger in the background?. It makes you wonder how many strangers have pictures of you. How many moments of other peoples life have we been in. Were we a part of someone's life when their dream came true or were we there when their dream died. Did we keep trying to get in? As if we were somehow destined to be there or did the shot take us by surprise. Just think, you could be a big part of someone elses life, and not even know it.

2. Because it´s only when you´re tested that you truly discover who you are. And it´s only when you´re tested that you discover who you can be. The person that you want to be does exist, somewhere in the other side of hard work and faith, and belief and beyond the HEARTACHE and fear of what life has.

3. There comes a time when every life goes off course. In this desperate moment you must choose your direction. Will you fight to stay on the path while others tell you who you are? Or will you label yourself? Will you be honored by your choice? Or will you embrace your new path? Each morning you choose to move forward or to simply give up.

4. Sometimes I wonder if anything's absolute anymore. Is There Still right and wrong? Good and bad? Truth and lies? Or is everything negotiable, left to interpretation, grey. Sometimes we're forced to bend the truth, transform it, cause we're faced with things that are not of our own making. And sometimes things simply catch up to us.

5. Truth is still absolute. Believe that. Even when that truth is hard and cold, and more painful than you've ever imagined. And even when truth is more cruel than any lie.

6. There are moments in our lives when we find ourselves at a crossroad, afraid, confused, without a roadmap. The choices we make in those moments can define the rest of our days. Of course when faced with the unknown, most of us prefer to turn around and go back.

7. Someone once told me, Every song has an ending, but is that any reason not to enjoy the music?

8. You know it's been said that we just don't recognize the significant moments of our lives while they are happening. We grow complacent with ideas, or things or people and we take them for granted and it's usually not until that thing is about to be taken away from you that you've realized how wrong you've been that you realized how much you need it, how much you love it.

9. At this moment there are 6,470,818,671 people in the world. Some are running scared. Some are coming home. Some tell lies to make it through the day. Others are just now facing the truth. Some are evil men, at war with good. And some are good, struggling with evil. Six billion people in the world. Six billion souls. And sometimes -- all you need is one.

10. If you could go back and change one thing about your life, would you? And if you did, would that change make your life better? Or would that change ultimately break your heart? Or break the heart of another? Or would you choose an entirely different path? Or would you change just one thing, just one moment? One moment, that you’ve always wanted back.

11. George Bernard Shaw once wrote: "There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart's desire. The other is to gain it." Clearly, Shaw had his heart broken once or twice.

12. And once you lose yourself, you have two choices. Find the person you used to be, or lose that person completely.

13. Sometimes pain becomes such a huge part of your life that you expect it to always be there, because you can't remember a time in your life when it wasn't. But then one day you feel something else. Something that feels wrong only because it's so unfamiliar, and in that moment you realize you're happy.

14. The important thing is not to be bitter over life's disappointments. Learn to let go of the past, and recognize that every day won't be sunny. And when you find yourself lost in the darkness of despair remember, it's only in the black of night that you see the stars, and those stars lead you back home.

15. As we strain to grasp the things we desire, the things that we think will make our lives better---money, popularity, fame---we ignore what truly matter--the simple things-- like friendship, family, love--the things we probably already had.

16. Someone once said; it's the good girls who keep diaries. The bad girls never have the time. Me, I just wanna live a life I'm gonna remember. Even if I don't write it down.

17. Do not look back and grieve over the past for it is gone. and don't worry about the future for it is yet to come. focus on the present and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering.

18. Real forgiveness is impossible because it requires us to forgive what is not forgivable.

19. Oliver Wendell Holmes once said: Many people die with their music still in them. Too often it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it, time runs out.

20. Happiness doesn't come cheap. Hell if it did we would all be smiling.

It's not "goodbye"..

It's "I'll see you later" !

Today I dropped Wayne off at the airport for a week away at work.  The same airport that has previously meant us parting in tears.  But today it was just for the week for work.  Makes it soo much easier.  I will say (and I know he had no clue) I *almost* broke down as we rode the escalator up to the lounge..to my right I could see the lime green couches that we sat on in March prior to my departure.  The lounge that he held me on as we both cried.  The couch that as I layed on his shoulder that I *almost* said "take me home".  It's amazing how many details of things I remember.....

Anyways... tonight I am posting a blog copied from my old blog that was started early 2005.... and this is a copy/paste from my love.. my how crazy life is... and although I'm approaching my 31'st bday (yikes!!!) I still see myself in my 20's (hey..you are as old as you feel!!).... Found this a nice read...

"Being 20-something:It is when you stop going along with the crowd and start realising that there are many things about yourself that you didn't know and may not like.

You start feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or two,but then get scared because you barely know where you are now.You start realising that people are selfish and that, maybe, those friends that you thought you were so close to aren't exactly the greatest people you have ever met, and the people you have lost touch with are some of the most important ones.What you don't recognise is that they are realising that too, and aren't really cold, catty, mean or insincere, but that they are as confused as you.

You look at your job ... and it is not even close to what you thought you would be doing, or maybe you are looking for a job and realizing that you are going to have to start at the bottom and that scares you.Your opinions have gotten stronger. You see what others are doing and find yourself judging more than usual because suddenly you realise that you have certain boundaries in your life and are constantly adding things to your list of what is acceptable and what isn't.One minute, you are insecure and then the next, secure. You laugh and cry with the greatest force of your life. You feel alone and scared and confused. Suddenly, change is the enemy and you try and cling on to the past with dear life, but soon realise that the past is drifting further and further away, and there is nothing to do but stay where you are or move forward.

You get your heart broken and wonder how someone you loved could do such damage to you. Or you lie in bed and wonder why you can't meet anyone decent enough that you want to get to know better. Or maybe you love someone but love someone else too and cannot figure out why you are doing this because you know that you aren't a bad person.

One night stands and random hook ups start to look cheap. Getting wasted and acting like an idiot don't seem as fun. You go through the same emotions and questions over and over, and talk with your friends about the same topics because you cannot seem to make a decision. You worry about loans, money, the future and making a life for yourself... and while winning the race would be great, right now you'd just like to be a contender!

What you may not realise is that everyone reading this relates to it. We are in our best of times and our worst of times, trying as hard as we can to figure this whole thing out. Pass this to your twenty-something friends... maybe it will help someone feel like they aren't alone in their state of confusion..."Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

Post without reservations...

So many times I post worried about "who" will read this.  Be it my Aussie, or those who continue to frequent my blog despite the fact I can trace their IP address... smh.... 

But tonight, I decided that I'm gonna post without regard to these factors.  Not that I really posted with regards to these before, but still...

Life in Australia is great.  I am so happy.  I think back on the last year or more (wow..has it REALLY been over a year??? yes, yes it has...) and am so blessed for the road I have taken.  Has it been easy in a looonnnngggg distance relationship???  Not always, no.  Imagine all the normal battles a normal relationship has and add... umm... 11K miles?  Yeah.  Not the easiest thing.  The easiest part has been simply loving my Aussie.  The love we have shared has simply never been of question or an issue.  Even on our worst days, it's NEVER been a matter of love.  And forgive me, but I *love* that about us.  And the fact that at the end of the day, no matter what, we both have wanted to fight for "us", just shows me how much we mean to each other.  And I love him dearly.  If at any point someone had told me that me and my best friend would be in love an in a relationship, I would laugh in your face.... totally.  I now look back on my fondest memories with the Aussie as my best friend and laugh.... who would've thought the guy and girl in Vegas harassing "Tony" the mute dealer would be in love?  And speaking of Vegas...remember the people that thought *we* had gotten married, and the look on their face when we *tried* to explain the situation to them??? LMAO.  Makes me seriously bust out in laughter.

Ahhh... "Tony"....lol........

So yeah, life in Australia is great, and things are great.  Every morning I wish was a weekend so he could stay in bed, and everyday I hope will hurry up and end so he can come home.  God, who am I?? lol.

Homesick hasn't been much of an issue.  I think since I went to KY in March, I've been homesick...... for Australia and my Aussie.  Don't know what we have until it's gone?  Yeah, something like that.  I miss my friends, but while travel nursing, I learned to miss the people I loved (if that makes sense).  And all my friends would much rather me be happy than miserable...which, without Wayne I was.  And would be.  I've learned that I have to put me and my happiness first, and if that means me in Australia with my love...then by god, my friends just have no excuse to visit.. free accommodations!! lol. 

The only miss I've had has been my niece, Erin.  I think one thing I loved while she was here was the family feeling.  We would all three be in the kitchen fixing dinner, doing dishes, talking over dinner with NO distractions (no tv, radio, etc).  I guess I'm just approaching faster and faster the family mode.  If I could be a mom (or mum) tomorrow, I would.  I love Wayne and know what a good father he would be, and I have no hesitations.  It's the life I want and would do it tomorrow.

Guess I should hit the sack...but why not end on some lyrics.. lyrics that I came across by accident... if you wanna know the story, just ask me... The date of this memory is May 21, 2011........ shiltoe park....

G'day

Well, I've been home for 18 days now, and I must admit it has flown by.  There have been a million blogworthy things that have happened (esp while Erin was here) however I haven't been on the blog much.  And I haven't been on Facebook very much either.  I've been busy doing that "living" thing.  I apologize.

I take that back.  I don't apologize at all.

Life with the boy is wonderful.  I'm very happy and so happy to be home.  Things seem so perfect this time.  And it's not that they were horrible before by any means, however I really think us not having the ability to communicate turned small things into large things previously. One of the major downsides of a long distance relationship... you kinda suck at face to face communications sometimes.  It seemed if something small happened, we would hold it in and when we hit a boiling point, we had a million things each on our mind.  And over the past few months we have both been working on making sure that communication is at the top of the MUST do list.  So now when something comes up, we simply nip it in the bud and don't allow it to become a major problem.  We discuss, and most importantly listen to each other.  We have discussions, not arguments.  Huge steps.

It's still an amazing feeling to feel at *home*.  Before when Wayne and I would talk about it, I always felt at "home" in Lexington, even when I no longer actually resided in Lexington.  I never thought that feeling would be duplicated.  Until coming back to Australia.  I haven't had to use the GPS when going to places I had been before.  Driving on the "wrong" side of the road has felt 100% natural (except for one or two oopsies....lol). Everything has felt so natural, and feels like although many moons have passed, that not a moment has gone by, and that nothing in my heart for this place, Wayne, or his family has changed for me at all.  And them for me it seems.  Nothing has warmed my heart more than the "Auntie April!!" shouts from the boys.  

I remember the first time I felt this way, and thought it was only for a moment..... upon coming home from the airport, we passed a McDonalds, that in March on my way to the airport a car almost pulled out in front of us.  Hand in hand, Wayne looked at me and said "oh..if we wreck, I guess you'll miss your plane".  He said it in a joking manner, but there was seriousness behind it.  This was one of the many moments where I almost said "turn around..go home".  It was a moment that my mind had stored in storage, in the very back.  However, as soon as I saw this McDonalds, the memory came flying back at lightning speed.  I suddenly even remembered exactly what Wayne was wearing that night.  The way I felt.....

Ok, I haven't blogged in a while and now that I have, I'm totally going off topic.... and re reading the above paragraph may make no sense to an average reader, but just trust me, I know what it means.  And for that fact, I am not deleting it.  Hey, it is *my* blog afterall, right?

Let's see.  I'll do a catch up. 

1.  Australia Winter. 

I was warned that even though it's 60-70's it gets cold.  Yeah.  I totally failed at understanding this.  Back home, those temps are the perfect fall or spring day.  HOWEVER... add that Perth is the second or third windiest city in the WORLD and is on the coast (the beach is just a few miles away)... equals a bitching ass cold sea breeze which makes the temps seem to be more in the 40's!

2. Work.

Had a job, worked one day, and ended up quitting.  This blog is DEF not the place to go into it, as the place I was working is doing some major, eh.. sketchy things.  Thanks to Wayne for his support in this decision.  Definitely made it much easier.   Should be lodging my nursing application as soon as the documents are notarized this weekend.

3. Erin

My niece was here for 2 weeks, and we had a BLAST.  We wondered if we would get on each others nerves and tired of each other for THAT long together (plus the 2 weeks at home before we left, and the 40 hrs of travel).  However, we never did.  We loved every minute and laughed so much.  She wants to move here, and of course, I'd love her to someday do so.  I had my first and only homesick breakdown on Saturday night after talking to her and hearing in her voice how much she missed us and being here.

4. Homesick

Other than Saturday night I haven't had any homesick.  I think Erin being here may have helped me transition, but I think doing the travel nurse gig also had a huge help in that.  Sure, I'm not a 7 hr drive away from my family and friends, but at the same time, I spent so much time alone and away from everyone in Hagerstown, that I think it may have helped me adjust to not being close in proximity to friends and family. 

5.

I'm pregnant!!

Just kidding.  Just seeing if anyone still reads this, and if they do, do they still read the long posts????

Hehe.  Yes, I'm evil.  And no, I'm not pregnant.  :P

Hope everyone out there is doing aussome.  Until next time......

I'm slacking...

Yeah, my blogging has totally slacked off lately.. been busy living and not on the net as much.  ;)

All is good.. no.. GREAT here down under.  Really enjoying time with my niece here.  I start my new job the day after she leaves, and things at home are simply wonderful.  Makes me in a strange way almost appreciate the shit we went through to get here.  Ok, maybe not ALL of it, but what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right?

So, yes, I need to do an update blog or something of some type, and you know I'm a lyric gal, but this lyric blog is directed for my niece (who doesn't know that I even have a blog, I don't think...).  I use to think of her when this song was popular (when she was like... 4'ish??).  And for some reason, many moons later, I had forgotten about that, until I watched her watch a sunset from a distance the other night...and re-reading the lyrics, I can't help but still feel these lyrics are so appropriate for everything I hope for her.  I love her dearly..... I captured a picture of her doing a cartwheel in the sunset on the beach.. so here's the picture, and some lyrics.  I love you Boo.

"I hope you Dance"

LeeAnn Womack

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat
But always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small
When you stand beside the ocean
 Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances
But they're worth taking
Lovin' might be a mistake
But it's worth making
Don't let some hell bent heart
Leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out
Reconsider
Give the heavens above
More than just a passing glance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a real and constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
I hope you dance
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
(Where those years have gone)

I hope you still feel small
When you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
Dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a real and constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)

(Tell me who)
I hope you dance
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
(Where those years have gone)