Tragedy.

It's simply heartbreaking. An elementary school being attacked by an armed gunman. Victims being elementary aged, as well as the adults who worked at the school. For no reason. And if there was a reason, we will never know. But really, would there ever be a "reason" that would justify this cruel, horrific act?

The media coverage here has been basic. It hasn't been plastered all over the tv and newspapers. It has been mentioned, but nothing like I can only imagine it has been in the States. I honestly see most of my information from Facebook through news sighs More and more stories are coming out and being made public. The teacher who hid her students in the closet and was killed... but saved their precious lives. The little girl who played dead and because of that she is the only survivor of her ENTIRE class. I read a news article about her today that brought me to tears on my lunch break from the New York times (or some reputable source) that she came out, covered in blood, reassured her mom that she "played dead. But all my friends are dead". It brings me to tears even typing this now.

I don't have children yet, so I don't know just HOW intense the love a mother has for her child first hand. I do have nieces and nephews that I love so very dearly and the thought of them being hurt crushes me, much less something tragic occurring to them. I can't imagine how the parents of all these kids feel.

I'm not forgetting the adults that were killed. I'm not saying that is ok. It's just so hard for me to wrap my head around someone doing something like this to children. And so close to Christmas. I can't imagine being a parent, aunt, grandparent, or any other family member or friend. In the next few weeks, thinking of all the small caskets that will be displayed on the news as these young souls are laid to rest. It's just too much to imagine. It does make you wonder what the world is coming to. People talk about the end of times every time something tragic happens. And it does seem to be getting worse and worse. Just when you think you've heard it all, something breaks in with a news update and catches our attention, and rocks our world, shakes our faith. It just makes me sick to my stomach. I find myself avoiding reading articles regarding it because it causes me to tear up. It makes me angry and sad and scared all at the same time.

My heart and prayers are with the families that have been affected, not just now, but in the future. As they approach holidays without their little ones. As they never know what might have been..what their little girls and boys would have grown up to do. Taken too early and well beyond their time. It's just tragic.

RIP little angels.

Helllloooooooo

Not reeeaaallllly much to update from the southern hemisphere.  This blog post is more of a bitching post than anything else... lol.  Well, not really, but kinda.

 

Work is chaos.  Well, whatever level 15 levels PAST chaos is, is actually more like it.  Just when I think I am getting ahead and I THINK I see the light.. I realise that it's just me going crazy and seeing things.  It just really feels sometimes like there aren't enough hours in a day, or minutes in an hour... or even seconds in a minute!  I KNOW.. well, I HOPE that it's temporary.  I still have so much to learn and sort out.  At first I was optimistic that the first month would be chaos.  Now, I'm realistic and know the next six months or so will just attempt to kill me.  I am hoping that it will be worth it in the end.  I have learned in my 20 some odd years of life.  Ok, 30 some odd.....whatever... that NOTHING worth having comes free... or even easy for that matter.  Part of me is tempted to throw in the towel and say, nope.. can't do this.  The other part of me is far too determined and stubborn to throw in the towel this early.  I know these thoughts are because of a bad..... ok... shitty day.  We recently had a doctor work in our office.  He and I had a good time working together because we shared a similar sense of humor.  If he wasn't giving me a hard time, I knew something was wrong.  In addition to being a doctor, he also does professional motivational speaking.  He once told me some advice.  (I won't quote him, because I don't remember word for word..so here goes).  He said never make a decision regarding your job career after one day.  Go home, sleep on it.  If after a MINIMUM of three days and three sleeps you are miserable, then it's time to look at your options.  Not bad advice really.  I'll have a go tomorrow and see how I feel, and I'm hoping that it is better.  I really don't like the thought of giving up on this position.  Right now, to me, it's truly not an option!

 

I can't believe that Christmas is right around the corner!  It is reallllly hard to get into the Christmas spirit when it's upper 80 degrees!!!  I did manage to get the Christmas tree up (before December 1st, even!) when we had a big cold front come through.  Otherwise, it doesn't feel like it's Christmas.  It's hard to believe it's already time for the holidays. I have no clue what to get Wayne... and no clue what I want.... so when he asks, the going answer is "I don't know".... (which is ok, because it's the answer I get in return!! HA!)    With Christmas close, that means NYE is right around the corner as well!  It's so hard to believe it's time to start writing 2013.  What the hell?  When did this happen exactly!?!?!

 

Tomorrow is December 12.  Here in Australia, the date is written date/month/year.  Which is one of the many things I have had to learn and adjust to.  HOWEVER, tomorrow, no matter how you right it, it's 12/12/12.  I'm certain that tomorrow will be an awesome day.  Being positive is half the battle right????  

 

TTFN.

Friiiiiday.

First off.... after my last post I had quite a few emails and fb messages from people asking "are you engaged?".  So perhaps I should clarify that up.  (and I had no clue I actually have more than three readers.  ha.)  We are not engaged.  We are headed that way though and once I can release all the details, I will.  Basically, once everything becomes finalised and official I will happily share the details.  For the sake of our family, we aren't releasing information on the wedding until the official proposal comes and we have had the chance to tell the family personally.  We don't want people to learn of the details second hand via blogger/facebook.

 

I have had quite a busy week, and I am definitely ready for the weekend.  Well, I'm actually not doing much this weekend... I'm just more ready to have a 2 day break from the chaos from work!  As you can probably tell, since getting the promotion, I go into very little details about work.  Being the Practice Manager / Nurse coordinator, it will continue that I don't discuss work into details on my blog.  I don't think it's a professional thing to do as a manager.  But I'll just say I am still totally loving it..... even on the weeks like this one.  I still don't think it's actually "hit" me fully yet.  Today someone asked me to do something and I was thinking "umm... come again?"  And then I realised.. oh yeah, that is my job now.. well, one of the many tasks that go along with my job.  I'm starting to get a routine down and have continued to get good... and even GREAT.. feedback from the Directors/Owners.  It's really an awesome feeling to make things happen and have the physicians and staff happy.  The whole feel of the office has changed, and I am happy knowing that I have a lot to do with that.  Yesterday my business cards came in .  That was a really cool feeling... but on one level it really didn't even feel... real?

 

Wayne is home from being in Sydney for the week.  He's home for the weekend, then away Monday-Wednesday.. and THAT is the last trip.. of.. the... YEAR!!  Yipppp to the eeeeeee.  I will admit that week flew by, and the house is cleaner than it's been in MONTHS.  This also means that tomorrow I might get to have a little bit of a sleep in as there isn't a ton of stuff on my to do list.  And, since I'm up watching the nightly mini Will and Grace marathon, it's looking like another 1am bedtime.  Geeze.... what the hell is up with this.  I use to be the girl in bed by 10.  Now I keep wanting to stay up late... do one more thing... organise one more thing... clean something else.. watch ONE more episode......  Morning April and Evening April are gonna have big problems soon at this rate!

Well, that is it on this side of the world for now... until next time!

Another day, another late night.

Well, I was right.  7am...which turned into 8am... April hated me this morning.  Especially after once I got in bed, I discovered an episode of "Friends" was coming on.... which meant of course I HAD to watch it.  How can you not?  We'll forget the little fact that I OWN the box set......

 

Today work was flat out.  Soo busy.  And the weather????? Rainy, cold and windy!!  We have a nasty storm that has swept through causing a lot of damage, power loss, etc.  Luckily at home no power loss, and unfortunately at work, no power loss either.  Hehe.  And a massive temperature change.  Once I got out of work I headed and picked up a package my folks sent from home.  I love love love packages.  Even if they are the smallest things.. it's always exciting to me to get and open.  Perhaps it's the little kid inside me.  But I love it.  When I got this package, I was allowed to open it (Christmas presents are on their way as well and we can't open those until Christmas!).  It was ornaments and a few Christmas decorations.  The decorations, ornaments, COLD temperatures, and some very random 7pm BURST of flipping energy... that would have been much more appreciated when I was ATTEMPTING to roll out of bed this morning..... lead to the putting up of the Christmas tree (of course, after going to purchase a new one as we waited WAY too late last year and ended up with one the height of my knee cap).  I was so excited, I just couldn't wait.  I will post pictures at some stage..but since Wayne is away with work, I would rather him come home and see the tree firsthand.  And not experience our second (and brand new) Christmas tree in our house via facebook or blogger pictures.  :)  So with the wind gusting and the temperatures dropping, I put in "A Christmas Story" and went to town.  I think it looks great, and I even picked up a few new and awesome ornaments that I'm really excited about.  When "A Christmas Story went off, in went "Christmas Vacation" and then I started dinner.  Went for a light dinner since I was starting dinner at 10:30 p.m.  My back and feet hurt, but seeing the tree and knowing that I'm totally in the Christmas Spirit (and the tree isn't being put up the WEEK before Christmas this year!) makes all that seem to disappear!

 

Tomorrow work will be quite busy with normal stuff plus conducting some interviews.  Last week I had FIVE interviews scheduled on Thursday and only TWO showed.  SMH.  Really???  I really don't get it.  At least have the decency to call and cancel?  I would be willing to consider someone in the future if they at least called and cancelled.  Or is that just the rational adult in me talking? 

 

Tomorrow after work my close and awesome pal Sasha (who moved here in June/July and we have really hit it off) are watching Bridesmaids (which is appropriate since she is one of my Bridesmaids!) and having dinner at our house.  Looking forward to it.  She is so awesome and I am really thankful for her and her friendship!!!  

 

Well, I'm sorry but once again there are no refunds for lost time on my blog.  Don't you people learn?  haha.  Goodnight.

 

And, Good eye might!  (Val, that's for you!) 

I should be in bed!

It's 11:18 p.m. now and I am totally up past my bedtime!! Tisk! Tisk!

 

However, I had a long nap today after battling some stomach issues yesterday and being home sick today, so while I know 7a.m. April will be mad at wide awake 11p.m. April, really my hands are tied and I am not getting in the middle of it! Ha. Ha.

 

I went today and picked up a little thing for our wedding reception.....

Sorry it's not the greatest quality picture of a picture.  Anyways, each letter is spelled out by something from Perth.  The last one is a little dark in the picture, but it's a heart.  We are gonna put this at the gift table and then afterwards hang it in the house.. probably in the bedroom.  Just a little something special to have and keep and always remind us of the day we married.  Really happy with this.  All the other details are slowly coming in.  And Wayne has been so great at all the planning and such.  No, we aren't engaged yet, but it's in the works!  :D

 

On the way home from picking this photo up tonight, I heard a song on my ipod shuffle I hadn't heard in years.....  Music has always been a big part of my life, and it sometimes just takes my breath away how music can impact your life.  A song you hadn't heard in years can suddenly transmit you right back to a certain day/time/event.  Sometimes good, sometimes bad.. always magical though.  Instantly I was 16 and "cruising" with my best friend from high school, Amy.  Isn't it just crazy how music can do that?  

 

I have continued to be in a cleaning mood and continue to organise things and clean things.  Wayne will come home from Sydney and never leave again... he won't trust me to be home alone anymore.  I go on mini shopping sprees and buy pretty things.  Ha.  Boys don't like pretty things.  I don't get it????  lol. 

 

Anyways, hope everyone out there is doing well.  I'm back to the grind tomorrow!  Until next time!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I can't believe that it's Thanksgiving.. again... ALREADY.  Didn't we just put away all the clean dishes and pots and pans from last year, like.... last week????  Where has 2012 gone?

This is my first official holiday in Australia without homesickness.  I guess having my career in the direction I've always wanted, a relationships I've always prayed for, friends surrounding me (near and far), and my family both home and my unofficial in-laws who have never once made me feel anything less than family by blood all really help.  It's really strange to look back on times in my life where I was unhappy and feel that those unhappy feelings were what I was stuck with for the rest of my life, and not having the ability to see the bigger picture when things were going bad... to not think God was out to get me, but to just have trust and faith that he was pulling me out of horrible situations and delivering me into the life I now have. 

 

So, in no order, I will list the things I am thankful for!

 

*  My parents, who have always supported me and been there for me when the things they knew would fail or fall apart did, all while supporting me during through the decisions I made, even when they were bad decisions.  I know that as a parent you want to protect your kid from everything, and my parents were fantastic parents who protected me, but allowed me as an adult to have wings.... and a safety net.  Perhaps that is why I was more willing to take big chances over the years?  Anyways, my dad is my step dad and the greatest man I could have ever hoped to have as a father figure.  He IS my dad, despite DNA. 

 

*  My boyfriend.  I am really blessed that we started as friends and our friendship grew and blossomed way before any other feelings did.  It is really nice to be in a relationship with someone who you feel you can confide anything in, and still cut up and be a big kid.  Some days it's like having your BEST friend as a roomate as an adult.  Cut up, joke around, pull pranks, play playstation, cut up, talk about the "good ole days"... and then two seconds later have the embrace of a loving couple and the support, love, and affection that he gives me.  It's really having the best of both worlds.  I'm so happy that as I started to fall for him that he in turn was falling as well, and that we fell together.  I am happy for the support he has given me as I have moved to another world and had to relearn everything that I had learned in my first 30 years of life.  I am happy that he is always encouraging and tolerates my bullshit at times.  I am thankful that when life goes bad, he is always by my side, and when needed, he steps forward to take the hits for me.  I can never put into words what he means to me.  Yes, we've had our bad times... but we are human and that's part of life.

 

*  My job.  I love my job and am so thankful to be a the highest point in my career and in a position I have always dreamed.  I was given a rare chance.... a part time position to a nurse with NO experience with the Australia healthcare system... to full time... to full time with sponsorship... now to Nurse Coordinator and Practice Manager.  I do not think the full reality has hit me.  I approved the final draft of my business cards today.  Felt soooo weird to see those.   I am busy as hell, and tired, but sooo grateful for the opportunity.  It's just crazy to think about it, and I guess because there wasn't any training period or much warning I was getting the promotion, I think that's why it still doesn't feel real.  The paychecks are nice though!! 

 

* Friends.  If there is anything this move has done, it has proven to me who my true friends are.  I have gotten closer with some people and farther away from some.  But I no longer will allow myself to force a friendship.  It doesn't mean that I don't love those friends, it just means I don't want to be the only one working for it.  I have met some great friends here and am sooo thankful for those friends here.  Recently I have become pretty close to my friend Sasha.  She and her hubby moved here from Florida in June, and we started talking on FB prior to that.  We just clicked and hit it off right away.  We communicate quite a bit and I always enjoy our time together..which occurs on a regular basis.  The hard part about living abroad is when a friend is in need.  However, even if I can't physically be there, I do my best to make sure I am there as much as I can be. 

 

*  God.  I am thankful to God for all the above, as well as for the strength to fight a very personal battle.  A battle I also must thank my friends and family for their support.

 

* Modern technology.  I can't imagine moving to the other side of the world without the ability to communicate with my friends and family.  Well, lets be honest, I wouldn't be here without it as I probably never would have met Wayne, and certainly the back story to how I met Wayne would have never happened either. 

 

And lastly, I am thankful for the Thanksgiving weekend on tap!! Tonight was wings at a restaurant with a group of Americans.  Tomorrow is cooking with the future mom in law, in the afternoon I will be at the spa for a 90 minute session, dinner with the future in laws and boy, then Saturday is our BIG thanksgiving dinner with over 30 people!!  We went shopping on Sunday... TWO big turkeys, etc.  I have always LOVED Thanksgiving, and I am looking forward to this year more than I can ever remember a prior thanksgiving!! So much to be thankful for.

 

On that note, I am thankful for our comfy bed, and comfy pillow... as I am headed to bed. 

 

"count your blessings name them one by one"

 



Why yes, it HAS been a while!

It's been a full MONTH since I have last posted.  My has life been super busy!!  I have quite a few things to report!!!!!

I won't go into the full details here.. and chances are if you are one of my friends I talk to on a regular basis, you already know the behind the scenes story..... however my boss quit in the past month.  She actually walked out one day angry.  This left me to oversee things while they sorted things out with her (unsure if she would return or not).  I guess I should also just tell you that here in Australia, the employees have all the rights.   Totally different than America.  So anyways, here I was without warning having to step up to the plate and prove myself.  After all, I have for years wanted to move into management, and this was my chance to prove to them, as well as myself, that I could do the job... and do it well.  About 2 weeks ago, my boss made it official and resigned.  I was asked to continue to "fill in" in her absence.  I had done the "smart" thing about 2 weeks prior to her walking out and starting expressing concerns that I had. 

So, anyways, one week ago I was officially promoted to Practice Manager and Nurse coordinator and given a nice little pay rise.  I am so thrilled.  Today I conducted interviews and have hired a part time nurse to add to our nursing team to allow me to focus on management more than I am able to working full time as a nurse.  Starting soon I will also not be working weekends and only Monday-Friday.  As a nurse, I can't even begin to tell you how THRILLED this makes me!!!  And the pay rise also makes me happy.  I started at this job 9 months ago.  It originally was going to be a part time, 2 day a week job.  Within a week, I was offered full time.  Within a month they agreed to sponsor me.  Now at 9 months, I have gone up nearly 27% in pay and am the boss with a Mon-Fri job.  Life is good! 

Australia has certainly been the best thing I have ever done.  I am at the highest salary I have ever had, am in the highest position I have ever held, and am happier in my career than I have EVER been.  I am also the happiest I have ever been.  Sure there are times I am a total crab (lol.. hey, I am a woman after all).  But it seems like everything in my life has just all come together at the same time.  I am at peace with a lot of things from my past, I am at peace with myself, and just feel I am the happiest I have ever been.  I have quit drinking and have decided to attempt to become healthier.  I am basically trying to be the best ME I can be.  Plain and simple. 

Well, that is all I have for now... hope everyone is doing well!!!!!!  Until next time...