How do you learn to read?

I don't remember ever NOT being able to read. I have no clue how to help someone who doesn't know how to read learn this all-important skill. At Friendship Place tonight, I was trying to help a non-native English speaker girl with some reading words. I laughed a lot, at her attempts at words and my own inadequacy in helping her. Here's how much of the night went.

(The word is 'always')

Me: Ok, try this one.
Girl: Wise
Me: No, try again.
Girl: Laws
Me: Look closer.
Girl: Wise
Me: Nope.
Girl: Apple
Me: Look at the word, you're not even looking at the word!
Girl: Wise
Me: Nope, you tried that.
Girl: All
Me: Ooo! Close! Keep trying!
Girl: Wise
Me: Always. It is 'always.' (giggles) Good try though.

How do you teach someone to read??

See What God Has Done-the Guys

I can't forget the boys in all this reminiscing.

Meet Dawson-a crazy, creative, hilarious guy who now lives in China. He moved to my city our junior year in high school. He taught me the beauty of being vulnerable and of persevering, and blessed me with his laugh and insight.


And there's Ben (pronounced "Bin"), aka Benfriend. We were together so much from the beginning of college on people thought we were a couple. But he was not my boyfriend, he was my Benfriend. He actually dated my best friend the first several weeks of college, they broke up, he vented to me, and we've been best friends ever since. There is no telling the amount of hours I have spent listening to him play his guitar or that we've spent listening to each other ramble on about life, philosophy, relationships, etc.

Nathan: a pillar of strength, a ready source of encouragement, and the keen ability to call at just the right time. He's committed to serve the Lord no matter where it takes him. So far that has included deep Mississippi, Nashville, inner city Little Rock, Mozambique, Kenya, and in the near future-Angola.


And last but not least, I'll mention Kent. A people person with a strong sense of commitment, a desire to help others, and the ability to show grace.

The crazy thing is it that I'm just scraping the tip of the iceberg when it comes to mentioning people who've had a significant impact on me. There are so many others, from elderly mentors to family to people I'm just now getting the privilege to know. I've truly been blessed.

See What God Has Done-The Ladies

I don't know what caused this, but waves of nostalgia have slammed me head-on several times this week. However it happened, I have been reminded over and over again of dear friends from the past and present who have changed my life and taught me countless lessons. If you're going to know me, you have to know these people. Even though some of them I won't talk to for months, they are all soul-mate type of people. Some have hurt me as only those close to you can. But I count myself blessed to have so many people who know me, still love me, and can understand the feelings and dreams with which I struggle to put words. And in my preliminary thoughts about this post, I can already tell it is going to be overwhelming, so consider this incomplete.


I'll start with the person I've probably known the longest.
Mandy, aka Manders, someone who loves life just as much as anyone I know. We both moved to a new school at the beginning of second grade, and we've been best friends since then (except for a time in sixth grade when I was too cool for her. She forgave me for that).

Ashley and Holly, who will go together because I can hardly think of one without thinking of the other. They were my random assigned suite mates freshman year. Ashley has the pure heart of an angel, and Holly has the gift of understanding. I am so proud of both of them.


My life would be incomplete without Pryor 109. That is what Emily, Jenel, Jennifer and I called ourselves, because that was our suite we shared most of the last two years of my college time. We lived together a total of three years, and it was too much fun. I think we can give anyone a run for their money regarding the number of inside jokes one group of friends could share. We even had our own supporting cast (see below). We are all incredibly different, but we made a wonderful concoction when together. Jennifer displays how to love the simple things in life, and how to feel deeply for other people. She's the one mostly responsible for the way my life is headed now. Emily taught me how to always have a song in my heart. Jenel showed me determination and faith in overcoming obstacles. Every late night spent talking till 3am was worth it. These are the girls I can feel complete comfortable in saying, "Hey, you're driving me crazy right now" or "you're making stupid choices." These are the girls I can cry in front of and I can hold them while they cry. We can laugh for hours or sit in silence. I can't believe I live in MN now without them. And I miss them so bad it hurts.


I'll cover Meredith and Rebecca together too because I know they won't mind. We spent a summer together as interns in Honduras, and they both ended up being nurses too. They understand, if not helped create, the burden in my heart for the poor and marginalized in this world. They are both passionate and selfless, and I can't wait to see how this great adventure called life plays out for them.


I may not have known the meaning of grace until I met Amy Grace Greek. She is grace, personified, and aptly lives up to her name. She has a love for people to an extent I have rarely seen.


And nursing school would have been completely different without Jordan. I swear we are cut from the same cloth. She understands....everything. What a talented, creative woman.

High and Low Points-Liberalized

I am breaking the mold this week. It's Sunday, not my usual Monday update day. And nothing stands out enough from the past week to just pick one high and one low, so I think I'll do as many as I feel like. :-)


Highs:
-Roughly 20 people crammed into my apartment enjoying pancakes and singing praises
-being a support for a mom as she lamented the prior loss of her husband and the current trauma her son is enduring
-seeing an elderly man's eyes light up when I enter the room and listening as he tells everyone who walks by how I am a princess
-listening to a goosebump-producing lesson about what heaven might be like
-powerful singing in church
-looking at videos and pictures from Honduras and giggling excessively at the funny kids and encouraging stories, wondering in awe at the beautiful creation, being so grateful that good stuff is going on, and feeling so proud of my dear friends who are there
-watching almost the entire Sunday school class play "Snake"
-one-on-one time with beautiful Amy H.
-being chased around the church by one of the cutest kids in Rochester

Lows:
-having to revive a 4-month old three times in one shift
-looking at videos and pictures from Honduras and aching to be there, intermittently brought to tears by the hopelessness, poverty, and ignorance in between my giggles at the funny kids.
-I was going to put a few more lows, but they all seem petty after those two. I'll just leave it at that.

Welcome to the PICU

Today I had a tiny six-pounder in my hands when he went limp-no breath, no pulse. And later I had my hands encircling his entire chest giving compressions with my thumbs when I felt his heart kick back into life.

I have no words.

High and Low Points of the Week

High: Sat/Sunday at various times:
The realization I really like my new job. Kids are so much more fun to work with than adults at times! Though this weekend was very hectic and at times frustrating (psycho parents and a quarrelsome pre-teen who likes to protest by pulling off their ventilator), it was extremely fun and satisfying. It was nice to love on some giggly infants while their parents took a break. Even sick kids need a occasional ride in a little red wagon, a joyous birthday party, or a trip to see the fishies in the big tank! It was nice to hear a heartfelt 'thank you' from some very grateful parents and to receive a drawing from a new little friend. It felt good to know I had a pretty important part of bringing some really sick kids back to health, and that the things that I do or don't do can have a huge impact. Even though I still feel like a complete idiot at least once a day (and a partial one more often), it is wonderful to like nursing again.

Low: The flip side of working where I do
Sad, sad situations. Guilty parents. A poor prognosis. Problems we don't know how to fix. Parents forced to live at the hospital with their dying child because nobody will help them care for her at home. Cancer. Disfigurement. And the list could go on and on.

High and Low Points of the Week: A Day Late

High Point: Easter Sunday, the entire day.

I couldn't sleep. I was too excited, hyper actually, so I got up super early and spent a long time in prayer and study reflecting on what this day symbolizes. At church, the pastor made the announcement that when our facility changes locations, the new name will be Hope Summit Christian Church. I adore the word 'hope' (notice the title of this blog). Easter really is all about hope. If I ever have kids, my daughter has a high likelihood of carrying "Hope" somewhere in her name. The message was great, the worship was powerful, and I was surrounded by so many wonderful people. One of the older ladies who has become a semi-adoptive grandma had me over for lunch with her and her family, which was such a blessing.

Night: Murder Mystery Party in celebration of my birthday!
Almost all of my closest friends gathered to dress up and play an adult version of "Clue", 1920s style, complete with bribes, scheming, and the occassional murder.We were an interesting group of characters, to say the least. 5 of us were ousted by the time the dust settled. After we broke character and laughed till we hurt at different scenes from the event, the night carried on with some quality conversations. My friends are beautiful.

Low Point: Saturday, midday.
A friend called to tell me something that I will admit disappointed me quite a bit. She kept talking, not noticing I was trying to get a few words in and had resorted to just saying her name over and over. Finally, something snapped and I couldn't take it anymore, and I hung up before I realized what I was doing. Immediately appalled at myself, I called her back, kicking myself for being so incredibly immature and for putting a friendship on the line in an instant of anger. Thankfully, she just thought we were disconnected, and didn't think a second thing about it.

First Day of Spring

I love running. Today the temperatures rose to the point where I could tolerate a long run outside, and it was glorious after a rough winter of begrudgingly doing time on a treadmill. Do not get me wrong: I am not a hardcore, focused runner, but more of an undisciplined, casual, sloppy jogger. But I love it.

I like having the ability to be acutely aware of my breath and the power to control it. I love the feeling of crisp air rushing to where I can almost convince myself I feel it in the very tiniest end portions of my lungs. I love that feeling of accomplishment when I'm done, knowing I've done something good for my body and soul. I love the time alone, time to process or to not think at all, to pray, to silently sing while keeping time with my breaths or the soft pounding of my shoes.

I love the feeling of wrapping the cuffs of my long sleeved t-shirt around my fingers. I love finding oddities around town on my haphazard routes, like random Cambodian stores or teal houses. The myriad of animals that cross my path never cease to amuse me. I adore the endless paved paths, courtesy of the city of Rochester. I love the lakes, the clouds, the sunrises, the sunsets, and the streams. I am proud that I can easily run what most people consider a decent bike ride. I like running in the rain with a baseball cap on, blatantly slashing in puddles and laughing at the geese who look at me like I'm crazy.

I get a kick out of the people I meet along the way too. I like looking in the face of oncoming runners and being able to speculate their reason to run: most people have a distinct look. You can see the determination and discipline on the face of those training for a big race just as much as you can see the joy and peace on the face of one who loves being outside just running. There are the regulars-people you see often, knowing you both like to run but never knowing their name. You see little glimpses of life: the couple married for decades, holding each others' hand either because they want to or they have to to keep going. The new mom groups pushing their infants in giant strollers. The dog-walkers, the fitness buffs, the young couples, the teenager skateboarders. It is such a cool way to see a dynamic cross section of life.

And I even love what comes after the run. The endorphins flow dramatically, improving my mood and energizing my day. Stretching is so comforting, and it is incredibly satisfying to practically feel the lactic acid buildup dissipate into nothingness with each stretch. No matter what else happens that day, I have accomplished something. I love the way I feel when settling down to sleep the night after a hard run. I can't really think of a good word for it--tightness is too strong, achy is too negative, but it is a content, relaxed strength of body and a peaceful mind that welcomes a healing rest.

High and Low Points of the Week

Low Point: I have such a wonderful life right now I can't even think of one. But if I have to put my finger on it....I'd say Sunday morning during the Sunday school lesson I was teaching. The kids were bored and a few older kids spoke the dreaded, "Do we have to?" Tough life, I know.

High Point: Today, of course, because it is my birthday! I mean, what could be better than spending good times with friends and receiving a bazillion phone calls, emails, and packages? I am loved. :-)

Honorable mention: Wednesday night dinner and following. A decent group of us gets together most weeks for Wednesday dinner and worship. For some reason, I was the only girl who could make it this week for the first few hours. Me and a bunch of guy friends hanging out and singing. It was lovely, even if I did have to pull soprano.

High and Low Points: A Weekly Report

I'm going to try to make this a new Monday tradition: a little glimpse into my life by taking a quick view at the high and low points of the previous week.

Low Point: Sunday--starting about 12pm.

You never notice how much Sunday is considered to be a "family day" until you move incredibly far away from your family. You (maybe I should just sub in 'me' here, since it is my blog...) struggle with who to sit with during service. Most people sit with their family. Should I sit by myself and if I'm lucky someone will join me? Should I awkwardly place myself on the fringes of someone else's family and pretend like I fit in?

And I never know quite what to do after church--go home by myself, or hang around long enough to be annoying so maybe someone will ask me to join them for lunch? Be bold and ask other people to lunch, just to have them say they're planning on going with their family? Or hang around long enough to be awkward and yet not get asked to join for lunch? That's what usually happens.

My church is wonderful, and I'm slightly exaggerating my normal response to these situations. Usually someone sits by me if I sit by myself. I often join other friends who have no family nearby. Sometimes I have no problem sitting by myself. I usually am just as happy to go home alone as I am joining others. But this past Sunday it just made me sad. I missed the comfortable presence of knowing who I belonged with. Combine that with the lingering winter bitterness and it was just about more than I could handle.

High Point: Monday-starting about 5pm.

Every week, I meet with a small (but growing) group of girls to discuss life, God, struggles, praises, etc. I just can't say enough good things about this group. Each woman there is a beautiful, sweet, unique testimony to the goodness of God. Each of us have dramatically different personalities, yet we balance each other wonderfully. These girls challenge, encourage, and love me. We started, barely knowing each other, with the intention on creating a community of believers that shared life. And we are doing just that. We share everything from tears to giggles. We challenge each other with what God is teaching us that week. We pray passionately with and for each other. I just love them so much. This silly paragraph does them, and the God who made them and put them in my life, absolutely no justice whatsoever.