Graduation 2012

After five long years, the big weekend finally came! Graduation weekend!!!!

My parents came into town for my graduation. It was such a great and unforgettable weekend. Since my parents came in late Wednesday night, we slept in a little bit and went shopping. Unfortunately, Dan had to wake up early and go into the hospital, poor guy! I had such a fun time with my mom and dad shopping for yummy food and beautiful clothes. We went out to lunch at Longhorn, which was absolutely amazing! It was so nice to catch up and not be distracted by school!

On Friday, we attended Convocation, which is basically a College of Nursing award ceremony. I was lucky enough throughout nursing school to maintain a 4.0, so I was awarded the Irma Kyle Kramer Award for the highest GPA. It felt so good to be valedictorian after all my hard work.

After the ceremony, Dan had to rush back to the hospital, so we grabbed some Subway and had a fun lunch with my parents. Afterwards, my parents and I went shopping at the Nebraska furniture mart in search for my graduation present. I couldn't find anything I liked. My parents wanted to get me something that I would have for the rest of my life, something that would always remind me of my graduation, something that would last a lifetime, but I didn't find anything that caught my eye.

I got a few other fun gifts...

 I love my new coach purse!!

 And necklaces!

 And earrings!

 

Later that night, we went for a walk in the Heartland of America park. It is so beautiful. 

 A tribute to our soldiers.

 I love this one.

 We also walked the pedestrian bridge which crosses over the Missouri River. It's amazing the early saints had to cross that very same river full of freezing ice. We are so blessed.

In two states at once!

We also went out for frozen custard at Culvers, which was delicious! 

 On Saturday, I finally graduated! The ceremony was 2 hours, but it seemed like it wasn't ever going to end.

All the UNMC grads, can you find me??? 

 Almost my turn!

The most anticipated walk of the year for me!

 It had the REAL paper in it too!

 Such a great dad!

 Best husband ever!

 I love my mom so much!

 All smiles!

 I don't think any of us thought this day would ever come, but it did!!!

 We had fun visiting some of the Mormon trail sites.

 So cute!

 Picking his nose!

 All I could do was laugh!

 Riddin' Buffalo!

 So much fun!

 hahahaha!

 Best mom ever!

 Trying to get a free ride West!

 Boy, was that guy tall!

 Helping get the wagon unstuck!

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, we had fajitas for lunch and celebrated with friends over for cheesecake and dirt cake for the kiddos. 

That night, we went out of Olive Garden for a yummy dinner. We had the most amazing dinner together. The conversation was great. We celebrated my dad's birthday by sharing a dessert I asked our waitress to bring our table. It was a total surprise! The look on my dad's face was priceless.

On Sunday, we went to church. My mom helped me in the nursery. We had a lot of fun chasing those little ones around, but boy were we worn out. After church we grilled burgers for lunch, and then my parents headed home. We sure are glad they could make it for my graduation! It was such a special weekend we'll never forget!

Sigma Theta Tau

This past week I was inducted into the Nursing Honor Society, Sigma Theta Tau. I never thought I would join a sorority. It was such a fun and exciting night. Dan and I had such a fun time getting ready.

Waiting my turn to sign the induction book...

 

My favorite nursing girls, Maggie & Jessica

 Goof ball

 Concentration.

So happy!

April Showers Full of Blessings

Echoing my post from November, we have a lot to be thankful for and what a better month to bring in all the blessings than the month known for it's showers, April! --Perhaps the recent Omaha rain storms have gotten to me a bit! Nonetheless, we feel very blessed.

For starters, Dan has decided to specialize in Radiation Oncology. This past year of medical school for Dan has been a rocky one filled with highs and lows. He started out with a rotation in Gynecology. He enjoyed delivering babies, especially those who came via cesarean section, but conducting female exams just wasn't his cup of tea. Pediatrics was just pure fun. Dan came home the first day of his rotation as happy as a kid in a candy store. All he wanted to do was play with the kiddos. I thought Dan had found what he wanted to do, but Dan knew better. Deep down inside he knew he loved kids too much to be serious with them. It tore him up that they were sick and he couldn't make them better fast enough.

Dan really enjoyed how relaxed his psychiatry rotation was, but he knew from the get go, it was not for him. After Christmas break, surgery started. I don't think we saw each other more than an hour a day. He was up at 4:45am and didn't get home until 7 or 8pm some nights. It was very tiring, but Dan loved it. The lifestyle just isn't for us. The little taste of surgery was enough to turn us off. The first half of Family Med was great; however, the second half was a drag. Dan was able to solidify the fact that he loves clinic and procedures, which is what Radiation Oncology offers--the best of both worlds. This last rotation, Internal Med, has started off on a good foot.

  Dan has also been accepted into the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN and The Nebraska Medical Center for two month externships. We are still waiting to hear from Colorado and Utah. Our hope is that Dan will be able to get some great experience at these places and hopefully get an interview for residency followed by spot in their residency programs. We're so excited for these opportunities!

I received a job offer from The Nebraska Medical Center. I will be working as a nurse on a med surg floor taking care of patients after coming out of surgery. I did my preceptorship on the particular floor I was hired on. A lot of our patient population consists of hernia repairs, gastric bypass, acute pancreatitis, etc. We also take care of patients on telemetry. It doesn't matter what the patient has, we take care of them. It's a great floor to start out on. I really would like to get a foundation of knowledge and later specialize, but first I need to develop my critical thinking. I'm excited to learn!    

 

The Time Has Finally Come!

After 5 years of going to school, I am finally graduating! I'm so excited I can't wipe the smile off my face! The road to graduation has been long and hard. It all started back in high school. I believe it was my freshman year when my dad asked me what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I was sure I wanted to be a psychologist. I thought it was interesting to listen to peoples' problems and try to help them find out how to be happier. As a result, I resolved to take a psychology class and hated it. Psychology was much different than I had expected. I was lost, in a panic of sorts, I went to my dad this time and asked him what he thought I would be good at doing for the rest of my life. I remember the exact words he replied with, as if the conversation occurred yesterday. He asked, "Have you ever thought of nursing?" That very phrase got the ball rolling.

This Saturday I'll be receiving Bachelors in Nursing Science! I'll finally be a Registered Nurse (pending I pass boards in June!) I'm so excited!

My parents will be coming for my graduation this weekend. I can hardly wait!

Here are a few of our favorite graduation pictures.

 

A lot to be thankful for!

Dan and I had one of the most relaxed Thanksgivings yet! We didn't end up going home this year since Dan only had Thanksgiving and the Friday after off from doctor duty. He's in his psych rotation right now, which he really hasn't enjoyed too much, but he's learning and that's the point, right!

Anyhow, this year was the first year we didn't travel to see family for Thanksgiving. We both agree that we love our families to pieces, but we're glad we vacationed from vacationing. It's just too much driving in 4 days.

For Thanksgiving this year, we really got pampered. We ended up being invited to two Thanksgiving dinners, which were both very delicious. Conversations were great and we really felt at home away from home.

I have to admit, we had some pretty good turkey this year. One of our friends smoked a turkey, which was very yummy and quite possibly the best flavored turkey next to my mom's fried turkeys. YUM! At our second dinner, we had the most moist turkey we have tasted in a very long time. It was perfect with homemade cranberry sauce! Our taste buds were in heaven!

Since we knew we'd be eating a ton between the two feasts, we started the day off by sleeping in nice and late and then going for a turkey trot around our neighborhood. Dan has become quite the runner! This week he ran 3 miles on the treadmill, with his last mile a 6 minute split! Great job, babe!

--It was 60 degrees on Thanksgiving! We had to pull out the sunglasses it was so bright!--

We kicked off the holiday season by going out for sushi with some of Dan's classmates the Saturday before Thanksgiving! Slowly but surely, I think Dan is beginning to stand watching me eat sushi. He even tried a few California rolls! This was one happy girl!

Dan gave me this super cute hat "just because." So sweet!

So full after dinner.

Remember "no shave November?" Well, Dan's gone and done it again and this time he managed to grow out a beard! He couldn't believe I let him do it! He had to shave it for a interview he had with some Oncology researchers a few weeks ago or else he'd still being growing it out!

Oh, the smell of fall!!!

Dan and I love fall in Omaha. It is absolutely perfect. The trees turn all shades of red, orange, and yellow. The cool weather is probably our favorite part. Although Omaha has all 4 seasons, the summers and winters seem to be harsh. BUT the transitional seasons, fall and spring, are perfect!

Since Dan and I first started dating in the fall, this time of year is super special to us. When Dan and I were dating I was the FHE mom for my ward. Since my mom had given me a bunch of popcorn when I went of to college, popcorn was often the defaulted treat most Monday nights. To spice things up a bit, one FHE fall night, Dan helped me make microwave caramel corn in a brown paper bag, which was a total hit. Since then, we've found a much better recipe and look forward to making caramel corn each fall!!!!

The first year we moved to Omaha, we started a new traditions of making caramel apples!!!! YUM!!!

On our first date, Dan and I carved pumpkins together with another couple. This year instead of fighting with the mess, we decided to pick out our pumpkins and display them on our step. We hope this way they'll last longer than a few days...and they have!
And what's fall without the perfect homemade wreath?!?!
Can't wait for Thanksgiving!!!!!