'Cuz You've Had a Bad Day...

Whenever I hear this song I picture my four year old nephew, Vander, singing it in this sweet voice with a great set of lungs. He doesn't know all the words but that one catchy phrase comes out crystal clear. Yesterday, while this song was playing through my head...well, while it was my theme song for the day...I was wishing I had Vander to sing it because it would have brought a smile to my face!

Do you ever just have a truly bad day? Where you wake up and you know from the start things will go wrong? I knew I was doomed when I made my cup of coffee, opened the fridge door, and saw we were out of coffee creamer. Now sure, I could have run to the store on any given day but we were in a rush to get to my aunt's house to meet the movers. I didn't even have time for a Starbucks run. Doomed. Yes, coffee does make my day better. That probably sounds awful but really, you don't want to be with me if I am missing it. ( Just ask my husband!)

The day snowballed. One thing after another went wrong. By 7:30 I was done with the day. My head hurt, I really could find anything positive to say, and poor Trav had to listen to my sarcasm whether he wanted to or not. It was one of those days where you want so badly to crawl into bed, pull the covers over your face, close your eyes, and wake up a new, fresh day. I would have done that in the car driving to Irvine if I could have!

But, as I look back on certain things throughout the day I can't help but laugh now. ( by no means was I laughing yesterday!) Here are a few laughable moments:

* My aunt's garage had been filled with mice. We realized this while the movers were moving our stuff out and the floor, our fridge, our dressers, everything was covered in mice poop. Nope, not laughing at that. I'm still disgusted. But while I was sweeping up all the poop and cleaning her garage for her I thought I caught a glimpse of a mouse and screamed! Loudly. My poor aunt was so startled until we realized it was a leaf blowing through the garage. Did I laugh than? Nope, just scowled to myself. ;)

* We rented a storage unit that we had before. While the movers were loading up to bring their next load in, I decided to go check out the unit we had. I went in to find that the light doesn't work in the unit...in fact, it will never work for some weird reason the facility gave us. Why that made me mad, I don't know. But as I was standing there fuming at how much we are paying for a unit that has a light not working, one of the movers came in with a load of boxes. I heard this thud and an, " Ow. woah, I can't see!" He had run straight into the back wall of the unit in the dark! Poor guy....I'm chuckling now just remembering it! Maybe it was good I wasn't in a laughing mood in front of him!

* I had to leave while they were unloading into our unit in Trav's car to run and get more cash because we were going to owe them more. I was flustered and ticked while in a hurry for who knows why. I pulled into this wannabe Circle K parking lot and got out of the car. Oh, but I left the car on and it started rolling forward as I was getting out of the door causing me to trip while staring in disbelief at how the car was still moving. As it hit the curb I jumped back in and jammed it in park. We won't tell Trav this one! 

* I was at the gas station down in Orange filling up after driving back from Irvine. I had to go inside to pay and when I came out there was a man collecting money for a homeless shelter. I dropped a dollar in and was about to keep walking when he said, " Mam, I hope you have a blessed day & a great Mother's Day!" Do you know what I did? Besides scowling, I turned to walk away ticked that this man thought I either had a child or was expecting. I than mumbled to myself I would never wear the outfit I had on again. Way to kill doing something nice. As I drove home the verse, " whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me" was trying to run through my head but I was pushing it aside with thoughts of, " Seriously, just because I am wearing a t-shirt does NOT mean I look like I am pregnant." Oh man, what in the world was I thinking....he meant no harm!

* In the afternoon I was already done for the day. Wanting to start a new one. I thought it would be great to lay by the pool and just relax, soaking in the sun. Except I talked on the phone the whole time which is fine but I layed facing the sun with one arm holding my phone to my ear and the other resting across my forehead to block the sun from my eyes. ( Oh yes, I lost my sunglasses yesterday too) I don't need to explain the tan line I have across my forehead nor my reaction when I saw it later last night. ;)

Here is a video of that song. 

Thankfully, today is a new & beautiful day. And yes, I have already had my coffee =)

Our Sports Day

We woke up Friday to find it was going to be a rainy day. Not the mild drizzle we had seen so far, but some pretty decent rain. Can you guess what I forgot to pack on this trip? Yup, an umbrella. Who goes to Seattle without one? Apparently we do. So as we packed up and set out for a full day we had to borrow one from the hotel that was big with an even bigger SHERATON written across it. Hello tourists!

We tackled public transportation and rode to the University of Washington. I should get something straight. While we were finally getting the old "bus" thing, we never knew where we were supposed to get off. Just what number bus we needed. This led for some interested times of, " Do you think here? No, let's wait one more. Well, maybe one more stop. Eh, this one looks fine." As we trucked through the rain, huddled under one umbrella, we found the school. It's huge. HUGE. Small, private Christian Universities just don't compare to these campuses. I would without a doubt get lost going to class each day. We walked around checking out the old buildings. Because we are super mature we came up with this game to pretend we were checking out the school. For awhile Trav was there for grad school and was talking loudly ( in an accent I have never heard of) about his degree and the school. After that we decided to just look inconspicuous, as if this was our campus and we knew just where we were going. This was fun until we remembered the umbrella we were caring.

After finding their gym, Trav was determined to go inside. We started walking all around so he could try opening every door he saw. All locked. But finally, a door opened. A shady door. One that probably was not supposed to be left unlocked. It led us through some starch white halls, by the womens vball lockeroom, and through their hall of fame. The hall of fame was awesome! I was in just as much heaven in there as Trav was. However, as we passed each case lights would flick on all over there place. We were easy to spot!

I lost Trav for a minute and walked through another door to find him standing in the doorway leading into the gym, just speechless. He wanted to go down on the court so bad. But that seemed a little to risky and  while we were there one of the women's player came in to shoot around. 

Right next door was the football stadium. Trav again found an area in the gate we could walk through and than the one open tunnel leading out into the stadium. Now it was my turn for my jaw to drop. I was mesmerized. It opened up onto the lake which was gorgeous. Trav kept daring me to run down on the field but not a chance I would have!

We grabbed a quick bite to eat, found the right bus, and headed back to our hotel. From there we decided to journey on over to where the Seahawks and Mariners play. We have this thing where we want to see all baseball fields, football stadiums, and basketball arenas throughout the states. We love it! And, we have conquered some states already! Our first stop was Quest Field: Home of the Seahawks and Sounders. 

( from here we saw great views of the city with all the fog)

Around the corner was Safeco Field: Home of the Mariners! And tons of sports fan shops we strolled through.

A short walk away was China Town. We walked through some of it but there were some rough crowds and we stuck out majorly. We decided to head back to where are bus had dropped us off and Trav was pumped because it was right by....the Police Museum. Of course we went in. My husband was in heaven. There was a sweet lil' old lady working the front so we chatted with her for a bit. After taking the tour we found the kids area. The had dress up clothes. Police dress up clothes. The tops didn't fit Trav but I didn't hesitate to rock it! We spent a good chunk of time taking pictures and messing around with the call boards. Kids at heart I guess. As we left, we met a policeman from the city, the one who opened the museum. Trav talked with him for a good 20 minutes and he had some great advice for Trav!

As we were waiting for our bus we realized we were on the wrong side of the street. We stood in the rain as it passed us by. The only thing we could thing to do was take off running to the other side of the street and head to their next stop figuring we would make it in time. We were feet away waiting at a red light while the bus was loading up at it's next stop. As soon as the light turned green, the bus took off, leaving us running again behind it. This continued until we made it back to our hotel!

From all our walking that day we were famished by dinner. So hungry we couldn't make up our mind what to eat. We found ourselves walking around the city, indecisive and growing hungrier by the minute! There was this restaurant by our hotel, Tapas Grille, that Trav had been referred to from someone at work. We skipped it the first day because it looked too pricey but we were so hungry and couldn't walk another foot we stumbled inside. And what did we find? The most amazing happy hour ever! Literally. I don't know how we lucked out with the happy hours we found. At this one we ate popcorn shrimp, chicken skewers, sushi rolls, spinach artichoke dip, and Trav got a bacon burger all for cheaper than if we had eaten at someplace like Islands and the food was delicious! ( Little did we know we would find ourselves back here another time!)

It was a great day filled with sports for us! The rain sure didn't rain on our parade. We had such a great time and I am pretty sure we walked at least 10 miles....much needed considering how much we were eating!

Our Second Honeymoon

Traveling with Trav is a favorite. But I think I appreciate every little part of it more the longer we are married. Most people think we travel all the time. But, when you have family that lives in other states where you go to visit for holidays and what not that is not exactly " traveling". Sure we've been to San Fran for a wedding with a bunch of friends. Same with Vegas...all with friends. And Colorado this year was to 1) See my roommate 2) Go somewhere since we didn't for our anniversary and 3) Check out possibilities. This trip to Seattle was entirely different than anything we have done. It makes me ready to go some where else now!

You can't top your honeymoon because it's a honeymoon and the first trip as a married couple. Trav and I know each other at such a deeper level now, making this trip like a honeymoon again but easier , I guess. On our honeymoon we felt that if one was doing something the other should. Which was perfect at that time. But now, I know that if he wants to watch ESPN I can curl up with a good book and its fine. Or he can sleep in as late as he wants while I sneak out to grab a coffee, take a little walk, and than head back to my book. I even took a nap one day which is rare while he stayed up watching....Cake Boss & House Hunters. ( Don't tell I told you ;)

Seattle was an incredible city. There are some big cities that are dirty or overwhelming or you can't take too much of. We couldn't get enough of it. As we walked the streets each day we soaked in every little detail about it. The air was crisp and fresh and clean. I loved walking the streets in a coat and scarf with Trav holding my hand to keep warm. There was a hustle and bustle about the streets but it wasn't too much. We learned quick how to be like locals there when it comes to walking and public transportation!

I can't say enough what a treat it was to have Trav for six days, all day. No work. No school. Just us. We hadn't realized how much we've missed that. I laughed more than I have all year. I was reminded how easily Trav can make me laugh. Literally laugh until I'm going to cry, be sick, or pee. There was one day we were coming back up the elevator. We were already laughing and teasing each other about the bus ride. We got off and walked to our room. Trav was trying to unlock the door but every time he went to swipe the key I would mess it up. Between that, giggling, and Trav twisting the door handle trying to open it we were causing a ruckus. Until we realized the card wasn't really working. At the same time we froze, looked up, and realized we were at 2026 not 2126!!! Crap! We doubled over laughing and barely made it back to the elevator. Once on the elevator I was crouched on my knees laughing so hard and we both had tears streaming down our faces. I wish I could have seen the people in the room as they looked through the peephole to see who was breaking into their room! 

I was amazed at how quickly Trav and I slipped back into a routine like we used to have when we were living on our own. It made me cherish those moments with him even more. Pretty sure I fell in love with him all over again. Each day I realize different reasons why I am so thankful for him and how we are without a doubt a match made in heaven. I love how how he shares my passion for traveling, trying new things, and wanting to make the most out of our time here on earth! Seeing new places with him is fun because he gets just as excited about each thing as a kid going to Disneyland for the first time! I'm sure there are many more adventures in store for us.

There is so much to say about our 6 days that I think I will split it up and talk about the highlights of it! That way, in a few months I can look back and remember the little moments :)

Pinned ya

When the talk of our nursing pinning ceremony began, the only thing that would come to my mind was the quote from the Lion King, " Pinned ya. Pinned ya again!" =)

Most wonder what a pinning ceremony is. No, it's not graduation. I will still walk in May like any other college graduate. But this is a special, intimate ceremony specifically for nurses to celebrate the accomplishment as well as it is a tradition that has been passed on for many, many years. It is a way for the faculty we had throughout the program to "pin" us as an RN showing we made the transition from student to colleague. 

At first I was not going to go. My school had declared we could only bring one guest, our pinner. My parents cannot make my graduation in May ( actually, I don't know if I can either!) so they decided to come out for the pinning even if they could not come in. After much thought, I realized I needed to be at this ceremony. I have worked way too hard and wanted this way too much to not take part in it. We were planning on just eating dinner with my parents after to celebrate but they ended up letting them come in for the ceremony which was such a blessing. My parents have been down this road with me through the good and the bad so I wanted them there more than anything.

As I was pinned a message I had written for Trav was read. He leaned down to hug me and gave me an awkward kiss. ( I told him before hand not to kiss me in front of everyone because I am awkward. Well, sweet Trav did anyways and I, of course, made it an awkward moment!) One of my favorite professors handed me my Florence Nightengale lantern that I will say I am proud to own. Florence used to carry a lantern through the battle field as she helped the wounded. They said when they saw the light they knew help and comfort was coming. So each student is given one and we light each others to symbolize the healing we will always bring to those who come our way. After that we recited the Florence Nightengale  Pledge. I felt so silly but through the whole thing my eyes were filled with tears and that pledge caused them to spill out. 

 

I solemnly pledge myself before God and presence of this assembly;
To pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully.
I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous
   and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug.
I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession
   and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping
   and family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling.
With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work,
   and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care.

It was a beautiful ceremony that recognized everything I have worked so hard for. I am so glad Trav and my parents were able to be a part of it.I know how proud my parents were and I think that is another thing that made it so special. Wherever we went that weekend my dad would tell people," Well, we are here because Emma is done with nursing school and officially an RN" with a huge smile on his face. ( Secretly I think he didn't think I would ever finish a program because I would give up!) But I didn't give up Dad....and I didn't get pregnant during it either! ( another concern ;)


Now it's time to find a job.......

Two Simple Letters

RN.

Emma Hardeman, RN.

Whew, that really does look good. Who knew that two simple letters could completely change my life. And who knew it would be such a challenge to earn them!

The road to becoming an registered nurse was by no means a short, quick, and easy one. It wasn't like hopping on the 55 freeway to head straight to Newport. Instead, it was similar to heading up the curvy road to Big Bear, getting lost, hitting a few road blocks, trudging uphill against all the bad weather, and finally making it to the destination.

I should have always known I would be a nurse. In 2nd grade I choose Clara Barton for a class book ( shoe box ) project. In 3rd grade, I choose Florence Nightingale. In 4th grade I began reading Cherry Ames novels. Mystery + nursing = captured my heart. I used to line up all the dolls and animals in my room to make a hospital. I was fascinated. I was intrigued. I was born to be a nurse.

But when the time came for me to decide where I would attend college and what I would do with my life I let fear overcome me. I remember sitting in my dad's office at the high school talking about the future. He looked right at me and said," You are supposed to be a nurse. You will be incredible. Go for it, Emma." But of course, I didn't. I wanted to go to Concordia. I loved music and my sister who was my music teacher was my inspiration....I wanted to be like her in so many ways. I started taking the education and music classes only to realize I was not born with the gift He had blessed my sister with. While it was my passion and I truly love to sing, as a career it was not where He was calling me.

My dad used to leave cards on the steps at home of Army and Navy nurses or local nursing jobs. His sly way of reminding me that even though I didn't think so, my dad knew it was the right field for me. At CUI, they gave us this test that "showed" areas to work in that utilized our strengths. Can you guess my number one? Nursing. Can you guess what was close to the end of the list? Teaching. ( Surprisingly "Chef" was 2nd on the list. haha) 

When I finally choose to face my fears and go after not only my heart but to where I could feel God was leading me I was hit with road block after road block. Classes I needed at junior colleges were full. Azusa told me to "hang around" for another year, taking random classes, to sit on a waiting list. I became an LVN simply to bypass the wait list for nursing programs. After that was complete and I was ready to begin my RN program, God had to once again remind me how badly I wanted this. I was told my classes I had already taken were expired and needed to be re-done. It was one thing after another.

Looking back, I can see so many times that I could have easily given up. But I didn't. ( Although, trust me, there were days I wanted to!) If it wasn't for my famiy and friends constantly encouraging and supporting me, I probably would have. If it wasn't for the fact that I know without a doubt in my mind this is where the Lord has called me, I would have. My sister told me along the way, " The things you want most in life are the hardest." Wow, was she ever right!

This program, this journey, was the hardest thing I have done. I gave up an awful lot to get to this point. Trav and I made huge sacrifices. I had to suck it up and say," No" to hanging with friends or playing hide and seek with my nephews. I had to shut out the world on most days so I could study, read, and take practice exams until my mind was numb. 

But we made it. My boards are over with and I am officially a licensed registered nurse. I still get teary eyed when I hear it. It's really real. 

This feeling of reaching a goal is indescribable. I've never worked so hard for something and I've never wanted something so bad. I cannot wait to begin my future job, wherever that may be, and care for each individual hat comes my way. I'm so very thankful for each person who encouraged me, prayed for me & Trav, and supported the two of us through this. 

We are praising and rejoicing as this chapter of our lives closes and a new one is about to begin!

Wicked

Ever wondered they story behind the "Wizard of Oz?" Ever wondered why the Wicked Witch is indeed wicked ( or not;)? Do you simply love good Broadway music, fabulous costumes, and a story that grabs at your heart? Than it is a must you go see the musical, Wicked.

Trav and I saw it once, years ago, and fell in love. (surprisingly he did too.) When we were dating he was so great about coming to see shows with me. I usually received tickets as birthday or Christmas gifts and Trav would always be my date. I loved that he was honest with me about his feelings for each one. For instance, Oklahoma was not a favorite but he said he could see Jersey Boys over and over again. And than we saw Wicked. The night we saw it was eventful. I basically broke my nose and was in getting an xray just an hour or two before we left. I was devastated. We had been waiting for so long to see it and than when we did see it, I couldn't put my glasses over my swollen nose which led to missing out on have of the show.

But, we saw it again. My sister and her husband gave us tickets to see it for Christmas. And the timing couldn't have been more perfect. We saw it last week, just a day after I found out I passed my boards! (post to follow...) What a perfect celebration! We had without a doubt the best seats in the house, I did not have a broken nose, saw the whole thing perfectly, and it was even better the second time. 

( I had a handsome date!)

It's a wonderful story and the music will be in your head for weeks! If you haven't seen it, it is still out here at the Performing Arts Center and I am sure it will be in LA soon! 

I'm really hoping they make a movie with the original Broadway cast. How incredible would that be?!

It really is magical!

( all photos courtesy of playbill.com)

We plan on being Sleepless in Seattle!

We have been planning this trip....well, I should saying dreaming....for awhile. When I started my RN program we always said that once it was over we would take a trip to someplace we have always wanted to go. Different options were thrown around but we always came back to Seattle. We talked about backpacking through Europe but when we realized we could do everything we wanted in Seattle and Canada for the same price as one ticket to Europe, that sealed the deal. 


But real life hit. Cars needed to be fixed, root canals done, and unexpected school bills creeped up. The week of our tax appointment we were feeling financially defeated. After all, we moved home to save money yet we were turning it all over to school and dental bills. If we owed for taxes we would both be in tears. During our tax appointment our dear tax man looked at us and said, " What amount would you be happy with for a refund?" At the same time Trav and I both replied, " Not owing anything!" He smiled, gave us our amount, and our jaws dropped. This year's tax return was a gift from above no doubt. We would be able to pay off yet another medical bill, put money back into savings, and......go to Seattle! 


So, at the end of the month we will be heading to Seattle, Vancouver, and maybe even Victoria for a fun filled vacation! Trav and I have learned these past 3 years that we LOVE traveling together. While it's usually to go see family, our trip to Colorado this past fall proved how much we love touring new cities and seeing what is out there. We have tons of sites we are planning to see....we may need another vacation when we come home just to rest up! 


I can't wait for this time to be adventurous with my Trav. It's a perfect way to celebrate the end of this journey we have been on. Thank you Jesus for this wonderful gift and for our tax angel :-)

Here are some sites on our agenda.....

Ah, she is a beauty!

This is #1 on Trav's list to see. He wants to watch the fish being thrown....and maybe go on a food tour!

Can't see Seattle and not go to the first Starbucks!

Sheraton Seattle where we will crash at the end of our busy days!

Up North is the tulip festival. We may have to pay a visit!

We are heading to Grouse Mountain in Vancouver to....ZIPLINE =)

While we are facing fears of heights, we might as well cross the Capilano Suspension Bridge :)

Hurry up March 30....we're ready for some adventure!

Everything I Need

I was silly. I was unrealistic. I worked it up in my mind a little too much. I was not thinking about God's timing. I'm working on not being disappointed. I'm working on being patient. I'm working on letting go of the whole timing thing.

I threw myself a pretty nice pity party this morning. Partly because it's about to be that "time of month", partly because I just needed a good, solid cry, and partly because I built what this would be like up in my mind for 2 years only to have it be different. The end of nursing school wasn't supposed to be like this.

For 2 years we have talked and prayed about the end of nursing school. It would finally mean our life can move ahead again. For two years we have waited and taken steps back while everyone around us took steps forward. But it was ok. It was hard but it was ok because there was this light at the end of the tunnel, January 30, then end of school. 

I made a huge mistake. I had this unrealistic, almost fairytale like, picture of how this would be. I would finish school, we would find a place to live, we would get a puppy, I would get a job, and within a few months we would be expecting our first child. Was I crazy? Maybe it was all the diet dr. pepper! Coming back to the real world, as you can imagine, nothing has unfolded like that. In fact, nothing has changed. Which is normal. But not in my crazy, fantasy world mind.

Instead, we are finding ourselves being hit left and right with unexpected bills yet there is no second income coming in yet. I have been rejected from 9 new graduate programs here, in Colorado, and in Texas. ( Now, a part of that is because I haven't even taken my state boards and these days a hospital could give less about you if you are not official. Also, I don't have my BSN.) But getting those rejection emails still blows regardless. We are no closer to having a place to live of our own again, owning a pup, and let alone even think of a baby.I've been frustrated. A little mad. Very disappointed. I've ignored the encouraging words from my family and Trav, letting them disappear out the other ear without every digesting them. Trav sends me frequent texts or whispers to me when I'm falling asleep at night, " Our time will come. Just trust, Emma. We will be blessed, we are blessed, we just have to wait." I couldn't ask for a sweeter and more encouraging husband yet as he is reminding me this in my mind I'm saying, " You want me to be patient longer? Wait longer? Why can't we be blessed now the way I want to be blessed? Let's just make our own plan."

And than the Fish plays a song, one I have heard so many times but never really paid attention to, and I find myself convicted right than and there as I have been many times before. We are more blessed than we could even imagine. We have life pretty good all because of Jesus. That's all, and I mean all, that matters. We don't need more money, we don't need our own place to live, we don't need to have the best job, and we don't need all the stuff. But we do need a life filled with Jesus. We need His love, His grace, and His intervention. All of the things I was worried about or wanted to fall into place are just things to fill our life with.

It's going to be a challenge to let it all go, but from here on out there is nothing Trav or I need except for Jesus, filling us completely in every aspect of our lives. And when it is finally our timing, it's going to be better than great because we have waited, trusted, and let go. Wherever we live next whether it be a house, apartment, or a cardboard box I will cherish it that much more because of this waiting time in our lives right now. When the Lord decides to bless us with a puppy or a baby I will cherish every moment a hundred times more. When I am given a nursing position I will work that much harder, be that much more compassionate, and that much more thankful. When Trav is finally promoted we will be that much more grateful for the new hours and the new salary.

It's so comforting to know we are not in this alone. And I'm excited to wait and see the Lord's plan unfold.

Wonderful Christmas

I can't believe Christmas has come and gone. Why does it seem to pass by quicker each year? I love Christmas. Everything about it makes me excited for it to come each year. I love knowing that the day after Thanksgiving radio stations turn to Christmas songs and watching lights go up outside of homes and the glimmer of trees shining through the windows. I love the traditions that come with Christmas, carrying on the ones we grew up with and now making some of our own as well. I love singing traditional Christmas hymns in church and watching each week as the advent candle adds a new flame, knowing we are that much closer to the celebration of our King's birth.

This year, we had a new challenge with Christmas. The past years we have been extremely spoiled having our families live 7 minutes apart. Even when we were dating, we would travel back and forth throughout the day to each others home. When we were married, it was easy as can be going from house to house and not missing a minute of either Christmases. My parents moved last spring so I knew that this Christmas would take some rearranging in our schedules to make it work. Trav always works Christmas Eve which puts a twist into the picture as well. All of my family was going to AZ. We haven't spend a Christmas with the Butterfields or Ermelings since before our wedding nor has my entire family all been together under the same roof since our wedding. Since Trav's mom was going to work this Christmas, Trav said of course we would head to AZ for Christmas morning. We didn't want to miss out on the Hardeman Christmas either though and thankfully it all worked out perfectly.

On Christmas Eve morning, we treated it as Christmas morning in the Hardeman house and it was lovely! We all wore our matching jams and it felt just as magical as if it was the actual day. It was fun seeing Van and Huddy so into Christmas this year. Kids really, truly add something special to Christmas morning. Heidi made a delicious egg dish and Cindy had apple cider ready when we woke up. That was always my favorite in the past years. Coming downstairs and grabbing a red mug full of cider than heading to curl up on the couch! We spent the day relaxing and than headed to church that night. It's hard not worshiping with Trav on Christmas but I know it's just temporary and his schedule will change eventually. I'm thankful to have the Hardemans around though so I did have family to worship with. Cindy made a delicious dinner and I stuffed myself silly again, starting off the Christmas feasts! It was a great day!

That night when Trav got off work we packed up and headed out to AZ....by car. I drove while Trav slept and as we were leaving my dad sent me a text saying, " Whether you get here at 4 or 30 minutes later, we will all still be here. Please drive SLOW! Oh man, if only he knew how quickly I got us to Palm Springs! At our pit stop there I had this bright idea to let Trav keep sleeping so I bought a Red Bull. It worked and I was singing along to music the whole way to Blythe, bright eyed and bushy tailed. ( However, I will NEVER even look at a Red Bull again. Christmas morning my stomach hated me. I felt like it was eating me from the inside out. What was I thinking?!?!) My sisters ( aka: other moms) were worry warts and kept calling/texting to make sure we were ok. Somehow we made it there. That last 2 hour stretch was brutal. I was nodding off while Trav was driving and I am pretty sure when I came too once, his eyes were closed. But we made it! It was an adventure and I would do it again if we had too! We unloaded all our stuff and Trav passed out! I was so excited I couldn't sleep ( even though I only had an hour before the kids woke up) and by the time I finally fell asleep, I heard excited voices upstairs.

The Kahler Christmas morning was wonderful as well. 9 excited grandkids led to a fun morning. It was absolutely wonderful having the whole family in one room and I found myself stepping back to take it all in, as if I was snapping mental pictures that I will carry with me forever. I've missed these moments of having us all together but I don't take them for granted anymore when we do have them. My sisters and mom had stayed up on Christmas Eve to make our traditional Christmas breakfast that we all wait for each year. We spent the day undoing toys, reading books, watching games on tv, and Trav golfed. A delicious dinner was made and than Trav headed to the airport to fly home. He was such a trooper for literally having an hour of sleep! 

I tried to soak as much of our Christmases up because I have no clue what next year holds. I know Trav will be working Christmas Eve again. I know that I will probably have to work Christmas day seeing that I will be the "rookie" in whatever job I find. I don't know where we will be located or who we will be with. But I am very thankful for fun times, the joy and laughter, and celebration of Christ's birth that we were able to share with all of our family this year.

Here is a video from the Hardeman Christmas that Heidi made. (I tried uploading a shutterfly album from the Kahler Christmas and I could not figure out how : ( )

Hardeman Christmas 2010

ALOHA

( I promise I will get back to writing about my last term. I've been avoiding it because I spend so much time studying and in the books that being on the computer to do something non nursing is a good break! As we speak, I am even taking an online practice exam but I simply cannot focus, so I thought I would blog)

Aloha means hello AND goodbye. For Trav and I this week, it meant goodbye. A few weeks ago Trav gave a presentation that would be the final piece in preparing for a promotion. He was approached before Thanksgiving in regards to being a top candidate and was asked if he was relocatable. He responded yes and gave a list of places we would be willing to go: Arizona, Colorado, San Diego, the bay area and St. Louis. They informed him he would not hear anything until after Christmas. Whew. We would have time to enjoy the holidays with family before any life changing decisions had to be made!

Yesterday Trav called me in the morning which is odd because usually he can't call until after a certain time. I was excited to hear from him and started rambling away. He interrupted me to say,

" My boss approached me. They would like to promote me and relocate us." What?!? Already? Where too? My heart was racing. He went on to say, "They want to send me to Hawaii."

I'm sorry, they want to WHAT?! I mean we have been praying for God to open a door for a long time now but I haven't been praying for a plane flight to the Big Island unless it's for a summer vacation! I quickly shook myself out of the initial shock and picked my heart back up from where it had dropped inside me. We began to talk through it. He needed more information and we were ready to be open to the possibility and research as well. But we had less than 24 hours to decide.

We both received advice throughout the day and did our own digging around into the possibility of living on the Big Island. There was a never ending or closing prayer that ran through my head and heart all day as I anxiously waited for Trav to come home so we could make our decision. Dinner at Ricardos, a comfortable and familiar place for us, was the perfect spot to have our heart to heart. The position they offered him was huge. He would be promoted as a business partner with Target, in charge of all asset protection for every island in Hawaii. On top of that he would be the District Facilities Manager for all of them as well. What an honor! However, it was a 3 year commitment...which can always turn into something longer. Every detail was laid out to talk about from cost of living, to nursing jobs, having kids, seeing family, and more. We worked through the pros and cons of living there.  Trav would island hop weekly to oversee each store, which also brought some concern to the table. 

We came to the decision that this was not the right move for us for multiple reasons. Thankfully Trav's boss had reassured him earlier in the day that if he was to decline the offer it would not hinder his chances in the next few months for another promotion. Trav found out as well that the lady who had chosen Trav was aware he was relocatable but not aware of his first choices. Trav let her know that he was willing to go to AZ, CA, CO, MO, and he added in TX. 

So, what now? We wait. He probably won't hear anything till after Christmas but the exciting thing is that where ever they offer him next will probably be something that we will take. As we talked last night we were both a little overwhelmed but really excited for the new adventure life is bringing us in 2011. I look back to a year ago and how we never would have thought of anything but the OC. And now, we have so many options and we are so excited to see where the Lord leads us. Our God is amazing and what a comfort it is to let everything go so He can lead. 

Now, I think a summer trip to the Hawaiian islands might be necessary......

"Just when I think you couldn't possibly be any dumber,

You go and do something like this....and totally redeem yourself!" Oh yes, another ever famous line from Dumb & Dumber. Trav quotes this movie on a daily basis so naturally when we traveled to Colorado and were right there in front of Aspen, I heard the entire movie from start to finish straight from Trav's memory! =) 

As a birthday present from Trav, a chance to visit a friend and explore Colorado, we headed out to Denver the first weekend of October. I love traveling with Trav. We've developed a routine at the airport from checking in, to going through security, and of course finding the right seats on the plane. When we landed in Denver it was dark but the airport was lit up, looking like white capped mountains scattered across the dark sky. We picked up our little, tiny rental car and headed to find Littleton, CO. Christie, my roommate from Azusa, lives in Littleton as well as her parents. Her parents were kind enough to open their home for us to stay in because they were in the mountains at that time. Christie and her boyfriend, Brandon, took us to one delicious authentic Mexican restaurant for dinner. We ate till we couldn't walk. After, we debated heading out to downtown Denver, but we are all old folks now and decided just to sight see it from the car. ;)

The next morning, Christie took us to the cutest lil restaurant for breakfast in downtown Littleton, Cafe Terracota. I loved how it was in an old, town style house...it felt very quaint! Afterwards, Trav and I set out on our own lil adventure. We had some things we wanted to see before heading to the mountains with Christie and Brandon for the night. We first visited the new Columbine Memorial. It was breathtaking. They did an incredible job of honoring those who were killed and remembering their greatness. I was in awe as I read the tablets on each individual. I was amazed at how strong they were, their courage, and their faith. Some families chose to put poems or journal entries their child had written before the shooting. God works in mysterious ways and what they wrote about just weeks before they lost their lives is living on to teach others about why we are really here and what the end goal really is. It was only minutes before I had tears streaming down my cheeks. I know I will never forget that day. Watching the tv with my parents and the way I felt. Running along the edge of the memorial was a wall with quotes engraved from what people said that day as well as the days after as they recalled the events and emotions. I can't get Trav to read a book, but he read that entire wall. I glanced over to see him sitting in front of it and even from a distance I saw the glistening on his cheeks and knew he was feeling what I was feeling.

We drove around the high school after. Thank we headed up the street a little further to find my old home. We even found our old church that was right down the street! We met back up with the others and took off for the mountains! What a drive! The scenery was breathtaking! The road to their cabin was decorated with colorful aspen trees and I realized what we miss out on in California....fall. The Brady's cabin is picturesque...you feel like you are in a movie yet you feel like you are at home! Her parents have a yellow lab, Rory, who immediately took to Trav. Shocking, right?! Her two lil cousins were there who I have always heard so much about but it was fun to meet and play with them. All of us headed to the "town" to grab a bite for dinner. It was a fun BBQ place, much like Heros here in Fullerton, where you throw your peanut shells on the floor. Later that night Trav, Christie, Brandon, and I sat in the jacuzzi, talking under the starlit sky. It was wonderful!

Before heading back down the next day, Christie showed us one of her favorite hikes. Probably the most breathtaking hike I have ever been on. Pictures couldn't even capture how beautiful it was. We spent the afternoon cheering on the Broncos and bbqing at their house. We feel pretty blessed and thankful for their hospitality. They treated us like family the whole weekend. 

On our last night their, Trav and I got an ice cream craving so we drove to find a Dairy Queen. Along the way we stopped at the Super Target so Trav could check it out. Needless to say both of our jaws dropped when we went inside. This is unlike any Target you have seen. Lined across the front of the store was over 40 checkout lines. The grocery in this store was bigger than the Vons by my parents old house and I thought that was a big grocery! We walked the aisles in complete awe. There was even a self-serve candy section. How dangerous would that be if it was at Trav's store!?!? 

On our last day in the great CO we did some touring of our own. We headed out early to see the different fields. Finding the stadiums in different cities we visit is a tradition/hobby of ours and I just love it! We stopped by the Broncos first....but Tim was not there ;) We drove by the Pepsi Center next and let me tell you, that is one awesome arena! Soon after we had an appt at the Denver Mint. We took the tour and learned alot about the production of coins here in the US. We walked to the Capital building as well and loved the architecture. On our way to 16th St we found Coors Field, another awesome stadium and than Mermaid Bakery where we had to grab a cupcake even if it was 10am! We finished off our downtown touring with a hamburger at Good Eats.

Before heading to the airport we drove out to Golden, CO to tour the Coors Factory. Golden was not what I expected. Instead, it was this little town that mimicked what and old town would have been like back in the wild west days...I loved it! I will say the Coors tour was pretty neat. And, you get to sample at the end which is always fun. We walked around the downtown a bit after and again, fell in love. On our drive to the airport, we talked about everything we had crammed in during our short visit and the fun we had. We both fell in love with Colorado...it's a whole different world in so many ways! There are so many places we want to visit in the US....and so much history to see. We are already planning our next adventure. 

Now, you may think I am crazy for posting this song, but everytime we got in our car this song came on the radio and now whenever we hear it we think of Denver and our adventures.