So today I met my dear friend Ann Snobeck Lopez and her cutie-pie baby boy for a coffee in Arden Hills on my half-day. On a side note, I haven't been to this part of town in a LONG while, and not this Caribou since I stopped working at Medtronic 4 years ago. Weird.
Ann was my freshman roommate at Bethel and boy did we have some funny stories. Ann has always been a faithful friend even though we rarely see each other any more (she lives in Canada...I mean Blaine!). It is one of those friendships where you can catch up at any point and really feel like you have missed nothing.
She is someone I highly respect and admire because she is strong, happy, and she is beautiful. She is such a God-fearing and God-trusting woman. She is real and she is kind. She is positive and she is content to be wherever God has placed her. She is complimentary of her husband and she loves marriage. She also loves being a mom. Of course to any that knows Ann this is NO SURPRISE. She was an elementary Education major in college and I always knew she would be just a most excellent wife, mom, and teacher, which she is. Ann is good at expressing love and she is generous with her time towards others, well as much time as a new mom can give :)
So, I was blessed to meet with Ann today. I was inspired to be positive in my words, to be thankful for what you have, and to be a faithful friend no matter what!
Love ya girl!
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Single?
So, I have to admit, I have done something I thought I would never do/be. I have seen in myself something that I never had patience or grace for before in other women. While Caleb is in Toronto for the week (he left today), I realized already this morning that I don't know what to do with myself without him around.
When I wasn't dating Caleb I studied, or read, or blogged, or babysat, or ran, or did things for other people. I had a very full life. But, that life was on my own terms and timeline. I did what felt good and right for the day because I could, which is one of the true luxuries of singleness. But I have found as a female, and maybe it's just me, that dating/being engaged seems to mean merging my life INTO Caleb's world. Yes, I bring all of me with me, but I also leave somethings behind. There is something instinctive in me that wants to make him happy and make his life better. Whether this is healthy or not, I find it is pretty easy to sort of give up the things I used to do. I don't know if that's because my role is shifting from everyone else to more of one person, or that there is just not time to be/do what I used to do. Don't get me wrong, mentally deciding to leave thigns behind is different than emotionally leaving them behind. What I see is that although that is my heart's desire, there is also a part of me that wants to "do my own thing" and have the things in my life that make me who I am. There is obviously nothing wrong with that - to a degree. I am just not sure what that is supposed to look like I guess.
Auntie Myrna's words, "it's not a you, or a me, but a WE...you have to find what works for you and Caleb and the Lord..." keep echoing through my head. So, i don't know what the balance is right now, but I am pretty sure I am out of it when i can't remember what to do by myself. Now, this is also not to say Caleb is demanding my time...he is just a "companion" sort of guy, and i happen to work a lot, and I live with my folks. The only alone time i really have is my commute in the car, and the precious minutes before bedtime and before running out the door. Maybe this is just to help me not get too comfortable with solitude and time of reflection before getting married and having kids!!!!
So, maybe my week of singleness will be a chance to evaluate and reset my time and boundaries. Maybe I will stay just as busy as before, but maybe you could pray the lord would speak to me and help guide me in how to "do" this transition of roles and expectations. maybe you could pray I would seek to please the Lord above seeking to please everyone else. For I really need the Lord, and I need his presence and nurturing in my life more than others.
Hosea 6 says "Let us know, let us press on to KNOW the Lord; His going out is sure ashte dawn; He will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth." He is the restorative factor in my life, but I must press into him and KNOW him, as in a covenent way of knowing someone...like in the covenent of marriage and that intimacy. He want me to intimately know him as a groom his bride, for only He will satisfy.
When I wasn't dating Caleb I studied, or read, or blogged, or babysat, or ran, or did things for other people. I had a very full life. But, that life was on my own terms and timeline. I did what felt good and right for the day because I could, which is one of the true luxuries of singleness. But I have found as a female, and maybe it's just me, that dating/being engaged seems to mean merging my life INTO Caleb's world. Yes, I bring all of me with me, but I also leave somethings behind. There is something instinctive in me that wants to make him happy and make his life better. Whether this is healthy or not, I find it is pretty easy to sort of give up the things I used to do. I don't know if that's because my role is shifting from everyone else to more of one person, or that there is just not time to be/do what I used to do. Don't get me wrong, mentally deciding to leave thigns behind is different than emotionally leaving them behind. What I see is that although that is my heart's desire, there is also a part of me that wants to "do my own thing" and have the things in my life that make me who I am. There is obviously nothing wrong with that - to a degree. I am just not sure what that is supposed to look like I guess.
Auntie Myrna's words, "it's not a you, or a me, but a WE...you have to find what works for you and Caleb and the Lord..." keep echoing through my head. So, i don't know what the balance is right now, but I am pretty sure I am out of it when i can't remember what to do by myself. Now, this is also not to say Caleb is demanding my time...he is just a "companion" sort of guy, and i happen to work a lot, and I live with my folks. The only alone time i really have is my commute in the car, and the precious minutes before bedtime and before running out the door. Maybe this is just to help me not get too comfortable with solitude and time of reflection before getting married and having kids!!!!
So, maybe my week of singleness will be a chance to evaluate and reset my time and boundaries. Maybe I will stay just as busy as before, but maybe you could pray the lord would speak to me and help guide me in how to "do" this transition of roles and expectations. maybe you could pray I would seek to please the Lord above seeking to please everyone else. For I really need the Lord, and I need his presence and nurturing in my life more than others.
Hosea 6 says "Let us know, let us press on to KNOW the Lord; His going out is sure ashte dawn; He will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth." He is the restorative factor in my life, but I must press into him and KNOW him, as in a covenent way of knowing someone...like in the covenent of marriage and that intimacy. He want me to intimately know him as a groom his bride, for only He will satisfy.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Holy patients!
I have officially been practicing medicine independently for the past 4 weeks up in North St. Paul. I have REALLY enjoyed my time there thus far; I work with great staff, doctors, and I have great patients. It has gone by quickly and it is amazing how I have jumped from seeing 5-7 patients a day to 18 patients a day. There is much more to being a medical professional however. There are patient phone calls to return, lab results to interpret and communicate to others about, there are imaging study results coming in over fax. There are also medication refills to do, and don't forget the basics of just completing all the notes. But, it is fun, really fun.
My patients are usually pretty interesting, and I have enjoyed getting to know them, take care of their medical needs, and figure out how to get out of room quickly after too long a visit. I have also learned how easy it is to get behind with just one visit going aray. For example, a patient comes in for a cough, and then they have a fever and need an chest x-ray, and by the way their blood pressure is uncontrolled and they might have difficulty urinating...all of a sudden that 15 minute visit turns into 45 minutes. I would thus encourage you to find out how long your visits are actually scheduled for so you don't bring the laundry list for a 15 minute appointment. It's a hard one, Caleb is concerned that patients should get all the care they need in one visit, unfortunately, that's how medicine works :) or doesn't :)
I have seen everything from bruising, to sinus infections, to broken bones, to diabetes care and thyroid disorders, to follow up hospital admission patients, to old ladies and little newborns. It can take 5 minutes, or like today, 1 hour for a sensitive topic discussion with a frustrated patient. I feel prepared most days, but then i have days when i wish i knew more - but apparently that is normal. It's amazing how all that training just comes together.
One thing that has been hard is balancing time when you work 55-60 hours a week (with a commute). It's a challenge to do wedding planning, church involvement, see the family, try to maintain some friendships, and give Caleb a little attention ;) It is challenging to get decent devotions in before going to work and that really bugs me. So, if you remember you can always pray for that. Pray for grace as I plow through many significant transitions with some major responsibilities right now. Caleb and I have enjoyed wedding planning though, well, mostly. He has been a fantastic support only once having to ask for a non-wedding talk night. I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO blessed with his care, protection, love, attention, and prayer. He is so great.
So, there you go....that's a long/bried update. I will keep things more updated after we get the flowers, dj, photographer and bridesmaid dresses picked out. Thanks for the Love! It's quite a journey, what a good God we have.
My patients are usually pretty interesting, and I have enjoyed getting to know them, take care of their medical needs, and figure out how to get out of room quickly after too long a visit. I have also learned how easy it is to get behind with just one visit going aray. For example, a patient comes in for a cough, and then they have a fever and need an chest x-ray, and by the way their blood pressure is uncontrolled and they might have difficulty urinating...all of a sudden that 15 minute visit turns into 45 minutes. I would thus encourage you to find out how long your visits are actually scheduled for so you don't bring the laundry list for a 15 minute appointment. It's a hard one, Caleb is concerned that patients should get all the care they need in one visit, unfortunately, that's how medicine works :) or doesn't :)
I have seen everything from bruising, to sinus infections, to broken bones, to diabetes care and thyroid disorders, to follow up hospital admission patients, to old ladies and little newborns. It can take 5 minutes, or like today, 1 hour for a sensitive topic discussion with a frustrated patient. I feel prepared most days, but then i have days when i wish i knew more - but apparently that is normal. It's amazing how all that training just comes together.
One thing that has been hard is balancing time when you work 55-60 hours a week (with a commute). It's a challenge to do wedding planning, church involvement, see the family, try to maintain some friendships, and give Caleb a little attention ;) It is challenging to get decent devotions in before going to work and that really bugs me. So, if you remember you can always pray for that. Pray for grace as I plow through many significant transitions with some major responsibilities right now. Caleb and I have enjoyed wedding planning though, well, mostly. He has been a fantastic support only once having to ask for a non-wedding talk night. I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO blessed with his care, protection, love, attention, and prayer. He is so great.
So, there you go....that's a long/bried update. I will keep things more updated after we get the flowers, dj, photographer and bridesmaid dresses picked out. Thanks for the Love! It's quite a journey, what a good God we have.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)