Last Visit Home

I just flew in for what will hopefully be my last ever flight into Richmond, VA. I got to go home for a week for Thanksgiving and boy was it a great time. The Saturday that I was there I had probably what was the most spiritual and amazing experience of my life. Aaron got a little offended by that statement thinking that our temple sealing with the paramount moment in my life. No offense to him, but honestly I can't remember much of those few moments in the temple together. A mix of nervousness, excitement, relief, awe made that experience hard to remember. But anyway, Saturday morning I had the opportunity to watch my parents kneel on either side of the temple alter and see little damon put his right hand on theres and be sealed together as his eternal parents. Damon looked so innocent, handsome, confident, and brilliant in his white suit sitting on his "pappa's" lap as the temple sealer promised that he will have extra protection in this life to help him live righteously. I cried as I saw the look of shear excitement on his face when the temple sealer told him that if he listened to the Holy Ghost in this life he would grow up to be like his pappa. Damon worships my dad. They have a really special bond and it was evident to all during those moments in the temple. What made the experience all the more special was that little Squid was able to be there as well. What an incredible experience for her to be able to enter into the temple before taking out her endowments. I think the memory of that day and the Spirit that she felt will help and strengthen her during her vulnerable teenage years until the time comes that she is ready to enter for her endowments. We were able to stand together as a family and look into the mirrors. At that time the sealer made reference to the fact that we were missing one - Austin. Although when I think about it now the fact that Austin wasn't there and that his son was sealed to his parents instead of himself is a tragic thing, I didn't feel any saddness at that time. It was an amazing experience and one that I hope never ever to forget. I love my Heavenly Father so much and am so grateful for His great Church and Plan of Happiness. How wonderful that we can spend eternity with the people we love the most. The temple is a wonderful place.

Well on a more temporal note, I had my first pseudo-job interview. My application was complete at Phoenix Children's Hosptial and I'd been leaving some voicemails for the nurse manager of the emergency department there. I called again while in town and he said that he would love to meet with me. So i drove down there and we talked for about an hour. He said that first preference for jobs go to internal applicants, or the people that already work there, but he said that more than likely I would be contacted in the next couple weeks for a formal interview. I appreciated the time he took to meet with me and was encouraged by how well the meeting went.

Boston, Handwashing, and Temple trip

This has been a very busy, fun, emotional, and exciting last week. Last Thursday I had the opportunity to visit my best friend Holly in Boston. She is a theater major at the Boston Conservatory and it was so fun to stay with her for a week, and see the sites of Boston. We ate terrific food, played hundreds of games of Nertz, and had fun siteseeing. I also got to meet her boyfriend/almost fiance :) and I LOVE him. I'm really excited for Holly and these upcoming months. Thanks for the wonderful trip Hollywood!

Holly and I in Salem

The site of the Boston Massacre

Studying in the church where the lanterns mentioned in Paul Revere's Midnight Ride were hung (1 if by land, 2 if by sea)



The day after I got back from Boston my Community Health group and I visited the elementary school that we've been working with to teach them hand hygiene in an attempt to temper the swine flu pandemic. I made the not very intricate costumes and enjoyed not only getting the project done, but having fun with friends.



Also the day after I got back from Boston I hit the road again for Annapolis, Maryland. Bridget, the awesome woman that's allowing me to stay in her house, needed a ride to Annapolis and since I was thinking of going to the temple the next day anyway, just decided to load up the car and hit the road. It was an awesome car ride and I was able to talk about the church a lot. The next morning I was so touched when she came to me and said that she thought she really would like to come to church with me and bring her two kids. The separation from Aaron has been terrible, but I am glad that I've been able to live in a place where I have the opportunity to set a good example of the church and touch a terrific family. I was able to go to the Washington DC temple, which was an amazing experience. It's been a tough week and it was such a blessing to be able to be in the temple and receive the comfort, love, and strength from my Heavenly Father. I love this gospel and the happiness it brings - even in the midst of trials - if you are truly seeking the Lord's help and striving to keep the commandments.

Halloween Vacation

October is the best month of the year I think anywhere, but especially in Arizona. You enjoy the cooler weather and sleeping with the windows open, the lawns get scalped and re-seeded with winter grass, all of the fun halloween decorations... True, there isn't the beautiful changing colors in the not so varied foliage, but it still is the best state to be in come October. I was able to make a quick 5 day visit to home and it was terrific. I didn't even stress my trip out with job hunting - just pure relaxation. Halloween was the highlight of the trip. We woke up and visited one of the traditional Pratt family breakfast spots and enjoyed a great lengua torta, Aaron and I got some sun at the ASU football game, I got to put together my little "brother's" (so weird to say still) halloween costume, got a quick compound fracture costume thanks to father, enjoyed seeing ward members and good chili dogs at the ward trunk-or-treat, and carved a stellar pumpkin with Aaron. I realized Aaron's excellent dexterity as I watched him carve the pumpkin. He really is going to make a great dentist. Always sucks to get dropped off at the airport, but I really feel like we're on the home stretch now. I only have 2.5 weeks until I get to fly back to AZ for a week for Thanksgiving, and after that 2 more weeks before I'm home for GOOD. Enjoy the pics.




He came a little unraveled towards the end.

A Visit Home

I was able to play hookie from school for a week and fly to Arizona for 10 days. What started off as a very rocky start to the vacation (my connecting flight in Memphis was delayed for 4 hours and then eventually canceled; got 2 hours of sleep in the hotel that Delta paid for) ended up being super, but now I’m grouchy again because I’m back in Richmond. It was so nice to visit family, and of course be with Aaron and hug my little puppy.

I spent a large portion of my vacation job hunting and visiting hospitals. The job hunt continues to be extremely frustrating and discouraging, but I’m sure I’ll get one eventually. I’m just very proactive and I want to know where I’ll be working NOW. It’s a little early still to have a contract, but I hope it comes soon. At least during this trip I really got to research and find out what hospitals would work best for me. All I have to do now is be patient, continue to be persistent, and ace any interviews I get. I’m just hoping that during my November vacation I’ll be able to sign a job contract so Aaron and I can get to owning our dream home under-way. We absolutely love this foreclosed house and are really hoping that it will still be on the market in 2 months from now!

September 30th marked a huge day in my family’s life. Damon went from being my nephew to being my brother. Crazy that it finally and actually happened. We all sat in the Mesa family court and listened to the judge congratulate us on the adoption of Damon Pratt to the family. At the time I didn’t really think anything of it. I mean, he’s been living with us pretty much since he was a year old. Later I had time to reflect and think of the implications of this event. It will be a very interesting day when he begins to call my mom “mom” instead of “grandma carrot.” Thanksgiving break will be a very special time, because we will have the opportunity to go to the temple and see Damon be sealed to my parents. He will have some interesting times ahead of him as he begins to comprehend the meaning of adoption and why he is really being raised by his grandparents instead of his parents, but at least this is the case – he will continue to attend church, interact with great friends, and enjoy the blessings of loving and supportive parents.



We celebrated Aaron’s 25th birthday while I was there. I consider his new snowboard and jet ski his birthday presents (and Christmas presents for that matter), but I also got him a unique photo album filled with pictures of when he was little as well as mission photos. My family is very obsessed with pictures, and when we were little, my mom got us our wooden photo albums that had a laser engraved photo of us on the front cover. I love my photo albums of my childhood, but always wanted one for Aaron. During Christmas vacation this year I scanned every picture of his from his childhood and got prints of his mission pictures and made him his very own photo album with a laser engraved cover. It turned out so neat and I’m so glad that he finally has one.




I had a great time being a married woman again, and was very sad to have to say goodbye. I’ll make a short trip back in 3.5 weeks so I just have to buck up and make the best of it. Conference gave me so much encouragement. I worked both Friday and Saturday night so I was asleep while the actual conferences were being played, but luckily there is an amazing thing called the internet and I was able to watch them from work. I’m so grateful for inspired Apostles that speak the messages that Heavenly Father would have us hear.

My New Home

Well I forgot to blog about my new home here in VA. Aaron and I moved out of our townhome when he moved to AZ because it was pretty silly to be spending a grand a month on a 2 bedroom, 2 bath space for just little old me. So I had to find a new place to live. At first this was really challenging, but then it hit me. HELLO Drew you already have a home. Take a look...



Welcome to the VCU Health System Critical Care Tower. My room is on the second floor, the Oncology Unit. When I'm not in my room, I can be found downstairs in the living room, more commonly known as the Pediatric ER.

Well obviously this is all in jest, but seriously I feel like I LIVE here. Right now in fact I'm blogging from a computer at work. I have 1 more hour left on my 12 hour night shift. I've been here at the hospital for the last 23 hours!!! Give me a freaking break already. Okay okay so i'm a little grouchy. I don't know who wouldn't be. People who are at the hospital this long are either patients and have a bed to sleep in, or residents, who have an on call room to catch a few z's. Not me. Oh well. 87 more sleeps till this is all over.

vAnEssA

Happy Birthday "V"

I hope you have such a great birthday. I love you so much and miss you terribly. I'm so grateful to have you as a big sister and best friend, seriously don't know what I would do without you. You know what's awesome? Even if we weren't related by our husbands being brothers, I know we would be just as good friends as we are now and that's so awesome to know. Well again, I hope you have the best birthday and can't wait to see you and ben and chloe and cramer and sue. Love you, love you, love you!

"D"

Good ole Valley of the Sun...Arizona

My vacation in Arizona was unbelievable! I haven’t been that lazy since before my mom forced me to get a summer job the summer of my junior year. After 3.5 weeks of no work or school I thought for sure that I would be jumping at the bit to start being productive again, but here I am still being a couch potato wishing that I could go back to the heat of AZ and lie by my pool.

Vacation was great. Highlights included making a baby blanket for my new niece Chloe; a hike to Fossil Springs; 2 trips to Canyon lake; witnessing my pampered indoor dog become a rugged, semi-aquatic outdoor dog, a temple session with Aaron; and being with my buddy and family.








The finished product with my new little niece.











Sophie's glamour shot while soakin' up the rays

As the pilot announced over the PA system that we were making our final descent into Richmond my stomach dropped. I did not want the flight to end. One, because I was enjoying my book, and two, because that meant that mine and Aaron's four months of separation had actually started. I have a feeling that these next 4 months will be the hardest and loneliest of my life, but I just hope and pray that they will go quickly so that I can be reunited with my buddy back in AZ.

Miss these buddies already!