Goodbye 9South

I just drove home from Children's Hospital Boston for the last time.  I just worked my last shift.  When I opened the door, I walked into an apartment that looked drastically different than when I left.  All the frames are off the walls.  The tv is packed away.  The entertainment cabinet is on the curb.  Boxes are piled high.  This is really happening!  I turned in my badge tonight; I had my exit interview.  It's done.

As much as you can prepare yourself for goodbyes, that doesn't make them any easier.  Although I haven't cried any tears yet, my heart is full of emotion.  Walking off of my 9South tonight was very hard.  My stomach felt a little sick.  Here is a quote from the goodbye letter I wrote my colleagues: 

"I don’t know where to begin when thinking about all the things I love about you all.  I truly believe that we have the best job around.  I know we know this, but it’s hard to remember when we’re working our third 12 hour shift in a row with the same family that’s driving us nuts or as we empty our 50th hat of the day; what a privilege it is to be a nurse.  We get to enter into people’s hurt and pain and love and care for them--offering hope--in such a vulnerable time in life.  We get to be healers, counselors, shoulders to cry on, mediators, translators, advocators, playmates, bottle-feeders, teachers, baby rockers, and friends.  And you all play these roles so well.  Some better than others, but the sweet thing is that we can all find our niche and excel in that place.  As nurses we wear many hats, and I will miss swapping hats with all of you."

I honestly think the hardest part about leaving Boston is walking away from this incredible "job".  I put job in quotations because so often it hasn't felt like a job, it has felt like an honor, a blessing, an amazing opportunity.  I will miss every single person I have worked with.  I am so expectant and excited for what God has for us in Phoenix, but boy, will I miss Children's.  I will work at another children's hospital, and there will be more amazing people to work with.  I will meet more kids that I just love and more families that bring joy to my heart.  I will learn how to work on a team of different doctors and nurses and social workers and child life specialists...  but memories of 9South will always be fond in my memory, close to my heart.  I am so thankful for this opportunity I have been blessed with these past 4 years. 

I will hopefully have some pictures to post tomorrow from the little dinner and bowling get together my floor planned for my going away.  I just had to get these thoughts out now. 

So this is really happening.  One chapter is ending in my life... and a new one is beginning.

Food for Spring

 Shaved Asparagus Pizza from Annie's Eats

 Blueberry Crumb Bars from ...?  I forgot! But you can find the same recipe here.

Homemade sparkling orange fruit jello from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

She's having a baby!

Today a group of ladies and me helped celebrate our friend Emily Little as she prepares for her first child, due this August.  The baby shower turned out great and a lot of people came and had a lovely time.  Emily is married to Seth, the worship pastor of our church, CFCF.  They have both been involved in our church for several years--in college ministry, worship, the training school, serving so many people--needless to say, many women want to celebrate this baby along with them!  She is a sweet friend to me,  and Andy calls Seth one of his closest friends, too, so we will miss them out in Arizona. 

onesies sewed by Lisa Pierce

one of the 2 tables of treats

delicious and colorful!

Cake Pops... recipe below!

Always a blessing to have a Starbucks alumni in our midst! (They generously donated coffee.)

Um, these are being added to my Crate&Barrel wishlist... in my head.

I was in charge of flowers.  Trader Joe's is the best!

Kristen's famous fruit pizza (seen at any gathering/party/shower). I LOVE it!

Rose Cake.  Made by moi.

The guest of honor and her mom--who flew up from Georgia and surprised Emily today!

Standard awkward opening presents pic.

Cake Pops
So, cake pops started gaining popularity from this blog, Bakerella.  I definitely did not make this recipe up, and to be honest, I more call it "directions" not a "recipe" since it involves store bought mixes.

• Make a cake mix according to the directions. (I used rainbow chip--classic!)
• Bake cake and let completely cool.
• Break up cake into your mixer.  Mix in on low speed a can of frosting. (I used rainbow chip again).
• When everything is incorporated, you have a pasty mix.  Scoop the mix up into little balls (I used by small cookie scoop and then hand rolled them after they were chilled) and put on a cookie sheet.  Put in freezer until chilled, or until ready to dip.
• Dip balls (by using spoon or lollipop sticks) into melted chocolate or candy melts.
• Let harden up in freezer or fridge.  

I kept them in the freezer overnight before the party.  They never freeze rock hard, so I think that's fine to do!  If making cake pops (as opposed to cake balls--with no sticks), make sure you dip the entire ball in your coating so the stick is anchored.
Enjoy!

Three Weeks

So today marks the 3 week countdown until Andy and I leave Boston.  For some reason today I have only started realizing what we are doing.  It is finally hitting me that we are crazy!  We are choosing to leave the comforts of life here... my amazing job at a world-class children's hospital, Andy's great job with potential for more at a middle school down the road, our incredible church and church community, sweet friends, and our family close by.  We are up and leaving it all to live 3000 miles away.  It's not like we're being paid to move.  No company has hired us and offering to cover the moving costs.  In fact, I'm still waiting for confirmation that I have even been hired at Phoenix Children's!  We're not leaving Boston because Phoenix is so much better.  We are going on a word, a call, a promise from God that a revival is going to happen in Arizona and he's asking us to be a part of seeing it happen. 

I said to Andy last night, "If things don't work out, then we are fools."  And you know what?  We already know that we're fools.  A famous Christian missionary once said, "Everyone is someone's fool.  Whose fool are you?"  We decided long ago that we are going to be fools for Christ.  So, here we are.  If this isn't a journey of faith, then I don't know what is!  If I ever get discouraged or second guess our decision, I can't help but think of...  the girl we met on ASU's campus last year who said, "Revival is coming!  We have asked God to send laborers, and here you are!"... a well-known Christian prophet who said last year that the next great revival to hit America will be in Arkansas, Alabama, and Arizona... the Christians we have all met in Tempe who love God but haven't found a church or a community of believers that they feel connected to yet...  the picture God gave me of a well in the middle of the desert with thousands of people lining up to get a drink of water from... 

Though I am a little scared for the unknown, very sad to leave family and friends behind, and quite unsure of how this will all play out, I am certain of these things: 

"He will be our guide even to the end" Psalm 48:14  

Jesus said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."  Matthew 28:18-20


"Delight yourself in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.  Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:  He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.  Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him..."  Psalm 37:3-7


"The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst.  But I the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.  I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys.  I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs.  I will put in the desert the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive.  I will set pines in the wasteland, the fir and the cypress together, so that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it."  Isaiah 41: 18-20


"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."  Isaiah 41:10

God is good, and he's calling us to be a part of seeing the poor and thirsty in the desert be filled with the Living Water that is Jesus.  And we're not here to say that our church is the only one that is doing this.  There are lots of Bible-believing, Jesus-preaching churches in that area, but for whatever reason, God needs more laborers to bring in the harvest.


So, here at the three week countdown, I am a nervous yet excited, sad yet hopeful.  The emotions haven't hit me yet, but I have a feeling they will come with abandon at the end.  Until then, we're trying to get time with all of our friends.  I am looking forward to a much needed "girlfriends weekend" this friday and saturday with my closest girlfriends in Marblehead.  We haven't started packing, but that will be soon.  I'll leave you with a few photos of what we've been up to.

Hannah and me at the end of the year college ministry party

with Luci

Erin and Kelsey

Lauren and Beccah

Little Mary and Lisa over for dinner

 

Happy Birthday, Victoria!

My parents were in town this past weekend, which meant that we all got to celebrate Victoria's 22nd birthday (minus Caroline).  Her birthday is April 7th, and we all went to dinner saturday night downtown.

We came back to our place to have a slice of this cake I made...

A six-layer rainbow cake!  I've been dreaming about making it ever since I discovered it on a blog (www.whisk-kid.blogspot.com), and Vic wanted it for her birthday.  It was a labor of love, taking about 3ish hours, but it really wasn't that hard!  I hope to make it again someday.


I'll leave you with a picture of my technologically advanced family...

To be fair, we all had our phones out to snap pictures of the cake!  We do talk face to face... :)

I look to You.

One of my most favorite places to be--when I have nowhere to go and nothing "important" to do--is curled up on the couch, with a mug of hot coffee in one hand, and my Bible and journal in the other.  Worship music is playing (often too loud), a blanket is draped over me, and I could stay there for two or three hours.  Spending time with Jesus is the most important thing I do in my life, and when I can't do it, my heart aches.  I can definitely make it through my days without this time, but I'm probably not a joy to hang around!  I have learned over the years that I need to come to the waters of life and drink deeply to get my fill.  In the Old Testament, God gave the Israelites enough manna for each day.  Not for each few days or for each week or month; for each day.  I am a needy person, so this works perfectly.

Now, though I have learned my needs, this doesn't mean I do this everyday.  My work schedule does not lend itself to being very flexible.  If I am working a day shift, I am up at 5 and out the door by 6:15 and not home til 8pm.  I walk through the door drained of energy, physically and emotionally spent.  I am learning to commune with God in the day to day.  As I love and serve  my patients, I am loving and serving my God.  As I bring a cup of cold water to the thirsty (with ice or no ice?), clothe the poor (need a fresh johnny?), feed the hungry (sometimes the cafeteria puts me on hold for 5 minutes), and heal the sick (that is a nurse's highest priority) to the least, I am doing those things for Jesus.  See Matthew 25:37-40 for proof.  But this doesn't mean that I don't still crave quiet time with my Savior.  So on my days off, I will still get up early enough to get my fill before my busy (in a different way) day off  gets going.

Lately, I have been feeling more and more drained and exhausted.  I'm feeling desperate at times... Can I live like this?  Who is looking out for me?  Will I ever have time to be who I feel like I should be?  I can't do this anymore...  It's when I'm having racing thoughts like these, I know I need to get fresh perspective from God.  This morning the song "God, I Look to You" sung by Jenn Johnson with Bethel Church is filling my soul up and overflowing.  Sometimes someone else's lyrics, that were birthed in their secret place, birthed from the innermost parts of their heart, is exactly what I am feeling and thinking and crying out.  I love what I do.  I love caring for the sick and bringing hope and healing to the hurting and broken, but twelve hour shifts back to back to back with one day break then back to back to back is hard.  I get worn out.  Those above thoughts seem more easily thinkable than ones that inspire and encourage.  I need God.  Not to mention when I leave work, there is my best friend-husband at home waiting for my companionship/dinner/engagement, there is a how-did-we-accumulate-that-much-dirty-clothes-in-three-days pile of laundry, dishes that have been drying on the counter for 96 hours, and dust EVERYWHERE awaiting me at home.  Oh, and I have friends, too.  And a brother and sister I want to spend time with.  And I disciple some wonderful college women.  And I'm a part of a team of people who are moving to Tempe, AZ to see a move of God happen.  I need God.  

In this past week I've started reading a new book, One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  She is a stay at home farmer's wife, mother of six homeschooler, and follower of Jesus.  She has learned through the years that being thankful is the key to living a full, whole life in God.  Even being thankful for the little things like the sun shining so brightly that it looks like it will burst through my closed blinds any minute.  My friend Joy recommended this book to me, and I know it was really God doing it.  Her words and revelations are like honey to my lips (or music to my ears?) in this season of my life.

So, these are just my random, wandering thoughts this morning.  I look to God for my hope, my help, my encouragement, my inspiration.  I'm not at all complaining about my life, and I know that when each of us sits down to think of all the people/things that we are devoted to, the list is long.  I just want a heavenly perspective for my life and a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit.  He is faithful to do it whenever we ask.  Thank you, Lord!  

Spring! ...almost

The sun is out, the windows are down, and pretty much all of the piles of snow are melted away.  Spring is arriving soon!  This winter has been sooo long, and I didn't realize how much I miss getting to be outside more often.   So I sat down to write this post one week ago, and it's almost funny how things have changed!  It's March 24th, and it's snowing outside.  !@#@(*!  Just kidding.  But needless to say, I am longing for spring. 

One of Andy and my favorite things to do is go on walks around the neighborhood at the end of the day, and I'm looking forward to getting to do that soon.  In the meantime, we've stayed in and watched a movie or read on our free nights (which aren't that often!).  We also got into the show "Lost"... and watched the whole series on Netflix over the course of a month and a half!  I'm not much of a tv watcher, but I was sucked in.  I was glad when we finished!

We're also working on sending out our support letters, letting our friends and family know the details of our move to Arizona.  It's a little bittersweet.  Sending out the letters mean we're finally getting close to our departure date, but it also means that our time in Boston is soon coming to a close.  I've been getting nostalgic and a little sad over the past week... I'm realizing how nice it has been to have family so close.  I've never had that, and over the past few years, I've had my mom and dad's family just a short drive away, and then Victoria and Nick up the street, and now my parents just 40 minutes away at times.  I love being near family, and that will be the biggest sacrifice as we plant this church.  But I've counted the costs, and know that following Jesus wherever he leads us is worth it to me.  I'm going to spend as much time as I can with my family in these next couple of months.

I'll leave you with some pictures of my latest creations...

Oreo-stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies from picky-palate.com.  Andy loved these so much that he actually did not let me share them with our friends!  I had to hide them! 

King Cake for Mardi Gras!  This was so fun to make and delicious.  My coworkers loved it.  From baked-bree.com.

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes from Annies-eats.com.

SO pretty!

Cinnamon Rolls from baked-bree.com.

Brought one batch to a new mom and froze the other.