busiest week of my life

okay, maybe I'm exaggerating, but honestly

Monday- cleaned, shopped and wrapped for upcoming showers, and tried to catch up on homework since I had been sick tuesday and wednesday and then worked friday and saturday the week before. all while this was happening:

during this time I opened an email from National Student Nursing Association. (let me back up and explain, as VP in the Nursing SAC, one my huge responsibilities this year is to start at school NSNA chapter at the U.) so I open this email, and then I read "blah blah blah deadline February 6th." I keep re-reading this line in a panic because I know that I still have tons of homework today and Jeremy is still sleeping and that my schedule is packed and there is no way I can do everything in two days.

seriously, I am freaking out.
I finally come to terms that I will just have to suck it up. I finish my homework. and then I calmly re-read the email. turns out I only have to come up with 10 USNA members by the 6th. whew.
and then I tried a new lasagna soup recipe:

Tuesday- 7 am to 7 pm: inducing women, delivering babies, charting like crazy. My preceptor invited me to an employee meeting the next day from 4-5 pm. Obviously I was pretty relunctant to agree.
my Jeremy worked a grave that night so I pick amelia up from grandma bodtcher's, gave her a bath and a smooth goodnight, and finished my homework.

Wednesday- had an early morning SAC meeting. felt so guilty that Jeremy got home at 0630, so I woke up extra early to play with amelia, in hopes that she would take a nap by 0830 when I left. At the SAC meeting, the presidents asked me how they could help me with starting a chapter. I love them. One of my best friends is going through a really hard time right now, so I tracked down Isi and Austin to give her a priesthood blessing before class. If you get a moment, please pray for her family.

Class includes discussions of how hard it will be to find a job after we graduate, and I am convinced that I have screwed myself over with my labor and delivery capstone. Honestly, why. why why why why.

Thankfully, after school we head over to a bridal shower for one of my favorite cousins. okay, let's be honest, who's cuter, sweeter, funnier than my darling Kira? I love that girl and so glad to celebrate her with family and friends.

 

and also, Jeremy went out to dinner with his dad and brother that night, and brought me back some fries and frysauce from olympus burger. that stuff is amazing.


Thursday- 0700-1900 in labor and delivery. okay, I'm just telling you right now, being a nurse is intense. I'm still pretty green, but I spend all day watching fetal heart tracings and contraction patterns, making sure mom is contracting and progressing enough, but not too much that baby is in distress. I'm admitting patients and educating and orienting and inserting iv's  and performing vaginal exams and calling anesthesiologists for epidurals and inserting foley catheters and assessing pitocin rates and teaching how to push and assigning apgars while making sure baby is dry and crying and teaching how to breastfeed and passing off report to postpartum nurses, all while charting like I'm going to court. I love it, I really do. thoses babies and those parents who love their babies with all their hearts are worth every moment.
of course, I get a lunch break, where I pump breastmilk and flip through pictures Jeremy sends me:

I wonder how we got so lucky to get the cutest baby in the world.

I am also wondering where my baby is, and where my husband is finding the time to build this tower.

and then I have my midterm evaluation, where my preceptor has nothing but good things to say, but believes in experience on a med/surg unit before becoming a labor and delivery nurse. my unit won't hire new grads, and I'm pretty desperate to be in labor and delivery. ah the stress.

I go home to find that Jeremy has made me homemade pizza and breadsticks.
and that Amelia fell asleep ten minutes before I got home.
people. I'm not saying I'm a saint or anything, but healthcare workers who serve you are sacrificing and so are their families. I wouldn't be doing things if I didn't feel like I should be, but it is heartwrenching to miss your baby the way I do.

Friday- is a repeat of Thursday, but this time I help with a caesarean, I witness a forcep assistance and an episiotomy, and I clean up bowel movements. third shift of the week is always hard, and I am trying to smile while I try not to cry because I am so nauseous. third shift is the hardest.
When I go to pick up Amelia from Aunt Emily, I struggle to put her in the carseat because I know she's going to be asleep when I get home. 20 minutes in 48 hours.

it's fine.
good thing I have Alicia to vent to about my life.

Saturday- thankfully I got to spend all day with my sweet baby. I must have taken 50 pictures of her that morning.
We went to Olive Garden for a surprise baby shower for Jessica! We love her and a good excuse to see each other outside of nursing school.

I swear we had just talked about all putting our hands on her belly, just like the picture we took for my baby shower. Right after this picture was taken, "WAS I THE ONLY ONE WITH MY HAND ON HER BELLY? WHY DIDN'T ANYONE SAY ANYTHING?" I promise I'm not normally this creepy...

 

 

this one is definitely much better. whew.

 

It was also Chinese New Years eve, so we headed over to my parents:

 

 

love their cooking and love their love for us.

 

my mom also gave us matching jackets and red pocket money! she is the sweetest.

 

Jeremy went to work while Amelia and I spent the evening catching up with Aunt Collette. We're so glad she's feeling better and so proud of her already being an amazing mother.

 

Now it's Sunday morning, and I'm cramming for my primary lesson. When I was called last december, I stared at the second counselor and thought I can't do one more thing. I'm barely coming to church as it is. He says, ____________________ (something along the lines of ''I know you're so busy, but the presidency felt stongly in asking you to serve") and I accept.

I love my 5 year olds, I pray for them all the time, I hope they're hearing the testimonies we bear to them.

 

 

I bet you're wondering where are the stories mentioning Jeremy. Schedules like this are hard on a marriage. I am so lucky to have an amazing husband who has my back and has supported me through everything. Also, I am so happy for this upcoming week, where we will probably have more time to build on our love story more.