A week of celebrating

My parents must not have known or maybe they did this totally on purpose but the feast of St. Brigid is July 23, the feast of St. Anne and Joachim (parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary) is July 26 and I happened to be born July 28th with the name Bridgette Anne. I have a lot of celebrating to do in one week. This year I also had another reason to be celebrating on my birthday... I finished my last rotation of PA school and I am completely finished with the PA program. Granted I still have national boards to study for but 27 months sure did go by fast and I can hardly believe that I have finished. My last day of my rotation happened to be on my birthday as well and the office I was working in had a balloon, strawberries, muffins and a card signed by the whole staff for my birthday. I felt very blessed. Ben and I went to a young adults group called "faith and ale" that night in Auburn, CA which is about 1.5 hours away. A friend of mine co-runs the group and the speaker that night talked about prayer. I really can't think of a better way than to focus on personal prayer on my birthday. I was hesitant to go at first because I wanted to just have a night were we could celebrate my birthday since I was working all day. I had a change of heart during the day on my birthday and I really see how much God wanted to bless me for making that decision to be with him on my birthday.

My birthday morning Ben came over while I was getting ready for work and brought me a beautiful hydrangea plant, a dozen roses, and breakfast from Starbucks. Needless to say I was feeling very special from the start. Ben and I had been working on a coffee table/ottoman for my living room for a few weeks and he had surprised me yesterday by dropping it by my place so when I came home from work it was sitting in my living room.

My other present for my birthday was tickets to go see Lady Antebellum last night, the day after my birthday. I have always loved them and I heard they were great in concert. A wonderful elderly widow from church invited, Charlene, Ben and I over to BBQ in honor of my birthday before the concert. Charlene has been the most gracious lady and friend here. She had a wonderful steak dinner and got me an oregano plant for my birthday. After that Ben and I drove another 10 min to get to the concert venue, an outdoor amphitheater  owned by one of the casinos on the south shore. Unfortunately as soon as we drove up to the venue it started to rain. This is the 2nd time we've had rain this summer, and of course it happens when I want to go to an outdoor concert. Since it was raining and we did not come prepared, I left my phone in the car so I didn't get any pictures. It rained during most of the opening act and luckily a woman in front of me had an extra garbage bag she gave to me so I wouldn't get completely soaked, it really helped with the wind too. I have nothing but good things to say about Lady A in concert, I think this is one of the first concerts I've been to where I feel like their voices are actually even better live than on their record. The bleachers got a bit uncomfortable towards the end though.

I am really so appreciative of all of my friends and family who facebooked, called, and texted me on my birthday. It really made my 25th very special. My parents also sent me a very nice large bouquet of flowers for my birthday. I really can't thank God enough for giving me a wonderful first 25 years and I look forward to what God has in store for me in the future. Praise be Jesus Christ!

10 months

Well today is 10 months for Ben and I. As another month comes and goes I am even more grateful for the gift of him in my life. I have learned to be less selfish, to love unconditionally and to see God in even more ways than before. I worked today and I stopped by to get my mail at the post office on the way home and while on the way home I had the brilliant idea to change the recipe idea I had thought of to begin with. So that means a trip to the supermarket on the way home as well. I had this all planned out in my head of having dressed up nice for him and having a nice glass of wine and dinner ready when he walked in the door to my apartment but instead I ended up searching for an extra 10+ min in the grocery story for the peanut butter aisle which was "conveniently" located at one of the store and away from all other condiments and seemingly related supplies.

As I was approaching my front door I pulled out the keys to get into my place when I realized I had Ben's keys. I put them in my purse yesterday so I wouldn't lose them while cleaning out the cars only to have absconded with them. Thankfully Ben didn't need to go anywhere today or didn't go looking for them but that meant I had to return Ben's keys to him so he could make it down here for dinner or I had to go pick him up. So needless to say I had little time to doll myself up and dinner couldn't be exactly ready when he walked in the door but I  atleast got things started. Also Ben had to amuse himself with my decorating magazines and cooking magazines while he waited for dinner. I guess a small sacrifice to pay when you get a nice meal all prepared for you, but I still wished I had something a little more masculine for him to delve into.

So I cooked a Pork Chops Primavera dish out of Better Homes and Garden's magazine. It is sauted in soy sauce and then cooked with apple butter and green beans, roma tomatoes, and peppered bacon. I also made some mushroom risotto to go along with it. Then I paired it with a Reisling. I really love trying out new recipes and I even more love that Ben really enjoys my cooking and is very appreciative. I'm putting a picture below of the pork chops but I forgot to take a picture of the risotto.

Then we watched Star Wars Episode IV- we started watching the Star Wars movies last week since I had never seen them and this was almost the largest capital offense to Ben, it ranks up there with not liking cheese. I really enjoyed having a relaxing evening over at my place and I just enjoyed having him there with me. I have 3 more days left in PA school and I am not relishing the thought of all the studying I am going to be doing in the immediate future but I want to pass boards the first time, and I want a pay check! Job hunt is still active, with some leads. I'll be a quarter of a century later this week and Ben is taking me to a Lady Antebellum concert the day after my birthday as a birthday gift. I am so excited to see them live! I miss all of my friends back in GA and for that matter across the United States. Just remember you guys have a place to stay if you want to come out and visit! And once again, I can't say it enough, "La vita bella."

Two quotes for the day

So I have been pretty busy all day and haven't had a chance to reflect much in writing but two things I've been thinking of today have been...


"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardships as the pathway to peace, taking as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it. Trusting that He will make all things right. If I surrender to His Will, that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with him forever in the next. Amen."


And


"God doesn't give you the people you want, He gives you the people you NEED. To help, to hurt, to love and to make you into the person you were meant to be."

Three Musketeers

Growing up there was always Amy, Clare, and I. God sisters, best friends, Clare and I are cousins, and Amy, "the farm girl" and us farm girl wannabe's. Come to think of it I never even noticed our names have the first 3 letters of the alphabet. I heard the song "Blessings" come on this morning on my way to work before I called Ben to do the daily reading and reflection. I specifically listened to the entire song before I called him because I felt like it was something I needed to hear this morning. I have been struggling lately with not being able to be at home while some of my friends have been going through some life changing happy events. I have two close friends who are expecting children and two other close friends who are engaged to be married and I am part of their wedding parties. I see so many things going on that I feel like I'm missing. When I heard that song this morning I realized that blessings come in so many forms. Even though sometimes I have been struggling lately with so many life changes for myself I have to sit back and take everything in. God would not give me more than I could handle and to whom much is given, much is expected. I never thought I would be living on the west coast, I never though I'd meet such a wonderful Christ like man and I didn't think I'd miss Augusta. Although I probably miss the people more than I miss the weather, it is still home no matter what way you look at it.

Coming back to Amy, Clare, and I... I feel so fortunate to have gotten to talk to them both today. I have so many good memories with them and even though I'm further away than I've ever been, I can't wait to make so many more. The other cool part of hearing the song "Blessings" today was that I also heard it again first thing on my way home from work. It was just a personal sign from God to me that I need to count my blessings and realize that He is doing so much good in my life and I just have to look for it. So many things that we can say are unfortunate or difficult can be counted as blessings because they help us to grow internally out of our own self and grown into the person God created us to be. There are so many blessings in my life that I have failed to recognize but today I recognized the gift of friendship, no matter how far, with my two best friends.                                                       "All for one, and one for all"

P.S. Here is the a link to the song I mentioned in the blog. 

Blessings- Laura Story

Growing into my own skin

As many of you know I've been working towards becoming a Physician Assistant for a long time, even before I started actual PA school. I can't say the road has been easy by any means but now as I come to realize I only have 2 more weeks of school left... where do I go from here? I always imagined becoming a PA would be this climactic point in my life where everything seemed to finally fit and fall into place. I guess i just have to laugh at myself on this one. I have enjoyed every rotation I have been in so far and to tell everyone the honest truth, the one field I thought I wanted to go into was probably my least favorite rotation. I enjoy getting to know my patients and their problems but I think there comes a point where you know you've made a difference in one field and you see so many needs in another for a compassionate health care provider. I also have no job lined up yet, currently have been on one interview and going for a second this week. I feel more accomplished in the sense that at least I look good enough on paper that someone will give me a shot but yet so far away as to actually landing a job. I am just taking each day at a time. One thing I always have to remind myself about job searching is that if you don't pass your boards you can't have a job, so focus on your boards first and then the job.  Just keep on swimming right?

Although I have been becoming more autonomous in my care giving as a student, for the first time I really feel like people depend on me for my care and for my opinion. For instance the NP (nurse practitioner) I work with currently on Wednesdays and Fridays informed me of a patient she had and said "oh I'm so glad you'll be here tomorrow, in case this lady calls with questions about her family member I want someone who knows about them to be able to answer their questions about their new medication in case they don't get it right. I just sat there for a second and realized #1. She was talking to me. #2 She trusted me and was depending on me to follow through with this patient. I realize that I shouldn't be shocked about someone coming to me and seeking my advice or counting on me to really just do my job well but I didn't realize it since it has been coming on so gradually through out PA school.

God really has granted me the grace to handle so many adversities since I have moved out West. Little did I know how different life would be away from home but also how gracious God is to those who seek His will above all else. Living for once in the same state and let alone the same town as Ben has been challenging but very rewarding. I have grown so much personally and I am learning every day to be more humble and charitable in my life. God always has blessings in disguise and don't ever think that He has forgotten you or abandoned you. I constantly think of the song "Praise you in this Storm" by Casting Crowns. If you haven't had the chance to hear it yet, please Youtube it or listen to it on Itunes or something. It really is an inspiration song and one of my absolute favorites.

"Praise be Jesus Christ, Now and Forever. Now and Forever, Praise be Jesus Christ. "

Morning Inspiration

So I haven't done the blogging thing in a long time but my wonderful boyfriend made the suggestion that I get back into it. Of course I always have the excuse that I don't have the time to write anything. Now that school is finally coming to a close this month and I am dreading studying for my PANCE exam for PA certification, starting a blog seemed like a brilliant idea.

I guess the inspiration really goes back to yesterday but the effects were today. I went to confession yesterday to a very amiable priest here in Incline Village, the most personable priest you will ever know, although not always the most traditional. In confession, obviously you confess your sins, and after I was done he looked at me and told me how precious I was in God's eyes and how special I was to God. I've been told this time and time again, but sometimes its harder to take that message to heart. I sat there and thought about it for a moment and I suddenly comprehended it all (or atleast what our human comprehension allows). I was this amazing daughter of Christ and God was pleased with me and He was longing to show His mercy and give me Grace to live out my life for Him. Pretty overwhelming huh? Well I left confession feeling pretty rejuvenated and at peace with some things I had been struggling with.

Fast forward to this morning, I was in my apartment getting ready for mass and I had my Ipod docked in the living room and turned on shuffle through various Christian artists, something I like to do to reflect before mass, and I heard Matt Maher's - "Set Me as a Seal" come on. Every since I first heard that song I somehow related to what was being said. The song actually comes from scripture- Song of Solomon. It takes various verses from the Song of Solomon and makes a very powerful song. I was reminded of just how much God loves me individually when I heard the lines

"How beautiful you are, my darling

Show me your face, let me hear your voice
Sweet as the dew in the early morn'
Like a lily among the thorns"

God longs to hear my voice, to see the beauty He has created and to see me fulfilled in the life He has given me. I decided to read the whole book of Song of Solomon this morning and it was one of those moments that God had intended just for me. I know it is hard sometimes to live each day without feeling those moments, but those little moments allow me to realize God's existence in my life everyday. Some days we fall short and fail to seek God but whether or not we seek Him, He is always there. With this I find an insurmountable joy and hope for this life and for the one we all strive for to come.