Well I just got home from my first night back at work. It went really well, it's amazing how well I was able to transition from days back to nights. I'm just meant to be a night person I guess. I think it was harder for me to transition back to days on my days off. I would stay up late and get up late, I feel kinda like I wasted my week off in some ways, I was just kinda tired for most of the week. I'm praying that God will supernaturally help me not be tired when I'm home for Christmas, I do not want to waste that time being tired!
So I didn't tell you guys about how much fun I had on Tuesday. I went to lunch with my friend Nikki and afterwards we went to a "book sale" at the Catholic Church, but the books sale was over and now all the books were free! Isn't that great! So I just got to go through and pick out a whole box full of books. I got mostly children's books in preparation for all the wonderful children I'm looking forward to having in my life! :) What a wonderful day that was.
Then that night Charly (my friend who is originally from Bethel, and first brought me to Bethel) and her new husband arrived in Bethel! I was so excited to see them, they are my neighbors upstairs. We actually switched beds yesterday because they only had a full size bed and I had a queen. So it just made sense. :) It will be so great to have them here and to partner with them in serving the community and helping at the church!
Oh and I ate at a wonderful resturaunt the other day that I'm super excited about. It's called VIP and it's Korean food. It's so wonderful, it reminds me so much of a Seattle resturaunt. If I just don't think about that fact that I'm wearing boots instead of flats I can pretend that I'm in Seattle. It's just so clean in there and the food is so fresh. They have great sushi and noodle dishes. It's pretty pricey but I'm in love so it's worth it. If you guys ever come visit I'll take you there.
Oh and I've also discovered two other comforts in this past week. One is that there is a spa here in Bethel called Tranquility. They do facials, manicures and waxing and a whole bunch of other things. I'm super excited about it. I'm planning on making an apt. for my week off, Charly and I both want to go. The second wonderful thing I've learned about is this farm in Seattle that you can order produce from. It's called full circle farms and you pay $53 for a box every other week or however often you choose and then they send you whatever produce is in season. So you get a variety of things but it's all organic and from what I heard it's super good and fresh. Charly and I plan to share a box between our households, isn't that great idea! I think it's gonna work out really nice. It might sound expensive, I don't know, but it's better then the prices at AC (the grocery store here).
Another wonderful thing i learned is that they are gonna open one of the lakes up here for ice skating! Isn't that wonderful?! I've always wanted to go ice skating out doors, like on a lake! I'm pretty sure it's gonna be the best day of my life when I get to do it. Hopefully next week. I'm really looking forward to going snowmachining (the pastor's sons are eager to take me), sledding and ice fishing! This is all contingent on the whether getting cold again though! It's crazy all the snow has pretty much melted! It's been so warm here! It's rediculas! It still feels cold though because the winds have been crazy strong. Like at least 60mph. I thought I was gonna get blown over walking to work.
I'm really missing the snow because now it's just all muddy and wet. Not really liking that so much. Oh but it has proved a point. My hair is straight here because it's so dry, not because my hair just changed. Because now that it's been warmer and wetter, it's curlier. Once it gets dry and snowy again though, it will be back to being straight. Weird huh. So for the next two years or so I'm just gonna have straight hair, how weird. Oh well I guess in the summer it will be curly, it was when I was here before. So funny.
My apt smells really good now. It was smelling kinda funny, like old stale wood or something. I was really sad about this, because I'm so sensitive to smells and they are so important to me. It's always been one of my worst fears to have a stinky house and not know it. Well I'd cleaned and I had little candles and I had fabreeze and I tried to air it out but it still wasn't really working. I was beginning to give up. But then Tiffany came to the rescue, she just said enough was enought and took charge. It was like midnight but she drove me to her house got me this huge banana nut candle, took me to the quick stop bought me a deodorizer and some other housewarming gifts and then we created a cross breeze in the house and lit the candle and now it smells so wonderful! I'm just so pleased when I walk in my door now!
I'm super excited to recieve the early Christmas gift from my parents (a new camera!) because then I can take a video of my apt and post it on here. It will probably be one of the best videos you guys have ever seen. I can just feel that it's gonna be good. :)
Alright well I guess I'll talk to all you cats later. I have to go take a shower and get to bed!
I'm tired so I might have left some good stuff out, I feel like I have, but I'll just have update you again later after I get some sleep. :)
Only 6 more days and I'm off... :)
Friday, November 30, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
What A Glorious thing Unlimited Long-Distance Is!
This is one of the best days of my life! I am so so pleased because I just signed up with At&T for unlimited long-distance! No more phone cards for me! I don't know what it is about those things but they are just so disabling, I never wanted to have to use them. You have to type in that big 1-800 number and then there is this big speel that you can't skip about how you can't recharge your card from Alaska anymore. Then you have to put in the passcode and all this other junk, I just dreaded having to use it. Now I am free to make calls whenever I feel like it without that dreaded feeling of having to use the card. And you guys can call me and then I can call you right back so you don't have to pay big bucks. I just feel so free and so much closer to everyone now. Sigh.. I'm a happy girl. This is especially good because yesterday I was feeling extra far from everyone. This little apt can get a little lonely. It's good though, I still love it, it's just extra good now that i can call you guys whenever I want.
Oh and to make it even better I have a Christmas mat outside my door, because Joey brought it over to me last night. It is perfectly wonderful! I am so pleased with it. It is both functional and festive! I would like to get some Christmas Lights soon so I can hang them in my little window for some added cheer. I have to admit I only actually have 2 Christmas cds... I'm going to put one in right now. I think Joanna might be sending me some others. And if anyone else feels so inclined to make me a little Christmas mix cd feel free. :)
How wonderful I just turned on my Christmas Cd and it's just wonderful! I feel so much more in the Christmas spirit now.
So I have good news and bad news about my camera. The bad news is that my old camera is pretty much dead, it never was quite the same after that fall in Mexico City... The good news is that I'm gonna get a new camera! I'm consulting an "electronics expert" and trying to find the best one. I never really did like this old one that I have so hopefully I'll do better this time. So hopefully with-in a couple of weeks I'll have a new cam to be able to document my life here in Bethel for you all.
I also wanted to let you all know that I had a wonderful day on Saturday going to the market and watching movies with Tiffany. She was so sweet she let me watch Oceans 12 (even though she'd already seen it) and then we watched the new Oceans 13 together. It was great, I've been wanting to do that forever, but no one else seemed to keen on watching both movies with me like I wanted to. My dream finally came true here in Bethel. I like the third one better than the 2nd one. And is it just me of is Brad Pitt getting old? Poor guy.
The market mostly consists of Yupik arts and crafts. Alot of beautiful jewelery, fur items and knitted items. The fur stuff is so nice! I mean it sounds horrible, especially to people in Seattle... but still it's really nice. It's also really really warm and... really really expensive.
Oh and want to know something crazy, the INSIDEs of the cars freeze here in Bethel. Like you know how we get frost on the outside of the window that you have to scrape in the AM? Well here it even freezes on the inside, i was so surprised. It gets stinking cold here, good thing I have warm jackets and long underwear! Tiffany laughs at my long underwear, but I don't think there is anything funny about it.
So please keep me in your prayers as I brainstorm what to do about the children's program at church. I've been encouraged to talk to the pastor about starting a program for the kids. I've been told that he would be very open to the idea. I really want to, I'm really missing hanging out with the kids but if I do this I really have to do it. You know. Like I have to start it, and organize it and plan everything and get curriculum. I know with the Lord's help I can do it, I just want to know what He wants me to do, you know. Like I said before I don't want to over-commit, I want to do everything with excellence. I really feel like this is partly why I came here, though, so as long as the timing is right and I feel the Lord give me the go ahead and as long as He gives me ideas... then I'm gonna embark on starting a children's program at the church.
It's really needed, there's been alot of hard stuff going on here. I've seen and heard about alot of suicide attempts and just last week a teenage boy was killed. The kids here really need a fun safe place to be and somewhere where people are speaking life to them and reminding them of the purpose that God has created each of them for! I'll keep you all posted.
Love you bunches and bunches!
Alessandra
Oh and to make it even better I have a Christmas mat outside my door, because Joey brought it over to me last night. It is perfectly wonderful! I am so pleased with it. It is both functional and festive! I would like to get some Christmas Lights soon so I can hang them in my little window for some added cheer. I have to admit I only actually have 2 Christmas cds... I'm going to put one in right now. I think Joanna might be sending me some others. And if anyone else feels so inclined to make me a little Christmas mix cd feel free. :)
How wonderful I just turned on my Christmas Cd and it's just wonderful! I feel so much more in the Christmas spirit now.
So I have good news and bad news about my camera. The bad news is that my old camera is pretty much dead, it never was quite the same after that fall in Mexico City... The good news is that I'm gonna get a new camera! I'm consulting an "electronics expert" and trying to find the best one. I never really did like this old one that I have so hopefully I'll do better this time. So hopefully with-in a couple of weeks I'll have a new cam to be able to document my life here in Bethel for you all.
I also wanted to let you all know that I had a wonderful day on Saturday going to the market and watching movies with Tiffany. She was so sweet she let me watch Oceans 12 (even though she'd already seen it) and then we watched the new Oceans 13 together. It was great, I've been wanting to do that forever, but no one else seemed to keen on watching both movies with me like I wanted to. My dream finally came true here in Bethel. I like the third one better than the 2nd one. And is it just me of is Brad Pitt getting old? Poor guy.
The market mostly consists of Yupik arts and crafts. Alot of beautiful jewelery, fur items and knitted items. The fur stuff is so nice! I mean it sounds horrible, especially to people in Seattle... but still it's really nice. It's also really really warm and... really really expensive.
Oh and want to know something crazy, the INSIDEs of the cars freeze here in Bethel. Like you know how we get frost on the outside of the window that you have to scrape in the AM? Well here it even freezes on the inside, i was so surprised. It gets stinking cold here, good thing I have warm jackets and long underwear! Tiffany laughs at my long underwear, but I don't think there is anything funny about it.
So please keep me in your prayers as I brainstorm what to do about the children's program at church. I've been encouraged to talk to the pastor about starting a program for the kids. I've been told that he would be very open to the idea. I really want to, I'm really missing hanging out with the kids but if I do this I really have to do it. You know. Like I have to start it, and organize it and plan everything and get curriculum. I know with the Lord's help I can do it, I just want to know what He wants me to do, you know. Like I said before I don't want to over-commit, I want to do everything with excellence. I really feel like this is partly why I came here, though, so as long as the timing is right and I feel the Lord give me the go ahead and as long as He gives me ideas... then I'm gonna embark on starting a children's program at the church.
It's really needed, there's been alot of hard stuff going on here. I've seen and heard about alot of suicide attempts and just last week a teenage boy was killed. The kids here really need a fun safe place to be and somewhere where people are speaking life to them and reminding them of the purpose that God has created each of them for! I'll keep you all posted.
Love you bunches and bunches!
Alessandra
Saturday, November 24, 2007
My First Friday Night Out in Bethel
Well I've always been the kind that doesn't like to sit around at home on a Friday night so I was super pleased to accept an invite to a game night yesterday. I was invited by the family that owns the Mexican/Chinese/Japanese/American/Italian Restaurant. I had a really good time. It turned out to be two parties actually.
We went to the first house and ate arroz con pollo made by the cuban mother that was visiting from Florida- it was really good. We played a round of Taboo there (The boys are very proud of their taboo game because it is the electronic kind; they say it is no longer being made and on ebay it's like at least $75) and the boys won. The family was then getting ready to leave and I was told that I was given another invitation to come over to their house where they had invited people over for dinner that night. Honestly I was somewhat confused because I felt like I had just had dinner (I felt like maybe I had been screened at the first party and I guess I'd been found acceptable because I got invited to te second party haha). I accepted the invitation though and hung out with the younger brother between parties, he gave me a tour of Bethel in the snow- it looks alot different then it did in the summer, it's so pretty with all the snow.
We then went to party #2 and were served steaks , I was full from the last meal but ate some to be polite, it was super good- it's good to be friends with a chef. :) We then played 2 rounds of taboo and the girls won the first round! They boys were sore losers (reminds me of another group of boys I know...) and claimed they let us win and then proceeded to beat us in the second round feeling extremely proud and victorious after their win (i'm sure they cheated somehow).
It was a really good night. Once again I was blessed by Bethel hospitality.
My friends Tiffany finds it so crazy that I'm making so many random connections and getting so many random invitations, she says this is not usual for Bethel. I had no idea, I figured it was. I figured restaurant owners invited customers over all the time for game night hahaha. Ok well I just figured it was a friend of a friend kind of thing, I figure everyone in Bethel is friends. haha.
Now I'm about to go to Saturday Market with Tiffany, should be an adventure, always is with Tiff. :)
Oh and guess what I got in the mail yesterday?! My Christmas door mat! I'm so excited. Too bad I left it in Joey's car... I'll have to get it soon so i can place it where it belongs in front of my door. I still haven't gotten my stuff from Drugstore.com though, it's been FOREVER. I'm getting quite perturbed! I don't have anything to wash dishes with or wash clothes, the situation is getting quite desperate, but I don't want to buy super expensive soap from AC when i have stuff coming, I've waited this long I can't give in now.
Talk to you soon.
love with all my heart.
We went to the first house and ate arroz con pollo made by the cuban mother that was visiting from Florida- it was really good. We played a round of Taboo there (The boys are very proud of their taboo game because it is the electronic kind; they say it is no longer being made and on ebay it's like at least $75) and the boys won. The family was then getting ready to leave and I was told that I was given another invitation to come over to their house where they had invited people over for dinner that night. Honestly I was somewhat confused because I felt like I had just had dinner (I felt like maybe I had been screened at the first party and I guess I'd been found acceptable because I got invited to te second party haha). I accepted the invitation though and hung out with the younger brother between parties, he gave me a tour of Bethel in the snow- it looks alot different then it did in the summer, it's so pretty with all the snow.
We then went to party #2 and were served steaks , I was full from the last meal but ate some to be polite, it was super good- it's good to be friends with a chef. :) We then played 2 rounds of taboo and the girls won the first round! They boys were sore losers (reminds me of another group of boys I know...) and claimed they let us win and then proceeded to beat us in the second round feeling extremely proud and victorious after their win (i'm sure they cheated somehow).
It was a really good night. Once again I was blessed by Bethel hospitality.
My friends Tiffany finds it so crazy that I'm making so many random connections and getting so many random invitations, she says this is not usual for Bethel. I had no idea, I figured it was. I figured restaurant owners invited customers over all the time for game night hahaha. Ok well I just figured it was a friend of a friend kind of thing, I figure everyone in Bethel is friends. haha.
Now I'm about to go to Saturday Market with Tiffany, should be an adventure, always is with Tiff. :)
Oh and guess what I got in the mail yesterday?! My Christmas door mat! I'm so excited. Too bad I left it in Joey's car... I'll have to get it soon so i can place it where it belongs in front of my door. I still haven't gotten my stuff from Drugstore.com though, it's been FOREVER. I'm getting quite perturbed! I don't have anything to wash dishes with or wash clothes, the situation is getting quite desperate, but I don't want to buy super expensive soap from AC when i have stuff coming, I've waited this long I can't give in now.
Talk to you soon.
love with all my heart.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving!
What a wonderful holiday Thanksgiving is. I have so much to be thankful for! It's amazing when I think about all that God has done for me since my arrival in Bethel. I do wish I could be with my family for Thanksgiving but only a few more weeks and I get to be home for Christmas! I'm gonna make a paper chain to count down the days. :)
I'm feeling better- not 100% but definitely better. I went to work, because I woke up and felt much better- no temp, but then I got to work and felt horrible! It was like torture listening to my charge nurse tell me what to do. Finally I just told her "i feel horrible, I think I better go home, I can't take care of patients well" she was like "are you sure you can't stay" I was like "ummmm" she said "could you sit?". Sitting is when a patient needs constant supervision, you literally sit there and write down every 15min what they're doing. I said "sure, I can do that". As soon as I sat down I started feeling sick again but I thought, "just hang in there", and then it got better. So I literally sat there for like 8 hours, I wrote a VERY long letter to Corey to keep myself awake. She'll have to read it in increments probably. :)
It's actually really good though because I got paid for those hours. Now I have the week off to get completely better so that's really good. Whenever anyone finds out I'm sick they say "oh you got the Bethel Crud huh". One of the nurses says I'll probably get it every time I leave and come back. I sure hope not. It's cause the germs here are so strong, because of the perma-frost and all. She also said "Yeah don't order take-out, it's expensive and it makes you sick". So true! No more ordering out for me. It's like $15 for Teriyaki here! Absurd huh!
I'm boiling my yams right now, and then I'll take a short sleep before going over to Necie's for Thanksgiving dinner/lunch.
I'm thankful for all of YOU!
I'm feeling better- not 100% but definitely better. I went to work, because I woke up and felt much better- no temp, but then I got to work and felt horrible! It was like torture listening to my charge nurse tell me what to do. Finally I just told her "i feel horrible, I think I better go home, I can't take care of patients well" she was like "are you sure you can't stay" I was like "ummmm" she said "could you sit?". Sitting is when a patient needs constant supervision, you literally sit there and write down every 15min what they're doing. I said "sure, I can do that". As soon as I sat down I started feeling sick again but I thought, "just hang in there", and then it got better. So I literally sat there for like 8 hours, I wrote a VERY long letter to Corey to keep myself awake. She'll have to read it in increments probably. :)
It's actually really good though because I got paid for those hours. Now I have the week off to get completely better so that's really good. Whenever anyone finds out I'm sick they say "oh you got the Bethel Crud huh". One of the nurses says I'll probably get it every time I leave and come back. I sure hope not. It's cause the germs here are so strong, because of the perma-frost and all. She also said "Yeah don't order take-out, it's expensive and it makes you sick". So true! No more ordering out for me. It's like $15 for Teriyaki here! Absurd huh!
I'm boiling my yams right now, and then I'll take a short sleep before going over to Necie's for Thanksgiving dinner/lunch.
I'm thankful for all of YOU!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
It's No Fun Being Sick!
So last night I ate a leftover egg-roll that I had ordered the night before and I felt so sick. Well I had felt sick after eating them the first night but they were pretty tasty so I couldn't help myself- no self-control I guess. So last night I was certain it was just another eggroll poisoning but then I woke up today and I still felt horrible. I had chills and couldn't sleep. I took my temp and it was 99.3. Sigh... so I had to call in sick to work-I don't want to get my precious little patients sick.
I'm bummed because it's only my first week of work and I'm already calling in sick! It's also gonna throw my sleep schedule off. Maybe I'll feel better tomorrow I don't know.
I'm actually feeling better now than I did earlier. It stinks though because I don't have TV and I only have one movie (Jane Eyre, a gift from Jenny Ritterbush, thank you Jenny!) and a few office episodes (thank you Brian Mac).
My head hurts too much to read. I don't want to eat. Man I wish I had cable.
It was so sweet though because Necie sent over some soup to me via ShoGun delivery, it was really good and so sweet of her! My stomach wasn't so sure about it though... it's kinda mad at me right now. I think it gave me strength though. :)
Happy Thanksgiving! I'm going to Necie's for Thanksgiving and I'm gonna make the candied yams (courtesy of my mom's care package she sent me! so sweet!). Should be a grand celebration. I love you all. I think I'll go watch Jane Eyre now!
I'm bummed because it's only my first week of work and I'm already calling in sick! It's also gonna throw my sleep schedule off. Maybe I'll feel better tomorrow I don't know.
I'm actually feeling better now than I did earlier. It stinks though because I don't have TV and I only have one movie (Jane Eyre, a gift from Jenny Ritterbush, thank you Jenny!) and a few office episodes (thank you Brian Mac).
My head hurts too much to read. I don't want to eat. Man I wish I had cable.
It was so sweet though because Necie sent over some soup to me via ShoGun delivery, it was really good and so sweet of her! My stomach wasn't so sure about it though... it's kinda mad at me right now. I think it gave me strength though. :)
Happy Thanksgiving! I'm going to Necie's for Thanksgiving and I'm gonna make the candied yams (courtesy of my mom's care package she sent me! so sweet!). Should be a grand celebration. I love you all. I think I'll go watch Jane Eyre now!
Saturday, November 17, 2007
I Pretty Much Felt Like a Real Nurse Tonight
So I got to work tonight (ok really LAST night but I like to say tonight so I feel like it's night right now and time for bed) and I was told I had two patients of my very own! Honestly I was really surprised by this, I was definitely not expecting it. I had two babies. Then after report I was told I was gonna have an adult patient as well, that's 3 patients! By the end of the night I had 4 because i got an admission half-way through the night. Can you believe it?! 4 patients all of my very own, three little babies and the most precious little granny in the whole world. Now that is a real nurse. Crazy huh.
And then at the end of the shift we were told that lab wasn't going to be able to do our blood draws so we would have to do them ourselves, so I collected two bloods draws! Got one on the first try, the other one took a second poke. It was great.
I felt pretty awake and alert for most of the night, it wasn't until around 4am that I started feeling pretty sleepy. I'm pretty much loving my job though and I really like being on nights! I think it's gonna work out so nice, and I think those 7 days off are gonna work out so nice too... :) I'm looking forward to those, but I do really like my job too. They other nurses are great, we have fun. I really like the pace of nights, it's not so rushed and full like days. I also like that I'm tired at the end of the shift and not the beginning. On days I'm always totally dragging in the morning and I HATE getting up. It's not as bad on nights for me. Angela said she thought I would like nights and she was right. :)
I'm just so thankful to the Lord because I know that He is the one that is making it all possible! He's giving me favor and wisdom and definitely helped me get those blood draws, I was praying before I poked! I love being able to pray for my patients too, even if it's just in my head.
Well I definetly have areas I can improve on, I'm definetly too slow with most of the stuff I do and it's hard for me to decide what to say in my documentation and what I don't need to say. I just want to be more efficient and knowledgeable and confident. I know that will all just come with practice.
And let me just tell you that the little granny I took care of reminded me SO much of my gram. It made me miss her alot but it also made me love this little lady alot and want to give her extra good care. The elderly people here are just so precious. They usually don't speak much english though, so that makes it extra interesting.
I love you all. I must be off to bed. Can't wait to come home for Christmas, I think it's only like 31 more days until I'm there! And don't be suprised if I have straight hair, I think Alaska is turning my hair straight. It's weird.
Feliz Navidad!
And then at the end of the shift we were told that lab wasn't going to be able to do our blood draws so we would have to do them ourselves, so I collected two bloods draws! Got one on the first try, the other one took a second poke. It was great.
I felt pretty awake and alert for most of the night, it wasn't until around 4am that I started feeling pretty sleepy. I'm pretty much loving my job though and I really like being on nights! I think it's gonna work out so nice, and I think those 7 days off are gonna work out so nice too... :) I'm looking forward to those, but I do really like my job too. They other nurses are great, we have fun. I really like the pace of nights, it's not so rushed and full like days. I also like that I'm tired at the end of the shift and not the beginning. On days I'm always totally dragging in the morning and I HATE getting up. It's not as bad on nights for me. Angela said she thought I would like nights and she was right. :)
I'm just so thankful to the Lord because I know that He is the one that is making it all possible! He's giving me favor and wisdom and definitely helped me get those blood draws, I was praying before I poked! I love being able to pray for my patients too, even if it's just in my head.
Well I definetly have areas I can improve on, I'm definetly too slow with most of the stuff I do and it's hard for me to decide what to say in my documentation and what I don't need to say. I just want to be more efficient and knowledgeable and confident. I know that will all just come with practice.
And let me just tell you that the little granny I took care of reminded me SO much of my gram. It made me miss her alot but it also made me love this little lady alot and want to give her extra good care. The elderly people here are just so precious. They usually don't speak much english though, so that makes it extra interesting.
I love you all. I must be off to bed. Can't wait to come home for Christmas, I think it's only like 31 more days until I'm there! And don't be suprised if I have straight hair, I think Alaska is turning my hair straight. It's weird.
Feliz Navidad!
Friday, November 16, 2007
One Down and 6 More to Go
Well I survived my first 12hr night shift! Praise the Lord! Thank you for all your prayers! I was pretty tired and kinda felt like I was in a haze for most of the shift but I made it and I figure it can only get better from here.
I just can't believe I'm a "real" nurse, I still feel like a student in a lot of ways, I have to keep remindng myself that I'm not. I need to stand up straight and get things done. I just feel so young.. and short. I think I always thought when I "grew up" I'd be taller, which would help me feel more like an adult but nope.
Alright I'm super tired, I'm off to bed. I'll update you all soon I hope.
Goodnight.
I just can't believe I'm a "real" nurse, I still feel like a student in a lot of ways, I have to keep remindng myself that I'm not. I need to stand up straight and get things done. I just feel so young.. and short. I think I always thought when I "grew up" I'd be taller, which would help me feel more like an adult but nope.
Alright I'm super tired, I'm off to bed. I'll update you all soon I hope.
Goodnight.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Adventures w/Tiffany, My Very Own Apt and the Beginning of "NIGHT SHIFT"
"Tonight dinner was fabulous. Another night at ShoGun, best Mexican in town.
Bought a microwave stand that looks like the long-lost-furniture-sister of my table and chair set.
Tiffany thinks my P.O. Box should be lovingly named "Moe". As in "Moe of 1995". Great plan. (This is Alessandra now and I would prefer it spelled "Mo" like "mo betta")
Attempted to fit my microwave stand in the back of Tiffany's little car. Unfortunately the back door was frozen shut and I had to climb into the back and push while she pulled from the outside.
Then we tried to lift the heavy stand up the stairs, through the snow, all the while I was glove-less. Of all things, I got frostbite. Tiffany assured me that it wasn't cold enough to be frostbite. And despite the truth that she spoke about me not having frostbite on my face either, I was ready for the flesh of my hand to turn black and freeze off."
That part up top was all courtesy of my friend Tiffany (for those of you that didn't know, Tiffany also went to the lovely Northwest University, so I knew her before I came up, she's been so wonderful to me- her and her mom both- making sure I'm ALWAYS taken care of in every way) she took me on quite the adventure tonight. All she says is true.
The restaurant she refers to not only serves Mexican but also Chinese, Japanese, American, and Italian, you can imagine how big the menu is! The surprising part is that it's actually all good. Ok well I've only had Mexican, Japanese and American so far but those three were good. I mean not as good as Seattle food... but good. :) The chef used to cook at one of the big fancy hotels in Las Vegas- then his mom gave him the restaurant here in Bethel. The wife is a hair-dresser and has a shop that adjoins to the restaurant, but hasn't actually opened it yet because she's been too busy at the restaurant, it's quite an experience to go to dinner there. The couple is super sweet- they remind me of home- they are from California, the closest west-coasters I have. Everyone else is from the South or the East coast pretty much. They are also the ones that want to hook me up with their little brother. He was there tonight and I was scared they were gonna like try to hook us up right there and then but luckily I think he's too shy.
It was so sweet of Tif to treat me to dinner there! Necie has brought me there a few times also, it's her favorite restaurant too.
And yes I did buy a microwave stand from the same dentist that I bought the shelf from, it was another good deal. And it was quite hilarious trying to get Tiffany's her trunk door to open, I was pushing mighty hard- I was slightly worried we wern't gonna get it open and I wouldn't be able to get my stand. I mean car doors get "stuck" in Seattle when things freeze over but NOTHING compared to this. It was even funnier trying to carry that big thing up the steps to my apt. I really thought we were gonna drop it! I was on the top end and Tiffany was on the bottom- my hands were frozen and I could barely feel them (Lesson of the day NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT GLOVES!). These stairs are not little stairs mind you and they are metal and covered with snow, in my mind I could see us both toppling down them with the microwave stand- ok well mostly Tiffany since she was on the bottom. It was very dangerous but PTL (praise the Lord) we made it and my micro stand is now sitting beautifully in my kitchen/dining room corner next to it's "sister" table, I'm so glad I could reunite them. Tiffany continually compliments it- oh so proud that it was her dentist that I bought it from. Once again if only I had a camera cord so that I could send you a picture of the siblings... I'll do my best to locate one soon.
And as for my fingers they are doing well now, but I'm pretty positive that I lost some cells in the whole fiasco. They hurt so bad- I swear! I was in so much pain. There was a small-irrational part of me that was not fully joking when I reported "frost bite" to Tiffany- I still wonder if it was a very mild case... They were throbbing and burning and stinging and it made my whole body ache. I held them on the heater, and then Tiffany held them in her warm-having-just-been-gloved-hands and then I ran them under warm water. I'm pretty sure they were slightly grayish purple at the end there- though Tiffany claims to not have seen that color. The fingers on my right hand- especially my middle one still don't feel 100% normal. Who knew getting a new/used mic-stand could be so dangerous! I guess that's the risks of living in Alaska. Tiffany said that next time we move that stand we are getting some guys to do it. It's been suggested a few times today that I need a man around. hahaha
One of my co-workers took me to the post office since I don't have a car and when we were leaving he said "you need to get a boyfriend with a nice car" and I said "yeah that's a really good idea- do you know anyone? He doesn't even have to have a "nice" car- just a guy with a car would be good. Then once I get a car of my own I can say "well it sure was nice hanging out with you these past few weeks... ". He said he'd let me know but he doesn't really know that many people yet- being new himself. haha
I'm waiting for my drugstore.com package to arrive with all my cleaning supplies that are so expensive here in Bethel and it sure is taking its time. All that was in my box today was junk. Speaking of my wonderful little P.O. Box- I'm still not for sure about the name but I've had some wonderful suggestions I love that so many people responded! I'm kinda thinking of the name Jeffery, I don't know why it's just the name that kinda comes to mind when I open him but I'm not sure, I need to get to know him better I guess as my cousin Rosie suggested. Oh and my mom was the first one to send me a letter- she is very proud of this fact- and I am very proud of her too. :)
Man I'm feeling sleepy guys, but I need to try and stay awake so that I can ease into my night schedule. My original plan was to come home from shadowing today and take a nap and then go to bed around 3 or 4am and then wake up around 1pm maybe work-out and do some errands and then go to work at 7pm to begin my 12hr shifts for the next 7 days. This of course didn't quite happen. I didn't get my nap in, so now I'm just trying to stay up. I sure hope this works out. I don't want to be super tired on my first day. We shall see... we shall see... good thing God is the strength in my weakness. And I'm pretty glad to be on nights because even when I do wake up in the AM it feels like it's night because it's so dark until like 9:30 at least- so at least now it really will be night and I won't feel so disoriented.
Maybe I will have to revise my plan. Maybe I will go to sleep right now, and make myself wake-up early and then I'll get up and do some more unpacking- yeah I'm still not fully unpacked- and then I'll go back to bed in the late morning and wake up and go to work. What do you guys think? I feel like I'm having a conversation with Vanessa back in "my college days"- ok so only a few months ago- trying to decide if I should stay up super late and try to finish writing the paper that is due the next day or if I should go to bed and wake up early and finish it. I just don't want to stay up so late that I'm all shaky and tired and can't really fall asleep and then my whole nights rest consists of waking up every few hours and not feeling rested at all in the AM. That's pretty much what happened last night.
Oh but BTW (by the way) I have wonderful, wonderful news, I guess I'm saving the best for last! My phone is now connected! It got connected yesterday (I'll have to send you all the # in an email, don't really want creepy people I don't know getting ahold of it)! It was the best day of my life. Oh and I haven't even told you all, I officially moved into my apt yesterday! So I spent my first night here last night- a girl at work was asking if I felt scared living alone and honestly... I do a very tiny bit- mostly just when I go to sleep. I told her I kinda wish I could get a dog but in reality I have all the protection I need with the Lord watching over me as I sleep!
So I love my apt with my whole heart! I love having my own place, it's such a wonderful thing, I feel so very "growed" up. :) It still kinda seems like I'm just pretending though... I'm sure once my first rent bill comes it won't feel like that so much....
It's really nice because the hospital is paying for my first months rent. God has just blessed me so much here already. I talked to my cousin today and she said "I'm sure your car will be coming soon because I keep having to cross things off my prayer list for you. As soon as I write them down they get answered"! Isn't that so true! God is so good. So I look forward to telling you all about my new vehicle that will transport all my precious kids when the Lord provides it.
Well I'm excited for tomorrow. I'm excited to cherish my patients- hopefully some cute little elderly people. Bethel has the cutest kids and the cutest old people- i swear! I saw some really cute little grannies today when I was shadowing- they mostly only speak Yupik though- but they pretend like they understand you when you speak English- pretty tricky they are. Some of my Yupik is coming back to me from last summer. I remember how to say "thank you", "sit", "poop", "breast feed", "grandpa" and "how's it going". I'm sure that will all serve me well don't you? haha
It's good to be working in the medical setting again. I pray that the Lord will give me passion and stamina for my job. I want to help people, I don't just want to get paid. And I don't just want to help people temporarily, I want to help them eternally as well by giving them a hope that is beyond this world and its circumstances. I pray that the Lord will give me opportunities to do that. I also pray for favor with my co-workers- it's been said that nurses eat their young- I pray that they love me and don't eat me.
Thank you all so much for your love and prayers- if it wasn't for those prayers my fingers would probably be frozen off right now I'm sure.
Merry Christmas! It still feels like Christmas, especially yesterday when I was unpacking all my boxes. I was loving it so much- even though it was all my stuff it was just so fun to see it again and put it in my new place, and of course my little mommy dearest had snuck some sweet suprises into the boxes...
Oh and just as an FYI if you guys want to leave comments- which I'm sure you're all dying to do- you don't have to "sign up" you just check "anonymous" and then just sign your name at the bottom of the note so that I know who you are. I LOVE comments. I know some of you have been sending comments to my email and I really appreciate that too.
Oh and also since I'll be working 12h night shift for 7 days in a row I probably won't be able to do much communicating- we'll see, maybe in the down-time at work I can update this here blog- but you can still call my phone and leave me sweet little messages while I'm at work (works well since your cell phones are all free after 9) and then I can listen to them and be happy when I come home from work in the AM. Then I can call you all back on my 7 days off. :)
Bought a microwave stand that looks like the long-lost-furniture-sister of my table and chair set.
Tiffany thinks my P.O. Box should be lovingly named "Moe". As in "Moe of 1995". Great plan. (This is Alessandra now and I would prefer it spelled "Mo" like "mo betta")
Attempted to fit my microwave stand in the back of Tiffany's little car. Unfortunately the back door was frozen shut and I had to climb into the back and push while she pulled from the outside.
Then we tried to lift the heavy stand up the stairs, through the snow, all the while I was glove-less. Of all things, I got frostbite. Tiffany assured me that it wasn't cold enough to be frostbite. And despite the truth that she spoke about me not having frostbite on my face either, I was ready for the flesh of my hand to turn black and freeze off."
That part up top was all courtesy of my friend Tiffany (for those of you that didn't know, Tiffany also went to the lovely Northwest University, so I knew her before I came up, she's been so wonderful to me- her and her mom both- making sure I'm ALWAYS taken care of in every way) she took me on quite the adventure tonight. All she says is true.
The restaurant she refers to not only serves Mexican but also Chinese, Japanese, American, and Italian, you can imagine how big the menu is! The surprising part is that it's actually all good. Ok well I've only had Mexican, Japanese and American so far but those three were good. I mean not as good as Seattle food... but good. :) The chef used to cook at one of the big fancy hotels in Las Vegas- then his mom gave him the restaurant here in Bethel. The wife is a hair-dresser and has a shop that adjoins to the restaurant, but hasn't actually opened it yet because she's been too busy at the restaurant, it's quite an experience to go to dinner there. The couple is super sweet- they remind me of home- they are from California, the closest west-coasters I have. Everyone else is from the South or the East coast pretty much. They are also the ones that want to hook me up with their little brother. He was there tonight and I was scared they were gonna like try to hook us up right there and then but luckily I think he's too shy.
It was so sweet of Tif to treat me to dinner there! Necie has brought me there a few times also, it's her favorite restaurant too.
And yes I did buy a microwave stand from the same dentist that I bought the shelf from, it was another good deal. And it was quite hilarious trying to get Tiffany's her trunk door to open, I was pushing mighty hard- I was slightly worried we wern't gonna get it open and I wouldn't be able to get my stand. I mean car doors get "stuck" in Seattle when things freeze over but NOTHING compared to this. It was even funnier trying to carry that big thing up the steps to my apt. I really thought we were gonna drop it! I was on the top end and Tiffany was on the bottom- my hands were frozen and I could barely feel them (Lesson of the day NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT GLOVES!). These stairs are not little stairs mind you and they are metal and covered with snow, in my mind I could see us both toppling down them with the microwave stand- ok well mostly Tiffany since she was on the bottom. It was very dangerous but PTL (praise the Lord) we made it and my micro stand is now sitting beautifully in my kitchen/dining room corner next to it's "sister" table, I'm so glad I could reunite them. Tiffany continually compliments it- oh so proud that it was her dentist that I bought it from. Once again if only I had a camera cord so that I could send you a picture of the siblings... I'll do my best to locate one soon.
And as for my fingers they are doing well now, but I'm pretty positive that I lost some cells in the whole fiasco. They hurt so bad- I swear! I was in so much pain. There was a small-irrational part of me that was not fully joking when I reported "frost bite" to Tiffany- I still wonder if it was a very mild case... They were throbbing and burning and stinging and it made my whole body ache. I held them on the heater, and then Tiffany held them in her warm-having-just-been-gloved-hands and then I ran them under warm water. I'm pretty sure they were slightly grayish purple at the end there- though Tiffany claims to not have seen that color. The fingers on my right hand- especially my middle one still don't feel 100% normal. Who knew getting a new/used mic-stand could be so dangerous! I guess that's the risks of living in Alaska. Tiffany said that next time we move that stand we are getting some guys to do it. It's been suggested a few times today that I need a man around. hahaha
One of my co-workers took me to the post office since I don't have a car and when we were leaving he said "you need to get a boyfriend with a nice car" and I said "yeah that's a really good idea- do you know anyone? He doesn't even have to have a "nice" car- just a guy with a car would be good. Then once I get a car of my own I can say "well it sure was nice hanging out with you these past few weeks... ". He said he'd let me know but he doesn't really know that many people yet- being new himself. haha
I'm waiting for my drugstore.com package to arrive with all my cleaning supplies that are so expensive here in Bethel and it sure is taking its time. All that was in my box today was junk. Speaking of my wonderful little P.O. Box- I'm still not for sure about the name but I've had some wonderful suggestions I love that so many people responded! I'm kinda thinking of the name Jeffery, I don't know why it's just the name that kinda comes to mind when I open him but I'm not sure, I need to get to know him better I guess as my cousin Rosie suggested. Oh and my mom was the first one to send me a letter- she is very proud of this fact- and I am very proud of her too. :)
Man I'm feeling sleepy guys, but I need to try and stay awake so that I can ease into my night schedule. My original plan was to come home from shadowing today and take a nap and then go to bed around 3 or 4am and then wake up around 1pm maybe work-out and do some errands and then go to work at 7pm to begin my 12hr shifts for the next 7 days. This of course didn't quite happen. I didn't get my nap in, so now I'm just trying to stay up. I sure hope this works out. I don't want to be super tired on my first day. We shall see... we shall see... good thing God is the strength in my weakness. And I'm pretty glad to be on nights because even when I do wake up in the AM it feels like it's night because it's so dark until like 9:30 at least- so at least now it really will be night and I won't feel so disoriented.
Maybe I will have to revise my plan. Maybe I will go to sleep right now, and make myself wake-up early and then I'll get up and do some more unpacking- yeah I'm still not fully unpacked- and then I'll go back to bed in the late morning and wake up and go to work. What do you guys think? I feel like I'm having a conversation with Vanessa back in "my college days"- ok so only a few months ago- trying to decide if I should stay up super late and try to finish writing the paper that is due the next day or if I should go to bed and wake up early and finish it. I just don't want to stay up so late that I'm all shaky and tired and can't really fall asleep and then my whole nights rest consists of waking up every few hours and not feeling rested at all in the AM. That's pretty much what happened last night.
Oh but BTW (by the way) I have wonderful, wonderful news, I guess I'm saving the best for last! My phone is now connected! It got connected yesterday (I'll have to send you all the # in an email, don't really want creepy people I don't know getting ahold of it)! It was the best day of my life. Oh and I haven't even told you all, I officially moved into my apt yesterday! So I spent my first night here last night- a girl at work was asking if I felt scared living alone and honestly... I do a very tiny bit- mostly just when I go to sleep. I told her I kinda wish I could get a dog but in reality I have all the protection I need with the Lord watching over me as I sleep!
So I love my apt with my whole heart! I love having my own place, it's such a wonderful thing, I feel so very "growed" up. :) It still kinda seems like I'm just pretending though... I'm sure once my first rent bill comes it won't feel like that so much....
It's really nice because the hospital is paying for my first months rent. God has just blessed me so much here already. I talked to my cousin today and she said "I'm sure your car will be coming soon because I keep having to cross things off my prayer list for you. As soon as I write them down they get answered"! Isn't that so true! God is so good. So I look forward to telling you all about my new vehicle that will transport all my precious kids when the Lord provides it.
Well I'm excited for tomorrow. I'm excited to cherish my patients- hopefully some cute little elderly people. Bethel has the cutest kids and the cutest old people- i swear! I saw some really cute little grannies today when I was shadowing- they mostly only speak Yupik though- but they pretend like they understand you when you speak English- pretty tricky they are. Some of my Yupik is coming back to me from last summer. I remember how to say "thank you", "sit", "poop", "breast feed", "grandpa" and "how's it going". I'm sure that will all serve me well don't you? haha
It's good to be working in the medical setting again. I pray that the Lord will give me passion and stamina for my job. I want to help people, I don't just want to get paid. And I don't just want to help people temporarily, I want to help them eternally as well by giving them a hope that is beyond this world and its circumstances. I pray that the Lord will give me opportunities to do that. I also pray for favor with my co-workers- it's been said that nurses eat their young- I pray that they love me and don't eat me.
Thank you all so much for your love and prayers- if it wasn't for those prayers my fingers would probably be frozen off right now I'm sure.
Merry Christmas! It still feels like Christmas, especially yesterday when I was unpacking all my boxes. I was loving it so much- even though it was all my stuff it was just so fun to see it again and put it in my new place, and of course my little mommy dearest had snuck some sweet suprises into the boxes...
Oh and just as an FYI if you guys want to leave comments- which I'm sure you're all dying to do- you don't have to "sign up" you just check "anonymous" and then just sign your name at the bottom of the note so that I know who you are. I LOVE comments. I know some of you have been sending comments to my email and I really appreciate that too.
Oh and also since I'll be working 12h night shift for 7 days in a row I probably won't be able to do much communicating- we'll see, maybe in the down-time at work I can update this here blog- but you can still call my phone and leave me sweet little messages while I'm at work (works well since your cell phones are all free after 9) and then I can listen to them and be happy when I come home from work in the AM. Then I can call you all back on my 7 days off. :)
Saturday, November 10, 2007
It's Beginning to Feel Alot Like Christmas!
It snowed today. It was so beautiful! There is probably about 2in of snow on the ground. It makes it feel so much like Christmas to me. I just want to listen to Christmas music and write Christmas cards. Please send me your addresses so I can send you some. Send them to my hotmail account- allhansen@hotmail.com . I'm just loving it. And it's great because nothing closes down here because of the snow, like it does in Seattle. In fact the only thing the schools close down for here is when it gets to -70 degrees of lower. Isn't that crazy! I can't imagine it ever being that cold, but I guess it does happen. People are really excited for the snow because then they get to pull out their snowmobiles. I look forward for the pastor and his boys to come home from vacation so they can take me on a ride! I look forward to telling you guys all about it. Hopefully I'll be able to send pictures by then too.
I also bought a Christmas mat online today too, to put in front of my door. I bet Lisa is extra happy that I'm in the Christmas spirit so early this year! : )
Also I went garage saleing this morning with my friend Tiffany. We actually only found one garage sale and didn't find anything good there so we travled around to some of the stores around here but everything was grossly over-priced. We then went online and looked at some ads and such and found that her dentist was selling some things. We hopped over there and I got a little bookshelf for $10. What a deal. I think i'm ... just a sec my apple crisp is done I made one for Necie's birthday... alright sorry about the inturruption, hmmm I'm not sure what I was going to tell you. So anyway pretty much I learned that garage sales here aren't what they are in Seattle.
Oh and also I finally went to the I.D. Variety/Radio Shack/Pet Land today and it is quite the store let me tell you. It has a little thrift store in it, but the stuff is pretty yuck- even for a expert thrift store shopper like me and they just have so much random stuff and then electronics in the back and pets on the side. I was hopeing to find a christmas mat there, but not luck. I did find some super cute little kittens though! I wanted one so bad, and I don't even really like cats, that shows how cute they were. Luckily YKHC doesn't allow pets in the apartments so I didn't get one. I wish I could send it to Brian and Corey though.
All my stuff arrived this week and my apartment is full of boxes. I couldn't believe that it came so quickly! I wasn't expecting it until at least next week or later- another one of God's many provisions. So I'll be moving into my apartment soon. To be honest I'm a little hesitant about it, I don't know what's wrong with me, I'm sure once I move in I'll love it. I'm excited to decorate this week.
I wonder if I'll be lonely... you all will have to come visit soon. I don't know if I'll have much time to be lonely though really, I start my 12hour shifts next week. I'll work 12hour shifts seven days straight and then I'll be off for seven days. On my working days I don't plan on doing anything but work (well I'm gonna try to work-out too) so don't worry if you don't here from me for a week or so, I'll just be working. And then on my weeks off I'll communicate with the world, do errands and hopefully teach children's church or something such as that.
Necie has suggested too additional options for working with the kids around here as well. One is to become a "Big Sister" in the program they have here, which I'm strongly considering and the other is to become a volunteer at the library to do story hour. I think that would be so much fun, I love reading to kids! So we'll see if either of those work out. I kinda want to try working first and see how worn out I am and what my schedule is really gonna be like you know, I don't want to over-commit.
And speaking of kids I saw one of my favorite little girls in the whole world on Friday! I walked by her and almost didn't recognize her, she's grown up in the year since I'd last seen her. She was my neighbor when I lived here in the summer and her and her friends would always come over and make cookies and such as that. We love each other so much. She saw me and yelled "Alessandra you came back!". It was so precious. She lives close to the church so hopefully she'll be able to come tomorrow- even if she can't I'll go visit her.
Ok well it's time for us to eat the applecrisp now so I best be going. I'll let you know how shadowing goes on Monday (that's what I'll be doing). love you and miss you!
Oh I almost forgot to tell you some of my best news! I got my ticket to come home for Christmas today! So it is official! I'll arrive on the 19th at like 11:30pm and then I come back to Bethel at 6:30pm on the 26th! Praise the Lord! And thanks so my parents and Necie too who helped to make it all possible!
I also bought a Christmas mat online today too, to put in front of my door. I bet Lisa is extra happy that I'm in the Christmas spirit so early this year! : )
Also I went garage saleing this morning with my friend Tiffany. We actually only found one garage sale and didn't find anything good there so we travled around to some of the stores around here but everything was grossly over-priced. We then went online and looked at some ads and such and found that her dentist was selling some things. We hopped over there and I got a little bookshelf for $10. What a deal. I think i'm ... just a sec my apple crisp is done I made one for Necie's birthday... alright sorry about the inturruption, hmmm I'm not sure what I was going to tell you. So anyway pretty much I learned that garage sales here aren't what they are in Seattle.
Oh and also I finally went to the I.D. Variety/Radio Shack/Pet Land today and it is quite the store let me tell you. It has a little thrift store in it, but the stuff is pretty yuck- even for a expert thrift store shopper like me and they just have so much random stuff and then electronics in the back and pets on the side. I was hopeing to find a christmas mat there, but not luck. I did find some super cute little kittens though! I wanted one so bad, and I don't even really like cats, that shows how cute they were. Luckily YKHC doesn't allow pets in the apartments so I didn't get one. I wish I could send it to Brian and Corey though.
All my stuff arrived this week and my apartment is full of boxes. I couldn't believe that it came so quickly! I wasn't expecting it until at least next week or later- another one of God's many provisions. So I'll be moving into my apartment soon. To be honest I'm a little hesitant about it, I don't know what's wrong with me, I'm sure once I move in I'll love it. I'm excited to decorate this week.
I wonder if I'll be lonely... you all will have to come visit soon. I don't know if I'll have much time to be lonely though really, I start my 12hour shifts next week. I'll work 12hour shifts seven days straight and then I'll be off for seven days. On my working days I don't plan on doing anything but work (well I'm gonna try to work-out too) so don't worry if you don't here from me for a week or so, I'll just be working. And then on my weeks off I'll communicate with the world, do errands and hopefully teach children's church or something such as that.
Necie has suggested too additional options for working with the kids around here as well. One is to become a "Big Sister" in the program they have here, which I'm strongly considering and the other is to become a volunteer at the library to do story hour. I think that would be so much fun, I love reading to kids! So we'll see if either of those work out. I kinda want to try working first and see how worn out I am and what my schedule is really gonna be like you know, I don't want to over-commit.
And speaking of kids I saw one of my favorite little girls in the whole world on Friday! I walked by her and almost didn't recognize her, she's grown up in the year since I'd last seen her. She was my neighbor when I lived here in the summer and her and her friends would always come over and make cookies and such as that. We love each other so much. She saw me and yelled "Alessandra you came back!". It was so precious. She lives close to the church so hopefully she'll be able to come tomorrow- even if she can't I'll go visit her.
Ok well it's time for us to eat the applecrisp now so I best be going. I'll let you know how shadowing goes on Monday (that's what I'll be doing). love you and miss you!
Oh I almost forgot to tell you some of my best news! I got my ticket to come home for Christmas today! So it is official! I'll arrive on the 19th at like 11:30pm and then I come back to Bethel at 6:30pm on the 26th! Praise the Lord! And thanks so my parents and Necie too who helped to make it all possible!
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Full of Suprises!
I have wonderful news! I went and checked out my apartment today and it is so wonderful! I just feel overwhelmingly blessed. They said originally that it was going to be a studio apartment but when we walked in I was pleasently suprised to find out that it is one-bedroom (so now you guys can all stay with me when you come up to visit, and Vanessa can move in with me when she comes!). Also it is partially furnished, another suprise! I have a beautiful queen sized bed, a dresser, a couch and a wonderful dining table and chairs! It also came with a fridge, a freezer, a dishwasher and a disposal and it has such wonderful storage space! And then Necie is gonna let me have her TV and stand. I might have another couch coming and we're gonna go garage sale shopping this weekend so pray that we find treasures (i need a vacuum)! : )
Everyone has just been so great, offering me things and brainstorming on where I can find this and that. Oh I've also been offered some spices and I'm gonna be loaned dishes and silverware until mine come. I really couldn't ask for more. Oh and I have such sweet neighbors too, a bunch of other people that work at the hospital, I just feel so at home and nice a safe too. If only I had a cord for my camera so I could send you all pictures- I'll try to figure something out.
Tonight I went to church for the first time since I've been there and it was so great to be there. It was wonderful to see the kids! They even remembered my name and were really excited to see me. I'd really missed those kids, I'm so glad to be back with them, I'm anxious to get started teaching Sunday School again.
I'm reminded of the verse that I wrote on here before I came about God providing for what He's called us to do. Man what a testimony I am of that. I just can't even believe all the providing that God has done, I took my little step of faith and He has rushed in to confirm and bless! I'm truly humbled and amazed. He's given me far beyond what I deserve or could have hoped for- not just in monetary thing but in friends and then just the sense of peace that I have. There's no better place to be than in the will of God.
I'll have to come back and look at this when things get tough though, as I know they will... I'll need to be reminded of God's confirmation and blessings. Maybe you all can remind me. : ) But on the mountain and in the valley God remains the same and I'm excited for whatever comes my way!
Alright I'm feeling sleepy, I best be going but I'll write more soon.
Love you all! Thanks so much for your prayers. I know that it's the prayers of the saints that have been making a big impact!
Everyone has just been so great, offering me things and brainstorming on where I can find this and that. Oh I've also been offered some spices and I'm gonna be loaned dishes and silverware until mine come. I really couldn't ask for more. Oh and I have such sweet neighbors too, a bunch of other people that work at the hospital, I just feel so at home and nice a safe too. If only I had a cord for my camera so I could send you all pictures- I'll try to figure something out.
Tonight I went to church for the first time since I've been there and it was so great to be there. It was wonderful to see the kids! They even remembered my name and were really excited to see me. I'd really missed those kids, I'm so glad to be back with them, I'm anxious to get started teaching Sunday School again.
I'm reminded of the verse that I wrote on here before I came about God providing for what He's called us to do. Man what a testimony I am of that. I just can't even believe all the providing that God has done, I took my little step of faith and He has rushed in to confirm and bless! I'm truly humbled and amazed. He's given me far beyond what I deserve or could have hoped for- not just in monetary thing but in friends and then just the sense of peace that I have. There's no better place to be than in the will of God.
I'll have to come back and look at this when things get tough though, as I know they will... I'll need to be reminded of God's confirmation and blessings. Maybe you all can remind me. : ) But on the mountain and in the valley God remains the same and I'm excited for whatever comes my way!
Alright I'm feeling sleepy, I best be going but I'll write more soon.
Love you all! Thanks so much for your prayers. I know that it's the prayers of the saints that have been making a big impact!
Monday, November 5, 2007
My Very Own P.O. BOX
Hello my loved ones! I miss you already, I really do. I miss Seattle too, but things are going well. It was pretty hard Saturday and early Sunday, I didn't think I was gonna make it, I was feeling so lonesome for home, but once I drove around Bethel on Sunday night I was already feeling better. I was really praying that the Lord would remind me why I'm here and renew my love for the people and the region, and He did! I still miss everyone terribly, but I'm not longer feeling depressed at all, I know the Lord has good things for me here. I'm excited to start working as a nurse, I got my ID Badge today and it said "Alessandra Hansen, Registered Nurse" pretty great huh? The picture is pretty funny, I wish that I had a way to send you a pic of it, but i don't have the cord to hook my camera up to they computer... sad story huh... i'll do my best to remedy that soon.
And then, Praise the Lord guess what I found out today?! I have an apartment ready for me on Wednesday! Now no one can tell me that, that's not a miracle! I wasn't suppose to have an apt. ready for me until the end of December and then my wonderful manager called them to ask if they had somewhere to house me until then and they said they had a permanent place for me now! I couldn't believe it! I just feel so blessed! God is so good and so faithful, I know that, that apartment opened up only through prayers! So thank you so much- all of you that have been praying- especially my SeaTac Bible Study! So I will be staying with my manager until Wed. She says that they're gonna throw me a "pounding" party when I move in. She's from Texas and I guess it's a tradition down there. They bring you things to fill your pantry. You know how I like a good party so this should be fun. :)
I'll have a bed provided for me and a fridge but that's about it. Necie (my manager and surrogate aunt) thought they furnished it for me, so i didn't bring anything up, but it turns out that they changed that policy. She said "don't worry about it sugar, we'll take care of it". So her and Terry (Necie's neighbor, and my roomate from last summer) are already planning on how they'll deck out my house. We have some tricks up our sleeve, which may include some tricky maneuvering and then we'll look at garage sales as well. I don't know how you have garage sales when it's this cold out but I guess they do.
I also have decided that I need to get a car. I didn't think that I would but everyone advises that I do and the longer i'm here to more i realize that it's a good idea. It's too cold to walk (at least for me- i'm a wimp when it comes to cold i found out- Necie says i'll get used to it) and snow-mobiles are almost as expensive as a car! Also even though gas is really expensive (about $5) you only have to fill up like every 2 weeks, and insurance actually isn't so bad up here either. So pray that God leads me to just the right car, either here in Bethel or something in seattle that can be shipped up. Preferably something that I can stuff a bunch of little kids in and drive to church!
I now have remembered how wonderful and beautiful the kids are here! I haven't gotten to hold any yet and kiss their round cheeks like I would like but hopefully real soon. I've given and received lots of smiles though! I'm excited to start teaching Sunday School at the church. Necie says that she will do her best to work out my schedule so that I can help with the church as much as possible. Hopefully me and one of the other nurses (my friend Charly) can switch off weeks so that it's somewhat consistent for the kids.
Everyone here has been so wonderful. I arrived in Bethel on Sunday night and everyone was just so welcoming. When people found out that I was sure where I'd be living, I had multiple offers of a place to stay, even with people I had just met. People here just want to take care of me- I must have a look about me that says "I'm a city girl, all alone and without her family for the first time". :) So yeah I just feel so very very blessed.
As my title says I am now the proud owner of my very own P.O. BOX! I am so thrilled about this! I'm not sure why it makes me so happy but it really does. I'll send you all the number in an email- I don't really want any weirdos getting it and sending me weird mail or something, mostly because then I might have to change the number and I really would be sad about that because I really love my number and really love the position of my box, it's so perfect! I really think I should name my box. Do y'all have any suggestions for his name? So if any of you have the inclination to send me some mail I would love it, because I know that I will be so very sad every time i check him and he's empty. I'll have to sign up for some catalogs or something just in case.
Oh and just to update you all on the husband status... Two pharmacists have been suggested to me by Terry (she's very against doctors, dentists and teachers for various reasons), I've been offered someone's son but it turns out he's gay, another son but he's currently married and then while at a restaurant yesterday the waitress wanted to set me up with her brother-in-law (she asked from across the room how old I was and if i was single, it was pretty humorous). Oh and you can't forget the 60 year old man at lunch today that gave me his phone number and said that if I got bored he would take me out on the snow-mobile. hahaha. I'm sure he was just being a friendly Alaskan, but still i thought it was funny- i don't think i'll call. : ) The odds are good but the goods are odd.
Oh one more thing! One of my favorite things from today was that I met a guy who invited me to come and play football with him and his friends! I was so excited! I guess they play two-hand touch, and flag when possible. Girls and guys both play, he said it was 40%girls/60%guys last time. I had so much fun playing football this summer that I was so happy to be able to play again. My friends this summer got me ready for playing out here. Let me just give a little shout out to HSM! I'm not sure how well I'll do in the snow but I'm excited to try. He also told me that basketball starts in the end of December, so I'm excited about that too! Sigh... praise the Lord for His magnificent provision!
Oh wait last thing, I found out that for my orientation I'll be working on night shift, which has it's pros and cons. I'll be working 7 days on and 7 days off at 12 hours shifts. That's kinda the con but the pro is that I can use my week off to come home for Christmas. Well technically I'm not sure if it will actually be Christmas week but it will be close. My mom said that we can make it Christmas whenever I can come. Isn't she so sweet. So i'll be home in December at some-point. Can't wait to see you all!
Alright I'll go now, I need to go to the grocery store and this has gotten ridiculously long!
Adios - i miss speaking Spanish and having Spanish speakers around me- I haven't found any yet.
And then, Praise the Lord guess what I found out today?! I have an apartment ready for me on Wednesday! Now no one can tell me that, that's not a miracle! I wasn't suppose to have an apt. ready for me until the end of December and then my wonderful manager called them to ask if they had somewhere to house me until then and they said they had a permanent place for me now! I couldn't believe it! I just feel so blessed! God is so good and so faithful, I know that, that apartment opened up only through prayers! So thank you so much- all of you that have been praying- especially my SeaTac Bible Study! So I will be staying with my manager until Wed. She says that they're gonna throw me a "pounding" party when I move in. She's from Texas and I guess it's a tradition down there. They bring you things to fill your pantry. You know how I like a good party so this should be fun. :)
I'll have a bed provided for me and a fridge but that's about it. Necie (my manager and surrogate aunt) thought they furnished it for me, so i didn't bring anything up, but it turns out that they changed that policy. She said "don't worry about it sugar, we'll take care of it". So her and Terry (Necie's neighbor, and my roomate from last summer) are already planning on how they'll deck out my house. We have some tricks up our sleeve, which may include some tricky maneuvering and then we'll look at garage sales as well. I don't know how you have garage sales when it's this cold out but I guess they do.
I also have decided that I need to get a car. I didn't think that I would but everyone advises that I do and the longer i'm here to more i realize that it's a good idea. It's too cold to walk (at least for me- i'm a wimp when it comes to cold i found out- Necie says i'll get used to it) and snow-mobiles are almost as expensive as a car! Also even though gas is really expensive (about $5) you only have to fill up like every 2 weeks, and insurance actually isn't so bad up here either. So pray that God leads me to just the right car, either here in Bethel or something in seattle that can be shipped up. Preferably something that I can stuff a bunch of little kids in and drive to church!
I now have remembered how wonderful and beautiful the kids are here! I haven't gotten to hold any yet and kiss their round cheeks like I would like but hopefully real soon. I've given and received lots of smiles though! I'm excited to start teaching Sunday School at the church. Necie says that she will do her best to work out my schedule so that I can help with the church as much as possible. Hopefully me and one of the other nurses (my friend Charly) can switch off weeks so that it's somewhat consistent for the kids.
Everyone here has been so wonderful. I arrived in Bethel on Sunday night and everyone was just so welcoming. When people found out that I was sure where I'd be living, I had multiple offers of a place to stay, even with people I had just met. People here just want to take care of me- I must have a look about me that says "I'm a city girl, all alone and without her family for the first time". :) So yeah I just feel so very very blessed.
As my title says I am now the proud owner of my very own P.O. BOX! I am so thrilled about this! I'm not sure why it makes me so happy but it really does. I'll send you all the number in an email- I don't really want any weirdos getting it and sending me weird mail or something, mostly because then I might have to change the number and I really would be sad about that because I really love my number and really love the position of my box, it's so perfect! I really think I should name my box. Do y'all have any suggestions for his name? So if any of you have the inclination to send me some mail I would love it, because I know that I will be so very sad every time i check him and he's empty. I'll have to sign up for some catalogs or something just in case.
Oh and just to update you all on the husband status... Two pharmacists have been suggested to me by Terry (she's very against doctors, dentists and teachers for various reasons), I've been offered someone's son but it turns out he's gay, another son but he's currently married and then while at a restaurant yesterday the waitress wanted to set me up with her brother-in-law (she asked from across the room how old I was and if i was single, it was pretty humorous). Oh and you can't forget the 60 year old man at lunch today that gave me his phone number and said that if I got bored he would take me out on the snow-mobile. hahaha. I'm sure he was just being a friendly Alaskan, but still i thought it was funny- i don't think i'll call. : ) The odds are good but the goods are odd.
Oh one more thing! One of my favorite things from today was that I met a guy who invited me to come and play football with him and his friends! I was so excited! I guess they play two-hand touch, and flag when possible. Girls and guys both play, he said it was 40%girls/60%guys last time. I had so much fun playing football this summer that I was so happy to be able to play again. My friends this summer got me ready for playing out here. Let me just give a little shout out to HSM! I'm not sure how well I'll do in the snow but I'm excited to try. He also told me that basketball starts in the end of December, so I'm excited about that too! Sigh... praise the Lord for His magnificent provision!
Oh wait last thing, I found out that for my orientation I'll be working on night shift, which has it's pros and cons. I'll be working 7 days on and 7 days off at 12 hours shifts. That's kinda the con but the pro is that I can use my week off to come home for Christmas. Well technically I'm not sure if it will actually be Christmas week but it will be close. My mom said that we can make it Christmas whenever I can come. Isn't she so sweet. So i'll be home in December at some-point. Can't wait to see you all!
Alright I'll go now, I need to go to the grocery store and this has gotten ridiculously long!
Adios - i miss speaking Spanish and having Spanish speakers around me- I haven't found any yet.
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