lullaby.

my roommate breann introduced me to a precious song a few nights ago. the song is titled “lullaby” by josh groban, and it is absolutely beautiful. you know how there are some songs that simply sooth your soul, this song does that for me. there is one line in particular in the song that nearly brought me to tears, the line states "with love, alone, with love you'll find your way, my love..." i know it may seem silly, but just with my life lately, this song just really spoke wonders to me. watch the video below, i hope you will love it as much as i did.

relaxation at its finest.

this weekend was one of relaxation, it was great. something that made this weekend so special was that i cashed in paid time off for the first time in a year and a half! honestly, not working this weekend felt, weird. i almost didn't know what to do with myself! the weekend started off on thursday with a chipotle picnic with my roommate, it was so spontaneous and just so much fun, the weather was absolutely gorgeous outside! the rest of the weekend [friday-sunday] consisted of VEGAS! with my dear friends [and old college roommates when i went to biola] devon and beth. we stayed at devon's parents' house and simply relaxed...we slept in, laid out by the pool [and i got sunburned, whoops], went to sushi, and went to the strip [we did a mini bachelorette party for beth since dev and i can't go to the real thing in oregon]. it was such a good time to catch up with old friends and just slow down to enjoy life, which isn't something that i feel like i have the opportunity to do very often.


picnic in the park!


chipotle. my favorite.


sushi!

exhausted.

i have no other thoughts or feelings for today.
exhausted physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. exhausted.

exhausted.

exhausted.

i have no other words.

exhausted.

i don't want to fall another moment into your gravity.

so week 1 of summer school accomplished. 1 down, 11 to go! i love making countdown lists, sometimes i feel like they are the only things that get me through the craziness of life.
anyhow, today was a full and busy day. first, myself and all of my nursing classmates had to go to an orientation for public health in the county of los angeles. it was....interesting. it was approximately 7 hours long, with different speakers every 1/2 hour. a couple of the speakers were really interesting, while others could have been better. oh well, it is something we get to check off the list for community health nursing.
so, after the orientation, allyn, margie, justine [my nursing classmates and dear dear friends] and myself were all getting together at allyn's house to work on projects that we have due next week [hitting the ground running, as always!]. we started out strong, but the longer we were working on the projects, the more distracted we became. at one point in the evening, we were all looking at engagement rings and what we hope will someday be displayed on our left hand. now, this may come across as sad and pathetic, but we are girls, this is what we do! now, i am not looking or planning on getting engaged or married ANY time soon, but it is still fun to dream and hope of things that might possibly be in the future.


what we were suppose to be doing...


what we did instead... [isn't it stunning?!]

rescue 98s.

love. like. infatuation. whatever you want to call it, it isn't meant to be hard. yes you are going to have to work and be dedicated to make a relationship work, but it shouldn't be hard. it shouldn't add extra stress to your life. it shouldn't be a burden.

love. like. infatuation. whatever you want to call it, should be a blessing. it should add joy to your life. the work that does take place should make you smile, you don't mind it, because it is worth it. that person is worth it. that relationship is worth it. happiness is found in the work. that person makes you better, or at least makes you want to be better. yes, you were fine alone, but you are better with that person. it should be an encouragement. it should build you up. it shouldn't be a burden.

love. like. infatuation. whatever you want to call it, is complicated. there are strings attached. there is miscommunication. there is frustration. there is confusion. there is heartache.

love. like. infatuation. whatever you want to call it, you aren't what i expected you to be.

almost there.

on saturday i went to my very first azusa pacific university graduation. i got to see my roommate, bre, graduate, along with some amazing friends. it was so exciting to see everyone walk across that stage and receive a diploma, and what made it especially exciting was the thought that the next time that apu holds a spring commencement ceremony, i will be walking across the stage, finally. 6 years later [yes, i am on the life long plan to get my bachelor's degree], and i will FINALLY be receiving my diploma. everyone keeps saying that this last year is just going to fly by, and i agree with them. this past year has definitely been a whirl wind, and i definitely think that this upcoming year is going to be the same way, praise God. a lot to do before graduation though, just a few things on the check list:
1. take [and PASS] the CPAT [the goal is to have it done by the end of june]
2. ACLS
3. PALS
4. begin applying to fire deparments
5. get recertified as an EMT [that is going to be the theme for the month of august]

i know that there is plenty more that will arise over the next year, but those are things that i get to look forward to in the months to come. God has been so faithful the first half of nursing school, and i have no doubt in my mind that he has an adventure planned for me for the second half!

here are a few pictures from the ceremony...

mom.

bonnie louise minnick, she is one of the most incredible people that i know. no matter the time of day or what she is doing, she is always willing to drop anything and run to my side. i cannot count the amount of breakdowns that she has received the brunt of without complaining. i can always depend on her to be a listening ear. she knows how to fill a house with love and make it a home. she cares for her grandsons multiple days a week so incredibly willingly. she serves the missionaries of the church passionately. she is always so full of encouragement, optimism, and love. she see's the best in people, all of the time. she loves Christ with all of her heart, and encourages others around her to do the same. she loves her family with all of her being, and is full dedicated to them [we would be lost without her]. she constantly goes without. she is one of my best friends. my hope and prayer is that i may be half the mother and wife she is one day. i love you mom. happy mother's day.

final victory lap.

i woke up yesterday morning thinking a beautiful thought, that in just a few short hours, i would officially be half-way completed with nursing school. as well, in just a few short hours, i would be in my final senior year [3rd times the charm!]. what a great feeling it was. undergrad has been such a journey. a journey full of ups and downs, joys and triumphs, as well as heartaches and heartbreaks. it is such an invigorating feeling to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, to finally feel like you can sincerely begin making plans for post-graduation, and to feel like you can finally really begin to pursue the dreams you have for after graduation. my hope and prayer is that i can find the strength and motivation inside of me to finish my final year strong, especially when my body just aches with exhaustion most days of the week. i just have to keep telling myself that this is the season of life that i am in right now, and that God does not give us anything that we cannot handle. half-way there baby, half-way there.
anyway, to help celebrate this momentous occasion, i spent the evening with my old partner, and dear friend katie [an amazing woman who is going to be an incredible fire fighter one day might i add!]. she is such a blessing to me and we always have so much fun together! as well, it is so great to be able to have a friend to be pursuing the fire service with- she never fails to encourage me, push me, and hold me accountable. so, we started out our adventures with driving to glendale to pick up her paycheck, and then went to the redbox [which might i add is the best idea of all time! if you have never utilized the redbox please go rent a movie tonight, you will not regret it!] and rented sunshine cleaning [which was such a good movie, i recommend it]. we then proceeded to trader joes [which i have a slight obsession with, i am not going to lie], and picked up salads and ingredients to make some awesome sandwiches. we then headed back to her adorable bungalow in silver lake and chowed down our delicious dinner of sandwiches, salad, and blue moon while we watched our red box purchase. after dinner i then helped give her feedback on what to pack for her trip to iceland [i am so incredibly jealous!]. it was such a great night and a great way to kick off my 4 day summer vacation [before summer school starts back up on tuesday], and i was definitely reminded of how God has blessed me with some amazing friendships. love you smartner.
oh, and i almost forgot the highlight of the evening! katie has been going on for weeks that she got me a present, and last night i finally got to see what this awesome present was. it was a glendale fire department swearshirt, something that i told her i wanted when she went to work as an a/o for glendale fire. so it has now officially been given the job of keeping me warm as i drive to the station in the morning and when i am chilly at work, as well as a way to support my awesome smartner. i love it so much. go team thompson.


our delicious meal from trader joes.


my awesome friend and ex-partner katie thompson.


such a fun evening.


best present ever. go team thompson.

the little loop holes.

the little loop holes of life, oh how they can be obnoxious. car registration for example, should be such a simply task, right? nope. it isn't just in case you are wondering.
here was the plan...so yesterday i was going to sleep in at the station, wake up, and jet over to the dmv just up the street from the station. well, as i got out my paperwork, i noticed a notice at the top...i need to get a smog check before i can register my car. dang it. ok, well that's fine, there is a smog place across the street from the dmv. so from there, i then proceed to go to the shadiest smog checking place in the city of inglewood.
and the waiting began. and of course, yesterday was the day that inglewood decided to have a heat wave. i then spent the next 2 hours of my life, in the extreme heat might i add, waiting in line to get my car smogged. oh my goodness. it was ridiculous to say the least. but it got done, praise the shepard. and today, i went online, got to pay my car renewal so i didn't have to go to the dmv, which i was ecstatic about. but it got done. another society loop hole was conquered, bring it on world and your loop holes. bring it.


2 hours later.


at the very shady smog place in inglewood.