Tears of the Saints

"The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed" -- Hudson Taylor

I saw this video the other day and wanted to share it on my blog. It reminded me, once again, of just how many people in our world don't know the saving grace of Jesus. Watch it, and let the Lord speak to you through it...just like He did to me. :D

Frustration

Having clinicals two days in a row means that the possibility of getting to see the same patient is highly likely. Yesterday I helped take care of a young, teenage mom who was about to go in for a c-section. When I walked in her room, she had a pretty flat affect....not showing any outward signs of excitement about the new little miracle about to come into her life. Sitting in the room was also the soon-to-be grandma. She made the comment, "Well, I already take care of 3 grandkids, what's a 4th?" Once again, no excitement....no joy...no anticipation...."just another mouth to feed" kind of comment. Yesterday I let that encounter with the family not phase me in the least because I figured the mom was nervous...or scared...about what was to come. After all, she is a young teenage mom.

I was assigned to this same patient today. Except this time when I saw her, she had a BEAUTIFUL baby girl in her room with her. I was so excited for her....she showed no emotion. Once again, I made excuses for her...you know, things like "it's just early in the morning" and "she's just tired". But this is the way it was all shift. The mom didn't want to hold the baby...feed the baby...nothing.

Infact, I went into her room one time because the baby kept crying and the mom was completely engrossed in Hannah Montana. She was so "into" the show that she was ignoring her crying baby and wouldn't have a conversation with me. SERIOUSLY?!?!?! Hannah Montana?!?! This is one of the MANY ways to tell if someone is TOO young to have a baby!!!

The rest of the day was more of the same. Each time I went into her room, I tried to encourage her to hold the baby. If she did hold the baby, she would just put the baby in her arm and continue watching TV. She didn't talk to her or even look at her....she wouldn't call her by her name.

It was heartbreaking and frustrating....especially for this precious baby girl. She came into the world yesterday as "just another mouth to feed"...no one really excited about a little miracle being brought into the world. I prayed for her all day today....that she would know the love of her Heavenly Father. This baby is loved more than she will ever know, and I pray that one day she comes to know the One who loves her so much.

Clinical Uniform Dilemma

I'm a Texas Aggie...no doubt about it! I love everything about the 5 years (only 4 IN school...the last one was just because I didn't want to leave) I spent in College Station...the traditions...Kyle Field...Blue Baker...etc. If you cut me, I WILL bleed MAROON! So you can imagine how hard it was for me to come to a "University of Texas" (t.u.) school here in San Antonio.

Day 1 of first semester, they handed me a burnt orange tshirt to wear to class. I pretended not to understand that I was actually supposed to WEAR the tshirt, hid it under my arm, and tried to walk into class. BUSTED...they told me I needed to wear the burnt orange, hideous tshirt to class. They must not care to much about my allergy to ALL THINGS burnt orange. After a little grumbling under my breath, I obliged. When class was over, I took the tshirt off and put it in a drawer...yet to see it since then.

For my first two semesters of nursing school, the administration went with a very traditional white uniform for our clinicals in the hospital. We looked like marshmallows....wearing ALL white from head to toe. No one liked our uniforms, but I figured there was no use to complain. Obviously someone (or several someones) decided to complain about our uniforms, and the buzz throughout Semester 2 was that there would be a uniform change over the summer. I was excited, but I obviously wasn't considering the options!

They DID change the uniforms. So now we no longer walk around looking like marshmallows (YAY!), but now we will look like pumpkins (BOO!!!). Burnt orange top (REALLY?!?!) and black bottoms. They didn't think to ask about my allergy to wearing burnt orange....I'm pretty sure that's important for them to know. Who knows, I might just fall over and die from wearing the awful color! :D

Anywho...I decided to do something about it. My thought...I'll wear a maroon Aggie tshirt under the burnt orange one. That idea was shot down SUPER FAST when they said only white could be worn underneath...DRATS. So I got to thinking again...I'll make some white Aggie tanktops to go under the burnt orange top. So that's was my project for the day! Allergic reaction...err....crisis averted!!

God. Rocked. My. World.

There is no denying that I absolutely love the first day of school. I'm almost certain that I always have! I love our family tradition of waking up extra early and going out for the "first day of school breakfast"; I love getting to use my brand new school supplies (which still makes me giddy even at 24 years old); I love getting to see friends again; I love the clean slate of NO previous grades determining how much/when I study for exams. Today, like all other first days, was great, but God really rocked my world and left me yearning for more of this semester.

You see, this is the semester I've been looking forward to since I started nursing school...


First semester wasn't bad...basic nursing care, pharmacology, nursing process, overcoming my fear of touching patients and invading their space, etc.

Second semester was the worst school semester (by far!) I've EVER had in my life. Which left me longing for....

Third semester! This is when we actually get our hands on the babies and kiddos. Yes! What I want to do with my life...FINALLY! Our third semester is divided into two blocks. For me, I have OB during 1st block, and starting in October, I will have Pediatrics for my 2nd block.

So back to today....first day...third semester...

We began OB by learning about the newborn transition during the first few hours/days of their life. What an amazing transformation takes place!! Did you know that before the baby is born, he/she doesn't use the lungs and liver for the purpose God created it for outside the womb?? The mom takes care of that. Because of this little detail, God created different shunts in the baby's circulatory system so that the blood can be diverted away from those organs (for the most part). When the baby takes it's first breath and lets out it's first cries, those shunts (are supposed to) close, and the baby's circulation now performs "normal" (for lack of a better word) circulation.


Then you have ways that babies attach & bond to the mom...


Then there is the way babies have really interesting reflexes...


Then there is the way they keep themselves warm since they don't "shiver"...


The list could go on and on....


Today I was reminded that I serve an amazingly creative, beautiful, thoughtful God who pays attention to the most intricate details of his children. None of this was an accident....it was God's perfect design.

As I sat through this lecture in amazement and awe of this, He gently reminded me that He is the one who knits babies together in their mother's womb and plans and numbers their days....I am no exception.

So in the midst of trying to figure out what I'm supposed to do when I finish nursing school, He said, "Rest. Trust. I have YOU in the palm of My hand." The same God who moves the blood where it needs to go in our bodies knows the plans He has for me, Katie! The same amazingly creative, beautiful, thoughtful God who pays attention to the most intricate details of his children really rocked my world today.

Josh. Britney. Annika.

I've been so blessed over the past several months by Josh, Britney, and Annika. They started coming to House Church when Annika was only a few months old and have become dear friends to me. Yesterday they moved away from San Antonio, and I'm not too sure how I feel about it. :D Of course I am happy for the opportunities ahead of them and that they are walking out their lives in obedience to the Lord, but I am surely going to miss them.

I loaned my camera to them a while back, and I have had fun with all the pictures they took of Annika on it. Annika, your Auntie Katie/Waffle Fries/Chicken loves you a lot!

Sweet Annika with Auntie Katie!
(I swiped this pic from Facebook...why the quality isn't great!)

This smile...with those dimples! Killer...simply melts my heart EVERY time!

Annika was totally digging the Pickle Juice Popsicle we gave her while packing up their apartment!

Love you guys so much!! Come back and visit...SOON!

***Britney- So sorry for swiping the family pics from my camera and posting them without asking you. I hope it's ok! :D ***