Winter Blues

Well, I've got a case of the winter blues. You know when you are sooo ready for summer and sunshine and it just seems like so long until you'll see it? That's where I'm at right now.
I think that working nights doesn't help either. Its dark when I go into work, still kinda' dark when I get off and then dark again when I wake up. It feels like I'm in a dark, cold world that won't end for a couple of months yet. Maybe I'm just in a rut. I stay up all night, because that is what I'm used to doing. Then, I go to bed somewhere between 5am and 7am and sleep 'til between 12pm and 2pm. That's on my nights off. I may as well be working!! It seems like I spend so much of my free time recovering from working that I'm tired all the time.
We had 2 deaths the other night at work. One right after the other. There is sadness all around it seems. Its hard emotionally and physically to do what I do. And yet, I do like it. I have worked very hard to get to where I am. I'm good at what I do - and there are rewarding times in my job. Its awesome to run into someone in the store or at the mall that only a short while before had been broken and battered and lying a a coma. Its awesome to get a card sent to the unit saying how much they appreciate all we have done for them. There are some great things being done in that unit and I work with the best nurses around :) But it does have a way of making me feel drained of energy and longing to flee to the beach and lay in the sun and do NOTHING!! :)
Well, tonight I got up at 3pm and then finally made it out of the house by 6 and got a big load of firewood and then went to Chipotle for a nice big meal to go. I brought it home and built a fire and watched TV while eating my Fajita Burrito Bol and munched on chips until I stuffed! Its now almost midnight and I'm just really waking up. I think I should call my friends and see who wants to go shopping or do something fun, but I'm stuck in that night shift rut! Although I'm wide awake, no one else is!! Ughhh!!
Thanks for letting me rant - and if you don't like it - well, don't read it!! :)

ICU Christmas Party at my house (Dec. 14th, 2008)

I hosted the ICU Christmas Party at my house again this year. I live so close to the hospital, so its kind of convenient for people to stop over - even after work.

I snapped some pictures before the gang arrived :)

Tracey, Todd & Todd's wife, Pam.

Michelle :) Good friend!

Mary, Brian & Tracey :)

Michelle & I. She moved back to California now! :( Can't believe it!

Sherry & Karen :) So funny!!! They said that my camera flashed so much they felt like they were getting their mug shots done!! Ha, Ha!! :)

Dana & Val. Two of my all-time best friends!! I have worked with them for like 14 years now! Love them :)

The group shot. Uhhhh . . . A little fuzzy, but there's my people :)

Val & Terri being silly

Val, all tuckered out at like 1am! :)

FAMILY CHRISTMAS 2008

I had a great Christmas this year. I had to work on Christmas Eve, but we all just kind of worked around it and had a great time together anyway. We had a wonderful Christmas dinner with an absolutely wonderful glazed ham and twiced baked potatoes :) Yum!!

Liam & Declan had so much fun opening their gifts!! :) Half the fun of Christmas this year was watching them!!

RuthAnn let Nicky come up with her. He gets a little nervous with all the excitement and the ripping paper. He's pretty good though.

The little boys just love Dad (their Grampy). And he loves spoiling them :)

Mom & Dad's beautiful tree with the piles of gifts around it :) Such happy times.

Jason, Dad & Rob playing a game on Christmas Eve.

Mom & Dad and the light of their lives :)