Half of Me!

So I feel like I am finally in a good enough place that I can speak openly about something that has been a bit of an issue for me these last few years.  My weight.  I have always been athletic and played sports all through high school and even a bit of intramurals in college.  Unfortunately due to some other things going on in life I went through a rough patch and gained way more than my 'freshman 15'.  It was more like my freshman 75.  Sadly when I started nursing school I was well over 200 pounds and not feeling super confident about the way I looked.  Well, thanks to some help from my crazy school schedule, having fun with friends, eating better, and just running around enjoying life I have lost a significant amount of weight.  I am happy to report that I am back under 200 pounds and enjoying life a whole lot more now!

Before at Danizza's wedding.

A few weeks ago in Vegas! (post to come soon about this wild adventure)

A little bit of catch up!

Wowza!  It has been almost a whole year since the last time I sat down and wrote a post for this blog!  Not that they were anything super exciting before, but here goes!  So, what have I been up to in the last year?  Well, fulfilling some dreams and thinking up some new ones of course.  When last we spoke I was living on my own with my little bro.  So, last summer I took the NCLEX, which if you remember is the big nasty test that you have to pass in order to be a legit nurse.  I may have procrastinated studying for it a lot bit, but don't worry guys.... I PASSED!    That's right.  I'm an RN.  I celebrated my success by turning my energy into applying for jobs.  Don't let me fool you tho.  The day before the test I relaxed in Boise with some retail therapy, my first full body massage, a movie with my bud Gary, and a nice room in downtown Boise.  (www.hotel43.com/)  I also went home for the 4th of July and enjoyed my favorite holiday with my favorite peoples!  During this visit I found out I had an interview with my old unit at St. Luke's Magic Valley.  After round two of the interview process and a whole lot of prayers I found out I got the job and was the new Pediatric Nurse in the pediatric floor.  Sweet!  August was a bittersweet month.  I started it with my first few shifts, a visit from Dana, a sad goodbye to Tara, moving in with Tara H. and Terica, and buying a new car!  I decided instead of purchasing a used car I would just bite the bullet and bought a brand new 2012 Kia Forte SX.  I love my amazing car.  Moving to a new apartment meant leaving behind my ward and my calling, but I soon found that I was extremely happy with my new roommates in our cute apartment!  I have made some new friends this year and through it I have had some crazy adventures.  Trips to Boise, Salt Lake, games until early morning hours, hot tub runs, crying and venting sessions in the temple parking lot with Alyssa, silly boys, silly stories, and a whole lot of laughs.  I have gotten a lot more confident in my job and know that even tho night shift is slowly and painfully killing me I love what I do and the people I get to take care of.  So, that gets us caught up to about New Years.  Stay tuned to find out what other bits of trouble I have managed to stir up!  Haha! 

 

Ryan, Me, and Lys having some fun in the 'Burg a few months ago.

The Boys while caving!  (Levi, Josh, Tay, Matty, and Ryan)

Lys, Me, and Sierra right before we wrote letters to ourselves and perhaps illegally threw them off the bridge in Twin. :)

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!

Graduation Picture from the school!
My graduating class! CSI ADN Spring 2011

Laura Johnson, you've just graduated from nursing school, what are you gonna do next?
Naturally I am going to Disneyland, well okay I will be in the same neighborhood! I have been to Disneyland enough to know the entire park! Instead I am going to a Dodger's game, the beach, Knott's Berry Farm, and a bunch of other fun things with the family to celebrate my brother graduating from high school and me from college! Should be fun! Also, I am studying a little bit every day to get ready for the NCLEX. I also moved into my first non-student apartment! Here's your pictures, Dana! Oh, and I am back to crafting--more pics to come of projects!

Year Two--Same game, different plan!

Then year two hit. My little sister was no longer around and needing an example--it was my first time being truly out on my own! I had amazing roommates who were a lot of fun. Well, I took advantage of this and had a lot of fun. Don't worry I still pulled my 3.0, but it was due to a lot of late nights and stressing. This year my method for studying was to forget the books completely (let's be honest, I am not going to be able to sit through a 1600 page reading assignment). I instead would record the lectures and then listen to them while I was at home or jogging. This worked a lot better. During the fall, we had several parties and became quite the popular little trio--Alyssa, Tara, and Laura. I learned how to ballroom dance, played extreme Murder in the Dark, lots of movie nights, midnight snowball fights, and spontaneous song and dance in the apartment! I got my second concussion, first stress ulcer, and pulled my first complete all nighter, which turned into 48 hours with no sleep. Stupid, don't try it! I made a lot of great friends in Twin Falls and this is when I truly fell in love with this town. I finished strong though and even managed to finally pass Algebra! Then I spent all of Christmas break with a broken leg. Not fun!
Spring semester was my final semester for the program. I was excited because I got to start off with OB, which is my favorite and I was certain that is where I would be getting a job after graduating. It was just as great as I remembered and flew by. I'm not gonna lie--not a lot of studying done here. Then I moved on to the dreaded Advanced Med-Surg. I was scared to death of this class because it is where fourth semester students fail out. Turns out I loved it. Okay, I did terrible in Endocrine, but I aced Critical Care and actually decided that maybe babies won't be where I end up. I love the ICU and I think that is where I will end up at. We'll see though! We got a new roommate Ashley and I loved her just as much as the others! My group of friends shifted this semester because our friend Shane left to school in Rexburg. I started hanging out with Shane and Gary, Tara, Terica, and Katherine. Lots of good times this semester dressing up for ward activities with the roommates, playing a lot of Just Dance, late nights talking about absolutely nothing, and dances at the church! Don't worry kids, those grades stayed up and I ended nursing school with a 3.4 GPA! I precepted on the surgical and medical floors, which I loved. On my first day my nurse asked if I would take a patient by myself. I said sure and off I went. Well, later in the shift she said that the charge nurse suggested we give the patient a different medication to see if it would help. My nurse Shana, asked if I would mind if she asked the patient about the change. I said that was fine, she was the nurse, and she said you are the nurse for that patient and I don't want to step on your toes. You should have seen the grin on my face! Haha! I was so excited! I'm a nurse! Well, I am a graduate nurse, but still!

The End is just the Beginning!

Well, I can hardly believe it, but my two year sentence is up! That's right.......... nursing school is finished. Now instead of my posts being rants about teachers and concept maps, they will be about patients and bosses! I'm only kidding! Well, I decided that before I take the NCLEX and my memory purges itself of everything I better write some things down. There was a lot that happened this year--both good and bad, that I don't want to forget.
I started out nursing school living with my little sister and just trying to figure out how to do this nursing school thing! For those who are nurses you will understand that nursing school is like nothing you have ever experienced. For the rest of you I will try to explain it. School has always been difficult for me. I don't have the patience to pay attention during lectures and I don't read because well, that patience factor again. It took me two weeks to read Harry Potter #7 and that's because I skipped the paragraphs that seemed boring or didn't have quotation marks in them! Sad I know. Well, in nursing school they start you out by buying all of your nursing books at once. $2000 right out the gate! Then they tell you that they want you to read all of these books! I was nervous and tried my hardest my first two semesters to figure out how I was going to do all of this reading. Well, by test two I gave up on the reading and just focused on my notes! I was a good girl that first year though and gave up fun activities and a social life for school. It payed off and I got the best grades of my life.

10 Random Facts About Yours Truly!

So, just to shake things up a bit before school starts and all of my posts become rants. Haha! I am gonna try to be better this semester and post less about school (at least the negative parts)! So, I thought I would let you in to the inner workings of me. Just how weird am I? You are about to find out!

1. I dance around in my room, the kitchen, and in the bathroom while I am getting ready. I am not shy I will dance for most anyone. :)
2. I will not share cups or straws with anyone. Seriously, grosses me out. It doesn't matter if you are a boy I really like, my mama, or the president; I ain't sharin'!
3. I am a Britney Spears fan. Just her old songs, but every time Toxic comes on I feel the need to bust a groove!
4. I am disgusted by mouths. Weird I know considering I used to work Labor and Delivery. Yeah, mouths gross me out the most.
5. I watch some ridiculously stupid t.v. shows (especially lately with the bedrest thing!) Like for instance Toddlers and Tiaras, Pretty Little Liars, and occasionally Jersey Shore. Don't worry I also watch CNN from time to time.
6. I am a blog stalker. Yeah, it is weird, but I like to check out crafts, people who I used to know back in middle school, and recipes.
7. When I was born the doctors told my parents that due to a congenital disorder I may never walk even with surgery to repair it. Sure showed them!
8. I have ADHD like bad sometimes. It tends to drive those around me crazy sometimes. My roommate won't even sit by me anymore during class because the foot tapping and finger fidgeting was too much for her. My other roommate has to remind me to tell her when I have switched topics because sometimes I will carry on numerous conversations with the same person all at once. Oops! :)
9. I love to fly. As soon as I arrive at the airport I get so excited. My mom once said it was because there are so many people and noises that it can occupy me for hours. She is probably right! :) I love security and walking through the "tunnel" to board the plane, and I especially love take off and landing! When I was younger I wanted to be a flight attendant so I memorized the entire spill at the beginning of the flight and still recite it with them today! :)
10. I am very nervous about graduating. Not so much about school or the ceremony, but the fact that I will have to move to somewhere unknown, start a job that is still relatively unknown, and wait for a future that is very unknown!

Well, now that I have shared more about me. Let's see who is brave enough to say 10 random facts about themselves!

New Year's Resolutions!

So here is what I am thinking I would like to accomplish in 2011...........

1. Most importantly-- I want to beat that test! That's right the time is approaching in a mere 6 months for me to take the national boards!

2. I really want to get healthier and more fit. I have a definite love-hate relationship with the gym; as in I love to hate it! It will take some serious structure, but I know I can do it!

3. I want to build my testimony and feel stronger in my relationship with my Heavenly Father.

4. After I pass that test, I want a job. A good job that I can learn to enjoy!

5. I want to work harder at finding people who could use my help or just a little compassion.

Well, I definitely think that these resolutions are attainable. Guess we'll have to see just how well I do with them! What are some of your goals for this year?