It’s 1AM–do you know how old your donut is?

May 15, 2021 | Stacy

We were short staffed BEFORE the pandemic. We’ve seen our staffing numbers dropping steadily since 2017.

By the fall of 2020, those who were considering retiring sure did. And many people left for non-bedside jobs where they could.

And it’s been messier every week.

It’s not just my unit. It’s not just my hospital. It’s a huge problem nationwide.

Once upon a time it was unlikely that I would have as many as four patients on a shift. Now 6 is the norm, and there have been days with 8.

And getting out on time is a thing of years gone by.

It’s amazing what you will eat at 1AM. When you are on your third wind and you just finished charting and you never got to finish the coffee you bought on your way in at 2:20PM.

I think I can call it breakfast, no?

Noshing with the ladies

May 9, 2021 | Stacy

Kelly had some gift cards for The Cheesecake Factory and she invited Nan, Barb, and I for lunch on Mother’s Day.

BUT – there was a two hour wait. Oops.

So we went to Benucci’s.

It was a great choice.

We all split an Italian “Nachos” plate.

And it was so good – I ate so much I barely touched my Mediterranean salad.

It was dinner for a queen. ♥

Houghton Graduate!

May 8, 2021 | Stacy

Life is weird.
I’ve run out of ways to express how much so.

Here we are… John and I… social distanced in a class room watching graduation on a screen.

There’s Stewart. Only he wasn’t actually watching from the chapel, either. They, too, were in socially distant classrooms coming in here and there for their “moment.”

Sweet Noelle.

And now we are outside. On the only cold day in weeks, it seems.

We have boxed lunches.

They were very good, all things considered!

We gave Stewart a mug.

While his roommate Dustyn couldn’t be bothered with the weird graduation, he did don his cap and gown and come around for pictures.

In this painfully-miserable two years to be at college, these two people are the reason I haven’t said, “I wish you’d never gone.” God was so good to Stewart.

We had steak and Nan’s famous beans for dinner.

And now for the cake story…

Johanna was talking for a week about how she wanted to make Stewart’s cake. She baked the cake on Friday. She preheated the oven and somehow turned it off and forgot it. So it didn’t burn, but it didn’t really cook, either. THEN we realized it and made our best guess how long to cook it.

Saturday morning John and I had to leave early (7AM ish) and Johanna was prepping to frost the cake. About an hour later Marie called me laughing so hard she couldn’t breathe. We were almost to Mt. Morris, where my cell service always stops, so I couldn’t understand everything she was saying as the call patched in and out. Essentially, she was saying they were struggling to frost the cake, can they do something creative? Well, what else am I going to say. I wouldn’t have time to start over. Sure – do what you have to do.

After we got to campus and my Wi-Fi was turned on, Marie texted they did the best they could and they saved some frosting so I could try to fix the cake when I got home if I wanted to try.

I don’t know what superpower she thought I had that I could fix this cake with two ounces of frosting.

Honestly, it is his third graduation in four years…. it’s apropos.

My 20 year old, first born, homeschooled son has a Bachelors Degree.

I’m more than a lot proud and humbled.

GOD IS SO GOOD!
ALL THE TIME!!!!!

Slumber party tie dye

April 23, 2021 | Stacy

Since her slumber party got bumped last year (grrrr) we had a wonderful make up party this year!

The girls made tie-dye hoodies.

I think they did an amazing job!

Daddy’s birthday

April 20, 2021 | Stacy

While Nigel was at work, at Stewart was stuck at Houghton, we had a yummy steak and cake party for Daddy.

Tabitha is 15!

April 16, 2021 | Stacy

Tab’s birthday fell on a Friday. It was quiet around here most of the day and then we had a dinner of tilapia and green bean casserole, per her request.

Katriel worked very hard to make gifts for Tabitha. While the mug she made her (with Scar on it) is blurry, I very much love Tab’s smile in this photo. I also love how Katriel worked to make special presents. She bought the mug with her own money at Walmart, too.

My friend helped me gift Tab by making a Scar t-shirt.

Marie dressed to match the birthday girl.

Love that smile.

Another Covid Easter….

April 4, 2021 | Stacy

But this one is better than last year!

We were up EARLY for a sunrise service at the park.

Then home for some basket hunting.

When the kids heard John and I hadn’t planned for an Easter egg hunt, Katriel decided to take matters into her own hands and she took some eggs she found and her own candy and hid some eggs for her siblings.

Mama got one too.

She worked HARD to hide them. Daddy found his in the mulch!

As we are trying to eat all the things in our freezer, we decided we’d have turkey instead of our usual ham, and we went with some sausage stuffing and a pasta dish for sides. It was incredible.

Daddy helped Katriel work on two-wheel bicycling.

Tabitha made our amazing dessert.

Stewart wasn’t allowed to come home… stupid covid. No overnights away from campus and just too much driving for one day. So he went with Noelle and her family for their Easter celebrating. He is so handsome.

Egg-stra special

April 3, 2021 | Stacy

Busy = fun, right?

After some fun playdates in the morning, we headed over to church for a special event. The girls decorated eggs for a contest.

Johanna got first place for her age group.

Johanna’s egg had people from the New Testament.

Katriel’s flower was made up of her foot traced. She picked the scripture, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path,” and she wrote it herself. It was lovely.