40 Days of Blessings

Day 11: Personal Movers & "Swimming in the Flood"


Thankful for all the help I received in starting to move out this past weekend. Still sporting my "Green Machine," meaning space is limited when it comes to hauling an apartment's worth of furniture and a pup all the way back to Charleston, South Carolina. Living with the basics for the next week and not minding it one bit. 

Eleven days into Lent and I am talking Passion Pit again. I have been hooked on their CD since January and can't seem to loosen my grip! If you have yet to listen to them, please do! And mind you that I say this with urgency (note exclamation point). Check out previous posts for more information on this rococo precision! Hmmm! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!


Happy Monday, studs. 

40 Days of Blessings

Day 10: Spring & Moldy Peaches


Blessed with beautiful Spring weather this weekend; it was the perfect kind of "right" and I couldn't have been more blessed to spend it with my two favorite men. 

I caught the end of JUNO this morning when I was lounging around my apartment and thought the song, "Anyone Else But You" was a pleasant tune to listen to on this Sunday. The original song comes from an indie-inspired band of wanderers called Moldy Peaches. 


Hope you all enjoy this little jingle; it's perfectly Spring-like, fresh and light-hearted. Love you all and this weather. See you tomorrow, my friends. 

40 Days of Blessings

Day 9: 430 miles & closing..."Cheers!"


Blessed by love and the means that cut down the miles between us. Whether traveling by plane or car, I am extremely grateful for our modern-day form of transportation. 

Hope you all have a fun weekend! It is supposed to be gorgeous, so get outside and enjoy the sun! "Cheers to the freakin' weekend!" And a special Happy Birthday to KRISTEN STANCHER on this beautiful Friday!! Miss you, honey! Love to all...

40 Days of Blessings

Day 8: Thursdays & SOJA


Extremely thankful for any and all Thursdays, especially when easy jams like those from SOJA are setting the evening vibe. As Friday's predecessor, Thursdays are always a blessing to me. They set the pace for the weekend ahead and promise a small break from those sometimes monotonous, weekly routines.  I find them absolutely refreshing. 


Though I will be preparing for my Level II inservice this evening, I will be taking things easy, enjoying breakfast for dinner and listening to a band that I was recently introduced to by Kristen Matano (many thanks, Kristen!). 


The band I speak of is called SOJA, a reggae band who has seemed to have partnered with success in the last few years. I most definitely agree that their sound is "dedicated to searching for the answers to life, to conflict, to humanity, to the world, and to love." 

Though I will be missing their show on April 16th in Charleston (Music Farm), I hope to catch the band elsewhere in the future. Check out "Here I am" to see what this band has to offer you. Relax and take a night to yourself. Love you, my friends. 

40 Days of Blessings

Day 7: Tears & Vampire Weekend

Not the easiest work day or week. Been holding some things in in an attempt to appear poised and professional; however, in knowing how I am, I suspected that it would only be a matter of time before I broke down. 

Well, today was that day. I do not find it of importance or use to describe what spawned such water works this afternoon, but I will tell you that however horrible my sobs may have sounded, those tears were a blessing.

Have you ever heard of a "good cry"? Well, that is what I experienced and, trust me, it was much needed. I needed to let everything go and stop acting so strong and composed. I am human, which makes me far from perfect and that is okay. Someone told me that though I am out of the classroom, I am still a student who will make mistakes now and then; however, if I treat those mistakes as learning opportunities, I would be all the better for having made the mistakes originally, because I had chose to grow from them. 

Realizing this, I don't want to be an average occupational therapist that is passive and ill-driven; I want to be an on-point, phenomenal, charismatic OT who can grow from her experiences (good or bad) and help others get back to living life. 

So, if this means making mistakes in order to grow beyond this point, bring it on. My tears are shed and done with. My stress is tossed to the wind. Tomorrow is a new day and I can only go up from here. 

I originally was going to post "Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap when I sat down to write tonight's blog; however, I have changed my mind, as my spirits are lifted. I am blessed by love, life and laughter. No need for an ongoing pity party here. So, with that, I hope you enjoy a taste of Vampire Weekend's, "A Punk." Love, love, love this band. 

Special thanks to the one who talked me through by sobs and into a night free of stress. You know who you are. Good night, loves. Rest up for St. Patrick's Day. 

40 Days of Blessings

Day 6: RNs & CNAs With Another Dose of Passion Pit
In working in an inpatient setting, I find myself in constant communication with an interprofessional group of nurses, certified nursing assistants, physician assistants, speech therapists, physical therapists and case managers. Today, my great & humble appreciation goes out to all the nurses & certified nursing assistants who make my life so much easier as an occupational therapy student...or better stated, an occupational therapist in training :) 


Since starting this first FW rotation, I have had the privilege of meeting a wonderful group of nurses and CNAs. They have taught me a great deal about patient care and have come to my assistance when I needed some extra help or advice. 


It takes a special person to be a nurse or CNA, which is why I have not run into too many "bad" nurses or CNAs during my time in inpatient; however, if you come across that "1 in 10" nurse who seems to always have a thunder cloud for her halo, it makes you appreciate those other 9 nurses 10 times as much! That said, a nurse or CNA as passionate and friendly as the ones I have met here at Siskin are valued beyond words.


I owe much of my "occupational" growth to the nurses and CNAs at Siskin Hospital and hope that I may be blessed yet again with a phenomenal group of RNs and CNAs in the future :) Thank you to all of those at Siskin and to all of my girlfriends who have pursued professions as an RN or CNA!! Your role in patient care is valued tremendously! Couldn't get by without you!

Falling into another love affair with Passion Pit. "Let your love grow tall" and share your blessings with those around you today. No blessing is too small. Happy Tuesday, friends. 

40 Days of Blessings

Day 5: Girlfriends & Keri vs. Katy

I am absolutely blessed with the best girlfriends a girl could ever ask for in her life. From my high school days to graduate school in Charleston, I have made wonderful friendships with the most spontaneous and fun women in the South.  I love any reunion that brings us all back together and only wish that there were more opportunities for us to do so more often.

Yet, despite how little we may see each other, it always feels like it was just yesterday when we were devouring cheese bings and downing Big Gulps at OCI, sharing the same loving cup around an enthused little circle, dancing wildly in the living room of the Laurel house, finding Krystals, Jimmy Johns or Taco Bell in our bed, looking for lost shoes at Pike date parties, watching Sex and The City reruns cramped in a single Massey room, running from bar to bar with trash bags over our heads, drinking margaritas at Agave for each birthday that came and went...

...working gamedays and enjoying at least 2-3 “Sterchi” hot dogs before the shift had even started, hanging out with Nicky all summer long, playing Wii while avoiding a swift little shank, doing the Carlton over and over again at your best friend’s request, turning 21 every time someone else did, breaking bird feeders as an undercover troll, parading the streets as “Snookie” wannabes, stealing boxers from a bartender and slipping them on for a try, jumping spiral staircases with a cereal bowl in our hand, partying at the loft when there wasn’t a lick of furniture, laughing at texts from the night before, playing a little game of Rutabaga with no teeth, getting through bad hair cuts and bad break ups...

...spending as many summer nights in the “boom-boom” room of Trio, spending time on the road from dance competitions to family vacations, preparing for mixers as if it were our day job, sprinting up 7 flights of stairs to dodge unruly RA’s, tanning under the Destin and Bahaman sun, texting during any and all Bachelor episodes, taking naps on brownies while horses race around an oh-so-familiar track and crawling like Pandas all through the night.

I miss you all to say the least! Thank you for being such beautiful blessings in my life! I absolutely treasure our friendships and all of our crazy memories! I LOVE YOU, MY HONEYS!!

Hope you all had a great Monday! I was torn between Katy Perry's "California Gurls" and Keri Hilson's "Pretty Girl Rock" for tonight's music video. Click on the song titles to listen to either or :) Good night!