What's on the Menu?

I truly love cooking and baking (I really am my mother's daughter). One of my dreams will always be to open a bakery and/or coffee shop with baked goods. Not many people know this, but my mom had her cake company out of our home when I was little and she made the most incredible cakes for my sister and I growing up. To this day, my favorites have to be my Teddy bear that sat up, the infamous Barbie cakes and drum roll please... my pink Ninja Turtle Cake!!!

So, I thought I would do weekly posts about what I am cooking and/or making.

Surf-n-Turf

-Steak and garlic shrimp with green beans and

garlic dill mashed potatoes

Pesto Pasta

-penna pasta with chicken spinach sausage, fresh green beans,

peas and basil pesto sauce.

Chocolate Cupcakes

-GF chocolate cupcakes with homemade

chocolate sour cream frosting and white chocolate shavings

He came for the sick, not the healthy

I know my profession deals with sick individuals. I know this. I know this. I know this. But, it does not make it any easier when you are face-to-face with them. It doesn't make it easier when you watch them writhe in pain. It doesn't make it easier when you know their knees are the largest part of their thigh (yes, I said thigh). It doesn't make your first neuro assessment exciting when you know the results are pointing towards comatose, while their family member sits quietly in the corner. I know I chose the right profession. But it doesn't make it easier. There is some part of you that must put on your professional face and deal with the situation as "matter of fact" as one can.

...But I hope I never reach the day where I am not affected by what I see. I hope I never stop praying for my patients, crying for my patients and hurting with my patients. Because, I know my sweet God's heart breaks for what breaks mine; he hurts with me, cries with me, and desires good for me because I matter to him.

On this earth, Jesus had a job to do. But can you imagine what kind of savior he would be if he didn't shed a tear when Lazarus died?... or didn't spend time fishing and cooking breakfast for his friends?... or didn't pick a beaten-down adulterer out of the sand?... or chose not to wash the scarred and stained feet of his brothers? He did all those things and more because he NEVER forgot he came to do the work of the ONE who sent him.

Just some thoughts...

I did my Pedi Oncology rotation today, which was something I was actually really looking forward to. As a disease I find it both fascinating and heartbreaking. I enjoy reading about its pathological mysteries and studying its unpredictable course of events, being so unique and uncertain in each individual. However, losing loved ones to the disease I find it totally destructive, completely evil, and absolutely unfair. The Oncology floor is a space like no other. It's gut-wrenching and joyful all at the same time. It crushes me to see the parent's struggling to remain hopeful, yet totally worn down. And it burdens me to see those sweet babies hooked up to miles of tubing.

But, I know the presence of God is strong and near in that place. He walks the halls, strokes their hairless heads, and takes up residence at their bedside. He's ever so present for those loves who have no visitors and he inhabits the nurses who rock them, comfort them, and sing them sweet lullabies. His angels hover over the Butterfly Room, lifting up praise for the weak little bodies about to give out, and assisting them on their final flight home.

Seeing those bald-headed little beauties this morning was an experience I will never forget. I memorized their sweet smiles and names so I can trace them over and over in my prayers.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord...

Jeremiah 30:17

Dreaming of Decor

I look forward to the day we own a home. I don't necessarily welcome the mortgage and costly home repairs, but I will fully embrace having space. Walls for art, a bathroom with TWO sinks, corners for bookshelves, living rooms to hold our friends, and a yard for my furry man to run wild. I keep a file on my Mac with decorating ideas and I also tear out ideas from my numerous catalogs and mags.

At this point I am obsessed with this West Elm headboard. Matt equally likes it, which if you know him is a BIG deal. Our current frame is from a french company and is solid iron. I love it and I know it will be great in a guest room some day.

Don't you just love? I picture Matt and I propped up in bed,

books in hand (non-school related books that is). Oh, diamond

tufted headboard I will own you someday (texture: Cotton Twill, color: Sand).

Now, onto bedding. I am a fan of white and a fan of quilts. Throughout college I loved duvets, overstuffed and billowing over all four corners. Now, I live with a man whose internal thermostat is jammed in place at 85 degrees and a duvet simply won't do. I do heart our PB quilt and the fact that it is machine washable. But the day we have the space and the budget for a King sized bed, I will welcome this beauty with open arms...

I cherish anything Anthro, period. So this comes at no surprise.

My close friend owns this in charcoal and it's quite comfy!

Matt isn't quite sold, but what baby wants, baby gets right?

Now, who doesn't love a fainting couch?

I dream of a master bedroom big enough to

showcase this beauty! And it would go perfectly with my

crushed velvet Anthro curtains already hanging.

Since I seem to be dedicating this post to our future bedroom, I might as well include future items that need to be hanging in my imaginary walk-in closet.

This dress just debuted at Free People.

(Birthday, cough. Present, cough)

And maybe I could hang this BR fedora on a fancy new hatrack?

I know God has the perfect house picked out for us, that's the perfect size, in the perfect neighborhood, that will come to us in his perfect timing. Till then, I'll mentally accumulate ideas and try to financially accumulate as well.

Hodge-Podge

Okay, so here is mess of random pics I've complied recently...

Try to keep up!

My oldest and dearest friend came to TX:

with a small treasure, baby girl Charlotte Corinne.

Meghan and I have been friends since 5th grade and

I know our kids will be amigos as well.

My furry baby got in some highlighters:

I don't know if I was more distraught about the fluorescent

stains on my carpet or the fact that he ate my school supplies,

potentially hazardous ones at that!

Pizza night in the Waite home:

Above, potato pizza with bacon, fontina cheese, and fresh rosemary.

Below, bacon cheeseburger pizza complete with chopped pickles

(don't knock it till you've tried it. I crave it at least once a week).

I went to LA for Mardi Gras with my Nursing school loves:

(Family style, i.e. the only flashes were from cameras)

I was surprised how excited I got about catching plastic beads!

While road-tripping it to LA, we discovered this beauty at Fuddrucker's:

106 different caffeinated concoctions... yes please!

Who knew raspberry coke existed?

I ran into myself at UTHSCSA Career Fair:

An ad I did for Methodist showed up almost a year later... at my school!

I guess now they have to hire me come August!

My cousin Rebecca had her baby:

sweet baby-g Emily is SO precious and SO tiny.

I'm over there any chance I get!