real life

so i am fumbling through my first day at home without any school, work, or visitors. i was in the midst of trying to choose between making fattening blueberry muffins and eating them all, then sleeping off a food coma, or fastidiously cleaning the entire house as i now notice how filthy it is without all my usual distractions. so, i as contemplated this dilemma, i did so in the room where all good contempletives go. prior to attending to my affairs, i closed the open window and SMASH! knocked a glass cotton swab container to the floor. a sudden answer to my quandry.

as you may know, i've had an amazing few weeks with lots of attention from friends and family for my graduation and birthday. while i feel proud of this accomplishment, i feel a bit strange about all the attention. it feels like maybe everyone got my birthdate day wrong and continue celebrating although i've informed them "it really isn't my birthday." i've gotten dozens of sweet cards, stacks of cash, and lovely monogrammed wine glasses. i spent yet another day shopping yesterday and realized, maybe its not that i've hate shopping so much, maybe i just hate shopping when i don't feel like i can afford it. ;-)

monday i'll be back to work at the hospital as an RN, while awaiting my NP license from the Board of Nursing. the rumor is i will be hired soon as a contract NP to work at first while they iron out employment details. this is exciting and a bit nerve wracking. i know contract negotiations will involve negotiations. it can be hard to sell oneself. i want to ask for plenty without sounding too audacious. my faculty preceptor quoted $90/hr. "whatever they pay you, they are getting a deal!" she says. two peers alternately said $65 and $75 per hour was what they are getting with no benefits. i look at the website and the consult liasion job is $38-52 plus all the benefits. argh!

my nephew is too precious by the way. we just returned from visiting Jet. he weighs a ton at only 1 1/2 months and slept twice through the night while we were there. he is obviously very advanced. he is a snuggle bug and is at the point in development where he crosses his eyes and gives you those drunk looking half smiles which may just be from gas. Kai, my nearly 2 neice, was precious but cranky, which we discovered was due to a case of strep throat. we became convinced of her illness finally after she vomited in her own hair.

while in texas i read two baby books---one by the baby whisperer and one by Anne Lamott. cv and i are getting stoked about having our own little one and cv announced loudly on the plane on the way home "we need to make a baby!" "uh, why don't you say that a little louder, hon?" i replied.

the hartline-braun wedding was as exhausting and opulent as you might imagine. there were thousands of flowers, miles of white satin, fancy cardstock tied with black ribbon, and about 300 guests. i enjoyed my first strapless dress and updo since high school. i also had my makeup done professionally for the first time. nikki, my sister-in-law, was an incredibly gorgeous bride, john, her groom, was enamored of her and said lots of funny, kind things during his reception speech. they will move soon to little rock.

well, i guess i better get back to either deep cleaning or food coma . . . .