April Scrapncircle Projects!

I had so much fun playing with the SEI "Such a Boy" paper line. Such beautiful colors with those aquas and terra cottas... it makes it a very versatile line! Perfect for beachy layouts! Thanks, Jeri, for challenging me with the boy papers! I always love how that makes me think outside the box!

Yay!

Well, first of all, we finally got my dd into the bathtub tonight, and she feels much better. She even wants to try to go visit at school tomorrow!

And another toot! This one for a photo for Simple Scrapbook's Focus on Photos column! It is scheduled to appear in the September/October 2007 issue!!!

As much as we try...

As much as we try to protect our kids from danger, accidents still happen. And I am so sad. My older dd broke her leg yesterday. She's only 5. And she cannot bear weight on her leg for at least 3 weeks. I did at least know to ask for a script for a wheelchair from the doctor today. Being a PT does come in handy sometimes. I called my favorite medical equipment provider, and we had the chair by this afternoon.

*sigh*

We spent several hours in the ER yesterday evening. The pediatric orthopod on call would not come in to cast it. By making us wait, he sent me the message that my child was not worth his time or effort to get up off of his butt and go to the ER to set it. He made her wait until today, but was expecting our call... or so he told the ER doctor. When I called the office this morning, he was not in today. It was a scheduled day off after being on call. The receptionist told me I must have been mistaken, not the doctor. (my discharge paperwork even has this info about the expected office visit on it!) Needless to say, I was more than a little PO'd..... the other pediatric specialist was in surgery. She told me I would have to wait another day. I told her no.... and asked her how she would feel if this were her child who was injured and in pain and a doctor had lied to her. She found another doctor who was willing to see my dd, but made it very clear to me what an inconvenience it was for her office, that I would have to wait a long time, and that we were being worked in. It was a complete fiasco!!! I asked her to tell me about any other orthopedic practices that had peds specialists, and she would not tell me. So, I stuck with them. They were fine in the office, and the doctor was nice, so I guess it all worked out. But I'm still feeling like a momma bear.....

She's in so much pain despite the pain meds. And I feel totally helpless in how to help her. I told her that I wished it had been me that broke my leg instead of her... and she told me that she wished that, too!!! LOL!!! Still a smarty pants, that kid!

So send my little girls some prayers and positive thoughts, will you? She really needs them!!!

You take the good with the bad....

So, the bad news, obviously, is that I did not get a call of any kind for HOF. *sigh*.... but I see some names of some truly talented folks on that list.... so kudos to them!!! It's been an exciting couple of days!!!

But, the good news (which really softened the blow!) is that Paper Trends wants to publish the shadow box I made for Scraplovers using Hambly products!!! Yay!!! It is by far my favorite project I have created thus far! Yay!!! My second pub with this family of publications! Even more fun? I will be in the SAME article with 2 of my fellow Scraplovers DT members!!!

So, I am happy! And grateful for another opportunity to have my work in print!

March project #3!

Our theme this month is inspirational women. So, I had to do a layout about my mom!!! Where would we be without them, right? My mom is special. I just wish I could spend more time with her! It seems like since I moved an hour away it is nearly impossible to coordinate our lives :(. I miss our shopping trips especially!

Patterned papers and brads from American Crafts. Bazzill cardstock.

Some days I just love my job!

I am a physical therapist, and I specialize in geriatric rehabilitation. I never thought I would end up in this specialty. I originally entered this field because of an interest in pediatrics. I swore I would never work in a nursing home, but the truth is, the most rewarding job I have ever had has been working for one!

I have an amazing patient right now who has suffered a stroke. He came to us just a week after the event. He has the significant advantage of not having suffered any cognitive deficits, but his affected leg was pretty much flaccid. In other words, little to no voluntary movement in that leg.

His first day with me, I made a point of walking with him. I have a few tricks I've learned in my years of practice for teaching someone how to walk who is paralyzed on one side. Well, he did it. And he did it well. He was so excited... and so was I. Those are the days PT's live for!!! He has now progressed from using a rail in the hallway to a large based quad cane. He has lots more movement in that leg... his progress is phenomenal, and I am so glad to be a part of it.

I guess the bigger challenge of working with this population is assisting those with dementia... especially those with significant issues, such as what you find with advanced Alzheimers. I have one patient now who is a retired Baptist minister. He just happened to go to the same seminary as my father. And I found a connection with him.... which is the key to helping these patients learn to trust me to help them. My breaking moment with him.... asking him what his favorite hymn is. He could tell me. And I told him mine. And he told his wife that they have some fine people working there....

I try my best to treat everyone with the dignity and respect they deserve. I imagine how I would want my own mother or father to be treated. And I pray that I never have to see them that way....

Sometimes the best toots in life are not scrapbook related. I am so lucky to have the job I have.

How ironic....

that while I was searching in my car for one of the latest and greatest inventions of the past couple of years (my bluetooth!), I came across some quite older technology.... one of my cassette tapes from my college years.
You know you made mix tapes from your CD's when you were younger, right? This one was my favorite. From 1994! I remember that I had put it in my car when I sold my little red Corolla last fall. It has songs from the Smiths, REM, the Cure, and bands I've even forgotten the name of.... each new one that played was like uncovering a long forgotten gem!!! I had fun listening to it again.... and it suddenly dawned on me. The only tape player I have now is in my Subaru!!! Once I get rid of that car, I will have no way to play it anymore!!!!
Hmmmm.... I wonder how many more years I can get out of my Subaru?

March project #2!

I bought this chalkboard from Big Lots months ago. I kinda forgot about it... but found it again the other day while searching for something else! I had this crazy idea about ribbon for the center of a flower, and I really like how it turned out.

More with the fabulous American Crafts products. Love these colors!!!

March project #1!

Here's my first of 2 projects for Scraplovers. We got some of the AWESOME papers and embellishments from American Crafts to work with, including those cute Thickers letters!!! Love those things!!!

Anyway, had to do a page about a girls' afternoon at Krispy Kreme. We call the doughnuts "hot nows." LOL!!! I don't know how often we will be going from now on with this change to a more organic lifestyle, but I'm sure we'll sneak a trip there every couple of months!