Heart Choices: 2013-05-05 -->

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Celebrating Nurses & Teachers


This has been the week for celebrating nurses and teachers.  I've been privileged to be a part of both professions.

To be a nurse or a teacher requires dedication and caring for others.  

I worked as a nurse for 25 years.  After personally experiencing open heart surgery as a child of seven, I knew what it felt like to be a patient.  I wanted to give back.  So I became a cardiovascular nurse specialist.  I met so many amazing people and had many life experiences.

However, I came to a point in my life when I was able to retire.  I thought I'd spend the rest of my life volunteering, traveling and having fun ...

But it was not to be.  Circumstances dictated that I return to work after an almost ten year hiatus.

So where did I go?  I went to work at Rancho Solano Private School working in a classroom filled with three and four year old children. This is something I never expected and yet ...it's been a blessing.

Since I was unable to have children (and I always wanted them), this was a perfect environment for me.  I remember as a child lining up my dolls on the window seat of my room.  My little sister Christine sat crunched in the middle of them.  I was the teacher and I would teach school.

 
Sometimes life doesn't always turn out as you expect.  But in the midst of those times, I've learned to count my blessings.  God is good and how thankful I am for the opportunities He gives to me.

After all, I get to spend my day with these precious little ones.  And I love each one of them!

So thank you nurses and teachers!  You are amazing!

Blessings and love,

QuickEdit

Where Do You Turn When You're Hurting?


Working with little children is a delight.  However, they love to run up to me every day to show me their latest boo-boos.  They lift up their pant leg so I can see a tiny scrape.  Or they hold up their finger to show me their princess band-aid.  When the other children see this they have to run over to show me their boo-boos too.

But are we adults so different?  Where do you turn when you're hurting?  Do you pick up the phone to talk to a friend?

To continue reading, click over to Laced with Grace ...

Blessings and love,

QuickEdit

Sweet Blessings This Week



Observing children can be so much fun.  They have much to teach us about enjoying the moment.  I couldn't help but smile when I caught Eric putting his arm on his buddy Sawyer's shoulder.

The little ones love to play red light, green light during PE.  They laugh and laugh as Hadley changes the sign from green to yellow to red.  I think she enjoys being in charge.


It can be dangerous to wear a dress when working with 3 and 4 year old children!  Miss Annie had two boys clinging to her and one decided to poke his head under her dress.  All very innocent but we had a good laugh.

Photo Credit: Babs Howard Bloom
I was invited to attend a tea at the Ritz Carlton by one of the moms from our school.  Sweet Venous asked me to bring along my camera (of course).  She is such a welcoming host and introduced us all to her mom who was visiting from Houston, Texas.  Venous titled this photo as 'three blondes and a brunette'.  I loved that!

Photo Credit: Babs Howard Bloom
I got to finally meet another blogging friend of mine; Lylah Ledner of The Simple Farm!  We 'met' online about four years ago and discovered that her husband Michael went to high school with me in Lindenhurst, Long Island, New York.  Michael was one year ahead of me and his brother Bob was two years ahead in my brother Steve's class.  I remember they had a band that used to play at our school dances.  Small world ...

For the past few years I've been telling people about The Simple Farm.  It's a working farm in the heart of Scottsdale, Arizona.  Every Thursday from 8:30 until noon, the French Cafe and market are open to the public.  You can purchase naturally grown produce, herbs, flowers, fruit and farm eggs. I don't like to admit this but I've never been able to go as I'm always working during this time.  But after tasting the most delicious melt in your mouth caramels, I'm definitely going to find a way.

I took some of the caramels to my mother-in-law and ...she loved them.  So now I do have to go back to buy some more.  You can even order them online if you're out of state and Lylah will ship them.  They are definitely worth the cost.

I've never been disappointed when meeting another blogger.  We get to know each other through our words on our blogs so we can easily get to the heart of the matter.  Lylah and I share our faith in Jesus and that makes such a huge difference.

#808 The willingness of children to express love
#809 Enjoying the moments
#810 Laughing as children cling under our skirts
#811 Getting dressed in heels for tea at the Ritz Carlton
#812 The kindness of Venous to invite me
#813 Meeting new friends
#814 Finally getting to meet Lylah, a fellow blogger
#815 Caramels that actually melt in your mouth
#816 Getting to hug Lylah in real time

I'm linking up with Ann of A Holy A Holy Experience as I continue to count my every day blessings.



Blessings and love,

QuickEdit
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