82. Old La-Z-Boys

I haven't posted in awhile, but after a long shift pretending that I know what I'm doing as charge nurse, there's nothing quite like rocking the evening away (while paying bills & fighting with the cable company) from the comfort of your grandma's old La-Z-Boy (donated to a worthy, newly married grad student since grandma was ready for her 3rd upgrade since using this chair). Love. It.

81. TED Talks

Lately I've found myself enamored with TED Talks. They're Ideas Worth Spreading and I find myself browsing the app quite frequently for inspiring talks. Some of my favorites so far have discussed modern day slavery, how to fool a GPS, religions and babies, and how to buy happiness. They're very engaging speakers teaching me more and more about things I've rarely thought about. You should probably check it out. =)

80. Crayons

I apologize for the long break in time since I've updated with happy things. Sometimes when unhappy things occur in life, it takes awhile for those Sunny Things to shine through again. BUT -- I'm back! And today's Sunny Thing? Crayons. In the past year, I've colored with crayons, melted crayons, organized crayons, and received them as gifts. And every single time crayons have been involved, I've felt sunshine on the inside.

79. Polka Dot Sheets

Seriously. How can you see these and NOT be happy? I just bought blue and green polka dot sheets a couple of weeks ago and still, 2 weeks later, I wake up every day and smile when I realize that there are blue and green polka dots all around me. Everyone needs that something in the morning, I think.

78. The Scent of New Lumber

Maybe it's those memories from toddler-hood when my parents built two houses in the span of two years. Or maybe it's growing up in a neighborhood that had no one else in it at the time, resulting in the continuous construction of new houses for the majority of my childhood (a stage of life that I'd gladly go back to, any day). Or maybe it's the fact that my dad LOVES woodworking and built a huge shed dedicated to his hobby, building bunk beds and mantles and shelves and lofts and our deck and several pieces of furniture for our house. Maybe it's the combination of it all, of all of the new lumber I was exposed to from an early age and continuously throughout my childhood. Regardless of where it began, something about the scent of new lumber brings nothing but happy feelings. Today while rollerblading, I passed a group of construction workers finally putting the first floor on a house that has been nothing but a hole in the ground up until this week. FINALLY the scent of new lumber fills the air when I pass, and it's so enthralling that I'm about to go rollerblading for the 4th time in two days just so I can enjoy it some more. :)

77. Clouds

They can be puffy or stringy or thick or thin or in groups or all by themselves, but clouds are beautifully majestic parts of creation. Even storm clouds can be beautiful. And the fact that a spiral/funnel cloud can cause such a terrible amount of destruction... although not something we hope for, can be an inspiration. If a bunch of water molecules and wind can gather enough strength for that kind of devastation, imagine what a brain and body can do, who have the ability to think and move and DO with REASON! Hopefully we use ourselves for good rather than death and destruction. But the beautiful thing about that is we are capable of SO much good. <3

But back to the happy thing of the day... cloud watching is one of my favorite parts of summer, when the occurrence of puffy white clouds is increased and sunshine abounds. :)

Today's Sunny Thing?
Clouds

76. Potlucks

Nurses, for whatever reason, are known for their love of potlucks. Maybe it's because we don't have time to cook full meals for ourselves. Or maybe just that we appreciate the time to get to know someone other than our patients. Maybe it's to break up the monotony of night shifts (since it seems like most potlucks occur at 3am on hospital floors). Or maybe it's just the stereotypical fact that the majority of nurses are female and thus known for their cooking and socializing abilities. Whatever the reason, we love them, and we learn to love them early.

And thus, tonight we celebrated the end of our undergraduate careers. We kicked off "Limbo Week"... that awkward time between the last exam and graduation... with a Quesadilla Potluck. Which works really well assuming that everyone shows up, and remembers what they were supposed to bring. (Tortillas, for example, being a vital contribution to the dinner).

It's also interesting to note, albeit off topic, that there is something about nearing graduation that brings people together. Girls that I've never really hung out with outside of class but who I always enjoyed seeing IN class came tonight, and it was a really good time. We bonded over difficult exams, an eventful four years, the ridiculousness of job hunting, and, of course, quesadillas. And while I am ever so glad to be graduating (assuming that I passed today's final), it is nights like tonight that make me wish I could delay it just a little bit longer. <3

75. Showers

I will admit... sometimes it is a pain to take a shower. Long hair = a long time to dry. But when I think about it, it's not the shower that is the problem. Standing under gentle showers whether outside in the rain or in a sprinkler or in the shower has always been a happy thing. And feeling oh-so-clean after, with smooth legs, and yummy smelling hair are not bad things either. :)

Today's Sunny Thing?
Showers

74. Rain

Rain. Oh-so-dreary but OH-so-relaxing! It's so nice to enjoy a rainy day off every once in awhile. Days where you have nothing to do except curl up with a good book, the sound of falling water calming the soul. Taking a break to dance in the rain, splash in the puddles, and not caring if your jeans get a bit of mud on them... a good rainy day is such a blessing sometimes!

Today's Sunny Thing?
Rain

73. Curling Irons

I'm not sure what it is about curling my hair, but having ringlets that bounce with my every step do wonders for a bad day. Perhaps it's all of the good memories... memories of proms and dances and formals and Christmas Eve Masses and kindergarten plays and date nights... or perhaps it's simply the joy of something rare, because I don't curl my hair very often. Whatever it is, when I'm feeling down, the curling iron comes out and proves to be a good form of therapy. =)

Today's Sunny Thing?
Curling Irons

72. SB 11

I usually don't write about specific events or inside jokes, but the past 4 days definitely deserve an entry of their own. Spending 3 nights and 4 days with several friends that have come into my life relatively recently made for the best second spring break I've ever had. (also the only time I've gotten two spring breaks). Although I was quite distressed prior to the trip due to the excessive amounts of homework that have begun to creep up on me, roadtripping with that group of people turned out to be just the break from the world that I needed. I had forgotten the benefits of a vacation. I may have gone to Japan last week, but 28 hours on airplanes and 24 hours in Tokyo hardly qualifies as "vacation." Roadtripping with no real time constraints does. Thank you all for a wonderful trip. I am so thankful for you all.

71. Snow Days

Snow Days. The word automatically brings me back to those gradeschool days. Days of eagerly watching the weather before bedtime, praying for snow. Days of waking up early to listen to the radio and watch the TV, eyes straining to see the magical word "Monroe" scroll across the screen. Days of running into mom's room to announce the glorious news of a day off school. Days of hoping it wasn't a Tuesday so we could stay home with mom instead of going to daycare. Days of sledding down the huge snow pile on the circle in the middle of the street because no snow plow man could figure out how to avoid piling it all right in the middle of the street.

Then I grew up. And at 21, I still hope for snow days. BUT I go to U of M where snow days don't exist because some asian kid sued the university for cancelling class when he was paying so much for tuition. Lame, I know.

But even if U of M doesn't cancel class, I can totally declare my own snow day. Which I did. Twice.

I spent yesterday writing a paper that isn't due until Monday. (9 pages... boom.) I woke up late, stayed in my pj's literally all day (except the 45 minutes spent at the gym), ate yummy food like avocado & banana toast with scrambled eggs and coffee and salad with feta cheese and soup, got to hang out with my roommate, watched some TV, caught up on some dexter, & talked to mi novio a bit. Today? Today involves research, medbuddies, House & Dexter & Friends, the gym, organizing next week's meetings, and an early bedtime.

FINALLY my cortisol levels begin to decrease. :)

Today's Sunny Thing?
Snow Days
All of U of M's reactions when U of M announced that Ann Arbor would be the only campus remaining open.

70. Strength

Strength. Something we all lack. We all break down at some point. But then there's some of us that have more strength than others. Call me crazy, but I'm completely convinced that the younger you are, the more strength you have. Hear me out.

Babies, toddlers... they're so resilient. But more than that... they cry. A lot. They cry when they're sad. When they're mad. When they're frustrated. When they're hungry. Sometimes they cry for no reason at all. But they live their lives to the extreme. They cry when things aren't right but when they are, MAN are those kids happy. They laugh. They sing. They dance. No matter who's watching. And when someone's mean, they cry. And they bounce back. They know how to deal with emotion. And they know that crying isn't a lack of strength. Maybe it's just me, but being strong enough to cry is the ultimate sign of strength.

Today I witnessed my first medical emergency involving a child. And I couldn't cry. I couldn't really do anything, to be honest, but most of all, I couldn't cry. The doctor ran in from the delivery room with a tiny bundle, screaming "BABY!" and practically dropped her on the isolette bed. Then everyone flew into action. Intubation tools down the throat, arterial lines and IVs in her tiny blood vessels, NG tube down her nose, blood pressure cuffs and sat probes, about 20 people gathered around a person the size of a shoe all struggling to keep the little one breathing. Until the moment when they realized there was nothing they could do. When they called in the tiny chica's parents (wheeling in her mom on her hospital bed, complete with labor & delivery nurse working on the mom who was still recovering from delivery). When the grandma brought in "big brother" to meet his tiny baby sister. When all 20 doctors and nurses and respiratory therapists got out of the way just so they could get pictures of this little baby girl's 3 hours of life. THAT is when I realized where we all get our strength from. Somehow, even in life's most delicate moments, in those moments when no one can explain or rationalize what is happening, somehow we find strength. And even those of us that aren't entirely sure where it comes from know that it's something bigger. Something more.

It's God.



Today's sunny thing?
Strength

69. Meijer

We've all been there. Well, at least, those of us in the MidWest. And I'm pretty sure we all agree that it is among the Top 3 stores of all time (tied with Target for #1). They have everything. Today I needed milk, bananas, Q-tips, a watch, thank you cards, and to return some bottles. Meijer is one of very few places that let me get and do ALL of those things in one stop. They have THE best coloring books, several options for turtle food, an adorable baby section, an addicting sports & games section, kitchenwares, cheap groceries, and a huge toy selection. Not to mention my favorite: hallmark cards! I could literally live in a Meijer (they have furniture!) and be completely happy about it.

68. Best Friends

What would we do without them? They're the ones you can call at any time of day or night, and they'll answer, knowing that something is up. You can be completely exhausted, but then they want to talk and so you crawl into your bed together and stay up until 4am talking into the dark about anything and everything with no desire to fall asleep. They're the ones that you think of at the mention of just a word, like "exhilarating" (in regards to Jade's bathing suit) or "crows" (you know you love them James) or "dora" (yes Kelly, still makes me think of you). They're the ones that you don't feel awkward texting "what are you doing?" because you're bored, and the ones that leave the back door unlocked so you can visit. They're the ones that you'll lose sleep over, randomly buy calendars for, and think of a hundred times a day (because there are far too many inside jokes floating around). There's a lot of important things in this world but best friends surpass just about all of them.

Today's Sunny Thing?
Best Friends

67. Candles

A certain chico I know got me what is probably my favorite candle ever so far and in considering writing about it for Today's Happy Thing, I realized just how much I reallyyy like candles.

I light candles when I'm stressed. When I want to pray. When I need to study. When I write a paper. When I'm reading. When I'm sitting and writing in the blog. When I want to feel happy.

Winter, in my opinion, was MADE for candles. My apartment doesn't have a fireplace (go figure) so it's the next best thing. I don't know what it is about candles that make me feel so at peace, but my focus is never better than when I have candles lit. Thus why I light them to read and study and pray.

The particular candle in my picture happens to smell like a Christmas tree and even though it's not Christmas, it makes me SO very happy and is the one Christmas-y thing that is not getting put away in a closet until next Advent rolls around. (Well, maybe the fact that my favorite chico got it for me has a littleeee bit to do with it). But regardless, it is a candle, and one that makes my heart feel just a bit lighter.

Today's Sunny Thing?
Candles

66. Christmas Cookies

Christmas Cookies seem to have every aspect of Christmas built into them, don't they? They encompass the scent of Christmas, family and friends, the spirit of giving (because let's be honest... you can't eat ALL of those cookies on your own!), home, Christ's birthday (if you make a Happy Birthday Jesus cookie!), weight gain, and the list goes on. This year I made cookies with friends at John Carroll (since my family had to make them without me this year) and again with my friends Jade & Annie in Monroe (as captured in the above photograph just before being happily consumed primarily by my brother Stephen). Happy Christmas to you all and have a spectacular new year!

65. Sidewalks

I'm not sure what made me decide that today's sunny thing is Sidewalks as I haven't really used a sidewalk lately. Well, that's a lie. I totally walked on sidewalks for like an hour last night. But it didn't strike me at the time that hey, I should write about Sidewalks tomorrow! But in thinking about sunny things, Sidewalks came to me and ya gotta admit... they're pretty cool. Didja ever use sidewalk chalk to turn your sidewalk into a road as a kid? I remember doing that and then going to put the stop signs in at each driveway on my street, but not knowing which side of the road the stop sign went on. I ended up putting them on the left until Patrick's dad corrected me, and then I was devastated because I didn't have a good way to erase all the wrong stop signs. So we decided we were in a different country where they drive on the wrong side of the road. (And yes, at the time, it WAS the "wrong" side... not just the "other" side.)

In all seriousness though, when I buy a house, sidewalks are a must have. I hate running in the road and definitely wouldn't want my kids learning to ride a bike there without grass on either side to fall on. Plus, shoveling them builds character!

Today's Sunny Thing?
Sidewalks

64. John Carroll University

I know, I know. I don't even go to school there. BUT every time I visit I come away with such a sense of peace, joy, and renewed spirit that I can't help but be in love with it. Visiting Kelsey & all of the other wonderful people at John Carroll somehow recharges my soul & make me ready to face the world with an energy that can only come from the Lord. It's an energy that I don't seem to get from my school but for whatever reason, I'm a student here, not there. And here I will stay. For 5 more months, Lord willing, followed by graduation and moving on to the next step of my life. I can only pray that I'll find a way to keep this fire alive until I next get to visit the lovely land of Cleve.

Today's Sunny Thing?
JCU

63. Weekends

Nursing school makes you forget that these even exist. Or that they ever existed. Because in Nursing school, they don't. Between 12 hour clinicals on Saturday, the paper and hundreds (yes, literally, hundreds) of pages you need to read on Sunday, and the clinical that hits at 6:30am on Monday, the weekend passes by without even being acknowledged. Oh how I love and miss those blissful days of freedom.



7 more months!



Today's Sunny Thing?
Weekends