My going away flowers
For those of you who don't know me, I'm a Physical Therapist Assistant who has been traveling the past 2 years, hence the email travelinmeme.....So AGAIN today, I said goodbye to my patients, friends and staff in the nursing home where I work. This is actually the 2nd time I've "left" this home. The first time I was gone 2 weeks and they called and asked me to come back. THAT was 6 months ago.
It's always hard to leave when I go, but I have so much trust in God that I need to move on, to give my skills, love, and attention to someone else, somewhere else. I get attached to the residents and they to me. Again today there were 3 loving, wonderful ladies all over the age of 80, cryin' their eyes out when I left. They don't think they can get better without me. A wife of a patient came to give me a hug and still is positive that if it weren't for me, her husband wouldn't be walking to this day.
The hard part is that I have been able to live at home and drive to work for the past 10 months, so as it appears I will be living out of a suitcase again, I'm a little bummed. The unfortunate thing about living where we do is there are so few opportunities to make good money and stay close to home, so I chose YES chose to travel so I can make more money - pay off my bills and be home later (I guess).
2 Years ago, I lived in a Motel 4 days a week, then drove home on Friday night, went back on Monday morning etc., etc. I did that for 9 weeks, then moved to an apartment for the next 9 months that was 1 1/2 hours from home. Again, I was only home on weekends. When given a chance last year to get paid to drive that 1 1/2 hours to and from work every day I took it, and was lucky it lasted as long as it did.
Like I said, I believe with all my heart that God has his hand in my plan, and I need to do what he asks me to do. This has been proven every assignment I go to, as I will explain. As strange as it seems this is what has occurred so far..... The first place I was sent was in a town I'd never heard of, and was 7 hours away from home. I walked in the door that first day, and to my surprise- the woman (girl) who was my MAID OF HONOR 35 years before, was sitting at the desk in the administrators office. She and her husband had moved to that area a long time ago and we had lost track of each other. We spent the next 9 weeks getting to know each other again and enjoying our renewed friendship.
My next assignment was only 1 1/2 hours from home and I actually had some distant relatives that lived in the area. I may have expected to see them, but I didn't expect for one of my friends from high school to be sitting in the administrators office when I walked in the door. AGAIN, we hadn't seen nor heard from each other for years, but had the next 9 months to renew our friendship. 4 Weeks after I got there, her son was killed in Iraq. I couldn't believe that I was there at that time and place, and am so honored to get to know her and her family again and all they have been through.
This last assigment was a struggle from day one. It was a different Rehab company that I was working for, and they had power struggles every time we turned around. The nursing home was struggling with some issues too, and I've wondered many times what I was thinking when I took the job. However in January, I looked out my office door and there was someone from back home that was interviewing for the job of Director of Nurses. I had worked with her before, and have a great deal of respect for her and her job ethic. I made sure that the administrators that were doing the interviewing knew that I highly recommended her for the position. I told them that I that Melissa would bring a sense of continuity to the position that was needed. I also knew for a fact that people enjoy working with and for her and that staff retention would be better with her as their DON. I knew too, that she had achieved a high level of respect for other people and would be an asset for interdepartmental communications within the facility. That, and of course I would LOVE to work with her. To make a long story short - she began her job last week. So, now she's there, and I'm not! Huh! I guess my reason for being there was to help them find an absolutely awesome nurse and director of nurses. She has my HU-Rah!
I have a few days of looking for a job now. Don't know where, don't know when, but always know why - and that's because God has a purpose for me and a plan. I look forward to learning what he wants me to, to living the way he wants me to, and being the kind of person that if you know me - you want to know God too. I don't believe in luck - I believe in blessings, and once again I feel truly blessed to get to do what I do. Thanks to all of you that have been there-done that with me. I love you all.
First of all, I'm SO jealous of everyone posting their beautiful spring photos when we have cold and icky weather yet. The only blooms we've had were the crab apples and they lasted 1 day, then got frozen to an ugly color of brown - like everything else. 
There were many places to eat, sit, shop, and share time with our friends.
We also enjoyed some "indoor" things while we were there!
Go to 
Thanks to 
Don't know if you listen to the weather this time of day, but I needed some comfort food. Within 4 hours of us they have tornado warnings, within 2 hours of us the interstate is closed because of prarie fires, and here the wind is blowing up to 68 mph.
By now you can close your eyes and smell the baking of Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies, and if you really try, you can feel the warm chocolate as you bite in to one. I promise these cookies can keep your mind off of any worry you might have, and you can sink into a chocolate coma and escape the realities that drive you crazy! 
