Well.. I'm Here!!!

Ok!!!! Finally settled into my "apt" for the next three months.. (an extended stay hotel.) Well I shouldn't say settled.. Let's just say.. Cecilia is finally unpacked!!

This area of the world is so confusing with the roads, access roads, toll roads, etc.. I got lost last night trying to find the hotel! But I DID find MINI of Plano!!! WOOT!!! Haahaa, right down the street a few miles.. Gotta know where the important things are! I'm very happy to finally be in the place where I will be staying. Now I just need to organize life again and find out where I'm going... NOT to get lost like I did last night..

I'm happy to see that this year is coming to a close. It's not been very fun for me. But I am looking forward to what this new year has to bring. I am ready to leave behind the bad and take the good.. I'm ready to shed my old skin and arise in this new dawn with fresh eyes. Ready to explore my new world, my new life. Alone but not lonely!! Making the most of what I have been given in this life.. The most precious thing there is.. LIFE!! Facing this with hope, courage, bravery, and endurance. I'm ready life.. BRING IT

Happy New Year! Let's go 2012

The journey has been long and hard to get to this point. But it's just beginning.

The Lonely Road

Driving down the road, watching the land, the sky, the naked trees reaching out to the weak winter sun. Such wan, muted light. A hawk sits on a branch watching me. Takes flight, lifting its wings. Soaring high. It's silhouette in the sun. So beautiful as it spreads it's wings for me to see its beauty. And then it's gone.

Like so many things in life, gone in an instant. A blink of an eye, the turn of a corner, round the next bend in the road. I look back, searching for it. Hoping to see it, that beauty. But all I see are the bare trees. The twisted branches. Lonely, aching for comfort, reaching to the sky for love, a touch. And it's just a lonely road.

Across a field a broken house... Crushed, as life has left it alone. Fallen in on itself. Silently rotting away, aching for someone to come back to it. To give it love. To fix it. To rebuild. But no one will, so it falls in on itself.

There was once beauty here, once a future, but it's gone now. It's just a lonely road.

Conversations With Kodie

Me: "Kodie. Come inside."
Kodie: "Nope. It's nice out here."
Me: "Kodie. Come"
Kodie: "Mom... It's too nice out to come in now. I'm just going to sit here for a bit longer and enjoy the weather."
Me: "Kodie. Come on in. Remi and Bandit are in now. Time for you to come in too!"
Kodie: "Nope. I want to stay out!!"
Me: "Kodie..... Don't you dare try to get out of the yard."
Kodie: "I'm just gonna sit here and look pretty and enjoy the weather."

Well... Almost Time

I drove along the highway this morning and saw the prettiest sunrise.

It made me think of many times I've seen the sunrise. Remembering all the moments I've seen things starting. Seeing what the new day will bring always gives me a sense of excitement. New days. I like that. Now that this year is almost done, thankfully, I'm ready to see what the new year will bring... Many sunrises? Many sunsets?

Days stretch out in front of me waiting to be filled! I got a great Christmas present from my best friend. A tour guide. Oh I am going to go through that whole book!! For sure!!

I am ready for this new dawn. This new road. Please don't be a toll road! I've had a peaceful time visiting my friend in Oklahoma, but I'm ready to get settled now. Ready to start my life.

OMG!!! I Made Dinner

Well I have successfully made an amazing Christmas feast and have completely stuffed myself! Hooray for my attempts!!

Stuffed pork chops, greasy southern green beans, homemade mashed potatoes, and crescent rolls!!

As a kid I always made the mashed potatoes. It was always my job for both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. Brought back such wonderful memories as I made these!
Bringing a little of my holiday traditions with me on my travels!!!!

Conversations With Kodie

Me: "Merry Christmas Kodie!"
Kodie: "Merry Christmas Mom! Where are my presents!?"
Me: "Kodie love, we are together and safe and healthy. That's present enough."
Kodie: "Uh huh. Mom, where are my presents!? I want treatises and toys"
Me: "Oh Kodie. The meaning of Christmas isn't about presents and treats! It's about love and kindness and all that comes along with that."
Kodie: "Don't forget the spirit of giving Mom!! So give me a treat!!!"
Me: "Oh Kodie!!! I love you so much!"

Christmas In Oklahoma

Woke up this morning with a layer of frost on the ground. A white Christmas? Well sort of. It's strange being in a different place for this holiday. This holiday is strange all around for me. Reflections of Christmas past running through my head. I'm no Scrooge. I'm not bah humbugging this weekend, but I am not really feeling celebratory.

Good times. That's what I've taken with me. Remembering the fun we had. Remembering the time Kodie chased the cat up the tree, my first year in Florida, knocking the tree down. Laughing so hard as my little puppy, all 8 pounds of him, was stuck in the top of the tree. Yes, he climbed the tree too. That's the last time I had a real tree. Somewhere I have a picture of the leaning tree of Florida. Jaysen and I laughed so hard watching that.

All the fun times we had, with nothing really. Never had a huge blowout Christmas. Making the stockings by hand, one for me, one for Jay, and of course one for the puppies. Spent all year making those. My grandmother started me on that. She made me and my brother one. And I still laugh thinking about mine. She forgot the "e" In my name. Bless you Grammy I miss you.

When I was a kid, my brother and I always slept in his room since my grandparents were in my room. I remember sleeping, well trying to pretend to sleep, on the top bunk, counting down the minutes till I could wake up my parents. Oh those were the days. Chris and I would be outside their door till 5am when we could go wake them up. Nothing better then crawling into bed with your parents on Christmas morning. Good times.

And now I'm making it a new day. I knew this year would be hard. And it is. I'm away from all my family. I'm in a strange city. I'm not really celebrating it this year. Instead I'm reflecting on my past. I'm not sad. I'm not happy. But I'm ok. Memories are my Christmas this year. And I cherish those. I miss you Jay, and I hope you are in a better place.

The end of this year is so welcome. It's just another day I keep walking. Strong, with my head held high. I face this unafraid, reality is with me. Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates it. Find this eve and tomorrow wrapped in warmth, love, and laughter.

Conversations With Kodie

Kodie: "MOM, Remi won't stop jumping on me."
Me: "Kodie, she just wants to play..."
Kodie: "MOM, Remi won't stop jumping on me!"
Me: "Kodie, either tell her to back off, or play with her."
Kodie: "MOM, why can't she just chill like Bandit?"
Me: "Kodie, you know they are young puppies, just play with them!! You remember how to play don't you?"
Kodie: "MOM, I just want to lay here and chew this bone in peace!"
Me: "Kiddo, you've got to deal.. We all do.. Just learn how to play again! I know you are an old man, but humor her.."

ACLS

I won't tortue you all with details of my class, just know I passed (amazingly since I never use this stuff) and am certifiable for the next two years! We had a great class. A bunch of really cool people, and one really cool guy who owns a local liquor store.. We all joked with him saying he had to bring us all some alcohol for the end of class.. Guess what he did.. He brought us all alcohol for the end of our class!
I had to take a picture of this wine bottle, and I think I will have to buy some to try it out!

Poizin Wine... Gotta try it!!

So I got two bottles of amazing stuff, one Texas made Vodka.. WOOT!! and a Dragon wine! I'm set!! Gonna break in my new place nicely with that stuff.. BUT on to the next thing..

Kodie stayed in my car Saturday as I finished up my class. Thank goodness he is such a good boy and No need to worry it wasn't hot, I parked in the shade, and the windows were open.. He was fine.

Now it's time to chill.. My contract doesn't start till Jan 2, so I have a couple weeks to play. I decided to go spend them with a good friend up in Oklahoma City. Which isn't too far away form Dallas, thankfully. 

So Travel to OKC I go! Travel time 3.5 hrs. Miles 207 to go..

I arrived just in time for dinner, of course my dear friend was waiting for me anyway. And now I am chilling out here for the next couple weeks and then heading back to Dallas.

Conversations With Kodie

From December 16th

Kodie: "Mom, are we settled yet?"
Me: "No KoPa, I have to do this class, then we are off again for a couple of weeks."
Kodie: "Mom, can I have a treatsie?"
Me: "But of course my sweet baby boy! You've been so good."

Long Time No Type

Ok, so let's catch up! I lost my internet connection once I got into Texas.. But time to recap. The trip through Arkansas absolutely sucked. Rained the entire time.. And when I mean rained, I mean it was pouring so bad, I had no visibility at all.. And following big rigs, in the rain, in the dark, not fun!

Graceland Baby!!

Tracy!! Man I love this girl!!

But back up!! The day started rainy and crappy from the beginning. Rain pouring in Nashville, made it so I couldn't drive downtown and see some sights. :(
Miles to go- 662. 10 hours and some change.

Oh well, on towards Memphis I went. I decided to skip Graceland since I saw that the prices to get in were a little out of my travel budget, and Tracy hit me up to stop by and see her! And I would rather see Tracy anyway! So a stop in Memphis and a wonderful lunch with my girl Tracy. I miss her, and it was great to see her. And then on to Arkansas. And back into the rain.. Oh well, only a few more hours to go.. Good thing there wasn't anything there I really wanted to see. I wanted to make sure I got into Dallas at a decent time so I could check in to the hotel and crash.. Man on man it was a long trip! Took me more like 13 hours (with stopping for lunch and the rain and the evil construction elves on the highway.)

So then I got into Texas... Oh yeah!! And the rain stopped!!! No one seems to pay any attention to the speedlimit on the highway here, first thing I noticed.. So on I sped towards my destination. Got to my hotel, checked in, and crashed! The next day I had to start my ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) class, so let the cramming begin.

Total travel time- roughly about 24 hours. Total milage- 1338.2 miles. WOW, that's the farthest I have ever traveled in my little Cecilia..

Evil Construction Elves

I swear there are some seriously evil construction elves out there that work on our nations roads.

Why make all traffic merge into the left lane just to switch it to the right lane 200 ft later??????

So I'm stuck about 50 miles outside of Little Rock in the pouring rain. Completely stopped. And I have to go to the bathroom. And it's not helping that my darling friend is texting me a out warm running streams. I think I will be punishing him when I see him... You know who you are!!!! ;-)

Thank goodness I don't need to be in Dallas or anything....

Yuck

I hate driving in the rain. On the road.

Trip ticker 10:44 hrs 668 miles to go.

Amazingly I got the car repacked with only two slight adjustments.

Ooohhhh thanks to my bestest fwee Jen I am having gummy bears for breakfast!!! Love you girl!!!

KoPa is safely nestled back in his nest and already sleeping. We shall see what the conversations are today. So far they've just been snoring. Silly pup

Why Would I Ever Do That?!!

So in order for me to do some work I had to unpack the car a little.. You should've seen my face as I'm trying to tug my computer bag out of the boot.. Internally yelling at myself for packing it the way I did. It shall be interesting to see if I can get it back in the way I had it.

I forgot that I am an hour behind here than what I am used to.. So my body is up now, but I should still sleep, but I just can't anymore!! I'm way too excited!!! I'm going to see Graceland today! (and I'm not even an Elvis fan... it's just the principle) I don't think I am actually going to tour Graceland.. I just want to go and take a picture there  LOL. Like I said, I'm not an Elvis fan. Plus the tickets are between 31-70$!! I'm trying to pinch pennies.. But I do want to just see it.. Maybe.. Depends haha

As I go through Memphis I will be seeing the first of many friends along the way! Lunch with Tracy!! YAY!! Girl I am so excited to see you. I think that's more important than Graceland. And I will still have 8 hrs of driving after that, so time is of the essence.

Conversations With Kodie

This Morning's conversation
Me: "Kodie, I'm sorry buddy, but you just have to squeeze in."
Kodie: "OOOH MOM I CAN SEE OUT THE WINDOWS!!!"
Me: "Well, yes, you are a bit higher than normal."
Kodie: "OOOH MOM I CAN SEE OUT THE WINDOWS!!!"
Me: "Kodie, Why are you shaking??"
Kodie: "OOOH MOM I CAN SEE OUT THE WINDOWS!!!"

Today's Travels

Kodie crammed into his space

 So I started out a day later than I wanted.. Oh well. But packed in we got... and we hit the road!! The day dawned overcast and kind of foggy, but that was ok. Temp a brisk 42 degrees.. Seat heater on! For me of course. And we struck out at about 8:30am. Wheels up and fly we went!

All tucked in

Kodie got comfy quickly.. Of course that's AFTER I stopped at McD's and got my coffee and a treat for him... And thankfully KoPa is a fantastic traveler. He just tucks in and chills. His
 conversations are just so funny when he's all tucked in the car..
       Especially when things fall on him.. You'd never know he's there!!!
So we made it to West Virginia.. Passed Falling Water (I highly recommend anyone to go there and check it out!) One of the many awesome places along the way I am sure I will run across.

Next state on the trip Virginia. Now that's a long journey. Stopped for lunch at Virginia Tech (I swear there were no shootings today.. at least I hope) and then on down 81... One of my least favorite highways I have traveled in the past.. Gee this route is very familiar to me! Yes, it's the way to the Dragon. It was really weird driving through the Shenandoah Valley during the winter. I am always so used to seeing the trees just starting to bud, and the dogwoods in bloom. It was lonely.

Shenandoah Valley SO beautiful

 And then I hit this... The dreaded traffic jam......... UGH!!! And it's even worse in a manual transmission car! But thankfully we made it through unscathed. Just took an extra 45 minutes of a detour.

So when we finally got to Tennessee!!!!! I seriously looked at the clock, then the map.. then calculated hmm. Can I please just make a turn down towards Asheville and then back up over the Dragon then through Knoxville and back on trip?! :( but no, I was a good girl and kept on going.

So.. MINI count today- 4.... Cop count 38!!!

Funniest thing seen today- a fully loaded Christmas tree on the back of a big rig (between the cab and the trailer) SOOOO funny.. but I didn't get a picture of it. :( But it sure did make me smile!

As I'm driving down the road, I wonder to myself what did we ever do before smart phones?! Here I am making my hotel reservations and finding a place to eat dinner for my arrival in Nashville all from my phone!! WOW times have sure changed!!

So this is a first for me.. First time ever having a hotel room by myself. I'm sure glad I have Kodie with me.

Nashville was a smash hit! Literally.. Traffic jam coming into town (an 8 car pile up) Thanks to my darling friend from town, Jacob, I found THE place to eat! I am a Food Network junkie so of course I had to hit up Neely's! and OMG.. OMG.. OMG.. OMG.. OMG.. What amazing ribs!

 So here I am halfway to Dallas.. Got 10 hours or so left. Gonna see if I can maybe at least see Graceland tomorrow? Who knows.

Miles Driven today 677.4 in 11 hrs. Not too shabby!

Ticker

20:24 hrs
1364 miles to go
Ladies and gentleman this is your captain speaking. Let's blow this Popsicle stand!!!

Conversations With Kodie

Me: "Kodie... Do you want to go for a ride in the car?"
Kodie: not a single word I could understand but a great squeal as he ran to the door.

Seriously?? Seriously?!!

Ok, Did we SERIOUSLY think I was going to leave on time?? You have to laugh at yourself, or you'll cry your eyes out if you don't. So.. Take two. It's amazing to me just how much crap there is to do before you leave somewhere!

Kodie's spot

Said my final good bye to my previous live yesterday. Took only the good memories from them. I'm leaving the bad. Such a weight has been lifted off my shoulders now that it's officially gone. Yes, I mean the condo. A fitting closure for this year. Let me drive away clean and fresh. The woman I was talking to yesterday told me something that's so true, You've got to breathe fresh air to know you're healing.

Remember I DO drive a Cabrio!!

Cram it in the Boot!!

So off I go! Finally.. I am really not sure she will even drive, and Kodie is perched so high up he's almost at my height, but well.. I have to look at it this way.. I DO drive a MINI!! and a Cabrio at that! You really CAN'T fit that much in there!!! and I remember taking so much more when I had the Tahoe... AAAAHHHHHhhhhh

Conversations With Kodie

Kodie: "When are we going!!??"
Me: "Soon! Don't you see this mess??"
Kodie: "When do I get to go for a ride in the car????"
Me: "Kodie! I'm not ready yet!!"
Kodie: "MOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM I AMMMMMMMM!!!!!"

Well... It's Stuff The MINI Or Leave It Behind

Deadline time.. Today is the day... Today is the beginning of my amazing road trip! There's frost on Cecilia as I walk out to continue stuffing the last things in. Wow, I am actually amazed at what I can fit in this little car.. Now, of course my clothes will be rather wrinkled but, that's ok! And if I've forgotten anything, there are always stores. I look around my room and, well it's still a mess.. Got a lot of cleaning to do now that I've torn my room apart. There are still some things that must be stuffed in, and the rest will go back in storage.

I have butterflies in my stomach as I think about this journey. I am so excited, scared, nervous, sad, happy, settled, unsettled... the emotions are on high alert. It's almost as if I am leaving home for the first time, again. In a sense I am.. This is such a huge step, such a huge thing for me to do. Flying solo for the first time in my adult life. Wow, I am nervous.

Conversations With Kodie

Kooooodie and his Mooooostash

Me: "Kodie, we are going to go on an adventure!"
Kodie: "Mom, Can I have a treat yet?"
Me: "Kodie, You are going to go to Graceland!"
Kodie: "Moooommmmmmmm... I don't want to have sideburns, I have enough hair already!!!"
Me: "But you will look sooooooo cute!!!"
Kodie: "Can I have a treat yet?"
Me: "Oh my little boy.. It's only 9am!" Gives him a treat ;-)

It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday

My love forever

As I make this trip, the weight of my life is still on these shoulders. I am not running away. I am not forgetting. I am accepting my life, as it is now. I know this road will still be very bumpy, twisty, with lots of hidden turns that I forget to take. I go down it with my eyes open though. I am prepared. I have a piece of you always by my side. I do not do this lightly. It is so hard for me to say goodbye and to leave. But I must. I will not be gone forever, for I am off to find myself again. And the good.. the wonderful you, goes with me. I know this is what you wanted for me. To be free.

The Dryer Ate My Socks!!

Ok! Decisions have been made... I am going to be going to Dallas!! WOO HOO! But not so fast now.. I decided to take the contract starting Jan 2nd. So I have a little more time to get my act in gear so to speak.

SO....

Let's get this party started!

Cecilia on The Dragon

Packing up.. getting rid of more things than I REALLY need... Wow, this is a good feeling.. "Freebird" playing in the background.. That song always makes me feel better, no matter what's going on. I feel like I'm on the road already! Well... considering that I always find myself listening to this one song when I drive the Dragon, it gives me such a sense of peace.  So with that in mind, I continue on.  Preparing myself for some fun adventure ahead as a Free Bird!!

But OMG, the mean dryer, (or washer) my friend pointed out, has eaten three socks! WTF!!! I JUST BOUGHT THEM!!! I know they can't be anywhere else.. I literally just cut the tags off and threw them in the washer, then the dryer and now I only have three socks instead of six.. What kind of game is this.. Who's eating my socks!? GRRRRR... Good thing Target has $1.50 a pair socks!

So on to the next task.. as I grumble away from the mean laundry room.. I see the washer/dryer gremlins laughing playing with my new awesome socks... Time to make some good travel music.. I need suggestions! I have thousands of CDs, but don't want to take them with me.. My Music hard drive is in storage (BOO) so I have a limited supply on this computer... hmmm. Road trip songs.. HELP!!! That will be my task for tonight...

Never Enough Time To Pack

Wow.. The saying goes..when it rains, it pours.. Well, this is a good thing... Got two job offers today.. One to start Jan 2nd.. One to start... TUESDAY OMG!!! Never enough time!!!! Scramble time.... Ummmmm I really don't think I can get down there in that short of time... It's a 1300+ mile drive.. and it's Wednesday... and I'm not packed... Crapola to the extreme!! I will have to see if I can push it back a week!!!

How To Pack A MINI

Hmmm. Have you ever wondered how to fit your life in a car such as a MINI Cooper? Now I am lucky enough to have 2 to choose from, but alas, Cecilia will be joining me.. There is nothing better than driving down the road with the top down!

But I am perplexed!!! I have to figure out how to pack all my clothes (for every season I may add) into a very small space.. Now, I am a backpacker, so I know all about compression bags, and space saving techniques, but that's not really my biggest problem!!! I just don't know what to take and what to leave behind!!!! Oh decisions... How do you decide what goes and what stays???

The nicest thing is.. I can put the top down.. stuff the back seat and then put the top back up! WOO HOO

Ok.. Off to Target to get some more ziplock bags. Hooray for them creating for the XXXXXXL bags!! Lets just hope I'll be able to lift my duffel bag ;-)

Oh A Traveling We Will Go

A while ago, I spoke at a NSNA (National Student Nurses Association) convention about travel nursing, since at the time, I was a traveler. And recently, I was asked again just what is a travel nurse. It's an interesting job, and a fun one! So I looked up a definition, because well, I'm not the best at describing what it is I do in 20 words or less. So here is what I found...

A travel nurse is a nursing professional who works with a staffing company and typically works at a hospital or healthcare facility in a temporary assignment that is usually 13 or 26 weeks. Travel nursing started as a means for these facilities to fill scheduling shortages resulting from census increases, maternity leaves and vacations.

Yup.. That about sums up what I will be doing. And here is the awesome thing.. I can go anywhere! I have the skills that are in high demand.. There are tons of jobs out there for me, I am so excited to be able to see the country, and get paid to do just that! Oh and the agency pays for housing, insurance, travel, etc.. A very nice thing for a single gal!

The KoPa lounging in bed

So KoPa and I were lounging in bed this morning, thinking about where we hope to be in two weeks. I am hoping to have interviews today..Crossing my fingers!! And we will be taking off across the country. Our first stop.. The Dallas area (we hope) So in looking at the map, we are going to be traversing Tennessee. Hmm, time to make some side trips? I have visions of KoPa with sideburns at Graceland as we pass through Memphis. I think I may have to make my 22hr trip to Dallas just a few days longer... Just so I can go there. Never been there.   Map to Dallas

This is what I want for my life, to see and experience the amazing travels of the everyday, and the not so every day! I am trying to do research on fun places to go see, and weird places to go see. Why not?! What do I have to lose? Why not go see the largest ball of string, or whatever!!! Let's get out and travel this country.. Get our kicks on route 66!! Put the top down and let our hair fly! Have no regrets left in life, see everything I can possibly see, even if it's a ball of string!

If there's one thing that I have learned in life, one lesson that I will take with me to the beyond, it's that I will not regret the decisions I have made. I will continue to walk down this road with my head held high and my eyes open. Because if I don't, how will I be able to see that great sight beyond the next curve in the road? Yes, I will think of the fact that I am doing this by my self, but I am never alone. I still hear the voices in the wind, the calling of birds, the babbling of the water as it passes over this earth, shaping my path. That will never change. And I know I am never truly alone.

A new dawn, A new day, A new life for me

KoPa and myself out for a hike this summer

After realizing that I absolutely hated what I was doing in my previous job, I quit. It was time to continue down the path that I set out for myself the beginning of this past year.. Granted I've had quite a few bumps in the road, but who hasn't in this road of life. But I am a survivor.. I keep kicking it. I keep moving. So moving on I go.
My father always had a fantastic saying.. and he used it a lot when I was a kid... "Chalk it up to experience, and move on". Now of course, this is a huge hurdle to jump over and lots of time needs to be taken to reflect. But I feel a spark of life returning. I am feeling some strength coming back now. I am starting to sense my wings beginning to unfurl again. I think I am ready to fly once more.
WOW this feels good.. I breathe in deeply, seemingly for the first time, filling my lungs with the sweet taste of what is that... freedom?  It's new, foreign, cold, crisp, tastes sweet, salty, buttery, chocolatey? good.. I like it. I think I can get hooked on this.
It's time to realize that sitting here, even if I am not thinking about it, the past, I am still thinking about it. Wallowing in it.. Not moving, not growing, not breathing. It's time to take that step forward that I keep saying I need to take. I see the road before me, it stretches out like a welcome friend. Ready to lend a hand to me. Saying come on, lets play!
So here's what I did.. I decided that I am going to do it. I am going to go back to do something that I loved!!! I am going back to Travel Nursing. But this time I'm doing it for me. And going to do it right! Packing up Cecilia to the brim and taking off... Pin in the map and lets go KoPa! There is so much of this country I want to see. So much that I still have left to do. Where to go first. Where to go???
West my heart says, West I shall go. There I shall go.. I will see you on the road. My life is a highway, are you going my way?