How Sweet It Is....

So today my "little" sister turns the BIG 20! I cannot believe it! Although I feel as though we are the same age. It's funny how the age gap closes the older you get. My sister is my best friend and I love her so much! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TWINSY! (We have always wished we were twins, and we are...just separated by 4 years.)

Last night I went to the Allen High School football game with some friends...one of our friends is a coach for them. It was fun but a very long and intense game. It started at 7:30 and ended at 11:30.

I had a pretty good work week but I am more excited about this coming week b/c I get to start working my 11 am to 11 pm shift again. Waking up at 5:55 three days in a row this week killed me! Although, I really can't complain since I only have to work 3 days a week but they are definitely 3 hard working days! I really feel blessed to have my job and there are hardly words to describe the amazing moments I am honored to witness at each delivery! Just a little insight to my job: Each morning I work, I meet couples who are overjoyed with what the day holds and I try to take time to really get to know them. Once everything gets started, I watch squiggly lines (literally) of the baby's heart beat and contractions on the monitors all day and those lines depict what I'll do next. Sometimes things go smoothly, and other times the baby's don't like the contractions and I try different things to make the baby happy again. Either way we eventually get to the time for delivery, which is the very best part. I get this amazing feeling that just runs throughout my body and tears in my eyes, everytime I watch a baby being born. To know that I am witnessing this child's first moments of life and that this is the most perfect it'll ever be...it's absolutely wonderful! And THEN when the baby is on it's mommy's tummy and both mom and dad are in tears and just grinning from ear to ear...it just doesn't get any better. It really gets me when the dad's cry...precious! I started a journal this summer listing all the babies I have watched being delivered, over 30 since I started keeping track. I am so thankful that God directed me to this profession and I can't imagine doing anything else!

I also booked my flight for NYC for the day after Christmas until New year's eve. One of my good friends is moving to NY for a traveling nursing assignment and 8 of us are going to go visit her. I am so excited I can hardly stand it! It's going to be BEAUTIFUL...COLD....but BEAUTIFUL! I can't wait to see all the Christmas decorations, go shopping, sight seeing and just BE in NY. My best friend, Brenna, and I went our senior year of high school with our siblings' 8th grade class b/c my mom was a chaperone. It was the spring after 9/11 and it was a really neat trip. I am sure NY will not let me down...especially at Christmas time.

Last weekend I had the pleasure of hanging out with my favorite little family, my brother's. I am aunt Lissa to the most precious little boy, baby girl, and puppy dog. My nephew, Hudson, is the smartest, funniest, cutest little boy I have ever known! He amazes me with how much he knows at the age of 2! I love the way he makes you feel so special and loved by remembering details of moments you share with him. He's the greatest! My niece, Harper, is 3 months now and I cannot believe it! She is precious and smiles all the time! She is such a good baby and is awake and happy all the time! My nephew, Ace, is the sweetest dog and if he didn't bark I'd take him home with me in a second! :) I love that my brother and I are good friends too! And he could not have chosen a better sister-in-law for Lauren and I! Allison is more than that, she's my sister and friend! (And I'm not just saying that b/c she reads this...she's an amazing woman!) I love the weekends I get to go stay with Matt and Allison...we always have good talks and fun times! I miss that they don't live down the street from me!

Have a happy Sunday!