Like I said, I'm back! And my life has been turned upside down and around and around (for the better) since my last post :) It's kind of like the feeling you get while riding the Tea Cups at Disney World, where you are laughing so hard and you're giddy because the ride is so fun and you're head is spinning because everything is moving so fast... of course minus the nauseous feeling. ANYWAY, where to begin...
First of all, I stopped my Project 365 a while back and just recently started it back up again. I couldn't use my camera at camp this summer except on days or nights off, so I didn't take a picture every day like I intended... oh, and speaking of camp.. WOW. I couldn't even begin to try to start to explain how amazing of an experience it was. I struggled with making the decision to go for so long. It took so much out of me making the commitment to leave and be over 20 hours away for over 2 months. And now, looking back, I can't believe I even thought about NOT going. Not only did camp teach me how to work with other nurses, how to talk comfortably with doctors regarding patient care, and how to make nursing judgments on my own in the middle of the night, but it taught me a lot about myself. It confirmed how much I want to travel and move out of my comfort zone in Alabama. It taught me to open up and make friends with people because, otherwise, I'd be alone in a state a world away from home with no friends. It taught me to stick up for myself and my beliefs and to stay strong in who I am when I could easily be someone completely different. Camp was an experience I will never, ever forget. I wouldn't take back spending the summer in Pennsylvania for anything, even though I did miss Chuck and my family and friends a TON while I was gone. Here are some pictures that I DID take while I was up there...
Here's me doing the Star Jump at ropes.
Cari, me, and Kimmy in the health center. Cari is from Utah and Kimmy is from Philadelphia. They were two of the other nurses working there this summer and I'm so glad I met both of them. They are both so funny and I enjoyed spending every day this summer with them.
Here's me and a bunch of my good friends I made over the summer. I miss these people so much. It's amazing how close you get to a person over 2 months when you are with those people 24/7 and depend on them for support when they are the only people around. All of these people are wonderful and I have such good memories with all of them. This was taken at The Fishing Hole, which was a place we went every Thursday night to hang out/dance/be ridiculous. So many good memories.
This is a view of the lakes with kids in kayaks, canoes, and on the bouncy water float things. You can't see the girl's and boy's docks in this picture, but this was one of my favorite views while at camp.
This is everyone at lineup in the mornings. Another one of my favorite times, though I didn't get to go much because we were always busy handing out morning meds in the health clinic.
So, yeah. There's a sum up of camp in way less words than could ever describe it efficiently. You know when you come home from a trip and you try to explain the whole thing to someone but they don't fully understand exactly what the plane flight was like when you flew over the Grand Canyon, or the smell of the ocean, or how small you feel standing in the middle of Time Square because they weren't there to experience it? It's like that when I try to explain it to someone else. You think, "Oh, it was just summer camp." But it was so much more than that. It was adorable children and amazing friendships that were made and hilarious activities and meeting people from all over the world. I could talk for hours about it... but I'll stop here :)
The next whirlwind, life-changing experience... Chuck and I have officially been engaged now for a week and a day!! Another can't-be-explained feeling. We are SO excited and I've already started planning a few things, looking at venues, talking with photographers, and loving every minute :) Here are some pictures from the big weekend... oh, and ps -- Chuck is officially so cute. And I can't wait to be his wife :)
At Discovery Cove, where he surprised me with swimming with dolphins!!
The night he proposed! I'm so lucky to be in love with such a good looking guy :)
The absolutely gorgeous, beautiful ring. He did an AMAZING job!
Me, loving being engaged, loving the ring, and absolutely positively LOVING my fiancee!
Ok, LAST exciting piece of news...... I got hired! I am officially an RN on the Coronary Care Unit at Trinity Medical Center. I started orientation today (which was officially incredibly incredibly incredibly boring). But I'll be on the floor before I know it and I'm thrilled!
My life is falling into place. God has done amazing things for us lately and is blessing us so much. I'm so excited that we are getting married, and the comfort of having a job (and a paycheck) is putting me at ease more than ever. We have lots of planning still to do.. like planning the rest of the wedding and finding a place to live and figuring out exactly how to be grown ups. But one thing I HAVE figured out is that I'm ecstatic to be a future Abbey. I absolutely cannot wait to marry Chuck and start my life as his wife. We have such incredible friends and family surrounding us and I know we will find the support we need to have an incredible marriage.
Whew. That was a lot.
Until next time! love love love.
