It's not goodbye, it's I'll see you later

So I didn't think I was going to be as melancholy as I am today. I'm leaving a job as an HCA (aide) that I've had for five years for a new job as a RN. While I've been so excited for what adventures lie ahead of me, it's just been within the last few days that I've been thinking about everything that I'm leaving behind. This is the longest that I've ever had one job and I've really grown to love and respect my friends and coworkers.
Some of my favorite memories are of 2 East, the unit that once was. I remember talking to the baby fish in our fishtank, decorating for seemingly every holiday, Christine and I putting on a Christmas pageant for an antepartum patient who was feeling down, avoiding the practical jokes the CF boys tried to play on us, being excited to see what theme Somer would decorate her room in and making cookies in the toaster oven. It was so hard on the whole staff when we merged with the maternity unit. Many staff members left for other jobs and the ones who were left, we all felt like orphaned step-children. The last day of 2 East, I defaced University Hospital property for the first (and only) time by writing on the ceiling of the nursing station "Emily was here, 311 4 life."
In the two years since the merge, I've also grown to love many of the maternal-newborn staff and have made wonderful memories with them. I really feel like I wouldn't have made it through nursing school if my co-workers hadn't been so supportive of me. That is one truly amazing thing about nurses, is that we really take care of our own.
I wanted to do something for my co-workers to say goodbye and give them something to remember me by. So I folded oragami stars -- A LOT of oragami stars. On the inside I wrote quotes from songs, poems and anything else that I find inspiration from. That way, whenever they're feeling down and I wasn't there anymore to say something silly, they could open their star and smile.

So it's not goodbye, it's I'll see you later. Love you wonderful, amazing and caring women!!

RN = Really a Nurse!!

I'm a little dazed right now. They actually gave me license to be a nurse!! The last few months have been such a roller coaster. Graduating, getting the job, passing boards -- it all seems a little surreal. I will start my new job on July 11th and then, I think, the real fun will begin. I have this great learning experience in front of me and I just want to be awesome. I'm also very grateful for all the love and support that my friends and family have given me over this long journey. I knew that people cared about me, but I didn't fully realize the extent of that caring until recently. All I can do is continue to make those people proud and remember them as I take care of my patients. Hellloooo, Nurse!!

Arts Fest 11 Day 3

So here is another reason that I love going to events in the downtown SLC, especially the Arts Fest. You ALWAYS see people you know!! Usually the most random and that you haven't seen for ever. Just Saturday night alone I saw a buddy from Team 311 Salt Lake, a buddy from the ex's friends (who I am still calling my friends, but I met them through him, so you know), a childhood friend who recognized me after 15+ years and (here is the best one) my ex's first ex-wife! She and I have never even been introduced and yet she recognized me from his pictures (Damn Facebook!!) Small Salt Lake is all I can say.

Saturday night was spent with my girlie Kim and the focus was on the music. I was little sad that I had to work on Sunday, because I really wanted to make it a 4 for 4, maybe that should be my goal for next year :) At least I have the Twilight Concerts to look forward to!

Kim and one her many funny faces

I asked the guy behind us in line to take our picture and he did...but not before taking one of himself and his friends first. I loved it, going on the blog!!

Awwww, what cute girls

Dinner night 3: Sawadee Thai food.....mmmmmmm

On the spot Dance Party....

....which we then had to become a part of!!

The same Urban art wall from Thursday, painted many times over.

He had the flow going

Samba Fogo!!! They have Brazilian dancers...

...Capoeira...

and Fire dancers!!!

This year they added the Carnival dancers. I seriously want to take dance and drum lessons from this group!

My beautiful SLC library on the way home.

Farewell my Arts Festival, til we see each other next year.

Arts Fest 11, Day 2

Friday was day 2 and it was hot!!! Some of my lady friends and I checked out the fest in the early evening and had a great time. There were more people, so it did take a little longer to get around, but the people watching was definitely at its finest.

Lisa & Jenna at the Trax station

Me & Lisa, she was trying to make me look not soooo short standing next to her

I wonder if I could pull this off on  my front porch??

Belly dancers, ooo-laa-la!

This is art, chocolate drizzled strawberries and bananas!

Awww, what a cute bunch

Dinner Day 2: Navajo Taco, double nom-nom

More of the Yarn Bombing, very cute flowers

I'm a little jealous that Lisa got a pair of these handmade sandals

So I always want to get some of the amazing pottery and stoneware, but it's usually pretty expensive. This was a cute little sake/shot glass that was in my budget :)

I also always want to get some of the stunning jewelry, but also usually pretty expensive. I do get myself a pair of earrings every year. These were very cute!

Arts Fest 2011, Day 1

Yay!!! The Arts Festival is finally here! Someone asked me why I love it so much and I guess it goes back to when I was 9 or 10. My mom took me to the Arts Fest when it was still held down by the Triad Center (we're talking pre-Energy Solutions building). I was just so taken in by all the different art, the food (!), listening to the  music and I felt very grown up and worldly. I wasn't too old to have my face painted but I didn't want some animal whiskers crap-- I told the guy I want sunglasses painted on, but on one side pink flamingo-ish wings and on the other side black & white checkerboard. I wish I could find the picture of this artistic creation because I looked awesome!! It also helped that I was very 80s with an off one shoulder blue-striped blouse and a jean skirt. And hence the love affair began. I think the only times I've missed the fest is when I was living in Florida and on this weekend in June, I always felt like I was missing the call from the mother-ship. While I may have little to no artistic skill, I am always so in awe of what people can come up with from the depths of their imagination.

Thursday afternoon is like a hidden gem when it comes to how to "fest." You get in half price if you go before 3:00 and you have all the room in the world. You can talk with the artists, not have to wait in line for food or drinks and then you can scope out the coolest art to come back and look at later on in the weekend. Here's some pics from day (and night) one.

These planes were made from cola and beer cans. So creative, and from what I understand, pretty accurate.

Lunch, Day 1: Greek Salad with Dolmathes and Pita bread, nom-nom

So this is new this year, Yarn Bombing.There were pieces all over. I don't really understand it....but I like it.

Spinning in the wind

I love that they have added this Urban Art portion to the Fest, can't wait to come back and see the finished product!

My art purchase this year in honor of Delilah

My friend Scott and his sister, Melissa in the background. It was the COOLEST 3-D art.

I love how they use all the buildings in Library Square as a canvas.

I was happy to see the Young Dubliners, who rock.

Irish Dancers!! Sorry for the blurry :P

Dinner Night 1: Garlic Burger and delicious fries...which I am still feeling today!

Nurse Q & A

So my beautifully talented friend Jarah is doing a cool Nurse Q & A on her blog http://brightredcords.blogspot.com/ and I was the first one!! I feel so special. I am also incredibly proud to call her my friend as she is going to be a big time Oncology nurse at Duke!!!! Definitely going to have to visit her there because I will really miss her cute face!

I like getting what I need and love getting what I want.

Soooo, I got the job!!! I still think I have a smile plastered on my face from the sheer excitement. It is such a small change in how I introduce myself-- Hi, my name is Emily and I'm an ICU nurse :) but wow, does it bring such a huge amount of changes to my life. This job to me means complete independence. It means that I won't have to live paycheck to paycheck. That is epic! It means I will be able to help my son as he transitions into young adulthood. That means so much to me. Mostly, this job means that all my years of sacrificing, hard work, and turmoil have finally paid off. I have tried to live those years with optimism and hopefulness. There were so many times that I had no idea of how things would work out, but I always told myself that somehow they would. With the help and support of my friends and family and the universe, they did. This is also a reaffirmation to myself that nothing is impossible and that I am truly capable of doing anything and everything that I set my mind to do.
On a lighter and less self congratulatory note, SLC has finally ushered in summer. The weather the last week has been sublime. I attended the Pride Festival for the first time and had so much fun.  My friend Jen, who makes me exercise and I love her for it, have walked City Creek twice. So far, we've done 6 miles round trip, but we have the goal of making it to the top, which would be about 12 miles round trip. On tap for this weekend, Gallery Stroll and Father's Day in the park. But what I'm really getting excited for is the Utah Arts Festival next weekend. That has to be, hands down, my most favorite festival of the summer. I love looking at the art, listening to the music, eating the food--OOOHHhhhhhh, I'm getting all giddy just thinking about it. More fun soon :)