Where To Start...

So much has happened since the last time I blogged.  I'll try to highlight the main parts...

Ummm... okay where to start...

Work has been pretty boring up until this week. In three days (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday) I put in 12 hours of overtime. Monday we had a staff meeting and staff pictures. We even took the picture with the US flag on one side and the Colorado flag on the other side, looking just past the camera with our head tilted and our chin up. Imagine it. You know what I'm talking about. Yeah that picture. Tuesday I got a case right around 2pm and didn't get back to the office until 4 and still had 5 reports to put in the computer. Got home about 8pm that night. But Wednesday, that was the icing on the cake. As I'm walking out the door at the end of my shift at 4pm, I get a case. But not just any case. I got a plane crash. Granted it was a single occupant plane that could probably fit inside my living room, but it still took me 5 hours, so Wednesday was a 15 hour day. I was definitely useless on my day off on Thursday. Friday I started my new shift: 7pm-4am. Yep, the exact opposite of what I've been working. And that's Monday through Friday for the rest of the month.

This past weekend I went home. It was great seeing all of my family and friends. mani/pedi, lots of good food, tea on Friday with my loves, sitting out by the pool. It was a good weekend. There were a couple of parts that weren't exactly ideal, but a lot of maturity and growth resulted. Sometimes growing up sucks, but it's necessary to move forward.

It was good to get back to my Denver family this weekend. I needed their encouragement and hugs after the week I had, and they never fail to deliver! Lately we've been going through a series called "Movement" at church that has been looking through the cities of Acts and the radical movement of Christianity through them, then connecting them with Denver. One thing that I took away from our discussion on Athens (Acts 17: 16-34) tonight was this: Medicine, science and technology have changed over the last 2,000 years. We're believe we're more "enlightened" than our parents were, and they think the same about their parents because these ideas are constantly evolving and changing. The Gospel has not changed in 2,000 years. Today, just like 2,000 years ago, the Gospel answers all of the questions of the most intelligent minds that ever lived. We as Christians can rest in and be confident in the consistency of the Gospel.

Watching the fireworks on the Bryant's roof tonight with the church reminded me that this is exactly where I'm supposed to be. It almost brought me to tears. I am so very blessed.

I think that's enough for now.

Let the adventure continue!

Birthday Week!

So my birthday was Tuesday! I am now 23 years old. So weird.

Tuesday was a fantastic day! Boss bought me lunch, Sarah bought me dinner, fam sent me cupcakes and flowers to the office, boyfriend sent me flowers and chocolates, gparents sent me money, Vicky sent me Starbucks giftcards, Angie sent me a card! And of course tons of texts, phone calls and facebook wall posts!

This week I had a four day weekend off work, and it has been very much appreciated. I love my job with all of my heart, but it can be very exhausting. So this time off has been fabulous. And this week at work I have learned from the mistakes I made last week and have had several personal victories. No one else may know about them, but they restored my faith in myself and that's a good feeling.

Last night was my birthday celebration with my church folks. We had planned on going to the Rockies game, but it was sold out. So we went out to eat then back to Amy Mac's for cake and games. It was such a blessing to have so many new friends want to celebrate my birthday and being to flexible when things didn't work out. There were 20 of us! We had a blast just hanging out and getting to know each other a little better. At one point I just had to sit off by the side and take everything in. It's absolutely unbelievable how much the Lord has blessed me through this move to Denver. I still can't even believe I'm here. It amazes me.

For those of you looking for a really interesting case review, I haven't had any yet... But don't worry! It's coming! I can feel it...

Let the adventure continue!

So I Had A Case...

Wednesday morning about 8am I had my very first scene call all by myself. Just natural, nothing crazy, but it was unattended at a home so I go out to the scene. It started off well and I did everything I needed to do and the roommate was very cooperative and understanding and kind. The decedent was a grown man who passed away upstairs so I requested help from the office to get him to the van. Long story short, I knocked over a potted plant. The roommate exploded. For the next 30 minutes or so I heard various phrases including the F word and numerous ways of telling me I'm incompetent at the top of her lungs. Luckily I was still upstairs and was simply overhearing these things, so she didn't see me burst into tears and break down. Before it was all over, the office, my boss and the county had been complained to, and the sheriff's office and fire and EMS had been dispatched again. Throughout the whole process I was continually getting more death calls and my boss was calling to figure out what was going on. It was a complete nightmare. By the time we got the body into the van the roommate had calmed down and I apologized to her and told her to please call me if she needed anything or had any questions. Then I took off.

One of the most unique and challenging things about my job is that I get to interact with people at their most vulnerable point. They have just lost someone very dear to them and their world has crumbled. What makes it challenging is that the grieving process takes many forms. And anger is one of them. I know that the roommate did not mean the horrible things she said to and about me, but that doesn't make it hurt any less. But she is hurting right now. She has just lost her best friend. And I had to remember that when I spoke to her after the fact. At this point, it was my job to show her the love of Christ instead of what was actually going through my head. I don't know that I accomplished that as much as I could have. She was still angry when I left, and I was still very hurt when I left. I still am now.

Everyone has their thing. Something they are insecure about. For some people is weight, for some it's beauty. For me it's competence. You can say just about anything to me and it might bother me a bit, but tell me I'm incompetent and you've thrown the fatal punch.

I will have bad days like this. But the minute I start doubting myself, I start doubting the plan that God has for me. He has prepared me to do this job. He has given me all the tools and characteristics I need to be great for His glory. I just need to constantly remind myself of that.

Thank you to all of you who have encouraged me. I am forever indebted to you.

Let the adventure continue!

Long Time No Blog

It had been far too long since I've written on here.

Barry came to visit! We went to the zoo and a lot of fun restaurants and had a great time. Of course it was so good to see him. It was really hard to take him back to the airport yesterday.

And not only did Barry leave yesterday, but I worked from 0900 to 2400. (9am to midnight for those of you who don't read military time). It was a long long LONG day for sure. And I was busy. And yes I had to be back at work at 8am this morning. And somehow I'm still functioning at an acceptable level...

Hung out with Sarah from church tonight. We always have fun together. I love my church. So very much. And I officially joined last Sunday! So excited to have found a family here in Denver.

Got an iPhone today! And my own cell phone plan! I am such a grown up.

I still love my job so much. I love my church so so much. And I absolutely love Colorado.

Let the adventure continue!

13 Things You May Not Know About Me

1. Even though if people ask I tell them I watch it, I have never seen an episode of Bones.
2. I wish it were different, but I really do not like going to the gym, so I don't.
3. Dead bodies don't bother me, but gross dishes in the sink makes me gag.
4. I've actually only been to New Orleans twice.
5. Modern Family might be my favorite TV show ever.
6. I feel most comfortable when I'm in a bathing suit on a hot summer day.
7. Chocolate and John Mayer always make me feel better. No matter what.
8. One day I hope to own a fully articulated skeleton, for professional reference purposes of course.
9. My dream car is the car I have right now: Black Ford Edge
10. I absolutely love water parks. Like, LOVE water parks.
11. I know how cool my job is. But you can continue to remind me.
12. I'm terrified/excited to experience my first REAL winter here in Colorado.
13. I'm really good at English. I'm an awesome speller, I can BS my way through any paper, and I'm a sucker for good grammar.

Let this amazing adventure continue!

Now What?

So the past several weeks at church we've been studying Jesus' life through the book of Mark. (I got here at the end of the series). We came to the conclusion that following Jesus completely requires a response from us: a complete lifestyle change. We started a series last week that looks at the all the components of our life and how they change. Tonight we talked about our budget, and this is what Bryan said that stuck out to me (paraphrase):

2 Corinthians 8:8-15, especially verse 12

verse 12: "For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have."

We should give according to what we have, not according to what we do not have. There will always be something that we want but don't have. If we do not give generously, or at all, because of what we do not have, we are insulting God. We are saying "God, once you get your act together, once you take care of business, I will give back to you. Once you give me what I need, I will do what you have asked me to do." As if God sacrificing His son on the cross to cleanse you of your sin wasn't enough. As if God giving up his only child to make a way for you to spend eternity in heaven with Him wasn't enough to deserve our everything.

God doesn't need our money. He wants us to be able to share in the blessing of giving to His kingdom. He doesn't want something FROM you, He wants something FOR you.

Loving this adventure. Let it continue!

Where Do These People Get These Ideas?

Happy Cinco de Mayo friends!

I hate that it has been so long since my last post. Things have been amazing! I absolutely love Colorado. It's beautiful and the weather has been fabulous! A little chilly, but that's definitely okay.

Okay so, LSU girl and I are basically besties. She is so fun! We have lots of plans to do lots of fun things. I am so excited that the Lord has placed her in my life with absolute perfect timing. It's so nice to have someone to go through this "new place, new people, new life" thing.

Went to get my new Colorado driver's license today. I would post a picture of it, except it takes them 30 days to send it in the mail... Definitely wish they printed it on the spot like in Shreveport... Lame.

Okay so, I finally got all of my work clothes figured out. Women's EMT pants (and they're sexy, let me tell you), a polo with the department emblem. and brand new black cowboy boots! I told everyone at the office how excited I was about my new boots, and most of them gave me a funny look or a "um... thats... nice..." I usually gave them a funny look back. Well I wore them for the first time yesterday and was showing them off. Everyone I showed them to gave me a "OH! Those are actually nice!" To which I replied "What did you think they were going to look like? They're work boots." And everyone gave me their own version of "glitter" or "bling-y" or "multicolored" etc. Of course I replied with a look of confusion and "what do you think Southern people are actually like?" They were all expected some crazy hot pink bedazzled fashion boots. Oh how little they know...

Speaking of Crazy Coloradans, here it's "soda pop" or "pop". And you lay your head on a "pellow". And the proper pronunciation is "Colo-rad-o" not "Collar-ahdo". Still getting used to that one. They also claim there is a good Cajun food restaurant here. We'll see about that...

Today I'm working the 1700-0100 shift (military time= 5pm-1am). Which means I have the day time off. It'll be nice to get a different experience. Not to mention it'll be just me and the evening investigator at the office. She's really cool and we'll definitely get along. Hopefully we won't be bored tonight...

I think that's enough for now. Here's a quick calendar of awesome things coming up:
May 13-15: Heading to Austin for Ally's wedding!
May 19-23: Barry comes to visit!
May 25-29: Mom and sister come to visit!
May 27: I'm officially deputized and given my badge!

Let the Adventure Continue!