Overcoming

So I started up my EMT-Advanced course 3 weeks ago. It has been so different than the basic course and I feel so overwhelmed with information. But, that said, I also feel like I'm learning A LOT! I'm so excited to be learning these things and to be able to go in a direction I never ever thought I'd go.
Last week we got to practice injections. If you know me, you know I do not do well with needles. So imagine my surprise when it wasn't that bad! My partner was a pregnant woman who has complicated pregnancies so I was a little stressed about that, but I was able to learn the skill and feel comfortable with what I was doing. I came home that night with 7 new holes in my body and beaming from ear to ear! I felt like I could do anything and that I had this EMT-Advanced business in the bag.
Last night we started practicing IVs. My old familiar wozzy feelings started when we had to practice on the dummy arm. Then it was go time. We partnered up and went for it. I got sick. I didn't throw up or pass out and I did my best not to show my discomfort and act tough, but it was hard! I stabbed the IV in my partner's arm (different partner, new challenges=tiny, difficult veins) and I started getting light headed and nauseous. "No! Not now! You can do this! Just breathe!" I kept telling myself. Then she had a go at my veins--twice. I finally had to excuse myself and go to the bathroom and try to get the spinning to stop. I looked at my reflection in the mirror--a pale, ghostly person staring back--and for a moment I thought, "What am I doing?!?!? I can't do this!" And then I remembered a good friend's mantra: "I can do hard things." Yes I can. I collected myself and went back out there. I tried her tiny veins again (this time with several people watching) and I DID IT!!!!! I got the catheter in her vein!!!! I was wozzy and nauseous but I didn't give up. I know that this is going to be one, if not the hardest thing I'm going to have to do/overcome to be an EMT, but if the drive stays there, I know I can do it. And hey, maybe it will get easier. But if not, what matters now is not that I get sick, but that I get back in the game. I can do hard things!!!

**Cool side note: another girl had gotten the IV in her partner's vein but forgot to apply pressure so her blood literally started SPRAYING out of the IV! it was the most horror-movie thing I'd ever seen! Then, after it was all cleaned up, the other girl got to put an IV in her partner and blew her vein so she started bleeding everywhere. By the time they were done, their whole section was covered in blood. Awesome!

***Tonight (1-31-12) I was nauseous for the first few sticks and then it magically all went away! No kidding!! I even watched blood pour out of a few people's veins and it didn't phase me! hooray! (it may have helped I had a bit of caffeine in my system. . .but I'll use all the help I can get!)

Christmas Morning 2012

Christmas morning was so fun this year! It was the first year both Jane and Grant were excited and knew, for the most part, what was going on. Earlier in the month, we had written our letters to Santa. It was Jane's first year doing it all by herself! She even wrote one for me!
On Christmas Eve we read our Christmas stories, opened new p.j.s, and left out milk, cookies, and carrots for Santa and his reindeer. We also sprinkled Magic Deer food outside so the deer would know where to go. Then the kids went to bed and mom and dad stayed up until after 11 putting together toys.

Santa delivered. Grant got a cool car ramp for his cars, Jane got her little dolls, and mom and dad got new pillows. We had fun opening presents and were happy to have Grandpa and Grandma come watch and join us for breakfast.
Since it was Sunday, we had to go to church. Grandpa and Grandma Larsen were participating in their ward Christmas program (and their church wasn't until 11 am as opposed to our 9 am) so we went up to Kaysville and enjoyed listening to their choir's performance. The rest of Christmas day was spent at their house with my side of the family. We had fun opening presents, playing games, and eating ourselves silly. It was truly a very Merry Christmas. We are so blessed!

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.The stockings were hung by the piano bench with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.And mamma in her jammies, and I in my chaps,
Had just settled down for our long winter naps.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a skittle,
Tore open the curtains and threw up, a little.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than Fed-Ex his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Through the window St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,And filled all the stockings; then turned like a jerk.
And laying his finger inside of his nose,
And giving a nod, out the window he goes!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a Good-Night!"

The True Meaning of Christmas

In my family we have started a tradition at Christmas of looking beyond ourselves and seeking out those in need. For our little family project, we were able to get things for the Road Home in SLC. As we were heading out the door to go buy things for our project, Jane said that she wanted to get things for "the poor kids". I explained that we were going to as a family but she had something else in mind. She wanted to spend her own money. We went up to her room and counted out $2 from her piggy bank (which is a lot to a kid that only get's paid a penny a chore). When we were at the store she carefully picked out two things that she wanted to get and then insisted on paying for them separate and on her own. Seeing this brought so much love to my heart. And I was so proud of my daughter. I know we're not supposed to be proud or boast of the service we do, but I don't want to ever forget what Jane did and the beautiful example she set of the true meaning of Christmas. (so I'm recording it here, seeing as how I don't keep a journal).
We went as a family to drop off the stuff. We were so happy with what we had purchased--we were able to get great deals and therefore get more than we thought we could. Our trunk was full to capacity as we drove to the overflow shelter. When we got there we were humbled beyond words. The shelter was a long brick building out by the railroad yards. The road there wasn't really maintained and the outside of the building was sad to look at with nothing but a flimsy chain-link fence to mark off a "playground" (patch of dirt). As we started loading things inside, we noticed that all it was was a big room with 2nd hand mattresses and a small kitchenette off to the side. This is where numerous families, most with young children, stayed to keep out of the cold. As we drove away I was overwhelmed and just kept thinking, "It's not enough! It's not enough!" Here I thought we'd really brought in a haul and we left feeling like we'd barely made a dent. It made all the hub-bub of Christmas seem so superfical and unneccessary. Here we were sad that we weren't going to be able to get an i-Pad or big expensive gifts for our kids or the latest electronics and there were people--right in our midst--that had literally nothing. People with kids our age. It broke my heart and made me feel so grateful for the blessings in my life and realize that I need to be more giving with what I have been given.

Bassett Family Christmas

We had our annual Bassett Family Christmas Party this weekend. The kids had a blast playing with their cousins, stuffing their faces, and getting a visit from Santa. This year Grant was fascinated with Santa. He couldn't get enough! As the other cousins sat on his lap, Grant stayed close by sometimes feeling Santa's coat or getting a closer look at the man. It was so funny! Chad and Terral's family gave us an instant Popsicle maker and Chad made two little rocking chairs for Jane and Grant. They absolutely love them!!! It was a great party and so wonderful to have the whole family together.

The little Drummer Boy

So Much to be Thankful For

This year I borrowed an idea from one of my very creative friends (thanks Erin!) and made a "Thankful Tree". The kids were able to write down (or tell me and I'd write down) what they were thankful for and then we'd put that leaf on the tree. They had so much fun doing it and it was a beautiful reminder all month of the blessings in our lives.
Here are what the leaves said:
*clean running water
*cereal
*Playing and sharing
*snow
*pumpkins
*costumes
*Artwork/being able to draw and color
*the zoo
*carrots
*rain
*vitamins and medicines
*toast
*food
*snacks
*sunshine
*preschool
*Jesus
*healthy bodies
*Halloween
*Heavenly Father
*The Book of Mormon
*Trees
*safety
*sleepovers
*the Farm
*a warm heater in our house
*mommy
*Jane
*Daddy
*Bubba
*friends
*Grandma and Grandpa Bassett
*Grandma and Grandpa Larsen
*warm socks and shoes
*cousins
*Charlene
*Lamby (Grant's favorite stuffed animal)
*peaches and pears
*pancakes
*butterflies
*cars and trucks
*building blocks
*movies
*tree stars
*a dishwasher
*naps
*Anna and Sophia (our goldfish)
*Daddy's job
*books
*painting
*money
*princesses
*clothes

This year the kids made table decorations for our Thanksgiving dinner. They colored Teepee place cards, colored turkey napkin rings, and painted little pumpkins to go on the table. They turned way cute!

Gratitude is a verb

A group of friends and I make monthly goals around a certain theme and work on them throughout the month. This month we have been focusing on gratitude. These extraordinary women each made wonderful goals: one decided to offer only prayers of gratitude; another blogged each day about one thing she is grateful for; and another is writing down three things each day that she is grateful for. I've also noticed that several people post daily on facebook what they are thankful for that day. As for me, it's been a crazy month with school so I decided to do a 'gratitude journal' where I'd write down 5 things each day that I am thankful for. That lasted for like 2 days (I'm a bit scatterbrained and forgot to do it) and it didn't feel as sincere as I thought it would. So then I made a goal to try the 'gratitude-only-prayers'. Those were nice but it still felt like I was missing something. Then I figured out what it was: action. I thank God for my blessings but do I show that I'm grateful? I can write a list a mile long of the blessings in my life, but do I act in a way that shows I am grateful? For the most part, probably not. So this month I have decided to not only focus on the things I am grateful for, but also show my gratitude in varying ways.

1. I am grateful for my children. But how do I treat them? Upon some close personal examination I have noticed that I often put them off for things I want to do (i.e. "Jane I can't color with you, I'm reading.") or I lose my temper easily over stupid things. So, to show that I'm grateful for my children, I have made the goal to make time for them. To watch my temper and not get so frustrated. To see things from their perspective and treat them with kindness.

2. I am grateful for my husband. I seriously won the lottery with this guy! He is the kindest, most thoughtful person and he puts up with me (which says a lot!). But I've noticed that I don't treat him with the love and tenderness that I should. I need to be kinder, more understanding of him and cut him a break. He works hard at work and at school to give our family a good life and yet I complain that he leaves dirty tubberware in his lunch pail or doesn't leave his dirty clothes right where I want him to. In short, I take him for granted and that needs to stop. Every day I need to acknowledge how blessed I am to have him in my life and show him with little acts of love.

3. I am grateful for my health. I have been very blessed in my life to have good health. I wasn't born with any physical or mental handicaps. I don't have any major illnesses or deformities. But how do I treat my body and the health that I enjoy? Pretty much I take it for granted and it's taking its toll. So I've made the goal to be consistently physically active to do my part in keeping my health. For the last 4 weeks, I have stuck to a regular workout schedule and it feels great!

4. I am grateful for food to eat. I have never had to go hungry and that is truly a blessing. Even with Trent and I in school and a very limited income, there is still food on our table, in our bellies, and on our shelves when I know that so many go without. So I've decided to show my gratitude by not over indulging. I think sometimes we eat just because we can, but in a world were so many go without and food is a limited resource, I feel that I can do my part by only eating what I need to. This has also helped with my health the past few weeks so win-win.

5. I am grateful for clean, running water. Once again I have never had to go without this (minus a few camping trips). And although it is in abundance in this country, it is a limited resource that so many don't have. So just like food, my goal is to limit consumption/use. Long hot showers are my favorite but should probably be an exception instead of a rule.

6. I am grateful to live in a safe place. I don't have to worry so much about shootings or drugs or gangs where we live. But to show my gratitude I've decided I need to do my part to keep our neighborhood a nice place to live. My goal is to contribute to my community. Be a safe place for the kids of the neighborhood to go. Give back to my neighbors when they are in need. Maybe even attend city council meetings.

7. I am grateful for a warm house safe from the elements. I am not a particular fan of cold weather and every night I get to snuggle up in a warm, soft bed and sleep without having to worry about freezing. So many don't have that luxury. If I counted, I'm sure we would have over 30 different blankets in our house, when there are people who have fallen on hard times that have nothing to shield them from the elements except for someone else's discarded newspaper. So I've decided to go through our mass quantity of blankets and warm clothes and give them to others who need them more than we do. I can show my gratitude by giving some of what I have been so blessed with to others.

8. I am grateful for the kindness of others. I have so many wonderful people in my life that do little things that bring me so much happiness. Whether it's a call or a note or a text or even a little act of kindness, it goes a long way with me and I am so grateful for the wonderful friends that I have. That said, I feel I need to be a better friend to others. I like to write thank-you cards a lot to tell people how much they mean to me, but wouldn't it be more effective if I showed them? I need to indulge more in little acts of kindness.

9. I am grateful for education. My parents and grandparents sacrificed so much to see to it that I could have an education and I got one--heck I got a 4 year degree. But I don't remember much of what I learned. I crammed for tests and skimmed by just for the grade and four years later I didn't have much to show for myself other than a degree. Luckily I have a second chance. I was able to go back to school this semester to get my EMT certification. I don't want to skim by. I don't want to pass by the skin of my teeth. I want to learn. I need to show that I am grateful for the opportunity to learn by actually learning and spending time studying and caring about what I am going to school for. (which is actually pretty hard for a scatter-brain like myself, but I am trying!)

10. I am grateful for my family. Growing up I wanted to be apart of a different family--one who played sports and was normal. Now I realize just how cool my family is. My dad is a very unique person and I am proud to be his daughter. My mother is a strong woman and I would be happy to turn out like her as a mother and a wife and a person. My brothers are good men with wacky senses of humor. My Aunt Charlene is my guardian angle. My Grandma Larsen was the coolest lady I've known--so strong and independent and giving. My Great Grandma Sundstrom taught me the importance of 'being a lady'. My Grandpa McGary taught me to find joy in nature. I am surrounded by these wonderful people and yet I don't' tell them often enough that I love them and that I am grateful for them. I need to be able to express my love for my family members and let them know what wonderful people they are and how they have shaped my life.

I know in the dictionary the word 'gratitude' is listed as a noun, but this year (and hopefully for years to come) I'd like to think of it as a verb--an action word. It's one thing to silently reflect on what I'm grateful for, but it's a step further to actually show gratitude for those things with which I am so blessed.