Living in His Grace

Knitting Stash

2012-01-23T08:16:00.001-06:00

I have a box of yarn that's been sitting in my Study waiting for me to knit something, so I decided to knit something from my box, and empty it out. However, that didn't work as I hoped. I've made hats, scarves, wrist warmers and such, but for some reason I have more yarn than when I first started! Having a yarn stash has been filling every nook and cranny of closets. I feel that having

A Thousand Blessings

2012-01-16T21:15:00.004-06:00

It's a new year. It's 2012, and (almost) everyone is talking about the last day coming on 12/21/2012. If that were the case, WOOHOO! I'm going home to Jesus!! But, Jesus even said that He doesn't even know when He'll return, only God the Father knows. So, how would the Mayans know?? Still this makes you think. Did I do everything I wanted to do? Is there anything I still want to do

The Help

2012-01-09T14:09:00.001-06:00

(yes, that's my new Kindle)Have you ever read a book you can't put down? I definitely have and this is one of them. I remember reading a Frank Perretti book that I couldn't put it down on a scary part or I'll have bad dreams later. I knew the end was going to be a good one since it was a Christian Horror book, so I'd stay up until I finished it.Reasons to not put THIS book is much different (

Cafe Leona's

2012-01-09T13:46:00.001-06:00

I remember my friend Sandy coming over to Cafe Leona's (my place) for coffee, baked goods, and chat away the afternoon. I loved opening my apartment to my friends and my Small Group, and cooking for them. I loved hearing my place nicknamed Cafe Leona's because they knew they can come over for food, coffee, and fellowship. Since Sandy moved down to San Marcos, and I'm no longer leading my Small

Etsy Alert

2011-12-31T01:45:00.003-06:00

One of my friends was browsing through Etsy.com, and saw a cowl that she loved, so she bought it. HOWEVER, she received a pattern to MAKE the cowl. The seller said that it's easy to make. This girl does not know how to even hold a crochet hook, or even know what the size hooks let alone know how to crochet! When I visited her and her family for Christmas, she showed me the pattern and asked

Walk-About in Haiti

2011-07-23T15:47:00.008-05:00

7/18/11Bon Swa! (Good day)Today, Troy, took us around and oriented us to Heartline Ministries' houses that held their ministries. They have 3: Harbor House, Maternity Center, and the Sewing Center . And, he also took us to their new property they just purchased so they can move all of their ministries to one site, and not have to rent houses anymore. The first one we went to was theSewing

Nurse Leona in Haiti...

2011-07-23T11:04:00.021-05:00

7/21/11OH MY! Ok, next mission trip I lead, everyone is signing a contract that says they will do their utmost best to not get hurt! No wonder I was starting to get nervous and Mother Hen-y at the end! So far on this trip, my "patients" have had mysterious bug bites, hand laceration, splinter in a finger (didn't have to deal much with that), and a cut while shaving. And now, mod-severe heat

Day 2 in Haiti

2011-07-23T11:04:00.020-05:00

7/17/11It's Sunday, and the sun rose before 5am! Last night, when they said that we were having breakfast at 6:30, I thought that's pretty early for some of the late risers. Now that I see the sun rising before 5:30, I understand. I remember when I went to Egypt we didn't eat until 1am and went to bed at 3am. Here, they're early to bed, and early to rise.Our view this morningWe went to Port Au

Cholera House

2011-07-23T11:04:00.016-05:00

7/20/11Today, we went to visit Real Hope For Haiti. They've been around in Haiti for 17 years, and is in the mountain region, in the village Cazale, Haiti. They've been around during multiple hurricanes, the earthquake, and now Cholera. They were open for clinical assistance, dressing treatment, and Rescue Center for Malnourished children, but lately it's been on what one of thefounders call "

Birthday Cleaning

2011-07-23T11:03:00.012-05:00

7/19/11I've made an executive decision: i'm 39, not 41. Since I already hit 40, and everyone say I never act or look my age, it's time to go back a year from now on. It's not time to go over-the-hill yet.In celebration, Haiti-Style, our teamworked hard on a couple apartments for the teachers moving down to Haiti. It's a dirty job, but someone had to do it. We left with that apt looking

Haiti bound!!

2011-07-17T16:38:00.003-05:00

*I blogged and saved these posts until I got home to post them. Enjoy*7/16/11We are in Haiti! We got to the airport at 4:20a for a 6:10a flight, and it hasn't been bad at all. Even at the Haiti airport. You can still see the earthquake damage to the international terminal, with large cracks on the outside walls and shattered windows.Haiti is the most impoverished country, and you can really

Lessons Not Just for Easter

2011-05-22T12:48:00.005-05:00

I’ve been reading Jesus: 90 days with the One and Only since Aug 2010. I think the 90 days kind of stretched out to 300 days so far, and I just finished Day 73. I could say I’m taking my time absorbing all the lessons I’ve learned from it, but I’d be lying. I’ve not been consistent AT ALL, but still God waited patiently, and also prepared me for what He was going to lead

Next Birthday Destination?...

2011-05-20T00:43:00.001-05:00

A few weeks back, a friend of mine and I were talking about birthdays and how we celebrated them in the past, and then it dawned on me....ever since I left San Diego I never celebrated my birthday in the same place twice. I’ve celebrated my birthdays in different states, and recently in another country. Even over the Atlantic Ocean!! I left San Diego for Christ to be a

Got Pianos? We do!!

2011-04-10T07:52:00.009-05:00

My friend Sandy and I went to Butler Park to enjoy Austin's Spring weather, and found a piano on top of a hill, with a message saying "Play Me, I'm yours." Later found out that a group called Art Alliance Austin took painted pianos and scattered them around Downtown Austin. So, we went on a hunt, and found these pianos so far. On our next day off we're going to look for the rest. For now,

Baby got skillzz!

2010-10-01T13:42:00.004-05:00

This a short, but SWEET blog today.How many of us love making Brownies from a box? My personal favorite is Ghiradelli's Dark Chocolate (thanks to my friend, Ann Marie). But, I've always wanted to TRY to make brownies from scratch. Well, today was that day.. mmhmmmm... No need to say more...

Still in N. Africa

2010-07-31T19:28:00.003-05:00

7/25? SundayWell, it's 4:22am, and we're still in N Africa. We were pretty good getting to the airport on time, and 40 min before the flight was suppose to depart. Alas, we didn't leave. Our flight was delayed for an hour, and then another hour until they decided to cancel the Flight completely. The next Flight is at 5:30p today (Sunday).It's 4:44am, and we're still at the Airport, waiting

Spaghetti Night!!

2010-07-31T19:27:00.004-05:00

7/21 WednesdayWe made Spaghetti last night for a church! "Mediterranean-style". ;). There's a church here that's celebrating a 5-year anniversary, and we were invited to come celebrate with them. Our Local Team Leader decided that we should make them some dinner to eat after the Service. Not to make this long with details, let's just say the talented cooks made dinner.I think this trip is

Late N Africa Update

2010-07-31T13:30:00.004-05:00

Sorry for the late updates on the blog. We hoped to keep everyone updated on our trip last week, but we didn't have a secure enough internet access..(or we were just too tired to type even one letter on the keyboard). At least we had the desire to write you at heart, but not enough to act upon it. ;) I did log some of our interesting adventures on my iPhone to share for later, so here's "

It's EE-lona Day in N Africa!

2010-07-26T09:20:00.004-05:00

**This was written on 7/19**Last year, I spent my birthday over the Atlantic Ocean, and lost 16 hours of my birthday. Kind of hard to celebrate my birthday then when I was exhausted from travelling.This year I wasn't prepared that I was going back to N Africa the same time as last year, and actually celebrate it IN N Africa! It has been wonderful day. I woke up to balloons all over my bed, and a

Better Late Than Than, um, Ever.

2010-07-20T16:19:00.006-05:00

Greetings from North Africa! We must be getting used to the Egyptian culture because I (Sarah) am writing this blog at 12:20 am WHILE WAITING FOR DINNER TO BE SERVED. Yes, dinner is an after-midnight affair, and bedtime is usually 2 or 3 am. We are told it's because Egyptians like to be outside when the sun is down and the weather is cooler, so they shift their "daytime" to include most of the

Safe (in His Arms)

2010-02-17T20:44:00.001-06:00

My dad loves telling this story about me (well a couple, but I'm willing to share THIS one). When I was 1 year old, my dad took my brothers, sister, and me to the Navy Hospital for shots before we left for the Philippines. He had my sibs sitting in the chairs next to him, but me in his arms. The nurse gave my sibs their shots, and of course they cried. He said that I watched him when they

This Neuro Class is Turning my Brain to Mush.

2010-02-16T08:41:00.002-06:00

I'm studying for a NeuroScience Certification, and I need to know the Neuro lingo before taking the test. After just going through the A's of this huge list (about.. well, a lot of pages), I'm totally convinced that:1. This is actually a research to see how much info you can put in a brain before you have a total meltdown..and I'm the guinea pig2. That these vocab words are totally made up by

Jogging Attempts?

2010-01-31T20:58:00.001-06:00

A week ago, I said I would blog something about my jogging progress. I'm here to report ...that it didn't happen this week. Booo, Leona. I know. But, I do have a reason. I've been sick all week. Quite hilarious and ironic just to look back to WHEN I got sick.On Monday, I went to see my doctor for a Physical. Labs were drawn and all, and I received an "A-OK" stamp of approval. The next day I

Appeasing a 12 year old food critic.

2010-01-28T02:28:00.005-06:00

You may think this is not blog worthy, but Hey! It's my blog. If you have the pickiest person eating 4 helpings of the meal, you know you did a good job! For all you Foodies out there, you know what I'm talking about. There's always one person at your table that's hard to please, whatever you make. Tuesday night I made "African Peanut Butter Stew" for my Small Group (bible study group). I have

My Dutch Oven Adventures

2010-01-27T17:38:00.006-06:00

This might sound like a Spin-off from Julie & Julia, but it isn't. Honest.I bought a Dutch Oven last year, hoping to make some kind of meals in it. I had it in my head that I could use it for "all-in-one" pot/pan. fry in it, bake in it, cook in it, etc. I didn't know what I really bought. It looked easy to use when I saw Alton Brown using his.(Silly me) Instead, it only collected dust on the

Amos' Story Music Video

2010-01-25T11:12:00.004-06:00

There's a couple at our church that adopted a boy from Haiti over 2 years ago, but were not able to bring him home to Texas because of Red Tape in Haiti. Aaron and Jaime can explain it a whole lot better than I can. Aaron wrote this song, Amos' Story, before the earthquake. Watch it and enjoy. I suggest a box of tissue next to you if you have tendencies of crying.Thank you, Jesus, for Happy

Determined to Blog More

2010-01-25T10:36:00.004-06:00

I've had this blog for 4 years now (wow). At first, I used it for journaling my Travel Nursing journeys, but after stopping in Austin, I've been trying to figure out what to write about. I've been writing less and less that it's been almost a year before I started up again in December. I need to do SOMETHING!I'm not as lively and creative as my friends Emily and Jen are when it comes to

A Port-A-Potty Life?

2010-01-24T14:26:00.006-06:00

Did that get your attention? ;)It definitely did for me. Last week, I was looking through my journal, and completed some thoughts I started in it. In one of my journal entries I came across a verse I wrote next to it to "definitely to need to REAP further". I dugged deeper into it, and found a "jewel" of a lesson out of it. When I later went to church, Pastor Matt pretty much taught the same

Digging the Word, and IN the Word

2010-01-11T11:05:00.010-06:00

I remember when I started my nursing career, I thought all those initals after a nurse's name was too much, such as, SoandSo Burns, RN, MSN, RRT, ACNP, CCRN, FAAN, FCCM, FAANP. For real! Really! Those are actually someone's professional suffixes! All those abbreviations are certifications that someone studied and took an exam for--EACH. As a new nurse, I said I'd be happy with just RN, BSN after

Friendships

2009-12-14T16:43:00.004-06:00

I've learned so much in these recent years about how precious friendships are. Best of all, that they're all orchestrated by God to mold us, shape us, encourage us, make us laugh, lean on when we cry or feel low. There are friendships that endure from the highest peaks to the lowest valleys, and yet come out even stronger. Then, there are friendships that are more like acquaintances. Acquaintance

2009-12-14T12:54:00.002-06:00

So far, I've lost 2 important journal that had a lot I wanted to post on my blog, but been procrastinating on getting that done. I've decided to be a little more diligent on posting my thoughts in case I'm an idiot, and I lose my journal again. At least, you won't have to wait for another 11 months to hear from me. ;D

Trip to San Diego is just as fun as being there.

2009-01-29T12:13:00.005-06:00

My flight wasn't as "adventurous" as my friend Jen's is. Then again, things that happen to her don't usually happen to normal people, and she's extraordinary.I sat next to this lady that was reading "The Shack." She's at the beginning of the book, so I had to try REALLY hard not to give away my favorite scenes! She's on her way to see her son graduate from Marine boot camp, and hasn't seen him

Austin's way of ringing in the New Year.

2009-01-01T09:03:00.012-06:00

Last year on New Years Eve, I celebrated the new year(2008) by staying home with a fireplace, S'mores, and Bourne Trilogy. This Year (well, now last year), I celebrated the New Year on a Party Barge!! My church was doing a fundraiser for a group we're sending to Egypt by inviting 140 people on a barge to ring in the new year and chat with the ladies headed for Egypt.It started mildly when my

2008 - Year of the Onion

2008-12-31T11:08:00.011-06:00

I wish I can say 2008 was awesome for me...well, in a way it was. It's good to look back and see what I've gone through and what prayers been answered. Looking back, I've seen received blessings, missed opportunities, painful lessons (too many of those), and finally doing what the Lord has been telling me to do: resting. It's been the Year of the Onion. I'm the onion, and God has been peeling my

All-American Holiday Feasts.

2008-12-31T09:20:00.008-06:00

This holiday season has been interesting and revealing for me. Where do I start? I'm a Filipino-American born in the US. I have eaten plenty of American food, and my mom has done a pretty good job learning to cook my dad's favorite American dishes when she married my dad and came to the US. However, after 38 years of my life, this is the first holiday I had a COMPLETE American Holiday spread of

Wow, 2 years....

2008-12-23T15:51:00.005-06:00

It's been 2 years since I first came to Austin, TX (well, 2 years in Jan 5), and so much has happened since then. I came to Austin just for a 3 month travel assignment, and then leave and not return. The Lord's plan is so much more than my own. I thought that after St Louis, I would move on to the new england coast, make my way south to Savannah, GA, then back to St Louis for Summer '08 to

A Texas Christmas Carol.

2008-12-08T15:06:00.005-06:00

That's right..I went to a play called, "A Texas Christmas Carol." I heard this play being called, "ridiculously hilarious," "awesome,", "priceless," and even "cracked up Christmas Carol." However, this play is not a comical play. One of my friends here in Austin works as a Theater Coordinator for a museum here. (can't give TOO much info..don't want to get her into trouble) The museum was

Old mill in Arkansas

2008-11-24T14:58:00.006-06:00

I was looking through all my pics and reminicing, and found some that I forgot to post when I got back to Austin. When I was driving down from St Louis, I decided to go through Little Rock, AR. I read about this old mill in Little Rock that looked interesting, so I went to check it out since I had the time. I found out that this whole thing is a "sculpture" replica of Pugh's Mill, an old working

random memories....

2008-11-17T20:49:00.004-06:00

Have you ever had one of your senses jog your memory? I love it when I smell, hear, or taste something, like pine, fireplaces, or Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latte that would remind me of an event or just something in the past. Just one taste, and I'm remembering the places I've been in the past holidays when I last drank it. Aw, memories....I love the holidays.

I miss road trips...

2008-11-13T13:14:00.008-06:00

This is starting to become a "what Leona loves" blog site. My last few blogs began with "I love..." And, to not disappoint:I forgot how I miss and love road trips, until I had to road trip to San Diego from Austin, TX recently. So many trivial questions came to my mind as I drove, and it was like de ja vu. I remember asking those same questions when I was driving around the country as a travel

A 4 year old's version of breakdancing.

2008-10-23T04:22:00.012-05:00

I went to my niece's wedding this past weekend, and while she and her son were dancing together, he started dancing like this. I didn't catch his head stance, but was able to get the rest. You gotta love him. I didn't know he had it in him.

For Jen (updated)

2008-10-01T22:38:00.012-05:00

Um...turtle.I remembered.

Amazing visual picture

2008-09-30T22:20:00.002-05:00

I love mapping out data just to get a visual picture of what I'm reading in the bible. Timelines, geneologies, etc. I like to break things down to get a better picture of what went on. This picture is way more intense than I'd ever do, but AWESOME none the less.How many of you out there believe that you don't need to believe the whole bible, or that the Old testament is no longer valid after

Am I a Radical?? Wow.

2008-09-28T12:06:00.001-05:00

Random Thought (though it's been rolling around in my mind for a while)One of my friends from San Diego came to visit me about a month ago, and one of the conversations we had was our experiences in the Midwest (east coast for her). We're west coast girls. We haven't heard or experienced anything east of the Colorado Rockies until the Lord moved us out here a couple years back. One thing that

Why I love Texas: Reason #451

2008-09-28T11:35:00.002-05:00

September has been a rough month, especially for Louisiana and Texas. The Texas coast is still picking up their lives that's been blown and swept away by Ike, and still waiting for power and water. This has been my first Hurricane season here in Austin. Last Hurricane season wasn't so bad to consider it as my first. This year, though, a lot of my friends at work compared this season to

Why am I a nurse? Why do I love my job?

2008-09-09T19:58:00.003-05:00

When bad days come around, like this one, saying,"Ilovemyjob Ilovemyjob Ilovemyjob Ilovemyjob Ilovemyjob" is just not going to cut it.WHY do I love my job?Watching patients coming in unsure of the outcome, but relieved, even a little, when I walk in their room to update them on their care, and assuring them.Watching parents and grandparents cry with joy as they watch their (grand)child walk again

What's your Viper?

2008-09-08T06:08:00.002-05:00

I needed to share this. I went through this study, and it can't stay in my journal for myself.There are times when I'm reading that I come across a story that I've skimmed by many times, and nothing has jumped out at me before, until this time around. This is one of those times. I've read this story in the bible before, and skimmed passed it. This time, something caught my attention. Paul has

God of This City

2008-09-03T18:35:00.002-05:00

I love this song. What makes this song even more amazing is the story that brought this song about. It was not written by a little blond guy from Texas, but by a group called Bluetree from Belfast. They were invited to do an outreach in Thailand, and found themselves in the darkest city they've ever been to, to sing worship songs, and hope to touch hearts. Below is the link of the story that

My first Triathlon season

2008-08-26T06:01:00.002-05:00

My first Triathlon season is now complete. It's amazing how I even got talked into it, but it has been a great incentive to get back into shape. In April, I was talking to one of my friends about my new bike, and somehow the conversation shifted directions, and I found myself saying "yes" when Anita asked me to do the Danskin Triathlon with her and Jennifer. When I searched the internet about

Another Texas experience?..

2008-08-20T23:52:00.003-05:00

Ok, about a month or so ago, I met this fabulous lady named Jen. She moved from St Louis about 3-4 months ago,and has been learning about Texas as well. One story she shared with me recently is so funny that I can't even describe it as well as she did, so below is the link to her blog site to read her adventure. Jen, thank you so much.http://healthydoseofgrace.blogspot.com/2008/08/

Is Texas a foreign country?

2008-08-16T12:07:00.004-05:00

It's incredible to see how much things have changed in my life. When I first moved to Texas, I could only describe it as a another country. I've lived in 3 states so far when I first got here, and I've seen how different it is. When I was first here, I was constantly reminded that I was in Texas by every billboard I drove by on the freeway, and I found myself saying, "wow, I'm in Texas. What

On the Trails again (to the tune of On the Road again.)

2008-08-15T19:00:00.002-05:00

Yes, that's right. I bought myself a new mountain bike. Check it out. I'm back on the trails. Actually, I'm not on the trails yet. I promise I will be careful this time. For those of you that don't know, I've had a history with mountain biking before I stopped. I gave my mountain bike to my niece when I was getting closer to leaving as a travel nurse, and I couldn't take it with me. (

A "friend"-ly visit

2008-08-12T04:09:00.002-05:00

I haven’t written in my blog for a while. (last Thanksgiving) I’ve been trying to think of what to write about, and a few of my friends gave me some ideas: make it a non-travel blog, write a different journey, write about my experiences in Texas/Austin, about life, etc. So, be prepared to see interesting trips, silly and trivial thoughts, and whatever comes to my mind. Since it HAS been a

A Texas Thanksgiving

2007-11-29T06:19:00.002-06:00

Hello, all.I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Crispy atmosphere, pumpkin pies, turkeys, and football games. Since I'm new on the block here in Austin, I have to work on the holidays. However, that's not ALL bad. I enjoyed a Thanksgiving lunch with my colleagues and patients' families at the hospital, and then later went home to warm up in front of a fireplace with hot chocolate. I

Prayers from Austin.

2007-10-26T15:00:00.001-05:00

Hello, all.Even though I'm here in Austin, my heart's in San Diego, especially now. I heard about the fires Monday night from the Rock Church. My brother WAYNE told me that I-15 was closed, but didn't say why. Later I got an enews e-mail from the Rock giving an update and what was needed for the evacuees. I've been staying updated AND praying that everyone will be safe. So far, my family is

Labor Day fun

2007-09-06T23:19:00.001-05:00

Yet another late blog. Let's celebrate Labor Day again.Happy Labor Day!! (though it's a couple days later)I got a chance to celebrate a holiday. WooHoo!! One of my friends owns a boat and invited us to celebrate Labor Day with him and his friend Travis. It was fun. Since it was overcast, not that many boats were on the lake. But, I doubt that would matter much or not. Lake Travis is HUGE.

Back in Austin

2007-08-09T21:39:00.001-05:00

This is a VERY LATE blog I drafted, but forgot to send. ooops. Be on the look out for more late blogs. :-) (sheepish grin)Hello again.I'm back in Austin, TX. I made it safely. I stopped at Branson, MO for a couple days to visit my friend Vicky that I met in Seattle last year. Since she's from Branson, I got a personal tour of Branson. We went to a show called "Dixie Stampede" with singing

Downtown St Louis

2007-08-06T07:09:00.002-05:00

Leona has shared photos with you. Downtown St Louis (1 album) I took one last trip around St Louis Downtown. Here's my last sightseeing trip in St Louis before leaving. Anyone

Back to Austin I go.

2007-08-06T06:28:00.001-05:00

Hello again, all.My assignment ended this past week, and I'm packed and ready to go back to Austin, TX. There wasn't an assignment available for me, and Austin was an "If all else fails" option. I have my license in Texas, and a great rapport with the hospital I worked at. I'm also considering settling in that area, and travel from that point. Maybe. I do miss my friends there, and I can

MO Botanical Garden Pictures

2007-08-06T05:23:00.002-05:00

Leona has shared photos with you. Missouri Botanical Garden (1 album) Here are the pics I promised. EnjoyLeona - Leona View

Missouri Botanical Gardens

2007-07-22T08:36:00.001-05:00

(This blog was started on my birthday, but I didn't get to finish until now. Sorry)Hello, all.Happy Birthday to me!! This Thurs (7/19th) was my birthday, so for this birthday weekend, I went to the Missouri Botanical Garden. Really beautiful. It has multiple gardens, in different forms and culture themes. There's a dome-like warehouse that houses plants from the rainforest, and waterfalls

Heritage Day Pics

2007-07-16T21:55:00.002-05:00

Leona has shared photos with you. Heritage day pics (1 album) They may be boring to some, but like I've always said, I LOVE history. Never boring to me. Enjoy.Leona

Heritage Day in St Charles

2007-07-15T16:28:00.001-05:00

Hello all,I never knew St Louis was called "the Gateway to the West," or why until I moved up here. This was the last TOWN Lewis and Clark stopped at before venturing into the unknown west. On May, St Charles celebrated Heritage Day which the re-enact that time, and how they lived and dressed when Lewis and Clark's expedition came along. Yes, and I apologize, it took me this long to download

Forest Park.

2007-07-12T22:10:00.002-05:00

Leona has shared photos with you. Forest Park (1 album) Forest Park is bigger than Balboa Park. At least, it felt like it. - Leona

Pics my family visiting St Louis

2007-07-12T20:43:00.002-05:00

Leona has shared photos with you. Family visit. (1 album) Here's the long awaited pics of my family visiting St Louis.Leona - Leona

2 weeks to go...

2007-07-12T20:17:00.001-05:00

Hello, all.I've been in St Louis for 2 1/2 months now, and it's close to the end of this assignment. I have been sightseeing still, however I have been slow in uploading my pics onto the blog. The weather here has not been TOO bad. It has been in the 90's, and the humidity is not as bad compared to Texas. I went to Forest Park last week. It's like Balboa Park in San Diego. I think I talked

Surprise, Lora!!

2007-06-27T20:04:00.002-05:00

Hi, all.My family came to visit, and to surprise my sister on her birthday (15th). My sister invited me to her birthday party that her family was throwing for her in Chuck E Cheese, so I brought everyone else with me. My mom and dad, my brother Wayne, Niece Maria, and Maria's kids Emma and Aidan. Funny thing is that we were planning the surprise her for a year, since I decided to be a travel

The adventure at the arch

2007-06-12T21:20:00.002-05:00

Leona has shared photos with you. St Louis Arch (1 album) Here are some pics of the arch. I'll revisit it again later.Leona - Leona

A "Link" to St Louis

2007-06-08T22:21:00.001-05:00

(I'm so witty.) Hi, all.I found a way to save gas, and still investigate all of downtown St Louis. It's called the Metrolink. Get it? Anyways.... The Metrolink is like San Diego's trolley, stopping at all the touristy areas, Convention Center, and stadiums. I took the Metrolink to the St Louis Arch, and I walked around the Riverfront.The Mississippi River is a nice color of brown. Maybe tan.

St Charles and Main Street

2007-06-07T23:05:00.002-05:00

Leona has shared photos with you. St Charles and Missouri River (1 album) Here are the pics of St Charles' Main Street. - Leona

1st week in St Charles

2007-06-07T21:50:00.003-05:00

Hello, everyone.Yes, I am alive and well. After downloading my Austin pics, I noticed how much I've done in Austin, but haven't shared it all. Sorry. Hopefully that will change while I'm here in St Louis/St Charles. Of course, I'm not starting well, huh. I didn't start well in my first week, though. I got sick on my first week here. (I know, poor excuse.) I found out the hard way that St

Beautiful Austin

2007-06-07T21:49:00.002-05:00

Leona has shared photos with you. Beautiful Austin (1 album) You're invited to view my online photos at the Gallery. Enjoy! - Leona

My friends From Austin

2007-06-07T21:00:00.002-05:00

Leona has shared photos with you. My friends from Austin (1 album) You're invited to view my online photos at the Gallery. Enjoy! - Leona

From Austin, TX to St Charles, MO.

2007-05-05T08:11:00.001-05:00

Wow. I haven't blogged for a whole month. Sorry. I went adventuring around Austin, and other areas just outside of Austin. I also have pics, but haven't had the time to send them to you. Hopefully, I will soon.Well, here's the update. I'm in St Charles, MO now. My last week in Austin was mainly to spend time with my friends from church. Last Saturday, my church had a get together called,

My musical weekend

2007-03-30T11:59:00.001-05:00

Leona has shared photos with you. Here are my pics from the SXSW (South by Southwest) weekend. Again, I apologize for the blurry pictures. - Leona Musical

Capitol building

2007-03-30T11:17:00.002-05:00

Leona has shared photos with you. I forgot the Capitol building pictures. Not as exciting as SXSW, but interesting history.Leona - Leona State Capitol

New assignment confirmed

2007-03-30T11:01:00.001-05:00

Hello, again.Wow, you haven't heard from me for a month or so, and now I can't stop e-mailing everyone. Anyways, I just had my interview with the hospital in St Louis, and it's now confirmed. I'll be working at St Joseph Hospital in St Charles, MO for 3 months. Contract starts on May 7 and ends on Aug 5.Philip and Lora get ready, cuz here I come to cause havoc in yet another state. I haven't

Preparing for my next assignment

2007-03-29T17:16:00.001-05:00

Hello, all.Yes, I have been touring Austin and the adjacent areas. I've been checking out the local BBQ places, and I think I have enough red meat in my system to last me a lifetime (though it might have been shortened with all that fat). Well worth it. I'm starting to acquire a taste for Austin. It took a while. There's a lot of places to hike here, and a lot of hills overlooking different

Texas Indepence Weekend pics

2007-03-29T17:11:00.002-05:00

Leona has shared photos with you. I finally downloaded my pics to share. I have more, but I won't clog your computers withh all of them. Sorry I haven't written for a whileLeona - Leona

Finally, I get to see Austin, TX.

2007-03-03T13:13:00.001-06:00

Hello, everyone.Sorry I haven't written for a while. Has it been an unusual winter, or what? Austin is not as warm as I thought it would be in the winter season, but I'm not going to complain. It's been better here than other parts of the midwest (sorry, Lora and Denny. You're in my prayers). It's finally warmed up enough for me to sightsee a bit. I haven't been able to do touristy stuff here

Ice storm pics.

2007-01-23T16:18:00.002-06:00

Leona has shared photos with you. After the news said the ice warning was over everyone in the apartment complex came out to chip the ice off their cars. I had to takes these pics. My first major ice storm, and from what I heard,

Live! from the ice storm in Austin.

2007-01-16T08:45:00.001-06:00

Hello from the cold weather Austin. Ok, who told me that Austin has the same climate as San Diego? I don't remember ice in San Diego, unless it's in the freezer.Everyone is probably hearing about the ice storm in the mid-west, especially the update on Texas. I'm safe and sound in my apartment, and staying in this nice warm place with plenty of hot tea. I don't know what everyone is hearing

Hello from Austin, TX

2007-01-12T17:36:00.000-06:00

Hello, everyoneHow's San Diego? I made it to Austin, TX safe and sound. Right now, it's 75 degrees and 70% humidity. I arrived here on Friday the 5th, and have been going through orientation since Saturday. A lot of online and paper tests to be done before I started on Monday, however I didn't finish it all until monday night. This is going to be a challenging assignment filled with a lot

View my photos

2006-12-26T09:33:00.002-06:00

Leona has shared photos with you. You're invited to view my online photos at the Gallery. Enjoy! - Leona Sedona Trip (1 album)

In the nick of time

2006-12-20T20:38:00.001-06:00

Wow. I guess it’s a good thing I left Denver and Seattle when I did. It’s 50mph and raining in Seattle and a blizzard that’s supposed to last for 2-3 days in Denver. I’m currently in Sedona, AZ where it’s in the 20-30’s degrees, but it's sunny and beautiful. I called my brother and sister-in-law, as well as my friends in the Midwest for the holidays, and they’re housed up at home or at work.

Happy holidays!!

2006-12-11T02:05:00.001-06:00

Hello, everyone.The holidays are here!! I have 2 more nights to work in Denver, then my assignment here is done. Then, I'm off to Sedona, AZ to vacation for a week with my parents, and then to Las Vegas where my parents live. I'm taking 3 weeks off before I start my next assignment in Texas. It's awesome when you take that first step towards God's direction, everything just falls into place

Pics from Pine Grove, CO and Crystal Lake

2006-11-16T15:21:00.002-06:00

Leona has shared photos with you. I was enjoying the scenery so much I didn't take that many pics, but here are the one I did take. - Leona Crystal Lake

My Next Travel Nursing adventure

2006-11-12T03:00:00.001-06:00

Hello, everyone.Wow! I can't believe I've been in Denver for 2 months now. My recruiter called me this week to ask where I want to go next. I'm still enjoying travel nursing. Best vacation to ever have. Work 3 days, and play for 4. Of course, since it's getting closer for me to leave, and I need to save for my trip to my parents, I'm working 4 days and sightseeing a little on the other 3 days.

To all the kids born in the 20's-70's.

2006-11-02T15:14:00.002-06:00

I don't usually do this on my blog, but this is an absolute must to share with you. Who can relate?LeonaFirst, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us.They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, sour cream and didn't get tested for diabetes.Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints.We had no

A snowy photo moment.

2006-10-28T06:05:00.001-05:00

I missed a photo opportunity when the trees on my street turned colors, that I had to get this picture before the snow melted off the trees.After driving in the snow a couple weeks ago, it's not as bad now. I'm starting to acclimate to the weather. It's rather interesting in Denver. It may be cold or snowing one day, but it would warm up the next day, and the snow will melt and it'll be

Pics of my family visiting Denver

2006-10-28T06:04:00.001-05:00

Leona has shared photos with you. Here are the pics of my family and me sightseeing through Denver and Colorado Springs. Enjoy. - Leona Family visiting

Hello again from Denver

2006-10-26T01:15:00.001-05:00

hello, everyoneSorry it's been so long since I last e-mailed everyone. I finally found a church here in Denver. Thanks everyone for your prayers. Work is improving. I'm starting to like the float nurse situation. I get an opportunity to check out the different units in different hopsitals. If I decide to stay here in Denver, I know which hospitals to go to. By the way, CONGRATULATIONS

My 1st snow for me in Denver

2006-10-17T15:31:00.001-05:00

Next lesson in life: how to dress in layers.In San Diego, there was no need for layers. I can just put on my sweat shirt and go outside in the "cold" weather. Here, it's a WHOLE different kind of cold. I'm learning to dress in layers, because the jackets I have with me are for San Diego winters. I can still feel the cold (40's above zero) with my thickest jacket . A couple weeks ago, the

Journey to Denver, via Utah

2006-10-14T16:03:00.001-05:00

Leona has shared photos with you. I forgot my camera a couple times while in Utah, so what pix I have from Utah is when I finally remembered to take it with me. I love Colorado. - Leona

Snoqualmie Falls and Mariners game photos

2006-10-14T14:20:00.001-05:00

Leona has shared photos with you. Better late than never, huh? But, this is ridiculously late. Sorry. Still, enjoy. - Leona Snoqualmie Falls and Mariners

I made it!!

2006-09-16T08:54:00.001-05:00

Praise you, Jesus!! I made it to Denver.Bad timing to start driving to Denver from Utah. I stopped at Riverton, UT to visit a friend of mine, and I was to leave for Denver on Friday. Unfortunately, I found out that a thunder storm was coming in that same time, as well as a snow storm in the mountains. Dark clouds settled on what looked like the WHOLE state of Utah, so no matter what route I

On the road to Denver

2006-09-10T16:12:00.001-05:00

Hello, all.Well, as of early tomorrow (Monday) morning, I'm leaving for Denver. I'll be driving through Nevada, stopping at Utah to visit my friend Penny for a few days, and then to Denver. From what I saw on local.live.com, it's pretty much in Cherry Creek area. I packed up my apartment, but now I have to figure out how I can fit in my CRV again. Wayne, I wish you were here to help me out

OWW (continued)

2006-09-01T14:37:00.002-05:00

Well, my root canal is done, and the Novocain is wearing off. 0-10 pain scale, I’d say I’m at a 10. Its good thing is that my endodontist gave me a prescription of some “happy pills”, called Vicodin. Last time I took this, it knocked me out for 4 hours. I hope it can do that again. My endodontist found out that my back tooth definitely needed a root canal, cuz the tissue in that tooth

OWWW!

2006-09-01T05:19:00.001-05:00

Hello, again. It’s getting closer to the day I leave Seattle. I work for 3 more nights, and then I leave for Denver. However, there’s been an unexpected situation that I have to postpone my next assignment by one week. I need to have a root canal before I leave Seattle, WA. I know everyone said that I’ll be OK after the root canal, but currently, I’m not. I’ve had a tooth ache that’s

Putting this out in prayer. (Getting close to moving again.)

2006-08-21T16:39:00.001-05:00

Hi, everyone.I hope everyone enjoyed the journey that I've experienced so far as a travel nurse. It's been a wonderful 2 1/2 months in Seattle, and I have less than 3 weeks to go. I've been told many times that I came to Seattle at the right time, and I have to agree. Seattlelites really know how to enjoy the summer, cuz it's the only time the sun comes out for 3 straight months. Yes, there has