What were you doing...

Thank you Lorie for giving me this idea!

What were you doing 20 years ago?

• I was finishing up my mission in my last area of Petersburg, West Virginia, a tiny little town nestled 1 1/2 hours from the interstate highway where people live in the "hollers."
• I was excited to come home, but nervous about jumping back into "real" life with all of the stresses and pressures that came with it.
• I was scheduled to come home December 29th and would be returning to my family, but in a new house and new ward. I also was coming home to a new brother-in-law who had married my sister a few months before.

What were you doing 10 years ago?

• We were living in Salt Lake where I was doing full-time day care and teaching a few piano students.
• Paul worked for American Stores, but there were rumors of a buy-out that could affect us.
• We were expecting our fourth baby.
• I was the choir director at church as well as being the nursery leader; Paul was the elder's quorum president.

What were you doing on 9/11/2001?

• We were living in Meridian, Idaho; Paul was job-hunting at the time and I was just a few weeks pregnant with our fifth baby.
• I had dropped the older children off at school and come back home to a pile of laundry. After I got situated ready to fold the laundry, I turned on the tv for entertainment during this most mundane task.
• As the picture came up, I saw a tall building crumble to the ground over a few seconds time. I thought: what movie is this? and why is this on instead of the usual morning news show.
• It took less than a minute of viewing and listening to realize that this wasn't a movie, IT WAS REAL, and the change it effected on our lives and our country was permanent and lasting.

What were you doing 5 years ago?

• I was working the night shift full-time on the Mother-Baby Care Unit at St Luke's hospital as a CNA.
• Paul was managing a Taco Bell franchise and things were a little crazy at home with the busy schedules.
• I was home-schooling Holly half-day and taking her to school the other half of the day.

What were you doing 1 year ago?

• I was in my third semester of nursing school, and getting excited about the new skills I was able to use in my clinicals
• Paul was beginning his second year as a teacher's aide in the special education classroom at Frontier Elementary, and took Ellie with him every day to attend all-day kindergarten at the same school.
• I was still working on the Mother-Baby Unit but looking for the opportunity to switch to the float pool.

What did you do yesterday?

• I had a clinical rotation at a mental health hospital 7am-3pm; class from 4:30-6pm; and worked (in the float pool!) from 7pm-11:30pm.
• I planned the fun, ordinary things I want to do with the kids after I graduate--like reading with Ellie (Paul gets to do that all the time--I'm jealous!), play games with Maddie and Emily, "go places" with Holly, and have long conversations with Daniel.
• I read my family's website and blogs to catch up on their news and enjoy the pictures of their beautiful children.

What am I doing today?

• I accepted a job offer from St. Luke's for a new graduate nurse position with the float pool on nights!
• I'm getting paperwork ready for graduation and applying for the NCLEX boards.
• I'm working tonight from 3pm-11:30pm.
• Kiss my children's sleeping faces before I go to bed.
  

What will I do tomorrow?

• Hug my children and tell them how grateful I am for them and that I love them!
• Remind my family that there are only seven weeks of my school left before graduation!
• Hug them all again!
• Work from 11am-11:30pm.
• Tell Paul how much I appreciate all he does to support me while I'm finishing school.