Rachel RN, BSN: 2012

It has been so long and so much has happened. I have been so busy working and enjoying my free time to update everyone.

Work is getting better. I know that makes it sound like it was bad. When I say better, I mean I feel more comfortable and I'm learning. I feel more confident when patients ask me questions and I can work more independently.

One of the greatest things at work is a lot of reps come through the office. They bring the doctors and the rest of us food while they talk about their product. I am used to being served free meals.

My second Friday at work was my first PAYDAY! I signed up for direct deposit, but it takes a month for it to take effect. Thus, my first paycheck was a hard copy, but it made it more exciting and fun.

That Friday, I was running one of the doctors all by myself for the first time and I was so busy, I had forgotten it was payday. When the office manager handed me the envelope, I was surprised. It was a little treat that I had forgotten about on a busy day.

I came home and opened it up with my parents and we celebrated. I took my parents out to dinner for the first time with ME paying.

This was my first weekend after starting work that I would be staying in town. I slept in and relaxed all day that Saturday. Sunday, my mother and I went to brunch at The Corner Bakery before seeing Hotel Transylvania.

Another week of work started. I get to enjoy the sunrises every morning as I sip my smoothie and coffee on the way to work.

I had bought some fabric for Lance and I's Halloween costumes. My mother cut and filled the fabric with beans to make yellow flags.

There were some birthdays at work and two of the girls made cupcakes. My favorite was the vanilla flavored rainbow one.

I had my first experience going to the Plano office. Every Thursday, one of the doctors is in Plano all day. I went in an hour early to be there at 7 and worked with the doctor and one of the other nurses. At around noon, the manager told me they were swamped at the Dallas office and that I needed to be there. I drove over to Dallas and ran the other doctor the rest of the day. I ended up working 10 hours.

I was allowed to come in at 9 that Friday and skip out of there by 3:30. That was a blessing because I was driving to Huntsville. I arrived in Huntsville by 6 pm and Lance hadn't made it there from Houston yet because of traffic...and maybe leaving a little late ;)

It gave me enough time to shower and get ready for the night.

We went to dinner at Chili's and then met up with his college buddies at one of the local bar across the street from his alma mater, Sam Houston State.

It was my first time to see Baron since his wedding in February of last year.

We had to be at the field the next morning at 11.

The Alumni Lacrosse game is a yearly tradition where the current lacrosse team plays the alumni.

I found it entertaining.

After freezing my butt off the night before, I welcomed the warm day. I ended up with a sunburn on my arms and legs.

I did not pack for cold weather and it hit the 50s that first night.

Lance and Baron

The current team ended up beating the alumni by a couple of points.

We grabbed lunch at Subway and then headed back to the hotel room for Lance to shower off.

We got ready to tailgate the homecoming game.

Lance and Danny

The game was sold out, so we didn't get to attend the game as planned. We met up with Baron and his wife McKinsey at the tailgate and walked across campus to the bar. I had some food because I hadn't eaten since lunch, but it was too late. I had had too much beer and it was time for me to get back to the hotel. It was an early night.

We checked out the next morning and went to lunch at a pizza place. The smell was too strong for me and I couldn't eat.

We went toured Sam Houston's homes at the park.

It was a beautiful day for walking around outside.

The home across the street was really into Halloween.

2 and half hours later, I was back in Arlington.

Scout had injured her eye the Friday that I left. The vet said she has an ulcer in her eye and she now has a cone she has to wear. She also needs drops and ointment in her eye 3 times a day =(

She did turn 6 months old!

She is also on tranquilizers to keep her calm and stop her from scratching her eye.

Poor thing.

My fourth week of work started.

That Wednesday, I had plans with Katie and Chelsie to paint.

We went to painting with a twist in Arlington. I had been to the one in Houston over Valentine's with Lance. Lance and I chose a really hard one.

The design this time was simple and enabled me to have a little more wine.

Red doesn't really go with the decor in my room, so I opted for more of a purple color for the center.

That Friday, I hit 77,777 miles on my car and it was PAYDAY! I was in a great mood and nothing could ruin the day.

I worked the phones that day and we were given more free food!

It was from a place called Zoe's Kitchen and I loved it. My mom recommended it to one of her friends who loves mediterranean food.

I drove straight to Houston after work and made it there by 8pm.

I jumped into my Halloween costume and we headed to his law school's Halloween party.

There was a cover charge, but then it was all the free drinks you wanted.

My favorite costume of the night:

Sarah Jessica Parker

We were replacement refs.

Sgt. Pepper

The next morning was a charity softball game the law school puts on every year.

I showed up thinking I would be watching. I was talked in to playing and going up to bat.

I thought I would miss the ball and make a fool of myself. Nope, I was wrong.

I hit the ball and then attempted at running to first base and tripped over myself and fell...and rolled.

Success, I made a fool of myself....

I bruised my knee and scraped up my hip. I'll be okay...but my ego sure did hurt.

I was not blessed with talent in contact sports. That is why I stuck with running. Not sprinting, long distances.

The team lost the first game, won the second, and lost the third. We got a break after the second game to have lunch and drink more. The whole team was drinking all day. Once they were kicked out of the tournament, we all tailgated in the parking lot for the rest of the afternoon. We went to dinner with the team at El Tiempo. We were almost talked into going to another Halloween party that night, but we passed.

I was worn out. I slept in until 10 on Sunday and started watching Pet Cemetery. I fell back asleep and got up at 1:30. I had to pack up my closet in Houston and empty out all of my drawers. =(

I hit the road around 4 and got back to Arlington at 8.

I went to bed and started my 5th week of work the next day.

Poor Scout still had her cone on. She has weekly appointments to see the progress. It keeps getting better, but has not healed.