giving of thanks

it's never a day too late to be thankful, right?

i'm reminded how thankful i am for the one thing in this world that makes life worth living, l.o.v.e.

the undeserved, immense love i receive from a gracious God,

the unconditional, constant love of my dear family,

and the encouraging and caring love of friends.

i've been stricken with how thankful we think we are.

 we including myself.

we give thanks for oh so important things.....

cars.

shampoo.

cell phones.

technology.

materials, materials, materials, MATERIALS.

fail to see this in modern society....take a look at what occupied most american's days today, SHOPPING.

some poor souls even started standing in line yesterday on THANKSGIVING for these possessions....

things you can't take with you.

we are so lonely, yet keep grabbing anything in sight that will push us further away from human interaction.

this makes me oh so sad......

the thing i'm most thankful for is that to which is not seen but felt.

that indescribable string of l.o.v.e that binds me to souls, faces, loved ones...not THINGS.

i pray that the good LORD will continue to give me wake up calls as to what life is worth living for.

"Life is a gorgeous, broken gift.

Six billion+ pieces waiting to be fixed.

Love letters that were never signed, sent to where we live."

 -Sleeping At Last

favorite things...

being home elicits comfort.
these past few weeks, i've been reminded what several of these comforting items are.

1. my parents garganteous bed, which happens to be temptingly comfy & soft 

i'm blogging from here as i type this now...

be jealous.

2. the below view from the mentioned bed from above

love waking up to the sun shining through the sheer curtains....even if it's at 11:15 in the a.m.

3. watching the Today Show in the a.m. before crawling into the big bed for a morning nap.

quite a lazy and wonderful morning routine i have...somewhere in the mix i partake in an unhealthy breakfast. 

yesterday it was waffle cone loaded, peanut butter streak ice cream, which promptly gave my increasingly lactose-intolerent tum tum an ache of a lifetime.  

no bueno..

inner child.

the sister and i had the privilege of watching our gorgy nieces 4 nights this past weekend.

Alyssa Nicole & Abygail Serenity Renne

are.

simply.

precious.

Aly is 10, and Aby is 7.

Aby, Lex (nephew), I, and Aly
2 years ago

recognition of the awesome responsibility i have as an aunt has been weighing heavy on my heart lately, and this weekend was the perfect opportunity to be intentional with the time i share with these girls while they are still girls..

i've experienced a different dynamic with most of my nieces and nephews due to our closeness in age, and for a time being, some have lived with us during their baby/toddler years. 

it's a bond that i don't share with my aunts and uncles, not because there is a lack of love, but a difference in circumstance.

rebecca, cody & i share such a comfortable relationship with them that evokes fighting like siblings and resembles a relationship of just that, siblings.

this on one hand is splendid because we love hard, as siblings do, but then again it's easy to fall in the routine of treating each other as nothing special.

SOO...

i recently read this on A CUP OF JO blog on how we should talk to little girls, and it left me heavy hearted to adapt this way of empowering little girls. 

this weekend i asked questions of the girls about their dreams and future.

what their favorites of miscellaneous items were.

read to them.

took them swimming.

let them help.

baked and cooked with them.

danced with them.

and watched in awe at the amazing sisterhood they share; protecting, uplifting and loving each other.

it also brought out the memories of pretend play which ensued laughter.

Aby my 7 year old niece at random moments would inform Rebecca & I that our feet (dangling off the couch) were suddenly snakes which she then tried to wrangle.

favorite conversation i overheard Aby having during her pretend play:

(while on the pretend phone)

"what, did you just pull in the driveway? get those snakes in here PRONTO, right away!"

whatta man, whatta man, whatta man....

what a mighty fine man,

yes he is (will be)

so I read this i.n.c.r.e.d.i.b.l.e. article yesterday, from Donald Miller's blog.

you can find it >>>>> h.e.r.e.

anyways it empowered me to seize control over my whiny little lack of a love life.

it called me out and encouraged me at the same time.

mooving on. i decided to make a list of qualities that must be present in a boy before i consider him hubster material.

i broke out the husband journal that i began when i was just a freshie at university and comprised my list to pray over and check twice before considering a relationship serious.

here it is:

*loves God whole-heartily 

*passionate 

*makes the world a better place

*listens to me & doesn't interrupt

*adventurous

*thinks about me a whole LOTTA...and lets me know

*challenges me to become a better human and christian

*LEADS

*loves to learn and teaches me new things

*protects me

*values my opinion

*shows me he misses me

*PRAYS

*is g.r.e.a.t. with strangers, elderly & kids

*actively pursues me

*seeks God's will

*prays for me

* makes me laugh

oookkk...now cutie McCute cute...let's get here.

when you start me up...

today after arriving to work, i struggled with the usually trivial task of turning off my car....

IT.WOULD.NOT.BUDGE.

hello Oakley Cian, i need to be on the 4th floor of that hospital in 10 short minutes...

she.did.not.care.

after 40 minutes of wiggling, jiggling, and 4 phone calls to my Pa, Jenny-Lou, and Heath (Jenny-Lou's hubs a.k.a. my mechanic)

i was left with no choice but to drive this stubborn car to the hometown.

i was planning on heading that way after work, but Oakley had other plans obviously.

oh joy.

set me FREE

sometimes BIG CITY living suits me. 

source

 -i get to meet Kenny at the bus stop

 -ride the city bus when Oakley Cian is out of commission

 -see diverse settings, scenes and characters occur on a daily basis

 -get dominos delivery

 -be close to KUMED

 -witness the bike transportation

 -admire old houses

but mostly feelings and cravings remain for this>>>

my hoyt.

my hometown.

my heart.

my home.

where the crime is considerably less, and the sense of community is much more.

where the loves of my life reside.

where life is simple and slower.

where the setting sun is the prettiest.

where folks are nicer.

where my childhood is kept.

i've always battled with the ideas of future living with my future family. living in the ghetto, in an old house that i can fix up or farm life? and i've always concluded i just want both. 

now i'm reminded which one i desire more though. 


and that's the life found in the freedom of the countryside.

where the preposterous HEAT actually has a purpose.

source

i miss backporch sittin'.

fishing at the pond behind my house.

the constant state of awe at the beauty of the wide open spaces.

homegrown food being the only thing on my plate.

watching our garden grow.

2 lanes instead of the freeway 6.

"you can have roots and wings"

truth.

but my roots sustain me, steady me and are deep.

i guess maybe i'll just satisfy this craving by cooking my homegrown, home-canned green beans tomorrow.

lighter note

fridays deserve to be funny fun fun.

so, i thought i share some classic, ridiculous moments of my life this week.

embarrassing moment numero uno:

our toilet threw a fit this week yet again. there was absolutely NOTHING blocking the drain, i'm certain. to be completely honest and real, amanda and i had not pooped in it to clog it.

BUT...

for some odd reason it was filling with water to the brim, and of course i was the only one here

SO

i decided that it was finally time to go purchase our very own, first plunger.

the toilet had pulled this same stunt a couple of weeks ago and we borrowed our neighbor across the hall's.

i had proudly walked out of the local grocery holding a toilet plunger solely in my hand. i even thought to myself, "at least i don't know any of these people."

THEN

i arrived back at the 1S, and to my horror found our new cutie putie neighbor Sean out on his balcony above our apartment!!!!

(insert theme music from the movie Psycho)

greatness.

i stayed in my car for 2 or 3 minutes rummaging through things, pretending to be on the hunt for a treasured, lost item.

with no avail, sean remained on his porch and i accepted my embarrassing doom.

out of the car, crossing the street, holding the plunger and of course sean waves and asks how i am.

i quickly respond, "er good, our toilet's being stupid."

word vomit.

i really wish my brain had a filter!

he chuckles..."oh yeah..that stinks!"

"yeah we haven't even went number 2 ( #2, am i toddler?) and it's acting clogged!"

vomitting all over at this point

"ohh sounds like you might have to call Manny!"

"oh yes, Manny our latin lover, handy man!"

thankfully he changed the subject to the mini garden he planted for us and we stayed on this, one of my favorite topics for quite a while.

embarrassing moment 2:

i just finished watering our one and only hanging flower plant, i bought last month, when i had an accident.

while trying to hang it back on the hook, it fell and went crashing down the steep hill in front of our place.

a.w.e.s.o.m.e

the dirt and flowers came completely out.

so when i'm in the process of picking it up, of course who's outside grilling!

"hey katelyn!"

"hey sean...how are you?"

c'est la vie

salt in the wound....

 my heart was broken today.

over, and over again.

i prepared myself mentally at 5:45 this morning after receiving my float pool assignment to the burn unit. "okay KATELYN...this is probably going to be gruesome." 

in all actuality, my eyes didn't have to witness the dressing changes of the most severe burns, but my whole being was overcome with sadness and heartbreak from one patient.

it wasn't this patient's wounds that were the worst of it for me.

when i was told that the patient in "such and such" room was 13, i was enthused. to some this may seem like i have no heart, but in fact it's due to MY HEART....a heart that's still a child itself and loves any interaction with little/younger humans.

i must admit at first i didn't catch on. 

"no one's in here right now, hmm..kinda weird, but i'm sure the parent's just went home for a bit,"

i thought upon first entering the room.

it was late morning before i heard why this 13 yr. old patient's cries and moans of pain during an excruciating wound debridement were not soothed by a loving voice by his/her side.

this 13 yr. old was abandoned in every since of the word.

without anyone.

in the hospital.

for over a week.

with no one loved ones to explain these grown up medical terms.

the parents were both in jail.

the grandmother refused to take of this 13 yr. old any further. 

as it was put in the chart,

"the grandmother states she no longer WANTS.."

today i remembered blessings.

my family.

my GOD.

my longing for adoption and foster care.

and my own brokenness.

how must this beautiful child feel?!?! no wants them???

  are you kidding me?!?!

are you crying yet?

i'm welling....

in fact today....it hit me a couple of times.

yes, this kid is rough around the edges, already curses like a sailor, and called me stupid b/c i couldn't play a game right, but i saw something else.

i saw the face of a human being.

a child.

an orphan.

an image of God.

my heart is still aching. i'm going to take the next twenty minutes to pray for this lost child of God solely.

if you're reading this.....please take the time to pray for this individual too.

i can't reveal anymore specifics due to patient confidentiality, BUT the beautiful thing is that the God you're praying to already knows this one's name.

pray for healing. emotionally and physically.

for an unconditional love shower.

for hope.

for encouragement.

for wisdom for those who will be placed in their life.

for the hospital staff.

most of all for THIS little one.

the dreaded SINK

i should be in my tiny kitchen. i should be standing at the sink in my tiny kitchen. i should be placing my hands in warm, soapy water in that sink, scrubbing the pile of dishes that awaits me. 

BUT....

i loathe doing the dishes! always have and i suspect i always will. when i returned home from a week of dishwasher bliss , i was greeted by the nasty surprise of an overdue pile of dishes...i started on them last night, and seriously got through half, but made the fatal move of "taking a break" and have yet to resume. not to mention amanda and i have added a few plates and bowls to the pile by now.

oh yes and there's more

when will it end?!?! probably never...also it might be noteworthy that it's 12:35 and i have yet to shower....i feel gross and should shower...i should also go take my chubby bunny out for a run....

hmm...i'll get back to you on all the "should" progress.

here's to-

dressing cute again...one day at a time.

falling off the blog...and the art of returning!

after an anxiously awaiting friend's patient wait for my return, i've finally returned.

 i will begin with part 2 of that friday that seemed forever and a day ago..

Oakley Cian my Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme sat in a US BANK parking lot overnight with her fate looking grim. my dear friendsie Annabel rushed to the rescue to pick Rebecca and I up after this whole ordeal and we rushed a late employee named Rebecca to her work place. later that night we returned to the US BANK parking lot after I googled possible problems and solutions for the old beast of a car. i then called my trusty mechanic (my friend's hubster) for wisdom. he told me not to believe everything on google, because that was not what the problem sounded to be. we ended our convo and i inspected one more time under the hood for any clues, at which point i smelled the distinct and nasty fumes. i called my Pa. he then told me to call the mechanic (a.k.a. the panty phantom...as i call him for kicks and giggles) to see what to do. " I DON'T CARE WHAT CABLE, BUT GET YOUR BATTERY DISCONNECTED NOW!"

yes sir.



thankfully the panty phantom was venturing to KC in the a.m. anyways and offered to hook up a new battery if i provided the battery. needless to say the next morning the car doc fixed Oakley and told me the battery was on the last straw, and the accident only bumped it enough to make it an official dunnzo. miraculously no other damage was done!!! PRAISE THE GOOD LORD!!!:)

THAT'S NOT THE END!!!!

  that same FRIDAY night after getting the battery disconnected Anna, her sister Alison and my sister Rebecca and I all went out on the town for some fun! after eating some delicious yum yums at my favorite spot THE FOUNDRY we went to see BRIDESMAIDS! if you haven't seen this movie yet, DO IT. i found it to be laugh out loud hilarious, and that was my 2nd time to see it!

 the funny part of the night...

was when i pulled a classic Katelyn move after the movie.

we were exiting the theatres on an escalator, when i unintentionally stepped onto the step right behind an unknown guy, forcing me to awkwardly brush up against him on accident... which made me realize how creepily close i was as i backed up onto the step behind me while apologizing. he reassured me it was fine, BUT as soon as i got on the step behind me, it just hit me how creepy that must have looked and i did one of those unavoidable HU HU HUHH laughs really loud.

e.m.b.a.r.a.s.s.i.n.g.

he turned around and i said, "so sorry again, i just realized how creepy that must have been!"

to which he so kindly kept repeating, "no, no it's fine, you're totally fine, you couldn't help it!"

it's true....i just cannot help my creepiness world.



the FRIDAY...part uno

friday was certainly a day to remember!

after impatiently waiting for my very first paycheck from KUmed to arrive, i finally received the call to come pick it up last friday after a week's worth of delays. i picked up the sister from olathe so we could laugh hysterically and she wouldn't be bored before going to work at 3.

pick up paycheck, done. whilst driving towards the highway on shawnee mission pkwy we abruptly were stopped by the impact of my dear oldsmobile Oakley slamming into the back end of a PT cruiser. 

NO! I WAS NOT TEXTING!

i was completely focused on the road! the car in front of me suddenly jerked into the left turning lane and left me an awesome present waiting ahead....a parked car. this is how that accident occurred. i tried with all my might to stop, but it was inevitable. 

the funniest part was after a forceful impact and bump my darling sister said, "S*#!" and then immediately apologized. after discovering alongside the driver of the other vehicle that both our beastly cars appeared fine, we both returned to our cars...he left.....i stayed put. why?

 MY CAR WAS DEAD. no power, no flashers, no electrical for the locks or windows or NOTHING!

can you say shit and still be a c-h-r-i-s-t-i-a-n? well, i sure did. there we are in the middle of a lane without hazard lights to put on, stuck. i immediately call my mommy of olathe a.k.a. my friend annabel  who graciously walked me through what needed to be done. 

while on the phone with her some dear, kind ladies pulled up behind us and proceeded to hoop and holla due to the stop (mind you i was politely waving them to go around), the passenger then decided to flip me off outta of her window and when passing me screamed "TURN YOU F-ING HAZARDS ON!!!"  (and rebecca screamed back, "I CAN'T" when they were already ahead of us) meanwhile you know what sticker was on the back of their car???

A MANAGER SCENE.

thank you very much ladies.

after 2 police cars, 3 officers, and some push, my car ended up in the US BANK parking lot outta of the road......

part 2 tomorrow...

the tale of the starbuck's napkin...

    Right now this post is coming to you live from Oakley Cian my grand boat of a Oldsmobile Cutless. You brought Millicent the Mac with you in the car to blog?? Actually no. I'm documenting this on a wonderful non-bleached Starby's napkin.

the novel on the nappy

 Rather than pretend to be a normal, non-awkward personality and stay at my apartment with the latino lover boy of a handyman Manny and his adorable Papa, I departed an hour early for work....it's less than 2 miles away, yes. Average length of this commute is less than 10 minutes, so this was most definitely superfluous. 
 Why in the name of all that's good that I had a awkward attack might be due to the surprise arrival of the handymen or their charming looks or perhaps the mere fact that the door was answered by a dweeb who was wearing her scrub pants and only a spaghetti strap under tank. I felt bare, exposed and cold quite frankly BUT my idiot self failed to realize the necessity of my scrub top before welcoming the boys. 
 To say I was completely unnatural acting in my own apartment would be an understatement. Suddenly I lost all recognition of how to act or what I should be doing. "Should I sit in the chair in the dining room or just go to my room? Do I finish my Mac 'N Cheese or get on my computer? Should I offer to help?" Seriously I should get a grip. Obviously it would have been amusing to be the fly on the wall of apartment 1S today!


P.S.~ the new artist and song for today is from Juliette Greco!