why I am so stressed...

so I have been having yucky nightmares for the last couple of weeks. Last night I had a dream that someone was holding a gun to my head. This is likely for a few reasons:

1. Having watched an assault a month ago

2. Not sleeping enough and being exhausted all the time

3. Being stressed out

I previously blamed #1 for my nightmares but today I decided it was #2. Evidence why I am too tired:

ex. Today I woke up and went to get on the scooter to go to work. The scooter was gone. It was for sure stolen. The last time I had drove it was Wednesday when I had picked up Elissa on 23rd to scoot her home. All hell broke loose, I was late for clinicals, my clinical instructor called in sick, the whole staff at the clinic left for a two hour meeting mid day when my prof. was coming to the clinic to assess my skills.

I grumpily walked to my running group at the Seattle Running Company (come one, come all!) and met my friends Kellen and Aaron for a nice leisurely run. Afterwards we walked to campus to eat at the amazing $2 salad bar. And guess what we saw on the way?! THE SCOOTER!! Apparently I drove the scooter to campus at 6:30 am on Friday morning for class (which I really don't remember...) and left it for 5 days parked in front of Starbucks.

I guess I should go to bed now and try to get some sleep...

How I long for a free day...

This whole having 4 classe plus working on a masters thesis in addition to work is tricky. I'm enjoying school but I could really go for about 7 days off in a row. One day would just stress me out more. I would just be thinking about all the things I would want to do and never actually do any of them. These are the things I would want to accomplish:

1. Rock climbing
2. Trail run
3. Cleaning the fridge
4. Dusting the house
5. Working in the garden
6. Getting the car a tune up
7. Drying more apples and making more applesauce
8. Going to Goodwill/Bins and finding some reasonable work clothes
9. Taking our free pile to goodwill
10. Selling clothes at Crossroads
11. Using my REI coupon
12. Hanging out with Heather and getting coffee
13. Going to the sculpture parl
14. Go to the Frye for lunch
15. Change the sheets on the bed
16. Putting fenders on my bike
17. Getting a massage
18. Finally getting my hip/back X-rayed
19. Getting my HPV shot
20. Make pizza dough and freeze it
21. Getting crumpets with Mariah, Laura, Kate and Carly (how I long for biscuits and gravy from the Globe also)
22. Watch a netflix movie
23. Sleep in with my cutie
24. Try to track down my lost jacket
25. Visit my sweet niece and nephew (actually Dashel's)
26. Take my friends kids to the aquarium
27. Wax skis/snowboards
28. Plan a trip in December
29. Buy a new big french press
30. Go to sleep before 10 and read with Dashel in bed!
31. Go to a pumpkin farm and roast pumpkin seeds

soooo scared...

Last night I saw my first assault and mugging. It was awful. It's a long story but you can read all about it HERE. Yuck.

My favorite zucchini bread recipe

Not too bad for you zucchini bread
(makes 2 8-inch loaf pans)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Bowl 1 (combine all ingrediants):
1 whole egg and 2egg whites (you can substitute 1/4 C applesauce for the whole egg if desired)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup non-fat plain yogurt (soy, goat or cow although I like Nancy's or Strauss best)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Bowl 2 (mix all ingredients):
2 cups flour (I usually use 1/2 wheat and 1/2 plain)
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2teaspoon baking powder

Combine bowl 1 with bowl 2.
Add:
2 cups of grated zucchini
1/3 cup chopped nuts

Pour mixture into two greased loaf pans and bake for45 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.

As a special treat, I highly recommend melting one or two squares of unsweetened plain bakers chocolate and mixing into the batter as a last step. It changes the color of the bread and also makes it seem like dessert. You can use the same recipe + chocolate for a healthy version of cupcakes.

Enjoy!

why I am so stressed...

because school has begun! Only 11 more weeks to go. Ugh. Wish me luck!

In more important news...

I did my first solo pap smear and speculum exam! Oh the excitement! AND the patient said it didn't suck anymore than usual! YEAH!!

Tomorrow is my first day as a pediatric nurse practitioner. Wish me luck!

Five years and counting...

Dashel and I spent the weekend in Whistler, BC celebrating the big fiver. A few months ago I won two nights stay at Evolution Hotel (a fancy place we could never afford) and we took them up on the offer! I had a cold so we primarily laid low and took advantage of the two beds, three TV's, fully stocked kitchen, two bath tubs and two full bathrooms (boo-ya!). We also spent time in the sauna, steam room and pool trying to release all the mucous from my poor nose! It was such a treat!

Standing on our deck after a yummy fresh pasta dinner

Updates!!

So many updates! First off, I just got back from Haiti one week ago. I went to Haiti with an organization called "Midwives for Haiti". I spent some time in Port au Prince with a great woman, Beth, who started the organization "Haitian Creations" which helps women learn sewing skills. She also has started an orphanage that has a tilapia pond, a chicken coop, a roof top garden and a trampoline. She is currently developing a women's health program also. We spent some time doing prenatal visits at her new clinic.

After Port au Prince, we headed to Hinche, Haiti which is in the Central Plateau. We stayed at an orphanage "Maison Fortune" with two fabulous men, Brother Michael and Brother Harry. Michael took us on adventures around the village and introduced us to his friends and co-workers.

Me with some local kids

Sweet, sweet girl

We spent the majority of our days working. We worked in the clinic at the orphanage in addition to training midwives how to place Norplant, a long-acting birth control. We also spent part of our days at the Missionaries of Charity Azeal feeding center which is a home for kids who are sick, hungry and/or homeless. Many of the children were dying while others were visibly thriving. One perk of the visits was the sweet baby pictured below. She is 8 months old and weighed 4lbs when we arrived. She was tongue tied and we clipped her frenulum which now has allowed her to suck for the first time in her life. I sure hope her mom comes back for her so the sister's can tell her that it was not her fault her baby was sick.

Tiny baby and April

Us watching the midwives practice using their new vacuums for difficult labors

One of our last days after we were stuck in a rainstorm (aka Hurricane Erika)

Overall the trip was fantastic. Emotionally exhausting and absolutely worth every second.