You guys, I’ve received some pretty incredible gifts in the past month or so and I want to share with you how kind people have been!
First of all, our sweet sweet neighbors mowed our yard and lawn swept all of the leaves and took them away! Whether they got tired of looking at our yard or were just being kind, thanks either way Mike and Janet! They have always been such sweet neighbors to us. Many times we came home from a long day at my parents when dad was in the midst of treatment and our lawn would be mowed or trees would be picked up.
Second of all, my mom and I got to meet Jean not to long ago. To brush up your memory, here is my mom’s blog post about Jean: https://www.joscountryjunction.com/busy-saturday/
I just ADORED her necklace – It looks like a cross but when you turn it to the side it actually spells out faith.
A few weeks later, in my mailbox came a necklace just like Jean’s with such a sweet little note. She also included another chain for the necklace in case this one didn’t work! How thoughtful!
THANK YOU JEAN! That made my WHOLE week! 🙂
Another awesome thing, I mentioned in my blog post last week too was this rocking horse that showed up on my front porch! Carver LOVES riding his horse! We still haven’t found where it came from so PLEASE speak up if it was you! THANK YOU!
Finally, last week was my LAST day of clinicals with my students. I had SUCH an awesome group this semester. I always tell them on the first day: “I love orientation because I’m meeting 8 of my new friends today!” While we both respect professional boundaries, it is so true! I become their references, their friends, their mentor, long beyond their 128 hours of clinical time in their final semester before they become an RN!
This group was just so sweet. They got me a MASSAGE! I was so excited I booked one right away when I got the gift certificate! I got the massage today and it was truly wonderful. They told me that I don’t take enough “me” time and I make time for everyone else. They got me a few other “spa” day items and a bag of chocolates and a brand new CONTIGO water bottle: MY FAVORITE!
That got me thinking – Am I really doing anyone justice by working myself to death? My students are watching, my kids are watching, people are looking up to me and it is so obvious to them that I AM BURNT OUT and I’m not taking time for myself. That is NOT the example I want to set. That is NOT the message I want to teach my students. While the gift was so so appreciated, it also came with a lesson which is equally as valuable: you can’t pour from an empty cup.
So to my students (I know you guys are reading) I GOT my massage and it was FABULOUS! But thank you for reminding me about me. Thanks for slowing me down. So today I had a ME day. I got my massage, I got my haircut, I did some light housekeeping and had LOTS of cuddles!
THANK YOU! To those mentioned in this post and THANK YOU to my readers! Check back again tomorrow around 5:30 am!
Those snuggles look like the best gift of all! Enjoy all your blessings.?
Absolutely! You need to take care of you. Fill up your cup, so that you can continue to share w others
You will find you will be a better nurse, mentor, teacher, mother, daughter, sister, friend, wife if you take time to keep yourself healthy and whole. You still need date nights with your husband, play dates with your boys, girl nights with your mom/sisters/friends to keep yourself centered. I’m so glad you found that out before you stretched yourself so thin you snapped. You don’t need that!! You need to be smarter about keeping yourself much closer to the top of your priority list!! Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean you are selfish, because that empty well quenches the thirst of no one.