The past two weeks have been a whirlwind! I've crossed the state of Wisconsin four times! After being away for five months, it is nice to attend family events. The first was the annual family reunion on my mom's side. Each year the extended family gathers over ample food, good conversation and an auction. The auction is a way to raise money to sponsor the next reunion. My grandfather usually has the honor of being the auctioneer. This year, the family had grown so much he had a bit of a struggle getting some attention. But he has his ways!
The next weekend included celebrations for my grandmother's 80th birthday and my friend's daughter's (Lily Belle) 3rd birthday. Both were equally special in their own ways! We celebrated Lily's birthday on Saturday. Wizard of Oz themed, she played the part of the good witch complete with a gown, jeweled crown and wand! It was so fun to watch her open her presents and see the excited smile on her face with each new toy or piece of clothing. I joined Lily, her parents, and three month old sister for a small celebration on her actual birthday on Wednesday. We went to Chuck E. Cheese. Man, did that bring back some childhood memories!
On Sunday, I headed back for home for my grandmother's surprise 80th birthday party. And boy was she surprised!
After dinner, grandma shared some words of wisdom and feelings on being 80. My grandma is such a special woman. She raised 8 kids with very little money and lived a hard life. You would never know it to look at the giant smile on her face. She is so full of joy that she lights up a room when she enters it.
The life of a travel nurse includes many sacrifices, the biggest is being away from family and friends. But, I now find that I cherish the moments I do get to share with them all the more now.
On one last note, I have started working on my next assignment. It will potentially take me away from Wisconsin in the near future. I am still working on the details with my recruiting company and the hospital, but I will keep everyone posted!
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