Magic

We had a little scare this Christmas season. Well, Danny at the age of 7 still believes in Santa Claus. We set out to go see the jolly old elf and turns out he had to leave on an emergency. Needless to say my little guy was crushed. He teared up instantly. He thought he wasn't going to get anything for Christmas because he hadn't had a chance to go over it with the fat man. Total devistation. I was totally scared that he would lose faith and begin to question things. It was just awful. I was also really pissed at the facility for not putting someone else in the red suit. I saw at least 3 other candidates as a looked around the room. Well, as soon as I got past my rage at these heartless folks that almost broke my little boy's spirit, I got the idea to visit the Carson Mall:




Serious business.

Pure Magic.
One happy boy!

So far so good...

We are now about 1/4 way through our first semester of the second year of nursing school. We are split up into two groups this semester: Psych and OB/Peds and will switch next semester. From what I hear, OB/Peds is pretty rough...taking care of sick babies is never very fun. However, the psych rotation is no walk in the park! It was only four weeks, but I think that is just about all we could handle. The Northern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services has an inpatient facility, and these are the sickest of the sick. You see, thanks to Reagan, nearly all mental health cases are handled on an outpatient basis. The only way someone can be hospitalized for a mental illness is if they pose a threat to themselves or to others. Well lucky us, we got to hang out with the hospitalized folks, and boy was that intense! I have never seen the ugly face of schizophrenia until I walked into this place. And then of course we just had to tour Lakes Crossing, which is a pretty name for the facility for the criminally insane. Our teacher always told us that if the hair on the back of our necks stood up, then we should trust that and respond appropriately. Well, the whole hour and some minutes we were in this particular facility, the hairs on the back of my neck were standing at attention. Needless to say, I was on guard. I can definitely say that I will never work in that facility. Which, by the way, is the only facility of it's kind in Nevada...the scariest people are in this place. Just making eye contact will send shivers up your spine. If you can get up the courage to actually go in there!

So long, bus!

It was a great year we spent with you. I sure had fun driving around town feeling silly with one to three people in your eight seat capacity. I didn't have very much fun wasting all that gas. Too bad we didn't have anything for you to tow. At least the family you're going to has more than one child and a boat and a trailer you can tow around. Have fun, we'll miss you!

Here goes nothin'

After a bit o' delay, I am embarking on my first real shift at Renown as Apprentice Nurse. Quite a few of the other girls (and guy) in my class have said they had fun, but I am still a bit nervous about getting lost...although I went poking around the hospital with a classmate a couple of weeks ago and think we found oncology (my floor) by mistake. With a little bit of luck I'll find it okay...and maybe I'll even be on time :D Well, off to bed. Wish me luck...here goes nothin'!

Dear Lake Tahoe,

We miss your perfect beach weather!

It's been way up into the nineties and I am pretty sure we hit triple digits a couple of days ago. Currently it's 81 and I doubt it will get down into the sixties like the weather channel says it's going to. Needless to say our swamp cooler has been working overtime and our grass and plants are browning. We never had this sort of heat when we lived with you. I guess that's what we get for moving in with your buddy Carson Valley. I just wish someone would have warned us he was so hot tempered. You were so mild mannered, so good to us who love the outdoors so much.

Till we meet again,

The Hallins

New family member

Well here she is: Lucy (Lulu) Birdo Hallin. She's just about 8 weeks old, and she was totally unplanned. Spur of the moment thing. The "Birdo" is Danny's idea- a character from Super Mario Bros. Whatever. I liked Lucy and we settled on Lulu, although the little girls in the family that we adopted her from were calling her "Snowbelle" which is also cute, just not us. I almost always re-name my pets once I get a reading on their personality.

Queenie (originally named Liberty- Libby for short) is not too pleased about this new addition at all. Not that we expected her to be. She is an old lady in every sense. Very set in her ways and pretty grumpy about anything at all. Hopefully she'll adapt.

Eczema

It sucks.
I'm just sayin.
I am also open to suggestions because aveeno and hydrocortisone cream are not working for squat.
Gah!