Life on the 8th Floor of Duke Hospital

Duke huddle previous week: CareDoc Go Live Week! (Interpretation: all nursing staff will have new computer documentation.) I guess it's not so bad but I've only done on shift so far. There's tricky icons, and ways in which you could do excessive charting.
God has been gracious to help me find some friends among the staff. People of opened up to me when I least expect it. I also like John's model of remembering what's going on in their lives to allow them to know I care about them more than superficial stuff at work.
I took care of a patient the other night and their heart rate increased to the 160's! Most people regular rate is 60-80's/per minute. However the patient become stable enough to stay on our floor but God is gracious to provide the care I can give her through Him. My mom has said that He uses our hands! I am also reminded that Christ is the ultimate Physician.
Then to top of the night we had a code, my heart starts racing whenever that alarm goes off! EVIDENCE OF GRACE: another patient had pretty poor color (by that I mean blue) I couldn't see much of this patient's breathing , and someone tried getting a pulse rate, so after our charge nurse started doing compressions I also helped out doing compressions - then the patient started breathing on their own again while the respiratory therapist was on the verge of intubation...wow cool the patient's color came back! Then because this patient was not able to get the intensive monitoring they need this patient went to the MICU which is right around the corner from our unit...lucky us huh.
If you can remember to pray that John and I are a light and illuminate sketchy places of unbelief in peoples hearts if God is willing at my work picnic on Sunday. :-)

Ohio is on the radar

John and I have been praying about church planting and Ohio is a place of unchurched people. There was a pastor who said, "If all the people in Columbus, Ohio decided to attend church one Sunday there wouldn't be enough churches to hold them!"
John prayed we don't loose site of spreading the gospel here and now but his heart's desire is to start church planting in Dayton Ohio. Here where University of Dayton is located.
I also noticed Dayton is located in southern Ohio which means a little warmer weather. Well just a little!
We have a meeting with the Southern Baptist Convention and our Pastor Sean will be in attendance. Be in prayer as we seek others counsel and most of all we are trusting that God is working for our good.

wedding day reflections

My what a wonderful day to start remembering the moments of marrying John Alexander Pope.

First, my dad was about to walk me down the isle and he said. "You look like a million bucks."

My flowers arrived within minutes of taking our family photos.

I kissed my dress by accident and mommy helped try to get it out.

My mommy, my pastor, Holly Chilton, and other's prayed with me.

I had a great lobster-looking sunburn from the previous day and it kinda hurt.

My Grandfather was crying with tears of joy when John and I walked through the isle as married couple.

I fought my tears during the rehearsal.

I texted John in the morning, "I love you Johnny" his text, "I love you too!"

John's dad Mitch said something like this after the ceremony, "The devil will want to tear your marriage apart after hearing how much you are committing your life/marriage to God!"

My brother asked, Is this what people do before weddings? We were sitting around the couch after the wedding photos...

in love

(engagement photos by lane dycus)

01.2010

Happy New Years friends.

I have been so blessed! God is for me. I'm putting together some of my goals and priorities under the categories of godliness, church, career, reading list, projects/fun. My hopes are for intentional living, relationships, and spiritual growth. Johnny got me a book called Praying by J.I. Packer I really want to become disciplined to pray for others this year and I just purchased a journal that I will be writing my prayers in exclusively for John and his ministries. I have just made a prayer reminder for each day of the week.
I also want to be encouraged by memorizing scripture. His promises are true and vivid when in the midst of temptations and someone needing counsel, I hope to share truth most importantly! So here I begin another daily journey to know my Savior Jesus Christ.

Here's a verse that really inspired me in November for being a pastor's wife...
"But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." 2 Peter 3:8-9

TWO THANKSGIVINGS!

I went to Arizona for a week. Mike invited me to join him at his U of A classes he had still coming up that day, so I went to his pharmacology and pathophysiology class. Oh boy, I don't want to be taking tests right now. I'm so proud of him! I even met some of his fellow classmates.
My mommy is making me a quilt! So we went to the quilt shops, in New Mexico, Pima and Safford - she works so hard to piece together a masterpiece thanks mommy :D
I went with dad to the theology class, I baked breakfast once, some cookies, had dinner with the Smiths'. I ate with my friend Kim Denault - fellow nursing classmate again you get really close. For fun Andrea and I went to our favorite scrapbooking store. Then my friend Emily came for a visit. It's so good to hang out with her! She's engaged I can't believe how much God is working out in her life for her good.
Well I did say I had two thanksgivings...I was so happy to have an early thanksgiving with the Sommitz family, my family, and Grandpa. I love spending time with them. And no visit was complete without some card game called pinnacle!
I don't know how to insert pictures any more on my blog so I'll post them on my FB (Facebook).
For my second thanksgiving I went with John to his mother's house in Covington Ky. We had another dinner with his sister, Tracy, her husband Brent, John's dad, Mitch, and Granny (Shirley). John took me to Dayton for the first time my first impression - I like it. And there's big hospitals there. *wink
Okay so that's how I got to be so blessed with two thanksgivings.