MOMA

Hey everyone!

Hope you are all enjoying the start to another week! As I mentioned in the previous post, I visited the MoMa (Modern Mueseum of Arts) last week. I was especially excited to see an exhibit on Monet's water lilies but ended up finding soo many other beautiful works of art too! Every Friday night the MoMa has free admission (sponsored by our local Target Corp.), so I took full advantage of the offer (and would recommend you to do the same if you are ever around in the city on a friday night). Posted above is my favorite Monet water lily painting, and below....

Salvador Dali's famous clock painting.

Van Gough's starry night.
Monet's water lilies

Frida Kahlo's self portrait

Warhol's Marilyn Monroe

and me!

haha, it was a great time at the museum and I'm really looking forward to checking out some more museums in the near future. I also have a few other things up my sleeve that I'm hoping to accomplish while I'm here in NYC, including....seeing Wicked (a musical on broadway), going to the Today Show, seeing a concert at Carnegie Hall, going to the Rockette's Christmas Spectacular and perhaps even a taping of the Dr Oz show.

Well I'm off to bed, take care all and God bless!

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"Anyone who has never made a mistake, has never tried anything new."

-Albert Einstein

A little more...

So I'm currently sitting at my desk, just having woke up from a day of sleep, watching the sunset behind the empire state building....seems a little backwards but it works for me :) I just finished up a stretch of three twelve hour nights this morning. I definitely have days at work that build my confidence and others that really challenge and test me; it was refreshing to have the past few days really build my character and confidence as a nurse.

As mentioned (and shown) in my last post, last weekend Braydon came to visit for his birthday. We had such a great time but the days certainly flew by us both. Here are some highlights (and some more pictures to take you a long...)

-On friday night we went to a restaurant called the 'Water Club,' its actually a restuarant on a boat docked on the east river. I run by the place almost every day so I was eager to try it out. Below is a picture of the restaurant and then in the back (the lit up circle) is NYU Medical Center.

-Saturday we hoped to beat the crowds and went early to Nike Town, Bloomingdales, Dylan's Candy Bar and other stores in the midtown area. I posted some pictures from Dylan's--perhaps the most amazing candy store in the whole world.

We came back relaxed and then watched the Virginia Tech vs Georgia Tech football game (Braydon is a Virginia Tech alum), their loss was perhaps the only bummer of the weekend.

-On Sunday we went to Redeemer Church and then out to lunch with one of Braydon's friends at EJ's Luncheonette--a very cool 'old school' diner on the Upper East side. I was also able to show Braydon the unit I work on at NYU Medical Center. Sunday night we went out to eat at a restaurant called La Esquina. A few weeks a go I sat next to a man on the airplane ride back from home who recommended this restaurant. He told me that there is often a month wait list and that everytime he went he saw a celebrity. I posted a picture of the front of La Esquina--as you can see it looks like nothing spectacular--just a little diner. But when you go inside the hostesses take you behind a door marked ''employees only'' and walks you downstairs, past the kitchen, through another check point and into a restaurant that is described as 'a gothic vault ornamented with wrought iron gates and dripping candelabras.' We had some mexican tapas and enjoyed the ambience of the restaurant. Afterwards we walked around the East Village and explored the area.

On Monday I went back to work for a three night stretch, I have two days off and am back to it again :) I'm going to the MoMa (Modern Museum of Art) tonight to see an exhibit of Monet's water lilies (my favorite!). Take care!

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"Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm... As you grow older you will discover you have two hands. One for helping yourself, the other for helping others."

-Audrey Hepburn

Braydon's Birthday

Hey All!!

So I only have a few moments before I bee bop on to work but I wanted to post a couple of pictures to share with you all in the meantime. Braydon and I has an awesome weekend experiencing the city and celebrating his birthday. I'll share some stories when I have a few more minutes but enjoy these for now!

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"Over prepare and then go with the flow"

Pictures from home and another update from nyc

The beautiful angel food cake and muffins braydon and i cooked
At the gopher game
Random picture from my apartment
My ol' ole friends and i cheering at the Twin Cities Marathon

So I am currently sitting on the third level of the NY Public Library, listening to toddler time on the kids floor....haha, what I do to find the internet. I posted some pictures from last week when I was at home too, so please enjoy those!

I continue to be very thrown off by the time of day when I am working nights, I woke up this morning and could not figure out what time it was, what day of the week it was and what I had going on....haha, alas it was 7am on a Tuesday and I have nothing to do today but be on my own schedule :)

This morning I was running a long the river and I happened to run past a helicopter landing and a VIP get out and hop into a fancy looking car with darkened windows. I just so happened to be running in the same direction and unbeknownst to me, the car (with diplomat license plates) followed my way and then turned into the United Nations....I love the random little surprises you get in the city.

Well, I'm going to get some work done here on the children's floor (they just finished singing BINGO and Old McDonald....love that) but I hope everyone has a great day!

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"The difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson."

--Tom Bodett

Home and back again

Hey all!

Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the start of the cooler weather! i hear it snowed recently in minneapolis....so crazy! Well its been a really busy couple of weeks. I worked a long string of nights two weeks a go, then had a week off and now am just finishing up working a string of nights again. On my week off I had the great pleasure of visiting home, it was such a wonderful time! I watched the Twin Cities Marathon with some of my St Olaf friends and I also introduced Braydon to the joy of long distance running...I think I have him convinced to do the Walt Disney Marathon with me someday.... Braydon and I also logged a couple of 5:30am runs around Lake of Isles and at Hylands Nature Preserve (my old stomping grounds). Additionally, we went to a gopher hockey game, spent some time watching sports with the family, and my mother dearest and i did a little shopping too. I made it back to NYC last Thursday and have been working since then. The hospital is bustling as always, I find myself learning and growing more day by day; while I continue to face challenging situations I am confident they are helping me develop my physical, emotional and spiritual skills as a nurse.

I am continuing to be blessed here in nyc; I have begun to build a community through volunteering at the United Cerebral Palsy Center and a homeless shelter in the East Village, also I am keeping up with my nursing friends and am attending a church with a great young community. Well I have to go to bed (at 930am!) but I will post some new pictures when I get home and give another update!

Love to all.

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"Don't find fault in what you don't understand."

-French Proverb