A little more from the mini-apple

Hello hello!

Best wishes to everyone.

I have a few more picture to share from my past visit to Minneapolis. Sitting here in my little nyc apartment I must say I'm a little home-sick for all my friends and family...luckily I only have to wait three more days to see them :)

Above and below are pictures of Braydon and I on our walk home from dinner through Loring Park. The park is just a block away from Braydon's condo and a main part of his (and mine, when I visit!) daily walk to work.

On our last night together we made our favorite dinner...chicken, salad, broccoli and ice cream....I don't think either of us cook a lot when we are alone but we love cooking meals together. Note the beautiful center pieces of roses waiting for me upon my arrival to mn :)

Above mom is giving Bailey his daily facial while watching the vikings game with family and friends.

This is what I miss most about being away from home....my amazing parents, my loving bro, all the wonderful neighbors, the cozy fireplace and a home full of love.

Until next time, love and peace to all!

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"The light of divine wisdom shines in my thoughts and fills me with understanding."

-Silent Unity

Time well spent in to the mini-apple

Good Afternoon!

Greetings from a chilly, blue sky day here in Minneapolis, I'm on my last day of vacation and am off early tomorrow morning for the big apple. As always, I've had a wonderful time in Minneapolis with family and friends. I seem to pack so much into my time here that its almost hard to call it a vacation (just kidding...it has been relaxing too!).

Some of the week's highlights include: going out to dinner at Nami (a sushi restaurant downtown) and Joe's Garage, running around the lakes, spending time with Braydon, watching the vikings game with my family and neighbors (although that may be considered a lowlight...), going to church with Braydon and friends, spending time with neighbors in Braydon's condo, going to a comedy club, playing broomball, watching the ''Hurt Locker'' (although a bit heart-wrenching, I really recommend this movie), having lunch at Baccio's with mom and dad, pursuing Target and Barnes and Noble for hours with mom, scrapbooking, reading my new pathophysiology medical textbooks (did I mention that I'm a nerd....I'm not even in school and I love reading textbooks...), cooking with Braydon and of course relaxing and taking naps during the day.

I feel very fortunate to head back to NYC for four days of work and then hop back on a plane to Minnesota for 9 more days off of work! I'm heading up to Lutsen in two weekends to test out my downhill skiing skills (should be interesting as I am a nordic skier by trade).

I want to share one reflection from this morning before parting ways to go running. Braydon and I are reading a book entitled "The Reason for God;" the author, Tim Keller, is the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian, the church I attend in NYC. He is an amazing scholar, pastor, speaker and man of Christ; I sincerely recommend his book to anyone, skeptic, searcher or believer. I read a passage this morning that has stayed with me and inspired me today, thought I would share with you....

"Why did Jesus die for us? What was Jesus getting out of it? Remember, he already had a community of joy, glory and love. He didn't need us. So what benefit did he derive from this? Not a thing. And that means that when he came into the world and died on the cross to deal with our sins, he was circling and serving us. "I have given them the glory that you gave me" (John 17). He began to do with us what he had been doing with the Father and the Spirit from all eternity. He centers upon us, loving us without benefit from himself."

This passage humbles my heart and inspires me to live a life centered on selfless service of thanksgiving and joy. I hope it provokes some meaning in your heart as well.

Until next time, love, peace and joy to all.

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"To know oneself, is above all, to know what one lacks. It is to measure oneself against the Truth, and not the other way around.

-Flannery O'Connor

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Blood and Bone Marrow

The exit to NYU Medical Center...also happens to be on my favorite running path :)

Greetings everyone!

I'm writing on my day of respite here in nyc; I've worked three nights, had one night off and will commence with another three nights and one day of seminar before leaving for a little (or long...7 days!) vacation home. I was last home about a month and half ago so I am looking forward to catching up with family and friends.

This post will be my public service announcement entitled, "blood and bone marrow." As an oncology and stem cell (bone marrow) transplant nurse, I am constantly exposed to the need for blood and bone marrow donors. It is rare to have a night without a patient receiving some sort of blood product (red blood cells, platelets, plasma). The donated blood is a serious and essential component for sustaining patients' health and life during such an acute illness. I encourage anyone meeting donation requirements to consider giving blood. For more information and to find blood donation locations visit www.redcross.org.

The second component of this post relates to a more invasive form of donation involving the bone marrow. My oncology patients (specifically those with acute leukemias and multiple myeloma) often necessitate a bone marrow transplant to sustain life and overcome illness. Bone marrow can either be transplanted from the patient themselves (autologous transplant) or from an outside donor (allogenic). Similar to blood, bone marrow must be matched before transplant. However, bone marrow goes through a much more rigorous matching process than blood products, this often poses difficulty in finding an appropriate donor. After having a few 'near and dear to me' patients requiring allogenic (from a different person) bone marrow transplants, I am inspired to become a donor. The process involves sending a swab of your cheek (buccal cells) to the National Marrow Donor Program. The buccal cells are tested and logged to be potential donors for people needing a transplant. Since donors must be so closely matched to recipients, often potential donors will not have the opportunity to donate...but it is always worth a try! For more information visit www.marrow.org.

If you are not interested in donating or do not meet requirements, consider volunteering for an organization (you don't have to be a nurse!) or giving a financial donation. Okay, this concludes my public service announcement (I feel like I'm writing a commercial...)

I hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend and has a great start of the week! Love to you.

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"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."

-Albert Einstein

Good Times with Good Friends

So I only have a few moments before work but I wanted to share a couple pictures with you before I leave. I plan on posting again tomorrow or the next day...so much more to say than just this! Britt, Mike and I had such a wonderful time together in NYC; they did so much here, I was certainly impressed!! Above is Britt and I in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this was my favorite experience during their stay. As mentioned before, Britt is in architecture school and studied Art and Art History at St Olaf. I have a great interest and appreciation for art so it was enlightening and intriguing to walk around the museum with such a seasoned tour guide. Below is one of my all time favorite paintings, 'Monet's Water Lilies.'

I also loved these flower paintings...so beautiful.

Britt and I in front of Van Gough's self portrait.

My 'mini museum of art' in my bedroom. Three of my favorite paintings.

The three of us also ran across the Brooklyn Bridge, it was an absolutely spectacular sight.

I can't wait to be the maid of honor in this couple's wedding!

Once again, so sorry for the short post but I'm off to work! Oh, and lastly continue to keep those in Haiti in your thoughts and prayers. Many, many of my co-workers grew up in Haiti and still have family there; its bemotional and heart wrenching to see so many close co-workers and friends in such distress and uncertainty.

Love to you all.

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"Forgiveness is a way of life that gradually transforms us from being helpless victims of our circumstances to being powerful and loving co-creators of our reality."

-Robin Casarijan

Friends and feelings

Greetings all!

I'm currently sitting in my sunshine filled room with a cool breeze streaming in from my open window; its an absolutely gorgeous day here in the city--quite different from the chilled midwest...I'm thinking warm thoughts for you all. Well, friend Annie (see above photo) just left this morning so she can get back to law school; my friends Britt and Mike are staying for a few more days before they head back to the UofM for grad school. We are having an absolute blast together, I miss these friends so much! Below is a picture of me in front of Amy's Bread in the West Village, Amy (the owner) is a graduate from St Olaf; her entrepreneurship with this cafe is profiled as a St Olaf success story. Annie and I couldn't resist trying her red velvet cupcakes.

Day two on our New York adventure together. Riding in the subway on our way for a run in central park.

Three good looking runners hanging out in the lobby of the Plaza :)

The happiness, laughter and care-free time spent with my friends is such a juxtaposition from my nights at work. It is such a privilege to accompany people during some of their hardest challenges in life but as you know, happy endings are no guarantee and more often than not I am supporting people with tears rather than smiles. The past couple weeks I've faced some particularly difficult hardships and situations. I've heard people say time and again, "don't make work personal, don't take work home with you, keep yourself separate from your patients." While this may be good advice to some, it doesn't work for me. I grieve with my patients, I rejoice with them, I cry and smile, laugh and wipe tears; I cannot be immune to their joy or their hurt. The amazing thing is I never feel 'burned out' from the sadness, I always have the desire to go back for more. When I genuinely love and wholeheartedly care, I find myself craving the challenge of work and feeling so joyful and fulfilled....God really does work in beautiful ways.

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"What you see depends on what you are looking for."

-Anonymous

my ol' olaf buddies come to visit

Hey hey! Well I'm on my third stint of visitors in a month and I can't explain how wonderful it is to spend time with such special people. Two of my teammates and great friends from St Olaf, Annie and Britt, came into the city yesterday, along with Britt's fiance, Mike. Its only been two days and already we've seen so much...the east river, south seaport, times square, rockerfeller center, grand central, central park, and more!

We were walking a long yesterday and someone called out, "Look its Charlie's Angels!" (in response to Mike being the only guy among three women), I've now dubbed us as "Mike's angels." Below is the four of us in time's square.

Annie and I at Ellen's Stardust Diner in Times Square. The waiters and waitresses sing songs throughout the restaurant, it was incredibly entertaining.

The waiter and waitress singing 'Grease' in full poodle skirt and all.

Rockerfeller Square at night.

Running on the east river.

Well I'm off for a night of work, more updates are sure to come! Love to you all.

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"Opportunity dances with those who are ready on the dance floor."

-H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!

Wow, can you believe its the start of a new decade? I guess time flies when you're having a good time :)

Braydon and I celebrated the new year in a unique fashion by running a race at midnight in central park. The event had a DJ, fireworks at midnight, thousands of people and champagne (alcohol free, of course) at the water stop. Braydon and I had an incredible time and actually ended up running a pretty good race! Above is a picture before the race, it was pretty chilly with a wintry mix so we are bundled up pretty well!

Here's a feel of the central park midnight run ambience.

So chilly before the race!

Before central park Braydon and I watched the Chick Fillet Bowl game (Virginia Tech vs Tennessee) at an Upper East side Irish bar. We had the dining room all to our selves! It was so perfect.

Yesterday we also made a stop at Washington Square Park!

Today we're off on a train to see my aunt, uncle and cousins in a town outside of the city. We can't wait to celebrate the day with family!

Love to you all.

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"May all your dreams, turn into goals."

-Catherine Pulsifier