Yes, Virginia, There is a Blogger!

Yes, I know.  It was brought to my attention last night that I haven't blogged "since 2002", which is a slight exaggeration, but nonetheless true.  I don't really know what has been keeping me so silent these past months.  It isn't the lack of something to talk about, because I love to talk.

I realize lately that the stress of life and a buttload of major life events all coming within about 12 months has just been too much for my brain and body to handle.  I have gotten separated, then divorce; had a death in the family (my grandmother); I moved twice; and my job changed twice.  Pretty much the only things I didn't do were have a baby or die.  But my body has been physically unable to keep up with the stress, and I have landed in the hospital 7 times since March of this year.

So, I am taking a little time to get back to the real me.  I am learning how to better cope with stress and to define what is actually important in life.  Be patient with me, but I am working on a few new website/blog concepts that should be online shortly.

In the meantime, you can check out my latest website at www.elizabethblessitt.com .  I should have the other sites online soon!


Much love,
Liz

So. Far. Behind.

So, I just looked on this blog and realized that I haven't updated it since my Grandmother passed away in September.  I will say that much has happened since then.  I got divorced, started dating, got a steady boyfriend, and moved out into my own place.  Things have been hectic, for sure!!

I will begin updating again, but this site will probably be more of a home for digital scrapbook pages than my normal brand of snark.  Please visit my other blogs for your doses of snarky banter!

Life After Divorce

Apparently, Hell is on the Fourth Floor

~Liz

Going Home

This week has been a rough one.  Last weekend, I finished moving out of the home I shared with my husband.  I have no idea where he moved.  Not my business.  I wish him well. 

Then on Tuesday night, I caught wind that something just wasn't right with my grandmother.  In July, she was admitted to the hospital with a broken femur.  I am not sure how long it was broken, but at 88, a broken bone is never good.  She started having problems with her kidneys, and by early this week, there wasn't much hope.  Wednesday I was able to spend some time with her, along with a minister from our church and several family members.  Unfortunately, she was already pretty far gone.  At 5:30 am Thursday, she silently passed from this world.

Two years ago, almost to the day, we lost my grandfather.  Grandma and Pawpaw were married 64 years when he passed.  They were the most adorable couple I have ever seen, and she was somewhat lost without him.  Grandma had a strength and determination that I have always admired.  I remember spending many hours with her in my childhood just listening to stories, watching her quilt, and learning piano under her watchful eye.  Of course, I was mostly there for the pickles... but I loved having one on one time with her.

Grandma was always concerned that she would pass earlier than she planned, as both of her parents died in their 60s.  I would say that after 88 years, 64 years of marriage, 6 children, 20+ grandchildren, and a gaggle of great-grandchildren, that she lived a long and happy life.  I know that Grandpa was waiting to welcome her home.

Some of my fondest memories of my grandmother:

1. Lightning Cookies - These lemon flavored bars were amazing and I must remember to locate the recipe.
2. Elephants - she LOVED elephants and collected them.  Grandpa brought her an amazing table home from India during WWII with elephants on the legs.  I bought her a Waterford Crystal elephant for Christmas a few years ago and you could see in her eyes that she cherished it greatly.
3. Pulling my brother out of a swimming pool by his ear.  I mean, sure... my cousin Heather and I convinced him to jump in there... but it was still funny.  To us.  Not Chris.  Sorry bro.
4. She used to pick me up from school when I was sick and my mom was not around.  She was very comforting.
5. Sonic - She loved going to Sonic and would always get me a grilled cheese.  Mmmm Sonic.

I will miss my grandmother very much.  It still hasn't really sunken in that she is gone.  But she will live on in my memory and my heart forever.

I was very fortunate to sit down with both of my grandparents a few years ago and have them tell me all about their lives growing up and their lives together.  We did the same a few years before my paternal grandmother and I was always happy to have not only my memories, but her's as well.  If you still have your grandparents, go to a bookstore and find a "Grandparents' Book".  You just fill in the blanks.  Trust me... you will thank me later!!!

New Digi Scrap Pages

So I realized it has been forever since I updated this thing. I have been going through some stuff. Anyway, I have been doing a few more digital scrapbook pages, so I thought this would be a good time to upload them. Tell me what you think!

Sisters

I promise to get Easter pictures up ASAP, but in the meantime... here are a couple of pictures with my sister, Sarah!!



Sarah is my baby sister! She is 5 years younger than me, and I couldn't imagine life without her. We talk nearly every day and her gorgeous daughter, Madison, is the love of my life. I am so proud of my sister... in addition to being a mommy, she has been working her tail off at the hospital while also attending nursing school full time. She will graduate next month and will be a Registered Nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) taking care of little babies. Her determination and tenacity to get what she wants all on her own has always taken my breath away.

We didn't get along when we were growing up, as expected, but she is now my best friend and I love her dearly!!

Congrats on your upcoming graduation and pinning, Baby Sister! I love you!!

Be Careful...

Be careful about the things you ALWAYS say you will NEVER do...





I ALWAYS said I would NEVER let my hair go brown...





But, today I did this:

Well, to be truthful... my AMAZING hair stylist, Summer at Studio 3000, did this.

And I FREAKING LOVE IT!!!!

Thoughts??

Happy Birthday Jeff!!!

Happy Birthday to one of my bestest friends in the whole wide world... Jeff!! Hope it is a great one! Thanks for being such an amazing friend and a rock during hard times.

More Pages

Week 4 - My Wish

Here is my Week 4 entry for Casey's challenge! My wish for 2009 is for health, happiness, and success. It has been a rough year already... but I just know that it will get better going forward!

Catching Up

Whew... it has been a rough month for me! I know it has been a long time since I posted anything but scrapbook pages, but I had a BIG health scare this month. I spent some time visiting with my sister, niece, and cousins earlier this month, and that night I ended up coming down with a stomach bug. No fun!! That stomach bug ended up turning into a big mess and I ended up in the hospital for a week. After several inconclusive tests, I was released on Friday night (2/20). Once we made it home, I ended up sick and anxious all night long and by Saturday morning, I just couldn't take it anymore.

We called my bariatric surgeon (I had the lap band surgery in October 2006) and told him that I was having a lot of problems and that I couldn't stop throwing up. He told us to meet him in the Emergency Room at Memorial Hermann - Memorial City. After examining me, we all agreed that the lap band needed to be removed. I told him that I just couldn't handle it anymore. Even though my band has been open (not restricted) for about a year, this was just an ongoing issue that I couldn't deal with anymore. They did surgery that day and removed the band. When I awoke, my blood pressure and blood sugar went down immediately and I felt better almost instantly.

I was released from the hospital on Sunday and have been recovering at my mother's house since then. I will be off work the rest of this week and should go back on March 9th. I went to see the surgeon on Friday for my follow up, and we have determined that I am allergic to the dissolving stitches they used to close me up. Bah! I am itchy and red, but feeling MUCH better than I have in a long time. It was like I had a transplant that my body has been rejecting for the last two years.

More Digital Scrapbooking

I started making a silly album to chronicle our time as Hurricane Ike Refugees a few months ago, and since I had some down time this week, I decided it would be a good time to finish the album. We were evacuated for 6 days... 11 family members in a 2,300 square foot, one-story house... things were a little tense from time to time! *This album in no way means to make light of a very serious situation which left many people, including my own uncle, homeless. It was more to laugh at ourselves. Enjoy!

Digi Scrap Challenge - Weeks 2 & 3

I missed Week 2 of the challenge due to being in the hospital (more on that soon!), but I went ahead and did it anyway this week.

Theme: About Me

And here is the Week 3 entry:

Theme: Love Is...

To see all entries, visit Casey's Blog

Weekly Digiscrap Contest Entry

So, Casey recently posted a challenge to come up with new digital scrapbook pages based on a weekly theme. As I am trying to get more into digital scrapping, I thought this would be a great way to work on some layouts and push myself more into this realm, since I am often too busy for traditional scrapbooking.

The theme for Week 1 was "My Favorite Place" and my entry for the week is below. Leave me a comment and tell me what you think!

A Family Affair

My family pictures are now proudly featured in the galleries of

Lori Brown Photography's website!

Lori is an amazing photographer and one of my very best friends! Check out her work and schedule your sessions ASAP!

Picture Perfect Tuesday

This is what happens when you leave me alone with my niece... and a pink wig.

Prayers Needed

I don't normally do this, but I could really use some praying hand and hearts on this one. I recently found out that two of my cousins are dealing with some heavy medical issues with their children.

My cousin Wes' son, Nate, has recently been diagnosed with Cancer. He is only 2 years old. They live in Dallas, so I don't have all of the specifics. I know that they almost lost him a few days ago while trying to put in the feeding tube. I believe he is responding fairly well to his treatments, but serious prayers are needed.

I also found out that my cousin Amy's newborn, Emma, is afflicted with a heart problem. I am not really sure what is going on there, but again - prayers needed.

Even if you don't pray, please send some positive thoughts out for these two children. I know my family will appreciate it!

Update

Things are weirdsville right now. It isn't something I really want to talk about, but I am very thankful for great friends and having a wonderful support system. And especially for a certain 4-year old girl who was willing to pack up all her toys in Ziploc bags and move into the closet (not really, CPS... back off!) to help a friend in need.

Thank you, dear friends.

Picture Pages

Recently, I had my good friend Lori at Lori Brown Photography take some pictures of my family. My brother, sister, niece and I took photos to give my parents for Christmas. Here are a few of my favorites!

Thanks, Lori, for doing such an amazing job! I know my parents will absolutely love the pictures, and we will remember our trip to Discovery Green for years to come!

Should I Stay or Do I Go Now?

An article I co-authored was recently PUBLISHED!! Here is the article that can now be seen in several (5!!) state nursing association magazines.

Should I Stay Or Do I Go Now: Eight Ways To Increase Loyalty And Retention
By: Susanne Gaddis, PhD, CSP, Elizabeth Cates, M.A.

With the current nursing shortage, nurses have a lot more choices of where they’re going to work and how long they’re going to stay. As baby boomers retire and younger generations of nurses enter the workforce, gone are the days where a nurse would start a career and then four decades later retire from the same position. With the rising demand for nurses in the coming years, it is crucial to create a welcoming and appreciative atmosphere.

Today, healthcare workers are on the move, and to encourage them to stay in one place, hospitals and nurse management are challenged to think of new and innovative ideas for creating loyalty and retention. In addition, each healthcare worker also has the responsibility of creating a healthy atmosphere in which to work, one where their co-workers will want to stay for the long haul.

As you are seeking to increase loyalty and retention, here are some things to keep both you and your colleagues motivated:

Listen. One of the quickest ways to increase loyalty and retention is to listen to your colleagues. People who feel heard are more likely to stay than those who believe their thoughts, ideas and feelings don’t matter. Listening also works to build self-esteem, self-confidence and self-efficacy, a person’s belief that he/she can achieve certain tasks.

The last thing someone wants to hear when they bring an idea forward is: “Oh, what do you know? You are new here. You haven’t had the experience that I’ve had. You haven’t walked in my shoes. I am in charge here!” While these statements may be true, they serve to create walls, not bridges. Words like these can have a long-term, damaging effect on even the most seasoned professional, making them want to run for the door.

Acknowledge Ideas. Although every idea and suggestion cannot be acted upon nor all requests granted, acknowledging a person’s input can go a long way toward making him or her feel like an integral part of the team. Not only can you acknowledge the idea, you can also acknowledge the thought behind the idea, their unique perspective or skill set in formulating the request. All of these will help to create a sense of belonging.

Take for example, Sally, a new CNA, who during a routine vitals check discovered a patient had been receiving blood pressure medication for several days, even though the patient had no prior history of high blood pressure. After talking with the patient, Sally determined that the blood pressure cuff being used was too small, which caused the patient’s vital signs to be drastically altered. Immediately she took this information to management and adjustments were made that quite possibly saved the patient’s life. Administration took notice of Sally’s quick problem-solving and analytical skills and rewarded her publicly for being a diligent patient advocate. More importantly, her co-workers gave her both respect and praise for her ability to take command in an emergency situation.

Be A Motivator. Find out what motivates your colleagues. This will be different for each person. Some are motivated by praise, while others are motivated by power and prestige. Still others are energized through more intrinsic factors, such as a sense of pride, meaning and value. The days of cookie cutter, one-size-fits-all motivation is over. To actively engage your co-workers, you need to find out what works for each person. Don’t treat your co-workers the way YOU want to be treated, treat them the way THEY want to be treated. How do you find out what motivates them? Ask them!

Be Aware Of Information Overload. Be careful that YOU are not the cause of your colleague’s demise by over-sharing. Sometimes you can cause undue stress by getting too in depth about challenging meetings, hospital politics, and your latest interactions with difficult people. This doesn’t mean you can’t share ANY of your personal life with your co-workers, but try to keep the negative to a minimum. After all, most people have enough on their plate without keeping up with your stresses.

A good rule of thumb is to try and keep conversations as positive and productive as possible. The latest research suggests that for every negative comment we make, we should say at least three positive statements. By keeping conversations focused on what you can do, what you are willing to do, and what you have done, you can decrease a colleagues’ stress level.

Model The Behavior You Want. Be aware, from the time you arrive for your shift to the time you leave, you are visible to others. Your goal is to be as “positively visible” as possible. Become a model for the behavior you want to see in others. Remember that your colleagues often take their behavioral cues from you. If you greet them with a welcoming, “Good Morning,” they are likely to do the same. If you maintain a professional atmosphere, you’ll notice that they will follow suit. Yet if you call them out on their behavior without adjusting your own bad habits, they will see you as hypocritical and insincere.

Focus On Strengths Rather Than Weaknesses. There has been a trend for years to harp on weaknesses rather than develop strengths. If you look at most performance appraisal forms, you will first find an area for improvement. While continuous improvement is important, we now know that there are individuals who will excel at certain tasks. By working cooperatively with others, you can utilize the strengths of each individual.

For additional information, check out Now Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton, Ph.D. or take the Strengths Finder profile at: www.strengthsfinder.com.
Remove Obstacles. Another great way to increase loyalty and retention is to work diligently to remove roadblocks so people can be as productive as possible. By immediately addressing issues involving personal safety, sexual harassment, workplace violence and discrimination, you will help create an environment where your colleagues feel comfortable coming to work.

Supportive Care. While you can’t completely change your environment, you can promote a sense of support and care among your fellow nurses to help them cope with the variety of difficult situations they face. By paying attention to your words and how you communicate, both verbally and nonverbally, you can create a healthy culture of communications.

By applying these simple strategies you can dramatically increase your odds of receiving the answer, “I’ll stay,” when others are deciding, “Should I stay or should I go now?

Digital Scrapbooking

I found these little boots at a consignment store in town for Madison to wear to a cowgirl-themed birthday party. She absolutely LOVES the boots and wants to wear them all the time. They are absolutely adorable and I will be completely sad when she outgrows them.