it's been awhile, I don't know if anyone even notice though...

I just wrote my last final for nursing this morning! who hooo! That's the last one I will write for the nursing program (except for the 8 hour RN exam in June that's province-wide). So, I am one exam away from being done this semester (I have a philosophy final tomorrow). I will be heading off on Friday to Regina to meet my family (by plane) where my younger sister will be graduating from RCMP Depot training. For some reason I am really excited to be in Regina, last I heard it was -11 Celcuis, no doubt they have snow~ I am also planning to donate blood my first morning there- it's blocks away from my hotel! I can't convince my twin sister to donate, apparently she gets queasy (sounds like some of my other friends....). There are in desperate need for blood donations especially during the christmas season. www.bloodservices.ca

oh and i will be preceptoring in palliative care (taking care of the dying) it's my final practicum where I have a preceptor/mento nurse I work with full time- 12 hour shifts for 16 weeks. All for free - as in I'm not getting paid.... I work my last few undergrad (paid) shifts this christmas break.

A funny note about this semester- so I taught about 70 grade 10 students (35 at a time) about sexually transmitted infections, HIV/AIDs and how to protect themselves, mostly scared them with my graphic pictures and shocking statistics and facts. I was teaching in a small auditorium! So- picture me teaching with these giant disgusting pictures on the projection screen! I had a box of 144 condoms and I handed out at least half of the box, now i had been storing them in my room, and put a bunch in these cute paper things that folded with the condom inside- it included some facts and pics of how to put on a condom. Well, over the last couple of weeks I keep finding condoms in weird places in my room! Under my bed, behind my dressser. I had my guy friend over and I think seeing all these condoms make him a little uncomfortable! So many condoms for someone who is definately NOT having sex ( I choose to be a virgin for now, I am waiting for the right one to marry...)

Other than that I plan to go snow shoeing at Manning park after christmas (before I start my preceptorship), and I hope to do something fun for New Years, so if anyone has a fabulous party to invite me to call me! or better yet- blog me!

I hope everyone has a wonderful christmas season spent with people you love. Be safe, be merry, and blessed!

Keegan

check this out!!

chillin after a day at school on the mountaintop

chillin after a day at school on the mountaintop, originally uploaded by KeeganS.

exciting things happening...

So my friend Melissa and her former roomate (Jesca) had a fundraiser dinner and dance on saturday night. It was so amazing to see people come together to raise money and support for 12 orphans in Uganda, Africa to feed and cloth them and send them to school. Melissa's roomate (Jesca) is from an area in Uganda called "Mukono" and her sister lives there- and her sister is a nurse who has taken these kids and fed and clothed them herself with the little that she has. Jesca went to visit her and saw this and told Melissa about it: in response to this Melissa said "how can we not do anything about this?" and from there the idea came alivefor the people of Chilliwack, Abbotsford----basically the Fraser Valley and the West coast (and even beyond) to respond by sharing our money and resources to see these kids, and future kids taken care of. The idea is to get the people in the village to be the ones to help build the orphanage (once we get 10,000 dollars- over 10 % of that was raised on saturday night alone!!). The plan is to set the local people up with a garden so they can grown their own food, and have chickens (and a chicken coop) so they can sell eggs to support themselves. The plan is to ensure these orphans, many of whose parents have died of AIDS ( a huge epidemic in Africa right now), the material things they need and a roof over their head, and education so they can be raised up to be successful and make their own impact in their community!

The neat thing about the dinnner and dance was how everyone rallied to support this cause; Melissa's dad's band played (they were awesome!), Jesca's family provided food for everyone (Ugandian food- yummy..) and both of their friends donated their services for the silent auction. Photographers taking pictures and offering portraits, drum lessons donated, handmade jewellry from Uganda, ect.

Another neat thing was when I left I ran into a couple of girls in the parking lot asking about what band was playing and what venue it was. I explained it to them and they got so excited because their church is doing something similar for an orphanage in Africa! So I invited them in and introduced them to Jesca and they got business cards. There is a website but I don't know what it's called yet. So for now there is an e-mail: mukonohome@hotmail.com and look on facebook for future events. If we had 9 more events like that we could have enough for the people of the village to build the orphanage!!!!

After the dinner- I had this sense that somehow I was making a difference in someone else's life, and I truly believe that we as people put in the work and effort and God will mutiply it and bless it! God loves children!

my summer....

Randy and I went for lunch at a winery in Naramata





so this summer has been a real change for me. I worked full time at the hospital for a couple of months, then had surgery on my foot, spending most of july recovering, then late july and early august I went to Creation fest (!!) and was a camp counsellor for a week on thetis island. I also caught up with some old friends, boyfriends, ect on the island and in the okanagan (where I grew up). I have spend most of august gardening and landscaping, which is hard work, but it keeps me active as I am not working till sept (can't work till 9 weeks post-op) so basically I've make no money for the last 2 months which is why I have all this free time and and I am not taking any extra trips :( too bad it's either time of money that seems to get in the way. So now I am going to catch up on some summer reading seeing as it's raining now, and do some pre-reading before school starts (if I can get my butt over to the school bookstore)...so the pace and flow has been nice, I've been able to help people out with babysitting and odd jobs, ect. I would like to go camping before school starts but I want to go with friends and they all seem too busy these days (unlike me) but starting sept that will change! yeah I am so excited to be graduated in june '08!
visiting Aaron on the island

so it's my birthday

sorry I haven't written on here for ages....blame it on facebook....

so I have been busy working ad an undergrad nurse- working 12 hour shifts (2 days, 2 nights, then 4 days off) since the beginning of May. I finish next week as I will be having foot surgery and off for 9 weeks:( so money making will be put off (maybe a little respite care to tide me over) and then it's time for Creation Fest at the end of July and before that visiting with my parents in Penticton. I hope to do a trip to victoria in august and even visit Thetis island again (maybe even volunteer at Pioneer pacific camp for a week if I can do office work).

So as the headline suggests I just turned 28 on June the 17th!! I don't celebrate until tonight though (monday ) I am going kayaking at Harrison lake with friends then coming back to the house for a desert party- I'm expecting around 16 people over. So I will be baking this morning (after I get my butt into bed it's 1 am...) and I am sooooo excited. I got off work at midnight (special request I made to my boss) and I went down to Emergency to see my friend Devin and her and some staff sang the birthday song to me!! I actually blushed (even though I pretty much asked them to sing it for me).

well I better hit the hay, but hey everyone hope all is well!

Goosespit Bay- Courntey, BC

Goosespit Bay, originally uploaded by KeeganS.

So I went to Courtney and Comox last weekend and i have the pictures to prove it! I was visiting my friend Pamela who has been working as an occupational therapist in town. It was a fun trip- perfect weather and company! Click here for more photos:

So I took a 6 day course called the Canadian Health Care system- it was dry, dull material but the instructor really tried to make it fun. Here are some pics of a skit some of us did- each of us represents different aspects of the health care system....

This was suzi- playing the part of "Needa system change". Can you tell she's quite the actress??!



This is Cindey (in the black hat), playing the part of Mrs HC (health care) she makes a great old lady!


I was Herb-E- Remedy (basically a pot-smoking hippy- I even rolled my own fake doobie out of a tea bag!)




Rosie in the lab coat waas "Coroner Millstone...

fun at the park

z and I at the park yesterday

yeah- school is over!!!...for the summer.

To celebrate I invited some friends over for some mexican lassagne! I decided to make it meatless (ground soy) instead of ground beef. We had some good food, wine, dancing and good entertainment by damien who did some magic tricks. Jacob was quite impressed with the magic. Living with a magician has it's benefits. Michele (damien's wife) is now officially on maternity leave so we celebrated this new transiton of getting ready for baby #2 in the next couple weeks. So- I toasted to that as well. Drew and Lisa came and did some swing dancing for us in the living room, and Devon did some "interpretive" dancing for us and brought some sweet tunes with him, and he helped me set up my speakers and subwoofer upstairs. Charlene spend the whole day with kids at the preschool, then came over before dinner and played with Zave and we picked tulips to decorate. Zave had the BEST time dancing with everyone, doing soumersaults and entertaining us all- I think he most enjoyed the desert! This house hasn't seen such action in a loooong time! It was a great end to a stressful semester and school, and the night ended with me feeling quite blessed to live with day and michele and zave, and I feel grateful for the amazing friends I've made in chilliwack.


on the couch l to ro: Devon, Damien and Michele. Sitting l to r: Jacob, me and Charlene.

horray! school is done!

I just wrote my last final this morning. I pretty much tried to study for it all day sunday- but really didn't accomplish much because I didn't feel I knew the material that well. So, I find out in the next day whether I passed...

so what is the first thing i did when I got home? I cleaned my bathroom and bedroom (hasn't been done in soooo long) and now I'm off to run some errands, hoping this dinner party I planned happens tonight cause my prego roomates is kinda sick....

ps facebook is like crack it's so addicting (not that I've tried crack before)....Bye!

So, life had been busy lately. I am just finishing up school with a 6 day course on the Cnd Health Care system. Dry, boring stuff but the instructor is interesting. Funny how the 2 male instructors I've had in the nursing program have been homosexual...not that I stereotype male RN's to have that sexual orientation, it's just a coincidence. I have met many male RN's that defy the typical stereotype of what a male nurse is like. Okay enough on that topic.

I have been pondering about life lately since my friend Kim passed away suddenly on April 2nd in an avalanche. When I found out I thought I was going to be sick. Now that I've had time to process it I have been thinking about what a wonderful, full live she lived, even though it was cut short. I have never lost someone close to me- though I didn't see Kim that often I thought of her many times when she was alive and even more since she's been gone. What I've taken away from the situation was that you have to pursue your dreams and not waste any time. Tell your family and friends you love them and show them love. Live life knowing what legacy you want to leave behind. Know that relationships are so important, especially one with God. There is more to it than this but I can't seem to even find the words......

I am going to be working as an undergrad nurse in palliative care (end of life care) and acute care. I am excited to be able to work on the skills I've learned so far in the program. I will be working full time- 12 hour shifts- 4 on 4 off....just like a real nurse!! whoo hooo- and getting paid!

so I will leave you with some pics taken from my Easter weekend with my family- in Milton, Wa and some were taken in Gig Harbour, Wa.

I love you all!

Riding the coin operated horse!!
In Gig Harbour wiht Jennica. Yup- it was slighly raining that day and i was wearing a sarong....


My cousin Callie on the left (short hair) and cousin Jake sitting next to me..along with my sisters and brother-in-law.

Sampling some beer from a microbrewery in Tacoma, Wa. Yup- I still don't like beer...

girls weekend away

So I did what any other rational student would do this weekend- took off for a nice retreat with my girlfriends for a relaxing massage, soak in the hotsprings, dinner at the Copper Room, and walk on the beach.....Here are the pics to prove it. 2 of the girls are pregnant in their second trimester- way to keep up on the dance floor Michele!

the precious gift

so yesterday I was watching the show "six feet under" on dvd. What struck a chord in me was the character who meets this guy who's in a band and is kind of a free spirit like her. Well, as the episode goes on they start spending everyday together, and are becoming super intimate (in a very short amount of time!). So, fast forward to the scene where the guy says to the girl "So, we should do something on saturday..." to the girl replies "what, do you have a busy week?!" come on- they've been spending everyday together!! to which he replies "ummm, you don't think we're exclusive do you??" paraphrase what he says: Cause I totally sleep with other women, and you can sleep with other guys, I don't care... What the?! So, she is a little shocked, but tries to play it like she knew all along and that she's cool with it- and proceeds to respond to him once again and fall right into his trap!

Okay, this makes me so sad because I see this in the world today, as women we stand there and take second best, rather than only accept only the best. Why do we put up with this crap? We deserve much much better, and being suckered into the trap of second best sets us up for low self-esteem, low self-worth, and so many more problems. Some guy hurts us, so the next one we meet we try so hard to please him, to make no waves cause we want him to like us and don't want to be rejected like the last time...Also, thinking about virginity, and how easily people give it up, not treating it as something precious that we have to hold onto tightly until we find the one we will spend the rest of our lives with. You may not all have this view, but it's something I hold onto, and even more tightly so when I see shows like the one mentioned above...I have been thinking that whoever I end up with, I should hope that he treats me like a princess (respect, honor, cherishing, ect), because if he doesn't think the world of me I don't think I can take it (not that it's all about me, because I think it should be reciprical). I also believe that no guy could ever complete me, and if I think that I would be sadly mistaken. The only one who completes me and fills my heart- because He knew me before I was even in my mother's womb, it God! Ok, that's all for my ramblings today- I had some time to do this as my clinical was cancelled today.

dying plant, a good book and puffy eyes

So, the plant I have been feeding and water regularly since sept. I have been slowly killing. Why? Because I didn't look at the directions for the liquid fertilizer that say to add 7 drops to 1 liter of water- well I have been watering and then adding 10 drops to the soil.Ahhhh! Always read the directions carefully. The leaves are slowly dying and the ones not drooping are turning from green to a lighter color- I don't know what the name of the plant it but I will take the poor thing's picture.

On another note I bought this new vit. E cream for reducing wrinkles, lines and puffiness under the eyes. I think I had an allergic reaction because under my eyes this am they are really puffy. Oh well, the battles that come with fighting aging...

I am reading a book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle maintenance" I like it because I can read it and it explains the way I think- classic vs romantic- I am the ladder. And for classic thinkers I am now able to understand why they possibly think like they do. I have come to the conclusion that I am logical when I need to be- for example I would hope I am logical if I am in a life-death situation where quick thinking ahead beyond the surface of the situation is required. There is so much more to this book but for now I am going to enjoy it and will probably talk about it more. I also feel the need to ride a motorcycle since reading this book.





the puffy eyes- could be I need to dust though....