Laura's Adventures: April 2009

Precious Moments

Yesterday I went up to Three Hills to attend Amanda's candle party (thought of you Erin). Being I get off early on Fridays I headed up earlier. I arrived at Sara and John's place and was greeted by only Brian (their Korean border), no one else was home. Knowing that I had to head back to Calgary after the party (took advantage of some OT at the hospital today), I left a note to let them know I was taking a nap in Ethan's room. It was a good nap - Ethan's new bed is so comfy. When I woke - Sara and Sierra were still in Calgary with Char as she now has a horse of her own (very exciting), but John was home with Casendra and Ethan - just in time for supper.

John served me first and as I began eatting these little fingers appeared, which belongs to our little Casendra. She didn't wait to be placed in her high chair - just stood on the big kitchen chair waiting for me to feed her. She definitely enjoys spaghetti but doesn't like green peppers and cucumbers (oh dear is my picky eating rubbing off on Casendra???). Casendra ate half of my dinner, her own bowl and a small part of Ethan's - guess she was hungry!! We both needed a cloth for both of our hands as well as for Casendra's face. It was precious.

Casendra is at that stage where she is making all these different facial expressions and babbling of course too. She had John and I in giggle mode through most of dinner. The other thing is when you are talking to her she is nodding her head in the correct response. John and I were having quite the laugh as I asked her - "Could I adopt you?" - She responded by shaking her head YES. As I left to go to Amanda's - I passed Casendra to John and she started to cry (you know that cry a child makes when they are left behind with the babysitter?). I picked her up again to calm her and then she looked at her dad and she waved to him goodbye - another breakout of laughter by John and I - I was not expecting that response for sure. Finally got myself to Amanda with Sara, Sierra and Char arrived shortly after I did. Sierra was cold so we cuddled on the couch with a blanket to get her warm. She also held one of the new puppies that Bella had earlier in the week - Sierra is so good with animals.

Though I am not a parent myself, being around the little ones in Three Hills I can see and appreciate when parents share about those little moments that are all too precious - a moment in time. Had another one today via the phone though. I was talking with Sara when a little voice is heard in the background through the phone - Wo-wa. Sara and I were both stunned at first - but thought the same thing - did Casendra just attempt to say my name or was that our imagination? We both laughed when Sara said "wouldn't that be funny if that was her first word?". It would be funny.

Thank you Sierra and Casendra for your love and cuddles yesterday - those are precious moments for me.

Climbing out of my comfort zone....again

Last week at work we were notified that one of our current coding coordinators has taken a temporary position back as a coder. This now leaves her position open on a temporary basis. Being I was one of 5 who applied for the 2 positions last Spring, my name was resurfaced as a possible candidate. I have been on the fence since reading that email. Trying to way the pros and cons of just taking that first step of applying.

Knowing what LeeAnn and Chris have been doing this past year, you definitely won't get a chance to code charts. Due to the workload that our coding coordinators have, I would have to give up training in the inpatient and daycare positions (I have trained an amazing 15 people since last May!! And I have been given feedback I was a good trainer too). I asked a few coworkers who's opinions I trust that I would receive a honest answer, plus two references from the study I just worked on. At first, I was pretty sure I was not wanting to try it - for starters I just got back from being away for 12 weeks!! But it was the positive comments I received such as that I am qualified and should try it. Coming with a background of low self-esteem that likes to creep up and you begin to doubt your capabilities - hearing that I would be qualified to take on this type of position felt pretty good. So then yesterday and this morning, I rethought about it more. I do have a "safety net" - the job is temporary - when it ends in March 2010, if I find that I am really not cut out to do this, I know that a coding job would be waiting for me and again the option if they want to me to go back to train new hires and cross train current employees as well.

One of the greatest weaknesses I will be facing with this position is public speaking. It is so not my cup of tea (though I have been told I am good at it). With everything it comes down to getting experience to feel that confidence of speaking in front of coworkers or even strangers. I know many don't know what coding/abstracting or Health Records Dept does other than store charts. Having been in this field since I was 16 as a file clerk where everything was paper (including our abstracting of data - quite the dark ages when you look back) and now everything is basically heading to be completely electronic!! This development will ultimately change my job description and responsibilities from what it is today. So looking ahead until "retirement" which is 20 years+, I figure I should take advantages to see what limits I am capable of reaching and what avenue that would bring me down too.

So this afternoon before the end of work - I just told myself - Go for it!! What do you have to lose? You can always decline it if offer to me. Remembering that it is temporary makes it not so scary as it is sort of a ticket out at the end of the tunnel if in the end I truly believe that is not the direction for me. I remind myself - if you don't try, you won't know will I?

So, one more expansion of my comfort zone - my move to Calgary 4 years ago has blessed me with opportunities to increase my confident level and self esteem that I did not know I was capable of having. Of course the support, encouragement and love from my family and friends behind me have been a blessing for me too. Thanks. I will keep you posted.

My Reno Guys!!

Since November, my friends Jon James and John Paterson, have been doing renos at my place. In November they insulated and drywalled my garage. Of course, they had to fixed up my little garage accident I made with my car - you can't even tell that I moved a small part of the garage wall right off the cement block!! In a previous entry, I listed all the different renos they had done for me and of course I just put the "before and after" photos of those renos. John built all my renos and Jon painted them all for me. Plus Jon painted the kitchen, living room and foyer walls for me too.

The bulk of the inside of the house renos were done while I was away for 12 weeks and it great for me as Jon J was my housesitter too. When I came home for a whirlwind visit - I saw the progress they were making. By the time I came home April 1 - It seemed like I was coming home to a whole new place. I guess technically speaking I was especially with the main floor of the house.

There we are in front of that awesome fireplace. Jon (left), I am holding Casendra and John (right). Thank you so much Jon and John for all your hard work and long hours that you put in completing all those renos I asked you to do for me. I love it all!!!

The Fireplace

This is what the fireplace looked like when I first moved into the house in June 2006

The fireplace - Jan 2009

The fireplace - Mar 2009

WOW!! It took my breath away - it looks so stunning especially when you compare the before and after photos. Even though there is a huge entertainment unit beside it, your eyes are drawn to the fireplace. John P suggested that I should tile around the fireplace - so I told him to go for it. He took the colours and went with it. The tiles going across, John used some creativity has the space was too long and the tiles were too tall. So John had added two small pieces of the tiles he put as the hearth in the middle and then free handed the design in the centre to bring it all together. Another of Jon J's interior design changes I have kept - those 3 candles in the middle of the mantle were originally on my hutch in the kitchen. I loved it there on the mantle, I just have left them there.

Living Room

Here are the before and after shots of the living room. Simply - I love it!!!

Master Suite

Before - all the master suite upstairs had was a queen size bed and a night table with a table. Nothing exciting.

The long dresser is along the other wall. Adding the headboard and corner bookshelf was what the room needed to make it feel like a room.

2nd bedroom

Before - it was just a bed in the second bedroom. Pretty plain.

It now has a wall bookshelf and a headboard. There is space on either side of the bed and my mom at Christmas had shorten the curtains for me too. Now the room has a bit more character to it. I have a quilting piece that needs to be added above the headboard.

Before/After Corner Nook

Before (that bookshelf is now in the lower level of the house)

After - Jon J had moved the large bookshelf to the lower level to continue with the painting. When I came home, Jon had put the small shelf unit with the silk flowers I had in the corner nook instead. I love it so much I left it where it was. I had put the two smaller oil painting above it to compliment it. It sure gives it a cleaner look to it.

Before/After in the Foyer Area

I had the family over to show off my finished basement (2007) and one of the first things that John P did was go to the closet under the stairs to knock on the drywall. He envisioned a built-in shoe rack. The above photo is what it looked on that day and below is what that wall now looks like. It worked great today with everyone shoes - my foyer didn't seem crowd with shoes.

The above photo is taken from the foyer landing looking up to the main level of my house (I have a bilevel) I love the contrast - it gives it such depth. I have been told that the rich red colour with the darker beige gives the livingroom a warm feel to it.

Renos in the lower level of my house

Above Photo - A blank canvas

Below - Two built-in bookshelves

My gorgeous headboard (to fit my queen size bed) - has shelving on the sides and above - I love it!!! It is a one of a kind too.

When I had to get my tub fixed the guy told me that I had like 3-4 feet of dead space. I told John P and he made me this closet - I love having a place to put my towels and linens now.

Casendra enjoying her watermelon

After sampling my supper (loved the mashed potato part of the shepard's pie), Casendra enjoyed chewing on her watermelon for dessert.

Being away for so long, I had figured that Casendra would act strange around me (12 weeks is a long time). Fortunately for me - that was not the case. Her dad John was carrying her and she leaned over for me to catch her. I enjoyed some cuddle time with her thoughout the evening (I love those times). The other person she loved going to was her Uncle Jon.

Happy Birthday Ocean!!!

While I was away on the reabstracting study - I decided to host a family dinner to celebrate all the April birthdays. Plus wanted to celebrate a few other things - Peter assisted in coaching the Mount Royal Mens Basketball Team to victory at the Nationals; Sara was baptized; a few more reno projects were done at my house by Jon J and John P ; and oh yeah - I am home for a bit.

Sundays seem to work best, so I choose today - April 19th - which is the actual birthday of Ocean. She turned 8 years old today. She received some new outfits and socks and gave us a bit of a fashion show too (sorry didn't have my camera nearby). I had given her a stepping stone kit that she can make for the garden at her house. Hope you had a wonderful birthday Ocean. It was wonderful celebrating with you too.

Preparing the cakes

Amy was the designated candle lighter. We had bite size brownies and a chocolate cake to celebrate all of the April birthdays in the James family - Sara (13th); Garron (15th); Char (17th); Ocean (today - 19th) and Amy (29th). Andy told me too that it was George P's birthday on the 14th (that is Uncle George to Amy, Sara etc). Wow, that is alot of birthdays for one family!!

I saw a sparkler candle that was an "8" which is what Ocean turned today. Unfortunately, totally forgetting Journey really does not like sparklers (sorry Journey). I must say that poor Amy had a dickins of a time getting it lit. It finally did and Journey cuddled with her dad as it sparkled.

Solomon the foreman (red sweater) - telling his crew how to roll up the rug hook properly for the move (though I don't know where I am moving too - yes I know probably 3 Hills - lol). His crew is cousin Casendra (pink) and friend Logan. Despite having a box full of toys to occupy the little kids, they found things to keep themselves busy so the adults could visit.

Peter, Jon J and John P

My basement is rather cooler than upstairs - hence Sara (above) and Amy (below) get comfy with my blanket. The guys seem to be just fine - Peter (above), Jon J and Garron (below)

Jon J, Garron and Amy

I have to say - I love Solomon's laugh it is so contagious - you have to chuckle or at least smile - it is so cute. Here he is with the 2 of 4 children toys I do have (Hey David and Erin - toys look familar - they were from your garage sale when you lived in Chestermere!!)