Special Friends

We were blessed to spend time with some of our special friends yesterday ~

welcome Laurie and Jay.

We have known each other for 34 years ~ met when we were newlyweds and new AF lieutenents. We met in CA and then were stationed together in Colorado years later. When we parted ways in CA we were both pregnant with our first child. When we lived in Colorado we went to the same church and loved spending time together, plus just fun that our children began to enjoy each other. We both have four children. These years we would take turns watching each other's kids for a night and let the "couple" enjoy some time together. Very special and needed.

God blessed us with like-minded friends who we can have fun with AND encourage each other in the Lord. Thank you Laurie and Jay for giving us some of your precious time!

Summer Fun

What a fun summer day we had ~ Alden took the day off and we went to a "farm" that Courtney and Pat regularly enjoy. They have animals to feed, fruits and veggies to pick, slides and swings to enjoy and WOW did we have fun!

riding out to the blueberry field to pick

Papa, Joshua and Bailey gathering blueberries

Courtney and Hannah having some fun :)

impressive that Courtney is out here at the farm: 2 1/2 weeks til her baby is due!

So sweet

so cute

What fun we all had ~ picked blueberries, got to see lots of animals, had a picnic lunch,

did lots of swining and sliding..................hmmmmm. Lazy days of summer.

Hannah Smith, RN

As you can see, Hannah heard this morning she DID PASS her nursing boards and she is

OFFICIALLY a nurse.

She is OVERWHELMED with thankfulness and thanks you ALL for your thoughts and prayers.

Much well-deserved JOY around our house today!

Test Complete ~ wait begins for result

Yahoo ~ Hannah has completed her NCLEX. It took her a tad over 2 hours to finish it. She feels like it is still impossible to pass, but is so thankful it is behind her. She appreciates all the prayers that have been lifted up on her behalf. Hannah is so relieved, but cautious. She thinks she can find out the result in about 2 days.............so we will let you know when she hears!

Let's Get On With the Show

Hannah is at the testing location in Tysons Corner and will begin her test at 8:00. She was ready to get on with the show! She did not sleep very well last night, but was good and awake this morning. She ate a good breakfast (blueberry muffin and coffee), we prayed with her, and off she went! The beltway was GREAT and she got to the testing location quickly. The test takes up to 6 hours, but she could be done before that.

Dear God, give Hannah your peace as she takes this test. Help her to recall all she studied and to be able to reason out the question and answers. Her prayer request is for "calmness and confidence". Thank you Father for caring about Hannah as she takes this important test. We place her and this test in your hands. In Jesus' name we pray, AMEN and AMEN

Hannah has heard that you feel pretty lousy after taking the test......just feel like you answered ALL the questions WRONG and that "anybody could do as well as the nursing students....even a two year old"! She MAY be able to find out within two days if she passed..........we count on that AND the word PASSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you dear friends for caring about Hannah and she appreciates your prayers. :)

NCLEX Boards for Hannah

Hannah has her nursing board in the morning at 8 a.m. ~ PRAY, PRAY and PRAY!

After graduating from college and the nursing program, nurses still have to take a national exam and it is called NCLEX. Hannah has been studying non-stop for 4 weeks straight. We have always heard that the exam is tough ~ not just information in and info out. It is very subjective. Well, we kept telling Hannah "just keep on studying and you will do great". Well, I asked her the other day, "can you give me an example of one of the questions on the test"? Well.....here it is:


Debilitating anginal pain can be decreased in some clients by the administration of beta blocking agents, such as Nadolol (Corgard). Which client requires the nurse to use extreme caution when administering Nadolol (Corgard)?


a. A 56-year old air traffic controller who had bypass sugery 2 years ago

b. A 47-year old kindergarten teacher diagnosed with asthma 40 years ago

c. A 52-year old unemployed stock broker who refuses treatment for alcoholism

d. A 60-year old retired librarian who takes a diuretic daily for hypertension


Answer: B


Rationale:

The client with asthma must be carefully monitored because Nadolol blocks beta adrenergic receptors within the heart, decreasing sympathetic stimulation in the myocardium, which decreases excitability and cardiac output. It must be used with extreme caution in clients who have congestive heart failure or respiratory problems because it can induce cardiogenic shock and reduce bronchodilation efforts. Corgard is indicated in the management of clients with symptoms as identified in A and D. It is not contra-indicated for clients with symptoms as identified in C.



Yep, yep.....B would be the answer.


WHAT???????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Our comment now is:

We're praying for you Hannah!!!!!!!!!! She would certainly appreciate your prayers. :) Her prayer is "God, help me to GUESS right!!!!!!!"

Hannah has done so well with "healthy days" of studying...........she would watch a morning show, exercise, study at home or at Barnes and Noble sipping her coffee, watch a movie, and in the midst had her birthday and enjoyed friends.

A chain made for her..............with a week left. :)

Enjoying dinner out for her birthday

Way to go Hannah ~ we appreciate all your hard work and look forward to your test being BEHIND you.

YAHOO! We're cheering for you all the way!

Happy Birthday Hannah!

What a pleasure to wish Hannah "Happy Birthday".

Hannah gives joy to all around her and our prayer for her is a "special and fun" day. We were blessed the day she entered our lives June 19 many years ago now.....and her cheerful and kind personality have resonated through our days ever since. Hannah thinks of others before herself always. She loves a good conversation......her Lord.....her family.....her friends.....music.....country music and life!!!!!!! To you Hannah, we wish you a GREAT day and a fantastic year ahead.

Daughter

Daddy's special girl

sister

aunt

friend

We love you Hannah!

Father's Day ~ a wonderful day to celebrate

Yesterday marked a day that we all look forward to ~ Father's Day! We celebrated Alden, Phill and Pat ~ and the wonderful dads they are. Words that come to mind when thinking of them: faithful, God-loving, kind, responsible, caring, and fun. We are so incredibly blessed to have them in our family!

We had a relaxed afternoon together...having a cookout, playing in the yard.....throwing the football, badmitton, kids played in the sandbox and kiddie pool, and kid riding toys. The kids had a BLAST and us adults enjoyed some good time talking and laughing together....connecting. Alden and I are blessed beyond measure with our family.

Thank you God for these men.

our favorite DADS ~ Alden, Phill and Pat

The Alden Smith family ~

including.......... the Phill Smith family

and the Cassada family

Papa with Joshua and Bailey

backyard fun

family room fun

kitchen fun

expecting moms sharing stories

frontyard fun

basement fun ~ playing music!

The evening included wishing Hannah a Happy Birthday

(her birthday is later this week :) )

We are all so happy to call Hannah "daughter, sister and aunt"

Happy Birthday Hannah!!!!!!

After all had left......and Alden and I were cleaning the house up a bit.....

Steve and Hannah sat together......making music....with guitar and singing.

A wonderful day with family ~

No picture, but let me give you a vision of the ending of "time spent together" at our house......

Alden and I stand in the driveway, arm in arm......waving.......... til each family has left our house and rounded the bend in the road. Content.

Ahhhh, yes, happy and content.