On the farm...

Thanks Wright Family

From your "city slicker" friends
~The Parkers~
XOXO

On the farm....

When I have a personal melt down
(see below)

Nothing brings me back faster
(and with less side effects)

Than large amounts of alcohol
(just kidding grandma!)

Nothing brings me back
until I get down on my knees
(for that one on One time)

Once this is done
I grab my "peeps"
and my hunk o'burning love
and we head to the farm

On a nice day in Oregon
(they do happen...just don't tell California)

We headed to the "Wright Farm"
We were not disappointed

We met "mama"



I think she was happy to see us
The chickens?? That is another story.
Ten year old boys and chickens...hmmmm...

Did it lift my mood you ask?

Did mucking around in mud...
cuddling newborn kids...
having a dog rub up against my old jeans...
while the sun was warming back...

lift me out of the pit...

Without doubt
yes

The moral of the story?
When you find yourself in the pit

(and trust me, it is bound to happen)

Get thee to a farm

hug baby animals
hug your children
eat ice cream
and pray

XOXO
~Raine~

Surrender

Surrender, originally uploaded by parker_6_pack.

Surrender!

You mean you wish to surrender to me?

Very well, I accept.”

~The Princess Bride

XOXO

Raine

Emotionally liable...

Dear OCCC nursing program,

I prayed for this!

I was so excited to make the final "cut" into your program, to become a part of you.

I am so honored to learn from you, to be taught and to be guided from you.

After all; this is what I prayed for…right?

I knew it would be difficult.

My family would have to make a HUGE sacrifice in order for me to go.

I knew that my husband would feel the stress (which seems to radiate off my persona every weekend I study for an exam...how wonderful that they are weekly).

I knew that my kids would miss me and that every Sunday night they would squeeze me and not want to let me go.

I knew that "time management" would have an entirely different meaning.

What I didn't know dear nursing program, is how hard you would be.

I didn't understand that watching a movie with the kiddos would become a monthly "event" instead of a weekly occurrence.

I didn't understand how mold would grow on mystery meat in my refrigerator... because I have neglected it since before Thanksgiving.

I didn't understand that I had no idea what "homework" load meant...until I met you.

The sleepless nights before an exam, the extra ten pounds I've gained from stress eating, the early morning clinicals in Lincoln City, the long days and even longer nights of studying, the breaking of my heart when I drive away from my sweet and my lovelies, the 5,200 miles I've added to the "hoop dee" (that is my super awesome car), the swine flu, the GI bug, and the occasional "mean girl" look from the ICU nurse (which makes me want to run and hide in the cafeteria).

Please, oh please, oh please....OCCC nursing program…be worth it in the end.

Lovingly,

Your emotionally liable and semi-exhausted (however could quite easily move to “severely exhausted” depending on the case study load and additional clinical evaluation worksheets)...nursing student.

For Karin...

You belong in His garden

Dancing in the arms of Love

You belong here, He will whisper

Shinning like a star above

You belong among His wildflowers

Somewhere close to Me

Far away from trouble and worry

Sweet daughter

You have been set free

Beautiful Karin,

You are loved

~Raine~

The dress

I have a confession to make
I am a "dress o' holic"

Isn't this one A-MAZ-ING!!

It makes me want to host a party

Just so I can wear it

I bet it looks great in candlelight

and even better with diamonds.

Could you suggest this to my "hunk o' burning love"?

I'll pay you.

Encourage
~Raine~

A taste of spring

For Valentine's Day

My Sweet Ella Bella picked me these



Not to be undone

My little Graceful

picked

every

single

bloom

in the yard

(Lord help the Daffodils)

Encourage

~Raine~

The "project"

This weekend Internet....we went to IKEA

For the record...

I "heart" IKEA

I "heart" the couch covers

I "heart" the curtains

I "heart" the plethora of paper napkins

and I even "heart" the Swedish Meatballs.

This weekend,

I bought my baby sis

a lamp.

It came in a box that looked like this...

The box is really, really small. Here it is next to a coconut..

Maybe a "cutie" will do a better job of letting you understand...

just how small the box is...

Look at all the pieces...yikes!

(thank the good Lord that this is right up my "hunk o'burning" loves ally)

Hmmm... it is looking more and more like a plastic pumpkin

I think this is the right way...

This is looking kinda "creepy"

Almost there...

Voila!!

You better love it sista....because I'm going to make you keep it 4-EV-R. :0)

Encourage,

~Raine

little hearts....

little hearts

you fill me so

how blessed I am

the day is done

sweet valentine

and we watch them slumber

our love manifested

in their resting souls

each a gift

our sweet

our lovelies

sweet dreams

XOXO

~Raine~

Darkness

Dear Darkness,

You have no power over me

No matter how hard you try
my soul will not succumb

I feel you in the shadows
you whisper soft lies

You are the king of lies
though your work is in vain

The Lover of my soul has taken me captive
All you find is pure Light

You cower in blindness

&
for that I am not
sorry

Sincerely,
a daughter of the King

~

Raine

Summer Dresses

Summer Dresses, originally uploaded by Holly☼.

Dresses for breakfasts, and dinners, and balls;
Dresses to sit in, and stand in, and walk in;
Dresses to dance in, and flirt in, and talk in;
Dresses in which to do nothing at all;
Dresses for Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall.
~William Allen Butler, "Nothing to Wear"

Encourage~
Raine

exhausted

Oh Internet,

Have you ever been this tired? So tired that no matter what you are doing (homework)or where you are (ummmm...class), your eyelids just won't cooperate? You try some "sweet" tricks that you learned when you were in high school (like pinching yourself (you know the tiny pinch that makes your eyes water) or forcing your eyes to bulge open....which makes you look more like a psycho instead of just an over committed nursing student).

No matter who is with you, or who is talking to you (sorry teacher Pat)...you just can't fight it anymore?

exhausted, originally uploaded by Dalla*.

I am here now...except you might want to add a little bit of drool running down the chin. It is very, very, very attractive.

~Raine