Man, I have become TERRIBLE at updating this thing! Sorry!

I am now only one week and one day away from seeing my family in San Diego!!  I am so stinking excited about this! I have never gone this long without being around family. It will be so nice to be around them!  We don’t have much planned, but I told them the one thing that we have to do is to eat Bar-B-Q!  Oh man, that brisket is going to be so good! haha.

I was just thinking the other day how it seems crazy to me that this ’semester’ is almost over, I feel like this has been the quickest semester ever! This could be because my life isn’t in semesters anymore…I don’t know.  But time is so weird, at the same time it feel like forever that I have not seen my family or close friends, but at the same time, I can’t believe it is almost Thanksgiving!

Speaking of Thanksgiving, I am very excited for our Hawaii Thanksgiving!  Dani Beth’s mom is flying out, and we and out friends, the Burdetts are going to have Thanksgiving dinner together!  As an added bonus, I got a $50 gift card to the grocery store from work!  This means we got a free turkey!! Praise the Lord!

This weekend is going to be absolutely crazy!  I have always wanted to go to a surf competition, so Dani Beth and I are going to go check it out on Saturday! The down side to this is that I work Friday night!! This means, Dani Beth will be driving  up to the North Shore, and I will be drinking LOTS and LOTS of coffee!

I know, I have said this before, but I really am going to try to up-date more often.  No promises, but I will try!

Just a cool tree that I like

 

 

As promised, I am now updating my blog.

It has been a pretty crazy and busy time for me! Which I am very thankful for!  Work is going very well.  At first it was very overwhelming, but I think I am starting to get the hang of it!  I have 2 more days of training and then I will be on my own! Ahh, so scary and exciting all at the same time!  I have been learning so many new things I just don’t know where to start.  I am learning how to chart things correctly and take phone calls and make phone calls and how to log everything.  Man, there is a lot to learn when it comes to learning all of the policies and procedures for a facility!  Unfortunately I had to learn what paperwork needs to be done when someone falls.  There are like 4 different papers that need to be filled out and faxed and all put in different places.  I am hoping that I will not have fill these papers out very often!  I will be happy to start to get to know the residents better.  This is one of the things that is holding me back and slowing me down the most.  Every time I go to give a medication, I have to ask other people who everyone is, which really slows down the process of passing out medications and doing treatments.  But, yesterday I started recognizing some of the residents and it made things go so much more smoothly!  I know this is kind of strange, but I kind of like the night shift better than the day shift.  With nights, I can work all night, come home go to sleep at about 7:30 or 8, sleep until about 12:30 or 1, or 2…and still have time in my day to get things done before going into work again or before it gets dark.  But with day shift, I have to wake up at 4:30 AM, leave the house by 5:15, get to work before the sun actually rises, and then I don’t get off until 6:30 or 6:45 PM and by the time I get home it is completely dark, I am so incredibly tired, and I don’t want to do anything.  But, since I will be working on-call, I should be able to pick up an equal amount of day and night shifts.  Today we had a mandatory meeting, so I drove to work at 2:30 and then once I got there, I realized that I looked at the wrong time for the meeting and that the meeting really started at 5.  So, I did what anyone would do when they had 2 1/2 hours to kill and didn’t want to drive the 40 minutes home and the 40 minutes back to work, I went and read at the beach for a while.  (This is definitely one of the perks to living and working near the beach)   It was an awesome beach too!  There was a place to rent kayaks and some little islands to explore not too far off shore, and just a really cool place!  I will definitely be going back to explore these as soon as I find someone to go with me!

A few evenings ago, Dani Beth took some family pictures for some of our friends.  and we just happened to be going to this lady’s house where they sometimes shoot LOST!  Apparently, they were going to be shooting so really dangerous stunts down there the next day, and so we got to see all the stuff set up for the filming!  It was pretty cool!  Unfortunately there wasn’t anyone there, but they did have security guards everywhere so nothing would happen to all of the props.  This was just my first step….I am still hoping that I can be on one of the episodes! (I know I know, it probably won’t happen, but I can still dream can’t I?)

Things to look forward to….My birthday is in about 2 weeks and I get to see my family in about 6 weeks!!!!  I am so excited!  There are days that I get pretty home-sick, but I know that I can make it 6 weeks!!

Climbing one of the ladders on the set of LOST!

I promise I will update soon!  Hopefully tomorrow night…..

This weekend, Lindsey (a girl I met here) and I took a trip to the Big Island!  We had so much fun!  It was definitely a day of firsts and of adventure!  To start off the morning, I woke up at 5, left the house at 5:30 and went to pick her up and head to the airport.  We got to the airport, checked in, went through security and got to the gate just fine…It wasn’t until we were standing at the gate that we realized we accidently booked our flight for 7:05 PM and not 7:05 AM like we thought! So, we had to get our flight changed and couldn’t leave for 4 hours! (First time I have ever booked the wrong flight)  Then we went and had breakfast and it turns out there was a parade in Honolulu, so we watched the parade for a while. (First parade to see in honolulu, and no, they don’t throw out candy in parades here!) Then we drove back to the airport, being just a little bit tight for time since we knew we still had to go through security again, but we figured we would be okay as long as we quickly found a parking spot…well, in all 7 floors of the parking garage, there was not one single open space!! Just to give you an idea of out time crunch, as we were still driving around, it was 10:41 and our flight was leaving at 11!!! Talk about a time crunch! So, we finally find a spot and sprint (First time I have actually run through an airport for fear that I would miss my flight) to the security gate.  Then when we get there with 13 minutes until our plane leaves, the lady checking security is commenting on everyone’s ID pictures! Luckily, we made it to the gate with about 2 minutes to spare!!  Then we get to Kailua-Kona (First time to the Big Island of Hawaii) and rent a car and start driving around and having fun!  We stopped at the market and got some rice pudding (First time to eat rice pudding out of a banana leaf) and then we went to eat at a place called KoKo-nuts.  It was pretty good!  Then we went to a beach that had some lava rocks exposed (first time to stub my toe on a lava rock in the water).  Then we searched for this hike, and when we finally found it, we found out that it was closed! So, we just explored and looked around the area and took some pictures of the water.  Then we went to this place called the Painted Church.  It was pretty cool.  It was like this one-room chapel and the entire inside was covered in different murals paintings.  Then, we decided to head back and find somewhere to eat dinner.  So, we headed back and ate and then went to this coffee shop called Java Lava and then way over-estimated the time we would need to drive back to the airport and return the rental. So we sat at the airport for about an hour and then climbed the stairs up to our plane (First time I have gotten on/off a plane using stairs and not the tunnel thing) and headed back to Honolulu.  You would think that the adventure would end here, but when you are in a rush to make it to your flight that is about to leave without you, sometime you get so turned around that you can not find where you parked. (First time I have ever walked around parking garages for almost an hour to find my car).  I could see exactly where we parked and how we got to the check-in area, but the arrivals is in a different area, and I could not figure out how in the world to get to that place.  Finally we found the car and headed home.  Sorry it is kind or a long story, but here are a few pictures of my Big Island Adventure…

This is the rice pudding, it tasted like sweet rice...not too bad

This is me and Lindsey waiting for our food. And those are my new $5 sunglasses!

This was some alter that was on the side of the road. It was a good reminder to be in prayer for the lost around me!

Just a pretty sunset

This is the painted church

Boarding the plane to go home

~The End~

Lately, there has not been much going on.  I have been waiting to complete everything that needed to be done for me to start working and I finally have orientation scheduled!!!  It will be Tuesday morning!  I am so excited to FINALLY be able to start working!  But, I guess I am going to have to go on one more adventure before I start… This weekend, Lindsey (a girl that I met here) and I are flying to the big island for the day!  We are leaving about 7 in the morning and getting back at about 11PM.  I am so excited!  We really are not sure what we are going to do other than explore and relax!  Which is great with me!

I feel like I am finally getting involved with things here!  Finally starting to see where I fit in with things.  On sundays, I have been helping out with the power point stuff and getting stuff set up and making sure that things are rolling for the service on Sunday mornings at the church.  Then for the second service, I am helping out with children’s church, and about once or twice a month I am teaching the lesson.  On Monday night’s Dani Beth and I are taking a class at the church on the Book of Exodus.  It has been so interesting and I am learning so much!  It is making me realize that I wish I would have more room in my schedule to more biblical classes in school.  On Wednesday nights, I think we might start getting together with another girl to talk through some of the things we are learning in the Exodus class.  Then on Thursday mornings, I started going to a women’s bible study.  It has been really good so far.  I have only been able to go twice, but I am hoping to be able to continue to do that.  And then, on some Friday nights, I help out with Awana’s.

I also have my flight booked for visiting my parents and Thomas in San Diego for his game against the chargers!  I am going to have a long weekend and be able to spend a lot of time with my parents!  I am not sure how much time Thomas will get to hang out with us, but that is okay!  Anyway, I have to go plan a sunday school lesson now!

I decided that I like having pictures in my blogs, so here are a few of a hike I went on recently…

It got just a little steep in a few parts (Hawaii Loa Ridge Trail)

This tree is so awesome to me! I love that you can see all of those roots!

It is so cool to be looking out over all of this!

I am still waiting for the letter to come in the mail.  The Lord, is still working on my ability to wait for his perfect timing.  Every day that I hear the mail truck I run straight for the mailbox! Just like a kid running to the ice cream truck, or running to the christmas tree on Christmas morning.  But so far, I have not had the outcome that ‘the kid’ expects to receive.  I know that it is coming though.  I know that it will all be in God’s perfect timing.

Today I went on another hike.  I went to Manoa Falls Trail.  It was a pretty easy, yet slightly muddy hike.  And the falls was absolutely beautiful.  I am going to have to go back, because I only got a few miptures of the falls before my camera battery died.  And at the falls is the start of another hike! Next time I will be sure to have a fully charged camera!

This is my favorite flower picture that I have taken! And it was right outside our backdoor!

Me at Manoa Falls

One of the best things about the this trail is that it is so lush and green the whole way! Just beautiful!

Welp, it is looking like I might have a job next week!!!!

I think this last week it really… really started to hit me that I am not going to see or be with friends and family for a while. The home sickness started to kick in a little.  But, God is faithful and I am feeling better now.  I still don’t know many people here my age, or people who are adventurous and like to be outside and go on adventures, so for now, I am trying to still be adventurous and take that time to spend with the Lord in His beautiful creation.  Below are some pictures of some flowers and plants that I have taken on some of my adventures! Enjoy  :)

This is my favorite flower here!! I just love it!

Pretty Plumerias, but my favorite are the white ones!

Beautiful! I saw these up the Kuli'ou'ou Ridge trail

I wish I knew what all of these flowers were called!

These were more orange than they turned out in the picture

The picture really just doesn't do this one justice! These were on Mariner's Ridge

Just the other day I was telling Dani Beth, “I am so glad that I am not going back to school.  I know that I would have a test the first week of school, just like the start of every semester!”  Ha, that back-fired right in my face!  On monday morning I am going to be taking a written test!  Here is the short version of the story… On Monday I filled out and turned in an application and resume to Ann Pearl Nursing Facility.  Tuesday I called to confirm that they received my application.  Wednesday I did not hear anything from them.  Thursday morning I got a call asking if I would come in and take a written test!  This is both very exciting and also very nerve-wrecking!  I tried to ask what would be on the test and all the lady would say was “It is just a written test.”  So, I have no clue what is going to be on it, but I for the past 2 days I have been trying to study things that I think will be on it.  Like medications and safety precautions.  So, on Monday, at 10:00 am I will be taking a test.  It is funny because I never thought that I would ever work in a nursing home, or that I would ever even have the slightest desire to work in one.  But, I have found myself really wanting to work there and just be a light to all of those precious elderly people!  Oh my goodness how they need someone to love them and to care for them!  I really want to do everything I can to take the stigma away from nursing homes.  I want the residents to be comfortable where they are and to not be afraid and to know that they are being taken care of!  I am also looking forward to maybe getting to know some of the families of the residents!  Man, I hope that if I get this job that I would be able to build good relationships with the families of the residents I will be working with!

Yesterday I went back to Judd Trail.  I really like Judd trail!  I got some awesome pictures too!  I took a girl that I met through a friend of a friend.  Her name is Lindsey and she is doing an internship at one of the hospitals here in Honolulu.  So, we went out to lunch and hiking!  We had a great time and it was so nice to enjoy God’s beautiful creation!

Sliding into the water hole!

These trees are awesome!

Me by the stream at Judd Trail

That is all for now.

Love- Nat

The job search is getting pretty frustrating.  I feel like everything that I get even the least bit excited about ends up not working out or being completely different than I expected!  Today I went to apply for a part-time position at a nursing home and as I was filling out the application I realized I did not have a lot of the information that I needed to complete it.  So, I went to give the receptionist back her clip-board and take the application home to complete it and bring it in tomorrow, and they don’t allow you to take the application out of the office.  So, I had to write down everything that I was missing and get it all and I will have to drive back down there tomorrow to fill it out. On my way home, I was just so discouraged and frustrated that I turned off the radio and just sat there and told God exactly what I was feeling.  I asked him to show me that He is still there and in control of all of this.  As I pulled onto the freeway, I looked up toward the mountains and saw one of the most vibrant and full rainbows I have seen in a very long time.  Yes, it has been raining on and off all day, but I am going to chose to believe that that rainbow was placed there specifically for me as a reminder that God is truly the author of our lives and that He will provide for my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

On other news, since I found my camera, I have taken some more pictures!  Hooray!  Today I climbed up KoKo Crater again.  I have decided that I want to do this about once a week.  I am excited about it!  Here are a few pictures from Koko crater and then also one of my house which I love!

Our living room

The beginning

At the top!!!

So, I think that time in Hawaii is on a different time continuum!  It seriously just flies by!! Since my last update, a lot of things have happened.

For example: ~Meredith, Miles’ girlfriend, is in town visiting ~I have applied for multiple jobs and am waiting to hear on them ~I swam with some more turtles ~Someone stole my bag, purse, wallet, and phone ~We went jeeping/off roading at k’aena point (so fun) ~I found out that I am a locksmith ~and I climbed up KoKo crater! (by the way, the view is absolutely amazing up there!  I didn’t want to come down!)

God is continuing to provide in so many ways and proving that he is faithful!  I am in awe of His beautiful creation everyday and I am getting really excited about getting plugged into different ministries here!

Please pray for the perfect job to open up.

~Natalie

Just chillin' at the local coffee shop!