Ringing in the New Year with Gratitude

I've used this blog for many things - to update people on my travels so everybody knows I'm safe, to rant and complain when I'm feeling a little down, and to give advice about situations I encountered that I have learned from. Now I would like to use it to achieve some resolutions for the new year. I rang in the new year in my car to Metric's "breathing underwater".. not a bad song to look at the clock and discover it was midnight. Sure, it wasn't the legendary New Year's eve of the past, filled with drinks and friends and laughter.. but I have to remind myself that I am a valuable member of a healthcare team.. even if I'm in a place I would never have imagined as I finished nursing school. I've been reading many different posts about creating slips of paper with goals to be read at the beginning of next year, to write things I am grateful for every day and put them in a jar, or to create a time capsule full of random stuff from this year. I think these are all wonderful ideas and so I will put them all together! I am going to write a list of my goals but instead of leaving them in a jar unseen I will put them here, and update them whenever I achieve something or think of a new goal.

1. Live less than a 1/2 hour drive from work
2. Have a new/new-to-me vehicle
3. Become IV certified
4. Credit card bill of $0
5. Pay off at least 20% of loans
6. Have a body that makes me happy - ie. less fat, more muscle
7. Learn 12 new songs on the guitar
8. Use up wine tour gift certificate
9. Gain a certificate to add to my resume
10. Complete 30 day challenges for at least 6 months of the year - I will think of these later

Second, I will use social media to post things that I am grateful for.. and I think daily might be a little unrealistic so instead I will make it weekly. But.. I will start with today.

Having a great paying full-time nursing job!

As for a time capsule...well today I think I will reflect upon all of the wonderful things that happened in 2013 so that I (or you) may view them whenever I please.

January - went to Banff with a great group of Nurses

I got to experience snowboarding in the Alberta mountains





February - Got to plan a Bachelorette party for yet another beautiful lady :) - though I don't know if I have any photo evidence... but I did get to visit BC which always makes me happy, and then I had the pleasure to be in their wedding party


March - More snowboarding, sunshine, and friends. Wrapping up the final semester of our classes all together

April - the wedding of the beautiful couple on the left

Then I fulfilled one of my bucket list tasks - to see Greece!!

And I saw yet another wedding in May (though I fear I have no photographic evidence of that one.. those photos are with my parents), but got to visit with family and have a wonderful time in Vancouver.

And finally, the largest thing that I am grateful for was finishing nursing school. In the beginning of May I began the beginning of the end of my nursing school experience. First in the classroom, then to the brave unit of pediatrics in June. I discovered my love for working with children, and though I am not there yet, I know I will find my way back eventually. Of course there were struggles during the summer.. not including having to move during the second last week of my program. But in the end, we had a celebration!

And I am so grateful for all of the friendships I have made. But of course, the year doesn't end there! I got to go back to BC and celebrate with friend's and family. Help my sister plan her wedding and relax in the sun and the water.  I applied for many  many many jobs. I got a little frustrated, but I was successful in giving out flu shots for all of September and October. I was officially a graduate nurse. Then on December 4, 2013... I became an RN!!

Of course, there are so many more things to be grateful for this year but I fear if I list them all I will lose what few readers I have. Just a few more to think of though: Getting to meet a beautiful baby girl just 14 hours after she was born, seeing another beautiful wedding in October and visiting with friends I haven't seen in a long while, receiving a full time nursing position - even if it's an hour drive, going for a wonderful hike in Jasper glaciers and cross country skiing, having the boyfriend's family come up for Christmas because I had to work and could not come down to them, moving into a much nicer, more spacious apartment, and the many many many people who I love and care about that are in my life and have supported me through this amazing journey into a new phase of life!! Just a few more photos! 

HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYONE!!