Another birthday come and gone...

Wow, I can't believe I haven't written on here since September! LOL! Oh well. Not a whole lot happened in October anyway. Just worked & went to a Halloween party at my husbands' friends' house. It was fun. Lots of drinking, laughs, & craziness! Now, it is November, almost halfway through it actually. Yesterday (the 11th) was Veteran's Day, as well as my 32nd birthday. I had so much fun last night when I went out to Club Rodeo, here in Wichita, with my hubby & friend Lynn. I met up with another friend, Naomi, and she ended up buying me a Double Jager Bomb, which probably woulda knocked me on my ass, had I not already had a couple of beers. LOL! It was good, but I could definitely feel it by the end of the night (along w/ the 4 other beers I had. LOL). My husband's friend, Joel, works as a bouncer at the club, and he got me & Lynn the okay to go sit atop the bull riding ring while the cowboys rode the bucking bulls. It was freaking awesome, as I have never been that close to a rodeo bull before! Man, it was one of the best birthday celebrations I've had in a long time & I can't wait til next year! Haha! Now that my birthday has passed, I can look forward to Thanksgiving & Christmas! I can't wait for them to get here. I love the holidays, and even though my hubby is not that big on them (never really has been), I am getting so excited that I'll be able to start buying and putting up Christmas decorations soon! I also can't for the first big snowfall of the year. Hopefully it'll wait til after Thanksgiving to show up though! LOL! Well, my brain is starting to go to mush, so I think I'll end this here, but I just wanted to drop y'all a line & let ya know I'm still alive & doing well! :) Take care & stay safe!

Later gators,

*Jolene*

New beginnings...

New beginnings is the title of this entry, and it definitely is for us! We finally did it. We have moved! After almost two years in that old place, we are now in our new place. :) I'm so flippin' happy! We moved into our new apartment on Thursday, the 15th. It only took us 3 hours to get everything loaded, driven to the new place, & unloaded...thanks to the help of two friends of one of Travis' other friends. It was awesome to be done so quickly! I was just so happy to get out of that mobile home park (or as a friends' husband calls it "tornado target") & into our new place! We have a one bedroom apartment in the city, right smack dab in the middle of everything. And I love it! The location of the apartment is awesome. I am only about 10 minutes away from work (I guess that could be bad, too, huh? LOL), and only about 10-15 minutes away from all the fun stuff to do in town....well, at least along one of the major streets in town that is. LOL! Seriously though, there is a Barnes & Noble just across the street from me! OMG, I am in HEAVEN w/ that! Hehe! :) My hubby is in heaven, what with all the restaurants surrounding us, even though I told him that we need to stop eating out so much.....yeah, like that's gonna happen now! Haha! Seriously though, my husband and I are so happy to be where we are. He's even closer to where his friends live, so that makes it even better for him. Plus, we don't feel like we live in the boonies any more. I'm just excited to have a new (nice) place to decorate! Ah yes, I love decorating. Hmm, maybe I should've gone into Interior Design instead of Nursing? Nah.......I don't think I could decorate for others. Just myself. LOL! Back to the subject. This one bedroom apartment is actually huge, compared to others that we've seen, so we have TONS of wall space to work with. Which means photos, photos, photos galore! :) We even have our own "private" entrance. I put that in parenthesis because you walk in our front door & have to walk up a flight of stairs to get to our living room. LOL! The walls around the staircase though are going to be plastered w/ photos though, so it's nice to have that! My husband has actually already started to put stuff up on the walls, so I need to get my shiz together & start coming up w/ ideas! :)

It is also finally beginning to feel like Fall! The leaves have begun changing colors & falling off the trees, the weather has officially cooled down (seriously, it was like 50 degrees the last 2 days!), and the state fair is in full swing! I absolutely LOVE Fall. It is one of my favorite seasons during the year. I love the colors, the smells, the holidays, the sports (hello FOOTBALL!), and the fashions! I mean seriously, can it get any better than jeans & hoodies!? I absolutely love throwing on my favorite pair of jeans & my Nebraska hoodie when I go out about on the town or to visit friends. I also love being able to sit in my home, with the windows/doors wide open, letting the cool air flow its way into my home. Especially since that cuts down on the electric bill, which makes my hubby happy! ;) As a matter of fact, I'm sitting in my living room right now, w/ my sliding glass door open (screen shut) letting the cool air flow in. I just wish there was a little more of a breeze than there is. Oh well, I guess you can't get everything you wish for. Hehe!

Well, I think that's all I have to post for right now! I'm going to go and finish watching the rest of my football game (GO HUSKERS!), but I will post again soon! I hope y'all are doing well & enjoy the Fall weather!! :) Take care & stay safe!!

Later gators,

*Jolene*

A Lot On My Mind

The title of this blog says it all. I have a lot on my mind & I just don't know where to start. Everything is starting to get jumbled up in my brain & I'm starting to get depressed again. And not just a little depressed, a LOT depressed. To the point where I don't even want to get out of bed. But, I have to because I have to go to work, so we can afford the move in 12 days...and even that is starting to look like a challenge. My last paycheck was about $200 less than we were expecting, so now we will probably have to drop off part of the furniture package we have on hold for the move, and will probably eat Ramen noodles for 2 months. I'm just so frustrated & upset. I want to punch something. I want to break something. I want someone to hurt as much as I am right now (physically & mentally) that I am picking fights with my husband just so I can scream at him, in hopes that it makes me feel better. Yeah, I'm a great wife aren't I? (said sarcastically) I just don't know what to do anymore. I feel like I'm rolling downhill w/o anything to stop me from hitting that rocky bottom at the end. That's the part that just makes me want to curl up under the covers and never show my face again. I hate this. I really do.

I also hate the fact that I'm feeling jealous of some of my friends. College has started back up for the year, and some of my best friends are back hitting the books again, moving further along their paths to their futures, which are definitely looking bright for them. I am happy for them (really, I am), but I wish I could be doing that too. Yeah, I managed to get a start on my "career" but it looks like I may be stuck where I work for quite a while, as I can't afford to take the next step (LPN class) to further it along. Even if I was able to get a grant or loan or something like that, it wouldn't be enough for me to be able to take this class. Plus, I can't afford to take the time off of work to take this class, so yeah, I'm in a lose-lose situation right now. God, I'm going to be 32 years old this year, and I'm just starting my journey toward becoming a nurse!? What the hell was I thinking!? I can't do this. I'm going to be like these ladies I work with, and be a freaking CNA for 20 years. I definitely don't think I can do that. Hell, my body is already telling me that this is something it can't/doesn't want to handle...and if I can't handle this, how can I handle being a nurse? I really messed up with this career choice, didn't I? I feel like such a failure. Here I am, going to be 32 years old in just a couple months, and I have nothing but a CNA license to show for it? Hell, I don't even have kids yet & probably won't be able to for another couple of years, because, yeah, you guessed it, we can't afford it right now. I know, I know. No one can really "afford" to have kids & if you tell yourself you'll have them when you can afford to, you'll never have kids. Well you know what, if it was meant to happen, it would've happened already. I might as well give up that dream too. Hell, I might as well just give up on all my dreams and face reality. Which is, I'm not going anywhere for quite a while, so I might as well get used to it. I guess the only thing I have to look forward to is this move to a new place, and even that is beginning to weigh heavily on my thoughts..........

Sorry for the break...

Hello all!

Sorry it's been so long since I last wrote, but so much has happened over the last month, that it's hard to keep up with everything. LOL. I guess the biggest thing would be that I passed the state board and am a Certified Nurse Aide. Yay! I was so glad to get that card in the mail....I think my hubby was even prouder. LOL! :) I am actually currently working as a CNA too. A couple days after I got my certification, I applied at Life Care Center of Andover (KS) and got an interview! :) The very next day I get the call that they would like to offer me a position with their facility. I was so happy, as my old job was coming to an end very soon, so of course I accepted the offer! I have been at LCCA for about 3 weeks now, and it's going alright. You definitely don't realize just how much CNA's actually do until you start working as one! It's a lot of hard work & you better make sure you are in shape for that! I sweat so much at work, I'm surprised I don't come home soaked to the bone. LOL! My feet & back however, are still getting used to this new career choice! It's been a lil over a year since I last worked on my feet for 8 hours at a time, so yeah, my feet are screaming at me by the end of the night. Most days my back is ok, but then there are some days that I swear I won't be able to straighten up it hurts so bad! The nursing home that I work at is pretty nice, but there are some things that could be better. They are still completely understaffed (CNA wise) so we definitely run our butts off when we are working! Most of the residents are nice & easy to help/get along with, but then there are those that are stubborn as mules & will drive you up the wall! But, I guess that's probably everywhere. LOL! But, things are going well & I'm starting to get used to this new career, so that makes me happy. :)

I guess the next thing would be that my husband and I will be moving on September 15th. We found an amazing apartment complex that we REALLY like & have put down a deposit to hold the apartment for us. The apt complex is centrally located to everything, and is actually only about 10-15 minutes away from my work, depending on traffic. I love the fact that right across the street is a Barnes & Noble! Hehe! There are also some restaurants within walking distance, which is awesome. I can't wait until we move. We are even getting brand new furniture from Ashley Furniture! We have picked out a new couch, chair & ottoman, coffee table, & side tables for the living room, & we will have a new mattress & box spring for the bedroom. I can't wait to get them, but we won't until we move in. Makes no sense in bringing the new stuff to this "dump" that we are living in right now! We are also probably going to buy a new dining room table & chairs from Ashley Furniture after we move in. Luckily, it comes with amenities (fridge, stove, & dishwasher), so we don't have to worry about bringing anything from our current place to the new place. We'll just have to buy a new microwave, but that's not too bad! I'm just really looking forward to decorating the new place. I love doing stuff like that & have lots of ideas! We will even have a Bed, Bath, & Beyond across the street from the new place, so um, yeah...I'm going to be there A LOT! Hehehehehehe! :)

Well, it's getting late & my brain is starting to shut down, so I'm going to end this here, but hopefully I'll post again soon! I hope y'all are doing well & I'll talk to you soon! Take care & stay safe!!

Later gators!

*Jolene*

What a (wonderful) day!

Well, this morning was the CNA state board exam. It was 100 questions long & I have to say, some of the questions were weird!!! LOL. I think I did pretty good. I know I missed 2 for sure, and probably 3 or 4 other questions, but I believe you can miss up to 30 questions and still pass the test. I'll find out in 4-6 weeks how I did...hopefully it won't actually take that long. A lot of people I've talked to have said they found out their results within 10-14 days of taking the test, so here's hoping that'll happen with me! *crosses fingers* The test was in Emporia, so my husband offered to drive me & my friends/classmates up there. It was definitely an interesting trip up there, and the trip back...OMG, I think my husband was screaming "HELP ME!" on the inside! LOL! One of the girls that rode up with us, ended up riding back home w/ another classmate of ours, so it was just me, my hubby, and my friends Jessica & Shelby. And oh my, was that a fun trip home! I don't think I have laughed as hard as I did on that trip home in a LONG time (seriously, I had tears streaming down my face & my head was pounding). OMG, the conversations we had! We are ALL over the place! For instance, we'd start out by talking about burping/belching & slowly progress toward the different kinds of farting & then talk about puking, and whatever else would pop into our heads. It was HILARIOUS!! I have actually dubbed Shelby, Jessica, & myself the new Three Musketeers. :-) Hehe! It was definitely fun & I can't wait to get together with them again soon (just the 3 of us-sorry baby!) and hang out. All in all, it actually turned out to be quite a wonderful day (beautiful weather out too) and I was sorry to see it end, even thought I knew it had to eventually. I even got to meet my husband's cousin, Abby, for the first time since I got together with him (almost 10 years ago) and she was pretty cool. Didn't get to spend much time with her, as I had to take the test & then we left for home shortly after that, but it was still nice. She's a sweet girl & hopefully my hubby & I will be able to go up to Emporia again sometime for a longer visit...and maybe to use her pool before the summer is over. ;-) Haha!

So again, today was a wonderful day & I look forward to many more fun memories like this one in the future...until next time, take care & stay safe! :-)

Later gators!!

*Jolene*

I survived :)

Well, I did it...I survived my CNA class! :) Yup, today was the last day of the class & after a month (well, 20 days), it was bittersweet! I was happy that the class was over & that I passed it (with a 98% no less!), but I will miss seeing some of my classmates every day during the week. Luckily, I have their phone numbers & hopefully will be able to keep up with them on Facebook. My instructor was awesome too! Her name was Chung Martin, and she made the class so enjoyable! She was "strict" in her teaching, but she still made the class fun & we definitely cracked up a few times w/ the stories she'd tell us! :) Plus, on this last day, she brought us donuts, so that was AWESOME! Hehe! :) I'm just glad that I don't have to worry about going to school during the morning/afternoon & then having to go to work a couple of hours later, come home, and try to find some time to study before falling asleep & doing it all over again. LOL! All in all though, it was a good experience & I'm just ready to get the state exam out of the way. It is next Tuesday, so I still have a week to wait & study my stuff some more, but I'm certain I'll do fine. I just want to get it done & get that certificate in the mail, so I can begin a new chapter in my life! :) I'm just so proud of myself & my other classmates, especially one of my besties, Jessica, who took the class with me. She did so good & I'm so happy for her! Can't wait to see her start a new chapter in her life as well! :)

Well, my tummy is starting to growl, so I'm going to go and grab an apple or something to eat, and I'll post again soon. Until next time, take care & stay safe!! :)

Later gators!

*Jolene*

It's been a crazy, LONG week

Wow...it is Saturday & I survived my 1st week of my CNA class. And what a week it has been! Not only do I go to class Mon-Fri 9am-3:30pm, but I also work Mon, Weds, & Fri 5:30-9:30pm, so that makes for LONG days...plus, I have to find time to study in there! Granted, I can study on my days off of work (Tues & Thurs), but on those days, all I feel like doing is going home after class & take a nap! LOL! However, I don't, as I know that I won't be able to fall asleep that evening, so I just suck it up & HOPE to get some kind of studying done. LOL. I guess I can sleep in on the weekend...which is exactly what I did today! Although, I did wake up with a stinking migraine, which was NOT fun. Hopefully that doesn't happen tomorrow!

Anyway, as I said this was my first week of the CNA class. We have been doing a lot of book reading, video watching, and some lab work. We have learned how to properly turn a person in their bed, how to properly make the beds, how to use the mechanical lift, how to assist a person using the gait belt, and how to move them out of bed & into a wheelchair/onto the toliet. It's actually a lot more information to keep in your brain then it sounds like, but I've enjoyed it so far. We have clinicals in about 2 weeks, where we will go to an actual nursing home/assisted living facility (not sure which it was) and work with actual nurses & actual residents, so that's definitely going to be interesting! We will be split into Group A & Group B, and go on opposite days, so hopefully my friend, Jessica, who is taking the class with me, will be in my group. We don't know what group we'll be in yet, as our instructor hasn't assigned them yet. LOL. But, we will only go to clinical 3 days a week, so we actual get 2 free days during the week, which will be AWESOME! :) I just hope I don't screw up during clinicals, as this will be a big part of our grade to pass the class. *fingers crossed* We took our first quiz earlier this week, and I passed it with a 98%. I got 1 question wrong...which upset me, because it was the first quiz and we'd had a review just a few minutes beforehand. I mean, c'mon brain! REMEMBER STUFF!!! Our instructor even mentioned to us that the quizzes/class will get tougher as we go on, so I'm like CRAP!! I know that I just have to believe in myself & believe that I'll do well, but some days it's just so hard to believe that...especially when I'm completely exhausted from lack of sleep. I swear when this month is over, I am going to sleep for another month! LOL! I honestly just want to get through this class & get the state exam over with & find out that I pass & be able to start working as a CNA. Especially since my current job is on the line, as the position I have will no longer be available come August 23rd. Just another thing I have to worry about, huh? I try not to think about it, but it's always there in the back of my mind. Oh well, guess that's life, huh? :)

So again, I managed to make it through my first week of CNA class, and I do look forward to the next 3. I know they will go by fast & it'll be over before I know it, which will suck cuz I won't get to see one of my besties every day, but in the end, I'll feel very accomplished & that's what counts, right? :) And speaking of accomplishments, I think I'm going to end this here & go study my book & workbook while I have the chance. So, until next time, take care, stay safe, & I'll talk to you soon! Later gators! :)

*Jolene*

Thinking & Homesick

So, I've been thinking a lot lately...about a lot of stuff. So many thoughts crammed into my poor brain that some days I just don't know how I function. I don't even really know where to start. Along with my thoughts, lately I've been feeling very homesick...for Nebraska. For those that don't know me all that well, I was raised in Nebraska from the time I was almost 9 years old, and I lived there for 11 years before I finally moved away. However, I haven't been back to Nebraska in probably 5 or 6 years. And I'm craving it. Just the other night, I dreamt about life there. I dreamt about walking down the Haymarket district in Lincoln and listening to all the wonderful sounds I remember coming from there many, many years ago (I don't know if it's still the same, but I'm hoping so). I dreamt about seeing all the red & white during Husker football season, and lord knows, living in Kansas, I totally miss that!!! I dreamt about walking throughout my old neighboorhood, how my aunt & uncle lived just handful of blocks away, how the old elementary school was only about 2 blocks away, and how I'd pass by it when I was out for a walk (I can't believe they tore it down). I could still vividly smell the wonderful smells of that lil town I grew up in too. How every year, for 3 days outta the year (in August), the town would smell of sauerkraut & kolaches, thanks to the great Czech Days festival, which I miss being able to go to. I haven't been to one since I moved away, and that was all the way back in 2000, so yeah, it's been a while! I remember the smells of the barbeques that would happen throughout the neighborhood when it was nice out. I remember & miss laying on a thick, soft mound of grass in my yard, watching the clouds float lazily across the summer sky. I remember & miss sitting out on our front porch on the porch swing on a nice warm night, listening to the crickets & other bugs chirp the night away, & the lightning bugs that my brother & I used to run around the yard chasing. I just plain miss HOME. Like they say, there's no place like Nebraska, and for someone that hasn't lived there in years and is yearning to go back, that saying is 100% true!!!!

I've also been thinking about different my life could've been...I guess you could say I've been having the "what ifs" syndrome. What if I had finished college? What if I had married my high school boyfriend? What if I hadn't moved? What would my life have been like? I definitely know that I wouldn't know all these wonderful friends that I have come to know & love dearly here in Kansas, but I also feel estranged from my friends & family in Nebraska. To be honest, I don't feel like I'm part of the family when it comes to them. I never hear about what's going on with them, as my mom doesn't talk about them (granted she lives in Texas now, but I know she still talks to my family members), and I feel like if I were to go back, I wouldn't be treated as if I was family. I don't know. Maybe it's just my paranoia running rampant, but that's how I feel. Like an outsider looking in. I wonder what would've happened if I hadn't moved away. Would I still be close/semi-close with my family in Nebraska? Or would things be the way they are now? What if I had finished college & gotten that nursing degree I always talked about getting? Would people look at me and say that I had done something with my life & were proud of my accomplishments? Would I have a family & home of my own (as in having children)? What would've happened in my life if I had done things differently? I think about that every day. Now, don't get me wrong. I love my husband more than life itself & can't imagine my life without him, but there's still that little voice in the back of my head saying "what if?" I don't know if other people have felt this way (I'm sure they have) and I'm not going to act on an impulse & just pack up & move, but I do feel this way at times. Especially on my bad days. I think about what could've possibly been, and sometimes I get lost in those thoughts. I don't know...maybe I'm just feeling sorry for myself & wishing things had turned out differently or maybe it's the fact that I'm in my 30's now & feel like I haven't accomplished much in my life. Yes, I have plans on taking a CNA class & getting my foot in the door there (if only they handn't postponed the darn thing! lol), but what then? What happens after that? I know, I know. Just take it one step at a time, right? For those that know me, you should know I never take things one step at a time. LOL! Maybe that's my problem. I need to slow down & actually think out & plan what I'm going to do...yeah, maybe I'll do that...

Well, those are my thoughts for now. Yes, I have more & will have more to come, but I think for now, that is good. I'll catch y'all again soon. Take care & stay safe. :)

Later gators!

*Jolene*

Sorry for the break...

Hello all!

I am so sorry for not posting anything lately, but my mind has just been crazy. LOL. So much has gone on over the last few weeks, that I don't even know where to start. Well, I guess I'll just start after I signed up for the CNA class. We made the first payment on it that day & have made 1 other payment towards it. Just have a lil over $280 to pay up before the class starts on May 16th...yup, only 19 days away...wow, where did the time go!? LOL! I'm getting excited though! My dream of becoming a nurse will finally be on it's way. I know that I won't be a "nurse" persay, but that's ok. This will just be the 1st rung on the ladder to my ultimate dream. :) I'm really looking forward to it! Once it starts, I'll try to keep y'all updated as much as possible to let you know how it's going! :)

Something else has happened in the last few weeks that I am NOT too happy about. You see, we are renting our mobile home from my husbands' parents...who also just happen to be our next door neighbors...yup, you read that right...they live RIGHT. NEXT. DOOR. When my husband & I first moved in here back in November 2009, it was ok. We needed a place to live in Wichita, as the job market in Newton was NOT going well for me (I was working as a desk clerk @ a hotel @ that time), and we were barely making ends meet. So, even though I knew I would be leaving my friends behind, we packed up and headed for Wichita. Luckily, it is only 30-40 minutes away from Newton. LOL! Anyway, Travis' dad & stepmom came to own the trailer next door to theirs & offered it to us, as they knew the situation we were in. Of course, we would have to pay them rent ($160/mo on top of the $140/mo lot rent), which was fine with me, and yes, I knew that we were going to take it in a "as is" condition, but they were in the process of fixing some of the major problems. So we move in and things are going well......for the first few months, that is. Then, things start to go downhill. The first issue that pops up? The bathroom floor in my bathroom has not been finished, even though we were told it would be done BEFORE we moved in. Granted, I had a floor, just no tile to cover the plywood. Well, after MANY requests for it to be finished, and many "we don't have the money at the moment, but we will get it done this month," my husband decided to take it into his own hands and finish the floor himself. So, we went to Lowe's and picked out a nice tile for the floor, and around 3 hours and $45 later, the floor was tiled. Yes, that was ALL it took to tile the floor. Now, tell me, HOW HARD is it for someone to do that!? I mean, c'mon!!! You promise us it'll be finished before we move in & we end up having to finish the job ourselves? Um, yeah, that should've been the first warning sign of things to come.

As the months go by and we get closer and closer to the 1 year mark of living here, more problems arise. We begin to have soft spots appear in the living room & kitchen floors. We tell my in-laws (aka, our landlords) and once again we are told they don't have the money to fix the problem at the moment, but that it will get done by the end of the month...and that is repeated over and over, even to this day! The soft spot in the living room is completely ridiculous and on the verge of dangerous, and the kitchen floor just looks terrible. I am honestly embarrassed to have any of my friends over because of the condition of this mobile home. There is a huge hole under the sink in the cabinets, the above counter cabinets are rotting away in places, the windows are not sealed properly, so winter was AWFUL for drafts coming in whenever the wind would blow (and it was freaking COLD this past winter), there are broken panes of glass in different windows throughout the home, and our a/c & heating unit is ANCIENT. I swear to god that thing has go to be like 80 yrs old! Our poor electric bill was absolutely horrendous this past winter because of it. But, I digress. So, even though we have told my in-laws about the problems in this home, nothing has been done to rectify it. EVEN THOUGH, they seem to have the money to go to the casinos whenever they feel like it or go on day trips to god knows where. Yeah, we get the excuse that they don't have the money to fix the problems right now, but yet, my father-in-law even ADMITTED to me that they do the very things I have mentioned in the sentence above. This has been a VERY sore subject for me, and if you were to ask them, my friends can attest to this very fact! LOL. I'm grateful that they are there to listen to me bitch about things, but on the other hand, I feel bad for dumping it on them. Some days, I just need to get it out or I will burst!! My husband has also felt the brunt of that storm quite a few times over the last few months, and thank goodness, still loves me to this day. LOL. So anyway, a couple weeks ago, my mother-in-law calls up Travis & basically tells him that we HAVE to take the trailer from them (they would transfer the title to us, free & clear) OR come July 1st, we are out on our asses with no place to live. YUP, you read that right. That was the ultimatum. Take the trailer or be homeless. Boy, did that set me off!! I even had a heated argument w/ my father-in-law over this whole thing, and let me just say, it felt good to get out everything I had held in for almost the last 2 years.

So, you're probably sitting there saying "what's the big deal? You'll have your own home now." The big deal is the fact that my husband and I do NOT want to live here anymore, and actually had a plan to move out as soon as possible after I got a job as a CNA. Now, we are going to be stuck w/ a broken down trailer (yes, that's how I look at it) until we can find someone that would be willing to take it (as is, minus a few repairs we plan on making) from us for practically nothing. We even got a phone call about a week after my mother-in-law called my husband, from the apartment complex we were looking at moving into (and accepted at), saying that they would probably have an apartment available the middle of June. Wow, can you say ROTTEN TIMING!? Or should I say, everything's falling into place, just at the wrong time!! Sadly, we will not be able to take that apartment at this time, but we are still very interested in moving into the complex, and hopefully another one will open up in the next few months/by the end of the year. Lord knows, I do NOT want to be living here come next Spring...shoot, I don't even want to still be here by this Winter! I just hope & pray that once I get a job as a CNA & we get some money saved up, we will have the funds & opportunity to move into that lovely apartment complex & really start "living."

Well, I think that's about it for now...if I think of anything else, I will post another blog. Until then, I hope y'all are doing well & I look forward to chatting with you again soon! :) Take care & stay safe!

Later gators!

*Jolene*

P.S. Sorry if this is/was a little confusing...it is almost 4am here after all! LOL! :)

Soon to be CNA...I hope! :)

Well, the title says it all! Yes, I am officially enrolled in a CNA class for May. After years and YEARS of talking about doing it & never following through with it, I finally did it! YAY!!! And, I get to take it with one of my best friends, so that makes it EVEN better! :) I'm so excited! I can't wait to say, "Hi, I'm Jolene and I'm a CNA." Hehe!! Just kidding, I won't say that....well, at least not in public! LMAO! :) I'm not going to stop there either. This is just the first step in my "nursing ladder." I hope to one day get my RN & will possibly go into Pediatrics. This CNA class will definitely help out, not just professionally, but personally. 

Having grown up the daughter of a nurse, I have wanted to be one since I can remember! As I said before, my husband & I have talked about me going into nursing for YEARS, practically since we first got together, but unfortunately, the funds have never been there...until now. :) Granted, this class is taking nearly $900 from us, but it will be worth it in the end!! I can already tell that my husband is feeling better about where I'm headed in life, and I can just picture his face, when I come home that wonderful day & tell him I passed the state boards....which I'm planning on doing! I know it'll be nerve wracking to go and take that test, but I'm sure this class will prepare us well for that day...and again, I'll have a terrific gal by my side to say "You can do it!" :) and vice versa, of course! Hehe! Every day I go to my job now, I think "only a couple more months & you won't have to do this." I am looking forward to that day...the day I can say, I have a CAREER, and not just a job. I will be so proud of myself, as I'm sure my mom & the rest of my family will be. Dang it, why can't May 16th be here already!? LOL! :)

Well, I hope this post finds you all well, and I will post again soon...take care & stay safe! Later gators! :)

*Jolene*

Happy March!

Happy March all! :) I hope everyone is doing well & has had a good month/week so far! Mine has been pretty good! So much has happened...let's see if I can remember everything...LOL.

My husband & I got accepted at the apartment complex we went looking at last month. Everything went through and all of our credit, criminal, etc. checks came back ok. The only bad thing? We have to wait until another 1 bedroom apartment opens up...which probably won't happen until later this summer. Which, I guess is good in the fact that it gives us more time to save up money & buy all the stuff we need/want for the new place. The bad thing is we are still suck in this sucky, money draining mobile home. But at least we have a roof over our head. LOL. We also got new phones, FINALLY. After 2 years of having a Blackberry Pearl, I have been upgraded to a Droid HTC Incredible. Yup, I got a smart phone. LOL! I'm liking it so much better than the BB. That thing kept giving me trouble & I was getting so freakin' tired of it, so I was definitely happy to get my new phone! :) The hubby finally got his Droid X and is happy to have it, so it's all good all around! :)

Another good thing that happened is that I got extended for another 8 months at my job! :) Yay! I'm actually on my mandatory 5 day break between "tours" right now, so I'm just spending it relaxing & trying to catch up on things that I have let get away from me...including this blog. LOL! I'm just happy that I got to stay on. I was a little worried, because I hadn't had an "edit" in a few months, so I was wondering what would happen when I came up for my review. But, it was all good and I'm in the "Satisfactory" section. Hehe! No matter how much I complain about the job (i.e.-not getting off on time, the cramping I get in my fingers from typing for so long, etc.), I really do enjoy it and am grateful to have it, especially in this economy. :) My husband is also still at his job & hit the 3 year mark back in February. I'm so proud of him for lasting so long for what he does (correction officer @ 1 of the state prisons) & he looks so cute in that uniform! Hehe! ;)

The weather has been getting a bit better lately. Sure, we've still had some cold days here and there, but we've also had some really nice warm days...Spring is definitely coming & I can't wait for it to be here full force! My favorite seasons are Spring & Fall, so yeah, I'm getting excited! :) I can't wait for the trees & flowers to bud & the grass to change back to that beautiful green I like so much. I'm excited to put away my sweaters/sweatshirts & pull out the rest of my t-shirts I have tucked back in the back of the closet. I'm just hoping I can lose some more of this weight I've piled on, so I can buy me a couple pairs of cute shorts to wear during the Spring/Summer. I don't do well in extreme heat, so when it gets to be about mid-summer, I'm dying. Especially if I have to go around in jeans all the time. LOL! I might even invest in some jean skirts or skorts or something like that...add to my wardrobe & try to come up with cute outfits. Hehe! Yeah, I'm being silly now. I think I'm just getting tired & have begun babbling, so I think I will end this here & go try to get some sleep...I know I won't sleep as well as I did last night, as there is no rain tonight...I always sleep better when it rains...the sound is like a lullaby to me. Matter of fact, any kind of running water (ocean, streams, rain, etc) will help me sleep. Just something about it! :)

Ok, I'm really going now...again, I hope everyone is having a good month/week and I'll talk to y'all soon! Take care & stay safe! Later gators!

*Jolene*

Things are looking up...

Good EARLY morning all!

Yes, it's about 3:00am here & I can not sleep, so I thought I'd pop on & update this lovely page for y'all. :) I hope everyone is doing well & having a good weekend so far (yes, I realize it just started. lol). I, unfortunately, always work all weekend, so I don't really get to enjoy it like most people. But, that's okay, because then I can get stuff done in the middle of the week and not have to worry about pushing through crowds and whatnot. Hehe! :)

So, as I said in the title of this, things are beginning to look up on my end of things! :) During the last 2 weeks, my husband & I went around and looked at apartment complexes and managed to find one that we REALLY like & we can keep the kitties with us. We filled out our application & turned it in and all the checks that they do have come back clean, and we have been accepted! :) Yay! Now, the only bad thing is that we have to wait until another apartment opens up. The one that we had looked at did become available earlier this week, but unfortunately, there is NO way that we can be ready to move by March 1st...no matter how much I want to! LOL! It's ok though. This will give my husband & I time to save up some more money and buy a few more things that we are going to want for the new place. We are basically looking at getting all new furniture and that stuff doesn't come cheap. Haha! But, we will work it out and have quite a bit saved up already, so we've got 1 foot in that door! ;) I just can't wait until we move. It will be another fresh start for us, which we desperately need. Living right next door to my in-laws is soooooo old now! I'm ready to get away and have a place that I can really relax in & not worry about people looking out their windows to see what the hell I'm doing, when it's really none of their business anyway. Ya know what I mean? Well, if not, consider yourself lucky! :) Plus, I just absolutely LOVE decorating new places! I have so many ideas in my head for the apartment & I can't wait to get started on it! It's not going to be anything fancy, but it's going to become "home" for us & I can't wait!!!!! Gee, can you tell I'm excited!? LOL! I'll keep you all updated on how that goes...hopefully by May or August we'll be in a new place. Keep your fingers crossed for us! :)

Other than that, not a whole lot has been going on. Been trying to get over this insomnia thing, but I just can't, so I deal with the best way I know how: writing. Yup, I'm writing again. I'm trying to finish up a story that I've been working on for the last year & lemme tell you, when you start a story and then stop it for a long period of time, it's hard to get the ideas flowing again. So, when I get stuck on that story, I just write something else until I get a good idea for the 1st story & I go back to it. :) Hopefully I'll have the first one finished soon & can share it with the people that want to read it from beginning to end...hehe! Plus, I've been reading a lot of books lately. I just can't seem to put them down, whether I'm reading romance, mystery, crime drama, etc., I just get sucked in & disappear into "that world" for a few hours. Especially when I've had a bad day or just need some time alone, it's great to grab a book, sit in a quiet room, and just let the words on the pages take me away. I love it. Plus, it also gives me ideas for my stories!

Well, speaking of stories, I think I'm going to end this here & go grab my book & read a little bit & hope that I fall asleep before 4 or 5am, unlike the last few nights. Again, I hope everyone is doing well & I promise to update again soon! Take care & stay safe! Later gators! :)

*Jolene*

Woah, where's the sunshine!?

Greetings all! I hope everyone is doing well & having a good day! Sadly, the sun is not shining here today, unlike what the weather said ("partially sunny"). I hate it when they lie like that. LOL! But, I'm still trying to make a good day of it! I've had a pretty good morning so far...well morning & early afternoon, as it's only shortly after 1pm here right now. Took the hubby to his friends' house & dropped him off so they could make a trip up to Salina together to look at some furniture & other stuff for his friends' new house, which means I get OUR home to myself for the day! WOOOO! Don't get me wrong, I love the hubby & all, but I also enjoy having time to myself! No sharing the computer, tv, etc. Hehe! However, tomorrow we are going to spend the day together. We have to do laundry (hello laundromat) & we are going to go around and look @ apartment complexes in Wichita, as we are planning on moving outta this place come this summer/early Fall. I can't wait! The place we are living in now is a mobile home that we are renting from his dad & stepmom, who just happen to live RIGHT NEXT DOOR. It sux! There are so many things going wrong in this home, that I'm even surprised that it's still standing! And of course my in-laws won't do a damn thing about it because "we don't have the money right now." That seems to be the excuse we get EVERY time we tell them there is something wrong. I mean, HELLO!! When the floor beneath your feet begins to sag, there's a problem!! (Yes, the floor beneath the carpet is, for some reason, made of particle board-who's bright idea was that?-and I guess it's gotten wet & has begun to sag in spots). But, I'm not going to think of that today. Today is going to be a good day. I'm going to hang out @ home & just relax. I took a couple of extra days off of work this week (thank goodness for paid leave), so I can actually enjoy my time off of work! :) Plus, the hubby & I are going to get new phones in a couple of days & I can't wait for those! I'm so over this damn Blackberry I have. LOL! The hubby got me some kind of Droid phone (I can't remember exactly which one), so I'm REALLY excited to get it! Just have to go to the store to get them activated once we get them in the mail (yeah, he bought 'em online-hey, they had a special! LOL). So yeah, this week has started out pretty good so far for me...I hope it continues that way, and hopefully the sun will come out some time today! I absolutely love it when the sun is shining bright! It makes me feel all warm & fuzzy inside...cliche, I know, but it's true! LOL! :) Well, I'm going to end this here & get back to my soap (Days of our Lives), so I'll chat at y'alls again soon! Have a great day! Take care & stay safe! Later gators! :)

*Jolene*

Welcome!

Hello everyone! Thank you for dropping by & seeing what I have to say! :)

Some of you are probably wondering why I named this blog "Sparkling Streams." Well, the reason is simple: I enjoy them & they help put me at ease! Whenever I needed to "breathe," I'd go for a walk and try to find some kind of water source, usually a stream or river, and just sit by it, listening to the water splashing over the rocks, while I let my mind wander. Sometimes, I'd take my mp3 player with me, put the headphones on, & just walk the length of that water source. It always made me feel better and afterward, I could think clearly. This is what my blog is about also. It is going to help me get out my feelings & thoughts & give me that sense of ease I so enjoy! :)

I don't have a bunch to say right now, as it is almost 2:30am and I really do need to get some sleep, but I wanted to say hello & I hope you continue to come back & visit often! I promise...I will have better things to say when I'm awake & coherent! LOL! :) Until next time, stay safe!

Later gators!

*Jolene*