2014 Whirl Wind

Here it is 2015 and I am catching up on my events and thoughts from the past year.

     I started 2014 with a new job as a Nurse Practitioner in the Primary Care Department at the Veterans Administration Hospital in New Mexico.  What an amazing opportunity. To be a veteran and serve veterans is unique. Having insights and a shared experience and language is such a positive way to help make an impact on patients.  I have to admit I was probably a funny site: tall, pregnant, woman veteran (OIF & OEF) on a mission to improve the health of my fellow veterans. However, I jumped in and learned a lot.  Not only about the VA system as a medical provider, but also how to help my fellow veterans navigate the “system” to get great health care.

     In addition to starting a new job I completed my training in the Emerge program. Emerge is an organization that promotes diversity in politics by developing support for Democratic Women. It works by identifying, training and encouraging women to run for office, getting elected and seeking higher office. The training is a cohort-based seven-month training program. I met so many amazing, and talented women leaders. It was great to share the perspective of being a women, veteran and nurse practitioner with other leaders in our community.  Now that I am done with training I am developing a plan for what I need to do to run for office.   We need more nurses and Nurse Practitioners in leadership roles in our community and that includes political positions that influence and build our community.

     2014 was also the 25^th Anniversary for CLNkids(also known as Cuidando Los Ninos).  Our 25^th Anniversary Celebration was amazing. With the help from generous donors and Alpha Bravo Events  we were able to not only ensure that all tickets and proceeds went to CLNKids but we raised $16000. Even more exciting, that increased visibility in the community made our Christmas Fundraiser a huge success and we raised $58,000.  It has been a busy year. As Board President not only do I manage the executive committee, but I attend the finance committee (to maintain our budget and ensure fiscal responsibility), the advocacy committee, and anniversary planning committee.  I am not sure where I found the time, but I think the success was due to our event planner, amazing staff and our board members.  I love working with motivated, dedicated and engaging individuals. It makes everything easier.

     With all those activities I am not sure we could have added anything else in my life. However, life happens and now I can add being a mom to my list.  Our daughter was born in June and my life has been changed in so many ways. I changed everything to be more efficient with my time and be able to spend as much time as possible with her.  Mountain Man has also shown me his “dad” side. He really is an amazing man in so many ways.  It is often the little things I notice when I get home that just make me smile. The other morning after I fed baby girl and was headed off to work he said “I have noticed she likes to wear a sweater in the morning” right before dressing her . Or the other day when I came home to find him vacuuming the floor with baby sitting in the REI Baby Backpack on his shoulders laughing and giggling as he cleaned our home. I love being a mom and still being able to support my community. And now I get teach this to my daughter and hopefully show her the values I have through my own actions.  

2015 is the year of the mom-veteran-nurse practitioner for me. I hope everyone remembers that in everything you do you are always more than just a nurse or a mom or a friend. You are all of those things and more.

Reflection

Sometimes life is about reflection, and that reflection helps us grow.

The other day someone asked a question that has been asked of me several times over the past few months. The question goes something like,

“Aren’t you excited? You’re getting married!”

The expected response is some elated giggle to cross my lips and for glee to spew forth. But the truth is I’m not excited; I’m happy.

I’m happy, and for my friends, I think they understand. Marrying Mountain Man isn’t about the excitement of one day that is the synthesis of 8 months of planning. Don't get me wrong, I am looking forward to my wedding day, but more importantly, I am looking forward to spending time with friends and family while standing next to a man who makes me genuinely happy deep into my soul.

Happiness: it is something that many have all the time. In fact, the feeling is never lost on them. And while I have been happy at various times in my life mostly I have been wandering from country to country, moment to moment, from deployment to deployment, career to career. Sometimes searching, sometimes not, sometimes pondering, and at other times lost. All the while knowing, that I have met great people who have been in my life, their touch molding me and setting me on my path to continue wandering, happiness wasn't always in the mix.

I'm now happy on a level I never thought I would experience. Mountain man doesn’t “make me” happy. I have had to find my own inner happiness. However, being with him is that other piece, that last stretch that pushes you to the top of the hill you have worked hard to climb. He is simply him, but to me he is amazing. I never knew you could love someone so simply yet so strongly. And yet, here I am in love and happy. I am deeply, passionately, patiently, fervently, sweetly and un-regrettably happy.

I don’t think I can stop wandering, even though I have set some roots back down in the Land of Enchantment. And those years leading up to this moment in time have taught me that all who wander are not lost after all. So for now, I will continue wandering. Yet this time, I will wander hand in hand with Mountain Man.