Earlier in the spring, we heard about an event that our church's worship band was going to put on in April called Brave Generation. It's a youth conference that they hold annually, and has drawn hundreds of teens from across New England. Of course Patrick instantly volunteered to roadie for the band (lol), so we tucked it away in the back of our minds. Who knew if we would have the time off once we started our new assignments?
Flash forward to last weekend, when we were actually able to go! We left on Friday after Pat got off work and drove nearly 7 hours straight from Baltimore, MD to Plymouth Rock, MA. There we were met with all the familiar faces of New Haven, and boy were they a sight for sore eyes. I spent the next 24 hours just soaking them up, such was my thirst for friends. I know I must have been parched because I didn't take a single picture of a person the whole weekend (which I normally would have done) - the thought didn't even cross my mind, I was just so happy to be with them.
Now for the conference: Imagine a historic New England meeting house, over four stories tall, with a giant auditorium in the center filled with kids. Now imagine a ridiculously loud worship band and the noise that over 800+ kids can make in that kind of space. Yep, you've got it :)
This was the first time I had been in a setting like that since I was in high school, and the memories it recalled washed over me wave after wave. It was overwhelmingly emotional, and surprisingly grounding at the same time. I saw all those years of church youth group and summer camps with fresh eyes. Like I was getting a chance to understand the lasting impact those experiences had on my life.
I am who I am because long ago I was sent to events like that, and told what those kids were being told. That God loves me. That He has forgiven me. That He wants to come alongside me as a friend and help me live my life with courage and direction. These are BIG thoughts for a kid, maybe not entirely comprehensible. It's not until you're grown that you understand the weight of these truths. You see how they have informed your steps, given you strength in times when you could have shied away, set you on a trajectory. You see how they have led you to the very place you stand and the life you lead. All from what you were told, and believed, as a child. Whoa...
So here we are, all these many miles from anything familiar or anyone who knows us. And I admit, I have moments of homesickness and a desire to hug those we left far away. But I know we're here for a reason. We're firmly on our trajectory. Each place we go teaches us things, brings us closer together, and forces us to rely on the Lord. It's not always easy, but I trust the steps we've taken because I trust the One leading the way. Which is a comforting thought indeed.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Next stop: Charm City
Here we go. Round two! Time to jump in and get our hands dirty in a new city full of new faces. I'll admit, when thinking of travel nursing purely in theory it's this great adventurous thing brimming with excitement and discoveries to be had! Which is definitely true, to an extent.
But there's something different about actually DOING it. Uprooting what little roots you had time to sink in three months and starting over again. You wouldn't think three months is long enough to form real attachments, but when it's all you have, even those short-lived bonds become precious. I can see why this is usually done by single people or childless couples. And even then, why it's not done for long. I like to think of myself as pretty unattached. Ever since college, I've never lived in one place longer than a year at a time. But this is another beast entirely, and it's taking some adjusting.
We now find ourselves in Baltimore, Maryland: home of Edgar Allen Poe, site of Fort McHenry and the creation of our national anthem, and hometown of the Orioles - yay Cal Ripken Jr! It's always been one of those iconic American cities in my mind. Right up there with D.C., New York, Chicago and Philly. Places I said I would visit one day. And there certainly are charming areas to be found here! Mount Vernon in all its upscale charm, Fells Point with its cobblestone streets, and Federal Hill with its rows of lovely brick town homes. But it's like something in the inner city went wrong a few decades ago and never quite recovered. There are entire blocks of board ups, homeless/thugs/clearly impaired people wandering the streets, and a very strong police presence.
Before arriving, we had decided to take housing downtown so we could be right in the thick of things. And we are...but it depends on what "things" we were hoping to be in the thick of, lol. For example, we went to our big neighborhood market (Lexington Market, circa 1782, literally) expecting a Pike's Place experience, only to be thrust in the middle of this dark, dingy maze of stands that only took cash and food stamps and people from every angle closing in on us. It was mildly terrifying, not kidding. We swiftly found our way back into the sunlight. In short, I've definitely seen worse in my life, and I think this will be good for us. But we are getting a swift education in inner city living and how to make ourselves as little like prey as possible :)
We're a week and some change into our assignment here at Johns Hopkins. [Aside: I've now learned that I've been saying it wrong - it's not John Hopkins, it's Johns Hopkins. Only no apostrophe or any explanation why the John is plural. A mystery I hope to uncover while here.] It's been a fast intro, but manageable, and thankfully the charting system is the same as the one we just left. At first, I was pretty intimidated by this place. It has literally birthed American medicine and surgery as we know it. Just check out its wikipedia facts. But while it has been the number one hospital in the U.S. for over 20 years, it is surprisingly like Sacred Heart (only a lot more sprawling and confusing). As nurses, we both seem to fit right in with the nurses on our respective units, which is a blessing.
Speaking of, we've also both been pleasantly surprised by the people we've encountered here! As east coast cities go, this one is far less abrasive than New Haven. All the nurses and doctors I've met have been kind and helpful, and people in our apartment complex are friendly. This. Is. Huge. For the longest time I felt like New Haven was out to get me, lol. But Baltimore seems to be more welcoming, at least on an interpersonal level. Hopefully we can get to know some folks and find a few of the city's gems. Oh, and Pat wants to go to a baseball game - yay for spring :)
But there's something different about actually DOING it. Uprooting what little roots you had time to sink in three months and starting over again. You wouldn't think three months is long enough to form real attachments, but when it's all you have, even those short-lived bonds become precious. I can see why this is usually done by single people or childless couples. And even then, why it's not done for long. I like to think of myself as pretty unattached. Ever since college, I've never lived in one place longer than a year at a time. But this is another beast entirely, and it's taking some adjusting.
We now find ourselves in Baltimore, Maryland: home of Edgar Allen Poe, site of Fort McHenry and the creation of our national anthem, and hometown of the Orioles - yay Cal Ripken Jr! It's always been one of those iconic American cities in my mind. Right up there with D.C., New York, Chicago and Philly. Places I said I would visit one day. And there certainly are charming areas to be found here! Mount Vernon in all its upscale charm, Fells Point with its cobblestone streets, and Federal Hill with its rows of lovely brick town homes. But it's like something in the inner city went wrong a few decades ago and never quite recovered. There are entire blocks of board ups, homeless/thugs/clearly impaired people wandering the streets, and a very strong police presence.
Before arriving, we had decided to take housing downtown so we could be right in the thick of things. And we are...but it depends on what "things" we were hoping to be in the thick of, lol. For example, we went to our big neighborhood market (Lexington Market, circa 1782, literally) expecting a Pike's Place experience, only to be thrust in the middle of this dark, dingy maze of stands that only took cash and food stamps and people from every angle closing in on us. It was mildly terrifying, not kidding. We swiftly found our way back into the sunlight. In short, I've definitely seen worse in my life, and I think this will be good for us. But we are getting a swift education in inner city living and how to make ourselves as little like prey as possible :)
We're a week and some change into our assignment here at Johns Hopkins. [Aside: I've now learned that I've been saying it wrong - it's not John Hopkins, it's Johns Hopkins. Only no apostrophe or any explanation why the John is plural. A mystery I hope to uncover while here.] It's been a fast intro, but manageable, and thankfully the charting system is the same as the one we just left. At first, I was pretty intimidated by this place. It has literally birthed American medicine and surgery as we know it. Just check out its wikipedia facts. But while it has been the number one hospital in the U.S. for over 20 years, it is surprisingly like Sacred Heart (only a lot more sprawling and confusing). As nurses, we both seem to fit right in with the nurses on our respective units, which is a blessing.
Speaking of, we've also both been pleasantly surprised by the people we've encountered here! As east coast cities go, this one is far less abrasive than New Haven. All the nurses and doctors I've met have been kind and helpful, and people in our apartment complex are friendly. This. Is. Huge. For the longest time I felt like New Haven was out to get me, lol. But Baltimore seems to be more welcoming, at least on an interpersonal level. Hopefully we can get to know some folks and find a few of the city's gems. Oh, and Pat wants to go to a baseball game - yay for spring :)
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
A move, a shower, and a fresh start!
Hello all!
It has been far too long since I've sat down for a type/chat so it's high time that I play catch up. Since I last wrote we completed our contract at Yale-New Haven, packed our entire apartment, traveled over 300 miles (myself by Amtrak, Pat by car), spent a week in DC and now are (mostly) unpacked in Baltimore, Maryland - phew! Mouthful.
In the midst of all that hustle and bustle, some really lovely things happened. Firstly, we were able to enjoy one last dinner/banquet with our Smallgroup. I can't even begin to express how precious these people are to me. When we showed up in January thousands of miles away from home they embraced us with open arms, giving us a literal haven in a city of strangers. I can say without hesitation that of all things in Connecticut, I will miss them most.
We worked our final few shifts, and had some great goodbyes from doctors and nurses alike. Then we scrambled to pack in 24 hours, and I hit the road for lovely occasion #2 - my sister's bridal shower. If there is a gleaming perk to being so very far from home, it's the fact that I get to be near Michelle during these last months of her single-hood :)
Her roommates threw her a shower on a beautiful, sunny spring afternoon in D.C. Their place was turned all pink and cheery and full of good treats, as it should be. But more than that, it was full of good friends, which was the most lovely thing about the celebration. As an older sister, it gives me such peace to know that my little sister is well loved where she is.
This same weekend, far far away, lovely thing #3 happened. My husband was baptized at our church in New Haven on his final day in town. If there was any better way to wrap up our time there, I can't think of it. He has already blogged about this, but for my part, I am so amazed and blessed by the man I married that I had to share it again. More and more I sense God covering and equipping us for this journey we have embarked on.
And now, we find ourselves in Baltimore working our way through orientation at Johns Hopkins Hospital. If you had asked me a year ago where I saw us... (more on B'more later) But this is why I know God's plans are bigger than ours, and that by continuing to follow Him we'll be more than all right. I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss my family and friends back in Washington. I think about them everyday. And I'm joyful for when we can next hug each and every one of them! But until then, we're going to jump into JHH with all we've got and trust God to use us where He's put us.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Pat's Baptism
Hello Friends,
Patrick here. Last Sunday I said 'Yes' to baptism. It was on my last day in New Haven CT at Our City Church. Emily had already gone down to DC and I was still in CT. My friend Jeremiah mentioned at our goodbye-dinner that the church was going to be doing baptisms on Sunday and something inside me lit up. I told him I had never been baptized. Why, after so long, I don't know...
Here's the video. It was from our friend Karena's iPhone! :) The pastor who is sitting next to me is Justin Kendrick and the two in the tub are Jeremiah and Teresa LaCoille. Thanks everybody. Feel free to share if you think it's uplifting or inspiring in any way.
Love,
Pat
Patrick here. Last Sunday I said 'Yes' to baptism. It was on my last day in New Haven CT at Our City Church. Emily had already gone down to DC and I was still in CT. My friend Jeremiah mentioned at our goodbye-dinner that the church was going to be doing baptisms on Sunday and something inside me lit up. I told him I had never been baptized. Why, after so long, I don't know...
Here's the video. It was from our friend Karena's iPhone! :) The pastor who is sitting next to me is Justin Kendrick and the two in the tub are Jeremiah and Teresa LaCoille. Thanks everybody. Feel free to share if you think it's uplifting or inspiring in any way.
Love,
Pat
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