CHANGE

Change is prominent through out our lives. Whether it's new food, climates, a change of clothes or changing into a fresh pair of our lacy Victoria's Secret panties in case we are in an accident.

Do you remember when you entered Middle School and we finally got to change classrooms for each subject? I loved that change.

Change....could mean, "Hey, buddy can you spare some change?"

There always seems to be a baby nearby that is in need of a change. I mean really!! Take a moment from reading this blog and please change that youngins diaper! Or was that YOU? Either case - change is needed.

Then if you have a teenage daughter, you are well aware of this kind of change..."Get your butt and that inch of fabric attempting to cover it, back in your room and rethink those clothes!

Rethink it until the material grows several yards!!

In fact think Amish girl!"

Returning moments later with a long skirt on, which is nice until you look up and Wow!

You send your precious lil girl back in her room yet again to rein in what seems to be 2 grapefruit fighting to stay in a top meant for 2 grapes! When did she change?

This time think Amish girl not Amish girl gone wild! She has changed now into something appropriate and modest.

A quick check under the skirt and in the backpack for the afore mentioned attire and she is good to go.

You will be relieved that I am not devoting this blog to "THE CHANGE". Don't worry, Its coming!

This particular change has to do with my most recent change. Changing residence to a different State.

Arizona to Texas.

Some of you are thinking, " Dianne changes addresses so much that she is in pencil in my address book." 

The difference is, now I am older and my vagabond spirit has changed in that I desire stability and to be in the same zip code year after year.

God truly orchestrated this change! I even tried to be the maestro but God put me back in my seat under His direction.

Ryan really wanted to move. Dianne really wanted to just stay in Arizona.

We prayed for Gods direction in our lives.

I did fill out job applications in Texas for Ryan. We had discussed that we should not move unless he had a job offer.

I felt confident filling the applications out because I felt there was no way that he would be hired without first going to Texas to interview.

He interviewed over the phone for one job but to finalize a job offer, they wanted him to come to Texas for an in person interview. They would not pay for him to get to Texas for the interview. I knew it!!

I became a bit arrogant. I was confident we would be staying in Arizona. So I filled out another application for him.

We prayed for Gods direction.

God was in control the whole time. Six months ticked by.

Then came a phone call from Texas for Ryan.

Ryan excitedly told me that the golf course he submitted an application to called him. Yeah! Then he told me that they were full. Yeah, Yeah!!

Then Ryan went on to say that they had a sister property that really needed help. He was asked if he would be interested? He said yes.

The next day he had a phone interview with the Superintendent. He was asked to send his resume to him.

Two days later he was hired!!! Yeah!!  Wait, did he say...HIRED??? Take that Yeah back. Over the phone, hired? What?? He was to be in Texas in a week!!!

God was in control...Dianne wasn't. I couldn't out think God. This was quite humbling and such a learning and growing moment for me.

I did not go kicking and screaming! I quietly asked God for forgiveness in attempting to play God with our lives.

So lots of change came. It was painful at times. I didn't want to leave my daughters, son in law, grand babies, friends, church, routine behind!!

I was very concerned about Brandon moving out of the school district. He has different learning abilities. He has an IEP finally in place for him that I fought long and hard for. Would Texas recognize his IEP? Would Brandon flip out with all this change?

Brandon actually had a desire to move. He really wanted to be near his big bro, Chaz.

The bonus was that my son, Chaz, was in Texas!!! I also have my bestest friend, Alli, here!!! Then I also have relatives and friends here from when I lived in Texas before.

We found out that a U-Haul was going to cost $2500 and we had no money to our name. We struggled every month to keep afloat.

We prayed about what to do. We decided to sell everything to get the $$ to make it to Texas. We stored what was left in Tucson and the rest with our friend, David.

We left Arizona on a Monday and Ryan was expected at work on Wednesday! God detoured us and changed our plans.

Gas was costing too much and we had to lighten our load in ElPaso. We left 150 pounds or more of bedding, pillows, towels and clothes (mainly Ryan's and mine) behind at a homeless shelter.

Our next change was a tire change. A strange thumping sound was occurring and Ryan discovered our tire was coming apart in strips.

We tried to find a tire but we were in the middle of a desolate area. We needed to go 150 miles on a spare tire meant to go 50 miles.

At midnight and about 2 miles from the hotel we were headed for, the spare blew out. We praised God that the tire that was coming apart in strips, had not gone flat. Ryan changed out the tires.

In the morning Ryan called his new boss and let him know he wouldn't be there that day. His boss was amazingly understanding.

Went to Discount Tire just a few miles from the hotel. We asked for a new tire.

The guy said we could do that but with an All Wheel Drive car, it is recommended to change all 4 tires at once. The reason being is that the transmission could be messed up if we didn't.

I started crying and looking at my checkbook and counted the cash. We called Ryans parents for help but they couldn't.

I began to doubt that this was really Gods plan for us. I started thinking what a big mistake this was.

We prayed.

The salesman saw our plight and recalculated a lower price for 4 tires. We had enough funds for the tires if we used the $600 I had set aside for paying my arrears child support on my grown children.

I did consider it an emergency fund although I planned on paying my past due arrears that was already 3 months behind. Once again plans CHANGED!

We were back on the road in a couple hours. It was reassuring to hear the hum of new tires on the road.

I started to feel my butt clench tight as I counted what money we had left over as I watched the needle on the gas gauge fall toward "E".

Please God don't make this change so painful. I am too old to handle all this!!!

Then God whispered in my ear, "I will handle this just let me."

Then I thought, but what about our phones? Ryan will need GPS since he is going to unfamiliar territory and can't read! Then what about shelter, God? What about the money for arrears support? What about.....????

Once again I caught myself doubting Gods direction in our lives. He orchestrated this change so why did I think He would quit in the midst of this amazing symphony.

Yes, change can be nerve racking and brings about a tsunami of emotions. When God has directed the change there is no doubt that He is in control of every aspect of the change.

We had an adventure camping! We had a science lesson on fire ants (God did not ever promise painless changes).We cried. We yelled at each other. We had fun together.

Leaky air mattresses. Hugging. Kissing. Reunited with Chaz. Seeing Alli. Reuniting with friends like, Allison.

Best of all, God blessed Ryan with a job!  The job even changed!! He was supposed to be an Irrigation Tech but that fell through due to expectations that Ryan know timer boxes which he didn't.

The Superintendent said not to worry that a mechanic position was open if he wanted that. It was less per hour. Ryan still felt this is where God wanted him so he accepted the position.

We started a Gofundme page since we had no money and no place to stay. God oversaw that also. Friends posted the page on their FB page and $$$ came in.

People who knew us and those who didn't, donated. We deeply appreciate their willingness to help us financially.

Others helped with prayers for us, taking us out to eat and just before we got our own place, Allison and Janis opened their homes to us.

The change we continue to adjust to has been a thrill ride to say the least. Some days we are securely strapped in for the ride and other days we are flying out of our seats headed for certain disaster until fingers grasp us and we feel God holding us tightly in the palm of HIS hand.

Brandon started school this week and he loves it. He has had some melt downs during this change. His IEP is being utilized here and was told by the school psychologist it is very well written.

We meet as a team in a month to see how it is all working out for Brandon.

Just another change in my life that has served to change my relationship with Jesus. Change has helped to point out weaknesses in me that needed strengthening.

All this past month, I have given much thought to one of my Dads favorite songs, "Have thine own way, Lord. Have thine own way. You are the Potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me after thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still."

Excited for our future here and what God has planned for us!

We still have some big financial obstacles that are stressing our family. If you feel led to help us financially you can thru our bank account or on Gofundme....
gofundme.com/qbjvsxp4
Prayers always appreciated!!

When change comes your way just remember God is in control. Turn to God for direction and peace in the midst of change.

Always Smilin',

Dianne

Fresh Air and Other Joys of an Open Window

Sleeping with the windows open is great!!

The drawback is the crazy neighborhood rooster who crows at 3am, the speedy paper dude who likes to peel out after a stop at a neighbors then tears off down the street at 4am.

Then an assortment of revelers who speed up and down the street and worse yet are those who live close by who want to discuss the nights events with their partners in crime with a thick tongue and poor use of the English language.

The cherry on top is the partier who indulged much too much and the sounds of regurgitation echo thru this otherwise peaceful neighborhood except for the afore mentioned activities.

I still love to sleep with the windows open while I can before the need of the humming of the air conditioner, so I will invest in another pillow for over my head!

High in the Hospital: When Will Medical Personnel Be Held Accountable?

When referring to Nurses in this blog, it is in reference to any medical personnel, including Doctors.

Nurses have a great responsibility to the people they serve. In fact it can be said that lives can hang in the balance of their care.

Is it more responsible for a nurse to step away from his/her career as a nurse when they are on opiates to manage chronic pain or should nurses just go on doing patient care even if that is not the ethically responsible thing to do?

I recently was informed that 1/2 the nurses in one hospital are on narcotics, performing patient care, even managing a floor. I would not ever want to go to that hospital to receive care!!

What sort of danger are we putting our parents, children, spouses  and friends in when we allow this to happen?

Then if  nurses and Doctors can be on opiates, in Arizona, medical marijuana is ok. So, would you rather have your child's Nurse or Doctor work on your child under the influence of marijuana? It is legal if prescribed by a Doctor, just like Percocet is legal to take when prescribed by a Doctor?

There is a large gap on thoughts concerning this ethical dilemma. How many of your relatives and friends are caught and have lost their lives in that stinking cesspool of a gap?

Even  a person under the care of a Doctor and being prescribed opiates...does not make that person safe and able to perform the duties of a nurse. The person under a doctor's care is still addicted to a mind altering chemical in their body.

I think it is a wise, loving Nurse, Doctor, Radiology tech, patient care tech,  who voluntarily steps back from their nursing and either takes time off and away from nursing to get off the medications or steps entirely away from Nursing or practicing medicine.

Too many nurses are more worried about how much $$$ they will lose and could care less about the true care of the patients. Maybe it's a spouse who encourages them or demands them to stick with nursing, once again due to lust of money but in the end who suffers the ramifications of that greed???

I think medical personnel on opiates, marijuana, any mind altering meds should be fired for not voluntarily stepping away until their system is free and clear of any mind altering substances. Nurses that voluntarily step away should be provided with the means to get off the drugs or compensated for stepping away from the medical field entirely.

I want to help people who want the help. Sadly most medical personnel I've talked to think this is not about them after all, their Dr prescribed the opiates for their medical condition yet they have reported that they have made at least one, usually 5-8, medical errors in a 6 month span of time. That is one too many errors for me, how about you?

I believe medical personnel who steal drugs from work should be terminated and not allowed in the medical field again. It is like the child molester or rapist who has to register with the State they live in...the medical personnel will register and provide drug testing regularly. They will report where they work. If they have not voluntarily stepped away from the field, then they need not hold any type of position at a hospital, clinic, Medical office due to the great temptation and access to opiates.


I am sure this sounds very strict and invasive to some. People's lives are at stake. If your 5 year old is in the Hospital being treated for brain cancer, do you want a Doctor overseeing the care who has just taken Morphine for an old tennis injury to their shoulder? Do you think their critical thinking is spot on?

So REPORT WHAT YOU KNOW!  If you don't report and a death happens due to negligence - that blood is on your hands.

I guess that not all medical personnel act with a patient's best interest at heart. The bottom line for some is, how much money can they make...there for a paycheck. Greed does not pay off in the end.