Many people at work and within my family are pregnant or taking care of new little babies. I was busy yesterday getting some things ready for next week. One of my friends is pregnant with twins (yay!) and she asked if I would take some pictures of her and her pregnant belly. Her twins aren't due for quite awhile, but here are some recent arrivals (3 months ago) that have been joys to our family!

Evelyn

Many "baby" pictures are done within the first 7 days of life because the babies are so still and so delicate.  When the are older babies are photographed they tend to move quite a bit, but that is such a great challenge!

My Grandma adores them all!

Lucas

Since the weather has been so spotty, I decided to take advantage of any rare sunshine I could and go for a walk. Here are a few "photo results" from my walk.

Nursing Cartoons

I created this blog to be a bit of an outlet for creativity, however this week I was not feeling very creative. I decided that acknowledging another individual's creativity would be a great substitute and would lift anyone's spirits on these dreary days. So, to my fellow nursing colleagues...Enjoy.

Elbing, C. Retrieved 2009 from www.nurstoon.com

The leaves have turned to shades of crimson and gold, and the winter snows have already given us a fairly blatant preview of the season to come. So, today I decided that this post would be my last hopeful grasp of summer. One of my favorite summer memories as a little girl on the farm was waking up every morning to go to the blackberry bushes and eat every swollen berry I could possible find before my sisters would wake up. If they woke up before I was finished eating them all, I would have to share. Who likes to share when you are little? Well, I may not share my blackberries with you (or anyone), but I WILL share this poem by Mary Oliver that reminds me of my childhood summers.


AUGUST
By Mary Oliver

When the blackberries hang
swollen in the woods, in the brambles
nobody owns, I spend

all day among the high
branches, reaching
my ripped arms, thinking

of nothing, cramming
the black honey of summer
into my mouth; all day my body

accepts what it is. In the dark
creeks that run by there is
this thick paw of my life darting among


the black bells, the leaves; there is
this happy tongue.

With the H1N1 going around, I have had very little time to re-coup on my days off from work in the ER.  But, as we all learn, life goes on with or without us, and whether we are ready for it or not. Luckily, despite my busy schedule, I have been ready! Weddings, babies, engagements, and quality time spent with family and loved ones have reminded me that the time spent together is what I most cherish.  Here are a few photos to summarize this thought.