Going Back to NICU Nursing

I have been the Assistant Nurse Manager of the NICU for the past 8 years.  I had been a bedside nurse prior to that for my whole nursing career.  I decided to go into management thinking that I could really make a difference.  After much prayer and discussion, I decided to take a step back and go back to my first love which is the babies.   

The NICU staff surprised me on my last official day as ANM with so many gifts.  They really surprised me.  They are the best work family and friends.  I am grateful that I will be able to continue my career at a place that I love, doing what I love, with people that I love.

 

Grandmomma's Special Gifts to us Girls

The Christmas when Momma was on hospice, she gave Dwayne money and ideas to buy for all of us.  She bought us a special gift that we opened with her just hours before she passed away.  It was these "Open Heart Necklaces" from Kay Jewelery.  She said she would always be in our hearts. 

Unfortunately a few years back, Sarah's was stolen and she has been so sad she no longer had hers.  Well her sweet husband found one from the collection and bought it for her.  He is a keeper for sure.

this is Annabeth's

this is mine

this is Sarah's.....it has a bit of rose gold on it.  It is beautiful and PERFECT.

she and Momma shared a love for all things "blush and bashful.....or pink and pink" as they say in one of our favorite movies "Steel Magnolias".   That is what we are!

 

More Color Street manicures

More manicures and playing with mixing new sets with left over strips.  I LOVE THEM!!!

 

Easter 2021 Us and Daddy & Marilyn

 

We went to visit the boys and Sarah & Justin

Dallas said him and Dwayne's names both started with the letter D.  He called them the "D Bros"

Hunter

Hunter and Dallas

Dallas learned to wink that week.  it was the BEST

Noah will be grown before we know it.

 

Austin is getting his Master's Degree from the University of Maryland

Austing is graduating from the University of Maryland and they were getting new headshots for their webpages and portfolios.

He likes a dramatic look....ha!!!

the higher the hair, the closer to God

those baby blues

my sweet VERY TALKATIVE boy

 

This is what LOVE looks like

This is Valentines Day 2021.  I had been to work that morning and then came to church.  It was snowing, the windchill factor was minus 4 degrees and my low fuel light came on.  

Who needs roses and chocolate when your sweet hubby will pump gas for you in freezing cold weather.

I sure do love this man

 

My Hair UPDATE - I did not heed my own warning...ugh!!!

 So.....I can go back and see my own post from December where I said don't cut your hair, but of course I got impatient and did and now I feel so old....ugh!!  these photos are 1 month apart.  It looks like about 10 years to me~

DO NOT DELETE THIS SIDE BY SIDE....it is AWFUL and I cannot put it up into a pony tail or bun.  I HATE IT!!!

Home for Christmas

Home For Christmas 2020 

Please click the link above to see the Home for Christmas 2020 concert to benefit the Memphis Union Mission.  Servants Heart starts singing around 12 minutes into the concert.

My Hair

I wanted to save this picture so when I think about whacking all of my hair off, I will remember that there are plenty of days that I really do like my hair length.....this happens to be one of them.  
 

Covid 19 Pfizer vaccine

Grateful to have been able to get the COVID-19 vaccine.  It gives us a #ShotOfHope that one day things will get back to normal and we can get rid of the masks and I can hug my daddy.

 

ColorStreet Nails

A friend gave me this set of Color Street nail polish.  It is called Never Forgotten for infant and pregnancy loss.  It was given to me in memory of my baby Nathan.  Thank you Connie for thinking of me.

"How you dune????"  This has been my favorite so far.  it is shimmery.

this is one of the 3 Christmas sets I got.  It has christmas lights and reindeer.  I liked the lights but not the reindeer so much.

this was a color street knock off.  I LOVED them.............for the first 2 days, then by day 3 they were a mess and I took them off.  They never really cured to my nails.  

I am ready for Santa Claus to come....this is "just be-claus".  It is Santa, hats and mittens.

 

Dallas is in Kindergarten

Dallas started Kindergarten this fall.  Sarah sent me this picture......bless their little hearts.  I hate COVID-19, but isn't he cute with his sad little bear mask on.

 

It has been a tough year for Southern Gospel Music

Due to COVID-19 lockdowns and social distancing, 2020 has been a rough year for those in the Southern Gospel Music industry.  Servants Heart has been blessed to be able to sing a few concerts this year, but we have had around 35 cancellations.  We have missed getting to get out and see all of our friends and bring the gospel in song that we feel called to do.  Hopefully with the new vaccination, 2021 will be a better year for us and all of our friends.  We have prayed for those that sing as a full time ministry.  Gratefully, we have all continued to work our secular jobs during this pandemic.

Keep us all in your prayers as we look forward to a healthy and happy new year.  

 

Christmas 2020 looks different this year

 

2020 has been one of those years for sure with COVID-19 and the lockdowns and social distancing and our "bubble" of people.  We are still not sure at this time how we will spend the holidays....it is just not worth anyone getting sick, but that did not stop me from shopping on Amazon when I was out sick on home quarantine...ha!!!  I saw a facebook meme that said we did not get an order from Amazon today and the UPS driver knocked on the door to see if we were OK.  I thought it was cute. 

This is our 2020 Christmas tree.  Trying to decide about using just white lights next year.  Momma always loved colored lights and Annabeth loves colored lights, so that is what we have, but maybe next year I will try something different...who knows.

Another thing I miss is getting to spend time with family.  This picture came up in my FB memories of 2019 when the Self ladies got together for a holiday lunch.  I have seen Angela and Mrs. Conlee a few times this year, but I have not seen Aunt Sandra at all.  I sure do miss getting to hug everyone's necks.

I know this won't last forever, so until things get back to normal, whatever that is, I will just enjoy the quiet, down time at home.

It's a Very COVID-19 Thanksgiving

A couple of weeks ago, I was unknowingly exposed to COVID-19. 10 days ago I was tested as positive and went into isolation at home.  It was only a couple of days before Dwayne and Annabeth started having symptoms as well.  We had to cancel our family Thanksgiving plans and quarantine at home.  

I guess with all of the COVID mess going around, we were not exactly sure whether to even have had it anyway, so I guess we got our answer loud and clear.

We had a honey baked ham and honey baked smoked turkey and Mrs. Conlee fixed the sides for us and brought them over.  We missed seeing Austin and Sophia (they are in Ohio with her family), we missed seeing Sarah, Justin, Noah, Hunter and Dallas (they are in middle Tennessee with the Teen Challenge guys), we missed Daddy & Marilyn, Rhonda, Charlotte & Angela.  I sure wanted things to be "normal" for Janice since it is her first Thanksgiving without Porgy, but that was not meant to be.  We will cherish all of the annual garage photos we have of all of the Trammels and Thornes from years past. 

For now, this is our 2020 Quarantine Thanksgiving picture.  

 

Thank You Lord for Your Blessings on Me - Dwayne & Kay at Hickory Withe First Baptist Church

Thank You Lord For Your Blessings On Me - video

My New Trees

 After we had to get rid of the pool, we found out how truly hot it was in our back yard.  I decided I wanted a shade tree back there and maybe one in front too but you have to plant trees during planting season, so I have waited all year long to finally plant 2 trees.  My Pawpaw Pinky loved Pin Oak trees so that is what momma always had as well.  That is what I bought.  I have one in the front and one in the back.  The one in the front has red leaves on it so I named it "Pinky" and the one in the back yard is by the swing and the outdoor fireplace so I thought it was fitting to name it "Porgy".  I will be on the lookout for a pink dogwood next year named "Granny" and "BA".

"Porgy"

"Pinky"