Amanda's big day

The Wenatchee Valley College Nurse Graduation

(Our Amanda, in the middle)

We had an unforgettable weekend.  The highlight of course was Amanda's RN graduation at the Omak Performing Arts Center on Saturday afternoon. When we looked at the program we noticed she was one of just three in her class who graduated with honors. That means a GPA over 3.5.  Such an accomplishment!

The ceremony was very nice. After the faculty introductions and commencement speeches, each new nurse was "pinned" by her family members or friends.   Maya was too young for center stage attention, but it was a big honor for Nova who pinned her mom with great poise in front of everyone.

Then the candle-lighting ceremony, which brought tears to many eyes in the darkened auditorium. Each nurse lit her candle from a shared flame and recited the traditional "Nightingale Pledge."

With full knowledge of the responsibilities I am undertaking, I pledge to care for my patients with all of the knowledge, skills and understanding that I possess, without regard to race, color, creed, politics or social status.

  

I will spare no effort to conserve meaningful life, to alleviate suffering and to promote health.  I will refrain from any action that might be harmful to the quality of like of health of those I care for.  

I will respect the dignity and religious beliefs of patients under my care, and hold in professional confidence all the personal information entrusted to me. 

I will endeavor to keep my professional knowledge and skills at the highest level and give my support to all members of the healthcare team.  

With full awareness of my qualifications and limitations, I will do my utmost to maximize the potential of the nursing profession and to uphold and to advance its standards. 

Lucky for us, a class of beautiful young nurses joins the profession. Many like Amanda will stay and work in this rural part of Washington that has a great need for improved health care services.

After the ceremony, time for a few proud and happy family photos...

Everyone here except for John, our excellent group photographer. Left to right: Dave, Sue, Irene, Amanda, Nova, Tom, Maya, Michelle, Bill, Jerry and Wendy.  

A quick cupcake for Nova and her best friend Adelina before hitting the long road home.

Maya looked like a doll baby, dressed in her sister's hand-me-down sailor suit...

But even just hanging out with grandpa, she's pretty darn cute! 

Anyway, after the ceremony the big graduation day was just getting started.  Little did she know, but Tom planned a huge surprise party for Amanda, and when we arrived back at the house it looked like the entire Methow Valley had turned out (with their kids!) But from this point on you'll have to use your imagination, because I put my camera away for the day, grabbed a delicious grilled bratwurst and glass of wine and just sat back to watch the fun.

What's next for our nurse?  On Tuesday morning she starts a new job here, just down the road at the Methow Valley Family Practice.  Congratulations and thanks to everyone who helped her make this happen.

Rain today, sunshine tomorrow

First things first. We're all very relieved that mom's health seems to be gradually improving, and we hope she will be out of the hospital and back in Cripple Creek on Sunday.  Thank goodness for the excellent care she received in Colorado Springs.

As for us, after a long rainy drive we're in eastern Washington and looking forward to Amanda's RN pinning ceremony tomorrow in Omak.  A big Mexican dinner and these cute little faces chased away the clouds. Sunny skies tomorrow.

Get well soon

Healing Plant

Anne Siems

Please take a minute today and send healing thoughts to our mom.  She's in Colorado Springs at Penrose Hospital this morning recovering from two surgeries. (A gall bladder is a good thing until it decides to be a bad thing.) 

By lucky coincidence my sister Marji happened to be in Colorado this week, and as always she's been an amazing help.  A big hug and thanks to you!  Mom is improving and hopefully will be back home at the Care Center in Cripple Creek soon. 

The 80/20 rule

 In 1906, Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto observed that 80 percent of the land in Italy was owned by 20 percent of the population. Later, he noticed this ratio seemed to apply to other parts of life. For example, 80 percent of his peas were produced by just 20 percent of the pea pods.  More recently, Pareto's Principal has been applied to everything from personal relationships to management.  The 80/20 rule basically reminds us to stay focused on the 20 percent that matters most.

So getting back to gardening, you could say that only 20 percent of the tasks really make a difference, because they produce 80 percent of the results. This is pretty liberating, actually, if you need a reason not to crawl around under shrubs pulling out little weeds that no one can see.  Or giving up on flower beds in dry corners of the yard.  Or digging out those invasive plants that don't give any pleasure, much less 80 percent.  And so on. 

As I wrote yesterday, in June the roses finally seem "worth" the work, even though hardly anyone sees them but me.  Well, that's not exactly true. And when that day comes when I don't have a garden, I'll have pictures and memories.

"If you look for perfection, you will never be happy."

Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

National Rose Month

Sometimes you wonder if roses are worth all the trouble-- then June comes around again.

“It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.”
Antoine de Exupery, The Little Prince


“Some people grumble that roses have thorns; I am grateful that thorns have roses.”
Aphonse Karr, A Tour Round My Garden

"For the roses had the look of flowers that are looked at."
T.S. Eliot

“They are not long, the days of wine and roses. Out of a misty dream, our path emerges for a while, then closes, within a dream.”
Ernest Dowson

 “It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powdered gold over the grassy hillside.”
Maud Hart Lovelace

 “...but from this distance, the velvety reds, flashing yellows and glassy whites [of the roses] seemed to break up the light of the summer sun into its various elements and cast it back far more brilliantly than any other flower ever could, seemed not exactly of the earth, but of space and air itself.”
Jane Smiley, Duplicate Keys

“There was something rather blousy about roses in full bloom, something shallow and raucous, like women with untidy hair”
Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca

Our new RN

In my mind, Amanda is frozen in time as our beautiful little girl.  (I can't help it, I'm her mom. ) That makes it all the more amazing to look at these pictures she sent, dressed in her nurse's uniform and ready to graduate. We'll be going over to Omak in eastern Washington later this week for her RN Pinning Ceremony.

Amanda and her Preceptor, Kelly

Becoming a registered nurse is a big accomplishment anywhere, requiring at least 2 years of classes and countless hours of clinical experience in different types of medical settings.  But if you live in the Methow Valley, it's an amazing accomplishment.  The college isn't just across town, it's an 70 mile round trip over a two-lane mountain pass.  Just think about getting in your car on dark, cold, snowy winter mornings and heading to class while your children are still asleep in bed.

And those rural hospitals where Amanda did her clinical practice?  Add a two-hour commute on top of that 12 hour work shift. Then study, and more study. But Amanda also found time to enjoy her life, have a new baby, and keep up with an active toddler.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without incredible help and support from Tom, the family (special kudos to Grandpa Jerry) and her good friends. But the final accomplishment was done by her alone.  It took tremendous drive and discipline.

While seeing my little girl in a nurse's uniform is pretty amazing, it's nothing compared to the sight of her assisting in the operating room, and telling me she loves every minute of it.  Yikes! I'm glad it's you, and not your squeamish mother.  Way to go, Amanda-- we're so proud of you!