We left Daytona Beach early Saturday morning and headed north. We took a detour on the way home to visit Chip Dean in Alabama. We spent the night at his home and then went to his church with him to see his ministry there. It was great to spend the evening with Chip and to see a small glimpse of how God is using him at Capshaw Baptist Church. We made it home late on Sunday night and prepared for a busy week of packing ahead of us.
It was an amazing week. We are so thankful that we had the opportunity to celebrate Kate’s graduation from nursing school and enjoy time as just the two of us to relax, rejuvenate, and refocus as we prepare for a busy year with many changes to come.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Florida Vacation: December 25: Our Most Unique and Original Christmas Ever!
We woke up early to watch the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean. Although it was a little cloudy, it was still worth the early wake-up call—Beautiful! We went to bed and slept in, with no sign of a Christmas tree in our room. We had the traditional Dodd Family Christmas Breakfast- Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Bagel Sandwiches. We spent the rest of the morning calling all of our family members and wishing them a Merry Christmas. It did not feel like Christmas, as we swam in the pool and splashed in the ocean, but it is a Christmas we will not forget. We cooked steak for our Christmas dinner and walked on the beach while the sun was setting.
Florida Vacation: December 24
With the realization that our days were running short, and still so much to do, we headed down to the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse. We had been planning to visit the lighthouse for at least 4 months, since we had viewed it on a website about Daytona Beach. When we arrived, it was so much more than the 203 steps to the top of the lighthouse. There were a number of historical buildings onsite that had been preserved since the 1880’s. It was fun to explore and learn the history of the lighthouse station and the Daytona Beach area. The lighthouse is the tallest in Florida. We climbed to the top and the view was breathtaking. Andrew really enjoyed the afternoon there, and it was quite possibly the highlight of Andrew’s vacation.
Today was also the warmest and sunniest day of our vacation. We both went into the ocean and spent much of the morning and afternoon in the water. We both got burned!! It feels great to be burned in December! We went to Christmas Eve service at the Ross’s church again that evening.
Today was also the warmest and sunniest day of our vacation. We both went into the ocean and spent much of the morning and afternoon in the water. We both got burned!! It feels great to be burned in December! We went to Christmas Eve service at the Ross’s church again that evening.
Florida Vacation: December 23
On Wednesday, after a day of Disney Fun, we slept away most of the morning! Andrew dared to get into the ocean, though it had not hit 70 degrees on our trip (Dad we have pictures to prove it). We enjoyed the pool throughout the day. We capped the day off with dinner and a movie- the long awaited Cici Pizza, Pasta, and Dessert Buffet and Invictus (a movie about Nelson Mendella’s rise to leadership and the World Rugby championship in 1995). It brought back so many memories of South Africa and made us want to get back to Bethesda even sooner.
Florida Vacation: December 22
We woke up early Tuesday morning and traveled to Orlando to spend the day at the Magic Kingdom. We were able to go to Disney because of two separate gifts, what a blessing it was. Andrew was last there during high school; Kate was six years old the last time she saw Mickey Mouse—so it was fun to relive childhood memories.
At lunchtime, we went to Downtown Disney where we met Kate’s cousin Jennifer and Rob. Jen lives in Tampa, FL and drove over to meet up with us. We had a lot of fun hanging out with them and eating lunch. It had been too long since we had seen them and so it was great to reconnect.
When we returned to the Magic Kingdom, we made sure to hit all the classics-Teacups, Dumbo, Country Bear Jamboree, and ended the night with It’s a Small World. We waited in line to picture with Goofy and the Disney Princesses. Since it was Christmastime, the park was decorated for the holiday. They had a special SpectroMagic Parade at night and Christmas Fireworks over Cinderella’s Castle. It was a very long day, but so much fun. One that Baby Dodd will be sure to enjoy in 3 or 4 years.
At lunchtime, we went to Downtown Disney where we met Kate’s cousin Jennifer and Rob. Jen lives in Tampa, FL and drove over to meet up with us. We had a lot of fun hanging out with them and eating lunch. It had been too long since we had seen them and so it was great to reconnect.
When we returned to the Magic Kingdom, we made sure to hit all the classics-Teacups, Dumbo, Country Bear Jamboree, and ended the night with It’s a Small World. We waited in line to picture with Goofy and the Disney Princesses. Since it was Christmastime, the park was decorated for the holiday. They had a special SpectroMagic Parade at night and Christmas Fireworks over Cinderella’s Castle. It was a very long day, but so much fun. One that Baby Dodd will be sure to enjoy in 3 or 4 years.
Florida Vacation: December 21
On Monday, we went to a chocolate factory in Daytona. It was really cool to see how they make chocolate and other tasty delights. Kate, who is now 6 months pregnant, loved it! We bought a few pieces of chocolate to enjoy throughout the week. On the way back to our resort, we got off the paved road and drove on the Daytona Beach! It was a unique and interesting experience to drive just feet away from the Atlantic Ocean, on the sand.
Our Florida Vacation: December 20
Dennis and Pam Ross, friends of Andrew’s parents, spend each winter in Daytona Beach. So we went to their church on Sunday morning. The highlight of the morning for Kate was when they sang the Halleluiah Chorus, which the church she grew up at sings every Christmas. The Ross’s took us out to lunch and then to the Flea Market. We had a wonderful time catching up with them. We went swimming in our resort’s outdoor heated swimming pool that evening and enjoyed relaxing in the water and watching the ocean.
Our Florida Vacation: December 18 -19
We left Michigan at 3 pm Friday at 35 degrees and had safe travels the first half of our drive. We hit some rain in the mountains of Kentucky and Tennessee (the same storm that dumped over a foot of snow on the east coast the next day). We got a couple hours of sleep at a rest stop in southeastern TN that was not more than 5 miles from Alabama and 5 miles from Georgia. Unfortunately our phones (which we use as alarm clocks) reset to central time zone and so we unknowingly got an extra hour of much needed sleep. The rest of the trip went smoothly and we safely arrived at Daytona Beach at 3 pm Saturday at 65 degrees. We spent the rest of Saturday getting settled into our timeshare condo, skyping with family to let them know we arrived safely, and taking a walk on the beach.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Graduation 12-12-09
Graduation! We have been waiting for this day for a long time. Could not believe that it was finally here. Kate's family and Andrew's parents made the trip to Grandville, through a blizzard, to celebrate the triumph of many years of hard work. The day started with stuffed french toast, made specially by Chef Andrew. Then we all headed to the VanAndel Arena for the commencement ceremony. Andrew was so proud of Kate that tears filled his eyes when he saw her march in behind the Kirkhof College of Nursing banner. Kate was so excited and proud to walk across the stage and receive her nursing degree. She could not stop smiling.
It was then a mad dash to the pinning ceremony. All plans went out the window, fortunately though we were all able to eat a few pieces of pizza. The pinning ceremony was so special for Kate to celebrate the culmination of all the hard work of nursing school, especially with all of her nursing school friends by her side as they each were pinned. She will never forget these friends that she made during this part of her journey.
Kate was just super excited all day, even though she was sick with a bad cold. It is hard to believe that it is finally done, and Kate has her nursing degree. We were so thankful to have Mom and Dad Schneider, Mom and Dad Dodd, G, Kevin, Angela, Kyle, and Elizabeth there to celebrate the day with us. Kate says that she could not have made it through nursing school without the encouragement and support of Andrew and her family. They helped pick her up during the very tough days when the end goal was hard to see. She is so glad to have finished this part of the Dodd Journey, and looking forward to the next thing that God has for our family.
-Katelynn Dodd, BSN-
It was then a mad dash to the pinning ceremony. All plans went out the window, fortunately though we were all able to eat a few pieces of pizza. The pinning ceremony was so special for Kate to celebrate the culmination of all the hard work of nursing school, especially with all of her nursing school friends by her side as they each were pinned. She will never forget these friends that she made during this part of her journey.
Kate was just super excited all day, even though she was sick with a bad cold. It is hard to believe that it is finally done, and Kate has her nursing degree. We were so thankful to have Mom and Dad Schneider, Mom and Dad Dodd, G, Kevin, Angela, Kyle, and Elizabeth there to celebrate the day with us. Kate says that she could not have made it through nursing school without the encouragement and support of Andrew and her family. They helped pick her up during the very tough days when the end goal was hard to see. She is so glad to have finished this part of the Dodd Journey, and looking forward to the next thing that God has for our family.
-Katelynn Dodd, BSN-
Thanksgiving
With all the craziness of the last few weeks of school and the promotion that Andrew was going for at work, we stayed home for Thanksgiving for the first time. It was really fun to make our first thanksgiving feast. Turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and pumpkin pie. It was a feast for at least 8 people, that the two of us ended up enjoying for the next week. The best part of the day was bringing our warm pumpkin pie to the hospital to share with our friends Dan and Emily (and her family too). She is now recovering from brain surgery and will get out of the hospital tomorrow. Thanking God that she will be able to go home to celebrate Christmas after 39 days in the hospital. Andrew rushed off to the mission to spend the rest of the day with the homeless men while Kate worked on at least one of her many projects (see previous post).
We are thankful for all the ways that God has blessed us this year, how He has stretched us and grown us in good times and tough times. We are so thankful for God's provision in getting Kate through nursing school. We also are thankful for the addition to the Dodd family that will be arriving this spring and for godly friends and family that push us to be more like Him.
We are thankful for all the ways that God has blessed us this year, how He has stretched us and grown us in good times and tough times. We are so thankful for God's provision in getting Kate through nursing school. We also are thankful for the addition to the Dodd family that will be arriving this spring and for godly friends and family that push us to be more like Him.
Final Projects of Nursing School
To finish off the last semester of college, I had to do many large assignments. I finished my LEI (longitudinal elder initative) project, with my elderly client. I will miss spending time with my client, after a year and half of visits we had grown close and it was hard to "break up" with her. The final project for her was a timeline posterboard that I made that showcased her history and the things that had occurred in her life. Another project I worked on was a group presentation on H1N1 for college students at GVSU in the dorms (it was also presented to my peers and profs). I also presented a group presentation on Infant Circumcision Pain and how nurses can decrease the pain that the babies experience. The last presentation I created was a poster on the Ketogenic Diet for the pediatric nurses that I worked alongside in my leadership clinical. All of these presentations was all in addition to class time, 24 hours a week (at the least) of clinical time, clinical paperwork, working 20 hours a week in the emergency department, being pregnant, and taking care of Doddy. Needless to say there was many late nights, early mornings, and lots of tears the last 2 months of nursing school.
Last, but certainly not least, throughout the semester I had to write a 15 page capstone paper. I wrote on the topic of decreasing second hand smoke exposure in children through a community nursing intervention that taught parents about the health risks exposure can cause and the importance of parental cessation. It is the longest paper that I have ever written and I am proud of the accomplishment of capping off my college writings :). If you'd like to read it (or skim it!) click on this link:
https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AfJc-JGIpqiwZGhnYzVmOThfNWRtNGNjd2hx&hl=en
Enjoy!
Last, but certainly not least, throughout the semester I had to write a 15 page capstone paper. I wrote on the topic of decreasing second hand smoke exposure in children through a community nursing intervention that taught parents about the health risks exposure can cause and the importance of parental cessation. It is the longest paper that I have ever written and I am proud of the accomplishment of capping off my college writings :). If you'd like to read it (or skim it!) click on this link:
https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AfJc-JGIpqiwZGhnYzVmOThfNWRtNGNjd2hx&hl=en
Enjoy!
Andrew turns the BIG 3-0
On November 22, Andrew turned 30 years old!! It was a sad sad day, now he can start stories with, "I remember when..." We had a fun day celebrating even though Kate was very busy with schoolwork. We went to church in the morning, then we went out to dinner at Red Robin's and got some yummy garlic parmesan french fries and a three alarm burger, one of the best he had ever eaten! We had chocolate peanut butter pie later on and buffalo chicken pizza. We ate so much that day that he had to get a new belt, and so for that day he got a stylish new belt. :) Kate got the Eagles to play on Sunday Night Football for the big day too. Andrew says, "It was a great day with my wife, and wouldn't have had it any other way!"
Baby Dodd's First Pictures
We are on our vacation, and thought we would take the time to update happenings from this fall. On November 9th, we got to see the first pictures of our baby. Kate was just about at the midway point of pregnancy and the pictures turned out great. The baby is doing wonderful and was just the right size. King David said it the best, "How you made is amazing and wonderful" (Psalms 139), and he didn't even get to see any of his babies before they were born! :)
Monday, October 26, 2009
56 minutes and 6 seconds
I promised an update after the 10k race I participated in this past weekend and I feel I have recovered enough to give that update tonight. I got out to a very quick, possibly too quick first two miles. The middle two miles I honestly don't remember, but to say that they happened. The final two miles stretched uphill quite a bit. The finish line was a welcome sight and I turned in a time of 56:06. I did it under an hour at a 9 minute clip. It was cold and rainy and very sore the next day but worth it in the end!
Here is a video that was made about the race. They show me at the beginning of the race. I am at 50 seconds on the left of the screen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mypk-LEaAw
Here is a video that was made about the race. They show me at the beginning of the race. I am at 50 seconds on the left of the screen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Baby Dodd
We just realized that we never posted on our blog that we are pregnant! Baby Dodd is due April 1st, 2010. We are so excited for this precious blessing that God has given us and we cannot wait to meet him/her. We found out that we were expecting July 25th and kept the secret from all of our family until the end of August. Andrew grew a beard to "hide" his baby face and shaved his beard when we told our families. Everyone is very excited about the new addition to the Dodds and Schneiders.
Kate was really sick for most of the first trimester. She was vomiting 4 or 5 times a day and lost 10-15 pounds. The doctor gave her some anti-nausea medications, and she has done significantly better since then. She is now able to go without taking the medication on most days and actually enjoys eating again! We have had two doctor's appointments so far, and he says that the baby is doing great, healthy, and is the right size. We were so amazed at our first visit, on Sept.11, to hear the baby's heart beat. It is so fast and strong!
We are now 17 weeks along and looking forward to our ultrasound on November 9th. This past weekend, on October 24, Kate was able to feel the baby move for the first time. It was one of the most amazing things she has ever felt. Her belly is growing and starting to show that there is someone hiding inside. We cannot wait to hold him/her in our arms in a few short months.
17 weeks 
Kate was really sick for most of the first trimester. She was vomiting 4 or 5 times a day and lost 10-15 pounds. The doctor gave her some anti-nausea medications, and she has done significantly better since then. She is now able to go without taking the medication on most days and actually enjoys eating again! We have had two doctor's appointments so far, and he says that the baby is doing great, healthy, and is the right size. We were so amazed at our first visit, on Sept.11, to hear the baby's heart beat. It is so fast and strong!
We are now 17 weeks along and looking forward to our ultrasound on November 9th. This past weekend, on October 24, Kate was able to feel the baby move for the first time. It was one of the most amazing things she has ever felt. Her belly is growing and starting to show that there is someone hiding inside. We cannot wait to hold him/her in our arms in a few short months.
17 weeks 
Friday, October 23, 2009
It's Been A While
It has been quite some time since we have posted anything new on here, but I wanted to drop a quick line to let you know I'll be running a 10k tomorrow. That's 6.2 miles, consecutively! Crazy huh? Oh and get this is will be 46 degrees and a good possibility of rain. Hope this isn't my last blog ever, I'll be sure to post my time and maybe a picture. Happy trails :)
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
akDodd Summer Update
Kate is transitioning well into her new job at Spectrum Health. She enjoys so much working with the patients and feels that it is adding to her education immensly. She is also busy with classes and clinicals, so her schedule is very full. Andrew is playing softball with the guys from church and basketball in a summer league with the men at the mission. This past week he was pretty roughed up with a black eye, skinned leg, and hurt knee. Although he is very competitive and wants to always win, both of these teams have been great ministry opportunities.
In June, we had a very sad day. Our first pet, Jack the Beta Fish breathed his last and went belly up. We had a funeral and gave him a proper burial at "sea" (all drains lead to the ocean right?).
This past Thursday, July 2nd, we celebrated our third anniversary. We can hardly believe it has already been three years!! Grandpa, Dad, and Mom came down for the day as Grandpa was flying out the next morning. It was Grandpa's 64th, Dad and Mom's 32nd, and our 3rd anniversary so we celebrated at a Japanese Restaurant. They cooked the food right in front of us, kind of like Mongolian BBQ but on a more personal scale... each table had its own grill. It was such a unique experience and the food was REALLY good too. Afterwards, we went for a walk at the park nearby our home. We came home to Kate's amazing anniversary berry pie, and then taught Grandpa and Mom how to play Wii Fit. It was such a blessing to be able to spend all of our anniversarys together.
In June, we had a very sad day. Our first pet, Jack the Beta Fish breathed his last and went belly up. We had a funeral and gave him a proper burial at "sea" (all drains lead to the ocean right?).
This past Thursday, July 2nd, we celebrated our third anniversary. We can hardly believe it has already been three years!! Grandpa, Dad, and Mom came down for the day as Grandpa was flying out the next morning. It was Grandpa's 64th, Dad and Mom's 32nd, and our 3rd anniversary so we celebrated at a Japanese Restaurant. They cooked the food right in front of us, kind of like Mongolian BBQ but on a more personal scale... each table had its own grill. It was such a unique experience and the food was REALLY good too. Afterwards, we went for a walk at the park nearby our home. We came home to Kate's amazing anniversary berry pie, and then taught Grandpa and Mom how to play Wii Fit. It was such a blessing to be able to spend all of our anniversarys together.
Summer Update from Andrew's Family
Once again, this summer Andrew's mom is helping out two days a week in the kitchen at Lake Ann. Her schedule is much more manageable this year and she enjoys staying connected with the ministry and students at Lake Ann. Dad had his year update from his prostate cancer surgery, for the most part things looked well. Please pray for the blood test that the doctor ordered that it will come back clear.
Grandpa Galloway flew out at the end of June to spend a week with Mom and Dad up north. He was able to get a flight into Grand Rapids so Andrew was able to pick him up and spend an evening with him before driving him up to Mom and Dad's. It was a soggy, rainy visit but they made the most of the opportunity and time that they had to spend with Grandpa.
Grandpa Galloway flew out at the end of June to spend a week with Mom and Dad up north. He was able to get a flight into Grand Rapids so Andrew was able to pick him up and spend an evening with him before driving him up to Mom and Dad's. It was a soggy, rainy visit but they made the most of the opportunity and time that they had to spend with Grandpa.
Summer Update from Kate's Family
Since our last blog post we have made a couple trips over to Detroit for exciting things happening in Kate's Family. Kyle graduated from high school at the end of May. We were back the following weekend to help with his graduation party. It was so fun to celebrate both days with him. We are very proud of him and excited for his future plans.
Mid-June, Kevin kidnapped Kyle and brought him to our house for his graduation gift from Kevin, Angela, and us. They spent the night and we all went to Michigan Adventure in the morning. We had a great time together...if you haven't ridden the Tunnel O' Fear, it is worth checking out. :) Lots of fun riding rollercoasters and splashing in the waterpark.
Mom and Dad are currently on vacation in Virginia. Hope that they are having a great time relaxing and soaking in the sun rays. Meanwhile, Kyle is in Jamaica with 20ish other students from Cornerstone Baptist Church serving the local kids and church there. Please keep him in your prayers this week!
Mid-June, Kevin kidnapped Kyle and brought him to our house for his graduation gift from Kevin, Angela, and us. They spent the night and we all went to Michigan Adventure in the morning. We had a great time together...if you haven't ridden the Tunnel O' Fear, it is worth checking out. :) Lots of fun riding rollercoasters and splashing in the waterpark.
Mom and Dad are currently on vacation in Virginia. Hope that they are having a great time relaxing and soaking in the sun rays. Meanwhile, Kyle is in Jamaica with 20ish other students from Cornerstone Baptist Church serving the local kids and church there. Please keep him in your prayers this week!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Kate's Birthday!
Yesterday was my birthday and it was an amazingly wonderful day! Andrew woke me up with breakfast in bed, yummy! When I walked into the living room, Andrew had decorated it with green streamers and balloons. It was so fun! One rule that we have in our home for birthdays is to wait to open up birthday cards until the day of your birthday, so I opened up a few of my cards and my present from Mom and Dad Dodd (which ended up being perfect timing, since they called right when I was about to open it!). We got ready for the day and headed to church. We were greeters for the month of May, I absolutely love serving in this area. I just love making people smile as they walk into the worship service.
After a great morning at church, we went to Red Robin for a birthday lunch. The waiters sang to me and gave me two balloons and an ice cream sundae! It was really fun and it is always a treat to eat out. I spent the afternoon getting sung to multiple times from my family :) and getting many fun birthday wishes. I opened up the rest of my birthday prizes and cards. Andrew surprised me with a new purse and the movie "Marley and Me". Because of the apartment we live in, we are not able to get a dog. So this movie about a funny Lab and his owner is a great alternative until we live somewhere else.
Afterwards, we headed to Tunnel Park in Holland. It was a beautiful and warm day; so we decided to spend it at the beach. We had fun playing card games, walking down the beach, running down the sand dunes, and just enjoying the warm sunny day at the beach. We did not venture into the water but had fun watching the little kids run in and run out shaking from the freezing water! When we got back home, we had birthday pie (Double Chocolate Peanut Butter pie!) and ended the night with watching my new movie. It was a GREAT day! I am so thankful to all of my family and especially to Andrew for making my day so special! Looking forward to what God will do during the next year of my life!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Quote of the Day
This evening Kate slammed her elbow into the kitchen counter behind her, by the sound of the impact, think explosion, I knew it was going to be very painful. What I wasn't ready for was the next words that came out of her mouth. She cried, "OH, MY CHIN!" Mind you she just whacked her elbow against the kitchen counter. This quickly relieved all tension and a little bit of the pain as I could hardly ask her with a straight face if she was okay.
If you are not doubled over laughing at this point maybe it's one of those instances that you had to be here for. Trust me Kate is okay, well recovering and what she insists she really said was, "OH, MY BONES!"
Thanks Kate for the quote of the day and all your smiles :)
If you are not doubled over laughing at this point maybe it's one of those instances that you had to be here for. Trust me Kate is okay, well recovering and what she insists she really said was, "OH, MY BONES!"
Thanks Kate for the quote of the day and all your smiles :)
Friday, May 8, 2009
Retirement Party
It was a long day today. After working from 1A-9A at the Holland Rescue Mission I had a quick turnaround and headed to the Finish Line for one final shift from noon to four. After two and a half years of working at FL I'm able to quit with Kate beginning her new job at Spectrum later in the month. Kate and I recently figured out that I have been working two jobs since the fall of 2005. So glad to be transitioning out of this phase of life!
Much to my surprise when I got home from Finish Line this afternoon Kate had made a sign to greet me that read Happy Finish Line Retirement Day. I smiled and thanked her for the kind and fun gesture. Oh, but the party was just getting started. Kate had prepared a wonderful dinner, Chicken Rissoto, and had a double chocolate strawberry two layer cake as well. I was so out of it tired that Kate counted that I passed by the cake three times before realizing that this wonderful masterpiece was sitting there on the counter! It was such a wonderfully magnificent dinner and dessert. All I wanted to do in "retirement" was to take a nap since I was so sleep deprived and due to the fact that I am getting up there in years being retired. All in all a faboulously tremendous day with my Bright Eyes!
Here's a picture to prove it :)
Much to my surprise when I got home from Finish Line this afternoon Kate had made a sign to greet me that read Happy Finish Line Retirement Day. I smiled and thanked her for the kind and fun gesture. Oh, but the party was just getting started. Kate had prepared a wonderful dinner, Chicken Rissoto, and had a double chocolate strawberry two layer cake as well. I was so out of it tired that Kate counted that I passed by the cake three times before realizing that this wonderful masterpiece was sitting there on the counter! It was such a wonderfully magnificent dinner and dessert. All I wanted to do in "retirement" was to take a nap since I was so sleep deprived and due to the fact that I am getting up there in years being retired. All in all a faboulously tremendous day with my Bright Eyes!
Here's a picture to prove it :)
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Yahweh Yireh (The Lord WILL Provide)
The months of March and April have flown by in the Dodd home. I can hardly believe that my last winter semester is done (except for my last two finals next week). I have learned SO much this semester, and I really feel much more confident about my nursing skills. Just 2 semesters, or less than 240 days, left until I am a nurse. One thing, I have really learned that God wants me to be content with where He has me RIGHT NOW. Andrew and I have huge plans for what we believe that God wants us to do in the future, but I’ve learned that I need to be focused on making a difference in the world I am right here in Grandville and nursing school and that this will help prepare us both for His future plans for us.
All this became really REAL a few weeks ago when one of my classmates died. She was a healthy, vibrant 21-year-old who wanted to be a nurse so much, and she is just gone now. There are only 60 of us in our class, so we all know each other, we are together every day. Those 59 other people really understand and know what the struggles and trials of nursing school are...we are experiencing them together...its a little family. God has shown me that I need to stand up and not be quiet about my faith. It breaks my heart that I cannot say that I know where Linzy is spending eternity, and I do not want to say that about my other classmates. I really want them all to see the difference in my life and know what the source of my hope and faith is! I need to be willing and ready to ‘walk across the room’ (book by Bill Hybels that our Pointe Group-church small group- is doing).
I left all of you blog readers last month with the possible externship opportunity that I had at Metro Health Hospital. The externship did not work out with my summer class schedule, but Metro offered me a nursing technician position on their Assisted Breathing Floor. The unit requires that I promise to work for them for at least one year (so after I graduate, I would hire on as an RN on this floor) and I cannot switch to a different floor. Honestly, when I applied and interviewed for the position I thought that this would be a temporary thing until graduation and then I could work on a different floor with different kinds of patients. These patients really are not an area I feel called to care for and they don't really fit me (they are all on ventilators and most of them cannot even talk). I am not passionate about providing that type of care, and they really deserve and need health care providers who are. So, I made the tough decision of turning down the job offer and trusting that God has a different job that would fit me better.
Passion is another area that God has been teaching me about (in my Merea Bible Study). Passion is a gift from God and “it is waking up in the morning, whoever you are, wherever you are, and bounding out of bed because there’s something out there that you love to do, that you believe in, that you’re good at-something that’s bigger than you are and you can hardly wait to go at it again today. It is what you do so well that you’d enjoy doing it without pay. Passion is the spark that needs only a little breeze to ignite into a raging fire” (Pathway to Purpose, by Katie Brazelton). I am passionate about a lot of things: my relationship and faith in my Lord and Savior, my husband, my family, church family, HIV/AIDS kids in Africa, nursing, and taking care of people (specifically children) who are sick. I need to pursue and run after these passions that God has blessed me and gifted me with. You should’ve heard me, at the end of my pediatric clinical days, I wouldn’t stop talking about the things I learned, did, and saw. I said to Andrew multiple times: I could do this job every day for free…I loved it and I am passionate about it! That is why I turned down that job, I was not passionate about taking care of ventilator patients, and I know that God will provide another nurse tech that is to that floor.
Four days after I turned down the position at Metro, I got a call from Spectrum Health Hospital. I have persistently applied at this hospital for the past 2 ½ years, probably every other week I sent in my application. I had a phone interview two days later and I was told that I would get a call back within a week if I were to have a second interview with the floor manager. I hung up and 30 minutes later, I got a call from the manager! She wanted to interview me that night!! I felt the interview went well that night, and then I had to wait a week while they interviewed other applicants. I prayed so much this past week, and thank you to all my friends and family who also supported me with prayer! The floor is a great fit for me—it’s the Emergency Room—and I really wanted to work at Spectrum before I graduate so that I can possibly be a nurse there in the future. It is part-time, so it will work with school and it is a nurse technician so it will help prepare me to be a nurse in 8 months. Also, I really feel that ER would help me, more than any other unit, for our future plans of working at Bethesda. I want to sharpen my nursing skills so that I know what to do/ am prepared to nurse in an emergency situation. I have been trusting in God that if Spectrum is where He wants me to be that He will open the doors wide open, but if He doesn’t want me there that He would slam the doors shut.
It has been neat, Andrew and I have been doing a Bible study together called “Praying the Names of God”, by Ann Spangler, and really learning other names (in Hebrew) that God has been called for generations. I completely believe that it is a God Thing that this week’s name was Yahweh Yireh: The Lord WILL Provide. I have really been praying that the Yahweh Yireh will provide this job or provide another opportunity if this job is not the right one for me. Well, I got the call from Spectrum today…The Lord provided me with the job!!! Praise the Lord!! I start May 18th. I am super excited about this opportunity to work with acutely ill patients and refine my nursing skills. Thank you all for praying for me; please continue to pray as I begin the new position!
All this became really REAL a few weeks ago when one of my classmates died. She was a healthy, vibrant 21-year-old who wanted to be a nurse so much, and she is just gone now. There are only 60 of us in our class, so we all know each other, we are together every day. Those 59 other people really understand and know what the struggles and trials of nursing school are...we are experiencing them together...its a little family. God has shown me that I need to stand up and not be quiet about my faith. It breaks my heart that I cannot say that I know where Linzy is spending eternity, and I do not want to say that about my other classmates. I really want them all to see the difference in my life and know what the source of my hope and faith is! I need to be willing and ready to ‘walk across the room’ (book by Bill Hybels that our Pointe Group-church small group- is doing).
I left all of you blog readers last month with the possible externship opportunity that I had at Metro Health Hospital. The externship did not work out with my summer class schedule, but Metro offered me a nursing technician position on their Assisted Breathing Floor. The unit requires that I promise to work for them for at least one year (so after I graduate, I would hire on as an RN on this floor) and I cannot switch to a different floor. Honestly, when I applied and interviewed for the position I thought that this would be a temporary thing until graduation and then I could work on a different floor with different kinds of patients. These patients really are not an area I feel called to care for and they don't really fit me (they are all on ventilators and most of them cannot even talk). I am not passionate about providing that type of care, and they really deserve and need health care providers who are. So, I made the tough decision of turning down the job offer and trusting that God has a different job that would fit me better.
Passion is another area that God has been teaching me about (in my Merea Bible Study). Passion is a gift from God and “it is waking up in the morning, whoever you are, wherever you are, and bounding out of bed because there’s something out there that you love to do, that you believe in, that you’re good at-something that’s bigger than you are and you can hardly wait to go at it again today. It is what you do so well that you’d enjoy doing it without pay. Passion is the spark that needs only a little breeze to ignite into a raging fire” (Pathway to Purpose, by Katie Brazelton). I am passionate about a lot of things: my relationship and faith in my Lord and Savior, my husband, my family, church family, HIV/AIDS kids in Africa, nursing, and taking care of people (specifically children) who are sick. I need to pursue and run after these passions that God has blessed me and gifted me with. You should’ve heard me, at the end of my pediatric clinical days, I wouldn’t stop talking about the things I learned, did, and saw. I said to Andrew multiple times: I could do this job every day for free…I loved it and I am passionate about it! That is why I turned down that job, I was not passionate about taking care of ventilator patients, and I know that God will provide another nurse tech that is to that floor.
Four days after I turned down the position at Metro, I got a call from Spectrum Health Hospital. I have persistently applied at this hospital for the past 2 ½ years, probably every other week I sent in my application. I had a phone interview two days later and I was told that I would get a call back within a week if I were to have a second interview with the floor manager. I hung up and 30 minutes later, I got a call from the manager! She wanted to interview me that night!! I felt the interview went well that night, and then I had to wait a week while they interviewed other applicants. I prayed so much this past week, and thank you to all my friends and family who also supported me with prayer! The floor is a great fit for me—it’s the Emergency Room—and I really wanted to work at Spectrum before I graduate so that I can possibly be a nurse there in the future. It is part-time, so it will work with school and it is a nurse technician so it will help prepare me to be a nurse in 8 months. Also, I really feel that ER would help me, more than any other unit, for our future plans of working at Bethesda. I want to sharpen my nursing skills so that I know what to do/ am prepared to nurse in an emergency situation. I have been trusting in God that if Spectrum is where He wants me to be that He will open the doors wide open, but if He doesn’t want me there that He would slam the doors shut.
It has been neat, Andrew and I have been doing a Bible study together called “Praying the Names of God”, by Ann Spangler, and really learning other names (in Hebrew) that God has been called for generations. I completely believe that it is a God Thing that this week’s name was Yahweh Yireh: The Lord WILL Provide. I have really been praying that the Yahweh Yireh will provide this job or provide another opportunity if this job is not the right one for me. Well, I got the call from Spectrum today…The Lord provided me with the job!!! Praise the Lord!! I start May 18th. I am super excited about this opportunity to work with acutely ill patients and refine my nursing skills. Thank you all for praying for me; please continue to pray as I begin the new position!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
February and A Little of March 2009
At the beginning of February, we headed over to Detroit for a day (actually less than 24 hours) for Cornerstone's missions fest. They had a seminar called Track 2 for those interested in pursuing what God might have for them in full time missions. Throughout the day we heard from several missionaries and learned many valuable things from their experience. It was great to reconnect with familiar faces and friends, many with similar passions and life goals. It was a short and snappy trip because Andrew left the next morning for the Biblical Counseling Conference in Lafayette, IN.
Before he took off for the conference, we had a romantic brunch at a little restaurant in Holland. Did I mention that was the most we've ever paid for breakfast? It was worth every penny. Good thing we had Holland Bucks (gift certificate for many stores in Holland). At the conference, Andrew really enjoyed learning and being in a class type setting for 12 hours a day. The biggest thing that emphasized at the conference was that God's Word has all the answers for life's problems. By far though, the highlight had little to do with the content being taught at the conference. After the first break on the first full day, Andrew came around the corner and much to my surprise was Chip Dean (his best man in our wedding, who he hadn't seen since that day since he lives in Alabama). It was good to hang out and reconnect with a good friend. By the end of the week, he was ready to get home to his beautiful bride :)
Meanwhile, back in Grandville, Kate was plugging away at her clinicals. She finished up her med/surg clinicals. It was really neat to see how much she grew in confidence from the begining of the clinical until the end. By the last week, she was asking to have two patients! In the week between finishing med/surg and begining pediatrics, Kate had her second nursing theory exam and got an A (finally) on the test! The next week, Kate started her pediatric rotation. She has been waiting since the begining of nursing school for this clinical! She hopes that God will allow her to be a peds nurse when she graduates.
Kate realized this month that she is half way through the actual nursing program and so she went to a health career job fair here in Grand Rapids. She was going more for the experience for when she will graduate and have to be interviewed. She talked with a number of different people from hospitals across Michigan, including a recruiter from Metro Health Hospital here in Grand Rapids. He told her about a summer nursing externship (basically she would follow around a nurse for 24 hours a week and not get paid...but it would look good on the resume for the future) and she went home and applied for it that night. Got a call the next morning for an interview and sat down the following week with someone from the hospital. The interview went really well, but still uncertain if she could sacrifice that many hours a week on top of the class load she is already carrying for the summer. We are waiting to see what her class and clinical schedule will be to determine if she can do it.
Before he took off for the conference, we had a romantic brunch at a little restaurant in Holland. Did I mention that was the most we've ever paid for breakfast? It was worth every penny. Good thing we had Holland Bucks (gift certificate for many stores in Holland). At the conference, Andrew really enjoyed learning and being in a class type setting for 12 hours a day. The biggest thing that emphasized at the conference was that God's Word has all the answers for life's problems. By far though, the highlight had little to do with the content being taught at the conference. After the first break on the first full day, Andrew came around the corner and much to my surprise was Chip Dean (his best man in our wedding, who he hadn't seen since that day since he lives in Alabama). It was good to hang out and reconnect with a good friend. By the end of the week, he was ready to get home to his beautiful bride :)
Meanwhile, back in Grandville, Kate was plugging away at her clinicals. She finished up her med/surg clinicals. It was really neat to see how much she grew in confidence from the begining of the clinical until the end. By the last week, she was asking to have two patients! In the week between finishing med/surg and begining pediatrics, Kate had her second nursing theory exam and got an A (finally) on the test! The next week, Kate started her pediatric rotation. She has been waiting since the begining of nursing school for this clinical! She hopes that God will allow her to be a peds nurse when she graduates.
Kate realized this month that she is half way through the actual nursing program and so she went to a health career job fair here in Grand Rapids. She was going more for the experience for when she will graduate and have to be interviewed. She talked with a number of different people from hospitals across Michigan, including a recruiter from Metro Health Hospital here in Grand Rapids. He told her about a summer nursing externship (basically she would follow around a nurse for 24 hours a week and not get paid...but it would look good on the resume for the future) and she went home and applied for it that night. Got a call the next morning for an interview and sat down the following week with someone from the hospital. The interview went really well, but still uncertain if she could sacrifice that many hours a week on top of the class load she is already carrying for the summer. We are waiting to see what her class and clinical schedule will be to determine if she can do it.
Friday, January 30, 2009
January 09
We can't believe that this month is practically over, and February is almost here. The time has flown by. Andrew has had a change in his work schedule which has made our schedules pretty much the opposite of each other (Kate has classes/clinicals during the day and Andrew is working afternoon shift usually). The new schedule allows two ES supervisors to be working at the same time, so it is nice that they can interact and hang out with the men more then they were able to before. Kate is enjoying her new semester. It is keeping her super busy! She is in her Med/Surg clinicals at the hospital, taking care of progressive care patients (its a step down from ICU and a step above a regular adult medical/surgical floor). They are really sick patients, but she is learning SO much from them and able to do so many more things than before. This week she had her own patient for the first time this semester and really enjoyed helping the patient and meeting their needs. Andrew has also been preparing for the Biblical Counseling Confrence (in Lafeyette, IN) that is coming up February 8-13. He is reading a book called How People Change, by Paul Tripp, to help get ready for the confrence. Please pray for him that week as he learns and is challenged to grow. This conference is something we can be doing now to help us with present and FUTURE ministry opportunities.
Hope you have had a GREAT January and not too much snow :)
Hope you have had a GREAT January and not too much snow :)
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Journeying Into 2009
We finished off 2008 with a Sunday School class party at Zach and Anne Gembis's house. We had a fun time playing games, eating, and fellowshipping with our friends from church. Kate had an allergic reaction to something she ate, and her bottom lip was pretty swollen. She took some Benadryl and it went down though the next morning. On Sunday afternoon, we went to the Stauch's house, ate lunch, and the same thing happened…but this time it was the top lip and her fingers and it was a lot worse. So we spent the afternoon at the doctor's office. They don't know what caused it, and we can't seem to find the correlation between New Years Eve and Sunday (had completely different foods). So now we have steroids and two other meds to help Kate get better. Please pray that we and the doctor can figure out the cause…it is unsettling not to know the source of the reaction.
Closing the door on 2008, we want to remember many of the GOOD things God blessed us with this year.
· Kate got into Nursing School, started it, and has already passed 2 semesters. She really loves school and learning how to care for people.
· Andrew has been able to reach and impact many men's lives at the Holland Rescue Mission.
· We have loved becoming involved with our church family, Sunday School class, and small group.
· We celebrated our 2nd year of marriage in July.
· We were able to take a vision trip to Bethesda Outreach Ministry in South Africa this past August. We loved learning more about this ministry and being able to serve the kids, houseparents, and missionaries.
· Dad Dodd's surgery, in June, went well. The doctors got all the cancer out, he lost 40+ pounds, and he got to spend a week here in Grandville with us as he recovered.
· Grandma Galloway was promoted to heaven in February after a battle with ALS. We miss you Grandma and can't wait till we see you again.
· We welcomed our first niece, Elizabeth, into the Schneider and celebrated the 1st birthday of our first Dodd niece, Natalie.
As we journey into 2009, we are eagerly anticipating how God will use us at work, school, church, and the relationships we are able to have with the people around us. We are looking forward to Kate's graduation (12/12/09), the Eagles winning the Super Bowl J, the Biblical Counseling training Andrew will do in February, Kyle's graduation from high school, Kate graduating (we are just a tiny bit excited to graduate! Can you tell?), and whatever is next in the journey that we may not even know about yet. Happy 2009!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Christmas Celebrations 2008
The last two weeks have been a whirlwind for the Dodds. We left on December 23 after Andrew got off work and headed up to Lake Ann through a snowstorm. It took us 4 hours to make a normally 2 to 2 1/2 hour trip. It was snowing and really windy and so we just took our time getting up north. We made it safely in and our new car was such a blessing, not sure if we would have made it up some of the hills and around some of the turns if we had been in the 99 Ford Escort. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at Mom and Dad Dodd's home. It was so wonderful to relax and have fun with them. On Christmas Eve, we played games, watched the old version of the Christmas Carol, ate beef stick and cheese, and made Andrew's new favorite pizza "Buffalo Chicken Pizza". It was so great to celebrate old traditions and enjoy time together. We had Monkey Bread and Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Muffins on Christmas morning when we woke up. We had a wonderful time of giving and receiving gifts (we had been saving some of their gifts since our trip to Africa). Later on, we all bundled up and went and took pictures out in the snow! It was SO fun and crazy!! They had at least 3 1/2 or 4 feet of snow. It was taller than me in some of the piles. Made snow angels and had a great time laughing and playing in the snow. After warming up and hot cocoa, we had an amazingly yummy Christmas dinner and played some more games together. Our time with them went by too fast! It was a blessing to celebrate and remember the birth of Christ together.
Friday morning, the 26th, we packed up our car Roxy and headed diagonally across the state to Clinton Township. The weather was much better for this traveling day. We arrived at the Schneider home and spent the evening playing a new game we got from Andrew's parents called Balderdash. The next morning, we woke up early and headed to Grandma M's house to take her out to breakfast and celebrate Christmas with her. Grandma can no longer see, so we got her a carved ebony elephant from South Africa as a gift. It was so neat to see her face light up when she recognized the shape of the animal and she was so appreciative of us thinking of the perfect gift for her. We we got home, later that morning, Kevin and Angela and Elizabeth arrived. We spent the afternoon with them and the rest of Kate's family (and G as well) talking, playing with the baby, and playing a new game Kevin had gotten (we sure do like to play games huh?). Mom made lasagna for dinner, and afterward we all exchanged gifts and had the annual Christmas stocking game (you have to guess what the wrapped gifts in your stocking are, whoever has the most points wins). Fun times, lots of laughter and smiles, and memories made. We headed home to Granville the next afternoon after church. It was great to be back home and back into the routine of life here.
Our families are such an important part of our lives, and we are so blessed to have such wonderful, loving, encouraging people who care about us. We thank the Lord for each of you for the impact you make in our lives!
Friday morning, the 26th, we packed up our car Roxy and headed diagonally across the state to Clinton Township. The weather was much better for this traveling day. We arrived at the Schneider home and spent the evening playing a new game we got from Andrew's parents called Balderdash. The next morning, we woke up early and headed to Grandma M's house to take her out to breakfast and celebrate Christmas with her. Grandma can no longer see, so we got her a carved ebony elephant from South Africa as a gift. It was so neat to see her face light up when she recognized the shape of the animal and she was so appreciative of us thinking of the perfect gift for her. We we got home, later that morning, Kevin and Angela and Elizabeth arrived. We spent the afternoon with them and the rest of Kate's family (and G as well) talking, playing with the baby, and playing a new game Kevin had gotten (we sure do like to play games huh?). Mom made lasagna for dinner, and afterward we all exchanged gifts and had the annual Christmas stocking game (you have to guess what the wrapped gifts in your stocking are, whoever has the most points wins). Fun times, lots of laughter and smiles, and memories made. We headed home to Granville the next afternoon after church. It was great to be back home and back into the routine of life here.
Our families are such an important part of our lives, and we are so blessed to have such wonderful, loving, encouraging people who care about us. We thank the Lord for each of you for the impact you make in our lives!
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