Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Mr. and Mrs. Macie

4 years ago a week from tomorrow, Dwayne and I were married. The wedding took place October 8, 2005 at St. Patrick's Church in Fallon.







My dress was beautiful. Pure silk with hand beading. It was heavy but it was perfect and worth every penny!



The boys got ready at the church while we girls got ready at our hotel suite.




Above Dwayne's dad is helping him attach the pocket watch I had engraved and sent over to him the morning of the wedding.



My sister was my maid of honor. This was taken as the limo pulled up to the church and just before I exited.



My mommy being escorted down the aisle by a close friend Kyle who was one of our ushers.



Dwayne's mommy being escorted down the aisle by another close friend Kevin who was an usher.



Doesn't he look nervous? He was waiting for me to come around the corner.



My brother walked me down the aisle and gave me away.


It was the greatest feeling to take those vows. Looking at each other and making those promises made everyone fade into the background.

When we put our rings on each others fingers the moment was perfect.


The ceremony was a traditional high Catholic mass.


It included communion and all the parts of the mass.


Here is the black family with the married couple.


Here is the Macie family with the married couple.


Mr. and Mrs. Macie outside the church


The groom

The bride

The happily married couple


The wedding party: 5 bride's maids, 5 groom's men

Our beautiful cake! I made this with the help of my best friend. Can you believe it? It was so pretty! And, delicious!

I love precious moments and they were our cake topper.


Our first dance as a married couple and the start of a great life together! I can't believe it has been four years already! These years have been wonderful and full of many adventures. I can't wait for the next years to come. My best friend, my support, my strength, my mate for life. Here's to the next anniversaries!

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Nursing School Starts Back Up!

Well, school has started again. We've been going now for a four or five weeks and I am starting to get back into the swing of things. I've started adjusting to the schedule and have adjusted to not seeing my family as much. I must say though, although this year is just as challenging as last year, it isn't as stressful and chaotic as last year. Don't get me wrong, it is still hard and very time consuming but I feel like I can breathe a little bit easier this year.


This semester my clinicals are at Renown in Reno. That means getting up every Monday morning at 3:45 AM so that I can be to Reno on time. After a brief stay on the Orthopaedics floor, I have now become comfortable on the Neuro-Sciences floor. I have been able to see a few very interesting procedures and don't worry, I will spare you all the details. The above pic was taken on the first day of clinicals, in the parking garage at Renown. It was sooooo early in the morning!


The first few weeks of school we have had IV labs in the mix. We have gone in for class to learn about all things IV. We were shown how to prime tubing, how to operate pumps, how to spike IV bags and how to set up blood transfusion tubing.


Toward the end of the lab were able to finally do an actual IV start. They taught us what we needed to know and do and then we were turned loose to practice on the fake arms. The arms aren't bad looks wise. They start from the shoulder and run all the way down to the fingers. They are set up with some fake blood so that when we get our IV into the vein we actually get blood return like a live person would give. They are however a little off from the real thing in respects to how the veins are and how they feel.


In the above picture I am finding my vein and cleaning my area.


So, as you can tell by my face in the above picture, something isn't right here. Don't worry it was nothing serious. Well as I mentioned, the arms aren't exactly like the real thing. Some of the veins aren't "true" veins and won't give you blood return or allow you to advance your IV cath. In this particular situation that is what was happening to me. I got my poke done but the vein ended up bending, that's right bending, the tubing of my IV cath.


The instructor decided to see if it was like that on the whole arm and if we were waisting our time practicing on this arm. After some looking, she found a vein that was a true vein and had excellent results. So I tried again.


The second time, after finding the true vein, I got my IV in with no problems. In place, secure and beautiful!
You may wonder if I have started an IV on a real person and the answer is yes I have! I have done only one, but I am hoping to change that real soon. So far the semester is going good! I did well on my first exam and at the moment am preparing for my next one that will be next week. I have become the Vice-President of my class and meet with the fellow officers of my class to discuss graduation plans, fundraising, and the like. Graduation is in May and there are quite a few things that have to happen before it. So far it has been a great experience being VP.
In October our clinicals at Renown will end and we will switch to a psychiatric rotation at some places in Reno. I say October like it is far away or something but really it isn't. Hard to believe the holiday season is just around the corner! But I can't get too distracted by that....must stay focused and continue through and finish this semester strong!
Love and Blessings to you all!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Dwayne's Birthday Came Early This Year!

Dwayne's birthday isn't until October 6th. This year though, I gave him his present early.


I wrapped it up and had him open it up with just the two of us.


It didn't take him long to get the wrapping paper off the box.


I packaged the present in packing peanuts to make him dig!


And dig. And dig.



He couldn't find it so he dumped all of it out on the floor!

After sifting through it all he finally found it. His present was a wad of money rolled up and tied with a ribbon. I gave him the money he would need to buy a season pass to Mt. Rose during their September pink slip sale. If I had waited until his actual birthday he would have missed out on the great deal. He loves to ski and this was the perfect present for him. He also got a snowboard, boots and bindings from the pawn shop to take with him to learn on. I think he is set for the winter! Happy early birthday honey!




Happy 20th Birthday Mellie!


This last Saturday, September 19th, was my little sister's birthday. As you can see she turned 20.


She really likes batman so I made her a batman cake for her birthday party.


It turned out pretty well I think.



I present to you Gotham city and batman


I made this creation with no sleep! Woohoo!


The birthday girl with her cake


She asked Jordan to help her blow out her candles on the cake....apparently 20 candles are just too many for the "old lady!"


Look at all that smoke!


After the cake it was time for her to open up presents. In the above picture she is holding a ticket Dwayne and I got her to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra in November. She got a lot of very nice presents for her birthday and had several friends and family over to help her celebrate. It was a nice day and a nice party.

Macie Family Visits Pt 3

Day 6 was Labor Day. Our town always has a parade along with what is called the Cantaloupe festival. We haven't been to the parade in years but decided to go this year. Dwayne always works the parade with the police department so his family, me and my cousin Jordan found a spot toward the beginning of the parade route to sit and watch the parade.

*My cousin Jordan and me waiting for the parade to start*



Jordan checking to see if the parade was getting ready to start


Here we are waiting to get started



Almost time......we had a good spot. The floats in the parade throw candy and Jordan made out!


Thierry did good at the parade, well until all the firetrucks came by with their loud sirens and horns that is!




After the parade and after Dwayne was off work we all went to the Cantaloupe festival. To start we all got something to eat. We had Indian tacos (if you've never had one you're missing out!), funnel cake, iced tea and lemonade. It was delicious!


To occupy Thierry, Dwayne would make him an airplane and would fly him over to me for a kiss and then pull him away really quickly. He loved it! He would laugh and laugh.


After walking around and looking at all the different vendors it was time to head over to the carnival. Jordan had been looking forward to riding some rides all day long! You can't see him in the picture above but he and Dwayne are riding the spider ride!


Next it was time for the Berry-Go-Round. Even I got in on this one!



Next came the swinger. My brother Steven was with us and he rode this one too!


There they go!


Later it was time to sit back and relax. We played a little with Thierry (& Halo) and some "toys."


Can you tell he was having fun with his uncle?


I went off to the bedroom to do some reading for my class the next morning and Dad and Dwayne played some Wii bowling.


Dwayne taking his turn.


Day 7 was a "rush" of a day. Just kidding. I went to class for the first part while Dwayne and his dad did the final touches to the yard. After class, Dwayne's family, my sister, my mom and us all went to Reno to do some more shopping and to stop at the Ultimate Rush.

A couple of years ago Dwayne and I gave Mellie a coupon of sorts, an IOU if you will, for a ride on the Ultimate Rush for her birthday present. Since Diana was here visiting she wanted to go too and it made it so they had three people.


Off they went and started to get ready.


They guys helped them get suited up


Almost ready to fly.....


Loading up on the platform


The rest of us just hung back and watched the crazy ones get pulled into the sky. Here is my mom and the baby watching.


There they go, almost to the top.


They got to the top and after what seemed like no hesitation at all, they came flying down!


Screaming along!


Having a little fun with it


Goofing around while they continue to swing back and forth


The normal ones watching and waiting while the crazies went a second time!



After they were all finished we headed over to the mall to do a little shopping and work up an appetite for dinner! Thierry rode around on uncle Dwayne's shoulders. That's pretty high up there!


When we were all hungry we had dinner at Applebee's. Thierry sure likes his desserts!


The next morning it was time for the family to pack up and get ready to head back home.



I spent the morning getting my last few hours of play with my nephew. He was content while everyone got ready to go.


Thierry and aunt Tiffy




Hard to believe next time we see everyone he will be walking! Until next time.....